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Ambassador to Ethiopia Appeals for Direct Humanitarian Aid

The Ethiopian Herald (Addis Ababa)
NEWS
3 May 2007
Posted to the web 3 May 2007

By Mengesha Amare
Addis Ababa
Somali Ambassador Abdikarin Farah calls for coordinated effort of the
international community to provide humanitarian aid as well as any alternative
support for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is ready to take
accountability in all aspects.
Briefing local journalists and international correspondents yesterday,
Ambassador Farah said that Somalia, especially Mogadishu, is under a safer
condition so that the international community or the African Union could
provide any humanitarian aid without any threat.
He said: "Today, the Somali people for the first time in many years, have an
opportunity of seeing the return of a functioning government that has the
support of the international community." Those who oppose the TFG have no
alternative to offer as they may try to present themselves as the saviours of
Somalia but in reality they are the destroyers of the nation, the Ambassador
added.
"Those who are in Asmara issued statement from Eritrea saying the fighting
against Ethiopian troops and African peace-keepers will continue until they are
kicked out of Somalia and they said insurgents have adopted a new strategy," he
said.
Asked about whether Ethiopian troops would withdraw soon, Ambassador Farah said
that the troops won't withdraw from Somalia until African peace-keeping forces
started operation.
He further said over thousand people fled from the northwest of Mogadishu
during the fighting and many of them are now beginning to return to their house
and require urgent humanitarian aid.

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