By Guled Mohamed
Mogadishu,, November 28 – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda made a surprise visit to Somalia on Sunday in his second visit to Mogadishu since 1992 to check on his forces serving under the African Union peacekeeping mission as well as paying a courtesy call to President Sheikh Sharif of Somalia.
President Museveni landed around 1pm where he immediately met with dozens of Ugandan peacekeepers at an open field in the main AMISOM southern Halane base in Mogadishu. He flew out few hours later after chatting with ordinary soldiers sand meeting with his top commanders and Somali leaders.
Museveni’s visit caught everyone in surprise including Ugandan peacekeepers who were only informed of the visit after he landed at the Aden Ade international airport in Mogadishu.
“I think you have done well her for the last 4 years. We should be happy that our country is taking the lead in helping solve the Somalia problem which has eluded many others. You must adhere to the culture of the people of Somalia. I just want you to adhere to our strict code of conduct and treat the people of Somalia with dignity,” he said, wearing green military fatigues with a matching green safari cap, his famous trade mark head gear.
The troops were simply mesmerized by his visit. They welcomed their leader to Mogadishu with songs and dance. “Jeshi yetu ni jeshi ya watu. Tuko hapa kusaidia nchi ya Somalia kupata amani,” the troops sang in Swahili. The old man danced and clapped to the patriotic songs.
He later held a private meeting with Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi and Speaker of parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden at a UN compound within the main AMISOM base amid tight security.
Before flying out after 4pm, President Museveni visited the AMISOM main hospital run by Ugandan peacekeepers where he consoled wounded and sick AMISOM peacekeepers from Uganda, Somali government forces wounded in the ongoing battles in Somalia as well as civilian patients receiving free treatment at the hospital. The civilians he saw were mainly those who have been wounded as well as young women patients suffering from fistula, a common problem in Somalia largely due birth complications as a result of early marriage.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to welcome our brother President Yoweri Museveni to Somalia. He is the first president to visit Somalia in the last 20 years. We see his visit as historic and we warmly welcome him,” President Sheikh Sharif of Somalia said.
Museveni said he was happy to see the three top Somali leaders together.
“I came to check on our troops but also to consult with the President. I am very pleased to see the President, the speaker and the new Prime Minister united. So am very very happy and our troop’s morale is high,” he said.
He chose his words carefully when asked when his forces would pacify Mogadishu.
“The question of taking the capital is not something very crucial. It can be taken if the troops are enough. I don’t think that is the problem, the problem is enough manpower and equipment. It is not just taking the capital it is also this is Somalia, Somalia belongs to Somalis. The most important thing element or help our Somali brothers are to rebuild their soldiers including the army. That is the most important thing. Any other thing is just temporary,” he added.
Ugandan peacekeepers were simply elated to see their President in Mogadishu, a city riddled with bullets and destroyed by nearly 20 years of a never ending conflict that has left many people dead and many more wounded.
“I am very happy to see our President in Mogadishu. His visit will improve our morale. He has told us that we have been granted a pay rise in accordance with United Nations peacekeeping standards. We will now be paid $1,028 up from $750 of which $250 was deducted by the government for the mission maintenance. This is really positive news,” said Sergeant Fred Baguma.
For private Mukona Eliya, a waiter at the senior AMISOM officers mess where President Museveni went for a brief from his top commanders including Force Commander Major General Nathan Mugisha, the visit by his commander in chief will go a long way in motivating them.
“I am very happy to see the President coming to our mess. His visit will surely motivate us to work even harder to support our Somali brothers. He spoke to us and give us morale and urged us to work closely with the Somali people,” he said with a big grin.
Below are some more questions in italics President Museveni responded to during his rare visit to Somalia.
Are you disappointed with the international support you have been getting?
“Yes, they don’t take the Somali problem very seriously. I hear they are in oceans having a nice time in the oceans but the problem is on land. I don’t know how much money they are spending in the oceans. But pirates who got to steal ships in the oceans come from land. I don’t know whether the Somalis have been aquatic. Have they become aquatic? Sea animals, I think they are land animals. The efforts should be here on land to help the transitional government to build an army and then help us who are playing support role,”
How do you feel to be the first president to visit Somalia? What message do you think this will send to other African leaders?
Well I was here 20 years ago when I visited Aideed and Ali Mahdi. Now I came back to check on Sheikh Sharif.
The situation was different then than now.
“Even then there was a problem. I had come to advise Aideed and AlI Mahdi to agree. That is what I was appealing to them but today I am happy to find the President, speaker with the Prime Minister all together. I am very happy. I think it’s a good nucleus,”
What is your message to the Somali people?
“To the Somali people my message is that they really should know that power is important but destiny of a country is more important to me or him or anybody. For instance the Somali people have lost a lot of time you know how much can you do in 10 years. If you loose 10 years or 20 years without doing anything for building it’s not really fair to the Somalis. Really I would call upon the faction leaders to bring peace and then go constitutional. If you want power look for it constitutionally have peace, have a transitional period which is agreed upon like these people even those people who are not in the government and then transitional govt results into elections and then the Somali people will gain their sovereignty. Because sovereignty of the Somali people has been usurped by people with guns. That should be reversed, the people of Somalia should regain their sovereignty they should be the ones to lead their country not the people with guns,”
Saturday, November 27, 2010
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ANALYSIS – Is Al-Shabab loosing its grip on Somalia?
By Marian Yarisow.
Mogadishu, November 26 – Mogadishu witnessed one of its heaviest clashes in 2010 during the holy month of Ramadan after Al-Shabab militants ferociously attacked Somali government and African Union peacekeepers with all the manpower and firepower they could harness in a desperate attempt to take over Mogadishu.
The above offensive not only backfired on Al-Shabab but it also badly denting its image causing serious ramification to its unity. Even though they still do attack the government and their AU backers to date, Al-Shabab seems to have lost its clout and vigour in Somalia and Mogadishu in particular.
Its top leadership is facing a serious split likely to affect its future operations. For the ordinary Somali living in parts of the capital Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country controlled by Al-Shabab. This latest news is a really positive development simply because Al-Shabab has managed to stay in power largely due to its brutal nature by coercing the public into submission.
However, the latest development in both military and the political infighting within Al-Shabab sends one clear message: That Al-Shabab can be beaten and that they are not mortals as they often try to depict themselves.
Credible intelligence sources indicate that Al-Shabab lost around 500 to 700 fighters and approximately 2000 others were wounded in the month-long pitched battles in Mogadishu where at some stage the militants came close to a touching distance of the hilltop presidential palace protected by AMISOM peacekeepers only to be pushed back by the AU peacekeeping force.
