NOVIB SOMALIA
SOMALIA NATIONAL RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE
MBAGATHI, KENYA
Supported by:

EC Somalia Unit n (o) vib
Oxfam Netherlands
_____________________________________________________________

Weekly Sitrep. 48 (Covering from 24th to 30th January, 2004)

Contents: Political developments, Security,
IGAD and the International Community, Civil Society,
Core groups and Issues for discussion.

Prepared by: Khalif Hassan Ahmed
Information and Documentation officer

Priority: External

Addressees: Novib, EC Somalia Unit, Local and
International Partners, Media Houses,
Websites, Core groups in Somalia and
Diaspora

Means: By Email

Highlights
· Conference progress and political differences
· Somali Leaders commitment to comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement
· UN condemns abduction of a Staff Member
· Annan appoints monitors for Somali Arms Embargo
· Increased level of involvement garners an agreement
· Kenyan MP’s visit venue of Somali Leaders consultation
· Annan welcomes the Somali Leaders agreement
· British MPs meet Somali groups at the talks
· UNHCR calls for increased support for Somalia
· Representatives of women’s organizations in the region meet in Djibouti

Political Developments
Conference progress
The harmonized position on the charter agreed upon by the Somali leaders was formalised in a ceremony held at State House in Nairobi on January 29 and witnessed by the Kenyan President, H.E Mwai Kibaki. The Kenyan Foreign Minister, the IGAD Facilitation Committee and the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF) held intense consultations with the Somali groups to develop this harmonized position. One of the major issues of contention during these consultations was the inclusion of the National Salvation Council in Article 30 of the harmonized document. The ceremony held at the State House was largely a symbolic gesture and 8 of the 39 Somali leaders signed the text and included Mohamed Abdi Yussuf (TNG prime minister), Abdullahi Yussuf Ahmed (Puntland president), Mohamed Qanyare (USC/G8), Musse Sudi Yalahow (Chairman, USC/SSA/National Salvation Council) Adan Mohamed Nur “Madobe” (RRA/SRRC), Mohamed Dhere (Chairman, Jowhar Administration), Sharif Salah and Asha Haji Elmi (Civil Society).

All of the leaders gave speeches (except for the civil society representatives) and affirmed their commitment to the remaining phase of the process. The leaders embraced and committed themselves to working together. The adoption of the harmonized agreement by the plenary was scheduled for 31 January. The Somali leaders who spoke at the ceremony assured all those involved in the mediation that they would move with speed into phase III - the final leg of the conference. This phase entails, among other issues, the formation of the Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic. According to the Kenyan Foreign Minister, it is expected that within a month, all the clans will have submitted the names of their nominees for the Transitional Federal Parliament.

The articles of note in the declaration signed at State House include Article 30, which deals with the selection of the parliament and gives the power of selection to Somali political leaders that were invited to the retreat (TNG, NSC, SRRC, G8, civil society and the regional administrations). The endorsement of these decisions will be left to traditional leaders. The harmonized declaration also committed the leaders to take the document to the plenary for endorsement, followed by an endorsement by the Transitional National Assembly (TNA) in Mogadishu. The leaders also committed themselves to coming up with a comprehensive ceasefire agreement that would be signed shortly.

TNG Delegation left Somalia to ratify the Amended Charter
The TNG delegation led by Abdiqassim Sald Hassan left for Mogadishu on Saturday 31st to finalise ratification of the amended charter by the TNA. The third phase will begin after the amended charter is adopted by the plenary in Mbagathi and ratified by TNA in Mogadishu.

Political differences:
Somali delegates turned down the plenary session to be held in Safari Park
Plans to hold the plenary meeting at the Safari Park Hotel, where the retreat was being held, were rejected by delegates at Mbagathi. The Mbagathi group (leaders) was summoned by the delegates in Mbagathi to discuss the commitment signed both at Safari Park and State House. In what was thought to be a retraction from the agreement signed, the leaders seemed to be distancing themselves from their own actions. According to an observer: “after committing themselves, the leaders are claiming to be unaware of their commitment. For fear of being in the losing end, the leaders seem to be fighting back through the delegates”, added the observer. The Kenyan Foreign Minister met the groups in Mbagathi and after consultations, it was agreed that the plenary would be held at Mbagathi on February 3. Contentious issues include again the number of signatories as well as the level of political leaders’ influence in the selection of the parliament. Consultation among the group is ongoing and the details of their discussions are not yet public.

Security
Somali leaders’ commitment to comprehensive ceasefire agreement
Although nothing was signed at the ceremony, some of the political leaders, including Abdiqassim (TNG) and Abdullahi Yussuf (Puntland), agreed to the importance of upgrading the Eldoret declaration (cessation of hostilities) into a ceasefire agreement to avoid any sort of aggression among the contenders.

