Community protests killing of Somalis
By Sue Bolton
MELBOURNE — "We are demonstrating to show Australian people and the international community how angry and upset we are with the continual killings of Somalians by the UN troops in Somalia", declared Abdi Guled, chairperson of the United Somali Organisation in Australia.
About 100 Somalians and their supporters voiced their opposition to the UN/US attacks on Somali citizens in a noisy demonstration outside the United States consulate on July 16.
The chants reflected the anger of the demonstrators. "Who is the warlord? Bill Clinton! Who is the warlord? Boutros Boutros-Ghali!" "One Somalia!" "UN/US Out of Somalia! Somalia for the Somalians!"
Demonstrators were particularly angry about the distorted media coverage of events in Somalia.
On July 11, UN forces attacked a conference of 500 civic, political and religious leaders, clan elders and intellectuals who had gathered to discuss solutions to the crisis. This attack resulted in 73 deaths and 200 wounded. Four journalists who were attending the conference were among the dead.
Media reports described the target of the attack as a military-intelligence centre for General Aideed, and downplayed the number of deaths of Somali civilians.
When asked why the conference had been attacked, Guled explained that it is clear "the USA doesn't want Somalians to work out a solution to the crisis in their own country. The UN has continually condemned, and now attacked militarily, any initiative by Somalians to develop a peace agreement.
"Military attacks on Somali citizens have been continual in Mogadishu, but have also occurred in other parts of the country, such as the southern port of Kismayo and in the central regions of the country.
"Attacks by UN troops are also destroying the economic infrastructure of the country. The three biggest factories in Mogadishu, main roads, gardens and the only Somalian-controlled radio station have all been destroyed."
Guled believes that the "only long-lasting solution to the Somalian situation has to come from the Somalian people themselves".