From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Wed Dec 23 2009 - 22:34:19 EST
In Somali Chaos, Japan and Germany Offer Separate Training, U.S. Cuts Aid
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- Mirroring the chaos of the Transitional
Federal Government in Somalia, donors and vultures and purported helpers
are all working at cross purposes. Among the vultures we place a company
called "Phoenix," which brags of having contracts with the TFG to train
security forces in Jordan for deployment in Somalia. We will have more on
this.
Meanwhile while the UN claims that it alone is authorized to train Somali
forces, a senior UN official on Tuesday complained to Inner City Press that
Japan and Germany are moving toward doing their own trainings, outside of
Somalia.
This has reportedly angered the UN's envoy to Somalia Ahmedou Ould
Abdullah enough that he has traveled to Tokyo. His spokesperson has
repeatedly declined to answer questions from Inner City Press in the past.
Three top UN humanitarian managers for Somalia briefed the Press on
Tuesday, about shortfalls in fundraising. Inner City Press asked if they
have solved their dispute with the United States, which slowed aid because
transfers to Al Shabaab would violate U.S. anti terrorism laws. Mark
Bowden, the UN's Nairobi based humanitarian coordinator, confirmed his
talks with "donors," stressing that time is of the essence.
Inner City Press asked Bowden about the UN urging the TFG president not
to fire the police chief of Mogadishu, which nevertheless took place.
Bowden confirmed the UN has concerned, but said they "come from the
political side." Then what is Ould Abdullah doing in Japan?
In belated disclosure of how the TFG's parliamentarians were paid, Inner
City Press was told that when the parliament contained 250 members,
countries including the U.S., UK and Norway paid their salaries. When the
parliament swelled to 500, the UN Development Program started paying, Inner
City Press was told. UNDP itself has repeatedly refused to answer questions
about its funding in Somalia.
UN's Ban and Somalia's president, Germany and Japanese training not shown
Al Shabaab has ordered the UN World Food Program to stop importing food,
to buy locally or not bring food in. The Food and Agriculture
Organization's Graham Farmer conceded that bringing in food aid during the
harvest season depresses the prices farmers get.
Does WFP buy locally in Somalia? Farmer said WFP tries to buy locally
elsewhere, but does not do so in Somalia. Why not? Watch this site.
Footnote: Bowden's press conference was delayed, a spokesperson said,
because he was blocked at the UN's visitors' entrance. Afterwards, Bowden
told Inner City Press he showed his pass from the UN Office in Nairobi, but
that this wasn't accepted at the UN in New York. Ironically, Kentucky Fried
Chicken's Colonel Sanders impersonator got into the building with no
problem, but the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Somalia was stopped
h