Protest at expulsion of aid agencies from Somalia

ICC Note

Al-Shabaab expelled some aid organizations from Somalia falsely accusing them of proselytizing. The decision by Al-Shabaab to expel the aid organization only exacebrates the humanitarian crisis in Somalia.

08/18/2010 Somalia (Ekklesia)-A Somali Christian leader has condemned the halting of the work of three relief organisations in Somalia by Al Shabaab, an Islamic militant group, which alleged the agencies were propagating Christianity – writes Fredrick Nzwili.

“Now that they have suspended their work, it is the local people who will suffer,” Pastor Ahmed Abukar Mukhtar, the leader in exile of a small Christian community in Somalia, told ENInews in Nairobi last week.

Abukar, who fled Somalia for Kenya, criticised Al Shabaab, which controls most of southern Somalia, for claiming that the agencies engaged in attempting to convert Muslims, who account for almost all of Somalia’s people.

“I think the allegations are not true. They have used this excuse to expel the agencies,” said Abukar.

On 8 August, Harakat Al Shabaab Al-Mujahideen (Movement of Warrior Youth) demanded that World Vision, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and Diakonia, a Swedish agency, immediately cease operations in Somalia.

“Acting as missionaries under the guise of humanitarian work, the organisations have been spreading their corrupted ideologies in order to taint the pure creed of the Muslims in Somalia,” Al Shabaab said in a statement.

Bishop Giorgio Bertin of Djibouti, who is the Roman Catholic apostolic administrator for Somalia, told ENInews he condemned the “intolerant approach” of Al Shabaab in forcing out the three agencies.

“Of course [the agencies] were inspired by their faith,” said Bertin. “But since they were giving a good service according to international humanitarian criteria, they are not to be impeded in their charitable work.”

In a 9 August statement, World Vision said keys to its offices and assets were taken from staff by Al Shabaab. It said that its operations in affected areas of Somalia have been temporarily suspended while it plans its next steps.

“World Vision is surprised and disappointed by the move, which is apparently based on false accusations of spreading Christianity,” the agency said.

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