Dubai,9th February 2004,
By Banadir Special Correspondent,
In Dubai,UAE.

As I was seeing off my relative who was taking the Daallo Airline flight D3-189 early this morning, the 9th February 2004 to Djibouti, I witnessed an un-justly humiliating treatment rendered by the staff of Daallo Airline counter in Dubai(UAE) to a prospective passenger, who happened to be ,I guess, an Indian.

From What I briefly gathered, he was a marketing Professional for one of the private companies in Dubai, going for a business trip to Hargeisa. He was holding a freshly-purchased round trip ticket with the appropriate booking and a valid entry visa on his Indian Passport, which was issued, I think, by the Somali Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates. Every thing is ok for him to board the plane and begin his journey to Hargeisa in North-Western Somalia, thus looking forward, perhaps, a bright business future for himself and his Company .

But that was not to be. For the poor Indian was denied his right to fly on the basis that his visa is not valid for Hargeisa or any other destination in Somaliland. Needless to say, more than 85% of its(Daallo) passengers on that particular flight were Somalis holding Passports which were issued or renewed by the Somali Embassy or its consulate in the United Arab Emirtaes. Of particular interest was the fact that on that flight there was also an illegal Somali man deported to Hargeisa with a Travel document which was subsequently issued by the Somali Mission in Abu Dhabi.

So how can it be, that that same Daallo staff accept Somali Passports and travel documents on one hand and reject the visa on the other. They were acting with authority,and I am sure,that they have got permission on the handling of this incident from their superior. But What I can not understand is why they allowed this Indian in the first place to purchase and book his ticket, if Daallo is going to treat him this way ! ! ! .