Terror on Somalis in Kenya.

[burahadeer]

By SUDARSAN RAGHAVAN

On a recent night kenyan forces rounded up 43 people,including women & children,in the somali enclave of Nairobi,known as Eastleigh.They spent 5 days in overcrowded cell without access to lawyer or formally being charged."they accused us of Shabab sympathizers,"recalled M.Noor,a somali journalist."they said they would chase us out of the country."

Since entering Somalia last month,Kenyan forces have launched a parallel campaign to diffuse the militia's networks here.As a result ethnic somalis have been mistreated,beaten ,arbitrarily arrested & deported,according to human rights groups & community leaders.Somalis live in apprehension,hate speech & xenophobia are on the rise & many have sent their children back to somalia.The concerns come as anti somali feelings have been growing over the last year.Many Kenyans say somalis,who make up 8% of the 40 million people,have taken over the economy,driven up real estate prices & made kenya less safe.

Last month,Kenya's assistant internal security minister,Orwa Ojode,informed the parliament that the offensive would be coupled with the"mother of all operations" in Nairobi to flush out al-shabab members."This is like a big animal with the tail in somalia,and the head of the animal is here in Eastleigh,"he told lawmakers.

Security now is tight around the capital,plainclothes intelligence agents patrol down-town,seeking out anyone who looks suspicious.That often means anyone who appears to be ethnic somali,somalis said in interview.Harassment is increasing all over the country.A witness said"soldiers picked up people who looked somali,beat them and forced them to sit in dirty water while interrogating.

[burahadeer]

Somali community leaders acknowledge that ther are al-shabab loyalists in Eastleigh & other somali enclaves.They quickly added,however,that most somalis detest them but nevertheless face discrimination because of their ethnicity."The xenophobia is dividing two populations who have lived togrther peacefully for a long time,"said Ali Isak,28,a leader for somali youth for peace & change,an activist group in Eastleigh.Rashid Abdi,a somali expert with the int'l crisis group,said that while some somalis have been mistreated & targeted by security forces,the kenyans have mostly restrained themselves.Still suspicions of somalis have deepened,and a harsher crackdown could come in the weeks & months ahead,he said."The somali community fears al-shabab retaliatory strike more than kenya's military operation,"Abdi said."They fear that could provoke similar sort of attacks on their community by the kenyan gov't.

Most somalis expect the crackdowns to intensify the longer kenya wages war inside somalia,and especially if many kenyan soldiers die.That could drive angry and disaffected somalis to support the militia,some say.Noor,the journalist,said that while he was in custody he overheard some young somalis who had been caught along with him in the sweep."They said,"We are civilians,we are innocent.If we are prosecuted in an illegal way,the only way we can get revenge is to join al-shabab,"Noor recalled.

[Che -Guevara]

Source?

[burahadeer]

Washington post..saturday,November 26,2011.

Thnx Gvera.

[burahadeer]

how about if they come to NFD towns,I mean all somalis in Nairobi & beyond.Bring their business here & build their side of kenya.Kenyans won't dare to antagonize somalis in their territory.Come on guys,tough times need tough alternatives,let's have some talk here.

[Abdul]

I think as peace slowly returns to Mogadishu,the somalis should return to their city and help rebuild it.

[SomaliNFD]

burahadeer;761528 wrote:

how about if they come to NFD towns,I mean all somalis in Nairobi & beyond.Bring their business here & build their side of kenya.Kenyans won't dare to antagonize somalis in their territory.Come on guys,tough times need tough alternatives,let's have some talk here.

I agree! i say let them move to NFD and help build the economy there and help prepare the region secede from its aliens, because this alien kenya has failed the NFD people for more than a half century.

[Carafaat]

Its only naturlal that Kenyans restore the balance in their own country and this backlash could have its negative's indeed. But the positive note is that Somali's remember Easthleigh aint Somalia for they have been too comfortable in Eastleigh and other parts of Kenya for too long. Its time to remember and invest in home(NFD and Somalia).

[burahadeer]

SomaliNFD;761553 wrote:

I agree! i say let them move to NFD and help build the economy there and help prepare the region secede from its aliens, because this alien kenya has failed the NFD people for more than a half century.

I'm not sure with secession part,somalis proved they can't live together & can't live without each otha.Maybe we need a 3rd party to glue us together,prefer those in ethiopia & kenya stay where they r & melt into the system.There is no possibility that secession succeed...if there was greater somali would've been different.

[burahadeer]

anyone in Nairobi?