Majority if these casualties were illiterate youths conscripted from across Somalia.
A 20 year old young man who only gave his name Mahamed was among the unlucky youths. He was lured into the war by money wielding bearded men in the thick jungles of Bakol region.
“I was herding goats in the bush when one day some men approached me and gave me $50. They told me I could get more if I joined them. That is how I became Al-Shabab fighter. I had never been to Mogadishu before. When we came they showed as a huge building and said it was the Presidential palace. We were made to believe that Al-Shabab was going to take over the country. I feel stupid and used but at least I have known the truth. I will never re-join them. I better die than go back to be their slave,” he said, a month after he was caught in combat.
His story is both fascinating and saddening. It’s the reality on the ground in Somalia where Al-Shabab has managed to hold into power using all possible means. They simply do not care how many of our young brothers die in the unpopular war.
As a result of the botched attacks, Al-Shabab lost hundreds of mostly youthful fighters forcing the group back to the drawing board amid finger pointing by its top leadership forcing Al-Qaeda to step into the raw to try and reunite them.
Hizbul Islam which is led by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys is the other opposition force fighting the Somali government which also does not enjoy good relations with Al-Shabab. The two groups are only united in fighting the government and AMISOM peacekeepers in a bid to win Al-Qaeda’s support but have serious differences within themselves that often end up in armed conflict.
Sheikh Aweys is a long time Islamist leader in Somalia who believes he is the most senior Islamist and therefore does not understand why young men in the name of Al-Shabab should take the mantle of the so called holly war in Somalia.
A high powered meeting was convened in Baidoa after Ramadan where a visiting Al-Qaeda leader sought to reunite the fractious Somali Al-Shabab commanders in vain as well as tried to reconcile Hizbul Islam and Al-Shabab.
Sources say that the Al-Qaeda leader urged the two Islamists groups to continue fighting the Somali government and the African Union peacekeepers and that Al-Qaeda will only recognize the party that emerges victorious in the ongoing battles in Somalia.
Within Al-Shabab the rift is mainly between Ahmed Abdi Godane aka Abu Zubeyr, the group’s top commander who enjoys close ties with foreign jihadists in Somalia. Godane hails from Somaliland and he has been at odds with another senior commander Sheikh Mukhtar Robow aka Abu Mansur who is also a former Al-Shabab spokesman. Robow hails from the Rahaweyn clan in Bay and Bakol regions of southern Somalia which apparently lost most fighters in the botched Ramadan offensive.
Godane has usurped power using a well funded hit squad within Al-Shabab known as Amniyad and comprised of mainly under aged youths. The hit squad is responsible for all the executions, assassination and any other dirty tasks ordered by Godane. This unit has created fear among the group giving him an absolute grip on power and more importantly keeping him put as the supreme leader.
It is believed that Godane -- who is reportedly trained in Afghanistan just like most Al-Shabab commanders -- orchestrated the dismissal of Robow from Al-Shabab’s Executive Committee, the militant group’s most powerful entity who make final decisions.
Godane is also accused by Robow of ordering the execution of his close ally called Sheikh Ayub a commander of Eastern Bay region after he sustained injuries during the Ramadan offensive.
This assassination as well as the fact that Robow lost 183 fighters in the battle, the highest figure from a single entity meant that he was getting a raw deal from Al-Shabab forcing him to withdraw hundreds of his troops from the capital Mogadishu prompting his clansmen, the Rahanweyn to also quit Al-Shabab in Kismayu and the central region returning back to their Baidoa backyard where it is believed they would seek to govern their home regions Bay and Bakool separately from Al-Shabab.
Sheikh Mukhtar Robow’s exit from Al-Shabab is a major blow to the group. This means that the group will loose support and funds from Bay and Bakool regions, which have unanimously been very supportive of Al-Shabab.
It’s also believed that some Al-Shabab financiers and sympathizers are not happy with the rift and more importantly Al-Shabab’s unclear motivation to continue fighting a war whose victims still remain to be ordinary Somalis. For the financiers, business has not been good largely due the seemingly endless war led by Al-Kadab, a name the group has been brandished in Mogadishu simply meaning the liar!
For the war weary ordinary Somalis who have had to live with the sustained Al-Shabab’s brutality since mid 2006, the latest infighting within the group come as a big relief. Many residents accuse Al-Shabab of being the biggest obstacle to finding permanent peace in the troubled Horn of African country.
“I greet you Major. Try to attack every place Al-Shabab is staying. They are our enemy and the enemy of Somalia. The Somali people are happy for your progress by Allah’s will. Win, win win, Ameen,” read an SMS from a Somali man living in Al-Shabab controlled area in Mogadishu to AMISOM Spokesman Major Barigye Ba-Hoku.
Somalia’s myriad clans have always stood against any mighty force. They have again proved a hard ball to crack for the global jihadist group Al-Qaeda and their Somalia henchmen Al-Shabab.
Clan chiefs who previously supported Al-Shabab for fear of being hacked to death have now started asking questions following the botched attempt at taking over Mogadishu which Al-Shabab leaders made it look so easy to the elders when they went round the villages conscripting innocent youths who have no religious knowledge nor wisdom to challenge their sinister motives.
“Certain Somali clans are not happy after loosing hundreds of their young men in the so called holly war which also claimed many more civilian lives. Some clans are asking whether paradise which Al-Shabab promised is only meant for certain clans. I think it’s the start of their end,” a clan elder in Baidoa said asking not to be named.
Few years ago such an outcry against Al-Shabab was never publicly uttered in Somalia largely due to Al-Shabab’s ruthless response to anyone seen defying their exported foreign ideologies.
This leads to the big question which I believe many Somalis and every other peace loving sane person would gladly want to hear in favour of Somalia, a country ravaged by almost 20 years of fighting. Is Al-Shabab loosing its grip in Somalia?
Experts on Somalia believe the group is slowly loosing its grip on Somalia largely due to their own ruthless treatment of the Somali public. They kill anyone seen defying their foreign ideology sometimes even inside a mosque something that has never been witnessed any where else, they lash people in public for any misdemeanour offenses and as if that is not enough have even gone to the point of slitting throats of people accused of spying for their opponents without any concrete evidence.
Their inhuman nature has earned them many nicknames among the local population like “Rer Burburshe” or the destructive clan, Al-Shaydan, or the devil and Al-Kadab, the liar.
