The recent dramatic rout of the U.S.-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia’s forces in the Somali capital of Mogadishu by militias loyal to the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group and the latter’s ensuing rapid expansion into much of southern Somalia has caught the world by surprise. Thus, the Islamists’ sudden rise as a force in the land to be reckoned with has alarmed the U.S. that Somalia might become “a haven for terrorists.” Faced with the unwelcome prospect of an Islamic jihadist takeover in Somalia, America has rushed in with munitions and logistics to the tune of $5 m to bolster the tottering TFG, headed by interim president Sheikh Shariif Sheikh Ahmed (1) Admittedly, 5m is peanuts by American standards, but it signals the beginning of a sliding slope--American advisors have a way of following American money for arms, a phenomenon that foreign policy wonks refer to as “Mission Creep” (MC).
The driving force behind the U.N-U.S. obsession to re-create a central government for Somalia is rooted in the West's fear that: 1. stateless--and therefore, in their stated view, lawless--Somalia might become a "Nursery" for "Terror International," especially given the various cells of al-Qaeda-linked jihadists lurking in Somalia, and in the recesses of rogue nations, like nearby Yemen, and 2. the global nightmare of Somali highwaymen on the high seas will end only when Somalia enjoys a government with sufficient resources to patrol its coastal lines. The former is especially urgent, they argue, in view of the fact that the al-Qaeda-connected-al-Shabaab Somali terrorists already control large swaths of Somalia, including much of the capital of Mogadishu. Let's speak to each of these concerns individually.
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U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the intervention of foreign governments in Somalia, including some represented in the contact group, has often proved counterproductive to promoting the security of civilians.
"The Cairo meeting is an important opportunity for the key international players to begin to fix their broken policies on Somalia," said Georgette Gagnon, HRW Africa director.
"The place to start is to support an international commission of inquiry into abuses by all sides," Gagnon said. She said abuses by Somalia's transitional government, African Union forces, and armed opposition groups should be stopped.
The International Contact Group, which brings together governments and intergovernmental institutions including the United States, European states, the African Union, the Arab League, and the United Nations to coordinate policy on Somalia, will meet on April 21-22 in Cairo, Egypt.
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According to Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Losada, the international conference on Somalia is scheduled to be held in Istanbul in mid-May.
The Spanish foreign minister said on Tuesday that the conference would also be examining the effects of international assistance to the interim government of Somalia, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Losada also stated that the idea of an international conference on Somalia was first put forward last year by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Somalia has been beset by unrest since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.
In addition, the Somali coast has been infested by piracy in recent years.
Attacks by heavily-armed Somali raiders in speedboats have prompted foreign navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean and to provide escorts for commercial vessels travelling in the area.
This report from the International Crisis Group examines the potential for conflict in Ethiopia ahead of the June 2010 elections as ethnic tensions and dissent rises. The report urges the international community to encourage more meaningful democratic governance in the country.
The Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), led by its chairman and prime minister, Meles Zenawi, has radically reformed Ethiopia's political system. The regime transformed the hitherto centralised state into the Federal Democratic Republic and also redefined
citizenship, politics and identity on ethnic grounds. The intent was to create a more prosperous, just and representative state for all its people. Yet, despite continued economic growth and promised democratisation, there is growing discontent with the EPRDF's ethnically defined state and rigid grip on power and fears of continued interethnic conflict. The international community should take Ethiopia's governance problems much more seriously and adopt a more principled position towards the government. Without genuine multi-party democracy, the tensions and pressures in Ethiopia's polities will only grow, greatly increasing the possibility of a violent eruption that would destabilise the country and region
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I hereby forward to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) institutions, wider Somali public and the international community an alternative strategic plan to resolve the catastrophic situation and leadership paralysis long prevailing in Somalia. The current TFG whose term expires August 2011 has totally failed due to lack of national vision, poor leadership and systemic corruption. This government continues to cling to the erroneous opinion that it can implement its mandate by end of its term. It fails to recognize at a great peril to the future of our people the realities on the ground that demand swift and concrete changes of mandate, strategy and the entire modus operandi. TFG’s long publicized military offensive to rout the armed opposition, dubious peace deals and the illegal process of writing new constitution for the country in neighboring countries’ five star hotels are empty measures designed to deflect public opinion so to prolong its stay in office which means continuation of the status quo.
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Harsh War, Harsh Peace Abuses by al-Shabaab, the Transitional Federal Government, and AMISOM in Somalia
Somalia remains mired in a brutal conflict between the Transitional Federal Government
(TFG), which holds only a sliver of the capital, Mogadishu, and armed opposition groups that
control most of the country. Over the past year hostilities have raged in strategicallyjavascript:void(0)
important areas, including Mogadishu, while much of the rest of Somalia has enjoyed
relative peace.
Both the inhabitants of the shattered capital and those living in more peaceful areas have
endured devastating patterns of abuse. In much of the south, which is largely controlled by
the armed Islamist group al-Shabaab, the population is subject to targeted killings and
assaults, repressive forms of social control, and brutal punishments under its draconian
interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law). Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, mortars fired by al-Shabaab
and African Union troops deployed to protect the internationally-backed TFG continue to kill
civilians and ravage the city. All sides have violated the laws of war by conducting
indiscriminate attacks and other abuses.
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MOGADISHU, Somalia — Two Somali radio stations say the government has ordered them to close for obeying a week-old order by an Islamic militant group to stop playing music.
Officials at Somaliweyn and Tusmo radio stations say they won't obey the government order to resume playing music and shut down Tuesday.
Abukar Mohamed Hassan Kadaf of Somaliweyn says the National Security Agency called the station executives to a meeting and later sent them a letter with the order.
Hizbul Islam ordered more than a dozen stations to stop playing music on April 13. The stations have had to re-record their ads. Some are using gunfire, car horns and animal cries to act as a bridge between programs.
Somalia has not had an effective government for 19 years.
The rival Islamist fighters of Al-shabab Mujahideen and Ahlu Sunna Waljama’ claimed victory over fighting between the two sides that continued in Galgudud region in central Somalia, officials said on Tuesday.
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Cairo, 20 April – The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, is in Cairo to chair the 17th meeting of the International Contact Group from 21 to 22 April 2010. In addition to the founding members, Norway and the US, representatives from more than 50 countries and international organizations are attending
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The United States is warning Americans to exercise caution when traveling to Ethiopia before and after national elections in May.
The U.S. State Department noted Tuesday that past elections in Ethiopia have turned violent, especially in the days after poll results are announced.
It urged U.S. citizens to avoid political rallies, polling places on election day, and demonstrations.
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Egypt’s fight to hold on to its monopoly over the Nile’s water resource has split the Nile dependent countries into two groups with Sudan supporting the north African country. But notwithstanding the northern African country’s claim to veto power, by virtue of an 80 year old treaty signed with Great Britain, and attempts to get Ethiopia, which leads the upper riparian countries, to soften its position, Ethiopian Water Resource Minister has announced that the signing of a Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) that seeks a fairer use of the Nile’s water resource will go ahead, with or without Egypt and Sudan’s agreement.
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At least 3 people, two of them soldiers have been killed and over 5 others injured in gunfire exchange between two Somali government troops in the restive capital Mogadishu, witnesses and officials said.
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Somalia violence kills 14, parliament fails to meetSomalia violence kills 14, parliament fails to meet
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A land mine blast in the Somali capital Mogadishu killed eight people, and mortar rounds fired by insurgents at the city airport as the president returned killed six, eyewitnesses and medics said Sunday.
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