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Foreign Minister of Somalia Yussuf Garaad Discusses Somali Detainees in Abroad On His Official Blog

Storyline:National News

Somali Foreign Minister Yusuf Garaad who rarely speaks to the Media and normally posts on his official blog important activities his ministry accomplishes has placed an article on Somali detainees in abroad.

Therefore, please read below the Minister’s article on the Somali Detainees in overseas.

It is an obligation upon Somali government to carry out a support campaign for Somali detainees in abroad.

Since the campaign is getting momentum, I decided to publish and share the right information with the public due to lack of informed reporting by some sectors. The matter is not concluded yet and the efforts by the Somali government are ongoing.

I inform the public that we initiated several communications concerning Somali detainees in Ethiopia, Seychelles and India.

We raised this subject with the Ethiopian leaders when we visited Ethiopia.

We had one meeting with Seychelles State Minister for Foreign Affairs out of five official meetings that we had with other Foreign Ministers within the day the London Conference took place.

The vital issue the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Seychelles raised with us was the security on the sea between our two countries and future cooperation. After briefing him on the enormous political change at home, my main point was the Somali detainees in his country.

The Embassy of Somalia in India and our National Prosecution Office has hired a lawyer that advocates for every Somali detainee in Mumbai jails. Our Embassy in New Delhi has allocated one diplomat to visit Mumbai which is 1400 Km away to Somali inmates every time anyone among the hundred or more detainees is brought before the Court of Law.

Somali Foreign Ministry constantly receive information from the Lawyer and the Somali Diplomatic cables from India on the latest progress of their cases where we give appropriate advice on the steps necessary where possible.

I discussed this matter today which is Tuesday ………….. with the Somali Justice Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs which was our second meeting within this week though before I met with together the Directors of Asia and Africa in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs.  I also spoke today with the Ambassador of India to Somalia in the presence of the Director of Asia.

Tomorrow there are several meetings between Mogadishu and New Delhi concerning this particular subject.

Somalia and India have agreed upon bilateral repatriation of prisoners though still no formal preparation of a document to this effect.

We agreed upon two out of the above mentioned countries to hand over to us the Somali detainees in their countries to be incarcerated in Somalia till the end of their jail terms. We initiated a relationship with high expectation with another country that will be a success achievement.

In fact the ongoing struggle towards all overseas detainees to get them home is not issues that can be announced in the media since it is not yet concluded.

Earlier I met with the representative from the Committee of Red Cross requesting to share with us information of any Somali detainee in overseas jails.

Yesterday I got a message from one of three countries I mentioned above, a message that give me new hope. To publicize now the level of this issue is harmless but will share with the Somali public once it is concluded.

I pass my gratitude to the newly elected President of Gal Mudug Ahmed Duale Haaf by announcing on his inaugural ceremony to incur all travel expenses of the Somali detainees in India if they are released.

It is a decision reached unanimously by the President and the other leaders in the country to be utmost importance for the Somali overseas detainees in foreign jails to be under the control of Somali government.

Currently we are busy with the detainees in Uganda, Sudan, Libya and other places among them Southern African countries.

I urge the Somali youth desiring to join sea piracy or committing a felony to be careful about it which can lead them to a prison term of any length. Saying this does not mean that Somali detainees in Ethiopia, Seychelles and India are guilty of the crimes accused since the Courts have the ultimate decision.

Yusuf Garad Omar: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia