Castro Posted November 9, 2007 Thu 8 Nov 2007, 22:29 GMT By Claudia Parsons UNITED NATIONS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Sending U.N. peacekeepers to Somalia is not realistic and the international community should consider other options including a "coalition of the willing," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Mogadishu this year amid persistent fighting since Somalia's transitional government came to power after ousting militant Islamists with the help of Ethiopian troops. The government has urged the United Nations to send peacekeepers. In August, the Security Council asked Ban to develop contingency plans for such a deployment. "Under the prevailing political and security situation, I believe that the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation cannot be considered a realistic and viable option," Ban said in a report to the Security Council. He said it had not even been possible to send a technical assessment team to Somalia because of the lack of security, though he added the peacekeeping department would continue to review contingency plans for possible peacekeeping operations. Earlier this year, the African Union agreed to deploy 8,000 troops to replace the government's Ethiopian backers, but so far only about 1,600 Ugandan troops have arrived. In the latest spasm of violence, Somali insurgents dragged the bodies of dead Ethiopian soldiers through the streets of Mogadishu on Thursday amid fighting that killed at least 21 people. The grisly scenes recalled the 1993 shooting down of two Black Hawk helicopters by Somali militiamen during a failed U.S. operation to hunt down warlords in Mogadishu. Images of dead Americans dragged through the streets by joyous Somalis deeply shocked U.S. public opinion, precipitating American withdrawal and contributing to the ending of a U.N. peacekeeping operation in 1995. Ban urged AU countries who have pledged soldiers to the current force there to deploy their troops as soon as possible, and said the United Nations would work with the AU to support the force, which faces serious financial and logistic problems. "Given the complex security situation in Somalia, it may be advisable to look at additional security options, including the deployment of a robust multinational force or coalition of the willing," Ban said. "Such a force could initially be small and self-sustaining, growing over time with the achievement of specific security and political milestones," he said, adding that in time such a force could allow the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops. Ban also urged the Somali government to press ahead with national reconciliation, saying it should reach out to opposition groups and implement commitments such as preparing for elections in 2009. Reuters Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Khalaf Posted November 9, 2007 ^^^^That is not a suprise ninyahow.....no one gives a damn about africans getting killed or killing each other Images of dead Americans dragged through the streets by joyous Somalis deeply shocked U.S. public opinion, precipitating American withdrawal and contributing to the ending of a U.N. peacekeeping operation in 1995. Actually America withdrew only because Bush Sr. lost to Bill Clinton who pulled out the troops, Bush and the army were intending to flatting Somalia to dark ages....if politics change here and democrats win in 08.....things may change for somalia....but at this moment Ethiopia's efforts is being supported with money and supplies by America.... May Allah help the Muslims. Ameen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NASSIR Posted November 9, 2007 The U.N still holds its contingency plan under consideration, but what has this got to do with the promise of African Union. It is the African Union that pledged to send troops to Somalia, not the United Nations. The U.N. can only help the AU by providing the financial means to carry out its military operation. Dragging of dead bodies is a form of resistance for the anti-peace movement that proved to be successful during the Operation Restore Hope in 1993. It should not budge the AU and the government from achieving its ends: restoring peace and centralized government, which our people have been denied over a decade and half. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted November 9, 2007 The best chance Soomaaliya iyo Soomaalida soo martay in this protracted civil war was '92 to mid '94. During UNISOM, particularly markee caalamka usoo gurmadeen in Diseember of 1992. Selfish warlords like Caydiid Sr. undermined them for a personal, selfish political reasons. Meeshuu ku dambeeyana waa kaasaa. Soomaali haku tusaalo qaadato. Nin dantiisa ka hormariyo kan dalkiisa iyo dadkiisa saas ayaa u dambeyneyso, same like the current octogenarian Xabashi stooge. Retirement maba ugu jirto his vocabulary in uu ummadda Soomaaliyeed qaribo ma'ahee. You sometimes wonder what if -- what would've our country currently have been or what really would had it been had not the UNISOM left, had not Mareykanka left. Caalamka, led by Mareykanka, may have had their own interests, at least dalkaas ayee dhisi lahayeen, tobaneeyadaan warlords gadaal kasoo baxayna ma jiri lahayn. That old Mareykan adminstration we knew was a bit different from the current Mareykan regime we so well know now. Also some current seef laboodiyaal and xagjirs, supported by foreigners, who took advantage the prolonged chaos of dalkeena, they didn't exist waagaas, and if they did, they were very, very tiny minority. Also naceybka Soomaalida qaarkood isku qabaan heerka uu maanta gaaray ma gaarin waagaas. Dalkana saan uma burburin, suu maanta u burburay. Ummadda Soomaaliyeedna saan uma baahneen, see maanta u wada baahanyihiin. Qaxar, baahi, abaar, rafaad, fatahaad, isbiimeys, xasuuq, barakicin -- you just name a calamity. All of it caano ciid lagu lisay because once again niman waalan tooda ma'ahee mid kale aan u naxeynin. Shoud they and their violent policies doom, they would gladly take the country with them if they could afford it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted November 9, 2007 Some Africans might be sent as stooges and mecenaries for the so called war on terror by the Americans such as Burundi and perhaps Nigeria. Other than that Ethiopians are here to stay! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NASSIR Posted November 10, 2007 Ethiopia will not stay, mark my words. The United Nations has to support financially the AU and IGAD in sending troops to Somalia. That is at least what we are asking from the U.N. at the moment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
