Bashir Makhtal
Encyclopedia
Bashir Ahmed Makhtal (بشير أحمد مختال) (born 1977) is a Canadian citizen held in an Ethiopian prison where he is accused of terrorism and faces the death penalty. It is alleged that he is being held against international law
, but he has been frequently visited by Canadian embassy officials in Ethiopia and received lawyer support as he appeared in court. The Canadian government's initial inaction on demanding his repatriation has galvanized some parts of the Somali community across Canada, and attracted the attention of Amnesty International
. But some people inside Bashir Makhtal's own ethnic Somali community say that he was an active member of the ONLF, which Ethiopia says is an illegal and terrorist group.
Bashir is born in Ethiopia but has Canadian citizenship. His grandfather founded the rebel group Ogaden National Liberation Front
which Ethiopia labels it a terrorist organization like al Qaida. Makhtal fled war-torn Somalia in 1972. In 1991, he immigrated to Canada and studied Computer Science
at the DeVry Institute of Technology while living in Riverdale, Toronto
. He then traveled to Texas
to complete his bachelor's degree. In 1994 he was granted Canadian citizenship, and was employed as a computer programmer by the Bank of Montreal
and CIBC.
In 2002, Makhtal began traveling, to the United Arab Emirates
, and then across the Horn of Africa
, selling clothing to support himself as he went across Djibouti
, Kenya
, Eritrea
and finally found himself back in Somalia.
When Ethiopia intervened in 2006
to help the Transitional government of Somalia against radical islamist insurgents, Canadian Foreign Affairs
advised Canadians in the country to flee the impending war. Makhtal flew to neighbouring Kenya, but was arrested during the flight and, although granted access to attorney Haron Ndubi during three weeks of detention in Nairobi
, was allegedly illegally renditioned
to the Ethiopian-backed government in Somalia, and from there directly to Ethiopia.
Based on the prior membership of his grandfather, he is accused of belonging to the Ogaden National Liberation Front
, a secessionist group which Ethiopia considers a terrorist organization while Canada has not given the group an identification. His wife, Aziza Osman, has campaigned for the release of both Makhtal and her uncle who faced a similar renditioning. Although he is represented by Canadian lawyer Lorne Waldman, Ethiopia has refused contact with Makhtal since Makhtal has a lawyer in Ethiopia and is facing court.
has been criticised by the NDP
and the Liberal party
for continuing their policy of not intervening to aid non-white Canadians imprisoned in foreign countries. In February 2009, the Conservative party agreed to seek Makhtal's release. But the Canadian government has already intervened and Canadian officials were granted access to Makhtal.
and Ethiopia has accused him of financing and recruiting for the ONLF. Ethiopia points to another case of Western based Somali suicide bomber Shirwa Ahmed, who lived in Minnesota before going back to Somalia and taking part in bombings in Hargeisa and Bosaso
. Similarly, Australia in August charged several Somalis with terrorism offences.
Ethiopia has been fighting alongside Western government against terrorists, including al Qaeda. But many Ethiopians says terrorists targeting Africans are not being condemned by the West. The ONLF has been accused of killing hundreds of civilians, but the biggest single act has been the killing of 74 Ethiopians and Chinese workers in the Abole oil field raid
of April 2007.
sub-clan training for the ONLF rebel group.
It is not the first time Eritrea was accused of supporting militants fighting against Ethiopia and other neighbors. The Bush administration, the Obama administration, the African Union (AU) as well as the United Nations (UN) have accused Eritrea of financing, arming and training anti-government militants in the horn of Africa.
Deepak Obhrai
, Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Parliament of Canada
, traveled to Ethiopia to inquire about Maktal's situation.
He was assured in March 2008 that Maktal is alive and well.
In August 2009, a lawyer for a Canadian man sentenced to life in prison in Ethiopia said he is pushing forward with a lawsuit aimed at forcing Canada to halt development aid to Ethiopia unless Makhtal is released.
In December 2009, the Ethiopian Supreme Court's rejected the appeal of Bashir, and his relatives in Canada called again for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to directly intervene in the case, to help Makhtal return to Canada.
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, but he has been frequently visited by Canadian embassy officials in Ethiopia and received lawyer support as he appeared in court. The Canadian government's initial inaction on demanding his repatriation has galvanized some parts of the Somali community across Canada, and attracted the attention of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. But some people inside Bashir Makhtal's own ethnic Somali community say that he was an active member of the ONLF, which Ethiopia says is an illegal and terrorist group.
Life
Ogaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
which Ethiopia labels it a terrorist organization like al Qaida. Makhtal fled war-torn Somalia in 1972. In 1991, he immigrated to Canada and studied Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at the DeVry Institute of Technology while living in Riverdale, Toronto
Riverdale, Toronto
Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/GO tracks, and Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to the south....
. He then traveled to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to complete his bachelor's degree. In 1994 he was granted Canadian citizenship, and was employed as a computer programmer by the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
and CIBC.
In 2002, Makhtal began traveling, to the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, and then across the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
, selling clothing to support himself as he went across Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and finally found himself back in Somalia.
