US embassy cable - 90MOGADISHU10663

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOGADISHU 10663 
 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR 
TAGS:  PHUM, PINS, PREL, SO 
SUBJECT:  MORE ON MASSACRE AT ANIMAL MARKET 
 
REF:  MOGADISHU 10603 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
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2.  WE NOW HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE, IN PART BASED 
ON EYE-WITNESS REPORTS, OF THE KILLINGS THAT TOOK 
PLACE AT THE ANIMAL MARKET IN NORTHEAST MOGADISHU 
ON DECEMBER 6 (REFTEL).  A MAN WHO WAS SITTING AT A 
COFFEE HOUSE NEAR THE MARKET DURING THE INCIDENT 
SAYS THAT A TOYOTA PICK-UP TRUCK CARRYING FIVE UNIFORMED 
MEN AND A BROWNING MACHINE-GUN PULLED UP TO THE MARKET AND 
BEGAN FIRING AT THE CROWD, WHICH WAS GOING ABOUT ITS 
NORMAL BUSINESS.  SEVERAL MEN IN THE CROWD RAN TO THEIR 
HOMES TO GET THEIR AK-47S, AND RETURNED FIRE.  THE 
UNIFORMED MEN FLED IN THEIR PICK-UP TRUCK. 
 
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3.  A BYSTANDER ON A MOTOR SCOOTER FOLLOWED THE 
PICK-UP TRUCK UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED INTO THE 
GARRISON OF THE 77TH MILITARY SECTOR.  BACK AT THE 
SCENE OF  THE SHOOTING, POLICE ARRIVED AND ARRESTED 
THE MEN WHO HAD FIRED ON THE SOLDIERS. 
 
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4.  AN FSN'S SISTER, WHO LIVES NEAR THE MARKET,  SAYS 
SHE COUNTED 12 DEAD BODIES, AND THAT TWO OTHERS DIED 
LATER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AN ADDITIONAL THREE 
AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. 
 
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5.  RADIO MOGADISHU REPORTED ON DECEMBER 6 THAT 
TEN PEOPLE HAD BEEN KILLED BY "BANDITS" AT THE 
ANIMAL MARKET, AND THAT THREE SUSPECTS HAD BEEN 
ARRESTED.  ON DECEMBER 7, HOWEVER, RADIO MOGADISHU 
REVISED ITS ESTIMATE, "AFTER LONG INVESTIGATIONS," 
TO TWO DEAD AND FOUR WOUNDED. 
 
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6.  ON DECEMBER 7, A GROUP OF HAWIYE ELDERS MET 
WITH ARMED FORCES COMMANDER GENERAL MOHAMED 
SAID HERSI "MORGAN," ACCORDING TO THE SON OF 
ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS.  IN THIS MEETING, MORGAN 
IS SAID TO HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PERPETRATORS 
WERE GALGALA AND MAREHAN MEMBERS OF THE 77TH SECTOR 
GARRISON.  HE PROMISED TO PREVENT ANY RECURRENCE, 
AND BLAMED THE SOLDIERS' BEHAVIOR ON THE TONE 
SET BY HIS PREDECESSOR, GENERAL ABDURAHMAN MOHAMED 
SAID "MASLAH."  HE DID NOT SAY THAT THE GUILTY 
SOLDIERS HAD BEEN OR WOULD BE ARRESTED, HOWEVER. 
ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACT, THE ELDERS WERE IMPRESSED 
BY MORGAN AND WERE WILLING TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO 
IMPROVE THE ARMY'S BEHAVIOR TOWARD CIVILIANS. 
 
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7.  COMMENT.  THE ACCOUNT IN PARAS 2 THROUGH 4 
IS CONSISTENT WITH LESS-DETAILED VERSIONS WE 
HAD RECEIVED EARLIER.  IF THE REPORT OF MORGAN'S 
REMARKS IS AUTHENTIC, IT WILL CONFIRM HAWIYE IN 
THEIR BELIEF THAT GALAGAL CLANSMEN ARE COLLABORATING 
WITH MAREHAN TO MURDER HAWIYE.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
BISHOP