Islamic Courts Resemble Taliban

In the early days of their rule, Somalia's Council of Islamic Courts is already beginning to look like Afghanistan's Taliban.

Normally, one should not be too hasty in labeling newly established leaders before they have had a chance to govern, but those who have been following recent decisions made by Somalia's Council of Islamic Courts may already notice some alarming similarities to the brand of order that the Taliban brought to Afghani society. Like the Taliban, the Islamic Courts came to power ending an extended period of violent uncertainty. Those who had managed to survive years of insecurity, poverty, hunger and fighting between clans and warlords in either country were ready to welcome any group offering an alternative to instability. But Somalis may face having their chaos replaced with a theocracy resembling the style of rule offered by the Taliban.

The U.N. claims that Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the Islamic Courts' leader, has ties to al Qaeda and, while Aweys denies the association, rumours abound that al Qaeda has already set up camp in Somalia. Unless the Courts do something to eradicate the presence of al Qaeda, Somalia could prove to be the new haven for fugitives, radicals and terrorists much like the Taliban's Afghanistan. But perhaps the Courts are content to play host. Under Aweys' strict administration, the Courts have been busy patrolling Mogadishu with their artillery, using their weapons to restore order to years of anarchy and have already broken a ceasefire agreement they promised to honour. Somalis have suffered immensely and deserve more than this extreme alternative of reformation. Furthermore, the international community does not need another hothouse where fundamentalism can flourish. We saw what that brought to Afghanistan.

According to Aweys, Islamic rule is the only option. The Islamic Courts have begun handing out sentences that are looking archaically cruel and should be considered by the world as warning signs during their early rule. Five rapists were sentenced to death by stoning only four days after they raped four women, proving the Courts are serious about swift justice. While the crimes in question are vicious, it hardly seems like glad tidings in Mogadishu to herald the end to a chaotic era by celebrating with brutal executions. If anyone is curious to ask how closely these Islamists resemble their radical cousins in Afghanistan, the answer may only be a stone's throw away.