LATEST FROM MOGADISHO SOMALIA
INTRO: REPRESENTATIVES OF SEVERAL SOMALI FACTIONS HAVE BEGUN A
FOUR-DAY MEETING IN NAIROBI. THE CONFERENCE IS FOCUSING ON THE
NEED FOR PEACE AND RECONSTRUCTION AND SPECIFICALLY ON THE MOST
PRACTICAL WAY TO ESTABLISH A GOVERNMENT IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
COUNTRY. V-O-A'S JOSIAH OBAT QUESTIONED ONE OF THE MAIN
ORGANIZERS OF THE MEETING. MOHAMED HASSAN AWALE SPOKE ABOUT THE
AIMS AND THE PURPOSE OF THE GATHERING.
TEXT:
/// BEGINS WITH AWALE'S FIRST RESPONSE ///
AWALE: THE PURPOSE IS TO FIND WAYS OF BRINGING PEACE
INTO SOMALIA AND ESTABLISHING A GOVERNMENT FOR SOMALIA.
THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONFERENCE WHICH STARTED
THIS MORNING, MONDAY, APRIL 15TH AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL
THURSDAY, APRIL 18TH AT WHICH TIME WE WILL PRESENT THE
OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATIONS.
OBAT: WELL MR AWALE SEVERAL MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE
WITH THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF RE-ESTABLISHING PEACE IN
SOMALIA BUT SO FAR NOT MUCH HAS COME OUT OF THESE
CONFERENCES. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ONE?
AWALE: WE ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR OPENING STATEMENT THIS
MORNING THAT MANY CONFERENCES OF THIS KIND HAVE BEEN
ORGANIZED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT IF YOU KNOW YOU
LOOK ALWAYS FOR WAYS OF IMPROVING YOURSELF, IMPROVING
THE WAYS YOU FAIL, I AM SURE THE SOMALI PEOPLE ARE MORE
THAN READY NOW, MORE THAN EVER, READY TO COME TO GRIPS
WITH REALITY IN THEIR COUNTRY WHICH IS NOT VERY GOOD,
CHAOS, THERE HAS BEEN NO GOVERNMENT IN SOMALIA SINCE
JANUARY OF 1991 AND NOW PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF
THAT AND WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL WE WILL SUCCEED THIS TIME.
OBAT: MR AWALE A MAJOR PROTAGONIST IN THE STRUGGLE FOR
POWER IN SOMALIA IS THE S-N-A AND GENERAL AIDEED, WHO IS
NOT HERE. HOW DO YOU HOPE TO TACKLE THE AIDEED
QUESTION?
AWALE: WELL, AS YOU SEE, THE AIDEED QUESTION IS ON THE
AGENDA. WE KNOW THAT AIDEED REJECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE RECONCILIATION PROCESS IN SOMALIA AND HE IS WAGING
WAR AT THE MOMENT IN SOMALIA -- IN BAIDOA, HODDUR,
MOGADISHU, MERCA -- AND WE ARE CALLING FOR HIM TO GIVE
UP THE FIGHT BECAUSE IT WILL NOT SERVE ANY PURPOSE,
THERE IS NO POINT IN HAVING SOMALI PEOPLE KILLED
SENSELESSLY. BUT WE THINK AIDEED QUESTION WILL BE
QUESTIONED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. EITHER HE WILL
PARTICIPATE IN THE RECONCILIATION PROCESS OR HE WILL BE
OUT OF THE PICTURE, SOONER OR LATER.
OBAT: EVEN IF HE IS OUT OF THE PICTURE, WILL THE
SECURITY SITUATION IMPROVE BECAUSE IN RECENT DAYS THERE
HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS HAVING
OFFICES LOOTED, THE OTHER THE E-U HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
OFFICER WAS IN KISMAYU AND ALMOST STOPPED FROM VISITING,
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CONFERENCE WILL ACHIEVE WITHOUT
THESE MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE PICTURE?
