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Mogadishu,
August 15, 2009 – Somali Islamist group al Shabaab is forcibly removing
gold and silver teeth from residents in southern Somalia because it says
they contravene strict religious law, locals from a coastal town said on
Monday.
Residents in Marka say Al Shabaab has been rounding up anyone seen with
a silver or gold tooth and taking them to a masked man who then rips
them out using basic tools.
“I never thought al Shabaab would see my denture as a sin. They took me
to their station and removed my silver tooth,” resident Bashir told
Reuters
“I met several men and women whose dentures were being pulled out by a
masked man they called a doctor. The doctor used a pincer or his gloved
hand depending on the strength of the tooth,” Bashir said.
“As you smile your silver tooth accuses you. I was at a counter with my
friend when three armed al Shabaab ordered me to follow them,” he added.
“I am afraid they want to make money from taking all this precious
metal.”
Al Shabaab officials declined to comment.
The Islamist group says the gold and silver teeth are used for fashion
and beauty, which is against strict interpretations of Islam, residents
told Reuters.
The crude dental work has fuelled fears of health risks.
“Pulling or replacing teeth may lead to loss of blood and neurological
damage. The tooth may break and the remaining piece may cause sepsis,”
Mohamed Mohamud, dean of faculty of medicine at Mogadishu’s Benadir
University, said.
“Worse, careless treatment may spread HIV,” he added.
Al Shabaab, which means “Youth” in Arabic, is an Al Qaeda-inspired
militant group that has taken control of large swathes of south and
central Somalia.
The group’s hardline interpretation of Islamic law has shocked many
Somalis, who are traditionally moderate Muslims. Some residents,
however, give the insurgents credit for restoring order to the regions
under their control.
In June, Al Shabaab officials in one of the group’s Mogadishu
strongholds ordered four teenagers to each have a hand and a foot cut
off as punishments for robbery.
Source: Reuters, Aug 10, 2009
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