One Year Lifting of Arms Embargo on Somalia

[AbdurahmanAli]

The U.N. Security Council is considering lifting an arms embargo on Somalia's government for one year so it can beef up its army to combat Islamist fighters, according to a draft resolution that is due to be voted on by the divided council on Wednesday.

 

The Somalia government has asked for the arms embargo to be lifted and the United States has been pushing the council to agree, but Britain and France have been wary of removing the ban in a country already awash with weapons, diplomats say.

 

The draft resolution, drawn up by Britain and obtained by Reuters, appears to propose a compromise: lifting the arms embargo for one year but keeping restrictions in place on heavy weapons such as surface to air missiles, howitzers and cannons.

 

The draft resolution says the arms embargo shall not apply to the deliveries of other "weapons or military equipment or the provision of advice, assistance or training, intended solely for the development of the security forces of the federal government of Somalia and to provide security for the Somali people."

 

It says that these weapons and equipment "may not be resold to, transferred to, or made available for use by, any individual or entity not in the service of the security forces of the federal government of Somalia."

 

The 15-member council imposed the arms 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. Somalia held its first national vote since 1991 last year to elect a president and prime minister.

 

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month suggested the Security Council consider lifting the arms embargo to help rebuild Somalia's forces and consolidate military gains against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.

 

But some council members are concerned about the security risks involved with removing the arms embargo and one council diplomats said the proposed move "sends shivers down the spine."

 

MILITANT INFILTRATION

 

The Security Council's Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, an independent panel that reports on compliance with U.N. sanctions, have warned that the Islamist militants in Somalia are receiving weapons from distribution networks linked to Yemen and Iran, diplomats have told Reuters.

 

A U.N. diplomat also said the U.N. monitors had reported that some al Shabaab militants had infiltrated units of the Somali security forces.

 

The council is scheduled to vote on the draft resolution on Wednesday before the mandate of the 17,600-strong AU peacekeeping force, known as AMISOM, expires on Thursday. The resolution would renew AU peacekeeping force for one year and reconfigure the U.N. mission in the Horn of Africa country.

 

AU troops from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Ethiopia are battling al Shabaab militants on several fronts in Somalia and have forced them to abandon significant territory in southern and central areas of the country.

 

The militants, who affiliated themselves with al Qaeda in February last year, launched their campaign against the government in early 2007, seeking to impose sharia, or strict Islamic law, on the entire country.

 

The Somali government believes lifting the embargo will help it strengthen its poorly equipped, ill-disciplined military - more a group of rival militias than a cohesive fighting force loyal to a single president.

 

The draft resolution requires that the Somalia government or the country delivering assistance notify the Security Council "at least five days in advance of any deliveries of weapons and military equipment ... providing details of such deliveries and assistance and the specific place of delivery in Somalia."

 

It also asks the government to report regularly on the structure of the security forces and the infrastructure and procedures in place to ensure safe storage, maintenance and distribution of military equipment.

 

The removal of the arms embargo would be reviewed in one year, according to the draft resolution.

[Waranle_Warrior]

This if done hurriedly may end in disaster. I'm not sure how this feeble few months old government that's only learning how to creep will be able to keep any arms it imports from the hands of unruly irresponsible militias or mercenary men that which will finally end up in Alshabaab hands.

 

Waxaan kabaqayaa in la arko hubka ay keento iyada oo lagula diriraayo ama si khaldan loo isticmaalo oo dadkale lagu baabiyo - and that's is the disaster I foresee.

 

Dowlada madaxdeeda sare wax military ah ama wax kayaqaan kuma jiraan marka waxaa loobahanyahay inay raggi milatariga ahaa oo waliba masuulka ahaa ee aan kaqayb qaadan dagaaladii Somalia in la isku keeno oo laga soo aruuriyo gobalada Somalia oo dhan markaasna dawlada ee plan iyo agenda cad usamayso masuuliyintaas xilka iyo tashiga lagu wareejiyo markaas kadibna laqaadaa cunaqabataynta hub-ka but I think now its early, I don't think this government is fully prepared for such huge task. Lacagti iyo musuqmaasuqi ayay wax kaqaban karin, marka hub lamusuqmaasuqayna wax badan ayuu kadaranyahay lacagta oo ogaadana lacag ama dhowr milyan oo la musuqmaasuqay dadku waa kakabsan karaa balse hub gacan khaldan galay dhibaato iyo baaba' horleh ayuu horseedi karaa.

 

Waa arin kafiirsasho badan ubaahan.

[oba hiloowlow]

excellent, xiin and zack baa la karbashahaya LOOOOL

[Waranle_Warrior]

^LOool, that's good call but armee sheekada saas noqon weydaa oo HAG iyaga isku karbaashaan Mr. Culusow usheeg to beware of the likes of Abwaan's and Madeey otherwise if they get the toys isagee entertain gareenaayaan markaa culusow fiigaaya la arkaa and it will take another 20 years in lagu laabto Villa Somalia

[oba hiloowlow]

Waranle ninkii abwaan iyo maadey hubkaas uu dhiiba ayaaba ah nin qaxar ah. LOOOL

[Haatu]

^ May God keep Abwaan/Maaddeey and their likes away from that hub

 

That said, this is a fantastic move. I support it 100%. Intii ka cabsanayso in la gumeysto, XDS ha iska soo qoraan.

[oba hiloowlow]

^^Aamiin LOOOL :D

[Waranle_Warrior]

LOool @ Gumeysto, waar Somali isma gumaysatee gumaysina iskama yeesho, hubkaan ama waa la isla wada dhici ama waa lawada hagaagi oo dhinac la isu raaci.

 

Waa Kaa yiri Singub, Ha israacdo diidayee ha israamsato hada kahor, waa halkeedii, way israaci ama way israamsan.

[Somalia]

AbdurahmanAli;923395 wrote:

It says that these weapons and equipment "may not be resold to, transferred to, or made available for use by, any individual or entity not in the service of the security forces of the federal government of Somalia."

Oh so unspectacular it will fail.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Well this is good news

[nuune]

Time to get a nuclear device, let me call North Korea.

[Odey]

Time to emigrate, where is African Express! or should I say Afrikaan Ekis berees!

 

Actually the concerns raised by the other Security council members are more or less the same as the ones I raised on this forum only a few days ago!