Mogadishu: A Barbaric Slaughter Of Innocent Academics

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Friday, December 04, 2009.

The mass murder of Professors, medical doctors, graduate medical students, prominent TFG cabinet ministers, parents and journalists in Hotel Shamo, Mogadishu, yesterday the 3rd of December 2009, was most repugnant to Somalis values and it was unforgivable act of terrorism against the most talented and brightest people in Mogadishu. 

 

The targeting and cold bloodily annihilating of Somalia's most brainy academics is a horrendous crime against the well being of Somalia in general and a foreboding omen about what will be the future of Somalis and Somalia in the event of these human tragedies and ferocious widespread violence in the country.

 

Legitimate questions

 

1. Given the war footing situation in Mogadishu and elsewhere

     in the country, how it did possibly happen that a suicide

     bomber to infiltrate into hall of Hotel Shamo where the

     graduation ceremony was being held ?

 

2. The TFG security forces were heavily present and guarding

     Hotel Shamo in order to make sure that the graduation

     ceremony being attended by prominent TFG cabinet ministers,

      University Professors, medical doctors, graduate medical

      students, Journalists, parents and other invited guests to

      go ahead safely and without a hitch, thus how security

       lapses could happen given the climate of war and violence

       in Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia ?

 

3. The TFG security forces at Hotel Shamo were expected and

     fully obliged to search all invited individuals and all ceremony

     participants for weapons and strongly tighten security around

     Hotel Shamo, then what happened to carry out such security

     precautions ?

 

4. Given the knowledge and full awareness that suicide bombers

    employ or use various methods  to disguise themselves to

    cause deadly explosions, how it could possibly happen that

    an alleged male veiled as a woman to infiltrate the hall of

    Hotel Shamo where the graduation ceremony was in progress?

 

The TFG reaction and response after the massacre at Hotel Shamo

 

First, The tfg's response after so many important people perished at Hotel Shamo's bombing or explosion was incoherent, contradictory or even disingenuous according to many Somalis. The tfg did not present any convincing information that Al-Qaeda through Al-Shabab was responsible for the mass murders at Hotel Shamo. The Al-Shabab opposition Group vehemently denied that it was behind the mass slaughter at Hotel Shamo.

 

Second, the tfg hastily jumped into conclusions without responsibly investigating what happened at Hotel Shamo and shockingly presented to the media a half body of a dead person whom the tfg claimed was the suicide bomber without any shred of evidence based on responsible and acceptable thorough investigation on the scene of the explosion at Hotel Shamo.

 

In conclusions, the Somali people are deeply saddened at the loss and slaughter of so many highly educated and precious individuals who were the luminaries of the Somali society, and they want to know the truth of what really happened at Hotel Shamo on the morning of 3rd December 2009. Many people who attended that fateful ceremony at Hotel Shamo and survived as well as many other Somalis believe that the deadly explosion at Hotel Shamo was deliberated pre-planned and implanted in the Hall of Hotel Shamo where the graduation ceremony was taking place.

 

Now the tfg must set up an independent body comprising of people from various backgrounds and disciplines to investigate and find out what actually transpired and happened at Hotel Shamo on that day. The Somali people deserve the truth to be told and fast ! In a curious coincidence, as soon as the mass murders took place at Hotel Shamo, the Amisom troops based in Mogadishu called on the international community to urgently increase its human and material resources in order to fight Al-Qaeda in Somalia. Similarly, the tfg has said released to the mass media worldwide echoing what the Amisom troops had said already in relation to so-called Al-Qaeda in Somalia.

 

Lastly but not least, I take this opportunity to send my heartfelt condolences to the families, relatives and the Somali people at the deaths of all those dear people who were unlawfully killed in mysterious circumstances at Hotel Shamo. And I also pray to

Allah that those who were wounded and maimed to get well quick.

 

 

Hassan Shirwa