War in Somalia Splits Families
索马里战争造成家庭分裂

Somalia's Islamist militant group al-Shabab is fighting on multiple fronts against Kenya, Ethiopian and African Union forces. But their toughest battle may be against their own mothers, brothers and friends who are pleading with them to surrender for the sake of peace.

索马里伊斯兰武装组织青年党正在多个战场和肯尼亚、埃塞俄比亚以及非洲联盟部队进行战斗，但是他们最艰难的战斗可能是针对自己母亲、弟兄和朋友，因为这些人都在请求他们为了和平而缴械投降。

Abdirahman Hassan, 21, is part of the Ras Kamboni militia, a group allied to Somali government forces in the fight against al-Shabab. Right now he is on assignment protecting the town of Dobley, just across the border from Kenya.

21岁的哈桑是打击恐怖组织青年党的索马里政府军下属一个叫作“拉斯.坎博尼”武装组织的成员。目前哈桑正受命保卫多布莱市，这里不远处边界对面就是肯尼亚。

His brother Jamaa, 18, is fighting for al-Shabab and is stationed in Afmadow, a town less than 10 kilometers from the frontline of the war.

他的弟弟贾马18岁，是青年党武装成员，就驻守在阿夫马多镇，那里离前线还不到10公里。

Hassan says whenever he talks to his brother he always advises him to leave the terror group. He says, in turn, his brother tries to convince him to join al-Shabab.

哈桑说，每当有机会和弟弟通电话，他都劝告弟弟离开那个恐怖组织。而他兄弟总是反过来劝他的哥哥参加他所在的青年党。

“We do call each other. I do tell him there is no reason to stay with al-Shabab and he should leave the group, since they have also allied with al-Qaida," said Hassan. "And he says I am a non-believer and that I have to leave whatever I am doing and to join him.”

哈桑说：“我们会相互打电话。我告诉他，没有必要留在青年党武装组织当中，应该离开他们，因为这个组织和基地恐怖组织有联系。而我弟弟说，如果我不相信他说的话，就必须离开我的组织，加入他所在的民兵。”

Hassan also said if he meets his brother in the battle he is aware that neither sibling will spare the other.

哈桑说，如果他在战场上遇到自己兄弟，他清楚地知道同胞二人都不会因血缘关系放过对方。

“When we meet, a gun will separate us, every one of us trusts and believes his gun," Hassan said. "If we come face to face with him in the battle field, I will kill him, it’s a must, and if he gets the same chance he will kill me too because he has been told that by killing your enemy you will go to heaven.”

他说：“一旦相遇，我们兄弟二人就只能用枪说话了，我们都清楚自己的责任，相信自己手中的武器。如果我在战斗中和自己的弟弟相遇，我会杀死他，必须这样做。如果他在战场上得到同样的机会，他也必须杀掉我，因为不断有人诱导他们说，杀死敌人就能进入天堂。”

Al-Shabab-al-Qaida ties

Al-Shabab, a name which means “The Youth,” recently formalized its ties with al-Qaida, and has been fighting to impose its harsh version of Islamic law in Somalia. Some of the group's top leaders are foreign militants who have come to Somalia for what they call a jihad, or holy war.

青年党最近和基地组织正式建立了关系，并在索马里按照他们自己对伊斯兰教的认识，进行残酷的战斗。青年党组织中一些高级领导人是国外武装组织人员，他们到索马里进行他们所谓的圣战。

But Muslim clerics in the region have often said there is no jihad in Somalia, but only a group of people who are fighting over territory and resources.

不过该地区的穆斯林神职人员经常说，索马里没有圣战，有的只是一夥人为了争夺土地和资源而战斗。

Somali government fighter Sultan Hamdi said his nephew is fighting for al-Shabab and is stationed in Beledweyne, in Somalia’s Hiraan region. According to Hamdi, his nephew joined al-Shabab at the age of 15 when the militants recruited his entire school class.

索马里政府军战士哈姆迪说，他侄子也为青年党打仗，就驻守在索马里希兰地区的贝里特温。据哈姆迪说，他的侄儿15岁就参加了青年党，当时武装人员动员学生参加了这个武装组织。

“These children are brainwashed and al-Shabab are taking this young generation to fight for them. We are just praying he sees the right path. I have also told him if that we meet in the battle field, and if he fires at me and my colleagues, I will fire at him, there will be nothing like uncle and nephew. Can you show mercy to someone who wants to kill you?”

他说：“他年纪轻轻就参加了青年党。这些孩子们都被洗了脑。青年党让这一代人为他卖命。我们全家都在祈祷，希望他能认清正确道路。我曾经告诉他说，假如在战场上相遇，倘若他向我或者我们的人开枪，我就会向他开枪射击，到时候就没有叔叔侄儿的情份了。战场上不可能对想要杀死你的人给予仁慈和怜悯。”

Recruiting minors to replenish ranks

With al-Shabab's ranks dwindling, due to tension and in-fighting within the group, human rights organizations say the militants have increasingly recruited children to strengthen their numbers. Families and children that resist the recruitment drive face severe consequences and even death.

人权组织说，青年党队伍由于内斗而萎缩，武装人员加快了招募少年的行动，以便壮大自己的队伍。拒绝被招募的家庭或孩子都会面临严重后果，甚至因此丧生。

Ras Kamboni spokesman Abdinassir Serar says he knows some of his troops speak to their family members in al-Shabab. He says some have successfully convinced their loved ones to leave the group.

拉斯.坎博尼武装的发言人塞拉尔说，他了解自己队伍中的一些战士和身在青年党的家人通话这一事实。他说有人成功地说服他们的亲人离开了那个恐怖组织。

“First of all these people have joined al-Shabab not knowing what they are getting into. As you are aware, they also recruit young children," Serar said. "Lack of that maturity is a problem. But when someone else, be it a parent or a relative or a friend, is able to advise them, it’s possible for some of them to accept the advise and look for ways to get out of the situation they are in.”

他说：“首先，这些人在参加青年党时还不知道这是一个什么样的组织。就象人们了解的那样，这个组织也招募未成年人。未成年是一个问题。当他们的亲人，不论父母，亲戚，还是朋友向他们提出建议时，有的人就可能接受这些劝告，想办法离开他们所处的那个环境。”

A good number of al-Shabab fighters have contacts within the government and are able to surrender easily in exchange for safe passage.

青年党当中有很多人和政府内部人员有关系，能够轻易投诚，获得人身安全。

But Serar says there are others who surrender out of fear, knowing they have become everyone's enemy in and out of the country.

不过塞拉尔说，也有人一旦知道他们自己在国内外都成了人们的敌人，出于担心而投诚。这种情况也是有的。

Hassan, of Ras Kamboni, says for those who do not have contacts in the government, all they can do is go to the bushes, bury their weapons and come back to their civilian lives.

拉斯.坎博尼武装的哈桑说，在政府中没有任何联络和关系的那些人，他们能做的就是潜入丛林，掩埋武器，然后回归自己普通人的生活。

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