Please STOP the massacre of innocent farmers

Today, 1st January 2015 the most parts of the world is celebrating the new year. But the people of Awdheegle, a district in southern Somalia, are mourning the massacre of poor protesters, who were protesting against their farms being destroyed by the livestock owners who constantly bribe the police and government forces to carry out these assassinations and transgressions to those who try to voice or protest against this injustices.

The saddest part is when the local residents sued the these senseless murderers, all the 10 witnesses were arrested by the government forces. These people have been struggling for more than 20 years in and out with war and situations of constant fear, discrimination and widespread lack of protection for human rights, even though there is a central government that is recognised by the international community, but human rights conditions in Somalia remain grim, with assassinations, targeted bombings, harassment, rape and the mass displacement of people an ongoing problem in some parts of the country, some of which are carried out by the government forces. All those abuses are contrary to human rights. Those abuses are happening to these poor and voiceless farmers every day.

Most of these injustices are not reported for many reasons one of them is Journalists being constantly under attack. For his part, National Union of Somali Journalists Secretary General Mohamed Ibrahim said journalists continue to suffer human rights abuses in carrying out their work.“We have recorded the killings of at least five journalists this year, while another six were wounded. Two were killed in Baidoa, two in Mogadishu and the fifth was killed in Galkayo,” he said. “Also, there have been about 30 cases in Mogadishu where journalists were arrested. Two of them are still in jail. In Somaliland, 45 journalists were arrested.”

Ibrahim called on the Somali government to bring to court two journalists who were working for Sky FM and Shabelle Media Network, or to let them go free, since they have been held in custody since August without charges.