The woeful plight of Somali Women under the twin evils of Occupation and the TFG

[BiLaaL]

The welfare of our Somali sisters has been one of the most under-reported items of news about the Ethiopian occupation. I thought i'd post a reminder for us all. The reminder may seem somewhat long but the nature and importance of the topic demands it.

 

Also -Pls check out this short video. It has brought tears to the eyes of all those who have viewed it.

 

The woeful plight of Somali Women under the twin evils of Occupation and the TFG

 

Life under the yoke of an occupier is never a pleasant one. The longer it last, the more lasting its negative outcomes. The Ethiopian occupation has brought nothing but destruction, rape and pillage. The women of Somalia are the real victims of the occupation. Only this week, The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, backed away from his plan to withdraw his forces from Somalia. This is bad news for Somalia but even more so for its women. Apart from internal displacement, the Somali women have been and still are at the mercy of being raped by the Ethiopian forces. Ever since setting foot on Somali soil, the Ethiopian forces have embarked on a campaign aimed at humiliating and dehumanising the Somali people. What better way to do this then target the most precious yet vulnerable section of our society. They have sought to employ rape as a weapon of war in order to weaken both our will to resist occupation and our integrity.

 

Its is, of course, not the first time that the Ethiopia military has transgressed against the honor of the Somali women. The Somali women of the ****** have endured over half a century of brutal Ethiopian occupation coupled with sexual violence of the worst kind. The sheer scale of the sexual violence perpetrated against women of the ******, indicates that it was and still remains to be state-backed and systematic. These crimes have become so systematic that they are now more about advancing social control and redrawing ethnic boundaries. A crucial part of this plan is to infect as many women as possible. As all major clans of Somalia can be found in this region, the aim appears to be long term. Its ironic that the same crimes committed against Somali women in the ******, crimes we all guilty of ignoring for so long, have come to visit women residing in the capital of Somalia itself.

 

From Mogadishu, Jowhar and beyond; with each passing day, Somali women are being confronted by the reality that they are utterly powerless and subject to the cruel and inhuman whims of the Ethiopian forces. The Ethiopian forces know well that they are inseminating terror into the hearts of millions of Somali women, with each rape they commit. A raped Somali woman’s physical and psychological injuries, emotional torment and deep disappointment at her nation’s inability to protect her will ultimately come back to haunt Somalia as a nation.

 

Rapes of pregnant women, women being raped in front of their children, use of cigarettes to burn their nipples and genitals have all been recorded in countries where either an occupation force or a peacekeeping force have operated. It’s not farfetched to presume that such incidents will soon take place in Somalia and become the norm. Some of these incidents may have already occurred.

 

Somali women at the mercy of Ethiopian forces

 

The plight of Somali Women since the start of the occupation has been woeful. The Ethiopian military’s campaign of rape against started as soon as the first Ethiopian soldier landed in Baidoa. Back then, those cases in Baidoa were dismissed as propaganda against the TFG.

 

Despite this, there have been some well publicised cases of rape.

 

On 13 March 2007, Suubaan Ma’alin, a 37 year old mother of eight was raped by Ethiopian soldiers. She recounted her ordeal during a teary press conference in Mogadishu, “last Saturday, as I was driving my donkey-cart loaded with grass near Elirfid settlement, two Ethiopians armed with AK 47 came straight at me suddenly after they come out of a detour. They stopped me under gunpoint and forcibly held me to the ground and then everything went against my willing”. This was the first officially reported case.

 

Later reports revealed that up to eight soldiers raped her. Suubaan’s husband, Ali Hasan, with all the emotions he must have been going through, sat next to his wife and appealed on “everyone who can help to rush to our help”. Ali also made a written appeal to the TFG to take legal action against the Ethiopian forces at large and the perpetrators of the act in particular. He is yet to receive a reply.

 

On the same day, another yet to be named Somali woman was raped by no less than five Ethiopian soldiers.

 

By now the Ethiopian forces were acting with absolute impunity. On 15 March, only two days after the aforementioned incidents, a young Somali girl of only 15 years was gang raped by Ethiopian forces.

