U.N. chief suggests review of 21-year-old Somalia arms embargo

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

U.N. chief suggests review of 21-year-old Somalia arms embargo

 

Michelle Nichols

Saturday, February 02, 2013

 

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Security Council should consider lifting an arms embargo on Somalia to help rebuild the country's security forces and consolidate military gains against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, U.N.chief Ban Ki-moon suggested in a report Friday.

The council imposed the embargo in 1992 to cut the flow of arms to feuding warlords, who a year earlier ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged Somalia into civil war. Council diplomats said the arms embargo was "under discussion" as the delegations have not reached a final agreement.

 

Somalia's president and prime minister were elected last year in the country's first national vote since 1991.

 

"Enhanced efforts are ... urgently needed to develop the Somali National Security Forces," Ban said in the report to the 15-member council. "In this regard, the Security Council may wish to consider the repeated request by the government for lifting the arms embargo."

 

Somalia wants help strengthening its poorly equipped and often ill-disciplined military that is more of a loosely affiliated umbrella group of rival militias than a cohesive fighting force loyal to a single president.

 

There are 17,600 U.N.-mandated African Union peacekeepers helping battle the Islamist rebels in Somalia. The African Union has also appealed to the Security Council to review the arms embargo on Somalia.

 

"Although security has improved considerably in Somalia, the struggle is far from over. The insurgents continue to carry out their attacks using terrorist attacks and targeted assassinations," Ban said.

 

"These spoilers will seize any opportunity to reverse the gains," he said. "We must continue to stay alert and deny them the space they seek. We should continue to explore the measures already identified, such as travel bans and asset freezes, as we determine when and to whom these must be applied."

 

Ban also recommended in the report that a new U.N. assistance mission to deliver political and peacebuilding support be established in Somalia and that the Security Council consider a U.N. or joint U.N.-AU peacekeeping mission once the combat operations against Al-Shabaab come to an end.

 

He said planning for the deployment of the new U.N. assistance mission should take place as soon as possible and that it be based in Somalia instead of neighboring Kenya, now that security has improved.

 

The Security Council needs to renew the mandate for the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia, known as AMISOM, by early March.

 

The council is also considering a call to permit the export of stocks of charcoal. It banned the sale abroad of Somali charcoal in last February in an attempt to cut off al Shabaab's funding.

 

The Security Council's Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, an independent panel that reports on compliance with U.N. sanctions, says charcoal exports from southern Somalia in 2011 generated over $25 million for al Shabaab. (Editing by Doina Chiacu).

 

Source: Reuters

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Bring in the arms.

[oba hiloowlow]

indeed xaaji

[Haatu]

Xaaji Xunjuf;914840 wrote:

Bring in the arms.

Ha lagu faraxashado!

 

This is a good development. The country desperately needs the embargo to go if we ever want to see a strong national government again.

[Taleexi]

I've mixed feelings about this but government without a teeth is not a government.

[Mintid Farayar]

Xaaji Xunjuf;914839 wrote:

Somalia wants help strengthening its poorly equipped and

often ill-disciplined

military that is more of a loosely affiliated

umbrella group of rival militias

than a

cohesive fighting force loyal to a single president.

Source: Reuters

Be careful what you wish for! Giving advanced weaponry to various sub-clan militias masquerading as National Armed Forces is a dangerous cocktail....

 

It would be wiser to work on the discipline and cohesion of the FG forces first before introducing new weapons into the environment.

[Taleexi]

Guys don't worry - Lifting the embargo pertains to the entire nation - Every D- ick, Tom and Harry - will be able purchasing regardless whether they live in Seylac or Kismaayo or in between. Another formula would be distributing arms through the cursed 4.5 formula.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

^^ Well that's not bad aslong as arms is equally distributed between the various clans and communities, HAG is making us Proud.

[Mintid Farayar]

May I remind you of Mogadishu circa 1991-1992! When the heavy armaments of Siyad Barre's forces fell into the hands of ill-disciplined sub-clan militias. Look at what happened to the most beautiful city in East Africa.....

 

Some might argue that the forces currently under the Federal Gov't in Mogadishu are in better shape but I ask how come they haven't been able to launch a single independent operation on their own without AMISOM?

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Yeaah they 2 should be allowed to have some nice brand new weapons

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Mintid Farayar;914920 wrote:

May I remind you of Mogadishu circa 1991-1992! When the heavy armaments of Siyad Barre's forces fell into the hands of ill-disciplined sub-clan militias. Look at what happened to the most beautiful city in East Africa.....

 

Some might argue that the forces currently under the Federal Gov't in Mogadishu are in better shape but I ask how come they haven't been able to launch a single independent operation on their own without AMISOM?

They lack the training discipline and the needed equipment finances and coordination, the current army in Somalia needs to be fully transformed right now you have just some organized militia i just hope hassan knows what he is doing.

[Mintid Farayar]

Xaaji Xunjuf;914925 wrote:

They lack the training discipline and the needed equipment finances and coordination, the current army in Somalia needs to be fully transformed right now you have just some organized militia i just hope hassan knows what he is doing.

Hassan has far bigger problems coming up! There's a reason for his rumored opposition to Federalism but I won't get ahead of the ball on that situation(but the reasons behind his strong advocacy for the lifting of the arms embargoe will be self-evident quite soon) . All will become clear within the next 2 months...

[Che -Guevara]

Regardless of whatever they lack, what remains true is no country can be without Armed Forces.

[Haatu]

You guys are not thinking logically. Share the guns between the clans? What madness!

 

From what I've been reading, a new army is to be established of around 25,000-30,000 men. They are going to be recruited fairly from all regions still loyal to the union including P/land. Their training is mainly going to take place in Mog with the EU trainers and in Turkey (this is what the deal with Turkey between Fiqi, Gen. Diini and Turkey was about). Also, the government wants to recruit new young officers to staff the new armed forces. They plan to recruit high school and uni graduates (there was an article about this recently). This will then allow the government to phase out the ex-militia warlord-era boys. Also, the ministry of defense is trying to renovate all the military barracks in the country. It is my understanding that this is the army the government wants to equip and keep in the barracks.

[Abdul]

Good news.Now bring in the arms!!