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| Somalia: Armed Youngsters Reject Al Shabaab Order, Fighting Erupts5 April 2009
At least four people were killed in southern Somalia as fighting raged between Islamist hardliners and a group of armed youngsters who resisted the Islamists' order, Radio Garowe reports. The fighting erupted overnight Saturday and continued into Sunday morning near the farming town of Jamame, in Lower Jubba region, after armed youngsters rejected a ruling by Al Shabaab. "The Al Shabaab group issued an order that weapons cannot be carried inside the town...I believe this is why the fighting started," said Omar Sahal, a resident of Jamame. All the four dead victims and five wounded persons were fighters, local sources reported. Al Shabaab fighters were reportedly "in control" of the areas where the battle took place. Al Shabaab officers in the region declined comment on the battle, but this development comes at a time local militias are increasingly challenging Al Shabaab's rule in the southern and central regions of Somalia.
Somalia: Islamist President Appoints Western-Educated PM
13 February 2009 DJIBOUTI Somalia's newly elected President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed appointed a new Prime Minister for the war-torn country Friday, carefully picking a Western-educated politician whose family name resonates across Somali society, Radio Garowe reports. Mr. Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake becomes the Prime Minister of Somalia's first 'unity government,' which was created when the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) merged with the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) to save the country after Ethiopian troops pulled out last month. While Sheikh Sharif hails from the Hawiye clan, Prime Minister-elect Sharmake is a Darod clansman, giving the national leadership a clan balance that is fundamental in Somali politics. The new Prime Minister, if approved by parliament, inherits a Horn of Africa country that has been teetering on the edge since 1991, when Gen. Barre's 21-year military reign ended in an explosion of violence that began the enduring civil war. Gen. Barre came to power through a bloodless coup on October 21, 1969, six days after democratically elected President Abdirashid Ali Sharmake was assassinated by a lone gunman while touring northern Somalia. Somalia's expanded parliament is widely expected to approve Mr. Sharmake as the Prime Minister who will establish a broad-based 'unity government' to lead the country for the next two years. Many challenges face Somalia's new leaders - Sheikh Sharif and Sharmake - both of whom are in their mid-40s and represent two powerful sub-cultures in Somali society: the Islamist community and the Diaspora, respectively. Finding a new home for the 550-seat expanded parliament will be paramount, since Mogadishu remains unsafe and Baidoa recently fell under the control of Islamist hardliners, who have vowed to wage war against the new government. The creation of a 10,000-strong police force, drawn up from TFG and ARS recruits, is already underway as the new government seeks to bolster is security capacity.The government's main security threat is posed by al Shabaab, Islamist guerrillas who control key towns in southern Somalia, including Baidoa and the strategic port of Kismayo. But analysts say the new government is a break from warlord politics that characterized Somali national politics since the early 1990s, giving the new government with young leaders a unique opportunity to gain public confidence.
Sudan: South Leader Calls for Referendum Bill
The Nation (Nairobi) 22 October 2008
Posted to the web 23 October 2008 Juba The First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit has urged both Southern Sudan and national lawmakers to expedite the passing of the Southern Sudan Referendum Act. He made the remarks during the opening of a joint meeting yesterday between the Khartoum-based Council of States, which membership comprises two members from each of the Sudan's 25 states, and the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba. The two-day meeting is the first of its kind since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) during which the lawmakers are expected to discuss working relations between the two Houses in the context of implementing the CPA. Unlike the National Assembly, the Council of States is uniquely mandated by the Interim National Constitution to meet at any time, or in any place in Sudan that it may choose. Mr Kiir, who is also the SPLM Chairperson, told the lawmakers that the issue of referendum "is extremely important for the people of Southern Sudan and Abyei. As much as we may aspire to make the unity of Sudan an attractive option to the people of Southern Sudan, it is also a constitutional obligation that the referendum is held by January 2011 as per the provisions of the INC and the CPA," he stressed. On the forthcoming general election in the country, the SPLM Chairperson said the elections must be free, fair and transparent. "We must have good elections, rather than bad elections that will produce nothing but hatred, divisions and loss of innocent lives as recently witnessed in the region," Mr Kiir warned. Mr Kiir said building a national consensus on the expected census results is one of the most pressing issues in the implementation of the CPA. "Despite the fact that Southern Sudan has raised genuine concerns over the conduct of the population census, we need to ensure that the awaited results of the population census have adequately reflected these concerns so that such results are accepted by all," he stated. (Suna)
Somalia: Cautious Welcome for UN-Brokered Peace Deal
Garowe Online (Garowe)
ANALYSIS
10 June 2008
Posted to the web 10 June 2008
Yusuf Ali
A 10-day peace process, engendered under the auspices of the United Nations, has resulted with Monday's announcement that the Somali government and its opposition have inked a peace agreement paving the way for "the cessation of all armed confrontation" across Somalia.
