Somaliland says will arrest ‘rebels’ who voted in Mogadishu last week

GOOBJOOG NEWS|HARGEISA: Somaliland which declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991 has said it has established the identity of the masked delegates who voted during the senate elections in Mogadishu noting the ‘rebels’ will be arrested.

Somaliland vice president Abdirahman Ismail Syalihi said he regretted the presence of the UN officials during the election and believing they (the delegates) represented Somaliland.

“I am deeply saddened that the United Nations is witnessing, and believing that 20 or 30 insurgents in this nation see them as representing us, the government has an ant’s eye, and we have the news,” said Saylihi. “Those who were hiding their eyes are those who left Somaliland and want to return tomorrow. They are national criminals. Let’s not see Somalilanders screaming when they are arrested tomorrow,” Saylihi said.

Saylihi’s remarks come amid mixed reactions among Somalis after pictures emerged showing some of the delegates masked while others covered their faces with jackets as they cast their vote for senators on Thursday.

Saylihi referred to the delegates as rebels.

“I say to the people of Somalia, you are very worried about the small kilometer of foreign protection, we do not accept, and we do not believe that 20 rebels from this nation are said to represent us, and they do not advise us.”

Somaliland has distanced itself from the ongoing elections arguing it is independent of Somalia. Delegates concluded the elections Thursday which saw the election of 11 senates to represent the break-away region in the Federal Senate. The delegates will also be electing MPs representing sub-clans in Somaliland who will sit in the Lower House.