By Ali Muse Abdi
Monday, March 26, 2007
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| A Somali soldier imprisoned by the Islamist militia. Somalia's powerful Hawiye clan has released government forces captured during bloody clashes last week as the Somali government sought dialogue with the clan in a bid to pacify Mogadishu.(AFP/Jose Cendon) |
MOGADISHU (AFP) - Somalia's powerful Hawiye clan on Monday released government forces captured during bloody clashes last week as the Somali government sought dialogue with the clan in a bid to pacify Mogadishu.
The Hawiye on Friday made a shaky ceasefire deal with Ethiopian troops backing the Somali government but the government did not participate because the Hawiye elders do not recognise its legality.
Hawiye officials released 18 government soldiers captured on March 21 in some of the heaviest fighting since the government and its Ethiopian allies drove out Islamist guerrillas from the capital three months ago.
"The troops are now free to go anywhere they want to. They were not mistreated while in custody and their rights were not violated, in accordance with the Somali traditions," said clan elder and spokesman Ahmed Diriye.
Officials said a total of 26 were captured and four others had been admitted to hospital while another four had died.
The Hawiye refused to disclose where the prisoners had been held, but sources said some of them had been locked up in southern Mogadishu.
Meanwhile, the Somali government on Monday sought dialogue with the powerful Hawiye clan to which most insurgents belong.
The government is struggling to pacify the capital ahead of a National Reconciliation Conference, planned to start April 16, despite threats of disruption by Islamists.
Somali Interior Minister Muhamoud Hamed Gulled said that the authorities were now extending an olive branch to the Hawiye.
"We have had some misunderstanding with the Hawiye elders, but we will talk with them to resolve the problems," Gulled said in a message broadcast by local radio stations.
"The young men who have been firing rockets into government positions should come and talk to us about their grievances and we will address them. We are ready for dialogue and the government will use all measures to make Mogadishu peaceful," he added.
The Hawiye elders welcomed the government's change of heart and said they would strive to maintain the fragile truce that has already been strained by belligerent wings of the clan.
"The government statement is welcome if it is sincere about it," said Diriye. "We have always called for dialogue and we have truly said we need peace in Mogadishu."
"We all hope the truce will hold."
At least 24 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in last week's fighting, while suspected insurgents shot down a cargo plane over Mogadishu on Friday, killing 11 people on board.
Meanwhile, press rights group Reporters Without Borders on Monday said that a Somali reporter from Radio Shabelle and his driver had been released on Saturday, after being held by government troops for three days.
Mogadishu remained relatively calm Monday as the fragile truce appeared to hold.
The interior minister called on the thousands of Somalis who have fled the capital in recent weeks to return.
"Since both sides support the ceasefire I am urging the Somali people to return home," Gulled said.
A bloody power struggle that followed the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre exploded into a full-scale civil war that has defied more than 14 attempts to restore a functional government.
Source: AFP, Mar 26, 2007
NACNAC, these prisoners are not freed in good faith, but by fear.
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Let me first say Hiiraan.com thanks for deleting my username (somalilander).
I might hack you if i have to but be cool.
goin back to the subject.
Hawiye well done, they thought you were game and they never learned from 1991 and Utango.
Now they all on their knees begging, abdillahi yusuf is literally on his knees for Ali Mahdi, "please save me".
Ali Mahdi is looking after the world fool without the kidneys.
Hawiye didnt want the Islamic Courts, and the Islamic Courts wont just Hawiye, it was every clan including isaaq, ogaden, dhulos, mjs.
But you darood kids think you can just open fire in mogadishu, you better understand you facing real soldiers and they will take you back to Utango.
Thats the way Hawiye. Respect.
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MARSHALE adeer dharaata naga daa rag aan aqaano ayaa ku jira
oo weliba aaynu xigto nahay marka aadiga haddii uusan dad kaa maqneyn
dadka dadkooda gacanta lagu haayo dhibaato ha u keenin
ilaahna ka baq oo dhaarta daa.
ilaah bey ka tahay in aanan xumaan ula jeedi.
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has Hiiraan Online bought by the TFG??? what is going on?
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who is the hawia elders you are talking about, were they been other world last 16 years when their ganges been killing torcherin the inocent peopol sorry my felow somali to say that but it is true.
