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Somalia: Release Children Held in Raid on Al Hidya Mosque
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PRESS RELEASE
23 April 2008
Posted to the web 23 April 2008
Amnesty International today called on the Ethiopian military to release some 41 children held after a raid on Mogadishu's Al Hidya mosque on 19 April 2008, which left 21 people dead.
"The safety and welfare of the children, some as young as nine years old, must be paramount for all parties," said Amnesty International.
Witnesses have told Amnesty International that Ethiopian forces would only release the children from their military base in north Mogadishu "once they had been investigated" and "if they were not terrorists". While Amnesty International has received reports that a small number of children were released yesterday, the majority are still being held by Ethiopian forces.
Amnesty International strongly condemns the targeted killing of civilians in the raid. Eleven of the 21 dead were killed inside the mosque, including the Iman Sheik Saiid Yahya, Sheik Abdullah Mohamud and several Tabliq Islamic scholars. Eye-witnesses report that those killed inside the mosque were unarmed civilians taking no active part in hostilities. Seven of the 21 were reported to have died after their throats were cut – a form of extra-judicial execution practised by Ethiopian forces in Somalia. A spokesman for the Ethiopian government has denied the involvement of Ethiopian troops in these killings.
"The UN Security Council must take steps to end impunity across Somalia by launching an International Commission of Inquiry, or similar mechanism, to investigate human rights violations committed during the armed conflict," said Amnesty International.
For their part, the Ethiopian Government and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia must ensure an independent investigation into these killings; any Ethiopian soldiers found responsible must be prosecuted in line with international fair trial standards and without recourse to the death penalty.
Background
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The attack on the Al Hidya mosque occurred during two days of fighting between the Ethiopian military and TFG against armed groups opposed to them, in which the Elman Human Rights Organisation documented 81 deaths and more than one hundred injured. It is not known how many of these were civilians. The attack also followed increasing attacks by armed groups opposed to the TFG on towns in southern and central Somalia, including an attack on Beledweyne by Al-Shabab militia on 13 April, where local residents reported that militia members killed four teachers. An Al-Shabab leader has claimed the teachers were shot in crossfire.
I wonder why AI refrains from disclosing the fact that the so-called civilians are the shelters of the insurgents who want to impose 'sharia' on the peace-loving and liberal people of Somalia. Afterall, all the insurgents are dressed in civilian style, and it is very clear that many children are wrongly persuaded to join the terrorrist al-Shabab. That is why you don't mention the death of terrorists in the fight. I guess many the arrested 'children' were fighting the TFG. Don't try to blind us by giving us biased information. Try to stand for truth. Reprot all the wrong... [Read Full Text]
The writer above who told you the people of somalia are liberal,and the freedom fighters that attck ethopian convoys everyday are not al-shabab but Islamic Courts Union , the people fighting the ethopians in mogadishu and their lackeys are not insurgents, they are nationalists who don't like to see their country occupied by an government that can't even feed their own people, and the atrocities commiteted by ethopian army, have been godgift in terms of money and fighters joining struggle. I find it funny how people are using al-shabab as bogey man. blame everything just shows these people are... [Read Full Text]
"Eleven of the 21 dead were killed inside the mosque", "including the Iman Sheik Saiid Yahya......and several Tabliq Islamic scholars.
"Eye-witnesses report that those killed inside the mosque were unarmed civilians taking no active part in hostilities. Seven of the 21 were reported to have died after their throats were cut" Are You serious & our people are getting killed for being in a Mosque and reading Quran why? so Abdullahi Yusuf can give away Somali land! or port?.
Anyways you all can see on the news and T.V this is worst then Sudan conflict this,has been... [Read Full Text]
The recent killing of Somalian Imams by Ethiopian(Tigrean)troops show howmuch Ethiopian(Tigrean) troops and the government of Ethiopia(Tigray) are barbaric and irresponsible. Whether the victims are 'terrorists' or not this is a wong act. It is known that these people were not armed when this crime was performed on them. I think all muslims of the world should oppose and cooperate against Ethiopians (Tigreans).
Obsaa Injifataa: great comments which reflects the barbaric acts of Tigreans against innocent muslim nation. They are killing Oromos in Ethiopia likewise, and all Oromoos are against the act of this barbaric Tigreans. The silence of all muslim nations except few is very surprising, I think they afraid of the worldly boss U.S. to denounce the mass killing of muslim; they don't fear the Almighty Allah. Better to think for your Akhirah and help your muslim brothers and sisters - THE SOMALIS. God is the Greatest, with the help of Allah the muslim Somalis shall win and librate their... [Read Full Text]
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