Horumar

05.4.2023: Laascaanood, Sool

The SSC-Khaatumo Council that is the governing authority of the Sool region of Somalia has released a press statement in which the Council outright condemned the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), accusing the organisation of “misrepresentation of Sool” and the mismanagement of the delivery process.

The Council went on further, staying that UNOCHA “violated the principle of do no harm by delivering aid”. Over the past few weeks, the UNOCHA has setup aid task force in Hargeisa to support the delivery of emergency supplies to Laascaanood. However, the Council has argued that such actions are tantamount to “aiding and abetting” the Bihi regime to “continue to subjugate” the Sool region.

Engagement with Aid Agency

The SSC-Khaatumo has engaged with UNOCHA and other aid agencies over the past three months, informing them of their regional authority and insisting on their approval for any aid distribution efforts in the area. Despite these communications, the SSC-Khaatumo accuses UNOCHA has continued to engage Hargeisa as an avenue to provide support for Laascaanood.

Many have questioned the political neutrality of such a move as Somaliland is currently in direct conflict with the SSC-Khaatumo Council based in Sool. Naturally, there will be a conflict of interest with Hargeisa likely to utilise aid as ammunition to choke the region.

For the past decade, Somaliland has been accused of channelling international funds away from the SSC region and labelling the region a disputed area with neighbouring Federal State of Puntland. This has resulted in the region being neglected.

The SSC-Khaatumo plans to lodge a complaint against UNOCHA and other aid organizations that fail to comply with its directives. It will also caution its communities to be watchful of those who don’t follow its instructions. The statement added that although the SSC-Khaatumo appreciates the aid provided by agencies such as UNICEF to the region’s communities, it insists that international development partners must seek its approval before starting any aid delivery, assessment, or resource mobilization activities in the area.

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