By Khaled Mahmoued
On Friday, May 23, 2008, former Somali President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan revealed that he was suddenly subjected to humiliation and physical assault by Ethiopian forces, supported by elements of the local Somali police. These forces raided his home, disarmed his guards, and stole some money and personal belongings.
Salad recounted through his secretary and personal guard, Dr. Omar Ahmed, that more than 50 Ethiopian and government forces stormed his house, went directly to his private room, broke down the door, pointed guns at him, grabbed his clothes, punched him, and forcibly dragged him downstairs.
He added that what happened was a grave insult to him and the Somali people, noting that the involvement of government forces in the raid on the president’s house—at 11 AM local time—indicates that the operation was premeditated.
Salad also mentioned that he had experienced a similar incident in 2007 when the then-transitional Somali President Abdullah Yusuf and his former Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi visited him, offered an official apology, and promised to respect Abdiqasim Salad as a former president. They also pledged not to repeat such incidents or raid his home again and to return the stolen items, which never happened.
Salad, who had repeatedly rejected the occupation, demanded the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Somalia, accusing them of attempting to impose their dominance and influence over the country and the Horn of Africa region.
However, the former Ethiopian Prime Minister countered by stating that they would leave Somalia only when they were convinced there was no imminent threat to their country.
Abdiqasim Salad was president of the Transitional National Government of Somalia from 2000 to 2004 and is now living in exile in Egypt’s capital, Cairo.
TNG was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Arta, Djibouti.