Somalia ban viewing of WC 2010

  1. Posted on Tuesday 15 June 2010 - 10:06
    Muhyadin
    Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
    Somalis caught watching the 2010 World Cup would be given a maximum of 30 lashes in public. The Al-Qaeda linked group of Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam which control most of southern Somalia and parts of Mogadishu have declared the global football showpiece ongoing in South Africa un-Islamic.
    SOMALIA- Al-Shabab attacks World Vision offices ,
    Hizbul Islam spokesman Mohamed Abdi Aros urged the rest of the country to respect the ban on the FIFA tournament or would face the wrath of the insurgents.

    "We are warning all the youth of Somalia not to dare watch these World Cup matches. It is a waste of money and time, and they will not benefit anything or get any experience by watching madmen jumping up and down," he told BBC.

    Hizbul Islam militias have already stormed on a house at Afgoye town, Some 30 Km south of the capital Mogadishu, where funs were watching a World Cup game between Germany and Australia on Sunday night.

    Witnesses told AfricaNews that the militias detained 30 football lovers including old men in the attack.

    “We heard sounds of gunshot and we did switch off our TV then we came out and saw militias in our village,” said Abdinur Salah.

    The militias said the act amounts to sinning against Islam.

    Harsh directive

    They also killed two fans and arrested dozens in Mogadishu’s Heliwaa neighbourhood when they raided a house in which the occupants were watching a game between Nigeria and Argentina on Saturday noon.

    AfricaNews correspondent said the directive is too harsh on Somali football lovers who have been waiting for the first African World Cup. Others are relocating to the government controlled areas.

    “My team mate hosted me at his family house. We will watch together our team at his house but some of my friends don't have that chance,” Mohamed Ali told AfricaNews.

    But another Somali football fan Osman Gedi, 21, lives in the areas controlled by rebels’ militias. He likes to watch the World Cup but does not have a TV set.

    “Unfortunately, I’m missing the World Cup. There is no cinema in this area,” he said. Gedi’s neighbours are privileged to have television but he and other fans are unable to watch due to the ban.

    The insurgents patrol the village looking out for recalcitrant football fans.

    “They will also punish all the people so families refused to gather at their houses. I have seen people who got lashed,” Gedi told AfricaNews.

    "If we are jobless and can't watch or play football that is not a pretty sight.”

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