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“Suspicious” Qatari steps in Somalia.. Fake promises to cover up their crimes.
The Qatari ambassador to Somalia, Hassan Ben Hamza Ben Hashim, arrived in Jowhar, the capital of Hirshabelle state of Somalia, in order to discuss prospects of strengthening bilateral relationships with state officials.
Ben Hashim conveyed Qatari promises, with no timeline for delivery. He promised the people of Hirshabelle to support the development of their state, especially agriculture, education, health, and infrastructure sectors.
The Qatari ambassador’s move coincides with the scandalous call between Ben Hashim and a businessman close to the Emir of Qatar.
The call’s content was published by The New York Times, which reviled that Doha was behind a terrorist bombing, that targeted the security of Bosaso city in Somalia last May, in order to promote Qatari interests in the country that is torn by terrorism and war.
The American paper also indicated that it has obtained an audio recording of the Qatari ambassador confirming the involvement of Doha in bombings which were carried out in Mogadishu by terrorist elements.
The New York Times described the audio recording as a cell phone call between the Qatari ambassador to Somalia and a businessman close to the Emir of Qatar; in which the latter said that the militants had carried out the bombing in Bosaso’s sea port to advance Qatar’s interests.
This led to a state of alert in Somalia; Somali opposition party “Wadajir” condemned the use of terrorists from ISIS and Al-Shabaab extremist group, by Qatar to advance its interests in Somalia, calling for severance of diplomatic relations with Doha.
Referring to the "suspicious" Qatari role in the Horn of Africa, the managing editor of African Perspectives journal, Ramadan Qarni, spoke to Sky News Arabia saying: “unfortunately, the suspicious role of Qatar in the Horn of Africa region only came to light after the publication of The New York Times report, despite previous international official statements criticising the role of Qatar in Somalia”.
The urgency with which Qatar wants to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalis, could be aimed at promoting its public image, hoping that it would obscure its involvement in murder and terrorism. However, this “suspicious” assistance will not clear Doha’s name; it is covered in Somali blood and an implicit acknowledgment of its responsibility for the crime. Transferring a number of victims who were injured in a suicide bombing in Mogadishu to Doha to receive treatment, will not help Qatar, to promote its public image, either.
The interference of Qatar in Africa is not new, Qarni explained. He said: “Qatar plays a role in Mali, where it supports terrorist groups, in Libya where it supports extremist organisations, in Chad, and now in Somalia”
He continued: “this is not a matter of a state policy, it is about innocent lives, and it is time for the international organisations to interfere”
The list of Qatari support for terrorism is long; Doha needs serious means of persuasion to discard it, as more evidence of Doha’s involvement in supporting terrorism in the region, and worldwide continues to come to light .
