webmaster
© Copyright DEHAI-Eritrea OnLine, 1993-2010
All rights reserved
From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Tue Jul 27 2010 - 18:17:11 EDT
African Union reluctant to change peacekeeping mandate in Somalia
By Samson Ntale, For CNN
July 27, 2010 -- Updated 1926 GMT (0326 HKT)
Munyonyo, Uganda (CNN) -- The African Union summit ended Tuesday without a
resolution to change the mandate of its mission in Somalia from peacekeeping
to peace enforcing, despite calls from some African leaders to do so.
"We have not made a resolution on the mandate of the peacekeeping mission in
Somalia, but it is an issue we are considering, given the resources
required," Malawian president and AU chairman Bingu wa Mutharika told
reporters at a joint news conference.
"There have been calls for a change in the mandate to a more robust approach
to the insurgent attacks in Somalia by Uganda and Burundi, to go beyond
Mogadishu, (which is) their current limit, but (we) did not decide on that,"
wa Mutharika said.
AU Commission Chairman Jean Ping said that several conditions must be met
before the mandate could be changed.
"We need equipment to match with the change in combat approach. We need
helicopters for that. The United States and the U.K. are considering our
request for these but we need a firm reply," Ping said.
More funding is also needed for such a change, Ping explained, and certain
diplomatic conditions must be met as well.
"It is necessary to reinforce the (United Nations-backed) transitional
government in Mogadishu politically by being able to enter talks with groups
willing to talk and those which are radical will left to be dealt with the
military option," he told reporters.
The summit, which opened Sunday, was originally slated to discuss health
issues. However, security issues dominated the meetings, which came a little
more than two weeks after bomb attacks at two sites in Kampala killed 76
people and injured more than 80. Many of the victims had gathered to watch
the World Cup finals.
The al Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab, which is currently battling
the weak transitional government in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the
bombings, saying they were in retaliation for Uganda's contribution of
troops for peacekeeping operations in Somalia. About 6,000 Ugandan and
Burundian troops were deployed for the peacekeeping mission more than two
years ago in the Horn of Africa nation, which has been at war for more than
a decade.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni angrily told his counterparts Sunday they
should beef up the peacekeeping operation in Somalia, and vowed his forces
will retaliate with attacks on terrorist targets.
Ping told reporters that several countries, such as Nigeria, have promised
to send troops. But South Africa said it could not yet send additional
manpower due to overspending on its hosting of the World Cup games.
Also emerging from the summit was a request by African leaders that the
United Nations postpone the period for the arrest warrants issued for
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in the Darfur
region.
The organization wants time to carry out its own investigations.
"We have decided to establish our own mechanism to approach the Sudan
problem," wa Mutharika said. "We have to go there and approach the problem
on the ground, interview people there and come out with our own report."
The Malawian president also criticized the International Criminal Court,
which issued the warrants, saying such actions should not have been taken
against a sitting head of state.
"Does the ICC have a right tell us what to do? Do they have a right to
arrest the president of Sudan who is duly elected?" wa Mutharika asked. "It
is an issue we cannot push under the table. We need to look at it again.
That is why we are asking the U.N. to delay execution of the arrest warrant
for 12 months, a period enough for us to verify the allegations."
"We are not condoning impunity, genocides or any forms of crimes either by
individuals or by a head of state. But foreigners cannot decide on an issue
concerning a head of state. We are sovereign states and these states are
recognized by the UN. Anything dealing with a head of state must go through
a process," he said.
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----