UN urged to lift limit on arms to Somalia

[Saalax]

UN urged to lift limit on arms to Somalia

Written by Anne Mugisa

Jun 30, 2010 at 08:18 AM

EAST African defence chiefs have have asked the United Nations to lift the ban on Somalia’s neighbours sending peacekeepers to the war-torn country.

 

They made the recommendations during a meeting in Nairobi last week.

 

“We recommend that the council lifts the UN resolution that limits neighbouring states from deploying in Somalia,” the report read.

 

More than 6,000 hard-pressed African Union troops contributed by Uganda and Burundi are guarding Somalia’s fragile government in Mogadishu.

 

However, a UN resolution does not allow the country’s neighbours, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti, to contribute forces to beef up the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

 

The army spokesperson, Felix Kulayigye, on Friday said other African countries that were supposed to contribute troops to AMISOM had not done so.

 

AMISOM was created in January 2007 by the African Union Peace and Security Council with an initial six-month mandate.

 

In February 2001, the UN approved the mission’s mandate and has since authorised the subsequent six-monthly renewals of the mandate by the African Union peace and security council.

 

However, a senior Somali official who preferred anonymity told Reuters that their delegation did not endorse the document signed by seven defence chiefs from eastern Africa.

 

He said this was because Somalis were concerned that unilateral intervention by neighbouring states could trigger further unrest in the country.

 

“We refused to sign the document in our country’s interest. Our people have a sensitive attitude towards foreign intervention, especially from Kenya and Ethiopia.

 

“We can’t allow such a deal at the moment, but if the troops come under the UN or African Union mandate, we will agree to it,” the official said.

 

Djibouti planned to send 450 soldiers to Somalia in January to boost the AMISOM peace mission, but the UN resolution ties the hands of the small Red Sea country.

 

The chiefs also recommended that the region deploy an additional 2,000 troops to bring the AMISOM force in Mogadishu to 8,100.

 

The chiefs are also seeking to expand the AU mission’s mandate and recommended a 22,500-strong force to stabilise Somalia.

 

Newvision

[Amistad]

"Djibouti planned to send 450 soldiers to Somalia in January to boost the AMISOM peace mission, but the UN resolution ties the hands of the small Red Sea country".

 

Guelle wont send troops unless he can figure out a way to make money on their heads. If PeaceKeepers get paid $8 dollars a day, he will take at least half of that.

[Saalax]

Amistad, i don't think guelle will even send it his got bigger issues to worry about such as western djibouti which is facing eritrean afar rebel threat.

[Amistad]

He doesn't really need to. The French are there to save his **** if Eritrea kicks off again. Eritreans should know their soldiers are shooting targets for French boys.

[Amistad]

The last skirmish a couple o years back involved soldiers from Eritrea deserting to Djiboutis side, not border disputes. I know because I was there and spoke with Djiboutian soldiers firsthand. Eritrea soldiers started shooting at their own guys when they realized what was happening. It all went downhill after that.

[Amistad]

"recommended a 22,500-strong force to stabilise Somalia".

 

Well, that would be the final blow to fragile Mogadishu. Sending underpaid foreign peacekeeping troops to war torn countries is always a problem, because said troops are never paid enough to make their deployment worthwhile, and they usually set about trying to find new & creative ways to boost their pay, ie selling drugs, prostitution, stealing food and re-selling it etc etc. We have seen it all before, it just doesn't work.

 

If the UN is really serious about peacekeeping in Somalia, they should contract out a serious Muslim force, pay them well and establish some decent oversight.