MOGADISHU – Somali police forces have launched an operation to disrupt political event at popular hotel in the capital of Mogadishu.
Heavily armed police soldiers were deployed in and around hotel Maka Mukarama to prevent Wadajir party leadership to participate in a seminar in the capital of Mogadishu.
The Union Peace and Development Party (UPDP) leadership, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has strongly condemned the move to block Wadajir party from holding a party training for its harassment against registered national political parties to exercise their constitutional right for assembly and expression of views in line with Article 16 and 18 of the Interim Federal constitution.
Mohamud says his party considers the blockade of hotels as an ill-informed decision and a living example of the government’s determination to deprive citizens of their right to access and seek knowledge about statehood and democratization at a time when the country is moving towards multiparty politics.
The UPDP urges the government to fully apologize to political party about the inconvenience caused by the disruption of events and harassment of attendees.
The party also condemns the government’s total disregard for the sanctity of private properties and business to legal operate in a manner from harassment and intimidation, let alone protecting them from security threats and exploitation of Al Shabab and other terrorist groups.
The UPDP called on the government to compensate the affected hotels for the loss of revenue and other inconvenienc caused by the blockade.
However, UPDP urged International Community to stand with democracy and urge the government to respect freedom of expression and assembly as well as the supremacy of the law and constitution.
