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| Africa: Horn |
| Somali gunmen forcing farmers to grow pot |
| 2004-02-13 |
| Armed Somali factions are taking over small-scale subsistence farms in southern Somalia and are forcing the farmers to grow marijuana, Somali human right groups say. Gunmen have "confiscated" some 150 farms in the Lower Shabelle region, most of which are now being used to grow the narcotic plant, 13 rights groups said in a joint statement Wednesday. "These drugs are sold inside the country and smuggled to foreign countries," said Maryan Owrea, chairwoman of the Ismaiil Jumaale Human Rights Center. Owrea said some of the farmers had been either killed or tortured. The rights groups complained that human rights abuses in Somalia are getting worse, 13 years after the Horn of Africa nation descended into chaos following the ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #5 Kinda gives new meaning to the phrase "baked in the desert", don't it? |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-2-13 2:07:58 PM |
| #4 most of which are now being used to grow the narcotic plant, Dreadful journalism, indeed. |
| Posted by: Raj 2004-2-13 12:30:37 PM |
| #3 Good! Maybe it can calm down the natives! |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-2-13 9:44:33 AM |
| #2 This a dreadful piece of journalism. 13 human rights groups getting worked up about a few gangsters growing some MJ in the middle of various wars and armed conflicts with large scale slaughter. Also Somalia doesnt exist as a unitary state. So any statements about human rights in Somalia as a whole are meaningless. Then I check the link and Suprise! Suprise! Its CNN! |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-2-13 3:11:28 AM |
#1 rights groups complained that human rights abuses in Somalia are getting worseYou want some human rights? Arm the people, not just the thugs, and things might change for the better. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-2-13 12:57:10 AM |