Continuing to hold them would have created unnecessary provocation. Good on the Iranians I say.

Somali Battles Bring Charges of War Crimes By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN Published: April 6, 2007 NAIROBI, Kenya, April 5 — European diplomats said Thursday that they were investigating whether Ethiopian and Somali government forces committed war crimes last week during heavy fighting in Somalia’s capital that killed more than 300 civilians. The fighting, some of the bloodiest in Somalia in the past 15 years, pitted Ethiopian and Somali forces against bands of insurgents. It reduced blocks of buildings in Mogadishu, the capital, to smoldering rubble. Many residents have complained to human rights groups, saying the government used excessive force and indiscriminately shelled their neighborhoods. Eric van der Linden, the chief of the European Commission’s delegation to Kenya, said he had appointed a team to look into several war crime allegations stemming from the civilian casualties. “These are hefty accusations,” Mr. van der Linden said. “We are examining them very prudently.” In an e-mail message to Mr. van der Linden marked urgent, a security adviser to the commission wrote that there were “strong grounds” to believe that Ethiopian and Somali troops had intentionally attacked civilian areas and that Ugandan peacekeepers, who arrived in the country last month, were complicit for standing by. The message was provided by someone who thought that the issue should become public; its authenticity was confirmed by commission officials. Ethiopian, Somali and Ugandan officials denied that their soldiers had done anything wrong. A war crimes case is about the last thing Somalia’s transitional government needs. Ever since it took control of Mogadishu in late December, the transitional government has struggled to pacify the city and win popular support. Many Western diplomats have expressed hope that this transitional government, Somalia’s 14th, will end the seemingly interminable chaos that has enveloped the country since the central government collapsed in 1991. But so far, the government has failed to deliver the same level of stability that an Islamist administration brought during its brief reign last year. It was overthrown by Ethiopian-led forces, with covert American help. Mogadishu has become so dangerous — again — that many residents say they are now doubting whether the government will be able to hold a major reconciliation conference scheduled for mid-April. The Ethiopian military struck a truce with insurgents on Sunday, though, and the past three days have been quiet, giving beleaguered residents a chance to bury their dead. The European Commission has no authority to prosecute war crimes and would have to refer any findings to the International Criminal Court. But commission officials said they were investigating the accusations because the commission has provided money and technical assistance to the transitional government and the peacekeeping mission there. A Western official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic considerations predicted that even if there was compelling evidence of war crimes, the case would probably never get to court. Another Western official, speaking anonymously for similar reasons, said, “At the end of the day, no one is going to want to further undermine the transitional government.” Diplomats and analysts from Somali and international organizations predicted that the American government would resist the European effort because Ethiopia is a close American ally, valued as bulwark against Islamic militants in the Horn of Africa. In the past week, human rights groups have been urging someone to look into the issue of civilian casualties. The Somali Diaspora Network, an American-based advocacy group, accused the transitional government and Ethiopian forces of “collective punishment” and genocide. The Somali Disapora Network said Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, the transitional president, warned in a recent radio interview that “any place from which a bullet is fired, we will bombard it, regardless of whoever is there.” Several of the analysts said they believed that Ethiopian forces overreacted in the fighting last week. One analyst who works closely on Somali issues said Ethiopian soldiers might have panicked after they were surrounded by insurgents in Mogadishu’s main stadium and commanders responded by carpet-bombing the entire neighborhood. Ethiopian officials denied that. “Our forces have been praised for not attacking civilians and nothing in recent days has changed,” said Zemedkun Tekle, a spokesman for the Ethiopian government. Abdirizak Adam Hassan, chief of staff for Somalia’s transitional president, did not deny that many civilians had been killed. “Unfortunately, this is what happens when you fight in a city,” he said. But, he said, the government was simply trying to defend itself. “For a good two months, these insurgents have been attacking our government compounds, planting land mines in the road, assassinating people,” he said. “Our job is to protect the people, not kill them.” Source

Xiin- And where have I gone that you haven't seen me in the last week?

General Duke- If Xiin is supporting Maxkamadaha mabda'iyin, ideologically, then he should be applauded.

Originally posted by xiinfaniin: A case of a rocking throne, is it not? In what way? Maybe your sources are wrong, again.

With all due respect that I do not think that individual is Duke.

