Press Release:
February, 10th, 2015
The 10th of February 2015 is exactly sixteen years since the horrific massacre took place when the Kenya Security killed over 400 Somali men. This is to mark the 31st anniversary of the Wajr massacre. This act of genocide occurred in 1984 in Wagala near Wajr. The massacre itself occurred following the rounding up of five thousand Somali men and their removal to the Wagala airstrip, while their homes were being burnt to the ground. The men were detained within a barbed wire enclosed over a four-day period, forced to strip, denied food, water and the right to pray. They were also subjected to beatings and various kinds of torture. The effect of this massacre has been devastating to the morale of the Somalis, the majority of who are too intimidated to take any action in case of further reprisals. To the Somalis, the Wajir massacre is one of the gravest in a sad history of brutal massacres, including Malkamari in 1976, Garissa in 1980, Madogashe in 1982, and Bagala in 1998. Since none of these massacres have ever been investigated, the pattern of repression of the Kenyan Somali people continues.
Hundreds of families of victims of the Wajir massacre are in Bula Jogoo area of Wajir and are still in a state of destitution depending solely on relief aid. The Kenya Government has never compensated them for the massacre. At the time of the Wajir massacre there was an international outcry and many western countries showed their concerns and protested to the Kenya government. Among them were Canada, Britain, the United States of America, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Finland, Australia, Austria, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium.
We continue to call on these countries and others to join us denouncing the Kenya Government's lack of compensation for the victims of these massacres and finally to bring charges against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.
Please consider joining us in peacefully standing for justice and what is right.
We demand the following:
1) Allow an independent and impartial commission of injury to investigate all the massacres that took place in Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera districts
2) Remove the infamous policy of economic and social strangulation in Northern Kenya. Enact laws that are geared towards elevating the standards of living of the inhabitants of NEP
3) Give compensation to the bereaved families of Wagala massacre
Contact Mr. Abdi Omar (Chairman Kenyan Somali Community of North America): 613-736-1789