Somalia: Somaliland rescinds decision to turn away refugees fleeing Yemen
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- Posted On 30-05-2015, 03:16PM
HARGEISA, Somalia, May 30, 2015(Garowe Online)-Somaliland’s separatist administration in northwestern Somalia has rescinded its decision to profile Somalis fleeing from Yemen conflict at Berbera port after widespread condemnations on Saturday, Garowe Online reports.
Somaliland Resettlement Minister Ali Saed Reygal disclosed at media briefing in the capital Hargeisa that from now on they will receive people fleeing from Yemen crisis without regional profiling.
“After we confirmed that refugees wouldn’t harm Somaliland through [security] checks, we have decided to welcome Yemen influx,” said Reygal.
He added that UNHCR and IOM agreed to assist Somalis returning from Yemen in transport costs.
Somaliland earned condemnations for refusing to disembark Somali children and women on account of their regions.
Federal Government of Somalia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdisalan Hadliye Omar called the move ‘astonishing’ which goes against United Nations Refugees Convention.
Located in northwestern Somalia, Somaliland declared its independence from the rest of the country as de fact sovereign state in 1991 but it has not been recognized internationally yet.
GAROWE ONLINE
