A/HRC/15/48 39. The President said that he was aware of the many challenges facing his administration. He had inherited a very difficult economic and security situation. There were extremist groups operating in Somaliland which was a matter of great concern for his Government and people. He referred to the recent suicide bombing by Al–Shabaab in Kampala was a lesson for the entire region. 40. The President recalled that in his first public statement he made a commitment to dissolving the regional security committees so that the courts would be able to fully exercise their jurisdictions. He pledged to strengthen the rule of law and respect for human rights. He promised to review the human rights violations committed under the previous regime and to release immediately those who were innocent and being detained illegally without due process. 41. The independent expert felt that the inauguration of President Silanyo to the highest office in Somaliland had opened new opportunities for Somalia and the region as a whole. The international community should take full advantage of the situation and make sure that the new Government was helped in every ways possible so that it could fulfil his commitments to human rights. The importance of the success of Somaliland for the future of Somalia as a whole could not be overemphasized. 42. While in Hargeisa, the independent expert also had useful meetings with United Nations agencies, representatives of NGOs/CSOs, including the Centre of Research and Development from Mogadishu, and the President of the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights and Justice. They all shared the optimism generated by the recent elections and change of Government. IV. Human rights in Puntland 43. The trip of the independent expert to Puntland was equally short. He could only visit Garowe and could not go to Bossaso where the largest concentration of IDPs was located because of the recent attack that was launched by the “Atom armed group” against the Puntland forces around the Bossasso city. His meeting with Abdirahman Farole, President of the Puntland State of Somalia, was as usual most warm and cordial. As before, the President had asked a number of his senior ministers and officials to be present. 44. The independent expert complimented President Farole on the achievements of his Government since their last meeting two years previously. These include that the Government was able to pay the salaries of civil servants; the education curricula was being updated and harmonized with UNESCO standards; there had been improvements in the delivery of health services; an independent electoral commission had been set up; a new constitution had been adopted by the Puntland Parliament to be put to the people for a referendum; and efforts were continuing to combat piracy. 45. The independent expert then raised a concern about the recent forcible deportations by the Puntland authorities of some 900 IDPs from Bossaso to areas in the south. This, he said, was contrary to the long tradition of hospitality shown by Puntland to IDPs, as well as to its responsibilities under international law. Having said this, he also recognized that Puntland still hosted the largest number of Somali IDPs on its territory. In response, President Farole emphasized the changed circumstances created by the infiltration of Al– Shabaab elements in Puntland, particularly among the IDP population. He pointed out that his Government was spending bulk of its financial resources to meet security requirements and could not afford to take any risks. He cited the recent attacks in Galgala in the north, by an insurgent group linked to Al–Shabaab, as evidence that the security threats in Puntland were effective. He mentioned that three members of the Puntland Parliament had been 11