From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Sep 07 2009 - 05:17:50 EDT
Somali Government Enthused About Negotiations with Insurgents
By Peter Clottey
07 September 2009
Somalia's government has expressed satisfaction about ongoing talks with
hard line Islamic insurgents who have vowed to overthrow the administration.
The government says it will continue to negotiate with the insurgents until
a solution is found to end the country's instability.
The insurgents including al-Shabab have refused to recognize President
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed's government, vowing to overthrow the
administration and implement the strictest form of Sharia law.
Political analysts say despite the negotiations, it is unclear if the
insurgents will join the beleaguered government.
Cabinet minister Abdirashid Irro Mohammed said that the government is
determined to continue with its reconciliation efforts.
"Our government is trying to reconcile with our people and the position of
our government is that we will like to convince and to call all the Somalis
to join (in) the peace process and to support the government," Mohammed
said.
He said there is need to finding a solution to the violence.
"We are very keen to talk to our people to continue with the discussion and
dialogue and to convince them that they should join the peace process
because Somalis are exhausted by killing from one another. And this has
prolonged for more than 20 years," he said.
Mohammed said the government is unfazed despite difficulties in negotiations
with the insurgents.
"We are not strong with our people we are very weak with our people because
we don't want to continue the fighting and killing our people. So that is
why we are very soft for the negotiations with our people and we will like
to invite them to the peace process," Mohammed said.
He said the government is rebuilding the army.
"We are trying to recruit and organize our national forces. And the national
force, the number (have) increased to more than ten thousand," he said.
Mohammed praised the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM).
"We have our brothers who have been supporting this government from the
AMISOM; African Union troops especially those who came from Uganda and
Rwanda. So militarily we are very strong, but for the negotiations we are
not very strong with our people," Mohammed said.
He said there are foreigners who have joined the extremists to destabilize
the country.
"We do believe that really those who are against the government, some of
them, they are not related to the Somalis' politics. They are getting
financial support and also political instructions from the outside, and I
don't think that those persons are here to join the peace process. They are
not ready for negotiations," he said.
Mohammed said the government is confident in the ongoing negotiations.
"I believe (in) the negotiations. It is better than the armed solution. So
we are very keen, and we will insist to continue and to be very keen with
the negotiations," Mohammed said.
Meanwhile, al-Shabab threatened Sunday to launch an offensive against the
government as it reinforces positions around the capital, Mogadishu.
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