PRESS RELEASE African Union Member States reporting COVID-19 cases as of 21st May 2020 6 pm EAT COVID-19 cases (96,829), deaths (3,031), and recoveries (38,334) ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 21, 2020/ — African Union Member States (54) reporting COVID-19 cases (96,829), deaths (3,031), and recoveries (38,334) by region: Central (9,353 cases; 304 deaths; 2,611 recoveries): Burundi (42: 1; 20), Cameroon (3,529; 140; 1,567), central African Republic (418; 0; 18), Chad (565; 57; 177), congo (420; 15; 132), ORC (1,835; 61; 303), Equatorial Guinea (719; 7; 22), Gabon (1,567; 12; 365), sao Tome & prjncipe (258; 11; 7) Eastern (10,486; 285; 3,029): Comoros (34; 1; 8), Djibouti (2,047; 10; 1,055), Eritrea (39; 0; 39), Ethiopia (398; 5; 123), Kenya (1,109; 50; 375), Madagascar (405; 2; 131), Mauritius (332; 10; 322), Rwanda (314; 0; 216), Seychelles (11; 0; 11), Somalia (1,594; 61: 204), South Sudan (282; 4; 4), Sudan (3,138: 121; 309). Tanzania (509; 21; 167), Uganda (274; 0; 65) Northern (30,201; 1,498; 13,077): Algeria (7,542; 568; 3,968), Egypt (14,229; 680; 3,994), Libya (69; 3; 35), Mauritania (131; 4; 6), Morocco (7,185; 196; 4,212), Tunisia (1,045; 47; 862) Southern (20,608; 389; 9,492): Angola (58; 3; 17), Botswana (29; 1; 19), E-swatini (217; 2; 97), Lesotho (1; 0; 0), Malawi (72; 3; 27), Mozambique (162; 0; 48), Namibia (18; 0; 14), South Africa (19,137; 369; 8,950), Zambia (866; 7; 302), Zimbabwe (48: 4; 18) Western (26,181; 555; 10,125): Benin (130; 2; 57), Burkina Faso (812; 52; 669), Cape Verde (356; 3; 85), Cote d’Ivoire (2,231; 29; 1,083), Gambia (24; 1; 13), Ghana (6,269; 31: 1,898), Guinea (2,863: 18: 1,525), Guinea-Bissau (1,089: 6:42), Liberia (240; 23; 131), Mali (931; 55; 543), Niger (920; 58; 738) Nigeria (6,677; 200; 1,840), Senegal (2,714; 30; 1,186), Sierra Leone (585; 35; 205), Togo (340; 12; 110) Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). View multimedia content SOURCE Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Qaran News

Two residents of the Dadaab complex have tested positive for Covid-19, the United Nations refugee agency has announced. Source: Hiiraan Online

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of life around the globe in the last three months. It changed the way we interact with each other, the way we conduct business, and the way we learn. People are conforming to social distancing, employees are working from home, meetings are conducted via Zoom and students are receiving their lessons online. In Somaliland, the government had closed all schools and universities to prevent spread of COVID-19 in learning spaces. The schools were originally supposed to be closed for four weeks, but the period was later extended by four weeks. Educational institutions, like other institutions affected by the preventive measures, have no clues how long it will take to reopen schools and universities. They have had to adopt new ways to deliver lessons to students to meet their teaching obligations. Universities and schools have come up with a creative solution: online classes. Distance learning is a new territory for most universities in Somaliland. It is a timely initiative to lessen the impact the lockdown has on students’ learning. Students avail themselves of enough, influx of recorded lessons and live sessions on Facebook or YouTube. These lessons benefit from interactive facilities that enable student following live lessons to ask questions or leave comments once the live lesson comes to an end. Students have found ways to boost their learning. whatsApp groups to exchange class links, assignments, and other resources have become common. Social Media platforms, which were dubbed to be a waste of time, have suddenly become a valuable resource. A teacher in Hargeisa gives an online lesson via YouTube Moreover, cable channels have started airing prerecorded lessons for elementary, intermediate and secondary students,. Students who do not have access to the internet or television sets can just turn on their radios because Radio Hargeisa has also started broadcasting lessons. The interesting thing is that this new way of schooling is in a sense becoming a great equaliser regarding the quality of education students from public and private schools receive. It’s is usually the private schools that hire the best teachers since they pay much better than government schools do, this has long caused a disparity between the quality of education students in these institutions obtain. This gap is most evident in the secondary and intermediate leaving exams taken by the Ministry of Education; private school students receive top marks . But now classes taught by the best teachers in the country are available for all on platforms like Facebook and YouTube, the educational inequality in Somaliland gets temporarily addressed. When the lockdown is over, the Somaliland Ministry of Education will be hard pressed to ignore educational disparities that deprive many children of life chances bestowed by quality education. © Puntland Post Monthly, 2020 Click here to download a full webzine The post THE LOCKDOWN TRANSFORMS SOMALILAND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM appeared first on Puntland Post.

