A report released by the US-based
group Human Rights Watch holds responsible Ethiopian, Somali, and insurgent
forces for severe violations of the laws of war that have resulted in
heavy civilian casualties.
The 113-page report called "Shell-Shocked:
Civilians under siege in Mogadishu" refers to the fights that
destroyed the Somali capital, Mogadishu in March and April this year, causing
more than 1,300 civilian deaths and forcing more than 400,000 residents to
leave their homes.
The Human Rights Watch’s release is
based on a six-week research and on more than 100 interviews with eye-witnesses
of the most dreadful fights Somalia has encountered in the recent years.
Ethiopian troops, Somali government
forces and Islamic rebels equally contributed to war crimes by indiscriminately
shelling residential areas in Mogadishu and lack of protection of
civilians.
"The fundamental pattern is that
civilians are getting caught in the middle," said the watchdog's London
director, Mr. Tom Porteous.
In addition to that, Ethiopian government and insurgent
forces constantly used civilians as human shields and many were subject to
summary executions. "Under international law you must target specific
military installations. There is a duty to ensure that civilian harm is kept to
a minimum, and this has been ignored," Porteous added.
The recently killed Somali journalists is another
significant issue taken into consideration by the Human Rights Watch. The
Somali media impressed by its strength and stamina in the absence of a
functioning government, but now it is weakened by these attacks on journalists.
Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government is blamed for not
protecting its civilians by warning them of the coming military operations,
mistreating them and even hindering humanitarian aid.
The US and EU are urged to consider Somalia’s sad situation
and to take action to curb the violent events. Porteous stated that “The US and
the EU need to start taking the situation in Somalia seriously and stop turning
a blind eye to it.”
Somalia has been constantly shattered by civil war since the
1991 President Siad Barre's dictatorship was violently ended by a coalition of rebellious
movements. His vacant place generated this never-ending war.
The intervention of international troops commanded by the US
failed to reach any benefic result and was withdrawn in 1995.
