Suleiman Sabdow
A 40-year old man who was among the deportees from Somaliland has allegedly died of Covid-related complications according to Health official reports in Galkacayo, Puntland.
The patient who was receiving treatment at Galkacayo General Hospital is said to have been in critical condition at the time he was admitted at the facility before succumbing to the novel Covid-19 pandemic yesterday.
Ministry of Health officials in Galkacayo say that they have launched investigations to find out whether there are other people who have been affected by the virus in a bid to ascertain the safety of the evictees.
Although there are no official government figures to establish the number of people who have contracted the deadly disease government figures indicate that 48 people have been infected with the Covid-19 in the Somali state of Puntland.
The breakaway Somaliland state deported hundreds of people believed to be from Southern Somalia accusing them of being an impediment to the security and stability of the country after days of serial and sustained spates of killing occasioned in Las canood.
The evictions sparked public outrage across the World with the United Nations and a Consortium of NGOs weighing in and calling on Somaliland authorities to respect the rights of the people to live and work in every part of the World. Somalia prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble also took a swipe at Somaliland government accusing them of orchestrating a tiff between Somali people; urging them to uphold the dignity of the people.
However, the Somaliland government defended its decision to evict residents from southern Somalia saying the move was motivated by security concerns.
In a statement seemingly reacting to Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble’s lambasting of the deportation, Somaliland said they were acting in the interest while accusing the PM of overreach.
“Expelling Somalis from a Somali territory is shameful, ugly, and dishonoring,” he said. “Ordering people who have been peacefully trading to leave for simply originally coming from the southern regions is unfortunate and will be recorded by history.”