Contents
- Introduct…………………………………………………………..
- When
is “a war Crime” Being Committed?………………………....
- Foundation
of War Criminals Committee…………………………...
- Unique
Question to Abdiqaasim Salaad Hassan………………….....
- Special
Note to British Somalilanders……………………………...
- Recommendations………………………………………………...
- Conclusion………………………………………………………..
Introduction
“No
one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane or degrading
treatment or punishment.”
Article 5 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
In 1960, with
a great expectation, Somaliland had voluntarily formed union with
Somalia. The aim of this Union was to bring together the Somali
speaking peoples of the Horn of Africa.
It was a courageous move that brought together two nations, who had
no political and social contact before. This was also a moment that
Somali speaking people of this region felt that they are about to be
given the likelihood of having what they longed - creation of
Greater Somalia, when the other three regions join.
However imperfect and hurriedly this union was done, this two
nations have hopped together for 9 years, where many cultural and
political difference surfaced. When NFD was passed to Kenya,
Somaliland urged the union to leave the Common Wealth countries, a
privilege that Somalilanders have given away, in order to show
sympathy to their fellow Somali speaking people of NFD.
On 21st October 1969, a military coup detat replaced the civilian
government with a junta, led by police general, who worked with the
Italians, during the colony epoch. This has brought dark clouds upon
the hope of the Somali Speaking people.
Instead of encouraging the integration of the two nations and
working about the best logical way in which to help those who had
the hope of joining the union, the military dictator embarked upon a
campaign that made possible the torture and killings of tens of
thousands of Somalilanders.
Maybe he thought this was the best reward for Somaliland. For some
unknown reason, maybe he saw them as his enemy. May be this was due
to his horrendous wild imagination, or maybe this was due to his
inhumane believes. Whatever the motivation of his act was, the
destruction that he inflicted upon the people of Somaliland, in
terms of life and wealth, was so tremendous that it drive them to
come to the conclusion that “we cannot share a flag, country and
government, either federal or central, with the people who assisted
his campaign of ethnic cleansing and mass destruction.”
The crimes he and his staunch men committed, during the 21 years
that he held the reign of his Socialist dictatorship, were not only
a crimes that had been committed against Somalilanders, but it was
also a crime committed against the entire mankind. And if we allow
the men and women who committed these inhumane crimes to get away
with this, then we [Somalilanders] are going to let down not only
the victims of this atrocity, but also the entire mankind.
If the NAZIs were allowed to get away with the carnage that they had
committed and run their corners of Germany, then today the Europe
that we know would never have existed.
1-This presentation will be highlighting the War Crimes committed
against Somaliland, while appealing to the international communities
to assist us to get what they have done for Rwandans, citizens of
the Ex-Yugoslavia and many other people of this world.
2- It would be calling upon the leaders of the Arab world to abandon
that idea of speaking for the people of Somaliland and saying,
“the war crimes should be forgotten”. This is a privilege that
belongs to the people of Somaliland, but not the leaders, who either
assisted, or, indeed, did not care when this crime was being carried
out.
3- It will be asking Somalilanders in the Diaspora to set-up the
most possible organisation that could bring about the method with
which the decadent men and women, who thrived on the looting,
killing and torturing of our people, could be brought into justice.
This presentation will be using the following names for Somali speaking
people of the Horn of Africa:
- a)
Somalilanders: citizens of Somaliland.
- b)
Somalians - citizens of Somalia proper.
- c)
Somalis - all Somali speaking.
- d)
Djibutians - people of Djibouti
- e)
Kenyan Somalis - NFD Residents
- f)
Ethiopian Somalis - Somalis in the Fifth region of Ethiopia
Please
note that the above naming is open to debate, but there is a need to
distinguish the groups that I will be talking about.
Although this presentation will be highlighting the human rights
abuses that took place, it would not go into details, as this is a
job being carried out by the War Criminals Committee. It is very
imperative to note that the integrity of this information is very
important and so it should be left with this committee.
When is “a war Crime” Being Committed?
