Suldaanka Posted June 23, 2008 source "My message to the people in Asmara is make peace not war" Amb. Yates by Ahmed Gure Hiiraan Online Sunday, June 22, 2008 United States Special Envoy for Somalia Ambassador John Yates spoke to Hiiraan Online about US support for peace agreement in Djibouti, UN Peacekeeping forces and the reconstruction and development of Somalia. We reached Ambassador Yates in Nairobi, Kenya where he shared his thoughts with us via telephone. HOL – Let me first start with the agreement in Djibouti. Ambassador Yates as you know the Somalia people have seen 18 long years of failed Agreements and abandoned Accords - brokered by a third party and praised by the international community. Do you think this new agreement in Djibouti will be different and Why? Amb. Yates : Well that is a good question. We are all hopeful that it can be different. Obviously right now we are very early in the post agreement stages and the implementations; we hope will be very productive in the development of Somalia, which is the important part, of course. The United States for sure is going to be pushing on the all the leverages it can to help in the implementations. I think we will be taking a lead in the UN to get UN forces. I think we will be continuing the humanitarian and other kinds of assistances we have been providing in large amounts over the years. We will be continuing our support for AMISOM until they can transition into the UN forces. We will be working with all other partners … and the two sides. I would like to say one more thing, We don't want to approach this like a pole vaulter, I don't think I can make 16 feet so I'm going to fail. We're trying to approach this like we can succeed and the Somali's are too. The other thing of course as we all know is that after 18 years there's a lot fatigue, a lot of dismay and I think that more people are ready to accept this time. At least I hope so. HOL : So you would say that you are very optimistic? Amb. Yates : I am hopeful, as you know there are still whole bunch of people out there who are taking the attitudes that it's the wrong agreement, that it doesn't do the right thing. The people who stayed down in Asmara are making negative statements. The people who are launching attacks on TFG soldiers are making negative statements so I can't say we have everyone onboard yet but we're going to try. HOL : Everything on the Djibouti Accord hinges on what the Security Council (or the international community) does - that is: authorizing peacekeepers and deploying them to Somalia in four months. Do you think that will happen in light of what had happen in Darfur (the UN was not able to deliver); What the US government is willing do about this? Amb. Yates : Well, let me just correct one thing it's not everything that depends on the international community. The first thing it depends on is the improvement of the situation in Somalia. But the short answer is: the United States is the President in the Security Council in this month of June and if the conditions are there to get a Resolution to pass we're ready to see some sort of peace keeping operation. As you can imagine we are going to be pushing very hard. HOL : Somalia is a collapsed State, it cannot of its own stand on its feet - it needs international rebuilding efforts that go beyond humanitarian aid- current Somalia gets food aid. Many problems stem from the fact of this collapsed nature of the state institution. In your reading, is the international community ready to go beyond the current hand out to real rebuilding, and more specifically do you think that this sort of rebuilding operation is feasible for the United States? Amb. Yates : Yes, last line of the agreement is, as I'm sure you already know – the parties also considered a priority to convene within the next 6 months an international conference aimed at addressing Somalia's reconstruction and development. That is what we are committed to, both with the political pressure and the money. The first steps toward convening the reconstruction and development HOL : Another thing I would like to address with you is the fact that those who oppose the current deal see a lot of ambiguity in the Accord such as the word Sufficient - that is Ethiopia will leave when there are sufficient Peacekeepers on the ground- what is a sufficient number. Amb. Yates : What is sufficient will depend entirely on what the situation is, especially in Mogadishu, but in Somalia. I think that the Secretary General’s Special Representative and the members of the Security Council who rightly believe that they would not need a Darfur-sized number of forces but maybe something, you know, something twice the size AMISOM was supposed to be. But I can't tell you if its going to be 1000, 12050 or 16,000 I just can't tell you, it'll all depends; and that of course is what the Joint Committee on Security arrangements which should come into effect 15 days after the signing. We're going to be having to look at issues like that in conjunction with help from the international community and experts. HOL : Do you think that the peace-keeping force that was supposed to change the Ethiopian troops can come from African countries or do you think it would be more preferable if they came from Arab or Muslim countries? Amb. Yates : I think that the short answer is yes to all of them; the peacekeeping could continue to be the African troops over there and AMISOM who will become then under the United Nations. They could come from coalition of willing nations