 

The second case to reach the press, took place on 16 April. An 18 year old, Fardowsa Abdi Hashi, was on her way back to her house in Hamar Bille, after fleeing fierce fighting with her family the previous day. She returned to pick up a few belongings that the family had left behind. While on her way, she was ambushed and raped by twelve Ethiopian soldiers. She was later dumped on the street. Speaking from hospital, she recalled how she lost consciousness. Following her ordeal, she called on her fellow sisters to be vigilant and avoid venturing near areas occupied by the Ethiopian military.

 

On April 21, at the height of one of the fiercest battles in Mogadishu, a Somali man responded to a BBC news website call for people in Mogadishu to write in and explain the atmosphere of the city. The man wrote about how he hid in a corner and helplessly observed his cousin getting raped by Ethiopian forces pillaging his neighbourhood. In his notes, he mentions how his cousin appealed for help, calling him by his name but that he could not respond. It was a moment in which a Somali man was forced to endure, just as countless Somali women have, what it feels like to feel helpless.

 

The situation was by now developing from one of isolated incidents of rape to mass rape in order to humiliate, punish and subdue the Somali women.

 

A plethora of unreported cases

 

Elsewhere in the country, transgressions against defenceless women are on the rise. In fact, the situation might be a lot worse than we perceive. Ethiopian forces have been occupying lower lying regions for sometime now. They have established large bases in places such as Lugh. When one takes these regions into account, the enormous dangers exposed to the Somali women become apparent.

 

Significant numbers of those who have disappeared since the start of the Ethiopian occupation are said to be women. One wonders if these women have fallen into the hands of Ethiopian forces. Presumably, they were raped, returned to Military barracks and then killed. Even worse, they might be in military barracks and being used as sexual slaves. Furthermore, thousands of Ethiopian soldiers have criss-crossed Somalia in their pursuit of the UIC. These forces passed through a great number of towns and villages across Somalia. It is not inconceivable that they would commit acts of rape against defenceless Somali women in their pathway.

 

Legal black hole

 

There will be no end to these violations as long as Somalia remains occupied by Ethiopia. Lack of independence on the part of the TFG and their unwillingness to take legal action or even request one from Ethiopia has made things worse for the Somali women.

 

The Ethiopian forces, although an occupying force in the eyes of the Somali public, are in the country legally according to the TFG. Why then, one might ask, is the TFG not leaning on its ‘equal partner’ and urging it to prosecute troops committing crimes in Somalia? The answer is quite simple. We have a puppet regime which is more concerned about pleasing its master than taking measures to serve and protect its vulnerable citizens.

 

Ethiopia is not in Somalia under a peacekeeping mission under either the UN or the AU. Legally, the scenario would have been less complicated if the troops committing crimes were in Somalia under the auspices of either the UN or AU, as is the case with the Ugandan force. Under UN regulations, military personnel cannot be prosecuted in the country where they are serving. There are, however, provisions for them to be prosecuted in their home countries.

 

The rules are binding on all serving members. There is close scrutiny from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the UN Office of Legal Affairs, both of whom have close cooperation with all UN missions. Any allegations levelled are then investigated by a unit from the Office of Internal Oversight Service (OIOS). This unit is embedded in the Mission and yet autonomous from it. We are further told that OIOS has full and unobstructed access to personnel as well as a reporting structure separate from Mission management. Similar regulations have haphazardly been created by the AU following allegations of sexual abuse against the AU peacekeeping force in Darfur.

 

Even with these seemingly strict regulations, the UN Secretary-General’s adviser on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Peacekeeping Operations, stated that the “number of [abuse] allegations, being registered in some locations, still causes us considerable harm”. If this is what happens under strictly controlled UN operations, what do you think is happening in Somalia where no such controls are in place against the Ethiopians forces?

 

The introduction of Ugandan forces, with their dismal track record of mass rape in the Congo, coupled with talk of a fresh UN led mission is bound to make things worse for the Somali women. The more than 200,000 UN peacekeepers work on a rotational basis. This means that there will most certainly be large numbers of peacekeepers who have abused women in previous missions and will keep doing so.

 

The responsibilities of the T.F.G.