Their acts of terror are contrary to the Somali culture and the true teachings of Islam.
As if to prove their unpopularity Al-Shabab is now forcefully conscripting youngsters to join them as they massively did across southern Somalia prior to the botched Ramadan offensive, they have also ordered business owners, farmers and even pastoralists to pay tax by force and worse of all their ragtag militia is reportedly engaging in wicked acts like gang raping girls reminiscent of the warlord era in Somalia.
All the above facts point to only one conclusion. Al-Shabab days in Somalia are numbered. But how can we make sure when they finally fall which is very imminent given the above facts, they will never rise again.
This is a golden opportunity for the interim government to put their house in order and stop wasting time on enriching themselves but turn Al-Shabab’s loss into victory for the majority of the Somali people who simply wish to live in peace.
The writer is a freelance journalist working in Somalia.
Mogadishu, November 26 – Mogadishu witnessed one of its heaviest clashes in 2010 during the holy month of Ramadan after Al-Shabab militants ferociously attacked Somali government and African Union peacekeepers with all the manpower and firepower they could harness in a desperate attempt to take over Mogadishu.
The above offensive not only backfired on Al-Shabab but it also badly denting its image causing serious ramification to its unity. Even though they still do attack the government and their AU backers to date, Al-Shabab seems to have lost its clout and vigour in Somalia and Mogadishu in particular.
Its top leadership is facing a serious split likely to affect its future operations. For the ordinary Somali living in parts of the capital Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country controlled by Al-Shabab. This latest news is a really positive development simply because Al-Shabab has managed to stay in power largely due to its brutal nature by coercing the public into submission.
However, the latest development in both military and the political infighting within Al-Shabab sends one clear message: That Al-Shabab can be beaten and that they are not mortals as they often try to depict themselves.
Credible intelligence sources indicate that Al-Shabab lost around 500 to 700 fighters and approximately 2000 others were wounded in the month-long pitched battles in Mogadishu where at some stage the militants came close to a touching distance of the hilltop presidential palace protected by AMISOM peacekeepers only to be pushed back by the AU peacekeeping force.
Majority if these casualties were illiterate youths conscripted from across Somalia.
A 20 year old young man who only gave his name Mahamed was among the unlucky youths. He was lured into the war by money wielding bearded men in the thick jungles of Bakol region.
“I was herding goats in the bush when one day some men approached me and gave me $50. They told me I could get more if I joined them. That is how I became Al-Shabab fighter. I had never been to Mogadishu before. When we came they showed as a huge building and said it was the Presidential palace. We were made to believe that Al-Shabab was going to take over the country. I feel stupid and used but at least I have known the truth. I will never re-join them. I better die than go back to be their slave,” he said, a month after he was caught in combat.
His story is both fascinating and saddening. It’s the reality on the ground in Somalia where Al-Shabab has managed to hold into power using all possible means. They simply do not care how many of our young brothers die in the unpopular war.
As a result of the botched attacks, Al-Shabab lost hundreds of mostly youthful fighters forcing the group back to the drawing board amid finger pointing by its top leadership forcing Al-Qaeda to step into the raw to try and reunite them.
Hizbul Islam which is led by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys is the other opposition force fighting the Somali government which also does not enjoy good relations with Al-Shabab. The two groups are only united in fighting the government and AMISOM peacekeepers in a bid to win Al-Qaeda’s support but have serious differences within themselves that often end up in armed conflict.
Sheikh Aweys is a long time Islamist leader in Somalia who believes he is the most senior Islamist and therefore does not understand why young men in the name of Al-Shabab should take the mantle of the so called holly war in Somalia.
A high powered meeting was convened in Baidoa after Ramadan where a visiting Al-Qaeda leader sought to reunite the fractious Somali Al-Shabab commanders in vain as well as tried to reconcile Hizbul Islam and Al-Shabab.
Sources say that the Al-Qaeda leader urged the two Islamists groups to continue fighting the Somali government and the African Union peacekeepers and that Al-Qaeda will only recognize the party that emerges victorious in the ongoing battles in Somalia.
Within Al-Shabab the rift is mainly between Ahmed Abdi Godane aka Abu Zubeyr, the group’s top commander who enjoys close ties with foreign jihadists in Somalia. Godane hails from Somaliland and he has been at odds with another senior commander Sheikh Mukhtar Robow aka Abu Mansur who is also a former Al-Shabab spokesman. Robow hails from the Rahaweyn clan in Bay and Bakol regions of southern Somalia which apparently lost most fighters in the botched Ramadan offensive.
Godane has usurped power using a well funded hit squad within Al-Shabab known as Amniyad and comprised of mainly under aged youths. The hit squad is responsible for all the executions, assassination and any other dirty tasks ordered by Godane. This unit has created fear among the group giving him an absolute grip on power and more importantly keeping him put as the supreme leader.
It is believed that Godane -- who is reportedly trained in Afghanistan just like most Al-Shabab commanders -- orchestrated the dismissal of Robow from Al-Shabab’s Executive Committee, the militant group’s most powerful entity who make final decisions.
Godane is also accused by Robow of ordering the execution of his close ally called Sheikh Ayub a commander of Eastern Bay region after he sustained injuries during the Ramadan offensive.
This assassination as well as the fact that Robow lost 183 fighters in the battle, the highest figure from a single entity meant that he was getting a raw deal from Al-Shabab forcing him to withdraw hundreds of his troops from the capital Mogadishu prompting his clansmen, the Rahanweyn to also quit Al-Shabab in Kismayu and the central region returning back to their Baidoa backyard where it is believed they would seek to govern their home regions Bay and Bakool separately from Al-Shabab.
Sheikh Mukhtar Robow’s exit from Al-Shabab is a major blow to the group. This means that the group will loose support and funds from Bay and Bakool regions, which have unanimously been very supportive of Al-Shabab.
It’s also believed that some Al-Shabab financiers and sympathizers are not happy with the rift and more importantly Al-Shabab’s unclear motivation to continue fighting a war whose victims still remain to be ordinary Somalis. For the financiers, business has not been good largely due the seemingly endless war led by Al-Kadab, a name the group has been brandished in Mogadishu simply meaning the liar!
For the war weary ordinary Somalis who have had to live with the sustained Al-Shabab’s brutality since mid 2006, the latest infighting within the group come as a big relief. Many residents accuse Al-Shabab of being the biggest obstacle to finding permanent peace in the troubled Horn of African country.
