Human Rights Center chairperson and staff met with a 16-year-old rape victim, in Caynabo this week. According to her statements, the person responsible for the brutal act is the police commissioner of Caynabo, Hassan Ismail (Gacmayare), along with another police officer who works as a taxi driver as a second job, Mustafe Yusuf Dheere.
She traveled to Oog to visit her family on 4/6/2022 and used a taxi provided by Mustafe in the morning. Eventually, Mustafa Yusuf Dheere came to her around in between Maghreb and Isha prayers, which is between 6:30-7:45 Pm local time. The timing the event occurred is maghreb time 4/6/2022- 5/6/2022.
She recalls and remembers that the police commissioner raped her two times in Oog. Mustafe pressured and insisted on picking her up to return to Caynabo. Hesitantly, she told him it was too late. Despite her refusal, Mustafe told her he would take her back to Caynabo after a detour, using his car tire malfunctioning as an excuse.
He then took her to a house, and the individual inside. She noted the individual was the police commissioner of Caynabo. What transpired in thirty minutes of being in his presence from what she recalls is loss of consciousness, as she was given a beverage. Human Rights Center cannot determine if the beverage contained date rape drug or alcohol was used as an inebriation.
Despite the loss of consciousness, she was alert and recognized what was happening to her. She told Mustafe about the situation, and he declared “May Allah forgive your sins and our sins” and raped her on their return home. She tried to report the case twice, in Burco and Caynabo, however, she was sent back and was not allowed to report the rape incident. Thus, the family turn to media to talk about the issue in the hopes of getting justice.
Human Rights Center has learned that there are other rape allegations against the police commissioner, and that this was not an isolated incident or a onetime event. The allegations against him occurred in different towns and cities, and when the acts can not be concealed, the police commissioner is transferred from his post. His past allegations transpired in Erigavo and LasAnood cities. Human Rights Center staff have spoken to other people who can corroborate the allegations. What we have discovered is that the threaten to harm her has prevented her from going to the doctor for evidentiary purposes and for her safety. Despite alerting officials and doctors, the doctor in charge of her case, Dr. Hamze told her to keep quiet because of her honor and to forget pressing charges, thereby preventing her from giving further physical evidence and for DNA collection.
Somaliland government pledged its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 in 2018. SDG #16 signifies the need for peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, to provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. However, this concept is missing from our government. Conspiracy to commit crimes, then conceal, then use these same institutions to subjugate the citizens to use their power. SDG # 5 indicates gender equality, and to empower women and girls. However, this seems impossible when girls and women are seeking justice for crimes committed against them. Violence against women in Somaliland has risen exponentially without a solution on hand and a legal system that perpetuates further violence.
Human Rights Center condemns this brutal rape against her and all the other victims that have not come forward against Police Commissioner Hassan Ismail (Gacmayare). In seeking accountability and answers, we are calling for his resignation as well stripping him of his post and honors, so that he will not be able to commit further crimes. We call for a formal investigation into the reasons for concealing his past allegations and why he was transferred from his posts in Erigavo and LasAnod and to hold those responsible for this concealment. These are serious allegations, and we implore Somaliland government to take the next action seriously and most importantly, we ask for the legal system to provide justice for her and the countless other victims that were scared to come forward and report his crimes.
Yasmin Omar H. Mohamoud
Chairperson of the Human Rights Center
Hargeisa Somaliland
Twitter: @hrcsomaliland
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