By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Following the gruesome event last week in which the bodies of two Ethiopian soldiers were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, the Ethiopian army underwent an intensive search for insurgents believed to be involved with the incident. For several days Ethiopian troops carried out operations against the al-Shabaab, the military group of the former Islamic government, which left nearly 80 people dead in the streets. The troops continue to patrol and conduct door-to-door searches for insurgents.
According to the Human Right Watch’s Africa director, Peter Takirambudde, the Ethiopian soldiers are not distinguishing civilians from insurgents. This is partly the explanation why more civilians are killed. In accord, Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf warned residents of the capital that if they do not assist the government in fighting the insurgents, they risk being caught in the crossfire.
Within a week about 24,000 people have fled the capital for fear of being injured or killed in the crossfire of insurgent or Ethiopian attacks. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), estimates that 114,000 residents of Mogadishu has fled the city, and some 850,000 Somali people have left the country.
Together with Ethiopian troops, the Somali transitional government has also taken actions to crack down on insurgents and their supporters. Three prominent radio stations have been taken off the air since Monday in Mogadishu. Along side Radio Shabelle, which was forcibly closed, Mayor Mohamed “Dheere” Omar Habeeb accused 2 more private radio stations, Radio Banadir and Radio Simba, of supporting insurgents and undermining the government. Four stations, HornAfrik Radio, Holy Quran Radio, Radio Somali Weyn, and Voice of Democracy, remain on the air but their content and reports have been censored.
In the meantime, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces is unrealistic given the dire conditions. Instead the UN is encouraging dialogue between the transitional government and insurgents with the aim of ending the incessant violence and strengthening the public institutions to the point which would allow Ethiopian troops to withdraw.
However, negotiations appear unrealistic. In an audio clip posted on a website yesterday, Somali insurgent leader Sheikh Aden Hashi Ayrow asked insurgent fighters to attack African Union soldiers in Somalia. The peacekeeper’s spokesman, Major Felix Kulaigye replied by saying that the soldiers would defend themselves if necessary.
For more information please see:
BBC- Somali Insurgent Target AU Force – 14 November 2007
Yahoo News- Somali government Cracking Down on Media – 13 November 2007
AllAfrica.com – Somalia: Two More Radio Stations Shut Down for “Coverage Undermining the Government” – 14 November 2007
United Nations – UN peacekeeping mission in Somalia not realistic or viable, says Ban Ki-moon – 12 November 2007
Reuters: Africa – Residents Flee Mogadishu as Government Battles Rebels – 12 November 2007
Reuters: Africa – Death Toll in Somali Capital Nears 60 – 10 November 2007
BBC- Hunt for Insurgents in Mogadishu – 12 November 2007
