Somali Parliament Ratifies Sharia Law As National Legislation

Somali lawmakers in the country's national capital Mogadishu voted Saturday April 18, 2009 to implement Islamic law, or Sharia, as the national legislation. The Cabinet formally approved Sharia law and introduced a motion in parliament, where 343 MPs attended to debate and vote.

Osman Elmi Boqorre, the second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said the 343 MPs present unanimously endorsed the Shari'ah law bill and formally ratified it as national law with no debate. Security was extra tight in and around the ex-police transport facility in Mogadishu, where lawmakers gathered for the most important vote since the Somali parliament was expanded in January to include Islamist moderates. The vote comes at a time Somalia's top leaders are out of the country, with President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed visiting Turkey, Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake visiting Ethiopia and parliament Speaker Sheikh Aden "Madobe" Mohamed is currently in Nairobi, Kenya.

Former President of the Transitional National Government (TNG) from 2000-2004, Dr. Abdikasim Salad Hassan, hailed the implementation of the Sharia and called for the government led by president Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed to bring culprits before a Sharia court, who committed crimes against the Somali people.

Ahmed Abrone Amin, a former deputy speaker described the decision of the Somali parliament as good chance for the Somali people and called for the Islamists to stop the fighting. Dr. Abdikasim Salad Hassan said he was very glad the endorsement of the parliament. The support of the Somali government has been increasing since the parliament endorsed the Islamic Sharia.

Source: ECOTERRA Intl., April 21, 2009

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