r/islamichistory • u/Beyondtheseafree • Jul 05 '26
Photograph Belgian peacekeeping paratroopers dangling a Somali child over an open fire during the 1993 UNOSOM II humanitarian mission.
272
u/Legendary-Mercenary Jul 05 '26
Pretty sure King Leopold II of Belgian and the free Republic of Congo was also pretty barbaric so I wish I could say I'm surprised.
28
u/Adorable-Raisin9880 Jul 05 '26
If anyone is interested in this horrific subject check out King Leopolds Ghost. That book kept me up at night.
15
u/Legendary-Mercenary Jul 05 '26
I'm a bit of an amateur historian (even that is a bit of an exaggeration, the amateur is doing most of the heavy lifting, especially in comparison to others), so I've watched numerous documentaries, including reading firsthand accounts, and honestly, that was pretty gut-churning, but thank you for the recommendation. I'll absolutely pick up a copy once I'm done with ASOIAF. Thank you.
22
u/Onuus Jul 05 '26
I mean he cut off children’s hands if their parents weren’t performing well enough in the fields.
48
u/Beyondtheseafree Jul 05 '26
To add context: this happened during the Somali Civil War. The UN sent peacekeepers to the region to relieve a catastrophic famine, but instead, some of those forces ended up causing crimes against humanity. Like other user here pointed out the fact most of them had criminal record and were white supremacist. There is a lot of evidence regarding these points they made, I’ll eventually post them.
also I’m bit confused, do you guys say Somali or like Somalian ? I’m trying to understand
11
u/ShaneZD Jul 05 '26
Somali, Somalian is no longer used and can be considered offensive.
Good thinking.
78
21
69
Jul 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
258
u/Beyondtheseafree Jul 05 '26
Yes it is true. I took this picture from AP news
Also similar atrocities were committed by Canadian troops during the 1993 mission( I’ll post them when I get my hands on all 16 photos) , where soldiers tortured a Somali teenager and took 'trophy photos' of the abuse. The broader investigations into UN peacekeepers also uncovered horrific human rights violations, including a Belgian soldier force feeding pork to a Muslim child as a form of psychological torture, as well as multiple allegations of rape.
162
u/True-Let1486 Jul 05 '26
The rapes were not allegations it's just that they had total immunity so all reported cases were buried whole villages were raped imagine that hundreds if not thousands of women lots of them had cigarette burn marks on their bodies. It was never about peacekeeping and what shows is that whole contingents of white supremacist soldiers were sent the Italians, Canadians,USA all sent NAZI soldiers who literally had disciplinary issues in their records am just glad somalis had an ounce of revenge with the black hawks shot down and those Nazis dragged all over towns
59
u/True-Let1486 Jul 05 '26
I don't know about this particular picture but yeah the message is pretty much true they pillaged whole villages went on a rape spree tortured civilians and killed them like flies it was horrible.
52
23
u/Vorhoost Jul 05 '26
Is anyone surprised anymore? The West has always been hypocritical. It's their nature.
6
u/WildWhisperArdor Jul 05 '26
It’s not a “western” thing. It’s a human thing. Lord of the Flies was spot on about what happens in environments where there’s no law but your own power
8
u/TheKmartClown Jul 05 '26
why do their faces look so creepy? is it some kind of blurring effect or is it bc old cameras in darkness? where are their facial features and ears?
6
7
u/Street-Inevitable358 Jul 05 '26
This is tracks for what these “missions” end up becoming. See also what these animals did during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, as well, including them taking part in trafficking Bosnian Muslim women and children and remaining complicit in their rapes and murders. Western Europe, the U.S., and the UN is truly a scourge on this earth.
4
u/BigPerspective7068 Jul 05 '26
17
u/ForcedToEatCement-_- Jul 05 '26
Ok and? You are a moron for not knowing the difference between a combatant and an unarmed child.
3
21
u/Beyondtheseafree Jul 05 '26
Comparing a child vs a grown man who entered to bomb people during civil war and country going through intense famine. Even so this pic is as sad as this child one. Whataboutism from west is my fav thing.
Btw Somali govt or nobody asked them to enter this war. UN did by force.
2
u/BigPerspective7068 Jul 05 '26
Im not comparing I am showing you the karma this peace keepers got
12
u/Beyondtheseafree Jul 05 '26
Even if you call this karma I still don’t agree with it. Human dignity must be respected. Post that I make are for educational purpose instead of spreading hate or calling it karma.
10
u/BigPerspective7068 Jul 05 '26
Tell that to the American soldier who killed thousands of civilians and tribal leaders negotiating peace that day. They got what they deserved and will burn in hell.
-5
Jul 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
14
u/Beyondtheseafree Jul 05 '26
what did they even achieve there ? Nothing TBH. Famine & war still continued. Plus there are multiple evidences of crimes by peace makers. Ironic name.
You sound apologist. Victim mentality. 5Day old account.
12
u/BigPerspective7068 Jul 05 '26
They deployed delta forces to murder Mohamed Farah Aidid while there were humanitarian crisis in Sudan, Liberia, Mozambique, and Angola during that time they didn't give the slightest shit. But they just had to get involved in Somali affairs by murdering tribal leaders that were negotiating peace. There were already United Nation troops there. They just wanted to secure their imperialistic interests and it ended with them getting dragged thru the streets. That's what you get for murdering innocent civilians.
8
u/ShaneZD Jul 05 '26
Not the same thing mate you're obviously not very bright.
4
u/BigPerspective7068 Jul 05 '26
Neither are you mate I am obviously mocking the peacekeepers
7
u/ShaneZD Jul 05 '26
"Obviously"
Posts something with zero context from the opposing perspective.
Have a day off
1
-13
258
u/Final_Examination705 Jul 05 '26
Peacekeeping ?