 

From the first reported cases of rape by Ethiopian forces in Baidoa, the TFG has failed in its duty to protect its citizens. Having designated itself as the sole governing authority in Somalia, it had responsibilities towards setting clear codes of conduct for the forces it had ‘invited’ into the country. Its failure to voice concern over reported cases of rape has contributed to the climate of impunity the Ethiopian forces have been operating under. One wonders whether the TFG is waiting for an Ethiopian soldier to somehow come forward and accept responsibility or plead guilty.

 

Families of rape victims have been waiting for months for justice to be served. Included in these are Suubaan and her husband. This couple wrote to the TFG and appealed on them to take action. They are yet to hear from the TFG. The TFG has treated these families with utmost contempt. They have dismissed their claims as fabrications, including the ones where proof was at hand. Some ministers have even engaged in degrading diatribes against the integrity of the Somali women. It is as if the TFG is an advocate for a foreign power, instead of for its own citizens. It cannot continue to deprive its people of their most fundamental rights under international law and human rights conventions.

 

Rapes continue under the so-called ‘Transitional Federal Government’ – which seeks to renew its mandate while the Somali women continue to suffer. Parallels are few in history where a government, popular or unpopular, has failed so miserably to protect its citizens.

 

Urgent action required from the TFG

 

• Acknowledge that it has failed to adequately register its concerns with the Ethiopian forces

 

• Cease depicting reports of rape as hoax or as conspiracies against the TFG, thereby allowing Ethiopian soldiers to act with impunity

 

• Setup a joint task force with the Ethiopians to deal with reports of abuses committed by Ethiopian forces (this would avoid a scenario in which the Ethiopian military would conduct their own dubious internal investigations)

[Paragon]

The TFG and the Ethiopian brethren are engaged in constitutionalized thuggery. I am afraid nothing changes from their side and unless we get rid of them altogether, these gross abuses would not stop.

[BiLaaL]

^I'm aware that getting rid of them is the best solution but its not viable at this stage. As such, the approach should be to encourage as well as challenge the TFG to act like the 'government' it has designated itself as. If it doesn't take action regarding this issue, its image will slide even further. For now, our interests lie in it doing something about the impunity with which the Ethiopians are using to continue their crimes against the Somali women.

[Peacenow]

The funny about is that, the Americans and the Europeans, know exactly what kind of people these tfg are, but for the Europeans, they have placed their card on the tfg and are afraid of looking foolish, if they withdraw support-have a look at the comments of the Italian deputy foreign minister-what she thinks about them. For the Americans, it don't matter since all they are obsessed about is al qaeda. I

 

Which is why im so intriqued to know about the news on what Sheikh Sharif and Sheikh Adan are doing now. Does anyone think, they should mount a full campaign to drum about support in the west?

[Castro]

^^^^ Two "sheikhs" won't get the support of the West to do anything. The wretched TFG on the other hand is well on its way to falling on its own sword. Give them just a little more time to lay more eggs.

[N.O.R.F]

Very sad indeed. The worst thing is TFG supporters, ministers, parlimentarians and ambassadors (including the Peru ambassador) are not coming out to condemn anything. People in those positions should be doing the moral thing.

 

Peacenow,

 

Do you respect the two sheikhs? If so what for?

[Kashafa]

Speaking about digging through archives......

 

Abu Paragon of 2006 and 2007:

 

The TFG and the Ethiopian brethren are engaged in constitutionalized thuggery. I am afraid nothing changes from their side and unless

we get rid of them altogether

, these gross abuses

we get rid of them altogether

.

Qowleysato Paragon of 2008 and 2009(paraphrasing):

I would welcome the return of Ethiopian troops if that means crushing the Islamists. Ethiopia is our better choice. I hope the America send in their AC-130s and Tomahawk cruise missles. We welcome the help of Moori.yaan warlords, past and present. Basically, we went to enlist the support of all of the enemies of Somalia in order to save Somalia. No, this is not a oxymoron. It's called high-level statesmanship and diplomacy

Rab'banaa laa tuziq quloobanaa bacda ith hadaytanaa. Rab'banaa thabit quloobanaa calaa Deenaka, wa Kitaabaka, wa Sunnata Nabiyuka.

 

Such is the hypocrisy that ensues when Man takes leave of his principles and concience and follows his shahawaat and ah'waa.