UN condemns abduction of staff member
The United Nations strongly condemned the abduction of a UN staff member, Rolf Helmrich (German national) and has called for his immediate and unconditional release. According to a UN report, the staff member was abducted on the outskirts of Kismayo, approximately 45 kilometres north of the seaport. According to the UN Resident Representative/Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Maxwell Gaylard, the UN mandate is to support the Somali people in development and peace building efforts and in executing their duties the staff members’ safety have to be ensured.

Mr. Gaylard also condemned the recent murders of innocent women and children in clan-related conflicts in Southern Somalia. The Humanitarian Coordinator visited the Bakool region and several shocking incidents making women victims of reprisal were confirmed to him. The local human rights organizations also reported cases of abduction and rape of women and children. The UN chief called upon Somali leaders to take all possible steps to end the cycle of violence, in particular to safeguard the security and welfare of unarmed civilians, including women and children and to bring to justice to those who had committed crimes.

Annan appoints monitors for Somali arms embargo
According to the UN News Agency, the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, responding to a Security Council request, has appointed a panel of four experts to monitor violations of the arms embargo against Somalia for the next six months as a follow up to the second panel of experts which presented its report to the council back in October last year. The panel will be based in Nairobi.

IGAD and the International Community
Increased level of involvement garners an agreement
In an interview with the Novib Discussion Platform, the Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia, Mohamed Abdi Affey stated that Ethiopia was supportive of the peace conference and its outcome. Ambassador Affey said that although Ethiopia was absent from the function physically, it was for logistical reasons but they were with them in spirit. In his visit to Kenya, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister confirmed their support to the Somali peace conference and its outcome to his Kenyan counterpart.

Kenyan Parliamentarians visit the venue of the Somali Leaders Consultation
A group of Kenyan MPs visited the venue of the Somali Leaders retreat to show solidarity with the Somali leaders. In an interview with Novib Discussion Platform, Billow Kerow, a KANU MP, stated that the restoration of peace in Somalia was a priority for them and they would be pleased to take an active role if the management of the conference made such a decision. The MPs were pleased by the agreement reached by the Somali leaders and they advised them to build on this achievement and move forward to the remaining phase of the peace conference.

Annan welcomes the agreement by Somali leaders
In a statement released by his spokesperson, the UN Secretary-General welcomed the agreement reached by the Somali leaders on the transitional charter. He encouraged the Somali leaders to build on the progress achieved and swiftly conclude the Somali National Reconciliation Conference with the establishment of an inclusive government. The Secretary-General warmly commended President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, the other leaders of the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and international supporters of the Somali National Reconciliation Conference for their perseverance in helping Somalis work towards reaching national reconciliation.

British MPs meet the Somali Groups in the talks
A group of British MPs on a fact-finding mission met with Somali groups to discuss the progress of the peace talks. According to the Somali groups, the British team were on a humanitarian fact-finding mission. The same group visited Somaliland. In a discussion with Novib Discussion Platform, some of the Somali groups who met the team expressed scepticism over the mission and its nature.

UNHCR calls for increased support for Somalia
Senior UNHCR officials called for a drastic increase in support for UN programmes in Somalia as the country entered a critical transition period. A UNHCR team, led by Geneva-based Inspector General Dennis McNamara, concluded a 20-day mission to Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. The mission reviewed UNHCR’s operations in Somalia, with particular focus on refugees and returnees. It will make a number of proposals to the UNHCR headquarters on the future direction and objectives of this programme and how it can work with other agencies to promote sustainable reintegration of refugees. According to their report, there are still approximately 200,000 Somali refugees in the region, including over 130,000 in Kenya and other large groups in Yemen, Djibouti and Ethiopia. The report stressed that there was now an opportunity to return up to 30,000 refugees to Somaliland and Puntland – in particular from these four countries.

Civil Society and Core Groups
Representatives of the women’s organizations in the region meet in Djibouti
Women’s organisations representatives from Djibouti, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, met in Djibouti from 22 to 26 January to develop plans for a “Stop Violence against Women” campaign. The participants were all members of the regional SIHA network.

The workshop, funded by Novib and attended by representatives from Oxfam GB and Amnesty International, provided training to the participants on campaigning. Regional and national plans focusing on different issues related to the main campaign, such as female genital mutilation (FGM), discriminatory laws, conflict-related violence against women and abduction of women and girls, were developed during the workshop and activities will start in February. Amnesty International is launching a global campaign on the same subject on 5 March in New York. The campaign wants to draw attention to all kinds of violence against women in the world. The Somali campaign, coordinated by three women networks (COGWO, NAGAD and WAWA), will focus on FGM and be launched on 8 March this year. The activities will include research, a launching event, public awareness and media activities and education, among others.

Issues for discussion
Even though they have signed an agreement over the charter, the Somali factions still face challenges. In your opinion, what is the best way of avoiding backtracking among the Somali political leaders?

Please respond to: [email protected]