Did Somalia walk?

JCG - Vanity ^ | 09-24-11 | JCG

[JCG]

Someone please help me solve a mystery.

Several news reports, including the one at the link below, contained this paragraph regarding the walkout at Ahmadinejad's UN speech on Thursday.

"The two U.S. diplomats, who specialize in the Middle East, were followed out of the chamber by diplomats from more than 30 countries. They included the 27 European Union members, Australia, New Zealand, Somalia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Macedonia, a U.N. diplomat said. Israel boycotted the speech."

It seems very strange that Somalia, a Muslim country, would walk -- the only one to do so.

I've googled until my eyes glazed over but I can't find any reason why Somalia would join the walkout. One poster on another forum thought it might be a Sunni-Shia problem but if that's the case it's apparently one-way because Iran has been providing a lot of aid to Somalia lately and, in fact, was just about to deliver its 15th shipment.

Could this be a reporter's error and, in fact, Somalia did not walk?

All replies will be appreciated.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/09/22/20110922iran-speech-us-walks-out.html

[JCG]

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[Jonty30]

I don’t know if Somalia walked, but I do know Somalian Muslims tend to be of Arab descent.

[Jim Noble]

I can't find any reason why Somalia would join the walkout

They ran out of khat, and had to walk up to 49th and 2nd to buy some.

[Chainmail]

A poorly-timed bathroom break, I would guess..

[Chainmail]

A poorly-timed bathroom break, I would guess..

[Dagnabitt]

Sounds like the Norwegian socialists stuck around, as usual, to hear their Iranian buddy.

[SeeSharp]

Somalia doesn’t have a government. What they have are numerous competing factions, each trying to get recognized as the legitimate government. It’s all about aid, which in turn is about lining their pockets. The Somalian UN delegation has a greater interest in serving the wishes of their peers at the UN than in consulting with anyone back in Somalia. They were probably just bought.

[EnglishCon]

Yes, they walked. And annoyed a lot of people.

http://www.somalinet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=286532&sid=440c0d5c8a2ae0eebf4f41fd3a1a8ba0

[EnglishCon]

Sorry for DP - I am digging a bit more on the Arabic sites for possible reasons. Not found any so far.

[JCG]

Good point. Still the Iranian aid to Somalia seems to surmount any Sunni/Arab problems. Unless, of course, all the aid is going to Shias.

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[Owl558]

“Somalia doesn’t have a government. What they have are numerous competing factions...”

There is a US supported faction, as I recall. Remember the Ethopians intervened in Somalia just a few years ago with US support on behalf of this faction. I think I remember that their capital is north of Mogadishu. Someone with a better memory can correct me here. Anywy, my guess is that this is the “Somalia” that walked at the UN.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks JCG.

[SunkenCiv]

A map of the Sahel region showing where Al Qaeda operates (AFP/Graphic)

[Straight Vermonter]

I don’t know if Somalia walked, but I do know Somalian Muslims tend to be of Arab descent.

No, Somalia is almost 100% Muslim and there are only a handful of Arabs living there.

[Jonty30]

They are blacks that are descended from Arabs.

If you want to piss off a Somalian, try suggesting that they are black. The less peaceful ones will kick your arse.

[Mike Darancette]

I've googled until my eyes glazed over but I can't find any reason why Somalia would join the walkout.

Maybe the Somali delegate thought they were all going out for $18 muffins.

[JCG]

Thanks for the link. That's a very interesting forum, I read all eight pages of posts. I don't believe anyone there knows for sure whether Somalia walked out or not. Best I can tell they have all relied on the same news excerpt that I posted here and that was also posted by the OP at the Somalia forum. I don't believe we can say with certainty that Somalia did indeed walk out.

If anyone can help sort this out, please let us hear from you.

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[EnglishCon]

I am getting nothing definite from any news service. Phoned a mate in Mogadishu (he lives there, dealing with the aid effort and trying to stop the food aid being stolen) and he has heard nothing confirmed from his contacts in government either.

[JCG]

I'm beginning to think that Somalia did not walk out on Imanutjob's speech -- and I'm not the only one:

From the Somalia forum you pointed me to...

Re: wtf,TFG walks out on Ahmedinajad speech at U.N

by Voltage » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:10 am

It is diplomatic immaturity at its worst wallahi. Why would the Arab world walkout because Ahmedinejad is speaking? No one even said the Arabs walked out and there is no proof they did. The article mentions Somalia by name after the European Union, US, and some other Euro-centric nations.

Even the Arabs who talk crap about Iran behind closed doors are the ones hosting lavish welcome ceremonies for Ahmedinejad as happened recently when he visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Also did not the Iranian Foreign Minister recently come to Mogadishu for a few hours and be met by the Prime Minister of Somalia and members of his cabinet?

I just don't see any reason why Somalia would dare walkout when Ahmedinejad is speaking at the UN other than the most prime example of shaqo la'aan.

I can see only three possibilities why it might've been incorrectly reported:

1) Reporter's error

2) UN official's error

3) Hoax

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[IntrntlRltns]

I wasn’t in the room but I understand the reps of the “Somali govt” did walk.

What we need to realize about Somalia and the “Somali govt” is that the country is in the midst of a multi-way civil war and that the govt controls a part of Mogadishu with rebels and gangs and armed clans fighting each other for control of the rest. Some of these clans/gangs are armed and funded by Iran, and are responsible for horrible attrocities against the Somali people. I respect the Somali govt for taking this step to protest the killing of their civilians.

Iranian funded terrorists killed scores of western tourists in Egypt and disrupted an important part of the economy, hurting everyday Egyptians. Today the Muslim brotherhood and others are expected to be part of the new Egyptian Govt.

Iranian backed Syria occupied Lebanon for decades, and after they were ousted Iranian backed Hezbollah assassinated PM Rafik Hariri and who knows how many others. Lebanon didn’t walk out because Hezbollah is a major partner in the Lebanese govt. One could also say Hezbollah has responsibility for causing Israeli operation “Cast Lead” which so massively harmed the Lebanese people.

Hamas, also sponsored by Iran, took over the Gaza strip by shooting supporters of Al Fatah in the legs so that they couldn’t protest. Other acts of violence were also perpetrated though things in Gaza seem to have calmed in recent years.

Then there is the civil disturbances in Iraq and Afghanistan. Insurgents funded by Iran to protest or make American/NATO operations difficult have killed many civilians in those nations, in addition to western troops. This is in addition to possible funding of terror in Pakistan as well.

These countries / peoples did not walk out in protest but perhaps the Somalia “govt” is on to something? They should join western nations who are protesting the murder of their civilians at the hands of Iranian-backed militias etc.