Somali demonstrators in the US call on the International Community to defend democracy in their country
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Alaina
- . April 2, 2021
- . Update: April 2, 2021 8:41 pm
Dozens of Somali activists demonstrated in front of their country’s embassy in Washington, calling on the new Joe Biden administration to intervene to defend democracy in Somalia from the malevolent action of the interim president Mohammed Abdullahi Farmajo who is preventing by any means the organization of legitimate elections.
Under the Farmajo government, Somalia is going through a political stalemate on the brink of a civil war. Recently, numerous terrorist attacks against the military and numerous reports of infiltration into the country’s internal security by members of the El-Shabab terrorist movement linked to al-Qaeda have increased fears of a probable armed conflict.
The demonstrators in front of the Somali embassy in Washington called on the United States and the international community to assume their responsibilities towards their country to protect the democratic process and the freedom of expression after Farmajo surrounded Parliament with security forces, most of them former terrorists, to prevent the opposition from going to the House.
Somalia is near to collapse due to a lack of trust between politicians. Furthermore, Turkey’s support for armed groups outside state control and collaboration with extremist groups has thrown the country into chaos, causing greater social and tribal tensions.
The demonstrator gathered in front of the Somali diplomatic mission in the US chanted anti-government slogans, asking the international community to play its role in solving the crisis. Somalia mainly depends on foreign aid. The constitutional crisis due to the postponement of the elections has become more evident in recent months, when it became clear that Farmajo’s government refuses to hand over power peacefully and insists on postponing the electoral moment despite the lack of national and international legitimacy.
Somali human rights activist Ali Chengal told “Aijes News” that the situation in the country is not a good thing, and fears are increasing day after another of the retreat of anti-terrorism efforts, especially after the United States abandoned and withdrew its forces from Somali lands. Demonstrators called on the new US administration led by President Biden to restore matters to normal, confirming the need to defy Al- Qaeda- linked organizations in the northeast of the country.
