Somalia: UN Condemns Arms Embargo Violations, Extends Mandate of Monitoring Group

[Thinkerman]

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

 

August 18, 2004

Posted to the web August 18, 2004

 

Nairobi

 

The United Nations Security Council has condemned continuing violations of an arms embargo on war-ravaged Somalia, and extended the mandate of a group tasked with monitoring the 12-year-old ban on the export of weapons and military equipment to the Horn of Africa country.

 

The Council said that weapons and ammunition supplies continued to flow to and through Somalia, and requested the UN Secretary-General "to re-establish, within 30 days and for a period of six months, the Monitoring Group focusing on the ongoing arms embargo violations, including transfers of ammunition, single use weapons and small arms."

 

The Council, in a statement issued on Tuesday, expressed its determination to have violators of the embargo, imposed in 1992, "held accountable".

 

In its report to the Council, the Monitoring Group, which is based in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, had said that while in the past Somali warlords were known to have been the main importers of arms and weapons, arms traders and other businessmen were increasingly involved in the illicit trade.

 

"Imported arms continue to be sold openly in various local arms markets, and the Bakaaraha arms markets in Mogadishu are still the main source for arms in Somalia," according to the group.

 

It said that arms and weapons now came from external sources to the north and south of Somalia, often delivered by dhows and sometimes by large vessels at several places along the Somali coastline.

 

There were indications that air transport of arms had decreased, although some airports in Somalia were still suspected of being used for arms traffic.

 

Information indicated that Somali warlords were involved in the violation of the arms embargo. There was also a possibility that proceeds from 'khat' (mild narcotic chewed by many Somalis), trade and the sale of hashish in foreign countries was used for the purchase of arms, the monitoring group said in its report.

 

 

"Information from confidential sources indicates that some Somali warlords are not keen on seeing a government in place, because it would undermine their business operations," it said.

"In the absence of a central government that collects taxes and customs duties and enacts laws, the financial capacity of some businessmen and warlords and, consequently, their military capability have increased tremendously," it added.

 

Somalia has been without an effective government since the overthrow of the regime of Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1991. Militias loyal to various clans and warlords frequently clash over the control of territory and resources.

 

The monitoring group said that the flow of arms out of Somalia appeared to be in small quantities, but it took place on a daily basis, particularly to "a neighbouring State."

 

"There is evidence that arms are transported to a neighbouring state from Somalia and sold in a very insecure region of the neighbouring state," it added. "Numerous sources have stated that an organised network of Somalis and other individuals from that state has been smuggling armaments into and through the ports of that state by sea."

 

"There is a need for governments of neighbouring states to demonstrate their political will to improve their customs departments. Corruption is a major problem with regard to regional customs enforcement," it noted.

 

The Monitoring Group recommended that a list of those who continued to violate the arms embargo and their supporters remain confidential. A "watch list" to be prepared would include individuals who should be investigated further to establish clearly whether they continued to violate the arms embargo, it added.

 

The Council mandated the group to continue refining and updating information on the draft list of embargo violators inside and outside Somalia for possible future measures, and to present such information to the Committee that oversees the arms embargo.

 

The group noted that it was imperative that it continued its work at this critical stage of the Somali National Reconciliation Conference at Mbagathi, Kenya.

 

It said its investigations could act as a deterrent to potential violators of the arms embargo during the meeting and thus help ensure that opposition groups do not destabilise the transitional government that may emerge from gathering, or minimise the violence that could erupt if the outcome of the conference was inconclusive.

 

The report urged neighbouring states to implement anti-money-laundering and anti-terrorist measures to strengthen the capacity of their financial institutions to trace client funds that might be linked to trafficking and smuggling.

 

Dhow traffic in the region should be regulated, while the International Maritime Organisation, in consultation with neighbouring countries and related organisations, should develop a practical monitoring programme for Somalia's 3,200-kilonmetre coastline, the second longest in Africa, it added.

 

Though arms transfers by air had dropped in number, Somalia's neighbours should put all their airstrips under the control of their national airport regulators and should more closely monitor their own borders and their vehicular traffic, the report said.

 

Source: All Africa

 

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The Hurdles and obsticles that block the road towards stability security and a greater semblences of normality remain within the southern region of the former republic of somalia.

 

It seems well documented and the role that the previous and regining warlords play in maintaining the status qou is no longer an open secret, its practically a Fact.

 

What hasnt been mentioned or debated or articulated is the role (if any)the civilian population and civil society ((or what is left of it)) play in maintaining this existing situation.

 

The Warlords case is obvious and irrelevant to discuss, they have a vested interest in continuing the current anrachy.

 

But what will take the rest of society to react and move from the passive state the currently seem to be exhibitng. Apart from returning somali's from the disapora, what other no-government ((or should i say non-warlord body)) exist oto challange and indeed act as a catylist towards greater security peace justice and normalty??