“I greet you Major. Try to attack every place Al-Shabab is staying. They are our enemy and the enemy of Somalia. The Somali people are happy for your progress by Allah’s will. Win, win win, Ameen,” read an SMS from a Somali man living in Al-Shabab controlled area in Mogadishu to AMISOM Spokesman Major Barigye Ba-Hoku.
Somalia’s myriad clans have always stood against any mighty force. They have again proved a hard ball to crack for the global jihadist group Al-Qaeda and their Somalia henchmen Al-Shabab.
Clan chiefs who previously supported Al-Shabab for fear of being hacked to death have now started asking questions following the botched attempt at taking over Mogadishu which Al-Shabab leaders made it look so easy to the elders when they went round the villages conscripting innocent youths who have no religious knowledge nor wisdom to challenge their sinister motives.
“Certain Somali clans are not happy after loosing hundreds of their young men in the so called holly war which also claimed many more civilian lives. Some clans are asking whether paradise which Al-Shabab promised is only meant for certain clans. I think it’s the start of their end,” a clan elder in Baidoa said asking not to be named.
Few years ago such an outcry against Al-Shabab was never publicly uttered in Somalia largely due to Al-Shabab’s ruthless response to anyone seen defying their exported foreign ideologies.
This leads to the big question which I believe many Somalis and every other peace loving sane person would gladly want to hear in favour of Somalia, a country ravaged by almost 20 years of fighting. Is Al-Shabab loosing its grip in Somalia?
Experts on Somalia believe the group is slowly loosing its grip on Somalia largely due to their own ruthless treatment of the Somali public. They kill anyone seen defying their foreign ideology sometimes even inside a mosque something that has never been witnessed any where else, they lash people in public for any misdemeanour offenses and as if that is not enough have even gone to the point of slitting throats of people accused of spying for their opponents without any concrete evidence.
Their inhuman nature has earned them many nicknames among the local population like “Rer Burburshe” or the destructive clan, Al-Shaydan, or the devil and Al-Kadab, the liar.
Their acts of terror are contrary to the Somali culture and the true teachings of Islam.
As if to prove their unpopularity Al-Shabab is now forcefully conscripting youngsters to join them as they massively did across southern Somalia prior to the botched Ramadan offensive, they have also ordered business owners, farmers and even pastoralists to pay tax by force and worse of all their ragtag militia is reportedly engaging in wicked acts like gang raping girls reminiscent of the warlord era in Somalia.
All the above facts point to only one conclusion. Al-Shabab days in Somalia are numbered. But how can we make sure when they finally fall which is very imminent given the above facts, they will never rise again.
This is a golden opportunity for the interim government to put their house in order and stop wasting time on enriching themselves but turn Al-Shabab’s loss into victory for the majority of the Somali people who simply wish to live in peace.
The writer is a freelance journalist working in Somalia.
Monday, September 20, 2010
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Media wars in Somalia.
Mogadishu, September 19 - Al-Shabab militants early on Sunday morning seized another radio station in Mogadishu bringing to five the number of private radio stations they have confiscated since the start of the year.
This times round, it was not just another radio station but they went for the kill by confiscating radio and TV equipments belonging to HornAfrik Radio and TV station, the pioneer of private broadcast and TV station in Somalia. They did not stop there but also confiscated radio equipments belonging to its sister station called Capital Voice.
HornAfrik has also a working relationship with the global news agency Reuters, my former employers. Reuters buy's video footage from HornAfrik TV, also Somalia's first private TV station. They got away with a professional camera and a laptop belonging to Reuters and which was under the care of HornAfrik. Fortunately a B-gan, also belonging to Reuters was left behind by the gunmen who thought it’s a useless gadget!
After the Al-Shabab raid, its copycat Hizbul Islam group also decided to take over the Global Broadcasting Corporation GBC radio in a bid to outwit the Al-Shabab. The Somali media are again caught up in the middle of this battle to control the media by the two antagonist groups.
I spoke to a HornAfrik staff who was present during the 2:00am morning raid that involved 60 heavily armed Al-Shabab fighters at the station. Below is an excerpt from his interview describing the early morning raid. The staff’s name has been concealed for his own safety.
"They came around 2am this morning and knocked the main door. They were around 60 heavily armed Al-Shabab gunmen. One of our guards sought to know who was knocking that late, they ordered him to open the door threatening to kill if he did not heed their call. He had no option but to open it, they forced their way into the compound and beat him up before locking him into a room. They also beat up the second guard. They then went to look for another staff member who had the keys to all the rooms. They were well informed and knew what they want. I locked myself in another room praying all the time to Allah to protect me from them. It was a very nervous experience for me and I thank God for the protection,"
"They took away radio equipments for HornAfrik radio and television, its sister station capital voice as well as all the archived audio and video tapes. They also got away with a professional camera and a laptop belonging to Reuters news agency. Fortunately they threw away the B-gan thinking it’s a power supply,"
"The estimated total cost of equipment taken is estimated to be around US$200,000. This is a huge blow to our operation. HornAfrik was Somalia's biggest private media house and it will for sure have a negative effect in the Somali media in generation. Our station has been closed so many times by different factions but the equipments have never been seized until this morning. This is really a dark day in Somalia,"
This times round, it was not just another radio station but they went for the kill by confiscating radio and TV equipments belonging to HornAfrik Radio and TV station, the pioneer of private broadcast and TV station in Somalia. They did not stop there but also confiscated radio equipments belonging to its sister station called Capital Voice.
HornAfrik has also a working relationship with the global news agency Reuters, my former employers. Reuters buy's video footage from HornAfrik TV, also Somalia's first private TV station. They got away with a professional camera and a laptop belonging to Reuters and which was under the care of HornAfrik. Fortunately a B-gan, also belonging to Reuters was left behind by the gunmen who thought it’s a useless gadget!
After the Al-Shabab raid, its copycat Hizbul Islam group also decided to take over the Global Broadcasting Corporation GBC radio in a bid to outwit the Al-Shabab. The Somali media are again caught up in the middle of this battle to control the media by the two antagonist groups.
I spoke to a HornAfrik staff who was present during the 2:00am morning raid that involved 60 heavily armed Al-Shabab fighters at the station. Below is an excerpt from his interview describing the early morning raid. The staff’s name has been concealed for his own safety.
