Somali politicians criticize AMISOM troops for allegedly killing Young boy in Mogadishu
Somali politicians have condemned the allegedly killings of Somali citizens an Union peace keeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops, latest being fourteen year old boy named Mohamed Bashiir who was killed as he playing football with his friends near a military base in Yakhashid district, Mogadishu.
Secretary General of Daljir party, Ahmed Mo’alim aka Fiqi has criticized the AMISOM troops for killing the young boy without reason.
“We are unhappy with what AMISOM troops did the other day, we are condemning the merciless killing of Mohamed Bashiir” he said.
Speaking to the reporters at Somali Media House, Fiqi called on the international community and human right groups to intervene the issue where the violations against civilians are committed deliberately.
“We need justice for the young innocent boy that was killed by AMISOM soldier who was brought here in Somalia to protect Somalis” Fiqi said.
Naado Mohamed, mother of Bashiir who spoke to the media has also urged Somali government to bring the assailant before the justice.
On the other hand the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM has confirmed the shooting incident but insisted saying said the soldiers could have been acting on a point of defense over concerns that the boy may have crossed a defense line.
“Somebody ran into a defense position and our soldiers took it as a threat. When you’re faced with an imminent threat, when somebody would run into a defense position in that manner, definitely the soldiers would want to defend themselves,” said Paul Njuguna, the spokesman of AMISOM.
Civilian casualty unit
Col Njuguna said the AMISOM civilian casualty unit has received information regarding the incident and he called on Somalis to utilise the new web portal in its website to report any such incidences for necessary action.
The development comes around two months after a deadly incident involving AMISOM troops in the coastal town of Marka where the soldiers were accused of shooting dead nine family members and friends who had gathered for a wedding ceremony.
The AMISOM spokesman said plans for compensation are afoot but only after the process is concluded which includes the participation of the government, AMISOM and the African Union.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon last month called on troops contributing countries to various missions to ensure proper legal mechanisms are put in place to ensure incidences of human rights violation by troops are adequately addressed and more importantly avoided at all cost.
“I appeal to you to institute on-site court martial proceedings to preserve chains of evidence and allow justice to be done and witnessed by the communities and individuals whose trust has been shaken,” said Ban.