One cannot tell the difference between biased media outlets in Mogadishu and BBC’s Somali Service, Somaliland’s Information Minister Osman Abdullahi Sahardiid said during a press conference in his office on Tuesday.
Sahardiid held the press conference in response to a BBC Somali debate on the recently approved military base deal between Somaliland and the UAE.
Sahardiid says the topic was covered unfairly by BBC Somali journalists and that the debate was set up in favour of opponents of Somaliland’s nationhood and the military base deal.
“BBC Somali has been actively seeking to undermine the Republic of Somaliland’s nationhood for some time now. Examples of their biased coverage include over-exaggeration of minor incidents, constantly referring to Somaliland as a federal state of Somalia, and organizing debates, like the most recent one, that aim to discredit Somaliland” Sahardiid said.
“The Government of the Republic of Somaliland has sent messages to BBC’s Somali Service on numerous occasions, kindly requesting that they reconsider their aggressive stance. We will now be sending them a final letter warning them that if their provocative actions continue, our government will take the necessary steps to defend our nationhood” Sahardiid sternly added.
Somaliland’s Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mohamud Hashi Abdi, as well as Somaliland opposition leader Abdirahman Irro, took part in the debate with two individuals who are known for their combative anti-Somaliland beliefs.
Irro , leader of Somaliland’s main opposition party, Waddani, has been accused of being secretly pro-unity.
According to many who tuned into the debate, Irro ganged up with the anti-Somaliland individuals against the Presidential Affairs Minister.
This raised many eyebrows, as many Somalilanders were expecting Irro to defend Somaliland’s nationhood on the segment.
BBC Somali has yet to comment on the Minister’s statements.
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