When Ethiopia intervened in 2006
War in Somalia (2006–present)
The War in Somalia was an armed conflict involving largely Ethiopian and Somali Transitional Federal Government forces and Somali troops from Puntland versus the Somali Islamist umbrella group, the Islamic Court Union , and other affiliated militias for control of the country. There is a clear...
to help the Transitional government of Somalia against radical islamist insurgents, Canadian Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
advised Canadians in the country to flee the impending war. Makhtal flew to neighbouring Kenya, but was arrested during the flight and, although granted access to attorney Haron Ndubi during three weeks of detention in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, was allegedly illegally renditioned
Extraordinary rendition
Extraordinary rendition is the abduction and illegal transfer of a person from one nation to another. "Torture by proxy" is used by some critics to describe situations in which the United States and the United Kingdom have transferred suspected terrorists to other countries in order to torture the...
to the Ethiopian-backed government in Somalia, and from there directly to Ethiopia.
Imprisonment
While in prison, it is believed that Makhtal has faced torture from interrogators seeking a confession of involvement with terrorism. But there has been no evidence of him being tortured and other terrorism suspects imprisoned by Kenya and sent to Ethiopia showed no sign of being tortured. In June 2007 he was able to have a letter delivered to his family.Based on the prior membership of his grandfather, he is accused of belonging to the Ogaden National Liberation Front
Ogaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
, a secessionist group which Ethiopia considers a terrorist organization while Canada has not given the group an identification. His wife, Aziza Osman, has campaigned for the release of both Makhtal and her uncle who faced a similar renditioning. Although he is represented by Canadian lawyer Lorne Waldman, Ethiopia has refused contact with Makhtal since Makhtal has a lawyer in Ethiopia and is facing court.
Political ramifications
The ruling Conservative PartyConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
has been criticised by the NDP
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
and the Liberal party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
for continuing their policy of not intervening to aid non-white Canadians imprisoned in foreign countries. In February 2009, the Conservative party agreed to seek Makhtal's release. But the Canadian government has already intervened and Canadian officials were granted access to Makhtal.
ONLF and al Shabaab
In addition to helping the ONLF, the Ethiopian court charged Makhtal of collaborating with the Somali terrorist group al Shabab. The United States has labeled al Shabab as a terrorist organization, due to its links with al Qaida as well as its international dimensions. Many Somalis in the Diaspora, including in Australia, United States, Canada and Europe, are said to finance the group while many also joining the jihad against the Somalia government. Recently, some Somalis from Australia were denied entry while an American Somali have committed suicide attack in Somalia. Some of the Somali ONLF and al Shabab supporters have organizing fund raising events in the Diaspora, including in Europe and Dubai.Double Standards on "terrorism"
Ethiopia has been recently accused of human rights abuses. But Ethiopians say there is a double standard on terrorism since the ONLF group has killed many Ethiopians and the West has not condemned the killings. Bashir is a family member of the founder of the Ogaden National Liberation FrontOgaden National Liberation Front
The Ogaden National Liberation Front , is a separatist rebel group fighting to make the region of Ogaden in eastern Ethiopia an independent state...
and Ethiopia has accused him of financing and recruiting for the ONLF. Ethiopia points to another case of Western based Somali suicide bomber Shirwa Ahmed, who lived in Minnesota before going back to Somalia and taking part in bombings in Hargeisa and Bosaso
2008 Hargeisa–Bosaso bombings
The Hargeisa–Bosaso bombings occurred on October 29, 2008, when six suicide bombers attacked in coordinated car-bombings targets in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, and the Puntland port of Bosaso, both in northern Somalia...
. Similarly, Australia in August charged several Somalis with terrorism offences.
Ethiopia has been fighting alongside Western government against terrorists, including al Qaeda. But many Ethiopians says terrorists targeting Africans are not being condemned by the West. The ONLF has been accused of killing hundreds of civilians, but the biggest single act has been the killing of 74 Ethiopians and Chinese workers in the Abole oil field raid
Abole oil field raid
The Abole oil field raid occurred in the early morning of April 24, 2007 when gunmen of the Ogaden National Liberation Front attacked a Chinese oil company's premises in the town of Abole, northwest of Degehabur, in the Somali Region of Ethiopia...
of April 2007.
Eritrea trip
The Ethiopian court said it found Makhtal guilty of being a member of the ONLF militants and working with the Eritrean government to organize the financing, recruiting and training tasks for the ONLF. According to the Canadian media Globe and Mail, Makhtal's family said he made "an extended business trip" to several countries, including Dubai and Eritrea. However, there are no Somali businesses in Eritrea and a Somali community does not exist in the Eritrean state, except some Somalis of the OgadenOgaden
Ogaden is the name of a territory comprising the southeastern portion of the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. The inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Somali and Muslim. The title "Somali Galbeed", which means "Western Somalia," is often preferred by Somali irredentists.The region, which is...
sub-clan training for the ONLF rebel group.
It is not the first time Eritrea was accused of supporting militants fighting against Ethiopia and other neighbors. The Bush administration, the Obama administration, the African Union (AU) as well as the United Nations (UN) have accused Eritrea of financing, arming and training anti-government militants in the horn of Africa.
Deepak Obhrai
Deepak Obhrai
Deepak Obhrai is a Canadian politician, representing the riding of Calgary East for the Conservative Party of Canada. He is currently serving as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs....
, Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
, traveled to Ethiopia to inquire about Maktal's situation.
He was assured in March 2008 that Maktal is alive and well.
In August 2009, a lawyer for a Canadian man sentenced to life in prison in Ethiopia said he is pushing forward with a lawsuit aimed at forcing Canada to halt development aid to Ethiopia unless Makhtal is released.
In December 2009, the Ethiopian Supreme Court's rejected the appeal of Bashir, and his relatives in Canada called again for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to directly intervene in the case, to help Makhtal return to Canada.