such as - you mentioned the other Muslim countries or they could come from peacekeeping force from whoever can give you troops under the UN Security Council resolution. It could be all of those. HOL : Do you think that the US can be apart of one of these potential peace keeping forces? Amb. Yates : Given our commitment right now … I think that it is unlikely that we would have troops on the ground but I'm sure we would be in a position to provide logistics, moving them, equipments and supplies and things like that. I don't speak for the government on these issues, but given all the things going on right now it's highly unlikely. HOL : The TFG, Ethiopia and the opposition groups are accused of war crimes - does the US support war crimes tribunal for those who committed war crimes? Amb. Yates : The United States supports justice and humanity and does not support impunity for crimes committed. This is the issue that you will see in Article 9, about a High Level Committee that considers justice, political cooperation and reconciliation. There have been a lot of ways that this problem had been treated in post-conflict situation in Africa and elsewhere. South Africa, as you know, had the Peace and Reconciliation Commission as did Ghana. Rwanda had actually war crimes trials at both the international and local levels in Rwanda; and Sierre Leone has had the same thing as well. So, this is something that the high level committee is going to have to work out and find out the best way for reconciliation in Somalia. Let me just say you've talked about the last 6 months or even 18 months the intent of this is for all the crimes that have been done since 1991, nobody is just focusing on 2007. HOL : Amnesty International and all the major human rights organizations said that the situation with the Ethiopian Army, TFG and the opposition groups is the most recent war crimes committed. Amb. Yates : Let me just say that we know it's been a very tragic time in Somalia and it continues and as wonderful as Amnesty International is as an organization when they made the report, they went to Hargeisa and Nairobi, they didn't go into Somalia… I am not saying nothing in the report is right or wrong. All I am saying is that it is very hard to judge from publications and the international media. HOL : What is your message to the Asmara based opposition groups and other Somalis who are suspicious of this Accord as well as the intentions of the US government? Amb. Yates : My message to the people in Asmara is make peace not war. I cannot imagine why people would want to continue fighting; it is just not fathomable to me. Do you agree with that? HOL : Of course, we're tired of the fighting and we're strongly advocating peace and patiently waiting for stability. HOL : Finally what is the reaction of US the war between Djibouti and Eritrea Amb. Yates : Well, I think that it's one more tragic event in the Horn Africa. Eritrea has had its border skirmishes with just about all its neighbors. I understand that the Djiboutian Foreign Minister said that things have stabilized again and they are eager in maintaining some sort of ceasefire. It is not a good situation. HOL : Thank you, Ambassador Yates for your time. Amb Yates : It has been a great pleasure. Thank you. Interview conducted by Ahmed E Gure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xiinfaniin Posted June 23, 2008 lol@Suldaan. Still fishing for recognition, eh! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suldaanka Posted June 23, 2008 Xiin, The puzzle is all coming together sxb. Somaliland all along wanted to be seen as a seperate entity that is no part of the Somalia's ongoing civilwar and power strugle. Somalilanders never showed any interest in the politics and power struggle that has gribbed the South. And for the international community to wake up to this and have that mindset of realisation of Somalialnd being a seperate entity, is something that we welcome and I see it as one more step in the right direction. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted June 23, 2008 Mr Yates is trying to avoid admiting that the TPLF carried out gross crimes against humanity. That is understandable from a man who's regime funds the TPLF! How sad that some would use that statement( which downplays the killing of innocents) as cheap political propoganda! Suldan, Somaliland is recognized and happy days are ahead because a diplomat downplayed the crimes against humanity(commited by the TPLF), by claiming, "AI went to Hargeysa". Lets get the popcorn out shall we? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suldaanka Posted June 23, 2008 ^^ Of course the down playing of the crimes in Mogadishu is something deplorable but that is not the reason why I posted this article. But as far as the crimes committed by the TFG and the Ethiopian army is concerned, I don't think the AI going to Hargeisa any lessens the crime. If AI was able to uncover that level of details while not in the crime zone, John Yates might be trying to downplaying it but I see it that he is underplaying it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted June 24, 2008 Suldan, Somaliland is recognized and happy days are ahead because a diplomat downplayed the crimes against humanity (commited by the TPLF), by claiming, "AI went to Hargeysa". Lets get the popcorn out shall we? It is sad to resist not to laugh at this, but one has to since wax kale aanan dhihi karin on this tragic comedy. Eebboow. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