I just talked to an uncle of mine who refused to leave when tld to. The tough old man said he has been through the worst of Siyaad Barre's overthrow, warlord fighting, the ICU vs Terrorism hooligans but never has he seen such catastrophe as he is witnessing. He says there is absolutely no way out of the city and has no idea whether he will be alive to answer the next call. The only thing left for us is to pray and pray hard for Allah's mercy, alle ha inagu deeqee. Aaamiin

Originally posted by Pi: ^^Horn, dude, I think you should try having a low-profile like your uncle Barre Huuraale. Crawl back under the rock which you from. Plenty of interpretations can be derived from that. Mindhaa hadalkaygaa laga gubtaa.

Originally posted by Pi: Oh. So you don't want to address why Huuraale supported the TFG and their Tigree allies, or why he said he would even use YAHUUD if he had to. LOOL. What has changed? Jawaab kugu haboon yaad raadinaysaa lakin saacadaan kula geli maayo. Lakin waxaan ku oran lahaa hadal raqiis ahaa ee loogu dan lahaa wariyaha laftigiisu waxba haysku dayin inaan ku awr kacsatid.

Yonis, waxaad adigu aragtay ee inagu aanan arag waa maxay?

Originally posted by Pi: ^^ The least he could do is resign. But it seems Barre Huuraale doesn't want to condemn or resign from the goverment. I think he should make his moves while he has time. Once Xamar is tamed, he won't be as useful. Maanta adeer Barre Hiiraale iyo hebel sheekadu dhaaftay, adigoo nool ayaan ku tacsiyaynayaa hadaad taa garan la'dahay!

Pi, a question you should ask is why isn't Barre Hiiraale fighting for the gaalo? Is he not the Defense Minister? Was he not asked on several occasions to come to Mogadishu and organize the TFG troops? Actions speak louder then words baa la yidhi ee sug. As for help or lack of it, war jiraaba cakaarahuu imaan.

Alleylehe la jihaada gaaladu iyo gaalo raacduba!

Murugo tan ka weyn Soomaali so mari mayso ya allah!

AUB, ninkaas waa wax aad iyo aad loogu xumaado waxuu ka hadlay. Xaashaalilaah hadaybo xaajadu halkaa gaartay!

Originally posted by Faarax-Brown: quote:LOL, yes sxb I'm afraid it isn't stable enough. LOL,I will take your word for it...Wait,Maybe i shall check with you a week from now? Who knows,Maybe by that time,the center may just hold... Continue on sxb, trolling is what you do best and I would be disappointed if you did stop.

Originally posted by Faarax-Brown: quote:Originally posted by xiinfaniin: Horn is struggling to find his center, eh! . But the center cannot hold, i] LOL, yes sxb I'm afraid it isn't stable enough.

Jimcaale- Raali ahow sxb whereever you see the Kismaayo name you are itching for a war or words with Horn. I wonder where Xiin is tollow. Faarax- Who might have you picked up from that Horn fliflops other then Lieutanent Xalane whom I lambasted for a coward's fun at innocent fleeing civilians from Xamar? Run along sxb, I don't have the energy to continue responding to your trolls.

...

You are a man to be admired Kashafa! My belief was that you, like Xoogsade and Alle-Ubaahne, cannot differentiate between what is tribal and what is religiously oriented and that the line that separates the two might actually be blurry for you as it is for the aforementioned men. However, you have handled yourself and you did not disappointment. Adeer if you are in a religious fight against occupation count me in (!) but if you are a tribe in disguise with tribal objectives the only thing between you and I is the Islamic greeting especially when the Ethiopians are told we have no problems with you and you can stay with us but that clan has to go!

Faarax, I do not ignore/pay attention to trolls.

Originally posted by Jimcaale: quote:Horn,perhaps,Kismayo is insignificant? Faarax, you're about to win a one-way ticket to Horn's ignore list. Not necessarily ( ) but what Faarax did was give credibility to my position. What constitutes significance and if any, how is that interrelated with what personally concerns a Somali, i.e his clan? Applying that, ponder why Kismaayo was in chaos during the ICU as opposed to a peaceful Xamar and the opposite today with the TFG. Kismaayo and Mogadishu are the tests cases and Faarax, my unaware brother, has been an unforeseen help.

Pi and Geeljire, your comments are childish in nature and hardly needed.

Originally posted by Geel_Jire12: good question I am not denying the moral support the people of Mogadishu deserve but one must be completely genuine and able to reason comprehensively when discussing the affairs of Mogadishu today.

Originally posted by Naxar Nugaaleed: he is the prime minister for God sake. Isku xeshooda! Who else but Somalis would question their head of government for being able to buy a house? Even in a foreign nation with donated third world aid money? What do they teach you at the schools you go to?