Reveals Interior Minister Faraton as security forcesintervene in El-afwein clan skirmishes.
By: Omar Mohamed Farah
El-afwein (THT)– The government shall not sit idly as innocent citizens live one lost through meaningless squobles.
This was informed by the Somaliland Interior Minister Yasin Mohammud Hiir (Faraton) during a briefing to Dawan Newspaper on status of ongoing reconciliation of warring clans in El-afwein district of Sanaag region.
Revealing that the government has dispatched security forces to Sin’arro area of El-afwein district, where two resident clans have been skirmishing thence a number of deaths and injuries, Minister Faraton urged adherence to reconciliation agreements reached mutually in lieu of adverse repercussions.
“Security forces now in Sin’arro shall take necessary action to ensure that reconciliation agreements are observed and a full ceasefire observed by the two clans” said the Interior Minister.
Faraton who is leading a government team to reconcile thewaring Sin’arro clans has so far held successfulmeetings with El-afwein traditional leaders and Sanaag regional administration in which the following arrangements were agreed upon.
1. Security
a. It is illegal for anyone to possess illegal weapon
b. It is against the law for clans to arm themselves and converge with hostile intent
c. It is against the law to carry weapons licensed or not within trading centers and livestock watering ports.
d. Security forces have full authority to ensure the aboveis implemented.
e. Traditional leaders have 24 hrs to disband armed clan militia in Sin’arro
2. Grazing land
a. Apart from personal land whose ownership is verified by a tittle deed issued by relevant authorities all grazing land in El-afwein district and Somaliland at large is property of the state.
b. Anybody found claiming sole use of public grazing and shall be acted upon appropriately by security forces not only in El-afwein by all over Somaliland.
3. Creation of New Administrative Areas.
a. The government has immediately ceased creation of new administration areas all over the country.
b. Residence in a public grazing land without official permission is illegal
c. As from 21/09/2016 establishmentof trading centers in public lands is banned
D. The Sanaag and Sool regional administration are instructed not to accept or authorize new centers within El-afwein gar’adag, Dararweine, Awr-bogeys and Huddun districts.
According to the Interior Minister the above decisions are binding nationwide while below are those specific to ending current clan hostilities in El-afwein district.
In order to establish a sustainable co-existence among warring clan in El-afwein the government fronted reconciliation meeting reached the following decision;
1. Ba’au Area
In lieu of the contested ownershipof Ba’au area more so in relation to wrangles over a new trading center leading to death and injures and in reference to agreement between Sanaag regional and El-afwein district administrations.
The government of Somaliland herein decrees that.
A. Ba’au is a public grazing area and the contested Ba’autrading center is illegal therefore all structures should be demolished by the 10/10/2016.
B. It is illegal to construct water reservoirs, “Berkhad” within Ba’au area
2 Doqoble Water Point
a. All watering points established by the warring clans in Dogoble should be destroyed by 10/10/2016.
b. Any individual or clan establishing new water points within Dogoble which is a public grazing land shall be heldaccountable to law
c. For the central government to compensate clans with costs incurred constructing water points in Dogoble
d. An independent committee to be established for the purposes of providing and advising the government on actual costs incurred and by whom in constructing the to be destroyed Dogoble watering points
e. Government to pay compensation costs within 30 days of committee to submit its report
f. The Ministry of Water Development is solely responsible for the Dogoble Watering Points, installation of machinery, new wells and all development in general
The Interior Minister Yasin Mohammed Faraton who on behalf of the government and people of Somaliland commiserated with family and relatives of the 13 citizens who died during the clan skirmishes in El-afwein said blood money compensation for the deceased has been agreed as follows:
I. Each of the 13 deceased shall be compensated with one hundred and thirty heads of camels
II. 40 of the 130 shall be paid in live camels due within thirty days from 22nd September 2016
III. The balance of the 90 camels blood money compensation shall be in cash, priced at $400 per head and payable within 90 days from 22nd September 2016.
IIII. Injuries shall be compensated according to Islamic tenets and handled by an independent committee to be established for the purpose.
V. If the blood money compensation is not paid as agreed the government shall intervene with necessary action against the defaulting clan.
In conclusion the Interior Minister who reiterated government warning that unnecessary citizen blood shed shall not be tolerated whatsoever thence a must cessation of hostilities said that
• Anybody contravening these agreement shall face the wrath of law and his clan fine $20,000 per offending member
• Security forces now in the areas of hostilities shall maintain presence until recalled by the state upon satisfaction of peaceful coexistence and
• The state fully responsible with ensuring cessation of hostilities and implementation of reconciliation agreements.
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