Somali prime minister's Israel statement fuels extremism

Visits: 1947
(Rating 1.0/5 Stars) Total Votes: 1
0 0
Share via Social Media

Somali prime minister's Israel statement fuels extremism

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Somalia's Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, last week voiced his support for Hamas, a Palestinian armed group, during a religious event at the newly renovated national theatre in Mogadishu.

Share

Somali PM Hamza Abdi Barre describes Hamas as a liberation movement.

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Somalia's Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, last week voiced his support for Hamas, a Palestinian armed group, during a religious event at the newly renovated national theatre in Mogadishu.

Barre’s remarks, in which he referred to Israelis and Jews as "children of pigs and monkeys,” have not only sparked outrage but have also raised concerns about Somalia’s stance on international relations and its future trajectory.

Somalia, a country that has been a focal point of international efforts to establish stability and democracy, continues to grapple with active conflicts fueled by terrorism, lawlessness, and clan rivalries.

While the international community has sponsored numerous peace deals and supported the formation of a federal government in 2004, the nation still faces significant challenges in upholding democratic values.

Rather than progressing towards democratic ideals, Somalia has taken an unexpected and alarming path. Islamist groups have gained influence and have been targeting individuals and organizations advocating for democratic values, including women’s rights activists and media outlets.

Prime Minister Barre’s endorsement of Hamas, a group widely designated as a terrorist organization, has further exacerbated concerns.

He referred to Hamas as a "liberation movement” and openly declared his support for them during a public event.

This declaration not only raises questions about Somalia’s stance on international terrorism but also places the nation’s relationship with Western countries, which provide crucial aid, in jeopardy.

The United States, for instance, has contributed $2.5 billion in humanitarian aid for the Horn of Africa since October 1, 2021, with $1.3 billion allocated for Somalia. This aid has played a significant role in addressing the urgent needs of the Somali people, particularly children.

UNICEF has credited American aid with saving 460,000 Somali children in the previous year. The prime minister’s remarks have now put this vital aid at risk, leaving the Somali population in a precarious situation.

In a concerning development, extremist religious groups in Mogadishu have called for the withdrawal of the U.S. embassy from Mogadishu.

The situation has reached a point where the very presence of Western embassies is being questioned.

Prime Minister Barre’s own ties to a Salafi group with allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood, a known supporter of Hamas, have ignited local unrest and support for extremist ideologies.

Al-Shabaab, a notorious militant group operating in Somalia, has also issued a statement calling for a total war on Israel and threatening retaliation against U.S. interests in East Africa. This has further escalated tensions in Somalia.

Reports have emerged that groups in Mogadishu are mobilizing university and school students for a major anti-American rally, likely to occur on Friday.

Extremist clerics have openly declared their intentions to protest against the U.S. due to its support for Israel’s right to self-defense.

The situation has reached a critical point, with UN diplomatic sources expressing fears that terrorist groups may seize the opportunity to target UN and Western embassies in the Halane camp in Mogadishu.

The international community is left in shock as Somalia’s prime minister aligns himself with groups that oppose democratic values and openly support organizations with known terrorist affiliations.

Local voices are also questioning the priorities of their leaders, who seem more focused on international crises than addressing the ongoing issues within their own borders such as the Laascaanood conflict which led to the death of more than 150 civilians and close to 200,000 displaced.

However, Mohamed Hassan Nure, a prominent observer, asserts that the root issue goes beyond the prime minister’s comments. Somalia finds itself under the rule of Islamist groups known for their extreme ideologies, yet the plight of civilians in places like Laascaanood often goes unnoticed by authorities in Mogadishu.

"Why cannot Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre cry for his own people in Laascaanood massacred by a Somaliland dictator instead of talking about the crisis in the Middle East? I am not saying what is happening in Gaza is right, but I mean let’s first solve our own problems.”