EU Reiterates Support to Somali Delegates

Salad F. Duhul
Arab News

JEDDAH, 8 August 2004 — The European Union (EU) has reiterated its support to Somalia in facing the challenges thrown up by prospects of reconciliation in the war-torn country. An EU statement urged the Somali delegates at the peace talks in Kenya to reach an early and positive conclusion. The talks are sponsored by the East African body of Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

“The European Union commends the efforts of Somali leaders, and calls upon them to ensure that the same spirit of positive cooperation prevails during the remainder of the reconciliation process. It welcomes in particular the cohesiveness shown by IGAD member states and their resolve to adopt a common approach based on political consensus,” the EU said. The EU appealed to all parties in the reconciliation process to form an inclusive government that would be committed to furthering stability and constructive dialogue with all Somalis. It called for commitment from members of such a government to an effective cease-fire and to the creation of a stable national environment, including the eradication of any possible terrorist activity, and to work for humanitarian access across Somalia and for the protection of civilians. “The proposed Somali administration should also work with commitment toward a federal Somalia by establishing a federal commission as stated in the Transitional Federal Charter,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, IGAD mediators in the Somali peace process have been unable to inaugurate a transitional Parliament for the country as planned, media reports said. Ministers from IGAD had planned to inaugurate the new Parliament on Aug. 4, but the deadline passed without an agreement in sight. The new transitional Parliament will have 275 seats to be shared among five clans. Each of Somalia’s four major clans — the Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir and Hawiye — will select 61 legislators for the transitional federal assembly, while the confederation of minority sub-clans will have 31 seats. The lawmakers will in turn select a new president for the country.

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At least six people have been killed and 17 wounded in inter-clan fighting in the southern part of the Somali capital Mogadishu, press reports said.

The reports said that the four of those killed were militiamen, while two civilians also died after being caught in the crossfire. The fighting was between militiamen loyal to Somali faction leader Mohammad Qanyare Afrah and a rival militia commander in neighboring Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia. Residents in the area said the fighting stopped after clan elders intervened.

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According to press reports, Netherlands’ Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk has accused Amnesty International of releasing incorrect information over the recent deaths of two asylum seekers in Somalia, claiming that just one of the men had been deported from the Netherlands.

Amnesty claimed last week that two rejected asylum seekers deported from the Netherlands were murdered after their return to Somalia. Verdonk admitted she had details of just one rejected asylum seeker killed in Mogadishu. The minister said the man had a plane ticket for a safe region of Somalia, but independently took the risk to enter Mogadishu.

Based on the time difference alone, Verdonk said no link could be made between the man’s death and the Dutch deportation policy.

The Dutch government is in the midst of an operation to deport 26,000 asylum seekers in coming years, having refused them residence permit in a recent amnesty. Just 2,300 refugees were granted permission to remain in the Netherlands as the Dutch government continues its crackdown against the inflow of immigrants.

Amnesty had previously said the Dutch government should not deport vulnerable ethnic minorities that are discriminated against and persecuted in Somalia. It also claimed that the background of male Somalis was not sufficiently examined during the process of expulsion.