AWALE: IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS YOU
MENTIONED THAT WE ARE HERE. IT IS LACK OF GOVERNMENT
THAT THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. THE KISMAYU INCIDENT,
MOGADISHU FIGHTING. THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT. THERE IS
A VACUUM, SO THE PEOPLE HAVE ARMS AND PEOPLE AT WILL CAN
DO THINGS THAT NORMALLY ARE NOT POSSIBLE IN A COUNTRY
UNDER A GOVERNMENT. WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH A
GOVERNMENT PRECISELY BECAUSE WE WANT TO STOP THIS
SENSELESS VIOLENCE IN SOMALIA AND WE THINK THAT BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF THESE INCIDENTS, THE OCCURRENCE OF
VIOLENCE, PEOPLE WILL NOW COME TOGETHER AND FORM A
GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
INTRO: REPRESENTATIVES FROM FIVE SOMALI FACTIONS HAVE ENDED
FOUR-DAYS OF TALKS IN NAIROBI AIMED AT WORKING OUT WAYS OF
RESTORING A GOVERNMENT TO WAR-TORN SOMALIA. V-O-A'S JOSIAH OBAT
TALKED TO MOHAMED HASSAN AWALE, ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THE
CONFERENCE, AND ASKED WHAT THE TALKS HAD ACHIEVED.
TEXT:
/// STARTS WITH AWALE'S FIRST ANSWER ///
THIS CONSULTATION CONFERENCE BY THE SOMALI POLITICAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND MOVEMENTS ACHIEVED WHAT IT SET OUT TO DO WHICH
IS TO AGREE ON A POLITICAL PLATFORM ON WHICH ALL SOMALIS CAN
BUILD THEIR FUTURE AND LEAD NORMAL LIFE THERE AFTER. THERE IS A
QUESTION OF HOW TO ESTABLISH A GOVERNMENT FOR SOMALIA AND MOSTLY
IN THE PAST WE EMPHASIZED ON INDIVIDUAL AMBITIONS AS TO WHO WILL
LEAD SOMALI, WHO WILL HOLD SUCH POSITIONS. BUT NOW WE STARTED ON
WORKING ON A PLATFORM THAT SAYS WELL WE NEED A GOVERNMENT BUT A
GOVERNMENT CAN NOT BE ESTABLISHED NOW IN SOMALIA SO WHAT WE DO IS
WE WILL START WITH AN AUTHORITY THAT WILL PREPARE THE COUNTRY FOR
NORMAL CONDITIONS FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR OR ONE AND A HALF
YEARS AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS THE
SECOND STAGE WHICH WILL PREPARE A CONSTITUTION FOR THE COUNTRY
WHICH IS THE FIRST STAGE, A CONSTITUTIONAL PHASE.SO THIS IS WHAT
WE AGREED AND WE WILL CALL UPON OTHER SOMALIS TO ALSO SUPPORT
THIS PROGRAM AND ALSO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM WHICH WE THINK
IS THE IDEAL PROGRAM FOR SOMALIA AT THIS MOMENT.ALSO ANOTHER
FEATURE OF THE PROGRAM IS THAT WE EMPHASIZED ON COLLECTIVE
LEADERSHIP RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL PERSONS TRYING TO SEEK FOR
POSITIONS SUCH AS PRESIDENT .WE SAID A COLLECTION OF PRESIDENTS
WHOSE CHAIRMAN SHIP WILL BE ON ROTATIONAL BASIS WILL BE THE
ANSWER FOR SOMALIA RATHER THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO OUT DO
THE OTHER.
OBAT: MR AWALE, THIS MEETING HAS TAKEN PLACE AGAINST A
BACKGROUND OF QUITE SOME INSECURITY IN MOGADISHU. THERE IS
FIGHTING BETWEEN VARIOUS FACTIONS. ISN'T THAT QUITE A
DISCOURAGING SIGN? AND HAVING COME UP WITH THESE RESOLUTIONS YOU
HAVE MADE IN NAIROBI, HOW EASY DO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO BE FOR
YOU TO IMPLEMENT THEM IN THE STREETS OF MOGADISHU OR IN SOMALIA
AS A WHOLE?
AWALE: IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT FIGHTING IS GOING ON IN
MOGADISHU. THE FIGHTING IS BEING WAGED BY GENERAL AIDEED AND
BECAUSE OF THE FIGHTING ITSELF WE THINK IT WILL EXPEDITE OUR
STEPS, OUR PROCESS BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO STOP THE FIGHTING
AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE FIGHTING IS TO AGREE ON A POLITICAL
PLATFORM AND TO ESTABLISH A GOVERNMENT THAT CAN PROTECT THE
PEOPLE SO YES IT IS A VERY SAD SITUATION BUT I THINK IT WILL NOT
DELAY US IT WILL ENCOURAGE US TO GO A HEAD WITH THE PROGRAM.