But already, a key rebel leader and a well-known outfit of Islamist guerrillas have rejected the agreement.
Representatives from Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and its opposition - the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) - met in neighboring Djibouti between 31 May and 9 June. The talks, mediated by UN Special Envoy to Somalia Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, were aimed primarily at finding a lasting resolution to the Horn of Africa country's 18-year-old armed conflict.
The peace conference ended with the signing of an 11-point peace plan, which calls for a 90-day ceasefire and sets a withdrawal timetable for Ethiopian troops protecting the TFG in the capital, Mogadishu. The presence of Ethiopian armed forces on Somali soil has been a key factor over the past 17 months, fuelling a bloody insurgency led by remnants of a once-powerful Islamic Courts movement and disgruntled militias belonging to Mogadishu's dominant Hawiye clan.
According to the agreement, the two sides agreed to terminate "all acts of armed confrontation" and to "request the United Nations...to authorize and deploy an international stabilization force from countries that are friends of Somalia." The peace deal also calls for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops: "Within a period of 120 days of the signing of this agreement the TFG will act...to withdraw [Ethiopian] troops from Somalia after the deployment of a sufficient number of UN Forces."
For months, TFG leaders have called on the international community to deploy UN peacekeepers in Somalia, so that the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops does not create a security vacuum in the country. There are no exact figures for the number of Ethiopian soldiers present in Somalia. However, Addis Ababa admits to having only 4,000 soldiers there, while military sources place that number closer to 30,000 troops.
In May, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the possible deployment of a 28,500-strong UN peacekeeping force, pending an improvement in political and security conditions on the ground. The proposed UN force would replace a small contingent of African Union peacekeepers deployed in Somalia since March 2007.
Both Somali Prime Minister Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein and ARS Chairman Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed have welcomed the peace agreement as a "historic opportunity" to end Somalia's long conflict.
But an influential rebel leader has rejected the agreement outright, telling the media that "the war will continue until the country [Somalia] is liberated from enemy occupiers [Ethiopian troops]."
Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, an Eritrea-based ARS member whom the U.S. accuses of having terror links, said "no one authorized" the ARS delegates to participate at the Djibouti talks in the first place.
"The [Djibouti] talks ended as we predicted and we warned the Somali public about [this]," Sheikh Aweys said from his exile home in Asmara, Eritrea.
He indicated that the Djibouti accord was aimed at "hiding Ethiopia's losses in Somalia," while encouraging insurgents to continue the guerrilla war.
In 2006, Sheikh Aweys and Sheikh Sharif were the twin heads of the Islamic Courts Union that ruled Mogadishu and many parts of southern and central Somalia. While the group faced accusations of harboring wanted terrorists, the Islamic Courts were widely credited for restoring the semblance of law and order in territories under their control.
In recent weeks, however, Sheikh Aweys and Sheikh Sharif have launched scathing accusations against each other through the media, mainly over participation at the Djibouti talks. Analysts see their split as being reflective of a larger divide emerging between the hardline and moderate wings of Somalia's Islamist movement.
Another Islamist splinter group, al Shabaab, has previously rejected the ARS and its leaders as "traitors" and vowed to continue the insurgency until "Ethiopian occupiers" and their TFG "puppets" are expelled from Somalia by military force. Analysts say al Shabaab ["The Youth," in Arabic] formed the core of the Islamic Courts' fighting force during the group's military successes in 2006.
An al Shabaab fighter who spoke with Garowe Online on the condition of anonymity said that, in his opinion, "this agreement cannot be implemented."
Across Somalia and in the Diaspora, Somalis have come to view the Djibouti peace accord with cautious welcome.
Ahmed Dirie, spokesman for the Hawiye Tradition and Unity Council, told reporters that the Djibouti peace initiative should not be dismissed.
He appealed to the Somali people not rush to any judgment regarding the deal, while encouraging all parties to work towards the removal of Ethiopian forces from Somali soil.
"I was very happy when I first heard of the peace agreement...because I live in a refugee camp and this [agreement] might give me a chance to return to my house," said a 75-year-old woman who fled Mogadishu due to the insurgency.
