Somali president rallies with Twin Cities diaspora
- ️Mon Oct 05 2009
The president of Somalia told a crowd of thousands Sunday in Minneapolis that he was “deeply saddened” that young Somali-Americans had been “lured” back to Somalia for terrorist activity.
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said the people responsible for recruiting the young men should stop because it’s a “wrong and a bad thing to do” that’s against the Islamic faith and culture and “against humanity.”
Officials say as many as 20 young Somali men have returned to the war-torn nation of Somalia in the past two years. At least three have died in Somalia, including one who authorities believe was the first American suicide bomber. Three others have pleaded guilty in the United States to terrorrelated charges.
In Ahmed’s speech at the University of Minnesota’s Northrop Memorial Auditorium, he said his “deepest condolences” go to the parents of young men who have been recruited. He said Somalia is prepared to help the parents in any way possible. Ahmed met Sunday afternoon with relatives of some of the men who died.
Ahmed’s visit to the Twin Cities, home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., included meetings with Gov. Tim Pawlenty, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison and members of the Somali community.
Ahmed was elected by Somalia’s parliament in January, but his government has little control. A group called al-Shabab, which the United States says has ties to al-Qaida, has taken over most of Somalia and boosted its numbers with foreign fighters. Battles break out almost daily in Mogadishu, the country’s capital, and tens of thousands of civilians have died.
Ahmed said one purpose of the visit was to seek help in bringing peace and stability to his country. Many people waiting in long lines outside the auditorium said they were there to support Ahmed in his mission.
“We have high hopes, but it won’t come easily,” said Abdulrahman Adem, of Minneapolis.
The crowd outside cheered when a woman reached the top of the stairs — it was Asli Hassan Abade, the first and only female air force pilot in Somali history. She now lives in Texas.
Abade took a seat in the second row with nine other women wearing dresses made to look like the Somali flag — blue with a white star. Halima Sheikh, of St. Paul, was one of them.
“Our flag was not shown anywhere for 20 years,” Sheikh said. “This is a historic moment for us, and we’re so proud today.”
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, speaking before Ahmed did, told the crowd that Ahmed’s visit reminded him of scenes he recalled as a boy of President John F. Kennedy’s visit to his ancestral homeland of Ireland.
Coleman said his grandmother fled war-torn Ireland 90 years ago, and her story is similar to those he hears from Somalis.
“We are not different,” he said. “We are one community.”
U.S. Sen. Al Franken, who spoke along with the state auditor and the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, said he and Ahmed had met, and the president had been frank about the challenges his government faces. Still, Franken, a Democrat, said he is more hopeful about Somalia now “than I’ve been in quite some time.”
After Ahmed’s speech, Moqtar Abdulahi, of St. Paul, said he thought the president’s overall message was good, but he took issue with how Ahmed addressed the problem of young people who have been recruited for terrorism.
“The feeling of the Somali community is this is an isolated issue,” he said. “It’s not the whole youth. I think he made it an overarching issue.”
Hakeem Osman, of Hopkins, said Ahmed’s speech “touched my heart.” Ahmed spoke of needing educated Somali-Americans to help rebuild the country, and as a recent accounting graduate of Metropolitan State University, Osman said he would like to go back to help.
Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Originally Published: October 4, 2009 at 11:01 PM CDT