05/02/09 (B484-B) La crise somalienne. Cheik Charif retourne à Djibouti après son allégeance à l’UA, à l’Ethiopie et aux USA. Les tribunaux islamiques déclarent la guerre aux forces de maintien de la paix de l’UA. (5 articles en Français et en Anglais)

_____________________________ 5 – Shabelle (En Anglais)

Le Président Charif retourne à Djibouti. // President Sharif returns to Djibouti
Somalia’s new president Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed has returned to Djibouti after he had attended an AU summit that concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, an official told radio Shabelle on Wednesday.

Ahmed Abdulahi, a Somali MP told radio Shabelle that pesident Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed accompanied by Djibouti president Ismail Omar Guelle were welcomed in Djibouti by ministers from Djibouti government.

“The president is in Kampisi Hotel in Djibouti and he is trying his best to nominate prime minister soon” Said Ahmed Abdulahi.

Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, an Islamist cleric was elected as Somali president in Djibouti on Saturday by the Somali Parliament.

Mr. Ahmed attended the 12th AU summit in Addis Ababa where he met different heads of states including Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

President Ahmed will meet and hold discussions with Somali parliamentarians currently assembled in Djibouti.

The new president promised an effective government which aims to resolve military instability in the country.

 

______________________________ 4 – XINHUA

L’Ouganda dément que ses soldats du maintien de la paix stationnés en Somalie aient tué des civils

Le ministre ougandais de la Défense, Crispus Kiyonga, a démenti les allégations selon lesquelles les soldats ougandais de maintien de la paix en Somalie auraient ouvert le feu et tué des dizaines de civils à Mogadiscio, capitale somalienne, a rapporté mercredi le média étatique.

Le maire-adjoint de Mogadiscio, Abdifatah Ibrahim, a affirmé que les soldats ougandais de la Mission de maintien de la paix de l’Union africaine en Somalie (AMISOM) avaient ouvert le feu lundi sur la foule dans une rue bondée à Mogadiscio et tué au moins 36 personnes.

La fusillade présumée s’est produite après qu’un attentat à la bombe ciblant les soldats de la paix soit survenu, attentat dans lequel trois civils ont été tués et un soldat ougandais blessé.

M. Kiyonga, cité par le journal officiel, New Vision, a indiqué qu’il doutait que les soldats de l’UA aient ouvert le feu sur les civils.

Le ministre de la Défense a révélé avoir demandé au commandant de l’AMISOM, le général Francis Okello, d’expliquer l’éventuelle implication des soldats ougandais dans cet incident.

Si les explications sont insuffisantes, un comité d’enquête sera mis en place, a-t-il ajouté.

Par ailleurs, le chef de bataillon Ba-Hoku Barigye, porte-parole de l’AMISOM, cité par le quotidien local, Daily Monitor, a indiqué que les civils avaient été tués par des tirs des insurgés.

______________________________ 3 – Press Tv (Iran) (En Anglais)

Les Tribunaux islamiques déclarent la guerre aux forces de maintien de la Paix de l’UA. // Somalia’ UIC vows war against AU forces

Somalia’s Union of Islamic Courts has vowed to wage war against AU peacekeepers over the killing of civilians in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

The leader of the UIC’s military wing, al-Shabaab, on Tuesday urged his fighters to attack the peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM) for ‘deliberately’ killing 40 civilians on Saturday, the Press TV correspondent reported.

« I call on the Somali people and the insurgents to attack the African Union troops, who massacred our people, » Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur told reporters in the southern Somali city of Baidoa.

UIC spokesman Abdirahim Issa Adow said the peacekeepers have violated their mandate, adding that « more brutal attacks on civilians will not be tolerated. »

AU peacekeepers on Monday for the second time in a week opened fire on civilians after coming under attack by insurgents.

However, AMISOM spokesman Major Barigiye Bohuku refuted the claims, saying that the forces only responded to insurgents attacks.

Uganda, whose troops make up 3,500 of the AMISOM forces, on Tuesday asked its military commander in Somalia, Maj. Francis Okello, to investigate claims that Ugandan troops were involved in the shootout that killed at least 40 civilians.

Ugandan Defense Minister Cryspus Kiyonga told reporters in Kampala that an official report would be released in due course after they finish the investigation.

