
Somalia’s parliament, the House of the People, has instituted a body to investigate the government’s decision to handover a Somali national to neighbouring Ethiopia.
Their position was contained in a press release issued on Monday September 18, 2017 from the office of the Speaker of the House. It comprises 15 persons whose mandate is to report back on the circumstances surrounding the handover.
Mogadishu’s detention and subsequent transfer of Mr. Abdikarin Sheikh Muse of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) to Ethiopia in August 2017 sparked outrage in the country. The action has been described as a breach of Somali and international laws – which decries refoulement.
The Somali government has forcefully transferred a political refugee to Ethiopia which is known to torture and humiliate its opponents.
The parliament was on recess at the time the action took place, most lawmakers had gone on the annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The Upper House met but deferred to the Lower Chamber to deal with the matter first. The current decision is one issued by the two houses, reports indicate.