Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) - “The Holy Father has launched a strictly humanitarian appeal, without any hidden political interests. However, I fear that the Shabab, blinded by their extremist ideology, may interpret it as a “Christian” interference in Islamic territory," Fides was told by Bishop Giorgio Bertin, Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu.
Yesterday, August 25, at the end of the General Audience in the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict XVI urged the international community to “spare no efforts” to “re-establish respect for life and for human rights.” “My thoughts go to Mogadishu, from where news continues to arrive of cruel violence and which yesterday became the scene of a new massacre. I am [united] with the families of the victims and of all those who, in Somalia, are suffering because of hatred and instability. I hope that, with the help of the international community, no efforts will be spared to re-establish respect for life and for human rights,” said the Holy Father.
Since the August 24th massacre at the Hotel "Mona" in Mogadishu (see Fides 24/08/2010), the Somali capital, there continue to be reports of new fighting between Shabab militia and soldiers of the transitional government supported by troops of the AMISOM (African mission in Somalia).
“The Somalis should be the ones to find the means to stop the violence, along with the help of the international community,” Bishop Bertin told Fides. "But after the failure of 15 international conferences, the deployment of AMISOM, and the formation of the transitional government that is incapable of asserting its authority, it is difficult to be optimistic. I think the international community has two options to choose from,” said the Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu.
“The first,” Bishop Bertin said, “is a decisive military intervention. However, I think it is a fairly impractical way, mainly because it runs the risk of causing a very high number of civilian casualties. The second would be to leave Mogadishu and strengthen the more stable parts of Somalia, such as Somaliland and Puntland, creating a 'cordon sanitaire' around the rest of Somalia to prevent the infiltration of extremists into areas inhabited by Somalis in neighboring countries - Djibouti , Ethiopia and Kenya.”
The Bishop continues: “Of course, this cordon sanitaire must be open to all Somalis who want to escape extremism. Once the Shabab have taken power, they will have to govern and enter into relations with neighboring countries and the international community. We should keep in mind that the majority of Somalis just want to live without the constant threat of bombing and fighting. They've reached the point of even being willing to live under a fundamentalist regime, as long as they can be offered a minimum guarantee of being able to save their life.”
"Unfortunately, the options are limited and difficult to accept, especially as regards respect for human rights. The Shabab have arisen from the Islamic Courts, which had taken power in Mogadishu in 2006. At that time, some observers claimed that the Courts had managed to pacify Somalia. However, I remember that it was precisely at that time that Sister Leonella Sgorbati was killed (see Fides 18/09/2006) and the graves of Italians in Mogadishu were desecrated. There were thus two sides of the Courts, one more peaceful and the other, fundamentalist, which gave way to the Shabab. It is, therefore, difficult to find direction in this situation," concluded Bishop Bertin. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 08/26/2010)
