Somalia’s northern region of Somaliland has sparked controversy by expelling people from the south, even though Mogadishu considers it part of its territory.
On Saturday, hundreds of people from Las Anod town arrived in Burtinle, Puntland, a Somalia federal member state that borders Somaliland.
They were reportedly identified as originating from southern Somalia and were rounded up, taken to a stadium and ordered to board trucks.
On Sunday, Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, on a visit to Barawe, the capital of South West state, 200km south of Mogadishu, expressed displeasure at the news that hundreds of Somalis were expelled from Somaliland.
The expulsion, which affected all sorts of people including women, children, the elderly and business people, was executed without notice.
Somaliland authorities in Las Anod reportedly associated the people from southern Somalia with increasing insecurity in the town.
“Expelling Somalis from a Somali territory is shameful, ugly and dishonouring,” he said.
“Ordering people who have been peacefully trading to leave for simply originally coming from the southern regions is unfortunate and will be recorded by history.”
Also on Sunday, Somalia’s Minister of Justice Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur in Mogadishu called the expulsion deplorable.
Minister Nur said that the expulsion is a new phenomenon that undermines intra-Somali fraternity and commonly held customs.
“It is unfortunate that a section of the inhabitants who were peacefully trading, some of whom were detached from their businesses and houses, is specifically targeted,” said Nur.
He urged Las Anod residents not to remain silent. He appealed to clan elders, religious and traditional leaders, and human rights activists to intervene
On Saturday evening, the trucks arrived in Burtile, Puntland. The evacuees were met by Good Samaritans and the local authority, who helped them with accommodation and food.
Further reports indicate that trucks carrying more deportees proceeded to Galkayo, the capital of Mudug region in central Somalia, where they were welcomed by Puntland officials.
Puntland Interior Affairs Minister Mohamed Abdirahman Daban’ad said they received 758 evacuees on Sunday.
“I urge all agencies and state bodies dealing with humanitarian matters to resettle these people expelled from Las Anod,” said Minster Daban’ad.
“Our house was raided and we were taken to Abdi Bile Abdi stadium and forced to board trucks,” she told the media, lamenting that they were not given food and some families were missing their loved ones.
Over the past two months, officials in Las Anod have been shot and killed by unknown assailants. The inability to identify the perpetrators appears to have prompted this mass expulsion of southerners.
Though not recognised by any country, Somaliland says it has been independent from the rest of Somalia since 1991, following the collapse of the military regime of the late General Mohamed Siad Barre.
