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July 21, 2006

Somalia: Islamists Threaten Government - Fears Of War With Ethiopia

The Islamists of the Union of Islamic Courts, headed by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (pictured), took control of most of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, on June 5 following bouts of fighting with the militias allied to warlords of the CounterTerror Alliance, which had started in February.

By the end of the month, the Union of Islamic Courts was no longer the sole body in charge of the Islamists. A new body was formed, the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts, and its head was named as Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys a man who founded an Islamic terror group Al-Ittihad al-Islami or "Islamic Union" in the 1990s. This group emerged following the fall of the dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, which led to the lawlessness which has plagued Somalia for 15 years. Aweys is said by the US to be an Al Qaeda affiliate.

Before the Islamists took control of Mogadishu, their agenda became plain when an Islamic court in Permuda district ordered a sharia "execution", where a sixteen-year old youth was allowed to stab his father's killer to death, on May 2. The executed man, a teacher, was chained to a post with a bag over his head, while the youth stabbed at his face and neck.

In 1995, the Islamic Courts had begun to dish out sharia "justice", with individuals stoned to death for adultery, and thieves having hands amputated. The Islamic Courts had not had any public executions for more than a decade, and had concentrated mainly on closing down bars, cinemas and venues they considered to be "un-Islamic", but the May 2 execution was a sign of the direction they were going to take.

With Sheikh Aweys in power, the situation for civilians in Somalia has noticeably worsened, and the Islamic courts and their militia have become more intolerant. On June 26, the Islamic court at Jowhar announced that: "Five men who raped four women on June 22 will be stoned to death today in accordance with the Islamic sharia. They have pleaded guilty to the crime and also have been identified by the victims." The word "today" referred to the date of announcement. So far the men have not yet been publicly stoned.

On July 4, two people, a cinema owner and a young girl were shot dead by Islamic militia in Dhuusa Marreeb in central Galgadud district. The killing happened after the Islamists had banned people from watching a World Cup soccer match on a satellite link at the local cinema.

On July 5, the Islamists announced that people who did not pray five times a day, in accordance with Muslim principle, would be killed.

On July 6 a wedding party in Mogadishu was broken up, and a woman was beaten with sticks. Musicians had been playing music at the wedding, but the Islamists broke their instruments and claimed that their music was "Satanic".

On July 9 we reported that the Islamists had publicly flogged teenagers in Jowhar market square, some merely for smoking hashish. The youths received 40 lashes each.

On July 13 we wrote of the death a man shot by Islamists in Jowhar, for complaining about a tax recently imposed on civilians. The same day, the warlord Mohamoud Jama Furuh handed control of the port of Mogadishu to the Islamists. Furuh was also the Somalia assistant minister for ports and sea transportation in the country's virtually powerless interim government, whose headquarters are in Baidoa, about 155 miles northwest of the capital.

At that time there appeared to be a battle of wills between the Islamists and the interim government, which is the only internationally recognised authority in the nation. Set up by the United Nations, the interim or "transitional" government is headed by Abdullahi Yusuf. This government, the 14th attempt to create a legitimate control of Somalia, was set up in Kenya in 2004.

Apart from one skirmish on May 2, when Islamist militia tried to seize a government vehicle and take hostages outside Baidoa, seat of the interim government of Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, the Islamists and the government had maintained an uneasy distance.

Yet on July 13, when the port of Mogadishu was in the hands of the Islamists, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed stated: "The other remaining government properties must be handed over to the Islamic courts."

Abdrahman Mohamed Nur Dinari, a spokesperson from the interim government, responded: "We have no problem if the Islamists take control of the port and other facilities so long as they later hand them over to the government, which rightfully owns them. But if they want to set up their own management of the ports and other facilities, that will be very complicated."

Over the past week or so, the relationship between the Islamists and the transitional government in Baidoa has become critical, with Islamists coming close to leading on assault on their enclave on more than one occasion.