AMISOM troops, comprised of Ugandan and Burundian soldiers, are deployed in the war-torn country as part of the internationally backed efforts to stabilize the Horn of African country which has been in turmoil for an entire generation.

 

______________________________ 2 – Shabelle (En Anglais)

Les Nations unies pressent le Gouvernement somalien de trouver une issue au conflit en somalie. // UN urges new Somali government to settle conflict

The United Nations Security Council Tuesday welcomed the new Somali government of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and urged him to reach a political settlement in the decades-long conflict in the Horn of Africa nation.

Sheikh Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, was sworn in as Somalia’s new president Saturday. His predecessor resigned last month, allowing for a peaceful transition in the war-torn country.

The Security Council urged the new president to move promptly to form a government of national unity « at the earliest possible date ».

On the other hand, the chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission, Jean Ping has encouraged the new Somali leadership to « take immediate measures to rebuild the country’s security forces in order to curb the violence in the country ».

Ping also urged Somalis to live up to the « daunting » challenges facing their country and to end the violence and suffering which has been plaguing their country for some time.

_______________________ 1 – Shabelle avec VOA (En Anglais)

Le président somalien a entamé les consultations en vue de nommer un premier ministre. // Somalia President Sheikh Ahmed to Begin Process of Selecting Prime Minister

Somalia’s newly elected President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is expected in Djibouti today to begin the process of nominating a new prime minister as part of constituting his new unitary government.

President Ahmed will meet and hold discussions with Somali parliamentarians currently assembled in Djibouti. The new president promised an effective government which aims to resolve military instability in the capital, Mogadishu and the seat of parliament in Baidoa, where al-Shabab Islamic insurgents have recently intensified attacks.

Abdurrahman Abdushakur is a member of the Somali parliament and a close associate of President Sheikh Ahmed. He tells reporter Peter Clottey that Somalis would soon know who would be in President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s new government.

« They would soon hear as soon as possible because Sheikh Sharif knows that the first priority of his task now is to appoint a prime minister. And he has to consult with members of the parliament as well as his team of advisors and also take into account the concern of the different activists who are involved in Somali politics, as well as the stakeholders. So we are expecting as soon as possible the president to appoint a new prime minister, » Abdushakur said.

He said members of the new Somali government will be selected on merit.

« The president has concluded the attendance of the African Union (AU) summit and today, Wednesday, he will be in Djibouti to start the process of selecting a prime minister and try to form a National Unity Government, » he pointed out.

Abdushakur said newly elected President Sheikh Ahmed is aware of the insecurity situation in the country, with the ever-increasing insurgent attacks, and would soon come up with solutions to address them.

« There are huge challenges ahead as we know, but also there are opportunities. And it depends on how the new leadership will merge the opportunities with the challenges and I think the challenges of the insurgency would be easier if Sheikh Sharif implemented his policy of engagement with all who are against him. I think his method of implementing peace program Somalis would help him, and he has already begun talking to the various groups and there have been very positive conclusions. And I hope that there would be an end to the violence, » Abdushakur pointed out.

There were reports of Ethiopian troops crossing over into Somalia and setting up checkpoints around the central region of Hiran, two weeks after the troops withdrew. The Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia two years after assisting the internationally backed Somali transitional government in toppling an Islamist administration.

Abdushakur said the president has met Ethiopian leaders at the sidelines of the African Union summit to address reports of the return of Ethiopian troops along the border with Somalia.

« We have heard about the reports, and we haven’t yet condemned them. We are still contacting our commanders on the field and if that is true, we will raise the issue with the Ethiopian leadership. Sheikh Sharif yesterday met with the Ethiopian prime minister and the foreign affairs minister, and we have discussed all those issues. And if it is indeed true, and we contact our local leaders and commanders on the ground, we will again raise the issue with the Ethiopian officials, » Abdushakur said.

He said President Sheikh Ahmed’s new government would be constituted based on the value an individual would contribute to the process of rebuilding Somalia.

« Somalis are going to be having an inclusive national unity government, which would be selected by merit and by talent, by capacity and also politicians who have accountability and trust among Somalis. And soon we will also have the selection of a new prime minister. And I hope this government would be different from the previous governments, » he noted.

Meanwhile, al-Shabab has refused to recognize the new Somali government, promising to form an Islamic state in Somalia and implement Sharia. The group also pledged to unite with other insurgent fighters to further its objective of forming an Islamic state.

Source: VOA