The Voice Of Somaliland: Radical Islamists Take Control of Somali Capital

Monday, June 05, 2006

Radical Islamists Take Control of Somali Capital

Radical Islamists Take Control of Somali Capital

By Anadolu News Agency

Radical Islamists in Somali declared they have taken control of the capital Mogadishu.
Chair of the city's Joint Islamic Courts Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said his troops claimed victory over the secular warlords.

In a statement read over local radio stations, Sheikh Ahmed said, “We want to implement peace and security again. We are ready to talk to every group and person to be to the benefit of the people.”

Meanwhile, the defeated warlords are reported to have escaped from Mogadishu.
The increasing power of the radical Islamists increase concerns that the country may turn into a hotbed along the lines of Afghanistan during the Taliban rule.

The radical Islamists taking control of the capital accused the other factions of cooperating with the CIA, whereas the warlord alliance accuses its rivals for having links with Al-Qaeda.
The opposition against Muhammad Siyad Barre who seized control in Somali at the late 60’s increased towards the end of the 1990’s and spread across the country. Barre, finally admitting defea,t left his country at the beginning of 1991. Infighting began between opposing groups unable to reach an agreement on ruling the country following Barre’s exile.

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The New Somaliland Press & Publications Bill 2007

The Somaliland Government has recently sent to the House of Representatives a new Bill on press and publications. The provisions of this bill (based almost entirely on the Yemen Law No: 25 of 1990 on the Press & Publications) run contrary to international norms relating to freedom of expression and the independence of the press and are not in line with the Somaliland constitution.
The considerable powers given to the Minister of Information (and other ministers) include even deciding on appeals from anyone whose writings have been turned down for publication by a newspaper’s editor (Article 46). These ministerial powers over the press and publishers/printers/distributors etc, the compulsory registration of all press and publication activities, including the practice of the profession of journalism, and the extensive criminal sanctions which add to the existing array of criminal offences in the 1962 Somali Penal Code contrast sharply with the current Somaliland Press Law (2004), which contains no criminal sanctions and is based on codes of conduct. Unfortunately the Somaliland Government has repeatedly made clear its dissatisfaction with the current press Law and has used the Penal Code and extra-judicial powers to detain and imprison journalists. It is no surprise, therefore, that the Somaliland Government is not putting forward amendments of the current Press Law, but is now proposing its wholesale replacement by this new Bill which introduces considerable criminal sanctions, such as fines and imprisonment (Article 99) for the infringement of its numerous provisions, as well as prohibition of continued practice of journalism or publication or even circulation of printed materials; confiscation of property, including printing presses (Article 101) and seizure of printed materials (Article 102)..........Full Text

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The "Letter-of-Death" by General "Morgan" January 23, 1987

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Top Secret.......Read the rest