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Jigjiga(Caasimada Online)-Baarlamaanka dowlad degaanka Soomaali Galbeed ayaa maanta xasaanadii ka xayuubiyey 12 xildhibaan, kadib muran sababay gacan ka hadal oo hareeyay fadhigii golaha. Xildhibaanadan laga qaaday xasaanadoodii ayaa doonayay in ajendaha kulankii maanta lagu daro xilka qaadis ay la damacsanaayeen qaar ka mid ah madaxda ugu sareysa dowlad deegaanka. Xildhibaanadaas ayaa isku deyay inay carqaladeeyaan fadhiga golaha, kadib markii guddoonku ka aqbali diiday ajendihii ay wateen, waxaana gudaha u galay hoolka ay ku shirayeen ciidamo ka tirsan kuwa ammaanka, kuwaas oo u gacan qaaday xildhibaanadii watay ajendaha xil ka qaadista ah. Intaas kadib fadhigii golaha ayaa cod xasaanad ka xayuubin ah loogu qaaday xildhibaanadaas oo gaaraya 12 xubnood, waxayna xubnihii kale ee baarlamaanku ogolaadeen in xaaaanadda laga xayuubiyo. Xildhibaanadaas ayaa kala ah: Maxamed Axmed Layli Axmed Aadan Axmed Cabdiwali Axmed Faarax Mahad Xasan Maxamed Shaafi Cashiir Nadiir Yuusuf Aadan Cabdirisaaq Cabdullaahi Belyi Yuusuf Cilmi Isaaq Axmed Xasan Nuur Yuusuf Axmed Xirsi Nimcaan Cabdullaahi Xamare, iyo Cabdiraxmaan Curaagte. Inta badan jidadka iyo xaafaha magaalada Jigjiga ee xarunta dowlad deegaanka Soomaalida ayaa lasoo dhoobay ciidamada Liyu-boolis, waxaana jira khilaaf culus oo soo kala dhex galay siyaasiyiinta deegaanka. Horay siyaasiyiin u badan xildhibaano ayaa xukuumadda si weyn ugu dhaliilay in baarlamaanka aysan u madax baneyn shaqadiisa, waxaana horay isku casilay afhayeenkii baarlamaanka, kaas oo xildhibaanada maanta xasaanadda laga qaaday ay ku doodayeen in afhayeen cusub loo doorto booskaas, balse xukuumadda ayaa la sheegay inay ka cagajiideyso, in kastoo aan la cadeyn sababta.

For years, he was one of Saudi Arabia’s top intelligence officers, an expert in artificial intelligence who played key roles in the kingdom’s fight against Al Qaeda and in its security coordination with the United States. Source: Hiiraan Online

(SLT-Hargaysa) Waxa magaaladda Hargaysa Maanta ku geeriyooday Alle hawnaxariiste Marxuum Xaji Ibraahim Barre Nuur oo kamid ah Odayaasha Haldoorka Somaliland. Shabakadda Wararka ee Somalilandtoday waxaa soo gaadhay Wargalin ku saabsan aaska Marxuumka. Kaas oo u dhignaa sidan. “Alle hawnaxariiste Maydka Xaji Ibraahim Barre Nuur waxaa laga qaadi doona Gurigiisa oo ku yaala Kaalinta Gaafane ee agagaarka Buurta Kala Jeexan 11-Subaxnimo. Waxaana lagaga tukanayaa Masaajidka Tabliiqiga Salaada Duhur. Sidaa hawlo socaan cid kasta oo ka soo qayb galaysa. “ Axmed Cilmi Barre. Source

The coronavirus poses enormous challenges for Somalia, where the humanitarian situation is already dire, said the top UN envoy for the country on Thursday. Source: Hiiraan Online