Reuters reported on Saturday 15 July that the Arab League, which was brokering peace talks in Khartoum, held between the government and the Islamists, announced that the Islamists respected the government. President Abdullahi Yusuf had decided to boycott talks set for that weekend because of the intimidatory speeches made by the Islamists.

South Africa's Independent quoted an envoy from the Arab League, who said of the Islamists: "They stressed the importance of saving the legitimacy of the government ... their readiness not to escalate against the government and in particular not to make any attacks against Baidoa....They stressed that they want to open a frank discussion with the government....(and) are in total readiness to pave the way for the government to return to Mogadishu."

However, on the same day, a warlord whose militia had been crushed said that the government and the Islamists could never share power because their ideologies were too different. Mohamed Qanyare Afrah, who had been fired from his government post of National Security Minister for engaging in militia warfare, told Reuters AlertNet that: "The government wants to govern by the charter while the Islamic Sharia courts want to rule by the Koran. There is no way they will ever agree."

Despite boycotting the Khartoum peace talks, the transitional government announced on Sunday, 16 July, that they would form a team to engage in reconciliation talks, announced Reuters AlertNet. Abdirahman Dinari, spokesperson for the transitional government said: "We are for dialogue and want the agreement reached to be strictly guarded in order to create an atmosphere of dialogue."

On Monday 17 July Reuters reported that in act of defiance to the authority of the government, the Islamists had set up an Islamic court to deal with sharia cases in two regions officially under government control.

Since their victory in Mogadishu of June 5, the Islamists have established nine Islamic courts in regions they had gained control over, but the this was the first time they had established a court for areas which was not under their rule.

The Al-Bayan court was set up in the Bay and Bakol area of government territory. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed called upon the local Digil and Mirifle clans to cooperate by supporting "such Islamic practices".

On Tuesday night, raids took place in which Islamist militia arrested people for watching videos. The amount of people actually arrested is vague. AKI claimed that eight men and one woman were arrested in Mogadishu for watching a "pornographic" film in a cinema in northern district of Sinaay.

Associated Press via Santa Barbara Newspress claimed that 60 people had been arrested in the capital, in raids on five halls in Sinay district. Moalin Shire, an Islamic official in control of a region where one of the halls was located, said that those who were arrested "ill be rehabilitated and then we will release them after they are told the disadvantages of watching such films and what Islam says about watching such films."

The BBC noted that fourteen people had been arrested. Sheikh Dahir Shiekhow, chairman of an Islamic court, said: "They were watching a sexual film, which is forbidden in Islam." The film had scenes of nudity, apparently. An eyewitness, who was released on Wednesday afternoon said: "At least 20 armed militia with a Toyota pick-up car mounted with a machine-gun arrived where we watched film; they ordered us not to move and then arrested us."

On Wednesday 19 July, Reuters reported that heavily-armed Islmist militia appeared to be advancing upon Baidoa, seat of the interim government. Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said: "We see it as aggression towards government-controlled areas and the people who support us." He added: "This development could lead to more Somali bloodshed. It is a provocation and violation of areas under control of the government."

The militia had moved to the town of Buur Hakaba, arriving in the morning. The Islamists claimed that their militia had gone to the town to collect 150 government troops whom they claimed were defecting to the Islamist side.

The BBC reported that Ethiopia had announced that it would intervene if the Union of Islamic Courts militia attacked Baidoa. Ethiopia, for its part, claimed that Eritrea is arming the Islamists.

Associated Press via South Africa's Globe & Mail quoted the words of Sheik Muqtar Robow, the deputy defence chief for the Islamists, who said: "Nothing will stop us from going into Baidoa."

AFP in the Mail & Guardian quoted an unnamed senior cleric in the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia (SICS), who said: "We have no intentions to attack Baidoa. The allegations of the government are unfounded. We are consolidating our power in areas we control. Those who defected from Baidoa requested transportation to come to Mogadishu and we are facilitating."

