From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Sep 11 2008 - 16:14:35 EDT
Somali community protests RNC
*A. Jahweyn* , Mshale Contributing Writer Published 09/10/2008 - 4:14 p.m.
GMT
http://mshale.com/article.cfm?articleID=18225
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*A. Jahweyn
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St. Paul, MN-Freedom of expression and the power to summon your government,
the two most important principles of democracy played out at the Republican
National Convention (RNC) in St Paul, Minnesota. Among an estimated 15,000
protesters that took to the streets of downtown St Paul on Monday, September
1 was about 300 Somalis who were protesting against "the U.S. sanctioned
Ethiopian occupation of Somalia."
Many of them are American citizens and are recent immigrants who don't speak
English fluently. Regardless, they seemed to know and want to practice their
rights under the constitution of the United State of America.
Carrying the American flag along with the Somali flag, Somalis chanted and
marched all through the marked route for the RNC rally. Other Americans
joined the Somali contingent to show solidarity and understanding, more
importantly to encourage them to participate in democracy. Scott Peterson of
Columbus, Ohio who drove miles to participate the rally said "this is the
real democracy … Somalis understood it well".
Later, as Somali protesters reached close to the Xcel Center, the convention
site, a counterdemonstrator sarcastically said "thanks for exercising your
First Amendment rights. I fought for them". In response, one of coalition
marshals started chanting in "tell me what democracy looks like, this is
what democracy looks like".
Gandi Mohamed, Somali-American veteran also responded by saying "we demand
peace, justice and equality for all."
Somali Cause, an umbrella organization for eight North American political
organizations headquartered in Washington, DC, was among the organizing
groups. *Ethiopia out of Somalia*, *U.S. stop supporting warlords &
dictators* read some of the signs and flags that the demonstrators carried.
A huge banner with the Somali Cause logo had a statement that read: *End the
U.S. sanctioned Ethiopian occupation and atrocities, Somali people need
peace, not war*.
Speaking to the thousands of protesters, Mohamed Hassan, Somali Cause vice
chair and member of the organizing coalition, told the crowd that "first
U.S. government signed contracts with the warlords for intelligence or to
kill individuals that are either identified by the warlords as enemies of
the U.S. or U.S. has some intelligence on them … later when Somalis revolted
against the warlords and dispelled them from the country, U.S. has asked
Ethiopia to reinstate them by force".
Hassan then asked protesters to contact their elected officials to demand an
end to the Ethiopian occupation.
The protest and the call to Minnesotan legislators to engage in Somali
domestic and international affairs could not have come at a better time.
Political candidates such as Senator Norm Coleman, Representative Keith
Ellison, and others are seeking the votes of the Somali community here in
Minnesota. Somalis are credited in electing to the U.S. Congress the first
Muslim American, Rep. Ellison of Minnesota. Additionally, Somalis in
Minnesota were the first to question and challenge their government, the
U.S. government, about its involvement in their native country by organizing
huge demonstrations and forums last winter.
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