Somali leader seeks asylum in Chicago to escape lawless pirate bastion

[Somalina]

 

 

MEDILL REPORTS

BY SRIDHAR NATARAJAN

MARCH 03, 2011

 

 

Uncertainty and discomfort punctuate the words of Hamse Osman Hashi. There is very little in his tone that suggests he is a serving government official.

 

Just 25 years old, Hashi is a parliament member in the pirate stronghold of Northeast Somalia, but he fled from there fearing for his life. He is seeking asylum in Chicago, even though his name still figures on the government website as a member of parliament.

 

“Being in the government means nothing in Somalia,” he said. “We have no control.”

 

Attacks by rebel groups and piracy off the shores of Somalia have seen a steady rise in the last few years. Four American hostages were killed by pirates last week after a failed negotiation attempt.

 

International groups estimate there are nearly 700 people held by pirates. In many cases, millions of dollars are paid for the release of hostages. Refusal to pay ransom often results in death.

 

“They are not humans, they are barbarians,” Hashi said. “Why do they kill?”

 

Most pirates, according to Hashi, are former fishermen who started out to protect their livelihood from large international trawlers near Somali waters. But Hashi cannot come to terms with their methods.

 

“They have the right to speak out, but there is no place for violence,” he said.

 

Hashi said his many appearances in the Somali media speaking against the problem of piracy had angered the pirate groups.It angered them enough to come looking for Hashi in his house. While he was hiding in the bathroom, he says, they beat up his pregnant wife.

 

“I had to leave because I had a conscience,” he said. “They will kill anyone with a

conscience.”

 

Plagued by civil war and the burgeoning pirate problem in its Northeast, Somalia is fast sinking and needs urgent attention from the international community.

In the 20 years since the civil war, no government has established broad control over the country. The Transitional Federal Government does not have any authority beyond Mogadishu and the threat of the country breaking up into many parts is very real.

 

Abdi Samatar, author of many books on Somalia and a professor at the University of Minnesota, said there will be many more refugees like Hashi if the U.S. does not change its policy.

 

“The American government is trying to Balkanize the region,” Samatar said. “The Somalis view any American intervention with a lot of suspicion.”

 

At least five other members of the government in the autonomous region of Northeast Somalia are looking for asylum in different countries, Hamse Hashi said.

 

Hashi rolled up his sleeves to show a wound from a roadside bomb that was planted to assassinate him in August 2009. In the following months, three members of parliament were killed. The second death was the trigger for him to move out of Somalia with his family.

 

With his brother already living in Rogers Park, he chose Chicago as his destination for refuge. His wife and children are still in a refugee camp in Ethiopia. The only way his family can join him here is if he is given asylum.

 

When he is not being grilled by immigration officials, Hashi said, he finds a corner and spends the day watching the dynamics of downtown Chicago at work.

 

He would do anything to avoid finding himself alone and thinking in the house, he said. But that is something he cannot avoid. “I am up all night thinking about my wife and kids,” Hashi said. “I don’t even know if they are dead or alive.”

 

Medill reporter Sara Al-Farhan served as translator for the interview with Hashi.

[Ibtisam]

Hashi said his many appearances in the Somali media speaking against the problem of piracy had angered the pirate groups.It angered them enough to come looking for Hashi in his house. While he was hiding in the bathroom, he says, they beat up his pregnant wife.

 

“I had to leave because I had a conscience,” he said. “They will kill anyone with a

conscience.”

He hid in the bathroom while his PREGNANT wife was beaten- eesh ya tuuma asaga.

 

People say everything and anything to get pass immigration, shame he wants to echo fox news.

 

Ps: He looks high, and at 25yrs how was he ever allowed in government position? :confused: I thought in Somali law you had to be at least 35?

[Jacpher]

^ You can tell the story sound fishy. Wixii lagu qori jiray arjiga asylumka buu la soo shir tagay odaga.

 

Since when pirates go to the doors of Puntland parliamentary members and start beating up their wives? Unless the parliament seat is in Eyl or Hobyo. I am not defending pirates or piracy at all but I don't remember hearing Somali pirates killing people up violently except the case mentioned in the story which had something to do with the rescue mission.

[Ibtisam]

^^^Fishy wey daaftey- what kind of man hides while his wife is beaten up, and I dont think Somali men would beat up a women in her house. As for the pirates, killing people is bad for their business- they dont usual kill people unless they are of course attacked as was the case in the rescue mission.

 

Ninkan Somali community ha laga qabto!!!

 

Theirry will be here pi8ssed off about you claiming people get beaten in Hobyo, and watch out for Juxa's bud

[Jacpher]

lol@hobyo. Maxaan ka ogahay I always hear Eyl and Hobyo are pirate safe heaven.

 

Anyways, this guys needs a serious reality check. For him to base his asylum on speaking against piracy shoots the purpose of isdhiib. Piracy is a big problem for Puntland markaad dibadaha joogtid. Balse inside PL, pirates on high sea qof kala jelec baan jirin in the sense of posing security threat to the livelihood of people. Then again, immigration officerka akhrinaaya arjigisiisa muxuu ka yaqaan what goes on in Somalia. Laakiin you and I would ask him first what he did in PL that his pregnant wife got beaten up so bad that he relocated her to a refugee camp in Ethiopia.

[Somalina]

25 and Xildhibaan? siyaasi weyn waaye igaarkee.... lol

I think the dude represented the pirates in the parliament. lol...

Hawshiisa ayuu fulin waayey malaha lacagtoodii ayuu lasoo baxsadey.

 

Green card ayuu doonaayey markii horeba maxaa yeeley walaalkiis ayaa uga horeeyey wadanka Mareykanka, sheekadana waa mid uu soo diyariyey mar hore.

[Polanyi]

this nicca is kreative indeed

[Jacaylbaro]

Pirate Parliament baa Eyl ka jira ,,,,,

[The Zack]

War ninku been badanaa... why did he have to make his immigration application available to the public?

[Maaddeey]

^To show the paper to the immigration officers interviewing him..

Waa sheeko caan ka ah meelaha la iska dhiibo.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

War ma odaygaasaa 25 jir ah? Caadi ma aha sheekani.

[Tuujiye]

^^^ Aniga iyo adiga isku si ayaan u fikarnaa adoomoo! loool not only in uu been isku dhiibay, da'da xitaa wuu yareystay looool inama caadi ma aha but I have to give it to him walaahi ninkaan caqli waalan uu dagay....

Watch out for him in the near future, he will have his own somali community center lol...

 

 

Ibtisam, who told you thierry iyo Juxa ayaa ka yimid Hobyo? wiligood riyo xitaa ma eesan ku arkan..dadkaan magaalo bee ka yimaadeen oo ma sheegtaan tuulooyinka sidii reer baadiyaha Burco ... PLS don't throw kab!

 

 

 

 

Wareer Badanaa!!!

[LayZie G.]

lol@ibti, my sentiments exactly...

 

SHEEMO@the man, who leaves a pregnant wife and hides in a bathroom of all places?

If KK was here, she would sheemo him multiple times.....

 

 

lol@tuujiye, kani haduu 25yr old yahey, Ngonge waa giovane oo 31 jir oo dheylo eh, oo wali isku dhacaayo waaye. :cool:

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

come on people, everyone has tell a long tale in order to get the papers, lol. good luck mr. Somali official...