Saturday October 9, 2021
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somaliland opposition politician Feisal Warabe has lashed out at politicians from Mogadishu for criticism over the Las Anod evictions noting those evicted were not bonafide 'citizens' of Somaliland.
The UCID party leader claimed that only those in Somaliland before independence in 1960 qualify to be permanent citizens.
"We were attacked in the 1960s, and we got recognition, we went astray, we came back. The Somaliland constitution says the citizens of Somaliland are the people who lived in the sixties and before. Let them know before they settle down," said Warabe.
Somaliland joined Somalia in 1960 to form the Republic of Somalia but broke away in 1991 following the outbreak of the civil war.
The controversial opposition politician was reacting to condemnation and criticism from Somalia on the forced eviction of Somalis in Las Anod on October 3. Somaliland administration accused the evictees who hail from South West state of being behind deteriorating insecurity in the region.
But politicians in Mogadishu led by prime Minister Mohamed Roble harshly criticized the move noting every Somali citizen had the right to reside anyway in the country.