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The Somalia Affair
The Somalia affair was a Canadian Forces scandal that shocked the Canada and the world with the brutal torture and murder of Shidane Arone, a 16 year old Somali teen. This incident became known as one of the "darkest moments in Canadian military history". This incident involved soldiers from the Canadian Airborne Regiment, and resulted in the disbanding of the regiment and a public inquiry about the inner-workings of the Canadian Forces.

The Canadian Airborne Regiment
see also:1974 Cypriot coup d'etat and Turkish Invasion of Cyprus

The Canadian Airborne Regiment was officially formed on the 8th of April 1968. It was comprised of two infantry commando battalions, one artillery battery, one signal squadron, one engineer squadron, and one service company. This unit was formed with the intent of being the Quick Reaction Force of the Canadian Miltary. It drew its members from existing regiments in the Canadian Forces. The Regiment's reputation of being the 'military elite' was from the Airbonre's first overseas tour, Cyprus. What was deemed a routine peacekeeping exercise turned into an intricate military opereation that led to the Airborne capturing the international airport and denying the enemy further movement into the island.

Disciplinary Issues
The Regiment was prone to many reorganizations, and had many disciplinary incidents with it's soldiers, and poor leadership from their officers. The Canadian government expected to send to Somalia an elite and professional military force, instead they sent "a bunch of thugs".

The Canadians in Somalia
The Canadian Airborne Regiment Arrives in Somalia on the 15 December 1992. They were deployed to Belet Huen, a town that was considered to be one of the more dangerous postings in Somalia. In January a captain gave the order to shoot thieves under certain conditions. It was not until three months later on 4 March 1993 that a major incident occurred when two Somalis infiltrate the Canadian base and are subsequently shot by sentries. One is killed.

The Death of Shidane Arone
Arone was found in a portapotty on 16 March 1993, believing Arone was there to steal military supplies Arone was detained by the Canadian Airborne Regiment and placed in a bunker. Arone insisted he was only looking for a lost child. Master Corporal Clayton Matchee was placed in charge of Shidane Arone. A senior non-commissioned member in the bunker with Matchee brutally beat Arone with Matchee later removing Arone's clothing and water boarding him. Arone was savagely beaten for several hours, the soldiers used ration packs and phone books so now marks would be left. Eventually, Matchee starting to burn Arone with cigarettes. A senior NCM remarked that it did not matter what they did to Arone as long as he did not die. Arone was proclaimed dead by army medics. It is reported that Arone's last words were "Canada! Canada! Canada!". Numerous paratroopers were aware of the torture happening on base but nobody intervened.

Punishment
One company commander was charged, only for promoting an aggressive mentally among his soldiers. One soldier convicted for aiding in the death of Arone. Master Corporal Matchee and Trooper Kyle Brown were charged for murder. Matcheen attempted suicide, but failed and irreparably damaged his brain. Brown was imprisoned for five years. Nobody else was charged or convicted

Inquiry
Many officers in the regiment were investigated for a possible role in the death of Shidane Arone. There were two investigations into the death of Shidane Arone, one done by the Canadian Forces and another by an independant, government funding commission officially called The Commission of Inquiry into the Deployment of Canadian Forces to Somalia, but more colloquially called the Somalia Commission. What was discovered by the investigations were shocking. The regiment was filled with rogue soliders, with little regard for the rules. Senior NCM's that did not care, incompetent junior officers and an oblivious commander. Further incidents of savage behavior aimed at the local Somali population were divulged over the course of the investigation. One such incident occurred on a night patrol where a local Somali was shot and killed execution style, in what was described as a night hunt.

Allegations of a Cover-up
The inquiry was ended extremely abruptly and left many questions unanswered. Investigators claimed that any questions to the Department of National Defense was met with a "wall of silence". Even the Minister of Defense at the time Kim Campbell received tampered documents from the Canadian Military, which prompted the allegations of a cover-up done by the Canadian military. Additionally, Kim Campbell revealed that she received threatening memos that threatened her future in politics if she continued her quest for answers.

Aftermath
The Canadian Airborne Regiment was disbanded in 1995. Shocking video tapes were released showing harsh hazing rituals that the paratroopers do to the new recruits. Stories of white supremacy and rampant racism within the regiment are revealed, black members of the regiment were smeared with feces and soliders would wear Hitler shirts. Members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment were sent back to their parent regiments forming each into the third battalion of of each infantry regiment. These were the 3rd battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, the 3rd battalion Royal Canadian Regiment and the 3rd battalion Royal 22nd Regiment. Now instead of an airborne regiment each regular force infantry regiment is required to maintain a parachute company.

The Canadian public was shocked to hear of the brutality of the soldiers that Canadians and people around the world thought be to professionally and respected international peacekeepers.