The recent killings of three women within a single week, believed to have been carried out by their husbands, have incited anger in Somalia and led to several days of demonstrations regarding the high levels of femicide in the country.
The authorities have identified the individuals believed to be responsible for all three murders, which occurred during the initial week of February, as the husbands of the deceased women. Two of the victims were expecting children. Despite living in a country where death and violence have become commonplace after years of conflict, citizens in the capital city of Mogadishu have taken to the streets to protest, holding up signs with pictures of Lul Abdi Aziz Jazirain in her hospital bed. The 28-year-old was soaked in gasoline and set on fire, resulting in severe burns. She endured excruciating pain for seven days before succumbing to her injuries.
Amudi Abdi Aziz Jazira, the brother of the woman, stated that nearby residents had overheard a heated discussion and subsequently forced open a locked door to rescue the severely injured woman and transport her to a hospital.
At the age of 28, Jazira had six children and was a widow. She met her second husband while working at the airport in Mogadishu.
Her brother stated, “I believed they were a content couple.”
A spokesperson for the police, Sadiq Dudishe, reported that the individual went to a location where there was intense conflict between the government and the extremist organization Al-Shabaab. The group has been in control of a significant portion of Somalia for 17 years.
Dudishe stated that it was challenging to apprehend the man due to the heightened sense of insecurity, causing a delay in locating and apprehending him. The individual is currently detained in Mogadishu.
A man named Saleban Haji Abdi has been detained and accused of fatally stabbing 22-year-old Fus Mahfud Mohamed in the southern region of Qoryoley. The incident occurred on February 3rd, when Abdi allegedly assaulted his wife, who was 7 months pregnant with their fourth child.
Mohamed’s father, Mahfud Mohamed Haji, said disputes between the couple had been previously dealt with by their families through Somali customary law known as xeer.
Haji stated, “I continuously utilized mediation through our customary process. However, the disputes persisted and I eventually distanced myself from them.”
Due to the floods that had ruined the roads, he was unable to attend his daughter’s funeral.
The police stated that the perpetrator had carefully planned the time and place of the murder, and had dismembered Mohamed’s body.
The third female victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was reportedly killed by her spouse in Lower Shabelle, located in southern Somalia.
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A man was taken into custody on February 4th in Afgoye, near Mogadishu, after being found with gasoline and matches outside his family’s residence. According to authorities, nearby residents intervened in a potential incident where the man was trying to harm his wife and children by lighting them on fire.
Maryam Taqal Huseina, the head of the Somali Women Development Centre, stated that demonstrations will persist until the three women receive justice.
“It is expected for women to remain voiceless in Somalia,” she stated, expressing her belief that these women were killed in order to silence them. “We will not stay quiet until there is actual change,” she declared.
Huseina stated that a significant number of individuals, particularly men, either condoned or normalized domestic violence and other types of mistreatment towards women as a normal occurrence.
“As social media continues to advance, there has been a rise in various types of abuse. This includes instances of girls being drugged and filmed while being sexually assaulted, often by multiple individuals. Sadly, some of these disturbing videos are even being sold on social media platforms.”
The governor of Benadir district in Mogadishu, Yusuf Husain Jimale, has assured that financial aid will be provided to children in Jazira. However, there are worries that the government is not taking sufficient action.
Somalia does not have a specific law that addresses domestic violence.
In 2018, a comprehensive bill supported by the UN was presented to address sexual offenses, but it has not been approved by parliament. In 2020, a new bill concerning sexual activity crimes was suggested, which loosens current age limitations to permit marriage at the onset of puberty and legalize forced marriage with family approval.
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Naima Said Salah is a writer with all-female media team Bilan in Somalia. It is funded by the European Union through the UN Development Programme and hosted by Dalsan Media Group in Mogadishu
Source: theguardian.com
