In the case of Missing Somali Youth
Mahdi Haile
March 14, 2009
We can't of course be sure of the exact balance of motivations that drove young Somalis to go back Somalia and fight or blew themselves up as suicide bombers. but we can be certain that the bloodbath unleashed by Ethiopian invasion - where a many Somalis dying every day - perhaps was at the exact motivation of missing Somali youth. What they did was not "home grown", but driven by the anger at Ethiopian-led domination and occupation of Somalia. in the case of Shirwa Ahmed who blew up himself in Bosaso was to blame for attacks on civilians that are neither morally nor politically defensible.
However certain media Rhetoric become so deep and so overwhelming to the Somali community. The deliberate misinformation campaign of racist and sectarian abuse directed at the Somali community have resulted an increase of racist assaults and abuse hurled at members of our community. we cannot turn the clock back. the incorrect statements about the Missing Somali youth in the Media have convinced many Americans to label the wider Somali community members as terrorist.
We are not the terrorist, we are Americans and we love this country dearly. These acts of recruitment and indoctrination may be committed by people who call themselves Somali, but they violate essential Somali culture and Islamic principles. The Qur'an prohibits aggressive warfare, permits war only in self-defense and insists that the true Islamic values are peace, reconciliation and forgiveness. It also states firmly that there must be no coercion in religious matters, and for centuries Islam had a much good record of religious tolerance.
The main thrust is towards kindliness and compassion. The Somali culture, the Islamic law outlaws war against any country in which Muslims are allowed to practice their religion freely, and forbids the use of fire, the destruction of buildings and the killing of innocent civilians in a military campaign.
We are being victimized and made scapegoats for the actions of few individuals. Neither the Somali Community nor any other community should be blamed for the criminal, terrorist actions of the few Young Somalis. The Somali community has suffered a great deal in the backlash that has followed the case of missing Youth. This is a community that is already suffering from racism, to discrimination, and Islamophobia. the security crackdowns, the detention of Somali Americans at the nations´ airports and campaign to scare and spread fear among Somali communities will not extinguish the threat. but, our priority must be to stem the flow, the recruitment of young people into organizations such as al-Shabab, instead of alienating and scaring a whole American Community by coupling their religion with immoral violence routinely. Finally Only a US commitment to increase its commitment to stabilize Somalia and deny Somalia to become a haven for terrorism is likely to do it.
Mahdi Haile Is a contributor for www.americanchronicle.com And he is a Director Of the enter For Somali Solutions of Minnesota.
Contact: somalisolutiosn@gmail.com
However certain media Rhetoric become so deep and so overwhelming to the Somali community. The deliberate misinformation campaign of racist and sectarian abuse directed at the Somali community have resulted an increase of racist assaults and abuse hurled at members of our community. we cannot turn the clock back. the incorrect statements about the Missing Somali youth in the Media have convinced many Americans to label the wider Somali community members as terrorist.
We are not the terrorist, we are Americans and we love this country dearly. These acts of recruitment and indoctrination may be committed by people who call themselves Somali, but they violate essential Somali culture and Islamic principles. The Qur'an prohibits aggressive warfare, permits war only in self-defense and insists that the true Islamic values are peace, reconciliation and forgiveness. It also states firmly that there must be no coercion in religious matters, and for centuries Islam had a much good record of religious tolerance.
The main thrust is towards kindliness and compassion. The Somali culture, the Islamic law outlaws war against any country in which Muslims are allowed to practice their religion freely, and forbids the use of fire, the destruction of buildings and the killing of innocent civilians in a military campaign.
We are being victimized and made scapegoats for the actions of few individuals. Neither the Somali Community nor any other community should be blamed for the criminal, terrorist actions of the few Young Somalis. The Somali community has suffered a great deal in the backlash that has followed the case of missing Youth. This is a community that is already suffering from racism, to discrimination, and Islamophobia. the security crackdowns, the detention of Somali Americans at the nations´ airports and campaign to scare and spread fear among Somali communities will not extinguish the threat. but, our priority must be to stem the flow, the recruitment of young people into organizations such as al-Shabab, instead of alienating and scaring a whole American Community by coupling their religion with immoral violence routinely. Finally Only a US commitment to increase its commitment to stabilize Somalia and deny Somalia to become a haven for terrorism is likely to do it.
Mahdi Haile Is a contributor for www.americanchronicle.com And he is a Director Of the enter For Somali Solutions of Minnesota.
Contact: somalisolutiosn@gmail.com
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