Somaliland: Government Releases Detained Selel Elders

Borama, May 27 2013 (SDN) – After solving armed skirmishes in Harirad, Salal region, 10 elders from the Issa tribe were released from the Borame central prison today, and welcomed back into the community by their families and tribal elders. The elders were arrested in February this year after the abduction of senior Selel regional officials who were on their way to officiate at a swearing-in ceremony of a new mayor for Harirad local council and the subsequent skirmishes between rival militia which brought about the death of a man from Samaron tribe. Somaliland’s minister of interior Mohamed Nour Arale (Duur), who met with the elders after their release, said that the detention of the elders was not an offence they committed but was in the hope of easing tensions between clans in selel region. Since the local council elections of 28th Nov 2012 the lineage of the person to occupy the mayor’s office has been the bone of contention with the Isse clan who claim the area having won 7 seats as opposed to the Gadabursi considered as outsiders thus a minority clan garnering 10 seats. The elevation of Councilor Hussein Idle Barkadle to the town’s Mayorship has been the bone of contention since he is from the minority with the, majority Isse’s claiming the elections were rigged in favour of the opposite clan.

SDN Borama