The Hague, Netherlands: A Landmark Human Rights Case Takes Center Stage

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring

In a profoundly significant move, Member of Parliament Abdullahi Hashi Abib has launched a human rights lawsuit against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Premier Bank Limited at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Here lies a question: can justice prevail when power is on trial? This case, reminiscent of David against Goliath, challenges the ethics of governance intertwined with corporate interests. Abib—the voice of the voiceless—lights a candle in these murky waters, hoping it might guide them to shore.

On January 29, the docket of the ICJ welcomed this audacious petition. Representing former employees of the Central Bank of Somalia (CBS), MP Abib calls for transparency and unyielding governance. Joining the fray is CBS Governor Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, often recognized by his sobriquet, Abdi Mohamed Abdullahi, standing accused alongside the President and Premier Bank.

The thrust of the allegations? A pernicious blend of displacement and property seizure. Vulnerable families rendered homeless as their longstanding ownership rights are erased under a sleight of executive penmanship. Homes promised stability but delivered betrayal, as the presidential directive transmuted employee-owned estates into Premier Bank’s burgeoning portfolio.

“Hon. Dr. Abdullahi Hashi Abib is filing this case on behalf of CBS employees whose properties were unlawfully transferred to Premier Bank through an illegal executive order,” the legal brief asserts with unyielding resolve.

A well-worn photograph captures the desolation—women seated in Carwada Qaranka, eyes cast towards a bleak horizon shaped by ruthless landlords defending their imperial gains. Can such imagery spur awakening? Critical eyes wonder.

Legal Grounds and Relief Sought

Under Article 36(2) of the ICJ Statute, the case invites scrutiny over international law’s perceived breaches, painting images of state-led corruption, financial malfeasance, and egregious rights infringements. The plaintiff’s clamor is clear: the executive decree must be nullified. Restore property to these employees who demand equity, not empty promises.

A request accompanies the tenor of justice: compel compliance with Somali judicial decisions, recompense the injuries inflicted on these lives, and let sanctions rattle those entwined in malfeasance. The echo in courtrooms and corridors rings out, seeking the exposure of secretive dealings that favored private gain over public service. “We also demand the Court to Investigate and prosecute the alleged diversion of sale proceeds into private accounts and issue an injunction preventing Premier Bank from engaging is further transactions involving disputed assets until full legal compliance is ensured,” emphasizes the plaintiffs’ determined appeal.

There’s an air of urgency in Mogadishu. The city teeters on a precipice as eviction storms swept through Ex-Carwada Qaranka, leaving desolation in their wake. Thousands faced the brutality of sudden homelessness as ancient buildings became battlegrounds of profit versus survival—what faces lurk behind these powerful landlords’ doors?

This landmark case carries implications far broader than those enshrined in legal tomes. It speaks to a universal plea for justice when governance crosses its ethical boundaries. An unfolding chapter in Somalia’s tumultuous story, perhaps offering lessons that dare ripple across borders.

Maybe now, under the ICJ’s learned gaze, there lies a chance for recalibration towards a more equitable dispensation of justice.

Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring