http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/01/eritrea-innocent-over-arming-al-shabaab-claim/
UN clears Eritrea over ‘arming’ Shabaab
Posted by BERNARD MOMANYI on January 16, 2012
NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 16 – Eritrea has been cleared of allegations that
it was arming Al Shabaab militants in Somalia late last year.
A preliminary report by the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group
(SEMG) to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) concludes that
the allegations were untrue.
“The SEMG’s preliminary assessment is that these reports were
incorrect and that the alleged deliveries to Baidoa probably did not
take place,” part of the report states adding that “The monitoring
group also pursued its investigation into alleged arms deliveries by
air to the Al Shabaab controlled airfields in southern Somalia in late
October and early November 2011.”
Kenya had accused Eritrea of delivering arms to the Al Qaeda-linked
Islamists and reported the matter to the Security Council through the
regional Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The SEMG report was compiled last month.
On Monday, Eritrean Ambassador to Kenya Beyene Russom said his country
“has requested a full, fair and independent investigation to be
conducted by the UNSC, to the allegation and all other unfounded
related accusations.”
The embassy in Nairobi has previously denied accusations that Asmara
was involved in activities that can destabilise the region, and cannot
therefore arm Al Shabaab in any way.
Russom said his government supports peace in the region and “cannot
undermine any efforts aimed at destabilising it.”
“All this is propaganda fabricated by Ethiopia. It is a continuation
of a series of previous lies about our government,” Russom told
Capital News in an interview.
Citing reports that his government had delivered planeloads of arms to
Al Shabaab fighters in Baidoa, the ambassador said he failed to
understand how planes could have landed in Southern Somalia with arms
yet the region was under strict surveillance since Kenya sent its
troops there.
“When I heard about these allegations, I did not sleep, it worried me
so much. I have held meetings and I have spoken to various government
officials in Kenya both formally and informally to explain this and
even a delegation from my country is planning to come. It is a matter
of schedule,” he said.
Asmara plans to send a delegation to Nairobi led by Foreign Minister
Osman Saleh to discuss the matter which the Eritrean envoy said dents
his country’s image.
“These are wild accusations. They could have brought the plane down if
indeed it was seen delivering arms in Baidoa. It is not possible that
Eritrea can fly arms to Somalia. Not at all,” he said, fighting off
the allegations he blames Ethiopia of fabricating.
Other than his country, the ambassador has personally has been accused
of sending money to Al Shabaab.
“Again these are the lies they [Ethiopia] has been propagating. When I
came here [in Nairobi] I found many allegations about me, and I even
went and met the President (Kibaki)and I explained to him that I was
willing to be investigated,” he said.
“I am here to represent my government not to support criminal groups
like Al Shabaab,” he said adding that “since I came to Nairobi, I have
never met a single Somali group or individual, I am very careful.”
He said his country has never participated in any cross-border attacks
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Received on Mon Jan 16 2012 - 21:37:50 EST
