the SOMALI ISSUE and the Djibouti Proposals

Editorial

Title: [SW Editorial] the SOMALI ISSUE and the Djibouti Proposals
From:[]
Date :[] 8 Oct 1999

Release - SW/AAJ 28/99, 8 Oct 1999

To:

member states of the United Nations

the Secretary-General of the United Nations

Reference is made to the historic speech of H.E.the President of the Republic of Djibouti Mr. Ismail Omar Guelle at the 54th session of UN General Assembly on 22nd Sept 1999, in which the President described, for the world ,the plight of Somalia as country and people. Highlighting some of the points made by the President:

" ....indeed the continued anarchy in Somalia is indicative of the failure of global Governance to serve poor countries in the developing world..."

".... All Somalis, it is safe to say, are living below the poverty line and the devastating Civil War shows no abetting in most regions of the country. Additionally, the country is prone to becoming a magnet for criminal elements, drug traffickers, terrorist and a dumping ground of dangerous toxic waste...."

"... However, seeking a lasting settlement through the Warlords has abundantly and unambiguously demonstrated throughout this conflict (has proven) to be wishful thinking..."

"... Now all agree that the Warlords has nothing to show which engenders confidence that they will ever agree on a lasting peaceful settlement, much less the implementation of agreed upon conclusion...."

"...The Warlords have never agreed and will never agree on anything..."

"....The Somalis has Human Rights, too. They have every right to be protected from oppressive, reckless and power hungry individuals who continually freely move from one capital to another, raising funds and securing armaments...."

"....We have to ask ourselves, as leaders of the world assembled here, what should we do about Somalia? The time has come, in our view, for the International Community to take a decision to break the long silence on this forgotten conflict by supporting bold counter measures against the Warlords..."

"...The Warlords must agree to convert their factions into political parties..."

"... The Warlords must agree to commit to a complete and verifiable disarmament of their combatants and they must submit to the primacy of law..."

".... The Somali Society must agree to the demands of the International Community to assist in the restoration of normalcy of law and order and respect the creation of a Somali Police Force that will also integrate forces of the various militias..."

"... the Warlords must be charged for crimes against humanity, for the abuse of power, including in aiding and abetting wanton persecution of civilians, the preaches of violations of human rights, causing state collapse and destruction of the country, to endless violence and unpredictable behavior...."

"... indeed it is (Somalia) evolving into a country of stark contrasts between the troubled Central and Southern regions and the relatively stable and peaceful North, namely the self-declared Somaliland and the Puntland Region...."

"... The reality is that in the context of Somalia, cities, regions and communities are defining their own future. This move towards decentralization or self-administration by many parts and communities of the country is fueled by the need to survive..."

".... The International community, therefore, need to support economically these regions or communities that have achieved relative peace, security and development..."

"...We must reward those who have made serious efforts to restore security and peace to protect human rights and to provide basic services to their people..."

Somalia Watch Organization acknowledges with deep appreciation and fully supports the basic tenets of the Djibouti Proposals for finding solution to the Somali Crises.

Somalia Watch Organization also hopes that the International Community will seize this historic opportunity and convert the Djibouti Proposals into a realistic action plan addressing the Somali Crisis.

[Back to the top][Editorial]