By O. Ibrahim

Dear Sirs;

I would like to draw your attention to the disgraceful incident which happened in Garissa city, Kenya where over 200 people including 11 county councilors were  rounded up, detained, raped and tortured by Kenyan army on  23/ 04/ 2013 . This shameful and indiscriminate act of violence against the whole Kenya-Somalis is regular and deep rooted crime known as collective punishment. It reminds us what happened in Garissa and Wajir in early 80s when hundreds of civilians including women and children were raped, tortured and killed by Kenyan forces.

Ever since Kenyan  troops went to Somalia to fight Al-shabab in 2010, the lives of Kenya-Somali living in the North eastern  Province of Kenya and the Somali refugees have become and unbearable.

It is common knowledge that whenever an incident happens the security forces avoid going towards the scene but any other direction, only to return when they are sure the criminals are gone. They then start rounding up innocent people where they rape the women and torture men. This behavior is well documented by Aid agencies and news groups like VOA and BBC.

Your excellences, I do not have to explain the effect this is going to have on the region to you but let me mention few for the record.

1)   It is an insult and constant injury to the Somali Kenyans where ever they are in the world thereby harming the national security.

2)   It drives peaceful people to support terrorist groups like Al-shabab.

3)   It destroys community relations throughout the region since Kenyan troops are primarily non-Somali.

4)    It will support the hands of those who believe that the Somali people whether in the Ogaden region, in Kenya and in Somalia are the victims of Western agenda due to their religion, since it was the British and their allies who divided the Somali people and put some under the rule of non-Muslim rulers i.e. Kenya and Ethiopia.

In view of the above, I request you to take an appropriate action, if not for our sake, but for the sake of the region and the world.

Regards

O.Ibrahim
London

Email: bilaal003@hotmail.com