Muqdisho (Caasimada Online) – Hoggaamiyaha Xigbiga Midnimada Dimuquraadiyadda Salaad Cali Jeelle, oo shir jaraa’id ku qabtay magaalada Muqdisho ayaa ka hadlay arrimaha kiiska badda iyo go’aanka ay maxkamadda ICJ dib ugu dhigtay dhageysiga dacwadda u dhaxeysa Soomaaliya iyo Kenya, waxuuna naqdiyey qaabkii uu malin ka hor uga hadlay madaxweyne Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud. Salaad Cali Jeelle ayaa sheegay in ICJ aysan Soomaaliya waxba ka weydiinayn go’aankeeda, isla markaana ay ku qasbaneed inay aqbasho dalabka Kenya, maadaama sida uu sheegay ay ku war gelisay in aysan diyaar u aheyn sababo jira awgood. “Shalay waxaa arinta badda ka hadlay Xasan Sheekh, horay Xasan Sheekh heshiiskii is afgaradka ahaa ayuu usoo noo leeyay, markii uu dhinac u dhaqaaji waayey ayuu go’aankii baarlamaanka awgiis waxaa khasab ku noqotay ama Ilaaheyba ka waafajiyee in markii dambe uu maxkamadda caalamiga ah geeyo, taasina waxay aheyd shaqadii laga rabay qof mas’uul ah oo Soomaaliyeed” ayuu yiri Salaad Cali Jeelle. Isaga oo hadalkiisa sii watay ayuu yiri,Shalay Xasan Sheekh hadalkiisa waan fiirsanaayey, cid uu la hadlaayo waan garan waayey, maxaa yeelay hadii dib loo dhigay oo Corona loo sababeeyay, in uu isagu inta iclaamka tago niyad jab ku rido umadda Soomaaliyeed, waxaaba u moodaa dad kale in uu la hadlaayo kolba Soomaali lama hadleyn.” Siyaasiga Salaad Cali Jeelle ayaa sidoo kale sheegay in Xasan Sheekh uu u muuqdo nin loolan siyaasadeed ku gelaaya arinta badda. “Badda Soomaaliya ninkii wax kasoo dhicinaaya oo garab taagan, waa loo wada baahan yahay, laakiin in Xasan Sheekh meeshaas loolan ka raadiyo oo dhaho afar sano ka hor meeshii aan uga tegay ayey joogtaa, mana joogto oo waxay gacanta u gashay maxkamadda caalamiga ah, marka yaan laga af miishaareyn shacab Soomaaliyeedna waa inay ogaadaan gacan amaan ah inay ku jirto hantidoodii” ayuu yiri mar kale Salaad Cali Jeelle. Halkan ka Daawo

Baarlamaanka dowlad degaanka Soomaalida ayaa maanta kula laabtay xasaanaddii xildhibaannimo 12 xildhibaan kuwaas oo maanta kulankii golaha muran ka dhex abuuray golaha. Xildhibaanadan ayaa doonayay in Ajendaha kulanka Baarlamaanka loogu daro xilka qaadis lagu sameeyo madaxda ugu sarraysa doladda Deegaanka uu hoggaamiyo Mustafe Maxamed Cagjar. Murankaas ayaana waxaa ka dhasjhay in jirdil loo geysto xildhibaanno intaas ka dib ayaa guddoonka golaha waxaa ay ku dhawaaqeen in saxaanadda laga noqday xildhibaanimo 12-ka xiildhibaan ee maanta xasaanadda lagala noqday ayaa kala ah. Maxamed Axmed Layli Axmed Aadan axmed C Waali Axmed Faarax Mahad Xasan Maxamed Shaafi Cashiir Nadiir Yuusuf Aadan C risaaq C Laahi Belyi Yuusuf culmi isaaq Axmed xasan nuur Yuusuf axmed xirsi Nimcaan claahi xamare C raxmaan curaagte. Goobjoog News Source: goobjoog.com