"They came around 2am this morning and knocked the main door. They were around 60 heavily armed Al-Shabab gunmen. One of our guards sought to know who was knocking that late, they ordered him to open the door threatening to kill if he did not heed their call. He had no option but to open it, they forced their way into the compound and beat him up before locking him into a room. They also beat up the second guard. They then went to look for another staff member who had the keys to all the rooms. They were well informed and knew what they want. I locked myself in another room praying all the time to Allah to protect me from them. It was a very nervous experience for me and I thank God for the protection,"
"They took away radio equipments for HornAfrik radio and television, its sister station capital voice as well as all the archived audio and video tapes. They also got away with a professional camera and a laptop belonging to Reuters news agency. Fortunately they threw away the B-gan thinking it’s a power supply,"
"The estimated total cost of equipment taken is estimated to be around US$200,000. This is a huge blow to our operation. HornAfrik was Somalia's biggest private media house and it will for sure have a negative effect in the Somali media in generation. Our station has been closed so many times by different factions but the equipments have never been seized until this morning. This is really a dark day in Somalia,"
Thursday, September 16, 2010
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The story of Somalia, Al-Shabab boys and drugs
Mogadishu, September 16 - I returned to the city of Mogadishu this morning for yet another reporting assignment. After spending the early part of the morning in meetings, I got an opportunity to meet a former Al-Shabab "tender" fighter aged just 14. He calls himself Abdi. The teenager is undergoing treatment at the AMISOM hospital.
His story is as baffling and intriguing as his former masters, the notorious Al-Shabab militant group.
Abdi is one of thousands of brainwashed boys who have been promised heaven on earth by men as old as their parents and who seem to have mastered the art of religious deception and specialize in sending these kids to unpopular war's while they enjoy in the backdrop of the unceasing violence that has now become synonymous with the Somali capital Mogadishu.
However, before I can tell you anything about his confused past. The boy had wounds all over his body and his right knee is so swollen, you'd think it will burst the next second. As any curious person would ask I was so touched by his plight and sought answers from the skinny boy who claims to originate from the insurgent-held area of Ali Kamin of Wardhigley district in north Mogadishu.
This is what I deduced from his conversation that lasted nearly an hour and a half most of which he kept himself busy doing insane stuff like pouring water on his body in his confused state of mind.
I must admit the boy is seriously suffering from a drug withdrawal. Don't ask me what drug he was on because that is what is baffling even the AMISOM doctor’s treating him.
Before I bore you with other finer details of Abdi’s state, below is his story according to his rescuers, AMISOM.
Abdi was caught in Mogadishu's Shangani district 5 days ago which recently witnessed one of the heaviest battles between the government supported by AMISOM peacekeepers and Al-Shabab. He was found confused largely due his swollen knee that was hit by one of flying shrapnel’s in the bloody battlefield never ment for kids, his entire body is full of wounds that covers most parts of his body including the head. When they asked him what happened to him all he could utter was "Al-Shabab"
The African Union peacekeepers rescued him and brought him to their hospital at their main base in southern Mogadishu near the main Aden Ade international airport. He has been undergoing treatment for several days now and although his wound has started slowly healing according to medics but is still in a state of shock and absent mindedness common with drug addicts.
He says he was drugged and forced to fight an enemy who have now turned to be his saviors.
"I don't know what drug they gave me. They often mix drugs with water. I felt good after taking the drugged water and took was given a gun and told to go and fight the enemy without even a proper training. I have really committed a bad sin. I have shot people... Now look at me. I am as good as dead, am dead. Please take me to my mum," he pleaded holding his swollen knee and looking really remorseful and sad.
This is the sad story faced by many other Somali boys, some even younger than Abdi. Allegations that Al-Shabab drugs their young fighters is the talk of the town in major Somali cities and elsewhere in the region. Ordinary Mogadishu residents who are tired of Al-Shabab's heinous acts will simply tell you: "Forget about these thugs, they drug their fighters and force youngsters to join them. Its not a secret,"
Does Al-Shabab really drug their fighters?
I sought answers from one of Mogadishu's resident. Its important to note that the people of Mogadishu have seen Al-Shabab growing over the years. Many of them helped this group to fight the warlords in mid 2006 and later to fight the Ethiopian troops. The overal belief then was that Al-Shabab was a good Islamic military group committed in bringing peace to Somalia. Many were wrong and have only came to realized their mistake later after Al-Shabab grew roots and was simply out of their league!
Al-Shabab originally grew over the years from a bunch of youths secretly led by anonymous commanders in hiding and who used to lead them via mobile phones. But today it has grown into a huge force with thousands of fighters and a major source of employment for many of the poor youths of Somalia. The militant group uses its financial clout to marshal resources and manpower for their own selfish gains.
Unfortunately, most of their fighters today are basically brainwashed kids like Abdi who have no clue of what war is, what religion is and basically follow the orders of their commander without daring to question them. Even they are told to go and kill their parents, they obidiently do so like robots!
"Al-Shabab deceives these boys. They drug them then promise them heaven on earth. The youths are trained in the bushes with AK-47 rifles, old anti-aircraft missiles and other Stone Age armaments. But when these boys are deployed in the battle field in big cities like Mogadishu and then they hear the heavy tank shells and other sophisticated armaments Many of them simply die in the battlefields while others go crazy and start running around as others simply go into shock," said a Mogadishu resident who has never fled the sea side city 25 years ago since he was born, raised, educated and married in the same city.
He is utterly concerned of his countries future, just like any sane nationalist would be worried.
"Its a pity, a whole generation of Somalia's future population is being completely wiped out,' he added in a low tone.
The verdict is yours.
His story is as baffling and intriguing as his former masters, the notorious Al-Shabab militant group.
Abdi is one of thousands of brainwashed boys who have been promised heaven on earth by men as old as their parents and who seem to have mastered the art of religious deception and specialize in sending these kids to unpopular war's while they enjoy in the backdrop of the unceasing violence that has now become synonymous with the Somali capital Mogadishu.
However, before I can tell you anything about his confused past. The boy had wounds all over his body and his right knee is so swollen, you'd think it will burst the next second. As any curious person would ask I was so touched by his plight and sought answers from the skinny boy who claims to originate from the insurgent-held area of Ali Kamin of Wardhigley district in north Mogadishu.
This is what I deduced from his conversation that lasted nearly an hour and a half most of which he kept himself busy doing insane stuff like pouring water on his body in his confused state of mind.
I must admit the boy is seriously suffering from a drug withdrawal. Don't ask me what drug he was on because that is what is baffling even the AMISOM doctor’s treating him.
Before I bore you with other finer details of Abdi’s state, below is his story according to his rescuers, AMISOM.
