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INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001926 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - Somaliland Crisis Turns Violent as Police Kill 
Four 
 
REF: Nairobi 1896 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  In a violent escalation of Somaliland's 
political crisis, on September 12, police opened fire during a 
peaceful demonstration near the House of Representatives in 
Hargeisa. Four people were killed, including a 15-year-old boy, and 
several more were injured.  Possibly over 100 people were detained 
in indiscriminate arrests.  The protestors had accompanied the 
Speaker and approximately 20 members of Parliament who were 
attempting to convene their first session since police forcibly 
closed the chambers on September 8.  Parliament re-opened on 
September 14, and the legislative body plans to re-convene on 
September 15.  End summary. 
 
---------------------------- 
President Reneges on Promise 
To Re-Open Parliament 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On September 10, the Chairing Committee of the House of 
Representatives issued a press release, stating that it would not 
accept the closure of Parliament and rallying public support for its 
efforts to re-open the building on September 12.  The building had 
been surrounded by a heavy police presence since it was closed on 
September 8. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On September 11, we confirmed that President Riyale had 
agreed to open parliament the morning of September 12. However, also 
on September 11, leaders within the UDUB ruling party and the 
pro-government parliamentary group rejected Riyale's decision, and 
we understand that key advisors urged Riyale to take a stronger 
stand, and not allow Parliament to be reopened.  In a September 11 
press conference, the Chairman of the Guurti urged the public to 
remain calm. 
 
------------------------- 
Police Fire at Protestors 
Killing Four in Hargeisa 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On September 12, police opened fire during a peaceful 
public demonstration in Hargeisa.  The incident occurred near 
Parliament, as the Speaker, backed by MPs and the public, attempted 
to re-open the building.  (Note: Reftel reports on the forced 
closure of Parliament by police acting on the orders of President 
Riyale and the Minister of Interior).  Police initially attempted to 
push back and control the crowd, directing them to disperse from the 
area.  After police requested reinforcements, the Police Commander 
reportedly instructed them to open fire and clear the road of 
civilians. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Ibrahim Musa Wais, Executive Director of the 
Hargeisa-based Samotalis Coalition of Human Rights, confirmed that 
four people had been killed, including a 15-year old boy.  One man 
died immediately after being shot by police; three others died later 
of bullet wounds.  At least five others were shot, including a 
mother of four who was shot near the hospital while going to visit a 
relative.  Health officials at Hargeisa Group Hospital have stated 
that dozens of civilians were wounded. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Our contacts confirmed that several police officers were 
also injured, as protestors burned and threw stones at government 
vehicles.  One unconfirmed report indicated that several police 
officers died when their vehicle was bombed, but other reports say 
that the explosion was caused when a police grenade went off inside 
the vehicle. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On September 13, a public protest in the city of Burao 
remained peaceful; police did not directly intervene with the 
gathering. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Indiscriminate Arrests 
Possible Extra-Judicial Proceedings 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Several human rights organizations report that once the 
gunfire stopped and the crowds dispersed, police began making 
indiscriminate arrests.  Fawsi Sheikh, a human rights lawyer, 
reported that that over 100 people were detained in Hargeisa Central 
Police Station alone.  The next day, several opposition leaders were 
 
NAIROBI 00001926  002 OF 002 
 
 
reportedly arrested in their homes, without police warrants. Two 
women leaders of the Kulmiye party--Khadra Ali Jama and Hinda Hirsi 
Iidle, both related to Kulmiye Chairman Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo--were 
charged with leading the popular uprising and are still being 
detained.  Human rights advocates expressed fear that detainees may 
be tried secretly by the National Security Committee and directly 
transferred to Madheera Prison.  None of the advocates has been 
allowed access to the detainees, and government officials have 
refused to talk about the arrests. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Government Blames the Opposition 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  All of our contacts agree that the police killings were a 
result of the government's heightened security posture and strategy 
to take a more confrontational stance with the opposition.  In a 
September 12 interview with BBC Somali Service, President Riyale 
blamed the Speaker of the House and the Kulmiye opposition party for 
the events.  When we spoke with Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Abdullahi Duale on September 12, he expressed the same. 
 
RANNEBERGER