In Somalia, the murder of the society’s notables and innocent foreigners—especially aid workers—is becoming an epic problem. In the past number of years, unknown dark forces eliminated hundreds of important and innocent Somalis and visitors from other countries. This space is not big enough to list the names of the victims assassinated in Somalia. In fact, as we were drafting this editorial piece, we were shocked to read about the news of yet another cold-blooded murder.
The collective failure of the government and the opposition forces to halt these assassinations (if they are not involved in them) ought to produce another grassroots, people-owned revolution against these horrific, un-Islamic and un-Somali murders.
Just to pinpoint some of the victims would illustrate the breadth and depth of the premeditated and politically motivated assassinations inSomalia.
On Sunday July 6, 2008, we are reading about the execution of Osman Ali Ahmed, the chief of UNDP- Somalia, Mogadishu Office. The victim was gunned down as he was leaving a mosque where he performed evening prayers. On Sunday June 21, 2008, Eng. Mohamed Hassan Kulmiye was assassinated in Beledweyne, where he tirelessly worked in the areas of peace and reconciliation. He left behind seven children. On Wednesday July 2, 2008, Abdikarim Sheikh Ibrahim, a well-known Somali businessman who campaigned for Somali orphans, was killed inMogadishu. The victim assisted over one thousand orphans. OnMonday June 30, 2008, Siyad Orow, the head of local charity organization working with WFP was kidnapped and later killed. On Saturday June 7, Nasteh Dahir Farah, a reporter with BBC, was murdered in Kismayo.
This shocking and partial list of murdered Somalis was in the months of June and July alone. Many others where killed in the previous years and they are too numerous to list. As a reminder, let us mention some of the victims of the assassination spree in Somalia. On Wednesday February 9, 2005, Kate Peyton, a BBC producer was killed just moments after she arrived inMogadishu. On Friday June 23, 2006, Martin Adler, a Swedish photojournalist, was killed in a broad daylight assassination while he was filming aMogadishu rally. On August 11, 2007, Mahad Ahmed Elmi, a radio talk-show host, was murdered outside his radio station. Ali Iman Sharmarke, the co-owner of Hornafrik was murdered after he returned from the funeral of his assassinated colleague, Mahad Elmi.
On November 4, 2004, Mohamed Abdi Mohamed, a well-respected Somali general, was shot and killed on his way back from morning prayers. He passed away five days latter in a Nairobihospital. On July 11, 2005Abdulkadir Yahaya Ali, was murdered in an execution-style killing at his home in Mogadishu. On Friday July 28, 2006, Abdalla Derow Isak, a Minister with the TFG and the Former Speaker of the Somali Parliament, was killed as he left a local mosque in Baidoa; he just finished Friday prayers; and on and on and on…
Most probably, the men who pulled the trigger of the guns that silenced these victims did not know their targets. Most likely, the victims did not cause any harm to their killers, for how the late Ms. Kate Peyton of BBC who was in Mogadishu in mere hours, crossed anybody. These people died because someone or some group marked them to die. Similarly, in every assassination, there was more than one assailant, as well plenty of eyewitnesses, who saw the unfolding horrific crimes. It also plausible to assume, in addition to the culprits who carry out the killings, there are others who are privy to the planning and other information concerning to the murderers we have chronicled as well as other hundreds of killings that we did not mention.
To put it differently, the victims the Somalia assassinations did not die in an uninhabited desert. Many people know about these crimes. Many theories abound about the perpetrator and their motives. Conjecture is not the best root to solve crimes. There are time-proven methods to solve murders. It is called homicide investigation. Somalia has had experienced criminologists; also there are many Diaspora Somalis who honed their skills in this field. Our society is also known for its propensity to divulge secrets. There is no way that the killings of hundreds of people could be covered forever.
Diaspora Somalis should seek the support and cooperation of the criminologists in the host-lands. There are sophisticated ways and means to bring justice, not only to the killers of the innocents inSomalia, but also the masterminds behind the killing spree.
The file of every assassinated victim in Somalia should be an open file… justice must prevail. Doing nothing about the assassination spree in Somalia and allowing criminals to get away with the murders of the best and brightest is as bad as the killings itself.
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