“Everyone
has the right to life, liberty and security of person”
Article 3 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
During
the Barre era, Somalilanders were subjected to campaign of looting,
arresting, and extra judicial executions. This was intensified when
the Ethiopian-Somali war failed.
Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF), predominated by the
dictator’s clan and in-laws, had operated in the Reserve Area with
a ruthless campaign that brought about the revolt of Afraad wing of
this front (not the recent Afraad). Thousands of people were forced
to give up their properties and then killed. The front that was
meant to liberate Somali Ethiopian ended being the terror machine
that ended the lives of thousands of Somalis in a very violent
fashion.
Looting was norm, not only in the Reserve Area, but this was
extended to the villages and towns along side the
Somaliland-Ethiopia border. As the ranks of tortures, looters and
killers swollen, the entire 26th Sector of the Somali National Army
moved to implement the opposite of what they were originally set-up:
instead of defending the nation from foreign enemy, they begun to
become their real enemy.
Military officers and personnel were being recruited and transferred
from Somalia proper, with the doctrine “we should replace the
people of Somaliland”. Also, the WSLF, which later turn out to be
an Ogaden front, was convinced that they should move their people
from Ethiopia and should be used for the replacement of the
Somalilanders.
This shocking decision needed a callous and inhumane act in order to
ensure that an empty land has been created for the encouraged
immigrants from the fifth region of Ethiopia. The best answer to
this turn out to be ruthless ethnic cleansing that brought about the
killings of tens thousands of Somalilanders.
Forlornly, WSLF failed to comprehend the fact that the only way that
Somalis could get valued and achieve what they inspired was to
promote peace among Somali speaking people and do not side with the
aggressors. Instead, they saw this as panacea to their problem. No
surprise that the higher ranks of the 26th Sector was filled with
Ogadens and also their fellow tribesmen.
As the number of university graduates in Somaliland increased, this
was seen as threat to the dictator’s legitimacy, thus, in 1981 the
culling operation begun. An operation that put hundreds of
Somalilanders into the Torture chambers of what was Known as the
Military Intelligence Unit (Hangash) and the National Security
Service (NSS).
Somalians (Somalis from Somalia proper) were given the right to
behave as they liked in Somaliland, so as to frighten Somalilanders
and facilitate the ethnic cleansing operation. This included
shooting innocent citizens on the streets and roads of
Somaliland’s cities, towns, villages and countryside.
While the educated and wealthy Somalilanders were being apprehended
for no reason, tortured, sentenced to long imprisonments, and,
sadly, some of them were being executed with 30 AK-47 bullets per
person, the majority of Somalilanders, who lived in the countryside,
were treated a way that our nation had never seen before. Their
wives and daughters were subjected to random rape, looting of their
livestock, extortionate tactics were employed, in order to extract
as much wealth as possible, before they were forced to face their
fate. Surely, no one of us should forget and steal the privilege of
the victims of Mohamed Hashi Gani, Aamusane, Jehaad and so many
others whom we cannot name now, as we are working on their cases.
As the Somalilanders were visited by a fear and destruction they had
never foreseen, their students and pupils took to the streets, in
order to get other Somalis understand their plight and help them to
salvage the reason why Somaliland volunteered to form the voluntary
Union with Somalia (Please see above).
Despondently, our Fellow Somali speaking people failed to comprehend
this and responded with indifference. Thus, Somalilanders came to
the conclusion that forming an organisation that salvages whatever
is left of Somalia turned out to be the only way out left. This
resulted the creation of Somali National Movement (SNM), which
successfully made possible the toppling of a man and his cronies,
who shed so many citizens’ blood and looted their properties.
During the period of the struggle, tens of thousands of
Somalilanders were killed, while they were, in their homes,
shopping, or on their way to work. During this period, every article
enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was violated.
From my experience, the destruction and abuse that I witnessed, as
young volunteer, was something that drove me to the conclusion that
‘maybe Somalis are better off to stay as separately governed
people.’ This was a conclusion that reached by massive majority of
Somalilanders, when, in 1991, the Somalians chose to exact revenge
against each other.
