24/08/06 (B363-B) Point de vue – Somalie – Déployer une force internationale d’interposition, mais dans quel but ? (Editorial de Shabait.com -Asmara – publié par allAfrica.com) (En anglais – Info lecteur)

Somalia: Deploying Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia – for What Purpose?

Shabait.com (Asmara)
EDITORIAL
August 23, 2006
Posted to the web August 23, 2006

Asmara

After 15 years of civil war and political turmoil, mainly due to external interferences, positive political developments aiming at reconciliation are gaining momentum in Somalia , set in motion by the Somalis themselves.

It is true that these developments may not be welcome to some quarters who have their own agendas regarding the matter, but to other quarters who wish to see peace restored in Somalia , these are indeed positive and promising developments.

At present the Somali people, having learned their lesson from past experience, are cautiously moving towards unity and reconciliation on their own, as a result of which the world is witnessing positive developments. Yet, instead of encouraging this internal initiative, various attempts are being made to pave the way for external military intervention so as to obstruct the aforementioned developments. One of such attempts is the ridiculous proposition about the need of a peacekeeping mission in Somalia being advocated in the name of IGAD and the AU, the latter being an organization that had uttered not a word during the Somali people’s 16-year long plight.

Numerous incidents and concrete evidences verify the futility of the military interventions in different parts of the world, supposedly to keep peace, by the UN or other regional organizations. This being the reality, however, it is baffling to see the mission of peacekeeping forces developing from resolving conflicts between two nations to assuming the role of mediation in the internal conflicts and differences occurring in a number of countries. Regardless of the reasons given, such interferences are in fact against the charter and principles of the UN and African Union as well as national sovereignty.

What then is the real objective of the military intervention being sought to be launched in Somalia in the name of IGAD? Which countries are members of IGAD? Whose soldiers are going to Somalia in a peacekeeping mission representing IGAD? And for what purpose? The answers to these questions are unmistakably self-evident.

As is well known Ethiopia has always been averse to the idea of a united Somali nation. Hence, more than any other party, Ethiopia is bound feel uneasy about the new developments in Somalia moving in the direction of reconciliation. Thus, it should not be very surprising to see Ethiopia applying every political tool in its disposal to undermine positive developments in Somalia .

One such tool Ethiopia chose to employ is the IGAD organization. It is an undeniable fact that Ethiopia had been violating Somalia ‘s sovereignty for its own agenda by claiming to have been given a mandate by IGAD to assist in the Somali reconciliation process. And now, the new proposal to deploy a peacekeeping mission in Somalia in the name of IGAD will only amount to raising the number of Ethiopian soldiers in that country. The only task this so-called peacekeeping mission will accomplish is to implement the TPLF’s own agenda and nothing more. It cannot thus be too difficult to imagine the consequen ces of deploying a peacekeeping mission with the TPLF regime’s devious agenda.

Hence, all IGAD member nations should take measures before their identities are used as a cover up to secure Ethiopian interests. The only solution for the Somali people’s problem still remains supporting their aspirations to resolve their problems on their own and directing the new developments to this end. Deploying a so-called peacekeeping mission is most certainly not a solution.