 

 

On another note, Norf said:

Very sad indeed. The worst thing is TFG supporters, ministers, parlimentarians and ambassadors (including the Peru ambassador) are not coming out to condemn anything. People in those positions should be doing the moral thing.

And not suprisingly, today he is still condeming and calling on the TFG to do the moral thing.

 

Uganadan troops rape Somali girls: Norf condemns it and writes a strongly-worded letter of censure to His Excellency President Museveni

 

TFG burcad-shufto molest and man-handle Somali women while robbing them: Norf condemns it and picks up the phone and calls Sharif's represenatives in Dubai and delivers a severe tongue-lashing. He is promised the matter will be looked into and strongly investigated within 3 year's time.

 

116,000 sq km of Somali sea is sold to Kenya in broad daylight: Norf condemns it and sends a stern protest e-mail to the Office of Shaykh Shariif. It bounces back as 'Mailer-Daemon'.

 

30 years from now, when Somalia is a official UN trusteeship and UN soldiers turn Somalia into their sexual playground just as the British and the Italians did, my brother Norf(who i respect even as i disagree with) will still be 'doing the moral thing' and calling for 'peace and reconillation'.

 

Norf-ow, Ebbe deen wuu ku baray, education-na wuu ku seeyay, xikmad'ne wuu kuu arzaaqay, adigu-se waxaas oo dhan waa ka kor tilaabsatay, xagaas iyo dhulinimo baa uu duruqtay, is dhabo-qabo, abti, soona laabo. Taasi'na waa nasteexa nin kaa naxaayo.

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by peacenow:

[QB

 

Which is why im so intriqued to know about the news on what Sheikh Sharif and Sheikh Adan are doing now. Does anyone think, they should mount a full campaign to drum about support in the west? [/QB]

Originally posted by Castro:

^^^^ Two "sheikhs" won't get the support of the West to do anything.

They did!

[Paragon]

Originally posted by Kashafa:

[qb] Speaking about digging through archives......

 

Abu Paragon of 2006 and 2007:

 

quote:

---

The TFG and the Ethiopian brethren are engaged in constitutionalized thuggery. I am afraid nothing changes from their side and unless

we get rid of them altogether

, these gross abuses

we get rid of them altogether

.

Qowleysato Paragon of 2008 and 2009(paraphrasing):

I would welcome the return of Ethiopian troops if that means crushing the Islamists. Ethiopia is our better choice. I hope the America send in their AC-130s and Tomahawk cruise missles. We welcome the help of Moori.yaan warlords, past and present. Basically, we went to enlist the support of all of the enemies of Somalia in order to save Somalia. No, this is not a oxymoron. It's called high-level statesmanship and diplomacy

Rab'banaa laa tuziq quloobanaa bacda ith hadaytanaa. Rab'banaa thabit quloobanaa calaa Deenaka, wa Kitaabaka, wa Sunnata Nabiyuka.

 

Such is the hypocrisy that ensues when Man takes leave of his principles and concience and follows his shahawaat and ah'waa.

Kashfane, we got rid of the Ethiopians and the TFG altogether. Now we have a new government headed my the Al- Sheikh Shariif.

 

So, what's up with all the para-phrasing? You just can't get any other contradiction in my stance?

 

Try harder, mate.

[Raamsade]

^He's running out of talking points.

 

The insidious agenda of Alshabaab and other dowladdiid groups are becoming apparent to all. Attacking one peaceful town/village after another for no apparent reason other than to spill the blood.

 

Somali women, including children, are being raped and then stoned to death (or beheaded like the 28 year old woman in Bakool) for adultery by Alshabaab. Where as in the old days of lawlessness, the lives of Somali women were at least spared after being raped.

[Sherban Shabeel]

Originally posted by Kashafa:

Uganadan troops rape Somali girls

They probably learned how to do it from Somali boys.

 

Let's get real bro, the problem is 100% Somali now. Outsiders came in to screw things up in 2006, but now it's a cancer on the inside.

 

I've said it before, but I have to say it again: Shabaab 2009 isn't at all like Shabaab 2007. It's not about defending the motherland anymore, it's about POWER.

 

It's about greed and mirages.

 

God forgive them.