- Title: [SW News](Radio Netherland) Will the New Government Bring Peace to Mogadishu?
- Posted by/on:[AMJ][Saturday, October 21,
2000]
RADIO
HILVERSOM IN HOLLAND, THIS IS THE DUTCH INTERNATIONAL SERVICE.
Radio Netherlands broadcasting in short wave and in
satellite to South and East Africa and worldwide via the Internet....
And coming up in half an hour at 1800 UTC, time
for News and Current Affairs
[Theme
Music]
Hello and welcome to news line, I'm Robert Chesel. In
this edition, after 10 years of anarchy, Somalia has a government. But will the new government
be able to bring peace to a ravaged country?
Act [Voice]
It is difficult task.
There are a lot of militias, a lot of different groups with different agendas. The
environment in and around Mogadishu is extremely difficult...
End Act
Robert
Gissel (Continues):
As the deadline for the Middle East
ceasefire expires, we ask how serious the Israelis and Palestinians are in maintaining
their truce work, and look at the situation in Indonesia’s Molokai Islands
[Theme Music Ends]
But first a bulletin of International news
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And that was a bulletin of International News. Back
now to Robert Chesel.
Robert Chesel:
For the first time in nearly a
decade, Somalia has a government. Newly installed Prime Minister Ali Khalif
Galayrd (Eagle) has named his cabinet. Ever since 1991, Somalia has
been ripped by clan warfare and so the entire process of rebuilding civilian rule has had
to take place in neighboring Djibouti. This lengthy process has been criticized by many
Somalis, especially in Somaliland and Puntland, the so-called Northern Recovery Zones. Well
Ali Jama works for http://www.somaliawatch.org/,
a media group focusing on governance and human rights. I have asked him what the
priorities of the new Somalia cabinet will be?
Ali Jama:
first of all the process engaged and started by
Djibouti president, Mr.
Ismail Omar Guelleh, ignored the Northern Recovery Zones. That is number one, and I
think that is one of the main problems with the process. Secondly, it ignored the
natural development in the country for the last 10 years. The country was
evolving into decentralized entities, essentially into federal system, if you would call
it. So, ignoring these two main facts on the ground renders the process, in my opinion,
unworkable. So, the main priority, I think, for the new "government" which just
came to Mogadishu, is to establish peace in Mogadishu.
Robert Chesel:
You mentioned the pessimism
that many Somalis feel about this government. And in fact the main warlords in
Somalia have been calling on the people to resist this new government. So, with this kind
of resistance and pessimism all around, can this government really survive?
Ali Jama:
that is a good question. I
think the phenomena of warlords, in my opinion, is very much prominent, in and around
Mogadishu. Yes, it will be a challenge for the new "government" in Mogadishu to
overcome this situation. I would say it is a difficult task for the
"government". A lot of Somalis believe that if the " government" can
deal with the situation in Mogadishu, that
they have achieved a success. It is a difficult task. There are a lot of militias, a lot
of different groups with different agendas. The environment in and around Mogadishu
is extremely difficult. This is the area that Koffi Annan, in his 1999 report,
characterized it as a black hole of anarchy, and it's an extremely difficult
situation. I would think that would be the first task to do. Remember that
the administrations in the north, both Somalaliland and Puntland, do
not recognize the process and didn't participate in the formation of the new "
government". The bastion in and around Baidoa had just
withdrawn from the process and that is a big blow. With this three big important
groups missing, the chances of success for the new " government", I think,
is very slim. But, nevertheless, we consider it a success if it can succeed in
Mogadishu.
Robert Chesel: Ali
Jama of http://www.somaliawatch.org/
[ News] |