Skip to content

Explain death of casual workers, Senator Ahmad tells UN amid ‘negligence’ claims

Storyline:National News, Security

Senate deputy speaker Abshir Ahmad has called on the UN to explain the circumstances surrounding the killing of casual workers hired by one of its contractors last year after it emerged the global body many have neglected intelligence the workers were at a risk of attack.

Reacting to an investigative piece by Voice of America Somali Service which alluded to negligence by the UN Mine Action (UNMAS) and its contractors leading to the killing of the workers, Senator Ahmad said the UN owes Somalis an explanation and action terming the incident ‘troubling’.

Somali government pointed fingers at the militant group Al-Shabaab but the VOA programme observes that UNMAS and its contractor had received information the workers would be at risk should they be deployed to the field.

“Though the Gov’t accused Al-Shabaab for Feb 25, 2019, this report also points that the UN and respective contractors ignored the death threats and made gross negligence,” Senator Ahmad said in a tweet. “This is indeed troubling. I urge the UN to explain and fully address this matter.”

According to the I-Dossier programme by the VOA, the death of the nine casual labourers killed by Al-Shabaab would have been avoided should the UNMAS and the Ukrainian state contractor, Ukroboronservice heeded the advice and taken necessary preventive measures.

The nine labourers were killed on February 25, 2019, along Mogadishu-Afgooye road while they were clearing bushes. The militant group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the killings.

GOOBJOOG NEWS