By: Yusuf Mohamed Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – 37 years after his leg was amputated a Somaliland citizen wants the government of Russia to compensate him for damages caused him physically.
“The leadership prowess displayed by president Vladimir Putin of Russia has given me an impetus to appeal to him for the correction of an anomaly that occurred in Mogadishu” said Ali Abib Ahmed a 52 years old Somaliland citizen during a tet-a-tet with Somalilandsun in Hargeisa where he detailed misfortunes that led to his foot amputation.
“While car washing in the Number Afar district of Mogadishu a vehicle belonging to the Russian embassy and driven by a military officer of the rank of colonel, hit me and 3 months later my foot was amputated”
According to Ali Abib the accident that ensued with his foot amputation at the age of 12 years at a hospital in Mogadishu occurred in July 1977 and caused by a Russian whom he later learned was the military attaché of then Union of Soviet Socialist Republic-USSR in Somalia turned his life upside down having forced him to drop out of school thence his destitute situation.
“Am a father of seven children whom I cannot feed regular without the support of family, friends and neighbours in Hargeisa because I do not posses any employable skills” said Ali as he castigated the then Somali republic administration of Siad Barre that threatened him against pursuing compensation from the USSR embassy.
“During the reign of Dictator Siad Barre everybody in Somalia was made to understand that the Russians were brutal people and that they could do anything anywhere on earth without repercussions” revealed the foot amputee who informed that this perception has been changed through the opening of more information outlets that have made him realize how wrong the citizens were then lied to pertaining the Russians”
Says he, “Watching Aljazeera, BBC ,CNN, or other cable TV as well as reading the many Somali language newspapers and websites in Hargeisa has made me realize that President Putin and Russians in general are good people thence my current appeal to the government in Moscow for justice to my case”
The 50 years old who says he feels stupid as he reminisces on how the Siad Barre butcher boys of National Security Service-NSS convinced him on the brutality of the Russians that they claimed had carte blanche authority to do as they wished anywhere on earth”
“You can’t believe how amazed I was to watch and read about how Vladimir Putin then Russian Prime minister tried to save the late Gadafi of Libya or how he is now trying as President to Save Syria and Crimean’s from the west” says Ali Abib Ahmed who now believes this man can help him get compensation for loss of a vital body part.
As we await response from President Vladimir Putin whom we have contacted anybody interested in offering the amputee any support kindly contact him through his cell phone number 00252 634049628
Those wishing to add their voice to the Putin appeal use the following addresses available at http://eng.letters.kremlin.ru/ or post a letter addressed to President Vladimir Putin to P.O Box 23, Ilyinka Street, Moscow, 103132, Russia. Or visit http://eng.kremlin.ru/accreditation/contacts for contacts of senior Putin aides