Kismaayo (Caasimada Online) – War-saxaafadeed kasoo baxay xaafiiska Madaxweynaha maamulka Jubbaland Axmed Maxamed Islaam (Axmed Madoobe) ayaa eedeyn culus oo la xariirta xaaladda gobolka Gedo loogu soo jeediyay madaxda dowladda federaalka. “Dowlad goboleedka Jubbaland waxay ka xuntahay falalka sharci darrada ah ee dowladda federaalka Soomaaliya ay ka wado gobolka Gedo, kuwaas oo sababay khalkhal amni, jaha wareer siyaasadeed iyo burbur bulsho,” ayaa lagu yiri war-saxaafadeedkan oo ka soo baxay xaafiiska Axmed Madoobe. Qoraalka ayaa lagu sheegay in mudooyinkii lasoo dhaafay ay dowladda federaalku si khasab ah xaafiisyadoodii uga saartay guddoomiyeyaashii sharciga ahaa ee degmooyinka gobolka Gedo, isla markaana ay ku soo daad gureysay ciidamadii loogu tala galay inay dalka ka saaraan cadawga, kuwaas oo sida lagu yiri qoraalka loo iclaamiyey inay burburiyaan nidaamkii iyo kala dambeyntii ka jirtay gobolka Gedo. “Falalkan sharci darrada ah oo noqday kuwo aysan ka waantoobin dowladda federaalka, oo ay ugu dambeysay warqaddii lagu sheegay in uu soo saaray wasiir ku xigeenkii hore ee wasaaradda arrimaha gudaha Jubbaland, taas oo lagu sheegay in uu magacaabay gudoomiyaha gobolka Gedo iyo ku xigeenkiisa,” ayaa sidoo kale lagu yiri qoraalka kasoo baxay Jubaland. Jubbaland ayaa war-saxaafadedkan ku sheegtay inay cadeyneyso in dowladda federaalka ay ku xadgudbeyso dastuurka dalka, isla markaana ay burburineyso nidaamka federaalka ah ee dalka u degan. “Jubbaland waxay u cadeyneysaa dhamaan bulshada Soomaaliyeed, hey’adaha dowladda federaalka iyo hey’adaha caalamiga ah, inay u aqoonsantahay gudoomiyeyaasha sharciga ah ee degmooyinka gobolka Gedo, kuwii ay horay ugu magacaawday si waafaqsan dastuurka Jubbaland iyo kan federaalkaba,” ayaa lagu yiri. Jubbaland ayaa bulshada ku nool gobolka Gedo waxay ugu baaqday inay la shaqeeyaan guddoomiyeyaasha sharciga ah ee horay Jubbaland ugu magacaawday gobolka Gedo, iyadoo cidii la tacaamusha qolo kale ku war gelisay inay qaadan doonto mas’uuliyadda darradii ka dhalata. “Dowlad goboleedka Jubbaland waxay uga digeysaa shakhsiyaadka sameynaya ku takrifalka awoodda aysan laheyn iyo sharciga, waxayna la tiigsan doontaa maxkamadaha si waafaqsan dastuurka dalka,” ayaa lagu soo gaba-gabeeyay qoraalkan ka soo baxay xaafiiska madaxweyne Axmed Madoobe.

Aasaasaha hey’adda Aamin Ambulane oo adeeg gurmad lacagta la’aan ah u fidisa dadka Muqdisho Dr. Cabdiqaadir Adan oo booliiska ay saacado kahor ka kaxeysteen ayaa la sii daayey. Goobjoog News Source: goobjoog.com

Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — The Joint Electoral Committee of the Somali Parliament and Upper House has submitted a progress report on its activities. The Committee was formed to finalise guidelines to be incorporated into the electoral law. The Joint Committee reported that the task of preparing electoral guidelines were near completion. The Chairman of the Joint Electoral Committee Ibrahim Isaq Yarow said that the “electoral guidelines are in final draft to be submitted to the secretariat of the Parliament and the Upper House”. The electoral guidelines under preparation revolve around a quota for women MPs and Senators, parliamentary seats, the status of Mogadishu and the selection of MPs from Northern Somalia (Somaliland). The National Independent Electoral Commission will present to the Parliament to options for the type of elections Somalia will conduct in 2021. The NIEC Chairwoman Halima Ismail said recently that elections would only take place provided they meet conditions set out in the electoral law passed by the Parliament in December 2019. © Puntland Post, 2020 The post A JOINT ELECTORAL COMMITTEE SUBMITS A PROGRESS REPORT appeared first on Puntland Post.

Warbixin ay maanta dhagaystaan Golaha Amaanka Qaramada Midoobay ayaa looga hadlay Xaalada Soomaaliya, Amaanka, Doorashada iyo Caafimaadka. Qaramada Midoobay waxay walaac weyn ka muujiyeen Doorashada [...] The post Baaqii Jubbaland oo Golaha Amaanka QM gaaray, Dowlada FEderaalka oo la eedeeyey appeared first on . Source

