Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Somali Islamists loyal to the transitional federal government walk past bullet-riddled buildings during a patrol in northern Mogadishu, May 26, 2009. REUTERS
Amnesty International has disapproved the sentencing of four teenagers to cross amputation by Al-Shabaab insurgents calling it cruel and inhuman.
“We are appealing to Al-Shaabab not to carry out these cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments,” said Tawanda Hondora, Amnesty International’s Africa Deputy Director.
They are scheduled to have their right hand and left foot cut off this morning at the militias camp, Masla in northern Mogadishu.
Guarantees of fairness
The human rights organisation questions the viability of the court that tried them saying it was a ‘sham Al-Shabaab court with no due process or guarantees of fairness’
“The four men allegedly admitted to the robbery, but have not been represented by a lawyer, nor are they allowed to appeal against their sentence” said Mr Hondora.
The cross amputation has been seen as a show of power and control by the hard line Islamist group who area already in control of several districts of Mogadishu.
Although the armed groups strict practices have shocked many Somalis who are traditionally moderate Muslims, many have lauded them as having restored order in their territories.
The sentencing of the boys was done before hundreds of residents
“ Today, the Islamic court sentences these four men who carried out robberies to have their opposite hand and leg amputated. “ the courts judge Sheikh Abdul Haq said in his ruling. “ They stole mobile and peoples belongings,”
Member states
Amnesty International reports that this the third amputation this year with an Al-Shabab-controlled coalition in the port city of Kismayo, southern Somalia, having carried out at least two amputations since the beginning of 2009.Story by Argaw Ashine
Meanwhile, the African Union has urged member states and international community to help save Somalia Government.
The Union promised Ato continue support in defending Somalia’s legitimate administration.
AU chief Jean Ping, in a statement on Monday, expressed his deep concern on the deteriorating situation in Somalia and called for immediate response from the international community.
On Saturday Somalia’s Speaker of Parliament admitted the government had been weakened by Islamist insurgents and appeal for an urgent military support from neighboring countries Kenya Ethiopia and Djibouti.
Ethiopia has said it would need an international mandate before to take an action.
One crew member
Ethiopian troops are already close to Somalia boarder on high alert.
Ethiopian army entered to Somalia in 2006 but withdrew from Mogadishu at the beginning of this year after two years tough operation.
In another development, Somali pirates freed a Dutch freighter with a Ukrainian crew on Tuesday, nearly two months after the vessel was captured in the Gulf of Aden, Ukrainian authorities said.
The Dutch government said one crew member had been shot dead by the pirates, and another had been wounded.
Dutch marines were providing medical assistance and escorting the ship back to neutral waters, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said.
“According to the Ukrainian embassy in the Netherlands, Somali pirates on June 23 released the Marathon vessel with eight Ukrainian citizens,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Owned and flagged
It was not clear how or why the ship was freed. A spokesman for the Dutch Foreign Ministry said force was not used but could not comment on whether a ransom was paid.
The Dutch owner-operator of the vessel, Cargadoor Amons & Co., declined to comment on the release of the ship or any ransom.
The Ukrainian embassy in The Hague was not available for comment.
The 2,575-tonne Marathon was westbound through the Gulf of Aden when it was seized May 7. Owned and flagged in the Netherlands, the ship was carrying coke fuel when it was taken.
Up to early June, there have been 29 successful hijackings of ships off of Somalia this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
Source: Daily Nation, June 23, 2009