Somali Warlords Warned of Sanctions

[Gabbal]

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

Posted to the web February 5, 2004

 

Konchora Guracha

Nairobi

 

Punitive measures including sanctions will be used against Somali leaders or faction which derails the ongoing peace process, Kenya has warned.

 

Foreign Affairs Minister Kalonzo Musyoka said yesterday the Somali peace process which has been going on in Kenya for the last 14 months is at a critical stage.

 

He said time was now ripe to enforce the collective will of the Somali people.

 

"No turning back," he stressed.

 

"We would also wish to remind the leaders that the international community would not hesitate to take decisive punitive measure(s) including the application of a targeted sanctions regime to enforce the will of the Somali people to regain their rightful place within the community of nations," Kalonzo stated.

 

Parties to the Somali peace talks including the caretaker president of the Transitional National Government (TNG) Abdiqassim Salad Hassan signed a historic agreement last week at an elaborate ceremony at State House Nairobi presided over by President Kibaki.

 

Speaking in his office at a media briefing on the progress of the Somali peace process, Kalonzo disclosed that he had instructed Kenya's Special Envoy to the Somali talks, Bethuel Kiplagat, to speed up a meeting of all traditional leaders to participate in the Third and final phase of the talks.

 

The agreement signed last week followed a four-month hiatus in the talks which have been going on at Mbagathi, Nairobi, until a renewed effort by the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to jump-start it began under the chairmanship of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni earlier last month.

 

The agreement among others stipulates the mode of electing members of a 275-member Transitional Federal Somali Parliament (TFSP) as well as modalities of adopting a new constitution.

 

Last week's breakthrough was a culmination of a marathon of consultations among the various factions that began in Nairobi on January 9, brokered by Kalonzo.

 

Kalonzo said election to the TFSP as well as those of the Speaker and the President will be through secret ballot.

 

Saying emphasis will be put on traditional leadership models.

 

"As we move to the third and final phase of the Somali Peace Conference, leaders must refrain from any precipitative or hostile, propaganda, animosity and mutual suspicion that could trigger any setback", he warned.

 

The road map to lasting peace in Somalia "must not be held hostage by any single interest or issues or by any individual or groups", he said.

 

"The international community will not stand by and watch these efforts undermined or derailed by any group or leader bent on promoting their selfish and narrow interests", he cautioned.