In brief
- On 28 November 2015, Somaliland Sun reported that Telesom handed a $50,000 check to the new west Hargeisa cemetery acquisition committee.
- The committee, chaired by Sheikh Aden Mahmud Hiray 'Aden Siro', targets land capable of handling 16,000 graves.
- The report does not establish what has happened since the 2015 handover: whether land was acquired, funds were spent, or graves were delivered.
On 28 November 2015, Somaliland Sun reported that Telesom, a privately held telecommunications company headquartered in Hargeisa, handed a $50,000 check to the new west Hargeisa cemetery acquisition committee. The committee is led by chairperson Sheikh Aden Mahmud Hiray 'Aden Siro'.
The article, authored by Latifa Yusuf Masai, describes an event held at Telesom offices. The public relations manager, Mohamed Abdi 'Darbo', presented the check in the presence of community development manager Abdiwahab Maah. Telesom characterized the contribution as part of its corporate responsibility towards community-based projects.
According to the report, the existing Aden Siro cemetery has become exhausted, creating the need for new burial grounds. Sheikh Aden Siro made that statement. The proposed West Hargeisa public cemetery targets land capable of handling 16,000 graves, a figure described as a target rather than delivered capacity.
Telesom and the committee appealed to companies and able individuals to contribute towards securing grounds for the proposed 16,000 graves. The report also says the cemetery contribution was Telesom's second charity activity in less than a week, following a contribution towards a new emergency ward at Hargeisa Group Hospital, but it does not state that contribution's amount or status.
Somaliland Sun described Telesom as having over 1,000 shareholders and the widest coverage network across Somaliland's constituent provinces. Those are claims from the publication, not verified SCR facts.
The report also uses two different names for the recipient body: 'new west Hargeisa cemetery acquisition committee' and 'Aden Siro Committee'. The article sits on a live page with later links, but the byline and dateline are internal to the document.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Telesom contribute to the cemetery project?
Somaliland Sun reported on 2015-11-28 that Telesom handed a $50,000 check to the new west Hargeisa cemetery acquisition committee.
Where is the proposed cemetery?
The report describes it as the new west Hargeisa cemetery, targeting land capable of handling 16,000 graves.
Who chairs the cemetery committee?
Sheikh Aden Mahmud Hiray 'Aden Siro' chairs the new west Hargeisa cemetery acquisition committee, according to the report.