SOMALIA: President Abdullahi Yusuf meets elders and warlords in the capital Mogadishu

Record ID: 625336

  • Title: SOMALIA: President Abdullahi Yusuf meets elders and warlords in the capital Mogadishu
  • Date: 13th January 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE)(Somali) MOHAMED ROMBE, MOGADISHU RESIDENT, SAYING: "This martial law gives the government the power to take everything from the people, therefore at this time is not suitable."
  • Embargoed: 28th January 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Somalia
  • Country: Somalia
  • Reuters ID: LVA97N85TJ3GUUWQG1YVO7IFOPB7
  • Story Text: Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf met elders and warlords in the capital Mogadishu on Saturday (January 13) and asked them to provide their clan militiamen to be retrained and integrated into the Somali army.
    His request came as Somalia's parliament declared on Saturday a state of emergency for three months to restore security in the Horn of Africa country after several weeks of war ousted rival Islamists.
    Members of parliament passed the vote in the government's interim seat of Baidoa -- its home until Ethiopian and Somali troops defeated Islamists who had controlled much of the south.
    In the Saturday meeting the president said that the Islamists were now hitting back with guerilla tactics and it was up to all people to support the government.
    "As we can see the guerilla war that the Islamists talked about is starting, if we are all sincere in our nationality, no one can do anything wrong and hide inside Somalia, we have to unite to fight the remaining elements of those defeated," said Yusuf.
    The government, which is seeking to install itself in the capital Mogadishu, faces a huge challenge to bring peace and security to the Horn of Africa nation, which has been without effective central rule since the 1991 ouster of a dictator.
    The vote came hours after Ethiopian-backed government forces captured a southern Islamist stronghold. Many fugitive Islamists were believed to be holed up in the coastal village of Ras Kamboni near the Kenyan border after fleeing south.
    On the streets of Mogadishu, there were negative reactions to the news of the state of emergency vote.
    "This martial law gives the government the power to take everything from the people, therefore at this time is not suitable," said Mogadishu Resident Mohamed Rombe.
    Another resident compared the planned disarmament plan to the failed UN intervention of the early 1990's.
    "I think this is not good idea because in 16 years for example UNISOM the largest peacekeeping mission in the world came to Somalia and they failed and withdrew. So this will just bring more problems and no solutions," added Said Mogadishu Resident Ali.
    Other saw the government bending to the whims of powerful neighbour and military backers Ethiopia in the declaration of the state of emergency.
    "This is clear and we doubt that the members of parliament are doing this in the interest of the Somalis. We have now realised that they are doing this for another country's interests. They will just add to the problems of Somalia," said Mogadishu Resident Mohamed Ali.
    Ethiopia, the region's major power, wants to withdraw in coming weeks its soldiers who have been attacked in Mogadishu since helping the government seize the capital late last month.
    Diplomats fear that would leave the government -- the 14th attempt at central rule since 1991 -- vulnerable to remnant Islamists vowing guerrilla war, warlords seeking to re-create their fiefdoms, and competing clans.
    The administration has called for peacekeepers to be deployed immediately. The African Union says it is willing in principle to send troops. Uganda is ready to provide the first battalion, but is nervous of the risks for its soldiers.
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