The United States of America

President Donald J. Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA

Cc. US State Department 

Cc. US Defence Department

Cc. Africacom, Djibouti 

Cc. U.S Embassy, Nairobi 

Cc. U. S. Embassy, Djibouti 

Subject: A Condemnation of the Barire Massacre

Date: 26 August 2017

We, the elders and intellectuals of the Habar Gidir clan of the Hawiye Somalis, with the knowledge of our members of the parliament, both at national and at federal level, as well as our members of the Federal Government of Somalia, are deeply shocked, saddened and appalled by the brutal aerial attack on the early morning of 25 August 2017 in Bariire town of Lower Shabelle region which evidently resulted in the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians, including children. We received from the local community that the unprovoked attack was carried out by the United States special forces under the aegis of the notorious campaign of the "War on Terror". Under this campaign, many Somali civilians throughout Somalia have been massacred and murdered.

Even though we first approached the Federal Government of Somalia for our concerns and grievances, the message we have obtained from them through the media was astonishingly ambivalent at best and contradictory at worst. Our members of the national parliament and senators have tended to sympathise with us as they have a leading role to play under the current Somali constitution in acting as state representatives as well as regional constituencies. We acknowledge and command the role of the Federal Government in ensuring the reinforcement of the principle of protection of civilian under the constitution. Sadly, this was the second time when the United States forces have committed massacre on our people, while the Federal Government is too weak to react to it, both in theory and in practice.

We ask for the United States, especially the Africacom, to immediately appoint an inquiry to investigate into the atrocities committed thus far against the Somali people and to compensate the families of those who have been massacred and murdered under the United States war machines. We understand that most African states, having fully understood the well-being of their citizens as well as the consequences of the "War on Terror", have denied the United States to have military bases in their territories. We feel that the United States have been adding fuel to the fire in Somalia since 2001, when they began to sponsor the Somali warlords to pit them against the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). Unfortunately, the mistaken U.S policy towards Somalia led to the emergence of Al-Shabaab.

We reiterate the United States administration to allow compensation for the victims of the U.S. attacks. We finally urge the Federal Government of Somalia to terminate its agreement with the United States presence in Somalia.

Your's sincerely,

Signatories of the Habar Gidir elders and intellectuals