Puntland: Eyl Police briefly detains Three cameramen

EYL (PP News Desk) — Police in Eyl district of Puntland State briefly arrested earlier today three cameramen who were trying to bury a rusty toxic container in the beach.

A district official who requested anonymity told Puntland Post that “the three cameramen transported a toxic container from Garowe to spread lies about toxic waste container that did not wash ashore at Eyl beach”. The three men described the goal of their visit to Eyl as “a mission to raise environmental awareness about toxic waste dumped off the coast of Somalia.” Eyl Distric Police released the three men, who had returned to Garowe.

Environmental subterfuge: The toxic waste container the cameramen were burying in Eyl beach

District elders accuse the three men of damaging the image of Eyl by working for a foreign NGO.

Nugaal regional administration has not released a statement on the identity and motives of the three cameramen whom Eyl district police briefly detained. The three cameramen did not have a clearance to conduct environmental awareness campaign in Eyl.

Locals believe the three cameramen were released upon the intervention of Nugaal administration. “It sends a wrong message about the rule of law. Eyl district police did not charge or caution the three cameramen” said a resident in Eyl .

© Puntland Post, 2020