Abdulkadir Nur Arale, a Somali lawmaker, told reporters Tuesday in Baidoa that the "implementation of the agreement is the duty of the signatories, but the Somali people are satisfied that there is a deal."
A Mogadishu-based intellectual, Omar Dahir, suggested that many questions linger regarding implementation of the peace agreement.
"Even though an agreement has been reached, I do not believe some of the clauses are achievable, such as the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops," he said, adding: "I do not believe Ethiopian troops will easily leave [Somalia]; also, I do not believe UN peacekeepers can deploy in Somalia so quickly."
Mohamed Mohamud, chairman of the Somali Diaspora Network's Seattle chapter, said: "If this agreement succeeds, I see it as a victory for the Ethiopian Government because they will not leave Somalia defeated but leave because of this peace agreement."
"However, a chance at hope should not be denied," he added.
Somalia: UN Envoy - Peace Talks Will Succeed
Garowe Online (Garowe)
26 May 2008
Posted to the web 26 May 2008
Kenneth Oduor
Nairobi, Kenya
The United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia, Mr. Ahmedou Ould- Abdallah, has expressed his optimism that UN-backed peace talks between the Somali interim government and its opposition would succeed despite initial setbacks.
In an exclusive interview with Garowe Online from his Nairobi office, the Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General said that the peace talks will succeed due to the good will and support it was receiving from the Somali community in the Diaspora.
"The UN Security Council has shown commitment and the Somali people have communicated who are very patriotic and would wish to see Somalia prosper again," Mr. Ould-Abdallah said.
Asked about the framework he has for the conclusion of the ongoing peace talks, he said that it would not be easy to give a framework as bringing peace would take some time. He further stressed that it would be unrealistic to expect Somalia to recover overnight.
Mr. Ould-Abdallah suggested that the conclusion of the peace talks would only come about if the Somali people forgive each other and focus on the reconstruction of their war-ravaged homeland.
"I believe once the Somali people forgive each other, it would give them the opportunity to move forward. I want them to concentrate on the political and economic reconstruction of Somalia," said the UN envoy.
He strongly stated that he is against any violation of human rights when asked about allegations of atrocities committed by Ethiopian troops in Somalia.
"I am against any violations against human rights and those not respecting international laws against the violation of human rights should be sanctioned," he stressed.
Asked about the recent statements by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys that he would spearhead the expulsion of Ethiopian troops from Somalia and form an Islamic state, the UN Special Representative said that many Somalis are committed to a peaceful process and he would not answer to what he termed as personal statements and internal wars.
"Let us respect the integrity of Somalia and its people but I cannot comment on personal and internal wars and opinions," Mr. Ould-Abdallah.
He dismissed allegations by South Africa's UN envoy that neighboring countries were arming militias in Somalia.
"Many people are looking at Somalia from the past and not present. Some people are simply moving us from the agenda. At the moment my priority is peace in Somalia but not what people say," he added.
The envoy said that people should remember that war is normally easier to get than peace.
"Many people have interest in Somalia for selfish reasons. On allegations of people acquiring arms, it is not my problem because anybody can get arms but what is important is peace," he reiterated.
He further accused the international media of distorting facts and information from Somalia to further the agenda of those who do not want to see peace return to the Horn of Africa country mired in 18 years of anarchy.
Mr. Ould-Abdallah called on the media to cease from reporting issues that would be controversial.
The envoy thanked young Somalis for showing considerable positive interest in their country.
"Young Somalis are sending us emails saying they are very happy with the efforts we are making to bring peace," Mr. Abdallah said.
Somalia: Mortars Rain Down on Mogadishu, Governor Escapes Blast
Garowe Online (Garowe)
12 December 2007
Posted to the web 13 December 2007
Garowe
Somali rebels waging war on the country's interim government and its foreign backers have managed to intensify their violent campaign, despite a heavy-handed crackdown last month by allied Somali and Ethiopian armed forces.
Heavy fighting erupted in parts of the capital Mogadishu Wednesday evening after armed groups launched a guerrilla attack on an Ethiopian army base at the former ministry of defense, witnesses said.
Insurgents used machineguns and rockets in the 30-minute battle. Ethiopian soldiers fought back and eventually chased the attackers into surrounding neighborhoods.
Casualty reports could not be confirmed, but the evening attack happened hours after more than 20 mortars rammed into different parts of Mogadishu, including Shirkole and Yaaqshiid neighborhoods.
Ethiopian troops based at the Shirkale military compound vacated the premises today, leaving the compound under the control of 1,500 Somali soldiers who recently completed military training in Ethiopia.