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End of the TFG. it won't work. Abdullahi Yusuf has no a leadership quality, he should resign. otherwise the situation seems to be as same as 1990s civil war
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Here is what world thinks of Mogadishu savagery. Enjoy it.
http://galbeed.com/2007/03/22/savagery-in-somalia/
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dhowr nin oo mooraayaantoodiiya bey intay soo daayey bey rabaan dadka iney kun qaldaan hal nin ciidmada dawlada walaahi buusan ku jirin hal nin oo ciidammda butdlan walaahi bey aysan ki jirin , ma kuwii maydka sida dugaaginmada u jiideybaa baa maxaabiis butnlaan sii deynalahaa? walaahi buusan ku jirin. mooryaanbey intey iska soo xuleen bey rabaan iney dadka ku qaldaan, waxay ka wadaan waanu dagaalanay , ma haday runsheegayaan waa joogaan itoopiyaakiiye iyo ciidamda butlaane sii wadaan hoobiyaashii ay dadka ka soo dhextuurayaÿeen.mooryaan ige dheh beenteed.
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Just imagine: these are the same thugs that was burning the body of the dead soldier yesterday and, all the sudden, they are treating these soldiers with water and releasing them! I wanna know, what kind of psycho therapy are they getting?
Or they have been warned by government...And therefore, they realized if they don't treat them right and release them, last Thursday's bombardment will continue! Just imagine!
These savages know that pain very well and that is why they release these soldiers for they know if they don't what is coming their way as a punishment...The gangs of Bakaaraha are getting lonely and they now know the consequences of their actions.
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Hopefully those tricked traitors will never return to
Moqdisho. Good job people who take care of them.
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The problem is not who is fighting who but what are we
fighting for? Idon't think this is Clanx VS ClanY, as you may
know not all Darod's are TFG and not all Hawiye's are
against government. So shall we forget about this nonesensical
tribal mentality. Does anybody know the identity of these
soldeiers? where they came from etc? Just curious to know
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Do not kill your brothers you might need them very soon.
Nobody knows what the future has in store for us.
The TFG scheme will be over soon & the conflict will be Somalia vs Ethiopia.
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welldone Hawiye elders for releasing prisoners and treating them well.
that is the best peace gusture.
I hope other side will do the same.
There could be an effective goverment which represents all somalian and operates with TFG charter, which means every region will be have their police and adminstrations including capital mogadisho.
It can be done if there is honest,sincere, and justice.
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Simamnse we change the game. Now you already remember 1991 lol. We will fight in the name of Clan so you will not have exercuse to call us Alqaida, and USA wil not help you. We will see if you will call the largest somali clan Alqaida and who will pay that propaganda.. We are playing c/laahi yusuf's game. Tikree, and TFG are begaing Hawiye leaders and 3 weeks ago they were ignoring those leaders. Tikree are stuck now, and they canot move to no where even if they try to get out Hamar.
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Don't tell me guys that you believe these were P/landers, as you wished for, sorry to stop your proboganda but some of the men were from Mogadishu militias that were added from local warlords. So stop the nonsense, cause this not going to be like 1991 massacres in Mogadishu.
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Is anyone remember early January when Pontland soldries or TFG soldries call what ever you want beheaded and killed 52 prisons in Cadaado town? I think TFg suportes forget that, but we will never forget it. I am glad Hawiye clan leaders free those prisons. Most of them were young men and they were mislead.
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SimanSime: You sound that you support a tribal rule in Somalia. When Yusuf's guys with Amxaro kill innocent Mogadisho people, you don't call it barbaric, but when Mogadisho pple diffend thenselves, you call it barbaric act. Continue your destructive ideology, we will see what happens next.
How come there's nobody of Yusuf's clan saying this is not right. When it goes the same way as 1991, then they all happen to complain that they were massacred without any exception.
It's coming unless you speak up now. See what Yusuf is doing... Killing Mogadisho pple with the help of Amxaro, naming all possitions for his sub-sub-clan... What's the next???
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Hopefully these so called elders will participate the reconciliation effort, if they are sincere. Let see adn hope.
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Ok, it is welcoming to see war prisoners freed in Mogadishu, instead of torching them or draging them dead, it was the 2nd most barbaric act that happpen in Mogadishu during 17 years. I don't believe that the so called hawiye elders are handling the above, it must the the clan who was fighting against TFG all inclusive troops, even they are trying very hard to make it tribal war, again.
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