Abdi was caught in Mogadishu's Shangani district 5 days ago which recently witnessed one of the heaviest battles between the government supported by AMISOM peacekeepers and Al-Shabab. He was found confused largely due his swollen knee that was hit by one of flying shrapnel’s in the bloody battlefield never ment for kids, his entire body is full of wounds that covers most parts of his body including the head. When they asked him what happened to him all he could utter was "Al-Shabab"
The African Union peacekeepers rescued him and brought him to their hospital at their main base in southern Mogadishu near the main Aden Ade international airport. He has been undergoing treatment for several days now and although his wound has started slowly healing according to medics but is still in a state of shock and absent mindedness common with drug addicts.
He says he was drugged and forced to fight an enemy who have now turned to be his saviors.
"I don't know what drug they gave me. They often mix drugs with water. I felt good after taking the drugged water and took was given a gun and told to go and fight the enemy without even a proper training. I have really committed a bad sin. I have shot people... Now look at me. I am as good as dead, am dead. Please take me to my mum," he pleaded holding his swollen knee and looking really remorseful and sad.
This is the sad story faced by many other Somali boys, some even younger than Abdi. Allegations that Al-Shabab drugs their young fighters is the talk of the town in major Somali cities and elsewhere in the region. Ordinary Mogadishu residents who are tired of Al-Shabab's heinous acts will simply tell you: "Forget about these thugs, they drug their fighters and force youngsters to join them. Its not a secret,"
Does Al-Shabab really drug their fighters?
I sought answers from one of Mogadishu's resident. Its important to note that the people of Mogadishu have seen Al-Shabab growing over the years. Many of them helped this group to fight the warlords in mid 2006 and later to fight the Ethiopian troops. The overal belief then was that Al-Shabab was a good Islamic military group committed in bringing peace to Somalia. Many were wrong and have only came to realized their mistake later after Al-Shabab grew roots and was simply out of their league!
Al-Shabab originally grew over the years from a bunch of youths secretly led by anonymous commanders in hiding and who used to lead them via mobile phones. But today it has grown into a huge force with thousands of fighters and a major source of employment for many of the poor youths of Somalia. The militant group uses its financial clout to marshal resources and manpower for their own selfish gains.
Unfortunately, most of their fighters today are basically brainwashed kids like Abdi who have no clue of what war is, what religion is and basically follow the orders of their commander without daring to question them. Even they are told to go and kill their parents, they obidiently do so like robots!
"Al-Shabab deceives these boys. They drug them then promise them heaven on earth. The youths are trained in the bushes with AK-47 rifles, old anti-aircraft missiles and other Stone Age armaments. But when these boys are deployed in the battle field in big cities like Mogadishu and then they hear the heavy tank shells and other sophisticated armaments Many of them simply die in the battlefields while others go crazy and start running around as others simply go into shock," said a Mogadishu resident who has never fled the sea side city 25 years ago since he was born, raised, educated and married in the same city.
He is utterly concerned of his countries future, just like any sane nationalist would be worried.
"Its a pity, a whole generation of Somalia's future population is being completely wiped out,' he added in a low tone.
The verdict is yours.
Monday, September 13, 2010
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Somalia's human shield - Child soldiers and the civilian population
Nairobi, September 13 - There has been growing concern over the last few months about the ever-rising civilian casualties in the protracted war in Somalia. Mogadishu the capital, has been the epicentre of this bloody endless war that actually claims more innocent Somali civilians than the fighters themselves!
During last week's Eid Celebrations in the outskirts of Mogadishu, Hizbul Islam officials were seen praying in an open space surrounded by young armed men also saying their Eid prayers!
It might sound funny but believe me its very serious. What the AK 47 wielding young men most of who are actually child soldiers were simply doing is to provide cover for their commanders incase of any attack. In simple terms they were a human shield protecting their commanders from any surprise assault.
God forbid, should there have been an attack, the first to be hit would have been the boys while their big-bellied leaders would confortably have sped off. Its like the leaders were prepared for any eventuality because they even prayed with their shoes on!
Jokes aside, civilian casualties is a huge problem in Somalia. However, the answer to this pressing issue lies with the tactics used by the insurgents. They use the population as human shield hence endanger many innocent civilians.
There is a growing public resentment against the insurgents and its just a matter of time before the same public take's arms against their biggest tormentors who wrongfully use the religion to achieve their personal political ambitions.
Remember the warlords? They were ousted by layment some of who now claim to be Shabab and Hizbul islam commanders. If they continue transgressing against innocent civilians they should expect no mercy but the same treatment meted against the warlords
People have been pushed to the wall and its just a matter of time before they turn back. May Allah guide our lost brothers and peace prevail in Somalia, Amiin.
During last week's Eid Celebrations in the outskirts of Mogadishu, Hizbul Islam officials were seen praying in an open space surrounded by young armed men also saying their Eid prayers!
It might sound funny but believe me its very serious. What the AK 47 wielding young men most of who are actually child soldiers were simply doing is to provide cover for their commanders incase of any attack. In simple terms they were a human shield protecting their commanders from any surprise assault.
God forbid, should there have been an attack, the first to be hit would have been the boys while their big-bellied leaders would confortably have sped off. Its like the leaders were prepared for any eventuality because they even prayed with their shoes on!
Jokes aside, civilian casualties is a huge problem in Somalia. However, the answer to this pressing issue lies with the tactics used by the insurgents. They use the population as human shield hence endanger many innocent civilians.
There is a growing public resentment against the insurgents and its just a matter of time before the same public take's arms against their biggest tormentors who wrongfully use the religion to achieve their personal political ambitions.
Remember the warlords? They were ousted by layment some of who now claim to be Shabab and Hizbul islam commanders. If they continue transgressing against innocent civilians they should expect no mercy but the same treatment meted against the warlords
People have been pushed to the wall and its just a matter of time before they turn back. May Allah guide our lost brothers and peace prevail in Somalia, Amiin.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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Students perish again?
Three girls studying business administration at Simad Institute in Mogadishu died late on Tuesday after a roadside bomb planted by Al-Shabab went off killing them as well as other bystanders. The latest attack targeting civilians come's barely a week after two Al-Shabab suicide bombers stomed the Muna hotel and assasinated 35 people including 4 lawmakers. The 3 girls we driving in their college van when the attack occured. Two other public busses plying the same route also lost civilians as a result of the cowardly blast. This reminds me of the Shamow blast where the first ever medical graduates were simply waisted by A-Shabab. What I just want to know is until when will our students be perishing in the hands of these blood-letting gangs who seems to have no clue of what they are doing: This isn't Islam, someone should tell them please.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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Another dark day in Somalia
August 26 – Somalis living in Mogadishu woke up to yet another dark day on the 24th August after the militant group Al-Shabab executed at least 35 people including an 11year old boy, a woman and six lawmakers.
