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| Africa Horn |
| Parliament approves Islamic law in Somalia |
| 2009-04-19 |
| The Somali parliament unanimously approved on Saturday a government proposal to introduce the Sharia law in the country, parliamentary Deputy Speaker Osman Elmi Bogore told AFP. "There were 340 members at the session and they voted unanimously for the implementation of Islamic Sharia in Somalia," said Bogore, who presided over the debates in the absence of speaker Aden Mohamed Nur. "The bill ... is approved by the parliament ... We have an Islamic government," he added. Somalia's cabinet last month endorsed the plan to introduce Sharia. "Islamic Sharia is the only option to get solutions for the problems in this country," Information Minister Farhan Ali told reporters on March 10. On February 28, President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed agreed to proposals by local and foreign religious leaders for a truce with the hardliners and the implementation of Sharia. The Shebab militia has already imposed the law in areas of the war-torn country under their control. Ahmed was elected president on January 31 following a United Nations-brokered reconciliation and vowed to form an inclusive government. But the Shebab and other militia have continued to battle the government and its allies. |
| Posted by:Fred |