Abdinassir Buuni, Deputy Chairman of Somaliland’s Justice and Social Welfare Party (UCID), decried the politicization of security affairs.
Mr. Buuni stated that the Somaliland media, particularly, has a made a practice of divulging army and other security matters to the public in complete disregard of the ramifications of their actions.
” It has become something of a vogue to criticize security issues, and try put a wedge on the cohesion and efficiency of security organs by discoursing on who commands what and from where he came from. That is unacceptable,” he said.
“Army issues, security matters are of monumental import to the nation. They must be viewed as classified files. National secrets are not for public consumption,” he said.
Mr. Buuni asked the President to view the matter very seriously and stamp out such a harmful practice in order to safeguard the overall security of the country and maintain the operational capability of competent security branches.
“Our office,” he said “will officially submit our stand on this matter in writing tomorrow.”
Making a jab at ex-army officers turning renegades, he proposed that the state build a psychiatric facility for the army to preempt mentally disturbed officers from leaving their responsibilities.
“It is not possible to project mentally unhinged officers as heroes and principled personalities that the state needs to talk to. That is not possible,” he said.
Mr. Buuni insisted that people like the renegade Lt. Arre must be severely dealt with.
“One Sultan Wabar attempted something of a similar nature. When we(people of Awdal) refused to heed his divisive, mutinous calls it all fizzled down to nothing,” he said.
The UCID Deputy Chair’s words were interpreted at certain quarters as a barbed dart aimed at Waddani Party and its supporters who usually try to justify army deserters as champions of ‘justice’.
Mr. Abdinassir was speaking at the University of Hargeisa’s 13th graduation ceremony held at the University compound and attended by the President of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Musa Bihi Abdi.
