From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Thu Aug 21 2008 - 07:07:34 EDT
Eritrea-based opposition faction in Kenya for negotiations
Thursday 21 August 2008
Some members of the Asmara-based Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia
faction have begun some political activities outside Eritrea.
Suldan Muhammad Suldan who is the vice-chairman of the central committee
of the of the Asmara-based Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia has
said he and some other members are currently in Nairobi, Kenya, to sell
their policies to the Somali people.
They said they would also travel to other countries as well.
The official also said in order to solve Somalia's problems it was
prudent that Ethiopia is involved in the matter because it has forcibly
occupied Somalia.
The statement by the official comes at a time when the Djibouti-based
Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia have signed an agreement with the
Transitional Federal Government of Somalia which calls for the
withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia within 120 days.
Somalia's government has formally signed a peace deal with some
opposition figures, U.N. officials said on Tuesday, but the pact
initialled in June has been rejected by hardliners and done little to
quell violence.
More than 8,000 civilians have been killed and 1 million uprooted in
fighting since early last year pitting President Abdullahi Yusuf's
interim administration and allied Ethiopian forces against Islamist
rebels.
His government and a faction of the opposition initialled a tentative
peace agreement on June 9 at U.N.-led talks in Djibouti, and then
formally signed it late on Monday.
"The parties agreed to continue the political dialogue between
themselves and refrain from making inflammatory statements," the United
Nations said in a statement.
"(They) strongly condemn the perpetrators as well as those who
mastermind and fund violence which targets innocent people, including
killings, indiscriminate shelling, looting, raping and acts of piracy."
The Djibouti Agreement seeks the replacement of Ethiopian troops
supporting the transitional government with U.N. peacekeepers, who would
also take over the duties of a small, ill-funded African Union force.
But disagreement over the discussions split the Eritrea-based opposition
Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) in two, with hardline
exiles in Asmara joining the insurgents in denouncing the ARS officials
who took part.
Like previous rounds of talks -- including a six-week peace conference
last year in rubble-strewn Mogadishu -- the negotiations have done
little to reduce bloodshed on the ground. At least five people were
killed on Tuesday when Islamist fighters attacked a military base near a
busy Mogadishu market.
"Three mortar shells landed in Bakara market and hit traders and
customers," Mohamud Hussein, a mini-bus driver said. He counted 17
wounded.
Another resident, Nimco Sara, said fighting between the insurgents and
the allied government and Ethiopian troops killed two fighters and
lasted about 15 minutes.
In some of the worst violence for weeks, city residents said nearly 50
people died last Friday when Ethiopian soldiers and government troops
opened fire on civilians in retaliation after two roadside bombs ripped
through their convoys.
This was denied by the Ethiopian foreign ministry.
"Ethiopia's military conduct follows international rules of engagement
and we do not attack civilians," Wahade Belay, a ministry spokesman,
told Mareeg online.
He said an independent investigation by Somali officials found the only
deaths had been caused by bombs planted by the rebel al Shabaab militia,
which Washington says is a terrorist group with close ties to Osama bin
Laden's al Qaeda
Near-daily grenade attacks, gun battles and assassinations have driven
many civilians from their homes, particularly in the capital, and their
plight has been compounded by record food prices, hyper-inflation and
drought.
The U.N. statement said both sides in Djibouti were united on the urgent
need to address the crisis.
"The parties reaffirmed their strong determination to help ensure
unhindered humanitarian access and assistance," it added.
The number of Somalis desperately needing food aid could reach 3.5
million people later this year -- nearly half the population, but the
international donors have only funded about a third of a $637 million
aid appeal, according to the U.N.
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