Somalia Flanked on All Sides

Going to the market, if you can afford it, is a danger in and of itself. There is the risk of becoming one more person added to the death count at the hands of Islamic fundamentalist rebels. There is also the risk of being killed by the very people who are meant to protect you. But the African Union (AU), an organization aimed at sustaining unity and peace in Africa, has denied allegations of illegal fighting in Somalia, as outlined by Reuters article "African Union denies illegal fighting in Somalia."

The three year insurgency fueled by lawless Islamic rebels has caused the deaths of an estimated 21,000 people, but for some the blame should also be placed on the AU. Boubacar Gaoussou Diarra, a Somali representative in the African Union, retorted, "We are not at the same level as the terrorists...we are very careful not to shell them when they are among the population." Diarra points out that the AU's fight to remove the insurgents from Somalia is a peaceful operation. Still, human rights groups argue that the AU's peacekeeping force AMISOM should be held accountable for their denied shellings of crowded markets and residential areas.

Human rights groups also voice their concerns about the discrepancies in the United State's and the United Nation's condemnation of killings by the rebel groups, specifically the fact that the U.S. and U.N. have failed speak up about the abuses of AU and Somali government forces.

The fight against Islamic insurgents is undoubtedly a bloody battle, but it should not become a blood bath at the hands the AU or Somalia's government. In a country where the lines of democracy, rebellion, and violence have been so brutally blurred it is imperative that the actions of AU and Somali government be monitored to ensure the safety of its people. Such a task seems futile, especially in a country where all those vying for power, and in power, seem to rank the rights and equality of the Somali people last on their list. It is for this reason that organizations like the UN and powers like the U.S. need to stop turning a blind eye to the actions of the Somali government and the AU, whether they be just or unjust.