Ken Ramani
Nairobi
Sudan and Uganda are the only countries expected to deploy peacekeeping troops to Somalia.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) Council of Ministers meeting held in Nairobi on Friday resolved that the two countries will deploy troops to the war-torn country during the first phase of a peace-keeping operation whose mandate was granted by the African Union.
Igad Chairman President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda last week announced the joint force would be deployed by end of April. "The remaining Igad countries will provide logistics, equipment, emergency assistance and training for the Somali army and the police," the council said in a communiquÈ read by Ugandan Foreign minister Sam Kutesa at the end of the two-day meeting.
The announcement was an unequivocal win for Somalia MPs opposed to the deployment of troops from the front-line states of Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Some MPs in President Abdulahi Yusuf's inner circle have come out in support of the deployment of front-line troops, bringing about the currently fluid situation.
This was the cause of an embarrassing fistfight among Somali MPs on Thursday in which four people were injured. Igad termed the fight 'shameful and unbecoming'.
Kenya's envoy to Somalia Mohammed Affey also condemned the incident. "It shows the mediators have a lot of ground remaining to be covered," he said
The troops are expected to boost security in the country as the transitional government prepares to relocate from Nairobi.
According to an MP, Ibrahim Noor, Ethiopian forces "will never return to Addis Ababa" if they are allowed to set foot in Mogadishu.
"The Ethiopian government was a supporter of Yusuf's Puntland government. If they come as peacekeepers, they will ensure Yusuf does not leave the presidency by allowing free and fair elections," said Noor.
Another MP, Asha Abdallah, says Ethiopia has been part of the Somali problem as it has been supplying weapons to some militias.
"Ethiopian forces bring a conflict of interest. We say No to colonialism. If Ethiopians must come to Somalia, they must come as civilians. Otherwise we shall make life very difficult for them," she said.
The MPs have accused President Yusuf of "trying to shoot his way to Mogadishu with the backing of Ethiopian forces," and warn that they may be forced to impeach the President if he continues forcing issues down their throats.
"In any case, he was not elected by the Somalia people but by Parliament," they said.
"We don't care who the foreigners are. We shall fight them. We have the right to defend our people and sovereignty. Although we are in exile, our dignity must be respected," warned Asha.
But according to AU special envoy to Igad, Mohammed Foum, the continued stay of the Somali government in Nairobi cannot be justified.
"All those who matter have been included in the transitional government. Why are they fearing to return to Mogadishu?" posed Foum in an interview.
Each of Somalia's four major clans has 61 seats in the transitional Parliament while an alliance of minority clans has 31 seats.
Kenya's Regional Cooperation minister John Koech advised Somali warlords to put aside personal interests for the sake of peace.
"This may be the last chance for the international community to assist in the re-establishment of order in Somalia," said Koech who presided at the opening ceremony of the ministers' meeting.
Acting representative of the UN Secretary-General Dr Babafemi Badajo said any peace support mission to Somalia must be carefully considered and planned with the help of Somalis.
"The role of regional organisations in fostering peace is clearly enshrined in Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. However, if such a role will go beyond peacekeeping and involve peace enforcement, the authority of the Security Council must be obtained," warned Badajo.
The UN recently said the deployment of foreign military force in Somalia would require an exemption from the arms embargo that was imposed on the Horn of Africa country in early 1990s.
Since the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, conflict within the country has been mainly between non-state armed groups. It has been both inter-clan and intra-clan in nature, involving rival sub-clans and factions. However, many of the individual factions have united over the last few years, resulting in two main alliances: the G8 Alliance composed of factions from all over Somalia, including one led by the Mogadishu-based warlord, Muhammad Qanyare Afrah; and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC), a group which controls much of Southern Somalia. Hussein Aideed, an influential warlord who has since been appointed deputy prime minister, is the de-facto leader of SRRC.
Despite the formation of the alliances, member factions continue to be independently active, a scenario that has led analysts to warn of chaos once Yusuf's government relocates to Mogadishu.
Prominent factions within Mogadishu include the United Somali Congress (USC) led by Afrah and another led by Muse Sudi Yalahoh.
Because the main faction leaders are in Yusuf's government, analysts say they should be forced to rein in their militias to restore peace in the country.
Igad peacekeepers are expected to disarm the factions with the support of Somali leaders.
Already, hardliners have warned against the deployment of foreign troops whom they say are likely to trigger confrontation when they begin the delicate exercise of disarmament.