Unconfirmed reports said a police station in north Mogadishu's Kaaraan area was attacked, although police sources at the station contacted by Garowe Online said they cannot talk "due to current circumstances."
Earlier Wednesday, two suspects detained in connection with the November assassination of a district commissioner escaped a jail in Mogadishu.
Inside sources said the suspects' escape came after insurgent groups fighting the government gave an undisclosed amount of cash to jail officials, who accepted and secretly released the prisoners.
In Somalia's central Hiran region, Governor Yusuf Daboged narrowly escaped a roadside bomb in the provincial capital Beletwein midday Wednesday, officials said.
Governor Daboged refused to speak to the media afterwards, but police officials said the bomb was intended to target the governor's convoy as it drove through town.
The governor was inspecting city offices and local jails when the explosion occurred, regional officials said.
The Somali government and its Ethiopian backers have struggled to maintain order in Mogadishu and other parts of the country, due to armed opposition from clan factions and Islamist guerrillas.
Somalia: Uganda Brokers New Talks 7 October 2007
Posted to the web 8 October 2007
Kampala
UGANDA has started a fresh initiative to try and reconcile the warring factions in Somalia. As violence claimed more people in the capital Mogadishu, President Yoweri Museveni's special envoy to Somalia, Ngoma Ngime, said Kampala was brokering peace between Somalia's embattled government and its opponents.
Ngoma Ngime said he had held talks with Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, but was yet to meet the opposition groups.
"We are facilitating negotiation between the Somali Transitional Federal government and those opposing the institution," Ngime told a press conference in Mogadishu.
"The mediation effort will involve those who are fighting the government inside the country and opposition groups that are based in Asmara," the capital of neighbouring Eritrea, he explained.
"Our initiative is serious as we really need peace in Somalia," Ngoma Ngime, the former RDC of Mbarara, added.
President Museveni had sent a three-person delegation, made up of Ngime, Ambassador Sam Tulya-Muhika and the commander of the Land Forces, Gen. Katumba Wamala, to convey a special message to Yusuf.
After extensive consultations, the Somali president agreed to "reach out to all parties that missed out for one reason or another on the first national reconciliation conference, for purposes of meaningful dialogue for immediate and lasting peace," a statement by Tulya-Muhika read.
Ethiopia and Kenya also sent delegations.
Meanwhile, insurgents killed at least 10 people, including an army general and two government prosecutors, in the latest upsurge of violence in Mogadishu, international agencies reported.
A government official told AFP that at least five people were killed in Bakara, the main market in the centre of the capital.
Of the five, two worked in the office of the prosecutor general, said the official, declining to be named.
A pro-insurgency website - heegan.net - claimed responsibility for the attacks. Unidentified gunmen also killed a renowned army officer in northern Mogadishu.
Five men armed with pistols shot dead General Ahmed Jilaow Adow, his bodyguard and his driver late on Friday after he left his office.
"His car was blocked by a van and then a car parked next to his. Five men armed with pistols came out, shooting my uncle, his driver and his bodyguard dead," the general's nephew, Abdihakin Omar Jimale, told Reuters.
"He was a peace advocate and a member of Interpol... He was internationally and locally known," Jimale said.
In a separate incident, two women in their twenties were killed on Friday night after being held hostage for hours in the Suq Holaha vicinity in north Mogadishu.
"The insurgents were asking them whether they had relationships with the Ethiopian troops, and at around 10:20pm, we heard gun shots," said a resident, who asked not to be named. "This morning their bodies were found dumped."
Despite the Ugandan peace initiative, opposition groups, including the recently-formed Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), have vowed not to enter into dialogue with the interim government until Ethiopia withdraws its troops from the country.
Ethiopian forces, backing government fighters, ousted an Islamist movement from south and central Somalia at the start of the year.
The Islamists make up part of the ARS and back the deadly insurgency against Ethiopian and government troops.
Uganda, which has deployed a vanguard force of at least 1,500 peacekeepers to the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), has also pledged to help train a Somali police force.
Other African nations are yet to contribute to the force, although the AU had pledged to deploy 8,000 peacekeepers to help President Yusuf tighten his tenuous grip across the country.
A government-sponsored reconciliation conference ended in Mogadishu in August in failure, prompting foreign diplomats to press for a new and all-inclusive approach to rescue Somalia from deeper turmoil.
The opposition groups boycotted the Mogadishu talks and held their own meeting in Asmara, where they formed the ARS coalition. Somalia has lacked an effective government since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted in 1991.
- Vision Reporter And Agencies
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