If the raping of our people, destruction of our property, killing of
our people and violations of all the articles enshrined in the
Universal Declaration of Human rates are not a Crime committed
against humanity, then what shall we call it? I leave the answer of
this question to you, dear audience and readers.
But think about the young pregnant mother, who had 2 children and
being shelled out of her wonderful house. She was chased by jet
fighter, flown by Somali Air force. Bombed from one tree to next,
till she broke her water and contraction begun. Without any
assistance, she endeavoured to deliver the baby, while attempting to
keep an eye on her other two children. As the bombs fall and 50
millimetre guns spread bullets around the vicinity where she was
hiding, the child emerged and she felt into coma, as she did not
even have a glass of water to drink. And then past away. While this
was happening, Abdiqaasim Salaad Hassan was the Interior Minister of
Somalia.
Think about the mother, who was living in the countryside, with her
livestock, four children and husband. One morning, on 17th November
1984, a platoon of soldiers, from the 26th Sector of Somali National
Army, paid a visit to their dwelling. Her husband was tied on
thorn-Tree, her livestock slaughtered for no purpose, she was
stripped off her cloth, thrown to the ground and raped by the men,
who were wearing the Uniform of the Somali National Army, while her
children were running around and crying for help.
When the rapists were asked why they have done this shameful act?
With their strong accent, they said, “We were ordered to do
this!!” Shall we allow the men who ordered them to live like any
other ordinary human being in the western world, with the
opportunity of decrying the existence of Somaliland?
Think about the 16 year old boy, who was taken from his bed 3
o’clock in the morning; tortured for three months; while lying in
a dark cell visited by a man, who said “I am going to help you,
boy. Just tell me whether you have done this crime or not.” As a
teenager, who had not seen someone who talked to him with this tone
for the last three months, busted with tears and responded “Uncle,
I swear, I even do not understand what they are asking me…”
And then punched in the face by the very man, who said, “I would
help you.”
The next morning, he was taken to the National Criminal Court. As he
was chained to the dock, he saw in the Judges seat the man he met
last night .
Imagine what went through the teenager’s head; think about the
shiver and the shock. And sense what he felt, when the so-called
judge passed a death sentence with the reason that the boy defied
his government. The so-called judge, or may be torturer was Gelle,
who is now residing in France, but uses Geneva as his address, when
he is writing to the Somali Newspapers.
Ponder about the 50 years old man, who worked hard in the Arabian
countries, as he was denied the opportunity of living in his
homeland; who had not seen his family for very long time; spent his
savings on a house, he thought he will retire to; and was suddenly
told, his house was shelled into peaces, five of his children are
dead; his brothers are missing and his wife was taken by the army.
Unfortunately, he is not only denied the opportunity of retiring
peacefully into his beloved quarters, but he was also been force to
live in a lonely live, filled with the agony of thinking about what
happen to the family, he looked forward to living with.
Think about the teenagers, who were led into gallows and tied on the
pillars, fired at by the Somali National Army, while their parents
were forced to watch this, and their bodies were left to decompose
in the open, so others will see, in order to accelerate the ethnic
cleansing. Mohamed Hashi Gani and Mohamed Hirsi Morgan, Adden Gabyow,
Mohamed Ali Sammatter, and others were in charge when this act of
terror was under way.
Think about the fathers and mothers, who were denied the opportunity
of seeing their children grow and succeed. Think about the young men
and women, who are now leaving with disability, because they either
lost their limbs in the torture chambers or while facing the firing
squads, either it be from an artillery, AK-47, BKM or from a jet
fighters.
Think about the nation, whose Airports were used for the place were
jetfighters fuel, reload their guns and bombs, then take off and
bombarded them.
Think about the sad six refugees, who fled to Djibouti, in order to
escape a persecution and seek the help of their brethren Somali
speaking Djiboutian; apprehended by the Djiboutian Security
officers, tortured for 5 months, in order to extract as much
information as possible; then taken out from their dilapidated cells
and placed in front of the firing squad that terminate their lives
in a miserable manner. Their blood was left on the beach, where they
were executed, and their bodies were hastily buried, just by the
edge of the Red See. No notification was given to their relatives.
