Violent Demonstrations Erupt In Hargeisa

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Hiiraan Online
Monday, July 07, 2008

Hargeysa (HOL) - So far 11 have been wounded and 2 have died after violent demonstrations erupted in some districts in the city of Hargeisa.

The demonstrations began this morning near the airport and later spread to other parts of the city including the centre of the city’s big market where demonstrators confronted the police.

Later on the military joined the police as reinforcement and used live ammunition. It is not known yet the exact number of casualties and damages as a result of these violent demonstrations.

The demonstrations started after the government ordered the removal of a rig drilling for water in south of the city. Youth in the area opposed to the removal of the rig protested the decision. Nevertheless, the government removed the truck carrying the drilling rig into a building not far from Ambassador Hotel near Hargeisa Airport. The demonstrations have lasted until 4PM this afternoon.

The youth opposed to the removal of the drilling rig camped last night near the building were the truck carrying the rig was stationed arguing that the rig is being moved to Borama city after the governor of Awdal region told the BBC yesterday that there is shortage of water in the region.

“We will not accept the removal of the rig until it finishes the drilling of the wells it was doing, “said Mowlid Farah who is one the young people opposed to the government’s decision to remove the rig after we asked him questions.

Senior official in the government remain mute on the issue but eyewitnesses told us that the chief of the police of Somaliland and the Minister of Agriculture who discussed the matter said that the rig is not being moved to Borama but can not function properly due missing parts which have been ordered from overseas.
The plan was that the rig drill four wells in the south of the city but Somaliland administration ordered the removal of the rig from the area it was drilling before it completed its work.

HOL is following the situation closely will report to you any development soon.