Somaliland: Large-scale Exhumations Started

Thursday 27, 2012 (Saxafi News) - For the first time in 24 years since 1988 people of Somaliland will finally find out the truth on what happened to almost 60,000 people and the Massacre that was inflicted by the former Dictator regime of Siyad Barre during the civil war that destroyed the infrastructure and much of the major cities of Somaliland particularly Hargeisa.

“Equipo Peruano Antropologia Forense” in Short EPAF,forensic Investigator team landed yesterday in Hargeisa, Somaliland and accompanying the team is Abdiziz Mohamed Diriye who recently was one of 21 plaintiffs that a court in the State of Virginia awarded $22 million in a case against former Prime minister and minister of Defense of Somalia gen. Mohamed Ali Samatar, which the court found guilty of participated in the Crimes Against Humanity and Human Rights Violation.

Several officials from the government of Somaliland were also present at one of the Mass grave sites in the city of Hargeisa such as The Minister of Justice, Minister of Religious Affairs, and also the Somaliland Genocide Commissioner Mr. Khadar Like.

First to speak was the Minister of Justice Mr. Hussein Ahmed Aidid also former rebel fighter of SNM, talked about the importance the findings will means for Somaliland that has campaigned for 21 years to the international community the atrocities ,genocide and Massacre of innocent civilians across major cities of Somaliland, “41 people were buried on this site alone and were all tide together as you will find out during your excavation, you will also find them in the same clothing when they were taken from their houses, street or village by the Military of the former regime of Siyad Barre.” said the Minister of Justice Somaliland.

Minster of Religious affairs Mr. Khalif Abdilahi also gave a short speech to the forensic team “that no one can forgive the people was behind these crimes and to admit their guilt for these crimes against humanity.”

The Forensic Investigators team and Somaliland Government signed a 5 year contract to excavate all the major Mass graves sites across cities in Somaliland, Jose Pablo Baraybar representing the forensic team and senior out of all the members of the team with 20 yrs. of field expertise in mass graves investigations sites such as Srebrenica (Bosnia) 1996-2002 which is the first case of Genocide to be prosecuted using forensic evidence after the Tribunals of Nuremberg and Tokyo.

The forensic team will also grant students from the Medical Faculty branch of University of Hargeisa, will teach the students detailed knowledge on Forensic Investigation Sites where Genocide has been committed.

The chairman of the Somaliland Genocide commission said the crime happened in 1984 they investigated this site that they are standing today, and most of the victims buried here were normal people that had no affiliation with any of Government, Military institutions.

The commissioner also gave details on all the sites they uncovered across Somaliland, also the commissioner mentioned that each burial site has up to 12 people buried.

Mass Graves Findings by the Somaliland Genocide Commission

Hargeysa: 200 Mass Grave Sites,

Berbera: 12 Mass Graves

Buroa: 8 Mass Graves

Sheikh: 1 Mass Grave

Erigavo: 2Mass Graves Gabiley: 2 Mass Graves

Arabsiyo: 1 Mass Grave

Friday 28 September 2012

http://saxafinews.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1592:digging-mass-graves-in-somaliland-has-begun&Itemid=27