UFFO Bio Part 1

Mohamed Barud Ali

Mohamed Barud Ali is an intellectual (born in Hargeisa 1950) who organized self-help schemes for the people of Hargeisa in 1981, which led to his arrest the same year. At the time of his arrest he was working as an engineer and manager at the Pepsi Cola Company. Leading up to his arrest he wrote a newsletter called Uffo to create awareness of the grave injustices of that time. Mohamed Barud was sentenced to life in prison and was imprisoned for eight years.

Before his arrest, Barud graduated from Sunderland Polytechnic, UK, with a bachelor’s degree in geochemistry. After his release Barud was an elected member of the parliament from May 1993 to January 1994. Two years later he was appointed Minister of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.

In 1999, Barud founded and led the umbrella organization Samo Tallis which focuses on human rights education. In 2010 he published his autobiography “The Mourning Tree”, which is currently being translated into Somali. This year, the President appointed Mohamed Barud as head of the Somaliland Human Rights Commission.

 Mohmed Haji Mohamoud Omer Hashi

Mohmed Haji Mohamoud Omer Hashi is an intellectual (born in Hargeisa in 1948) who organized self-help schemes to improve the social services in Hargeisa in the early 1980s, which led to his arrest in late 1981. At the time of his arrest he was running his own construction company. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and was imprisoned for eight years.

Previously, he graduated from the London School of Economics (University of London, UK) and the North London Polytechnic. He has a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He was the first elected president of the Somali Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SORRA).

Ahmed Mohamed Yusuf ‘Jabane’

Ahmed Mohamed Yusuf ‘Jabane’ is an intellectual (born outside Odweine 1952) who organized self-help schemes for the people of Hargeisa in 1981, which led to his arrest the same year. He was a secondary school teacher in Hargeisa at the time. Before his arrest he wrote a newsletter called Uffo (together with his friend Mohamed Barud Ali) to inform people of the injustices that were taking place at the time. He was sentenced to life in prison and was imprisoned for eight years.

Ahmed Yusuf completed his higher education at the Hargeisa Technical School in 1971 and graduated from Lafole College of Education in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics. Ahmed Yusuf was granted political asylum in Canada. He recently returned to Hargeisa.

Hussein Mohmed Dualeh ‘Berberawi’

Hussein Mohmed Dualeh ‘Berberawi’ is an intellectual (born in Ethiopia in 1950) who organized self-help schemes to improve the social services in Hargeisa in the early 1980s, which led to his arrest in late 1981. At the time of his arrest he was a teacher at several secondary schools in Hargeisa and a member of the Regional Examination board. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was imprisoned for eight years.

In 1970, he graduated from the National Teaching Center at Afgooye High school and in 1976 he received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics at the College of Education in Afgooye.

After his release he became the Executive Director of the Somali Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SORRA). He later started to work at the University of Hargeisa as a dean of academic affairs. Today, Hussein is quality assurance director at the University of Hargeisa.

Yussuf Abdillahi Kahin ‘Dheeg’

Yussuf Abdillahi Kahin ‘Dheeg’ is an intellectual (born outside Hargeisa 1952) who organized self-help schemes to improve the social services in Hargeisa in the early 1980s, which led to his arrest in late 1981. At the time of his arrest he was working as a farmer. Yussuf Kahin was the inventor of the knocking language (similar to Morse code) that became the main means of communication in the Labaatan Jirow prison.

Previously, he worked as a surveyor in Saudi Arabia. He graduated from the Polytechic Institute in Mogadishu. After his release he worked as the chief engineer of the Somali Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SORRA) and was responsible for the construction of schools across the country.

Dr. Adan Yusuf Abokor

Dr. Adan Yusuf Abokor is an intellectual (born in Hargeisa 1944), who organized self-help schemes to improve the social services in Hargeisa 1981, which led to his arrest in November the same year. At the time of his arrest he was the Director of the Hargeisa Group Hospital, which was the focus point of the self-help scheme. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was imprisoned for eight years.

Dr. Adan grew up in Aden, Yemen and graduated from the Medical Academy in Warsaw, Poland in 1976. After his release, Dr. Adan was the executive director of the Somali Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SORRA) and a trainer for Life and Peace Institute of Sweden.

He was Country Representative for Progressio, an international development charity, from 1998 to 2012. Today Dr. Adan is the Hargeisa representative of the Rift Valley Institute.

Abdirhaman Abdillahi H. Aden ‘Yare’

Abdirhaman Abdillahi H. Aden ‘Yare’ is an intellectual (born in Hargeisa 1955), who organized self-help schemes to improve the social services in Hargeisa 1981, which led to his arrest in November the same year. At the time of his arrest he was working as a civil servant in Hargeisa (where he had worked since 1976). He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and was imprisoned for eight years. He was the youngest among the group of men who were arrested. Today Abdirahman is a successful businessman.