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Warlords Want Peace Keeping Force Deployed in Somalia

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
November 2, 2002
Posted to the web November 3, 2002

By William Faria And Barnabas Bii
Nairobi
As the Somalia National Reconciliation peace process enters its second phase,
warring leaders have appealed to the international community to despatch a
peace keeping force to Somalia.
The leaders said the peace process will not succeed unless the international
community begin disarming a section of the warring factions in the country.
"As we are busy negotiating for peace here in Eldoret, some of the warring
groups have begun sporadic fighting still in parts of Somalia, especially
Baidoa and surrounding areas of Mogadishu," said one of the war-lords who
maintained anonymity.
They blamed the IGAD technical committee for its failure in negotiating with
the world on the possibilities of a cease-fire by deploying peace keeping
forces.
At least 15 people are feared dead and over 40 critically injured in heavy gun-
fire in Southern Somalia.
The fighting took place between two rival clans, one allied to the Transitional
National Government (TNG) and the other with the Ethiopian backed Somali
Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC).
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan has condemned the fighting and
called for an immediate cease-fire.
The leaders said the heavy fighting will jeopardise the peace process and it is
crucial to disarm them as the talks enters the second phase.
The second phase of the talks is expected to concentrate on the technical
evolution of the federal governance structures and establishment of practical
methods to address the core issues of demobilisation, economic recovery and
settlement of disputes, said the talks chairman, Mr. Elijah Mwangale.
The over 350 delegates attending the talks in Eldoret have vowed not to return
to Somalia, unless a government of national unity is formed during the summit.
"It will be useless, for us to return to Somalia without a government in place,
because some of these war-lords who have been signatory to the Eldoret peace
accord are not likely to honour their commitment," said one of the women
representative.
She said that it is of paramount importance to first disarm all the warring
factions in Somalia, before implementing on the declaration.
Some of the issues, the Somali delegates are addressing are land and property
rights, economic institution building and resource mobilisation from the
international community.
On Thursday, President Moi officially endorsed the peace declaration in the
presence of over 20 war-lords and delegates at the Eldoret State Lodge.
President Moi said it is his wish to see that Somalia establishes a government
of national unity before the end of the talks and asked warring leaders to be
committed for the sake of peace for women and children.

   

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