The man who was in charge with this Security force was Ismail Omer
Guelleh, the current president of Djibouti. Many of us may rememeber
him for the number of refugees he handed back to the Somali Junta,
who violently shot them to death.
If we allow the men who done this to enjoy their lives in this
world, as representatives of Somali speaking people, then we must
all concur with the undeniable fact that our complacency will amount
to crime.
If Kofi Annan, the general secretary of the United Nations, finds
okay to shake the hands of the men, who ordered and supervised the
above atrocities, then let us remind him that ‘that is not the
best way to set an example for the Horn of Africans.’ We must make
him understand that he has demeaned the African values, as he
encourages the idea that those who committed war crimes in Africa
are okay, as Africans do not have any values.
We urge the General Secretary to talk to the victims rather than
their perpetrators.
We must find out why the above victims and co-victims were treated
the way they were treated. And that we should ensure this act shall
never visit our people again. And to achieve this, we must pursue
those men who did it. That is what we owe to our people and all the
nations of this planet earth.
Foundation of War Criminals Committee
While
Somalilanders were very busy in rebuilding their shattered land,
bringing together the scattered families and building the
institutions that would facilitate the development of Somaliland,
the bones of the victims of the above massacre emerged from ground.
As the nation find very hard to comprehend why this had happened,
the Government of Somaliland set up the War Criminals Committee,
with the assistance of international bodies. Day after day skeletons
with their hands tied at the back are being discovered from the
eastern to the western regions of Somaliland.
So far, they have received $20,000.00 from the USAID, which they
used for the computers and other equipments that made possible the
functioning of this Committee. In the meantime, the government of
Somaliland pays their salary, assists them in every way that they
could. As a result of this they have gathered lots of evidence that
horrified most of the people, who are working in this case.
However, they need an international help, which includes advocates
of the Human Rights and those who specialist in War Criminals
Investigations and prosecutions (please see below)
As this processes was under way, the decadent men, who committed the
above atrocities met in Arta, Djibouti, in order to form what they
called national government. This quadrupled investigations carried
out by the War Criminals Committee.
Fortuitously, Somaliland Net started setting up a website, designed
for the collection of as much information as possible about the
where abouts of the men who did wreak havoc upon the dreams and
aspirations of the Somali speaking nations; the men who committed
untold atrocities during the Barre’s era.
This website is due to be launched very soon and that it will be in
full operation. However, Somaliland Net seeks the help and
assistance of Somalilanders, wherever they are. Also, this website
is going to co-operate with Somaliland’s War Criminals Committee,
so that the campaign to chase the War Criminals will run smoothly.
Therefore, volunteers are needed. I call upon every Somalilander, or
humane person, who reads this presentation, to help us get these men
punished for what they did. And to achieve this, please do contact
www.Somalilandnet.com .
Unique Question to Abdiqaasim Salaad Hassan
“All
are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination
to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal against
any discrimination in the violation of this Declaration and against
any incitement to such discrimination”
Article 7 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
In July 1989, one night about 55 Somalilanders were forcefully
removed from their houses, shuttled into Jazira, fired upon by the
men whom you were supposed to utilise for the safety of the public.
Read the names of the victims your men denied the right to exist as
human beings. Ask yourself why you have allowed this to happened?
Ponder about the pain they suffered, while their flash was being
torn apart by the bullets bought with the money, collected from the
Somali taxpayers.
