'Kenya's Fate Tied to That of Somalia

[NASSIR]

balanced view of the instability in the Horn.

 

'Kenya's Fate Tied to That of Somalia

 

Prof Makinda

 

November 20, 2007

 

THE DEEPENING POLITICAL instability in Somalia is a culmination of the rivalries, power struggles and personal antagonisms that have been building up in the past year or so.

 

The strain between President Abdul Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi, which resulted in the latter's resignation, is unfortunate because it is likely to reverse the little progress achieved so far, and make an already very bad situation much worse.

 

As some observers of Somali politics had predicted, the political alliance that was constructed in Nairobi after more than two years of negotiations would not last long unless the key personalities were completely satisfied that the arrangement was working as intended.

 

The Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which was agreed to by about 2,000 Somalis from across the country, was meant to usher in a new era, but this was not to be.

 

The first test of solidarity among the TFG members came in June 2006 when the Union of Islamic Courts, a coalition of 11 different groups, took Mogadishu and established their own rule.

 

Sections of the Western Press, and some Western governments, immediately claimed that this was an al-Qaeda-dominated administration. The Union of Islamic Courts may have had radical Islamists, but they were outnumbered by those who were primarily concerned with a functioning government in Mogadishu.

 

Although their six-month government was not recognised by any African state except Sudan, it enabled Somalia to enjoy normal life for the first time in 15 years.

 

The TFG, which was impotent at the time, maintained its unity in the hope that the international community would intervene and re-install it in office.

 

THE TFG PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED on Christmas Eve in 2006 when Ethiopia, encouraged by the USA, invaded Somalia, defeated the Union of Islamic Courts, and handed nominal power to the TFG. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised to withdraw his troops within weeks, but they are still there.

 

Ethiopia's continued occupation of Somalia has prevented the Islamists from re-establishing their rule, but it has also presented a major test for the solidarity of the TFG.

 

Many Somalis cannot tolerate the Ethiopian presence for any extended period, something which Kenya, the African Union, the United Nations and most diplomats in Nairobi know.

 

As if anticipating what is happening in Mogadishu now, Kenyan Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju devoted his entire speech at the UN General Assembly on September 26 to insecurity in Somalia. It was an excellent speech in which he cajoled the rest of the world to participate in establishing peace in Somalia.

 

Said Mr Tuju: "All of us as an international community should appreciate that the Somali phenomenon, with no government in place, is a danger, not just to the neighbouring countries, but to the whole world".

 

To illustrate his claim, Mr Tuju cited various cases of piracy off the Somali coast, which had affected people from different countries.

 

While it is true that instability in Somalia is a problem for the whole of Africa and the rest of the world, no other country has felt its impact more than Kenya.

 

Therefore, it is important that at a time like this the Kenya government should take leadership by proposing options for repairing the damage.

 

Source: The Nation

[NASSIR]

U.N. mulls protection of civilians in armed conflict

 

November 21, 2007

 

The U.N. Security Council held on Tuesday an open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, with U.N. officials and council members urging more international efforts in this area.

 

During the open meeting, the 15-member council heard a briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes on U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's latest report on the subject.

 

The report contains an update on progress made in implementing Security Council resolution 1674, adopted in April 2006, which calls for council action to protect civilians in armed conflict, and strengthening the framework for the protection of civilians elaborated by the council and other partners in recent years.

 

Speaking at the debate, Ban called on the international community to ensure the protection of civilians in armed conflict, proposing the establishment of a working group in the U.N. Security Council to oversee related efforts.

 

"The protection of civilians is and must remain an absolute priority," Ban stressed, saying that he had proposed in the report the establishment of a Security Council working group on the protection of civilians.

 

"I believe the establishment of such a group is an important next step, perhaps even an inevitable next step, in the evolution of the council's consideration of the protection of civilians," he said.

 

"It would not only underline the council's commitment to this cause, it would give practical meaning to your commitment. It would ensure more timely and systematic consideration of the protection of civilians in the council's deliberations. And it would assist the council to move decisively towards practical implementation," the U.N. chief said.

 

Holmes said that the creation of the working group would mark anew phase in the council's efforts to protect civilians, adding that he would like to see a regular forum for timely consultation on the protection of civilians between the council and relevant U.N. departments.

 

Chinese Ambassador Liu Zhenmin said that despite conventions and United Nations resolutions, large numbers of civilians were still being devastated by armed conflicts, which now encompassed changing characteristics and an emergence of complex historical, political, religious and resource-related factors.

 

"We strongly urge parties to conflicts to strictly abide by the international humanitarian law and the relevant Security Council resolutions and fulfill their corresponding obligations to protecting the life, property and legitimate interest of civilians," Liu said.

 

Liu emphasized that civilian protection should be bolstered by enhancing the role of governments and international bodies, as well as by attaching importance to conflict prevention.

 

"The Security Council should continue to fulfill its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security in accordance with the U.N. Charter and play its unique role in the protection of civilians," Liu said, adding that governments' rolesin protecting civilians should be respected, and humanitarian relief work should be carried out in a judicious and effective manner.

 

Citing the grave problem of internal and external displacement,Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said it was not only states thathad a responsibility to protect civilians, but non-state actors, as well.

 

Security contractors, such as those in Iraq, should also be held accountable and comply with the norms of international law, he said, adding that Russia welcomed the initiatives of Switzerland and the International Committee of the Red Cross to consider a relevant response to armed contractors.

 

 

 

Source: Xinhua