Puntland´s crocodile tear over German hostages

Horn of Africa: Puntland´s crocodile tear over German hostages
August 03, 2008
The German hostages Mr. Jorgan Kantiner and his wife Mrs. Sebina Merck are being held against their will in more than weeks at the mountainous area of Sanaag region. Mr. Jorgan Kantiner is diabetic, which makes his life in danger.
Independent journalists, who visited hostages in June 2008, said Mr. Kantiner had only three days supplies of diabetic medicine. The hostage-takers are moving frequently between Somaliland and "Puntland". After Somaliland forces moved to Lasqorey city to release them, they crossed the border into "Puntland", which sponsors terrorist and kidnapers in Somali water and land too.

In "Puntland" kidnapping is best profession and government officials take lion´s share in the ransom money paid by the families or companies of the hostages.The current visit of TGS ailing leader Abdullah Yusuf to "Puntland" shows the instability in the region and the high scale of corruption. "Puntland" is backbone of Abdullah´s campaign of killing in Mogadishu with misled Ethiopians. He is trying to win the leadership of Somalia for his tribesmen in "Puntland". ONLF ("Ogaden" National Liberation Front) supports Abdullah´s campaign in Mogadishu on tribe bases because ONLF and Abdullah Yusuf belong to DAROOD tribe.

The ONLF and their notorious Turkey jackanapes and Media Advisor Propagandist Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis support Ethiopia in Mogadishu and accuse it in the 5th Region of Ethiopia, which makes their campaign baseless and untrue. This shows that ONLF is not here to liberate the people in the region but to win leadership.On Feb, 12th 2008, Somaliland Armed Forces, Police of Sanaag Region and the public coordinated on releasing Daniel Bronkal, a German citizen works for Aid Agency. "Puntland" gunmen kidnapped Bronkal while distributing aid supplies in northern Sanaag region. The Somaliland forces released the hostage in less than 24 hrs.
The German security team, who arrived at Egal Airport, Hargiesa to assist Somaliland in ending the hostage, thanked to Somaliland security for the successful release of the hostage. Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin and other high-ranking Somaliland officials welcomed the freed hostage Daniel at Hargiesa. The people of Somaliland in Sanaag Region gave Hero´s welcome back to Daniel after releasing.
Somaliland could have done the same for the current hostage situation, but unfortunately the illegal activities of "Puntland" in the region have made the situation complex. There are militias loyal to "Puntland" in the region, who disturb the security of the region, in an attempt to humiliate the image of Somaliland between the international communities.
After the successful release of Daniel, the enemies of Somaliland including bogus writer Megalommatis said that Somaliland is disintegrating. This is normal reaction of the enemies who try to hide the triumphant stories of their opponents. Today, after Somaliland ended its operations to release the German couple due to illegal interference of "Puntland", the enemies like bogus writer are telling the world that Somaliland is not willing to help in the hostage situation. The truth is that "Puntland" should withdraw from Somaliland territories and than Somaliland will work on releasing the hostages.The below two stories are the international media reaction on how quick Somaliland released the hostages on Feb 2008.Reuters News
Five kidnappers of German Aid Worker appearing court in SomalilandHARGEISA, Somaliland, April 15: Five gunman accused of kidnapping German Aid Worker, Daniel Bronkal of German Agro Action (GAA), also known as Deutsche Welthungerhilfe in last February, are appearing court in Somaliland.Reliable sources said the convicted kidnappers may face between 10 – 20 years of jail. The relatives of the kidnappers hired a lawyer. The court was open to the public to listen the proceedings of the case.Bronkal and two of his colleagues were ambushed by the convicted gunman, and took only Bronkal as hostages and ordered his colleagues to go back to Erigavo, Somaliland where they stayed during their operations.
Somaliland Special Forces and Army Forces freed Bronkal in armed operation killing two of the kidnappers and arresting five. The kidnappers planned to demand ransom on the head of Bronkal. This was first time foreign aid workers kidnapped in Somaliland.
Bronkal met with President of Somaliland Dahir Riyale Kahin, who apologized to him about the kidnap and disturbance of their aid operations. The Mayor of Erigavo Ismail Abdi thanked to security who freed Bronkal.
Meanwhile, the owner of French luxury sailing boat paid $2 million to Somali pirates, who took hostage of the boat while passing the Somali sea water. French forces mediated between the owner and the kidnapper.
After end of the hostage crisis, French forces attacked the fleeing kidnappers and arrested some of them. A part of the ransom money was later recovered from the arrested kidnappers. This is the first time that French Forces stationed near Djibouti operate in hijacking crisis in Somali water.February 15, 2008Exceptional Military Operation freed Daniel BronkalThe Somaliland Special Police Unit (SPU) successfully released the German citizen, Daniel Bronkal who was held against his will for one day by unknown gunmen at Rugay 150 kilometer north of Erigavo on 12th Feb 2008. This is sign of pride to every Somalilander living on earth.This is an excellent security operation to let the enemies know their fate if they try to play around in Somaliland.Somaliland added its good governance to strong security muscles.
SPU and Military Forces secured Bronkal release Wednesday evening at 22:00 local time in the Al Mado mountainous region. Bronkal thanked to SPU, local Sanaag security and Somaliland Intelligence besides everybody who wished him good during his captivity.He received hero welcome in Erigavo City and than flied to Hargiesa to meet the high ranking Somaliland officials including Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin in an attempt to show him Somaliland´s goodwill. The local residents fully cooperated with the security during the track down of the kidnappers.This reminds me the similar incident few years ago when residents of Dhoqoshay captured Al-Qaeda linked terrorist who targeted the foreign interest in Somaliland.Soon after the kidnapping was announced SPU and the local police was dispatched to track down the kidnappers. The quick and prompt reaction of Somaliland security was another sign of mature intelligence awareness, even I can say many recognized countries in Africa and elsewhere in the world don´t possess such security capability.The German security team that arrived Somaliland on Thursday to assist our security in releasing Denial Bronkal expressed their gratitude to Somaliland and its people.Today, Bronkal can identify his kidnappers as they are in hands of the Somaliland security. Usually, it takes more then one day to every security in the world to arrest criminals but Somaliland forces proved to the best and showed excellent skills. Also, Somalilanders in the region supported the hunt-down operation.Our enemies should learn from this operation that Somalilanders are ready to defend their country with every possible value they own. Somaliland came with lost of lives and wealth so we are committed to protect our nation with every price.The initial reports show fingerprint of Puntland and that of ailing leader of TGS Abdullahi-yey on the kidnapping of the German citizen, and the kidnappers infiltrated the country from eastern border with Somalia as well as they received Puntland support to disturb the security and stability in Somaliland.Kidnapping is best profession in Puntland and even its leaders take lion´s share in the business of kidnapping the ships and foreign aid workers. Recently, hijackers of vessel in the international water claimed they are members of Puntland security.Ladies and gentlemen, Homeland security starts town security. If every one of us rejects the instability in his part of Somaliland than we will have secure country and may last in peace for ever.I would like to tell the noble citizens of Somaliland to follow the patriotic footpaths of their compatriots in Sanaag and Doqoshay town. Dear citizens, let us not only think of good today but better tomorrow …………. Together we can change the world.By Zahed Matarcitizen@somaliland.com
Posted by Medeshi at 2:52 AM