From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed May 20 2009 - 15:07:01 EDT
http://allafrica.com/stories/200905200588.html
Somalia: Senator Feingold's Statement on U.S. Strategy
Russ Feingold
20 May 2009
document
*Opening Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold at the hearing "Developing
a Coordinated and Sustainable U.S. Strategy for Somalia" Senate Foreign
Relations African Affairs Subcommittee, as prepared for delivery:*
"Last month, the problem of piracy off Somalia's coast hit home for a lot of
Americans with the attack on the Maersk Alabama and the capture of Captain
Richard Phillips after his courageous actions to ensure the safety of his
crew. I was pleased that Chairman Kerry quickly organized a full committee
hearing to examine this growing problem. In addition, several other
committees held hearings to assess this problem and potential U.S.
responses.
"This heightened level of attention to the Horn of Africa is long overdue,
but in order to truly understand and address the piracy problem we need to
know what's behind it. We cannot ignore the conditions on land that have
made the waters off Somalia a haven for pirates. The recent spike in piracy
is an outgrowth of the state collapse, lawlessness, and economic desperation
that have plagued the country for over a decade. That is why I decided to
hold this hearing today. I have held many hearings over the years to
examine how we can best address the crisis in Somalia and am hopeful that
today's hearing will look at the situation in Somalia from a new light –
ensuring any short-term measures we may take to eliminate the problem of
piracy are sustainable and coordinated with broader efforts to establish
stability and the rule of law.
"We also cannot and should not isolate piracy from the many challenges the
United States faces in Somalia. These challenges include the growth of the
terrorist group al Shebaab – some of whose leaders have links to al Qaeda –
the staggering humanitarian crisis in the country, and the standing problems
of instability and lack of central government.
"I have been greatly troubled by reports over the last two weeks of
intensified fighting in and around Mogadishu that has left hundreds of
people dead and displaced tens of thousands of people. Over the weekend,
there were reports that al Shebaab and their allies were gaining momentum
and had overtaken Jowhar, a strategic town in central Somalia. They have
pledged to overthrow the government and their ranks reportedly now include
hundreds of foreign fighters. More recently, the press has reported that
some Ethiopian military forces have crossed back into Somalia. Although the
Ethiopian government has denied these allegations, the prospect of a return
of Ethiopian forces into Somalia is very alarming and would greatly change
the dynamics of the situation.
"For months now I have encouraged the Obama Administration to engage at the
highest level to help establish stability and inclusive governance in
Somalia, but if these recent events continue, we may miss a major
opportunity. I have called on the president to personally call Somali
President Sheik Sharif and to indicate a clear commitment to work with the
new government on security and governance issues. To my knowledge though,
neither he nor Secretary Clinton have yet made that call or issued such a
statement.
"We must take steps now to seriously and consistently engage at senior
levels with the transitional government in Mogadishu. While I recognize the
fragile nature of this government, I am concerned by some reports that the
government is losing both popular support and momentum. Helping to build
stable institutions, expand effective and inclusive governance, and provide
economic opportunities must be at the heart of any truly comprehensive
strategy toward Somalia.
"At the same time, engagement and support for the government alone does not
constitute a comprehensive strategy. We need a more sustained diplomatic
push to communicate regularly with a wide range of non-governmental actors
within Somalia and help bring more groups into the political process. We
also need to engage with stakeholders and partners in the wider region –
both across the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. It is impossible to
separate Somalia's situation from wider regional dynamics, especially the
historic tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the instability in
Yemen. To that end, I have proposed that the administration consider
appointing a senior envoy for the Horn of Africa.
"I appreciate that the administration has many pressing priorities and also
know there is an interagency policy review process underway, which I look
forward to receiving an update about today."
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