Envoy: Somalia could become terror haven

[SOO MAAL]

Envoy: Somalia could become terror haven

 

EDITH M. LEDERER

 

Associated Press

 

 

UNITED NATIONS - Somalia could become a terrorist haven because it is a failed state where the number of extremist groups is growing, the top U.N. envoy for the country warned Wednesday.

 

Francois Lonseny Fall said he told a closed meeting of the U.N. Security Council that "extremist groups were growing not only in Mogadishu (the capital) but in the rest of the territory" and were sometimes carrying out assassinations.

 

"This is a real threat not only for Somalia but for all the region," he said.

 

The Horn of Africa nation has not had an effective central government since clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Warlords then turned on each other, plunging the country of 7 million into chaos.

 

Somalia has been struggling to re-establish a fully functioning government and end the violent reign of rival warlords. But the transitional government formed last year still can't operate in Mogadishu and only three days ago the prime minister escaped an assassination attempt in the capital.

 

Lonseny Fall, the secretary-general's special representative for Somalia, said the country posed a threat to international peace and security today because it lacks normal systems of government.

 

"When you have a failed state like Somalia, when there's no authority, it gives opportunity to all the terrorist groups to grow," he said. "It happened in Afghanistan and the same thing can happen in Somalia."

 

Asked which extremist groups were growing, he said "mainly Islamist groups ... and we have some who are trying to establish the Shariah court (Islamic law) in Somalia - and this is a real threat for Somalia today."

 

The Security Council on Wednesday condemned "in the strongest terms" Sunday's assassination attempt against Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi.

 

The transitional government formed after lengthy peace talks in Kenya raised some hope. But its members quickly split over where the government should be based and whether it needs peacekeepers from neighboring countries to help establish order.

 

The council expressed concern "over recent reported military activities and hostile rhetoric" and warned that "any resort to military force as a means for dealing with the current difference within the Transitional Federal Institutions is unacceptable."

 

It also expressed serious concern over increasing incidents of piracy off the coast of Somalia, including the hijacking of ships carrying humanitarian goods.

 

Pirates armed with grenade launchers and machine guns tried to hijack a luxury cruise liner carrying Americans and other foreign tourists off Somalia's coast Saturday, but the ship outran them by changing course and heading out to sea.

[SOO MAAL]

Envoy: Somalia Could Become Terror Haven

 

Thursday November 10, 2005 1:16 AM

 

 

By EDITH M. LEDERER

 

Associated Press Writer

 

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Somalia could become a terrorist haven because it is a failed state where the number of extremist groups is growing, the top U.N. envoy for the country warned Wednesday.

 

Francois Lonseny Fall said he told a closed meeting of the U.N. Security Council that ``extremist groups were growing not only in Mogadishu (the capital) but in the rest of the territory'' and were sometimes carrying out assassinations.

 

``This is a real threat not only for Somalia but for all the region,'' he said.

 

The Horn of Africa nation has not had an effective central government since clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Warlords then turned on each other, plunging the country of 7 million into chaos.

 

Somalia has been struggling to re-establish a fully functioning government and end the violent reign of rival warlords. But the transitional government formed last year still can't operate in Mogadishu and only three days ago the prime minister escaped an assassination attempt in the capital.

 

Lonseny Fall, the secretary-general's special representative for Somalia, said the country posed a threat to international peace and security today because it lacks normal systems of government.

 

``When you have a failed state like Somalia, when there's no authority, it gives opportunity to all the terrorist groups to grow,'' he said. ``It happened in Afghanistan and the same thing can happen in Somalia.''

 

Asked which extremist groups were growing, he said ``mainly Islamist groups ... and we have some who are trying to establish the Shariah court (Islamic law) in Somalia - and this is a real threat for Somalia today.''

 

The Security Council on Wednesday condemned ``in the strongest terms'' Sunday's assassination attempt against Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi.

 

The transitional government formed after lengthy peace talks in Kenya raised some hope. But its members quickly split over where the government should be based and whether it needs peacekeepers from neighboring countries to help establish order.

 

The council expressed concern ``over recent reported military activities and hostile rhetoric'' and warned that ``any resort to military force as a means for dealing with the current difference within the Transitional Federal Institutions is unacceptable.''

 

It also expressed serious concern over increasing incidents of piracy off the coast of Somalia, including the hijacking of ships carrying humanitarian goods.

 

Pirates armed with grenade launchers and machine guns tried to hijack a luxury cruise liner carrying Americans and other foreign tourists off Somalia's coast Saturday, but the ship outran them by changing course and heading out to sea.

[Alle-ubaahne]

I don't understand why you think this as relevent and sincere evaluation by the U.N, when the real terrorists are them (UN-backed corporations) who dumpen our coasts with nucluer wastes. It doesn't matter whether they call our country a safe haven for extremists or not, as long as the U.N. is part of the problem that stirs the situation in Somalia.

[SOO MAAL]

Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne:

I don't understand why you think this as relevent and sincere evaluation by the U.N, when the real terrorists are them (UN-backed corporations) who dumpen our coasts with nucluer wastes. It doesn't matter whether they call our country a safe haven for extremists or not, as long as the U.N. is part of the problem that stirs the situation in Somalia.

True brother,

 

but, we somali people before we solve our external problems, I think we should solve our internal problems because they are equally destructive

[Alle-ubaahne]

^Sax, and I guess now we're talking about an issue with great importance. Let's find a meaningful way to solving our problems without relying to the warlords or asking helping hands for those who lead us to vicious circles whenever we reckon them.

 

At least, this time we should try a grand conference for all tribes in somalia under the auspices of our wadaado from all tribes, and thus leading to a successful adminstration that revives the hopes and ambitions of united somali nation.

 

Or else, you know we'll not benefit in applying the same furmula that we've been using in the past fourteen years, gaining no tangible progress whatsoever.