Muqdisho (Caasimada Online) – Ciidamada booliska Soomaaliya ayaa caawa soo xiray Agaasimaha hey’adda gaadiidka gurmadka deg dega ah ee Aamin Ambulance Cabdulqaadir Cabdiraxmaan Aadan. Ciidamada afurkii kadib Cabdulqaadir Cabdiraxmaan kasoo xiray Baar lagu magacaabo Spaghetti House oo ku yaalla agagaarka isgoyska Banaadir ee magaalada Muqdisho, waxayna la’aadeen dhanka xarunta dembi barista booliska ee CID-da. Warqad kasoo baxday xaafiiska Xeer ilaaliyaha guud ee qaranka oo ay heshay Caasimada Online ayaa lagu amray taliska hey’adda dembi barista booliska Soomaaliya ee CID-da soo qabashada Cabdulqaadir Cabdiraxmaan madaxa hey’adda Aamin Ambulance. Warqadda ayaa lagu sheegay in Cabdulqaadir Aamin Ambulance ay cabasho kasoo gudbiyeen laba nin oo lagu kala magacaabo Axmd Cabdiraxmaan Diiriye iyo Barre Cismaan Xuseen, kuwaas qaab Forex ah uu lacag uga qaatay, taas oo cadadkeedu dhanyahay, $214,000,00 oo dollar. “Waxaa la farayaa taliska qeybta barista dembiyada ee CID-da, in uu baaris ku sameeyo cabashada sare ku xusan, natiijada kasoo baxdana kusoo celiyo xaafiiska xaafiiska Xeer ilaaliyaha guud ee Qaranka, si loo waafajiyo sharciga” ayaa lagu yiri warqadda.

Muqdisho (SMN)- Halkan ka Dhageyso Warka Habeen ee Idaacadda Shabelle. Hoos riix si aad u dhageysato. https://www.radioshabelle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Warka-Habeen-21052020.mp3 View the full article

Aasaasaha shirkadda si lacagta la’aanta ah dadka ambulance ugu qaata ee fadhigeedu yahay Muqdisho Dr. Cabdiqaadir Adan ayey booliiska kaxeysteen. Wararka ayaa intaasi ku daraya in milkiilaha Amin Ambulance weli aaney caddeyn sababta iyo goobta la geeyey. Goobjoog News Source: goobjoog.com

Aasaasaha shirkadda si lacagta la’aanta ah dadka ambulance ugu qaata ee fadhigeedu yahay Muqdisho Dr. Cabdiqaadir Adan ayey booliiska kaxeysteen. Wararka ayaa intaasi ku daraya in milkiilaha Amin Ambulance weli aaney caddeyn sababta iyo goobta la geeyey. Goobjoog News Source: goobjoog.com

Wasiirka Caafimaadka iyo Daryeelka Bulshada Xukuumadda Federaalka Soomaaliya, Marwo Fowziya Abiikar Nuur ayaa warbixinta maalinlaha ah ee COVID19 ku sheegtay inay Feyruska Karoona ka bogsoodeen 16 qof oo cusub taas oo tirada guud ee dadka bogsooday ka dhigeysa ku dhawaad 204 Marwo Fowziya Abiikar Nuur ayaa sidoo kale caddeysay in la diiwaan geliyay 21 xaalado cusub oo COVID19 ah, oo kala jooga gobalka Banaadir 19, iyo Puntiland 2, taas oo tirada guud ee xaaladaha dalka laga diiwaan geliyay ka dhigeysa 1,594. Bukaannada cusub oo 14 kamid ah waa rag, 7-na waa haween. 24-kii saac ee ugu dambeeyay lama diiwaan gelin bukaan u geeriyooday COVID19. Wasiirka Caafimaadka iyo Daryeelka Bulshada Xukuumadda Federaalka Soomaaliya, waxay ku baaqday in lagu dadaalo kahor tagga cudurka si loo yareeyo saameynta uu bulshada ku yeelanayo. Goobjoog News Source: goobjoog.com

Wasiirka Caafimaadka iyo Daryeelka Bulshada Xukuumadda Federaalka Soomaaliya, Marwo Fowziya Abiikar Nuur ayaa warbixinta maalinlaha ah ee COVID19 ku sheegtay inay Feyruska Karoona ka bogsoodeen 16 qof oo cusub taas oo tirada guud ee dadka bogsooday ka dhigeysa ku dhawaad 204 Marwo Fowziya Abiikar Nuur ayaa sidoo kale caddeysay in la diiwaan geliyay 21 xaalado cusub oo COVID19 ah, oo kala jooga gobalka Banaadir 19, iyo Puntiland 2, taas oo tirada guud ee xaaladaha dalka laga diiwaan geliyay ka dhigeysa 1,594. Bukaannada cusub oo 14 kamid ah waa rag, 7-na waa haween. 24-kii saac ee ugu dambeeyay lama diiwaan gelin bukaan u geeriyooday COVID19. Wasiirka Caafimaadka iyo Daryeelka Bulshada Xukuumadda Federaalka Soomaaliya, waxay ku baaqday in lagu dadaalo kahor tagga cudurka si loo yareeyo saameynta uu bulshada ku yeelanayo. Halkaan hoose ka daawo sawirrada:- View the full article

