Hassan Istiila
Saturday August 31, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali police in Mogadishu arrested Abdikhani Dahir Shire, a bulldozer driver, for deliberately cutting down large trees during the reconstruction of a main road in the Gubta area of Deyniile district.
The incident sparked widespread outrage on social media after a video of the tree cutting circulated online.
Police confirmed that Shire would be brought before a competent court to face charges. They also warned Somali citizens against destroying trees, emphasizing the importance of environmental preservation.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change commended the Somali Police Forces for the swift arrest, highlighting that cutting and destroying trees is a crime under the Environmental Protection and Management Law. The Ministry urged the public to protect the environment and avoid activities that could lead to legal consequences.
According to Article 48, paragraph 2 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law, the cutting or harvesting of resources is strictly prohibited.
The Ministry praised Somali citizens who protested against the tree cutting, noting that their response demonstrated a growing awareness of environmental issues.
Somalia, one of the countries hardest hit by climate change, has faced significant challenges related to environmental crimes, deforestation, and toxic dumping along its coastline since the collapse of the central government in 1991.
In February 2024, the federal parliament's Lower and Upper Houses enacted the Environmental Protection and Management Law, which environmentalists hope will be a turning point in safeguarding the nation's natural resources.