Many of those who died were fasting the Holly month of Ramadan.
The latest attack by the group claiming to be fighting a holy war in Somalia was intended to inflict maximum damage and kill as many people as possible. The way they executed their heinous intention is sufficient proof they intended to wipe out everyone at the Muna Hotel.
On that fateful day at around 10 am two Al-Shabab suicide bombers disguised as Somali security personnel and wearing uniforms stormed into the Muna hotel in Hamarweyne district. They then started firing at the bodyguards protecting the MPs killing 4 lawmakers and wounded 5 others before going into a civilian killing spree.
They executed almost everyone inside the building. Most of those killed were assassinated from close range and as if that is not enough they went ahead to blow themselves up just to make sure no one survived. In total they killed at least 35 people including an 11 year old boy shoe shiner and a Somali woman selling tea outside the hotel.
Without doubt this attack was intended to inflict maximum damage to the Somali population. Their murderous campaign left a trail of Somali-blood flowing in the corridors and even inside the rooms. This was simply a killing field.
Al-Shabab killed all these people in the name of Islam and on the pretext of fighting a holly war. Surely, who is clearly transgressing here?. The truth remains that their barbarism is totally against Islam which forbids killing a believer or even harming anyone during the holly month of Ramadan let alone killing him/her.
Instead of any remorse feelings they even had the audacity to claim for responsibility of the callous act. Bragging to have butchered so many enemies! What a cowardly act. Were the innocent lives they wasted who were merely poor Somalis trying to make a living including hotel staffs, an 11 year old teenage shoe shiner and a woman selling tea, the enemy?
I wonder under what Islamic Sharia law the innocent Muslim blood was shed. This is the stark reality many Somalis blindly supporting Al-Shabab don’t realize.
It is also no longer a secret that Al-Shabab commanders use under-aged children to spread their extremist beliefs. Many of these children come from poor families and were born and raised in the midst of the anarchy in Somalia and so have no knowledge of peace and have little or no formal education making them easy prey’s .
One of the Muna Hotel suicide bombers was 16 year Adan Hussein who was a former bodyguard to a senior Al-Shabab commander.
Their cruelty is unlimited. It was only on Dec 3rd 2009 when one of their suicide bombers blew himself up at a medical graduation ceremony in Mogadishu killing many would-doctors, the first the country produced since 1991. Four Ministers, several journalists and professors also died in the same blast.
Or the 18 June 2010 when yet another of their brainwashed suicide bombers killed the highly regarded late Security Minister Omar Hashi in Beletweyene together with 23 other people.
These and many other vicious attacks against civilians has forced Somalis to hate Al-Shabab. But again, few years ago people viewed them as saviours. How did they suddenly turn from heroes or villians? The answey is in their nature and purpose.
FOREIGN FUGITIVES
I remember back in 2006 and partly in 2007 when the Ethiopian troops were in Somalia the Union of the Islamic Court (ICU) enjoyed massive support. Then, Al-Shabab was the military wing of the ICU.
Somalis fell in love with them for simply turning Mogadishu into a relatively safe city and for fighting the Ethiopians who are traditionally reviled by the Somalis due to a long history of bad blood between the two countries.
Al-Shabab fighters were housed, clothed and fed by the public. During the long and bloody battles with the Ethiopians, their wounded were treated by the public and their dead preserved for simply bringing peace to Mogadishu that made them local heroes.
Howerev, that is no longer the case these days. They are loathed by majority of the public because they have turned against the same people who sheltered and supported them when they were weak and vulnerable. They have repayed the kindness and genuine love of the Somali people by killing so many innocent civilians. Some of who might have extended a hand during those days when Al-Shabab was weak and wounded. Is this how a person claiming to be religious return's favours?
Their support actually started to dwindle when the Ethiopians pulled out of Somalia in early 2009 and their former Chairman Sheikh Sharif Ahmed was appointed Somalia's next President. Many people expected them to join him to usher in a new Somalia.
But that did not happen. Why? Because peace is the biggest threat to their ascension to power. Why, because they are a minority in Somalia. No one would voluntarily support them and that is why they have to terrorize the people in order to submit to their foreign brand of religion and practices.
That is why they continue to fight to date against President Sheikh Sharif's government and the African Union peacekeepers who were deployed by the African Union to replace the Ethiopians
What many people don’t know is that Al-Shabab is led and mainly funded by a group of foreign fugitives calling themselves “foreign Mujahidiins“ who are wanted back in their home countries in the Middle East, Europe and North America.
The survival of these fugitives is dependant on Somalia being in chaos. That is why they would do everything to make sure the country never enjoys peace. The few Somalis who side with them are doing so purely on material ground and not on religious zeal as they might appear or sound to you.
In short, Al-Shabab does not care how many Somalis die. That is why they generalize whoever they kill as a "Murtid" or infidel. Who that 11 year boy or the woman selling tea, a Murtid? Surely not. They just want to wipe everyone and take over the country. So, whether they kill you for simply selling tea or shining shoes or worse in their eyes working for the government doesn’t bother them at all or even matter . In fact it simply excites them!
These are very hard times for the ordinary Somali man and woman living in Somalia and particulary the capital Mogadishu. Their country has been in chaos for almost 20 years. Whenever a little hope of peace presents itself they find themselves back to square one.
Yesterday, it was the warlords who were viewed as the biggest obstacle to peace in Somalia, today Al-Shabab tops as the biggest enemy of the Somali people towards achieving peace. Their barbarism has been revealed by their continous killing and maiming of civilians on flimsy religious grounds. I sometimes wonder what more they are capable of achieving if and when they ever take over the country.
Generally People seem to be pessimic of peace in Somalia. Well, they have their reasons. But for those poor people who continue to suffer under Al-Shabab, peace is their only saviour.
I strongly believe that Somalia has a chance. If every sane Somali and non-Somali who has an iota of dignity, faith and humanity joins or supports the ongoing efforts to stop these crazy fanatics from taking over the country. That way, we can be assured of a peaceful Somalia however long or treacherous that road to peace might look now.
