SYL Press release/ President Yusuf Shelling of civilians
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:08 am
hadhwanaag 2007-03-27 (Hadhwanaagnews) The New SYL
New Somali Youth League
Somali Political Party
March 27, 2007
New SYL Press release
President Yusuf Shelling of civilians
The following is an extract from a radio interview 21st March 2007 which the President of TFG, Abdullahi Yusuf, had with the Somali section of the VOA.
v Interviewer: Have you been defeated?
v President Yusuf : Have you ever gone into war?
v Interviewer: Who is fighting then since it is being said that there are two sides involved?
v President Yusuf: I asked you a question. If war occurs, death will happen and one side will either be pushed back or defeated. But we have never been defeated and Inshallah we will never be defeated – we will terminate these men.
v Interviewer: It is being reported the government (TFG) is shelling densely populated areas with heavy artillery, why are you doing so Mr. President?
v President Yusuf: Why shouldn’t we do so, they (the men firing the mortars) are within the civilians – the civilians should expel these men from their areas. If these men leave civilian populated areas then no harm will come to the civilians. We want the civilians to say to them to leave us since they are the trouble makers and not the government. Where ever a single bullet is fired from towards us we would respond and retaliate with artillery shelling regardless who is in there.
v Interviewer: Even if there are civilians there you will still shell it?
v President Yusuf: We will shell it because we don’t want the civilians to be used as human shield. Civilians should evacuate these areas – we have already warned the civilians and told them that there is war in these areas and therefore they should leave these areas until the conflict can be brought to an end.
v Interviewer: Mr. President since you declared that you are a government of reconciliation and safeguarding the civilians, how can that now be possible when you are now saying that you will burn everyone.
v President Yusuf: The conflicted is being induced by one side, and those carrying it out will be fought with - if they hide within the civilian population then there will be civilian casualties. You should ask them (the opposing side) these kind of questions, why don’t they step outside the populated areas and come out to the open and fight against the government.
The above extracts are very alarming to say the least; however they confirm the fear that many had, that the current TFG under President Yusuf is not a reconciliation government and above all is on the path to cause destruction and mayhem. It is destined to root out the hope and desire of the Somali people which was never to return to the situations and factors that were the catalyst to the civil war of 1990’s.
If anything the above extracts prove that the current TFG and their backers the occupying Ethiopian forces shell with heavy artillery densely civilian populated areas regardless of the excuse they give. It is no longer a claim made by those opposing the TFG, you have heard it straight from the horse mouth.
Finally we the New SYL first would like to bring to the attention of the International Community the impending human genocide in particularly Mogadishu and southern Somalia unless they take urgent steps to avert the ongoing danger and looming disaster. And secondly we hold this and many other warning statements made by us and other groups as a record and reference to hold against the current insignificant International Community if as expected, God forbid, and the resulting human disaster occurs. Phrases such as ‘we were not aware’ or ‘we did not envisage’ would be insufficient excuses to erase responsibility.
Sincerely, Mr. Awale Ali Kullane ,
Leader of the New SYL,
AWale@yahoo.com
Phone: 00447092877136 • Fax: 00447092877136
AWale@yahoo.com
Phone: 00447092877136 • Fax: 00447092877136
New Somali Youth League
Somali Political Party
March 27, 2007
New SYL Press release
President Yusuf Shelling of civilians
The following is an extract from a radio interview 21st March 2007 which the President of TFG, Abdullahi Yusuf, had with the Somali section of the VOA.
v Interviewer: Have you been defeated?
v President Yusuf : Have you ever gone into war?
v Interviewer: Who is fighting then since it is being said that there are two sides involved?
v President Yusuf: I asked you a question. If war occurs, death will happen and one side will either be pushed back or defeated. But we have never been defeated and Inshallah we will never be defeated – we will terminate these men.
v Interviewer: It is being reported the government (TFG) is shelling densely populated areas with heavy artillery, why are you doing so Mr. President?
v President Yusuf: Why shouldn’t we do so, they (the men firing the mortars) are within the civilians – the civilians should expel these men from their areas. If these men leave civilian populated areas then no harm will come to the civilians. We want the civilians to say to them to leave us since they are the trouble makers and not the government. Where ever a single bullet is fired from towards us we would respond and retaliate with artillery shelling regardless who is in there.
v Interviewer: Even if there are civilians there you will still shell it?
v President Yusuf: We will shell it because we don’t want the civilians to be used as human shield. Civilians should evacuate these areas – we have already warned the civilians and told them that there is war in these areas and therefore they should leave these areas until the conflict can be brought to an end.
v Interviewer: Mr. President since you declared that you are a government of reconciliation and safeguarding the civilians, how can that now be possible when you are now saying that you will burn everyone.
v President Yusuf: The conflicted is being induced by one side, and those carrying it out will be fought with - if they hide within the civilian population then there will be civilian casualties. You should ask them (the opposing side) these kind of questions, why don’t they step outside the populated areas and come out to the open and fight against the government.
The above extracts are very alarming to say the least; however they confirm the fear that many had, that the current TFG under President Yusuf is not a reconciliation government and above all is on the path to cause destruction and mayhem. It is destined to root out the hope and desire of the Somali people which was never to return to the situations and factors that were the catalyst to the civil war of 1990’s.
If anything the above extracts prove that the current TFG and their backers the occupying Ethiopian forces shell with heavy artillery densely civilian populated areas regardless of the excuse they give. It is no longer a claim made by those opposing the TFG, you have heard it straight from the horse mouth.
Finally we the New SYL first would like to bring to the attention of the International Community the impending human genocide in particularly Mogadishu and southern Somalia unless they take urgent steps to avert the ongoing danger and looming disaster. And secondly we hold this and many other warning statements made by us and other groups as a record and reference to hold against the current insignificant International Community if as expected, God forbid, and the resulting human disaster occurs. Phrases such as ‘we were not aware’ or ‘we did not envisage’ would be insufficient excuses to erase responsibility.
Sincerely, Mr. Awale Ali Kullane ,
Leader of the New SYL,
AWale@yahoo.com
Phone: 00447092877136 • Fax: 00447092877136
AWale@yahoo.com
Phone: 00447092877136 • Fax: 00447092877136
quote->"We will shell it because we don’t want the civilians to be used as human shield."