OBAT: HOW EASY OR DIFFICULT IS IT GOING TO BE FOR YOU TO
IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM ON THE GROUND IN SOMALIA?
AWALE: THE PROBLEM TO SOMALIA AND TO THIS PROGRAM IS GENERAL
AIDEED.AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE STATEMENT WE CALL UPON HIM TO JOIN
THE PROCESS AND TO BE PART OF THIS PEACE PROGRM. IF HE REJECTS
THE REST OF SOMALIS CAN GET TOGETHER AND FACE HIM AND HE WOULD BE
OUT OF THE PICTURE IF HE DOES NOT JOIN IN TIME .SO I DO NOT THINK
THAT IT WILL DISRUPT YES SOME BUT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS AIDEED
WILL EITHER HAVE TO JOIN THE PROCESS OR HE HAS TO REALLY BE OUT
OF THE PICTURE.
TITLE= SOMALIA/FIGHTING
INTRO: HEAVY FIGHTING HAS BROKEN OUT ONCE AGAIN IN THE SOMALI
CAPITAL, MOGADISHU. INITIAL REPORTS SAY MORE THAN 19 PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN KILLED AND SOME 50 OTHERS WOUNDED. FROM OUR EAST AFRICA
BUREAU IN NAIROBI, V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS.
TEXT: THE FIGHTING ERUPTED OVERNIGHT BETWEEN FORCES LOYAL TO
GENERAL MOHAMED FARAH AIDEED AND MILITIA SUPPORTING RIVAL FACTION
LEADER OSMAN HASSAN ALI ATTO, A FORMER AIDEED ALLY.
SOMALI REPORTERS IN CONTACT WITH NAIROBI SAY THE BATTLE HAS
INCLUDED EXCHANGES OF ARTILLERY, MORTAR AND MACHINE GUN FIRE.
THEY CALL IT THE WORST VIOLENCE IN THE SOMALI CAPITAL SINCE
EARLY THIS MONTH.
AIDES TO GENERAL AIDEED HAVE HAD NO COMMENT. BUT OFFICIALS
ALLIED WITH OSMAN ATTO BLAME AIDEED FORCES FOR STARTING THE
BATTLE, WHICH SOMALI REPORTERS SAY APPEARS TO BE A STRUGGLE FOR
CONTROL OF A KEY ROAD LINKING MOGADISHU WITH SOUTHERN SOMALIA.
U-N PEACEKEEPING FORCES PULLED OUT OF SOMALIA A YEAR AGO AFTER
FAILING TO PROMOTE RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE COUNTRY'S RIVAL
CLANS AND FACTIONS. SINCE THEN, GENERAL AIDEED HAS DECLARED
HIMSELF PRESIDENT BUT HAS WON NO RECOGNITION EITHER
INTERNATIONALLY OR FROM HIS DOMESTIC RIVALS. SOME OBSERVERS SAY
GENERAL AIDEED MAY NOW BE TRYING TO ENFORCE HIS AUTHORITY WITH
MILITARY ACTIONS LIKE THE LATEST FIGHTING IN MOGADISHU.
At Least 21 Killed In South Mogadishu Battles
MOGADISHU, Somalia (Reuter) - Fighters loyal to faction
leader Mohamed Farah Aideed and his former ally Osman Ali Hassan
Atto battled in the Somali capital Mogadishu for the second time
in two weeks Friday, killing at least 21 people.
Witnesses and medical staff said at least 21 people were
killed and 43 wounded in the fighting that broke out at after
midnight Thursday and raged on into Friday afternoon.
Battles between the two rival leaders concentrated on three
parts of the former university compound, Aideed's headquarers
and near Digfer hospital in the south of the Somali capital.
At least 100 families fled to safer areas of the capital to
escape being hit in the crossfire between militiamen blasting
away with 120 mm mortars, anti-aircraft batteries, anti-tank
cannon, heavy machineguns and ``technical'' battlewagons.
Osman Atto's radio station accused Aideed of personally
commanding a militia attack overnight. Aideed's radio remained
off the air since Thursday.
Residents said they feared it was the start of a military
showdown between the two rivals, whose forces killed more than
100 people and wounded 400 in two days of battles two weeks ago.
Some 400 refugee families fled camps in southern Mogadishu
Thursday where Aideed's forces reinforced frontlines. Nine
refugees were killed and 15 were wounded in a mortar attack on
Wednesday.
Aideed's supporters declared him
...
read more »
