His hair cut because the guard did not like the
“uncultured western style” of his hair.
This is the first time, in Somaliland’s
history, that a policeman has ordered anybody’s hair to be cut on
cultural or religious grounds.
The incident happened outside the country’s
parliament building.
The boy, Khadar Abdirahman, said he was on his
way home after buying milk for his mother from a nearby shop. He
said one of the police guards stopped and searched him.
“I heard someone shouting ‘get him and cut his
hair’ I looked towards the parliament building from here I thought
the voice was coming,” Khadar said.
A police guard, identified as Osman Mohamed,
called Khadar and told him to put down the pot of milk he was
carrying. The guard then sent someone to buy a blade, and later
ordered a washer for the MPs’ cars to cut his hair.
Khadar complained that his rights may have
been violated. “I have no power to defend myself.”
Asked why he had ordered the boy’s hair cut the
police guard said the boy’s hair was against the country’s culture
and Islamic religion. “We cannot tolerate this western hairstyle
among our children. If we see other boys with a similar
western-style hair we will also cut their hair,” he said.
But, Somaliland’s police officials said they
will investigate the incident. They refused to comment further.