As a believer of one god, do you sleep in sane, when you think
about how they suffered? Here are the names:
1.Ibrahim Hasan Gelle( H.Y) US-OMC-somalia
2.Ibrahim H. Abdillahi Dirie(H.Y)Besinessman
3.Mohamed Ismail Ahmed(H.Y)Businessman
4.Yusuf Mohame Handulle( H.Y)USAID
5.Saeed mohamed Mumin( C.G) Ass.pro.Lafole S.N.U
6.Musa Abdi Gaas( C.G) Businessman
7.Hussein Ali Aden(H.J)Businessman
8.Saeed Nur Musa( H.J)businesman
9.Abdirahman Mohamed Bihi( H.J)Businessman
10.Abiwahab Farah Ahmed(H.Y) Student
11.Abdifatah Ahmed Jiir( H.J) Student
12.Matan Abdi Habashi( Arab)Student
13.Mohamed mohamud Abdi(H.Y) Businessman
14.Ali Mohamed Abdi(H.A) Student
15.Hassan Aw Nur Barud(H.Y) Businessman
16.Abdi Mohamed Abdi (H.A)Technician
17.Ahmed Yassin Omar Jama( H.A) Businessman
18.Mohamed Abdi Hassan( H.A)Businessman
19.Ibrahim Hassan Ege(H.A) Technician
20.Abdi Muhumed Daud (H.A) Businessman
21.hassan Abdi Muhumed (Arab) Businessman
22.Ali Mohamed Dirie(H.J) C.Serv
23.Jama Mohamed Abdi(H.A) Trader
24.Abdi Osman Dubad(H.Y)Trader
25.Husein Omar Husein(C.G) Trader
26.Mohamed Musa Mohamed(H.Y) Trader
27.Ahmed Hassan Elmi(Dheereeye) (H.A)Sportsman
28.Mohamed-Bashe Abdillahi Hebaan(H.A)Trader
29.Abdirahman Ahmed Dhimbil (H.A) Civil servent
30.Hussein Muhumed Farah (H.A)Civil servent
31.Mohamoud Bacadle (H.Y) Civil servent
32.Jama Aden (barosin)(H.J) Civil servent
33.Abdirahman Mohamed Osman(beledi)(H.A)Trader
34.Barre Osman Abdi (C.G) Trader
35.Abdirizaq Aydiid Mohamed (H.A) Student
36.Hussein Osman Jama (H.A)student
37.Khadar Mohamed Ahmed (H.A) Student
38.Bihi Ibrahim Ahmed (H.A) Student
39.Hassan Nur Hersi (H.A) Student
40.Abokor Mohamed Yousuf (H.A)Trader
41.Hassan Guure Abdi (H.A) Trader
42.Khadar nuur Jama (H.A) Trader
43.Ahmed Yusuf Ibrahim (H.A) Trader
44.Mohamed Osman Jama (H.A)Trader
46.Farah Ismail Awale (H.Y) student
47.Yusuf Abdillahi Roble (C.G) graduate Dr.
48.Dayib Abdi Burale (H.Y) Trader
49.Dahir Mohamed Jama Warfaa (H.Y) Trader
50.Ali Aw-Muhumed Mohamed (burale)(C.G) Trader
51.Fuad Abdillahi Ibrahim (Arab)
52.Daud SH. Ibrahim (H.Y).
53.Hussein Kheyre Abdi (H.J)
54.Rashid Mohamed Osman (H.A)
55.Abdi Barre Osman (C.G) graduate
After reading
the names of the victims, who will be awaiting you and your cronies
at the gates of the judgement day, ask yourself why would you like
to repeat this once gain? Is it because enough was not done? Is it
because Kofi Annan is poorly informed about Horn of Africa, or is it
Because David Stephens is so greedy that he will let you have
whatever exacerbates the sufferings of the Somali speaking people,
as long as it legitimises the continuation of the vast sums of money
that he receives from the UN?
Special Note to British Somalilanders
Many
of us do remember very well, when 55 Somalilanders, in July 1989,
were handpicked from their house in Mogadishu. They were simply
brought into a meeting point near the Jazira beach. As the waiting
party of the red berets noted that enough are there, they were
ordered to fire at them and the massacre that ensued was something
many of us may never forget.
The man who was in charge of this interior army was, as we all know,
the Somali Interior Minster, Abdiqaasim Salaad Hassan, and who is
know the so-called interim President, who claims to rule the country
from isolated and ramshackle hotel in Mogadishu, where he is
surrounded by those who are seeking his blood.