But for us to actually see any changes we have to support the interim government of Somalia -- however weak it may seem -- because it is the only way out of the current mess spread by extremists groups whose survival depends on shading more blood.
That is what I think is the solution to the protracted war in Somalia. Do you have a better idea?
Please share.
Many of those who died were fasting the Holly month of Ramadan.
The latest attack by the group claiming to be fighting a holy war in Somalia was intended to inflict maximum damage and kill as many people as possible. The way they executed their heinous intention is sufficient proof they intended to wipe out everyone at the Muna Hotel.
On that fateful day at around 10 am two Al-Shabab suicide bombers disguised as Somali security personnel and wearing uniforms stormed into the Muna hotel in Hamarweyne district. They then started firing at the bodyguards protecting the MPs killing 4 lawmakers and wounded 5 others before going into a civilian killing spree.
They executed almost everyone inside the building. Most of those killed were assassinated from close range and as if that is not enough they went ahead to blow themselves up just to make sure no one survived. In total they killed at least 35 people including an 11 year old boy shoe shiner and a Somali woman selling tea outside the hotel.
Without doubt this attack was intended to inflict maximum damage to the Somali population. Their murderous campaign left a trail of Somali-blood flowing in the corridors and even inside the rooms. This was simply a killing field.
Al-Shabab killed all these people in the name of Islam and on the pretext of fighting a holly war. Surely, who is clearly transgressing here?. The truth remains that their barbarism is totally against Islam which forbids killing a believer or even harming anyone during the holly month of Ramadan let alone killing him/her.
Instead of any remorse feelings they even had the audacity to claim for responsibility of the callous act. Bragging to have butchered so many enemies! What a cowardly act. Were the innocent lives they wasted who were merely poor Somalis trying to make a living including hotel staffs, an 11 year old teenage shoe shiner and a woman selling tea, the enemy?
I wonder under what Islamic Sharia law the innocent Muslim blood was shed. This is the stark reality many Somalis blindly supporting Al-Shabab don’t realize.
It is also no longer a secret that Al-Shabab commanders use under-aged children to spread their extremist beliefs. Many of these children come from poor families and were born and raised in the midst of the anarchy in Somalia and so have no knowledge of peace and have little or no formal education making them easy prey’s .
One of the Muna Hotel suicide bombers was 16 year Adan Hussein who was a former bodyguard to a senior Al-Shabab commander.
Their cruelty is unlimited. It was only on Dec 3rd 2009 when one of their suicide bombers blew himself up at a medical graduation ceremony in Mogadishu killing many would-doctors, the first the country produced since 1991. Four Ministers, several journalists and professors also died in the same blast.
Or the 18 June 2010 when yet another of their brainwashed suicide bombers killed the highly regarded late Security Minister Omar Hashi in Beletweyene together with 23 other people.
These and many other vicious attacks against civilians has forced Somalis to hate Al-Shabab. But again, few years ago people viewed them as saviours. How did they suddenly turn from heroes or villians? The answey is in their nature and purpose.
FOREIGN FUGITIVES
I remember back in 2006 and partly in 2007 when the Ethiopian troops were in Somalia the Union of the Islamic Court (ICU) enjoyed massive support. Then, Al-Shabab was the military wing of the ICU.
Somalis fell in love with them for simply turning Mogadishu into a relatively safe city and for fighting the Ethiopians who are traditionally reviled by the Somalis due to a long history of bad blood between the two countries.
Al-Shabab fighters were housed, clothed and fed by the public. During the long and bloody battles with the Ethiopians, their wounded were treated by the public and their dead preserved for simply bringing peace to Mogadishu that made them local heroes.
Howerev, that is no longer the case these days. They are loathed by majority of the public because they have turned against the same people who sheltered and supported them when they were weak and vulnerable. They have repayed the kindness and genuine love of the Somali people by killing so many innocent civilians. Some of who might have extended a hand during those days when Al-Shabab was weak and wounded. Is this how a person claiming to be religious return's favours?
Their support actually started to dwindle when the Ethiopians pulled out of Somalia in early 2009 and their former Chairman Sheikh Sharif Ahmed was appointed Somalia's next President. Many people expected them to join him to usher in a new Somalia.
But that did not happen. Why? Because peace is the biggest threat to their ascension to power. Why, because they are a minority in Somalia. No one would voluntarily support them and that is why they have to terrorize the people in order to submit to their foreign brand of religion and practices.
That is why they continue to fight to date against President Sheikh Sharif's government and the African Union peacekeepers who were deployed by the African Union to replace the Ethiopians
What many people don’t know is that Al-Shabab is led and mainly funded by a group of foreign fugitives calling themselves “foreign Mujahidiins“ who are wanted back in their home countries in the Middle East, Europe and North America.
The survival of these fugitives is dependant on Somalia being in chaos. That is why they would do everything to make sure the country never enjoys peace. The few Somalis who side with them are doing so purely on material ground and not on religious zeal as they might appear or sound to you.
In short, Al-Shabab does not care how many Somalis die. That is why they generalize whoever they kill as a "Murtid" or infidel. Who that 11 year boy or the woman selling tea, a Murtid? Surely not. They just want to wipe everyone and take over the country. So, whether they kill you for simply selling tea or shining shoes or worse in their eyes working for the government doesn’t bother them at all or even matter . In fact it simply excites them!
These are very hard times for the ordinary Somali man and woman living in Somalia and particulary the capital Mogadishu. Their country has been in chaos for almost 20 years. Whenever a little hope of peace presents itself they find themselves back to square one.
Yesterday, it was the warlords who were viewed as the biggest obstacle to peace in Somalia, today Al-Shabab tops as the biggest enemy of the Somali people towards achieving peace. Their barbarism has been revealed by their continous killing and maiming of civilians on flimsy religious grounds. I sometimes wonder what more they are capable of achieving if and when they ever take over the country.
Generally People seem to be pessimic of peace in Somalia. Well, they have their reasons. But for those poor people who continue to suffer under Al-Shabab, peace is their only saviour.
I strongly believe that Somalia has a chance. If every sane Somali and non-Somali who has an iota of dignity, faith and humanity joins or supports the ongoing efforts to stop these crazy fanatics from taking over the country. That way, we can be assured of a peaceful Somalia however long or treacherous that road to peace might look now.
But for us to actually see any changes we have to support the interim government of Somalia -- however weak it may seem -- because it is the only way out of the current mess spread by extremists groups whose survival depends on shading more blood.
That is what I think is the solution to the protracted war in Somalia. Do you have a better idea?
Please share.
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