My Opinion on Digitization of Somaliland Shilling, Adam Ahmed Adam

I am absolutely against the transfer power of instrument in the country such as (the currency) to private oriented business companies which are scandal to the standard of banking system. Having said that, I am going-back on 31^st January 1995 when Somliland has issued Somaliland shilling and accepted it as a legal tender in Somaliland. Since that central bank provides exchange rate service from that date. Although, In 2000 the official exchange rate of the Somaliland central bank was 4,550 shilling for 1 US dollar. Later in December 2008, the official rate had risen to 7,500 shilling per US dollar and from that date the value of currency has been fluctuating.

As we all aware of, in 2002 Somaliland telecom companies established and were given licence to operate in Somaliland within objective based to provide and supply the local market with GSM, Mobile service, fixed line and internet service. Today, these telecom companies are currently busy on new system of electronic digital transaction in the country which is not a valid tender in some part of Somaliland, especially in East, South Sanag, Sool and Ayn region of Somaliland.  As result of lack community acceptance and willingness to use and trust it.  In addition to that, the coverage of these companies they operate their business entities is limited.  Another setback emerged last week by Wikileaks disclosures and disseminated information concerned about Somaliland telecommunications are involved a surveillance program towards tendency security issues. And this it may hazardous adversely affect the trusteeship to use it both means of communication and as a bank with respect to sharing information into third party.

In the worst scenario, I have experienced that the government digitization policy of Somaliland shilling invest part of large inflation rate exhibits a depreciation value of shilling as its purchasing power increases relative to dollar which associated increased money supply which inevitably causes inflation rather than to decrease the rate of inflation.

As the article 3 of the 1994 Law stated that the principal objectives of the Bank of Somaliland as being: “… fostering monetary stability, maintaining the internal and external value of the Somali shilling, and promoting credit and exchange conditions conductive to the balanced growth of the economy of the Republic, and within the limits of its powers, it shall contribute to the financial and economic policies of the State”

In my conclusion, If the central bank’s policy towards digitization Somaliland shillings go ahead as the planned to transferring private business sector. It means that central bank is an able to provide services and state of defaulted its own obligation to control monetary policy.

I personally believe the only open option which the government could overcame this inflation is to create a wise austerity measure by reducing unnecessary government expenditures and restore back to it’s obligation and regulate the country’s central bank.

 I have the below questions to be answered:-

§  The dilemma, I have concern is at what extent do merchandises has to convert X amount of dollars into shillings? Or at what limit them not to overdue theses private companies into digital transactions?

§  At what role do the central bank play to monitor the private sector not to public shown fake figure of digital money?

Adam Ahmed Adam

Economist based in Erigavo, Sanaag region of Somaliland 

Somaliland: Hacking and surveillance may undermine right to privacy

Although I have been always suspicious of government surveillance, I have never expected a private telecommunication company will act as an agent of the government to seek hacking techniques on its behalf. In many occasions I have encountered with individuals complaining about their communication being intercepted. But without any proof, it has never become part of my priorities. Of course, there are always so many issues that make me busy in sorting out when it comes to human rights issues. From freedom of expression and illegal detentions to rights of women, Somaliland has many human rights problems human rights defender should worry about.

Recent revelation of Wikileaks shows  Dahabshiil owned telecommunication company, Somtel, contacting with hacking group called HackingTeam to buy technology “designed to attack, infect and monitor target PCs and Smart-phones in a stealth way, including its location,” HachingTeam says in an email addressed to Somtel, as disclosed by Wikileaks . By further explaining the product, HackingTeam adds “once a target is infected, RCS allows you to access a variety of information, including: Skype traffic (VoIP, chat), keystrokes (all Unicode languages), mails, messages, target positioning, files, screenshots, microphone eavesdropped data, camera snapshots, etc.”  

Neither the government nor Somtel has so far made any comment regarding the Wikileaks exposure.

Article 30 of Somaliland constitution reads as following; “no person’s private written communication, postal letters, or telecommunications shall be interfered with except in matters in which the law allows their investigation, tracing or listening in and a reasoned order from a judge has been obtained.”

Violation of a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution of the country is a serious matter. What makes worse is the fact that private telecommunication company is aiding and abetting the government to violate the constitution. Moreover, Dahabshiil is also financial company. If it has such a deep connection with the government as far as acting as an agent for the state, the question is what sort of access the government has on the financial records of the people?

As noted above, this is not unique and isolated incident. I have observed many occasions telecommunication company (not necessarily Somtel) gave the authorities (specifically the law enforcement agencies) phone records without court warrant. In these events I witnessed the customers in question were neither informed nor asked consent.    

It is imperative telecommunication companies to recognize and respect the fundamental freedoms and rights enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of Somaliland.

There should be an independent investigation to examine whether Somtel and the government acquired the technology and if used, the extent of the suffering of the privacy of the citizens. It is also imperative to explain the relationship between the government and Dahabshiil (Somtel).

This view is my own and I do not express in representing any entity. 

