Somali region adopts Sharia law

2006-11-22 13:29

Mogadishu - The authorities of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in north-eastern Somalia have agreed to adopt Islamic Sharia law, claiming they have not bowed to pressure from the country's powerful Islamists, says Puntland's president.

Regional officials made the declaration after intense pressure by religious leaders who met with the president of Puntland, Adde Muse Hersi, and suggested he enforce Sharia law in the region.

Hersi said: "The Islamic courts in the south claimed that they forced us to implement Sharia law, but they didn't. They attacked us two times and we resisted them. It is our decision to implement the Sharia law here."

Somalia's Islamists controlled most of south and central Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu, and in their bid to create a "united Somalia", had been pressuring Puntland to join it or implement Sharia law in the region.

Islamists attack semi-autonomous region

There had been several unconfirmed reports that Islamist militia attacked Puntland forces.

Puntland hadn't agreed to join because of its allegiance to the president of the transitional government Abdullahi Yusuf, who was a native of Puntland.

Analysts said its decision to enforce Sharia law might be a ploy to repel the Islamists from attacking the semi-autonomous region.

Abdurahman Mohammed Bankah, Puntland's information minister, said a committee would study how to implement Sharia law in the region.

He criticised the Islamists' interpretation of the religious law, which had seen people beaten and executed for violating the rules.

Bankah said: "The question now is what kind of Islamic law do we enforce. We can't take the Islamic way of the Islamists in Mogadishu that wants to amputate hands of hungry people who steal something to survive, or flog the vulnerable."

Sapa-dpa

- SAPA