Muqdisho (Caasimada Online) – Ergeyga gaarka ah ee xoghayaha guud ee QM u qaabilsan Soomaaliya, oo khudbad ka jeediyey kulan Golaha Ammaanka uu ka yeeshay arrimaha Soomaaliya, ayaa shaaca ka qaaday inay wada-hadallo u socdaan Soomaaliya iyo Somaliland. James Swan ayaa sheegay in wada-hadallada ay yihiin heer sare ah, islamarkaana labada dhinac ay leeyihiin xiriir joogto ah. Waxa uu intaas ku daray in labada dhinacba ay doonayaan in lasii hormariyo wada-xaajoodyada. “Marka ay noqoto xiriirka Soomaaliya iyo Somaliland, waxaa na dhiiri-gelinaya in wada-hadallo heer sare ay socdaan, islamarkaana labada dhinac ay muujiyeen inay ka go’an tahay inay joogteeyaan xiriirka ayna sii raadiyaan wada-xaajoodyo dheeraad ah,” ayuu yiri James Swan. Swan ma uusan bixin wax faah-faahin oo intaas dheer, mana cadda qaabka ay u socdaan wada-hadallada iyo mas’uuliyiinta ku lugta leh intaba. Caasimada Online oo la xiriirtay labada dhinacba, way diideen inay arrintan ka hadlaan. Dowladaha Soomaaliya iyo Somaliland ayaa la rumeysan yahay inay isku soo dhowaanayeen wixii ka dambeeyey markii madaxweyne Farmaajo iyo madaxweyne Muuse Biixi ay ku kulmeen xafiiska ra’iisul wasaaraha Itoobiya Abiy Ahmed ee magaalada Addis Ababa, 11-kii Febraayo ee sanadkan. Kulankaas ayaa waxaa soo qaban-qaabiyey ra’iisul wasaaraha Itoobiya Abiy Ahmed, oo tan iyo markii uu xafiiska yimid ay aad isugu dhowaayeen madaxweynaha Soomaaliya Maxamed Cabdullahi Farmaajo.

Qoraal maanta kasoo baxay Madaxtooyada Jubbaland ayaa red dusha looga tuuray Dowlada Federaalka ah, Jubbaland waxay sheegtay in ay Xukuumada Federaalka ah ay wali khalkhal [...] The post Warsaxaafadeed Kayimid Jubbaland oo lagu eedeeyey Dowlada Federaalka appeared first on . Source

Somaliland authorities have arrested Hamda Yousuf Ibrahim and Barwaaqo Mohamed Hashi in April only for traveling to Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, Human Rights Centre Somaliland in Hargeisa said in a statement. The musicians from the Hargeisa-based Horn Stars band were arrested upon their arrival at Egal airport in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. Sources close to the police told media that arrests were made after a warrant arrest by the police chief. They are charged with anti-national activity of a citizen abroad (article 212 of the Penal Code) and corruption of a citizen by foreigners (article 189), The Human rights watchdog said. Human Rights Centre strongly condemned the detention and prosecution of two female singers labeling the charges against the singers as merely persecution with no legal basis. “We are startled by the government’s intolerance towards musicians and restrictions imposed on musicians who perform art across the region of Horn of Africa where many speak the Somali language. The charges are merely persecution with no legal basis,” says Yassmin Omar Haji Mohamoud, the chairperson of the Human Rights Centre. “We call on the government to respect the constitution and international human rights conventions,” she added. Somaliland authorities also detained Abdiwahaab Osman Omar, a Borama based activist for a Facebook post critical to the government without charges. Human Rights Centre is concerned with the criminalization of arts and called on the government to drop the charges and release the two singers and activist Abdiwahaab. It is not the first time musicians are arrested in Somaliland for visiting Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Somaliland sees Somalia as an obstacle hindering its efforts aimed at gaining an international recognition as seeks an independence from the rest of Somalia. Somaliland has declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, however, no country has so far recognized it as an independent state.

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