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SOMALIA ATROCITY 'BLACKEST MOMENT'TORTURE, BEATING OF TEEN A BLOT ON CANADIAN MILITARYCOMMENT ON THIS STORY »

Emily Mathieu

Jan 3 2009
With files from Canadian Press
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/561209

Master Cpl. Clayton Matchee poses with a badly beaten Somali teen Shidane Arone in 1993. He and Pte. Kyle Brown were charged in the teen's death.

The 1993 torture and murder of a Somali teen at the hands of Canadian soldiers on a peacekeeping mission is often described as the darkest chapter in the nation's military history.

"It was the blackest moment,"

said Scott Taylor, publisher of military magazine Esprit de Corps, referring to the death of Shidane Arone, the shooting of another Somali and the ensuing attempt at a cover-up.

On March 16, 1993, Arone was detained by soldiers near the Canadian compound in Belet Huen, Somalia.

Court martial proceedings determined Pte. Kyle Brown and Master Cpl. Clayton Matchee beat him to death, all the while taking trophy photos next to the bleeding teen.

WITNESSES SAID THEY HEARD ARONE SCREAMING AND BEGGING FOR MERCY.

During an inquiry into the killings, then defence minister Kim Campbell said she felt "blackmailed" by the defence department when she attempted to gain more information shortly after Arone's death.

At the time, Campbell told the Star she had got a memo that implied seeking information or engaging in "political interference" could result in damage to her career.

Brown was convicted of torture and manslaughter for his role. He was sentenced to five years and granted full parole in 1995.

Matchee was charged with second-degree murder but never made it to trial.

While in custody he attempted to hang himself and suffered severe brain damage.

In 1994 he was declared unfit to stand trial. Last October, after repeated assessments to determine if he would ever be fit to stand trial, charges against him were stayed.

Then-Sgt. Mark Boland pleaded guilty to negligent performance of duty.

During his court martial, Boland admitted he told Matchee and Brown the night of the beating:

"I don't care what you do, just don't kill him."

He was sentenced to 90 days and served 66. Later, upon hearing that his sentence was being increased to one year, Boland tried, unsuccessfully, to take his life.

Note: This article has been edited to correct a previously published version.