Somali cinema row turns deadly

[Socod_badne]

Somali cinema row turns deadly

Somalia has been run by rival warlords since 1991

 

Heavy fighting apparently sparked by an Islamic militia's moves to close cinemas and video stores in the lawless Somali capital has left at least 12 people dead and more than 21 injured, local residents say.

 

Clashes between gunmen loyal to Mogadishu's Islamic courts and local militia defending the densely populated Yaqshid district began on Saturday and flared again on Sunday.

 

"The Islamic courts' militia are trying to close all entertainment centres of the district," one local resident Ahmed Dhuhulow told Reuters.

 

Three people died on Saturday, and another nine on Sunday, in clashes that caused inhabitants to flee the area and shops to close, witnesses and a Reuters reporter said.

 

Heavy firing could be heard from all over Mogadishu, home to one million of Somalia's 10 million people and scene of frequent street battles during 14 years of anarchy.

 

"We have not opened the schools this morning, because of the shooting and heavy bullets which are falling down," said school teacher Abdullahi Hassan.

 

At least two civilians, hit by stray bullets, as well as militiamen, were among the 12 dead, witnesses told Reuters.

 

The wounded included a child hit by a bullet in the chest.

 

Immorality

 

Leaders of Mogadishu's influential Islamic courts oppose Western and Indian films which they say promote immorality in the mainly Muslim nation.

 

In the 14th attempt to restore government since 1991, Somalia's new President Abdullahi Yusuf returned from Kenya this year, but has failed to impose authority and has set up base in Jowhar outside Mogadishu due to insecurity in the capital.

 

Rival warlords have effectively run the Horn of Africa nation since ousting dictator Mohamed Siad Barre 14 years ago.

 

Islamists have become more prominent during the absence of central authority in Somalia and want the government to ensure a new judicial system based solely on Islamic law.

 

In Mogadishu, the Islamic sharia courts - along with customary clan law - are the only form of functioning justice.

 

Politician's son killed

 

In a separate incident, the son of a senior Somali politician was gunned down on Saturday, his family said.

 

Unidentified gunmen shot dead Khadar Osman Elmi, son of the second deputy speaker of the Somali parliament Osman Elmi Boqorre, in south Mogadishu, they said.

 

Speaker Elmi, who has just defected from a Mogadishu-based faction of the new government to the Jowhar group, told reporters he believed the killing was politically motivated.

 

Besides the Islamic militia's hatred for Western and Indian films, politics may be behind Sunday's fighting, residents said.

 

One house attacked by the militia was used during a recent visit by Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi, who belongs to the Jowhar group of the divided transitional government.

 

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This is why religious fanatics should never come to rule. They obviously have no regard for human life and the precious sanctity of life slips past them like water under ducks derriere. :mad:

 

They go on killing rampage over what? Images on a screen, the immoral behaviour of pixel people...what exactly?

[FatB]

My friend it is not the, what did you call them

"Religious fanatics" who should take the hole blame of killing innocent victims; for Somalia was in trifle rein long before these resent killings

[Reality Check]

These crazy fanatics are about to give Somalis a bad name!

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Bless Allah's Moral Warriors!

 

Allah-u-akbar!

[Reality Check]

Originally posted by Y-Chromo:

Bless Allah's Moral Warriors!

Moral kulaha! What's so moral about killing people over movies? we're not even talking about porn here, but hindi movies!

 

That's a real shame and Somalia does not need this.

[Rokko]

I dont' blame these sheikhs for seeing the opportunity to expand their power after the corrupted so-called government did nothing na'mean..

 

I guess this will lead Bush and Family to use that as an excuse once again huh..?

[Castro]

^ I'm sure the sheiks are doing a lot of good for which they don't get credit. They fill a vital role and they should be commended for all the good work done with the poor. I wouldn't be surprised if there's more to this cinema thing than we are hearing. For example, since there are no censoring agencies, it may be that these cinemas are running questionable material (e.g. soft porn) and not just the old Hindi movies. I mean it makes no sense to start this row now when Somalia has been in anarchy for 15 years.

[Caano Geel]

^ porn rather than 15 yrs in the slaughter house any day

[Rokko]

^^I do applaud the Sheikhs as many in Somalia are grateful for what they do in their communities na'mean. However I’m against when one uses such cause and opportunity to fulfill his/her own political agenda na'mean.

[Caano Geel]

Originally posted by Mobb_Deep:

I dont' blame these sheikhs for seeing the opportunity to expand their power after those corrupted so call government doing none na'mean..

 

.. applaud the Sheikhs as many in Somalia be grateful for what they do in their communities na'mean. However I’m against when one uses such cause and opportunity to fulfill his/her own agenda politically na'mean.

 

i know what your saying, but my question is how do you justify hypocrisy? feed with one hand shoot with the other just dont add up.

 

see it as people after power using religion as a tool it makes sense, their like rest in my view vultures hovering over the carcasses of the dying.

 

Call them sheiks and i think you denegrading the worth of every real sheik and the values islam is meant to instill in us.

[Jabhad]

Mogadishu Islamic Courts should be supported. They are doing a noble work.

[xiinfaniin]

Originally posted by Caano Geel:

their like rest in my view

vultures hovering over the carcasses of the dying

.

Usual yields of impeded minds. Get the full story, son, before you pass your judgment. Would ye?

[Caano Geel]

Originally posted by haruun:

Mogadishu Islamic Courts should be supported. They are doing a noble work.

ok, teach me how to applaud murder.

 

Usual yields of impeded minds. Get the full story, son, before you pass your judgment. Would ye?

give the full story please.

[Baluug]

Castro's right, there's probably a lot more to this story than we have been told....Remember all we know is what the media has told us and when have they ever told the full story?

[juba]

i believe the somali people are symbolic of a chess game being played between the Warlords and the Islamic sheiks. Who ever wins doesn't matter because both are fighting for POWER!

 

POWER HUNGRY people don't care about the somalis but only themselves.