Monday, January 22, 2007
London (HOL) - Many Somalis gathered in front of the American Embassy in London on Friday 19/1/07 to demonstrate their anger toward the Americans in Somalia. The Somalis wanted to tell the Americans that they are against the American soldiers in Somalia. Angry Somalis shouted: Down America! Down Down Bush! Ethiopia Out Out!
Although there were not so many people as I expected to be in front of the American Embassy however, the handful of Somali people who were there wanted to make sure their that voices are heard by the American diplomats and the staff who were in the American Embassy at the time.
The Somali demonstrators sang patriotic Somali songs such as: Somaliyey tooso tooso isku tiigsadaye midkiina taagdare taagera weliginee. Dhulka so anigu ma lihi dadka so anigu ma lihi.
They also shouted: “the warlords are criminals. They are the enemies of Somali people. They sold our land to Ethiopians and to Americans. The warlords are killers.
“I am very sorry of what is happening to my country. I was looking forward to go back to my home land because the Islamic Court gave hope to all Somali people. I thought the war was over but look at what is happening now, everything is horrible. People are killing each other. Americans and Ethiopians are not doing any favours for us they are actually killing us said Sirad Adan.
Demonstrators went on shouting: “Who is the killer? Is Bush, Bush! Who is the enemy? Bush! America Down Down! The only killer is George Bush. He is the enemy of Islam and the enemy of Somali people. Bush out of Somalia, America out Ethiopia out!”
“I am saddened of what Americans and Ethiopians are doing to my country. The reason we are here in front of the American Embassy is of what we saw in the news. I saw lots of innocent people dying in the hands of Americans and the Ethiopians. I wanted to go back home but how can I? My hopes and dreams are shattered. I think there is no hope left in Somalia anymore because of this so-called government who called Ethiopians and Americans.
We don’t want Americans and Ethiopians in our land, we want them out as soon as possible! The Americans use excuses that there are terrorists in Somalia. But there are no terrorists in Somalia. The truth is that Americans and Ethiopians hate Islam and as the matter of fact Ethiopia is and always been our number one enemy. Standing in front of the American embassy, I want to tell American people that we don’t you in our country because you are killing innocent people in Somalia and we want you out of our land.” said Hawa Adan.
I am very upset to see that American soldiers are killing my Somali people using the latest machines guns and bombarding poor people from the sky. We had 16 years of civil war; people in Somalia are tired of war. They are hungry and all they need now is food, medicine and peace. They cannot absolutely defend themselves from Americans and Ethiopians. We want Americans to leave our land. We had little bit of hopes when the Islamic Court came to power, but now things are even worst than before Islamic Court came to rule. I went to Somalia when the Islamic Court was in power and Somalia was safe and peaceful and now all those things went down the drain. I want the Americans and the Ethiopians out of my land.
The Somalis in front of the American embassy in London wanted to tell the Americans that they are NOT happy with their presence in Somalia. Somalis seemed to be united against Americans and Ethiopians in Somalia.
“I am sorry that we are the hand of enemies. They are saying that they are helping the Somali weak government. The warlords had ruled Somalia for 16 years helped by the Americans. And now the Americans are bombarding poor people and their animals. Are the camels, donkeys, cows and goats terrorists? They also killed innocent people including children and old people are they terrorists? The president of Somalia, Abdulahi Yusuf said he doesn’t think that the Americans had bombarded innocent people and if they did, then, they had the right to do so.” said Qali.
The demonstrators want the Americans and the Ethiopians out of Somalia. They want Somali people to be united. They want the endless civil-war to finish. “We want justice. We want it now” chanted the demonstrators.
Kim Kule, Hiiraan Online
E-mail: [email protected]