- Title: [SW Country] APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
- Posted by/on:[AMJ][Thursday, February 15, 2001]
Addis
Ababa, February 15, 2001
To:
President
of the Security Council of the United Nations, New York
Secretary
General of the United Nations, New York
Current
President of the European Union, Stockholm, Sweden
Secretary
General of the Organization of African Unity, Addis Ababa
Secretary
General of the League of Arab States, Cairo
The
Organization of Islamic Conference
IGAD
Member states
Subject: APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Your Excellencies,
We
wish to convey our dismay and deep concern on the renewed tension and
hostilities in Somalia following the aggressive stance of the
so-called TNG in Mogadishu. It is the wish of the Somali public
to have realistic reconciliation, lasting peace, representative
national government and to start the urgent business of socio-economic
reconstruction. We are all grateful to the international community as
a whole for their good intentioned efforts to have the 10-year vacuum
of Statelessness in Somalia filled with a national government.
On
December 20th of last year, the militias of this so-called TNG invaded
Balaad, a town 40 kilometers north of Mogadishu, in an attempt to
wrest control from another southern faction. The consequence was an
unnecessary loss of lives and property. The Arta/TNG faction was
roundly defeated.
On
January 6th 2001, it sent another militias force led by none other
than the
"Parliament Speaker of the TNG" to Bay and Bakol regions
controlled by the Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA). Their objective was
to destabilize the zone and prevent the establishment of the planned
Inter-Juba State. The clashes between the RRA and the Arta Faction
militia left nine people dead and destruction of property in Tieglow
District centre. This aggression was also crushed. Their latest
aggressive foray into Gedo Region met with another defeat.
The responsibility for this ongoing mayhem partly lies with those
countries and organizations that have given premature recognition and
funds to this Faction. It would be an unpardonable sin against the
Somalis and against humanity on the part of the those countries
politically favouring the Arta Faction over the general good of the
Somali people if the aggressive Arta Faction is legitimised as a
national authority and imposed on the Somali people. In their
anxiety, however, to help establish a national government, the
international community seems to have forgotten to consider the
crucial principles of representative democracy, the reality on the
ground and the immediate past history of the country. The imposition
of the Arta Faction or TNG on the Somalis is a grave mistake fraught
with serious consequences.
The
Arta Faction is not credible or acceptable, as it is presently
constituted.
a.
At best, it is another Somali faction that is instituted, supported,
manipulated and controlled by foreign states and organizations
creating partiality and further distrust in Somalia
b.
It is undemocratic and unrepresentative. Somalis were not genuinely
and officially represented at the "Arta Conference" and were
not given even the opportunity to discuss and elect or appoint their
representatives to the Djibouti/Arta forum, whose participants,
including Abdiqassim Hassan and Ali Khalif, were self-appointed and
not selected by the people in the regions.
c.
It is led by the same personalities in the Siyad Barre regime, who
were responsible for the tragedy itself in the first place and cannot
be trusted with peace and good governance.
d. It has already shown, in
its short 5-month life, its true aggressive nature and the attempts to
subdue all other regional administrations and political movements and
force them under their control. The recognition and financial
support of the International community for the Arta Faction risks to
ignite new conflict and untold suffering all over the country. This
faction, which has neither legitimacy nor the support of the Somali
people, failed to establish its control over any territory. Logistical
and financial support given to it by some IGAD and Arab countries has
been used to wage war against peaceful regions in central and southern
Somalia.
We the Signatories of this Appeal are committed to a united federal
Somalia led by democratically elected leadership. To attain this goal
we must first and foremost restore trust, peace and tranquility to the
areas and regions we lead. Finally, we need to organize and convene a
national reconciliation conference under the glare and scrutiny of the
international media and organizations. To succeed we need the
international community not to throw in the towel and fall for quick
fixes. This sadly happened with what we call the 'Arta Fiction'.
In view of the above Somali situation, we appeal to Your Excellencies:
1.
To support and encourage Somali national reconciliation and unity
through peaceful dialogue and the realistic building blocks approach
to help reconstitute Somalia on federal basis. Any further attempts at
destabilization of the relatively stable zones, regions and districts
should be discouraged. Recognition, support, and legitimatization
given to the Arta Faction by IGAD member states and the international
community would exasperate the situation and would not absolve them
from being directly involved in the Somalia's clan-charged
hostilities.
2.
To put pressure on those countries providing arms logistical support
and financial aid to a particular Faction in Somalia. This would only
procrastinate early solution to the Somali conflict and increase the
chaos and bloodshed in our country. It would also have negative impact
on Somalia's neighbouring countries.
With the assurance of our highest consideration,
1. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
President of Puntland State of Somalia
2. Hassan Mohamed Nur (Shatigaduud)
Chair of RRA
3. Omar Haji Mohamed (Masale)
Chair of SNF
4. Hassan Abdulle Qalaad
Governor of Hiraan Region (Central Somalia)
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