Guleid Ahmed Jama

Human rights lawyer

Hargeisa Somaliland

 Twitter: @GuleidJ  

Toban wejiilaynta Sucuudiga iyo saaxiibadiisa

Boqortooyada cadaadiska ku dhisan ee Sucuudigu waxa ay si xirfad leh oo farsamaysan ugu waariddaa aragtiyo u adeegayada daneheeda dunida Muslimiinta ah badankeeda. Waxay si danaysinnimo ah uga faa’iidaysataa magaalooyinka barakaysan ee Muslimiintu qadarinta iyo ixtiraamka wayn u hayaan. Haseyeeshee, dhaqankeeda toban wejiilaynta ahi waa mid aan daah saarnayn oo dadku marka ay ku eegaan indho bed qaba ay si hufan u arki karaan.

Dhowaan waxa heshiis wada gaadhay dalka Iiraan iyo dawladaha ku jira Golaha Amaanka ee Qaramada Midoobay oo ay weheliyaan Jarmalka iyo Midowga Yurub. Heshiiku wuxuu ku aadanaa in la soo af jaro kala shaki dheeraaday oo dawladaha reer galbeedku ka qabeen in Iiraan rabto inay hanato hubka sida ba’an wax u gumaada oo haysashadiisu wax wayn ku kordhiso awoodda ciidan iyo diblomaasiyadeed ee dalka haysta. Iiraan waxaay iyadu si wayn ugu baahnayd in laga qaado cuna qabatayn la saaray oo saamayn xun ku yeelatay dhaqaaleheeda si daranna u taabatay nolosha muwaadiniinteeda. Dalal badan baa soo dhoweeyey waayo waxa furdaamo loo helay belo iyo is-diid ku raagay gobolka markiisa horeba shidaysan ee Bariga Dhexe. Waxa se jira laba dal oo si wayn uga qayliyay. Waa Israa’iil iyo Sucuudiga.

Sucuudigu waxuu ku dooday marar badan inay haboon tahay in lagu sii giijiyo Iiraan cuna qabataynta, isaga oo weliba balan qaaday inuu dabooli doono baahida shidaal ee ka dhalata hoos u dhaca ku yimaada shidaalkii ay dhoofin jirtay Iiraan. Sucuudigu wuxuu sidoo kale ku goodiyay inuu hubka wax gumaado samaysan doono hadii Iiraan samaysato. Taas waxa dheer in Sucuudigu ku dhiiri geliyay Maraykanka iyo Israa’iil inay weeraraan Iiraan.

Awoodda diblomaasiyadeed, galaan galkiisa iyo awooddiisa dhaqaale wuxuu ku eekeeyey Sucuudigu sidii Iiraan dambaska looga dhigi lahaa.

Taas bedelkeeda Sucuudigu iskuma dhibo inuu wuxuun ka gaysto hadal na ha noqotee dhibaatada haysata Falastiiniyiinta ama hubka wax gumaada ee Israa’iil. Sucuudigu khatar uma arko hubka Israa’iil haysato. Waana ka raali inay haysato hub wax gumaada iyo inay ula dhaqanto Falastiin sida ugu arxanka daran ee aadane loola dhaqmo qarniga 21aad.

Sucuudiga iyo wadamada kale ee Gacanka Carbeed waxay gacan wayn ka gaysteen gumaadkii loo gaystay taageerayaasha ururka Ikhwaanul Muslimiinka Masar. Waxay siiyeen taageero lacag, siyaasad, diblomaasiyad iyo hadal ba leh. Waxa ay raali ka noqdeen in madaxweyne Muslim ah oo dadku doorteen la xidho isaga iyo taageerayaashiisa, maxkamadda la geeyo oo dil lagu xukumo. Iyo in weliba  dawladda Masar ay gaysato wax ururro badani ku tilmaameen mid ka mid ah tiradii ugu badnayd ee hal mar si wadar ah dad loogu wada dilo tobonaankii sano ee u danbeeyey.

Sucuudigu far uma taago dadka Muslimiinta ah ee dulmiga u badani maanta dunida guudkiisa ku haysto. Waa Muslimiinta degan dalka Barma oo ah dadka cadaadiska ugu xumi maanta haysto.

Sidaas oo ay tahay dawladda Sucuudigu waxay mararka qaar isku eekaysiisaa dal Muslimiinta ka naxa oo Sunniga u gar gaara. Waxa ay si bahalnimo ah u duqaysaa dadka dan yarta ah ee reer Yemen.

In kasta oo Sucuudigu aanu gaar ku ahayn siyaasadda beenta ah ee marka danta gaarka ah la leeyahay lala soo baxo kaadhka Muslinimada, hadana wuxuu isagu dheer yahay inuu ku beertay dalal badan oo Muslimiin ah rag u carbisan oo aragtidiisa gudbiya. La yaab ma laha in qiil diineed loo raadiyay oo Hargeysa wacdi looga galay in garab la siiyo dagaalka Sucuudigu ka wado Yemen. Hadana afka xanjo ay ku xidheen isla kuwii iska dhigayay inay diinta u hadlayaan gumaadka iyo cadaadiska ka socda Masar. Kama hadlayaan arxan darada uu wado keligii taliyaha ku amar ku taag leeyaha Masar waayo Sucuudiga ayaa ka raali ah in dadkaas la laayo. Markaa diintu ma waxa Sucuudigu rabaa? Maya. Maaha sidaas. Balse Sucuudiga iyo caruurtiisa dunida ku filqani iyagu sidaas bay u arkaan.