The man who supervised many untold inhumane killings of our people,
a man who once said "it is right to bomb Somaliland from
everywhere," has now a website, provided by the BBC World
Service.
There is no doubt that this has come about by the help of his
nephew, he is the head of the BBC Somali Section. But we should, for
example, accept the fact that IRIN supports his views, because IRIN
is not only run by his other Nephew, but it belongs to the UN, which
is susceptible to many abuses.
But, and this a big but, why we should allow the British
Broadcasting Corporation to support a man, who had so much blood on
his hand, without it being made known to the British Government?
We should be reminding the Right Honourable Chris Smith that if UK
is determine to seek the prosecution of those who committed
atrocities in the Balkans, then the labour government should at
least respect the feelings of the victims of Abdiqaasim Sallaad.
Recommendations
In order to ensure that War Criminals are pursued wherever they are
hiding, there is a need to overhaul our activities, study as to
where we are doing bad and how we could improve this and co-operate
our efforts. Thus, the following recommendations are the points that
we would like to recommend to this summit.
1- Since most of the War Criminals are now residing or hiding in the
western world, as refugees, we should set up a Somaliland War Crimes
Organisation that ensures that the above men are found and exposed,
wherever they are.
2- In order to ensure the efficiency of this organisation and the
existing War Criminals Committee in Somaliland, we should discuss,
research and work out the best way that the two bodies could
co-operate and work in tune of each other.
3- Since the
majority of Somalilanders who are leaving in the west are now
citizens of the countries in which they reside, this organisation
should help them to seek legal assistance as to how they could get
charged and prosecuted the War criminals that they saw in the
Streets of cities and Towns that they live.
4- Everyone
who has any information should pass this to both bodies.
5- This
organisation should have branches in everywhere, where there is a
Somaliland society. Thus, the structure of each Somaliland society
should include a branch that is dedicated to assist and work with
this organisation.
6- UK
Somaliland Society should set up the best possible way in which they
could advise the British government about the where abouts of this
men, who are now residing in UK.
7- The purpose
of this organisation should never be a machine of witch-hunt and
blacklisting, but it should work in a manner that ensures no one
gets away with what he/she had done to the people of Somaliland.
8- This
organisation should work out the most possible way in which we could
approach the members of the Arab League and explain to them its
raison d'être. Most of the members of this league have appalling
human rights record, but this should not be used as an excuse. Where
there is a will, there is a hope. Let us earn their sympathy.
9-
Although the contact between us and Somalians is very bad one, we
should carry out a research as to how we could contact other Somali
groups, who want to see the War Criminals Prosecuted.
Conclusion
As Somaliland
has started a one year long campaign of presidential, legislative
house and local elections, we call upon the citizens and residents
of Somaliland to ensure that while everyone of us is exercising his
right of campaigning for/or electing the men that they share with
political opinion, we should not overlook the task of ensuring that
the War Criminals shall not be allowed to repaint themselves as the
savours of Somalia.
We call upon the Arab leaders, UN general Secretary and
international community to respect the will of the People of
Somaliland. We urge then to understand the fact that the legitimate
persons that can forgive the War Criminals are their victims, but no
the Yemeni Foreign Minister or any other person. This is a privilege
of those who suffered under 21 years of brutal dictatorship, which
endeavoured to implement unprecedented ethnic cleansing.
We seek the assistance of the international organisations to help us
help those who suffered a lot in the hands of men, whose actions
brought about the failure of a state, first created for the
fulfilment of the aspirations of a nations that share one language.
Imagine how we will be terrified if we see the British Prime
Minister, Tony Blair, shaking the hands of the man who supervised
the Jazira Beach Massacre of 1989, as Somali Interior Minister (Abdiqaasim
Sallaad).
And that we shall never miss the opportunity of congratulating the
Canadian Somalilanders, who exposed and then made possible the
deportation of the men, who committed War Crimes in Gebilley. We
should follow their example and learn from them as to how they
achieved this. I believe they should be the ones who should be
giving this lecture.
Mohamed-Aar Abdillahi Mohamed
Somaliland Research Society
SomalilandNet.com
|
