20 Women Arrested at Protest in Somalia

[Gabbal]

 

By NASTEEX DAHIR FARAH

The Associated Press

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

 

KISMAYO, Somalia -- Women took to the streets of this strategic port town Tuesday to protest the arrival of a radical Islamic militia, one day after the militants opened fire on a larger protest here and killed a teenager.

 

Militiamen quickly broke up Tuesday's protest and arrested 20 women, according to relatives of the demonstrators who didn't want to be named for fear of reprisals. The militants also parked their "technicals" _ trucks mounted with guns _ along roads to prevent gatherings.

 

The group's strict and often severe interpretation of Islam raises memories of Afghanistan's Taliban, and contrasts with the moderate Islam that has dominated Somali culture for centuries. Somalis fleeing the conflict have pushed the number of refugees in neighboring Kenya to the highest level in a decade, the United Nations World Food Program said Tuesday.

 

The number of registered refugees in Kenya has reached 240,000, with thousands more new arrivals, straining resources severely, the U.N. said in a statement.

 

The United States has accused the Islamic group of sheltering suspects in the 1998 al-Qaida bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden has portrayed Somalia as a battleground in his war on the U.S.

 

Still, some Somalis have embraced the radicals because they have brought a semblance of order in a troubled corner of Africa.

 

The country's official government was formed two years ago with the support of the United Nations, but it has failed to establish any control outside its base in Baidoa, 150 miles from the capital, Mogadishu.

 

The militia has been sweeping through southern Somalia since taking over the capital in June. On Sunday, the militia took Kismayo, 260 miles southwest of Mogadishu, without a fight, although thousands protested their presence the following day.

 

Islamic militiamen wearing white headbands opened fire on the crowd, killing a 13-year-old boy, said resident Abdiqadir Filibin. Two other children were injured, witnesses said on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Sporadic gunfire could also be heard.

 

"There are Islamic technicals everywhere in the city," said Abdirahman Abdullahi Farah. "We tell them to go back to Mogadishu or face ejection by force."

 

North of Kismayo, troops from neighboring Ethiopian arrived Monday to support the weak government. Witnesses saw about 300 Ethiopians in a convoy of 50 armored trucks in Bardaale, 40 miles west of Baidoa, the only town held by the government.

 

Islamic forces believe Ethiopian troops aim to cut off their route between Kismayo and Mogadishu, and called their incursion a declaration of war.

 

Several thousand demonstrators protested against the Islamic militia Monday in Kismayo. Militiamen with white bands on their heads opened fire on the protesters. Kismayo resident Abdiqadir Filibin said he saw a 13-year-old killed.

 

Somalia has not had an effective national government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on one another, throwing the country into anarchy.

 

Hassan Turki, a leader of the Islamic militia, acknowledged Monday for the first time that foreign fighters were helping the militants. He was speaking to a demonstration in support of his group in Kismayo. Turki, who is rarely seen in public, is on the U.S. and U.N. lists of suspected terrorists for having alleged ties to al-Qaida.

 

In an interview with the AP on Monday, Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said "terrorists" dominate the Islamic group. Speaking in neighboring Kenya, he called on the U.N. to partially lift an arms embargo to allow for the deployment of African peacekeepers.

 

The Islamic group opposes any foreign intervention in the country.

 

The Islamic group and Gedi's government have agreed to a cease-fire, but the Islamic fighters have continued to advance across the country.

 

Associated Press writers Salad Duhul in Mogadishu, Mohamed Olad Hassan in Baidoa and Chris Tomlinson in Nairobi contributed to this report.

 

Source: AP, Sept 26, 2006

[Jacpher]

Do these women know the courts will shut down their qaad business? Is qaad their motivation for the demonstration?

[Gabbal]

What occured in Mogadishu and expelled the warlords was a kacdoon.

 

What is occuring in Kismaayo is a kacdoon.

 

 

The population has spoken.

[king_450]

I hope they don't abuse these women ,wonder if they have the right to be represented or known their living situation.

[Sophist]

Dumarkaan waa in timir loo qeybiyaa. The ICU should must make sure the sons and daughters of Qat merchants will not be hungary. Subad iyo Timir should will do the trick.

[Khayr]

This is just the kinda of exposure that the worlds is looking for. These demonstrators are just some cronies puppets.

 

Conflict must occur and is necessary for change.

 

If the people revolt, so be it. That does not mean that their revolt is correct and legitimate.

 

The Shaytan works well on the weak souls!

[Bakar]

Originally posted by king_450:

I hope they don't abuse these women ,wonder if they have the right to be represented or known their living situation.

Come again. Is this FOX or CNN networ? Fellas atleas come up or coine another terms... The terms such as abuse has beome such a cliche or overuse, don't you think? May be you should wait untill FOX and CNN coin another term, then you can add to your vocabulary and use it to condensend.... War cajiib badan!

 

Ramadan kariim

[Sharif_seylaci]

aahahhaha all these woman are protesting its funny about what are they protesting

[king_450]

aahahhaha all these woman are protesting its funny about what are they protesting

.

 

Walaahi waa cajiib, did you forget what brought you out here is not shear of luck but the devastating effect that happened the so called back home,rape ,killings,looting. Why wonder one never have the brain to think before they post such !

[rudy-Diiriye]

jimcale, so u know now who is gonna be selling the jaat! the clan court dawgs!

 

if there were smart, they would leave them ladies alone! remember xawa tako-dheer! word..!

[Temujin]

More than ten years ago these same women were robbed off all their belongings and chased out of the place they called home by the same men who are invading them today in the name of islam in this holy month of ramadan.

[Sarandi]

These women should be freed. I guess these new conquerors will be brought to court one day. I don't see them being different from Musi Sudi and Khanyare. For now they are speeding invading cities and village but soon their hidden agenda will come. As Soomaali saying says "Fallaartii kor loo tuuraa waa tii hoos u soo laabta". We know somalis follow and support whatever is new to them till they discover the truth.