Associated Press, via the Santa Barbara Newspress quoted Omar Jamal, executive director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, who said of the move to Buur Hakaba: "It could be the beginning of a full-out war." He also said in the Reuters report: "My prediction is that there is going to be war. The Islamic militia want to take over Baidoa, that will bring Ethiopia in, and then the suffering of the Somali people will just continue."

DIplomats, officials and analysts have claimed that up to 2,000 Ethiopian troops crossed the border last week with several tanks to join about 2,000 soldiers already there. Reuters stated that it had been told by mulitary and official sources that "thousands of Ethiopian troops, whose government is allied to the interim Somali government, were scattered within several locations in Somalia, including the outskirts of Baidoa in a bid to prevent possible Islamist attacks."

Yesterday, AKI reported that Ethiopian troops had crossed the border. Officially Ethiopia has denied this, but it confirms that it would fight the Islamist militias, who had moved within 60 kilometers (38 miles) of Baidoa.

Today, Associated Press via Baku Today, the Guardian, South Africa's Sunday Times, Reuters, AKI, Deutsche Presse-Agentur via Monsters & Critics and later editions of Sunday Times and Baku Today describe the escalating scenario between the Islamists and the government and its Ethiopian allies.

Yesterday, the Islamists pulled back from their positions in Buur Hakaba.

The European Union via its Finnish EU presidency in Helsinki has expressed its alarm at the close proximity of the Islamists to the government's seat of power in Baidoa. A statement "urgently calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from any further hostile or provocative actions," and urged the Islamists and government to resume talks in Khartoum.

"The presidency is gravely concerned that about the risk that the recent developments will have regional consequences."

Sheikh Sharif Ahmed claimed (of the Ethiopian presence): "Somalia is under attack and Somalis must defend their country. Anybody who sides with Ethiopia will be considered a traitor... The Islamic courts will lead the people to victory."

The Ethiopian troops were said to be moving from their positions around Baidoa to Buur Hakaba and Baledogle.

The Ethiopians claimed that eyewitnesses were confusing Ethiopian troops and transitional government forces, because the latter had been issued with uniforms, donated by Ethiopia. Salad Ali Jelle, Ethiopia's deputy information minister, said: "There are around 3,000 patrolling Baidoa, and its vicinity, as well as guarding government buildings like the parliament... There are no Ethiopians whatsoever in Baidoa."

Zemedhun Tekle, Ethiopia's foreign ministry spokesman said: "There is no reason for Ethiopia to go to Somalia as long as the Islamist group does not threaten to attack Baidoa."

Abdirahman Mohamed Nur Dinari, the spokesman for the transitional government, backed up the Ethiopian claims. He said: "This is absolute propaganda from the Islamists. There are no Ethiopian troops in Baidoa. Anybody with the evidence should come forward."

In Mogadishu, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said: "We are urging Ethiopia to immediately and without delay withdraw its troops and stop interfering in Somali affairs. We are urging Ethiopia to just be a good neighbour."

Later, his speech became more defensive. He is quoted as saying today: "The Somali people are ready to defend themselves from the acts of aggression by Ethiopia. What the Ethiopians have done is an act of violence that undermines the sovereignty of Somalia. The Somali people have to defend themselves and (we) are ready to spearhead that defense. We will fight and die to defend Somalia from an Ethiopian military attack."

AKI reports that Sheikh Ahmed had declared "jihad" on Ethiopian troops, but does not give direct quotes to support this, other than those we reproduce here.

It seems strange that the Islamists should be so upset at the presence of "foreigners" in "their" land. On 6 July, a video was released, confirming the claims of the US, the Counter-Terror Alliance and others, that Arab foreigners had been used in the militias' ranks. The US and the Alliance had long claimed that Al Qaeda terrorists had been harboured in Somalia by the Islamists.

The situation in Somalia seems to be worsening, but for the moment, it appears that the Somali Islamists' fear of a war with Ethiopia are preventing them from taking the issue further.

UPDATE to this story can be found here

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 21, 2006 6:02 PM

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