Puntland Government Accused of Mistreating Refugees; Officials Deny the Accusations

ONLF and OHRC have accused authorities of the self-administered Puntland region, of arresting, torturing and forcibly repatriating Ogadeni refugees in Puntland

Waxa qoray VOA Somali | Washington, DC Talaado, 03 November 2009

The Ogaden National Liberation Front, ONLF- a rebel group fighting the Ethiopian government, and an affiliated human right group, Ogaden Human Rights Committee, OHRC, have accused authorities of the self-administered Puntland region,  of arresting, torturing, forcibly repatriating Ogadeni refugees in Puntland.

The two groups also condemned the handing-over of individuals of Ogaden origin to the Ethiopian security authorities where they said they would be unsafe and mistreated.  Authorities in Puntland denied that mistreatments, tortures and handing-over to a third part has ever happened. An official who spoke to VOA Somali Service today said Puntland authorities detained and would continue to detain individual of security interest.

A press release from OHRC today details about five refugees from the Ogaden who were deported from Yemen were arrested upon arrival at Bosaaso port by members of Puntland militias. The statement said that they were subjected to constant interrogation under torture in the form of extensive and indiscriminate beatings. OHRC reported that one of the detainees, namely, Abdullahi Hassan Ali, “was tortured in his Bosaaso detention, denied medical treatment and consequently passed away in his cell. “.

The Puntland administration official who spoke to VOA confirmed the detention and death of Mr. Ali, but refuted the allegation of mistreatment the detainee and the causation of his death. He said that the detainee died of natural cuase.

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