31/05/06 (B352-A) La situation s’agrave en Somalie. La violence monte entre les forces en présence, qui n’hésitent plus à violer les Droits de l’Homme et à attaquer des hôpitaux. Le CICR est extrêmement inquiet. (Deux articles dont un en anglais, signalés par un lecteur)
1 – Somali gunmen seize key hospital
Mogadishu’s medical facilities are already stretched
Gunmen have seized a key hospital in the north of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has confirmed.
An ICRC spokesman said dozens of wounded had been forced to flee the clearly marked Red Cross facility in violation of humanitarian law.
The militia are loyal to a group of secular warlords who have been battling rivals from the Islamic courts.
Some 200 people have been killed in recent fighting between the groups.
Somalia has had no effective government since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991 but this year’s clashes have been the worst in the capital for more than a decade.
A truce agreement between the two rival militias was broken last week.
‘War crimes’
The UN’s humanitarian co-ordinator for Somalia warned the militias that their actions may be considered war crimes under international law.
We saw armed fighters entering into the hospital and taking some military positions on the roof of the hospital
« Any deliberate attempt to prevent wounded or civilians receiving assistance and protection during fighting in the city may constitute elements of future war crimes, » Eric Laroche told AFP news agency.
Meanwhile, a senior American diplomat, Michael Zorick, who specialises in Somalia, has been removed from his post in Nairobi after expressing concerns about US support for the Mogadishu warlords, who say the Islamic
Courts are sheltering al-Qaeda fighters.
The US merely says it will support those trying to stop « terrorists » setting up in Somalia but stresses its commitment to the country’s transitional government, which functions from Baidoa, 250km (155 miles) north-west of the capital.
‘Tense’
The ICRC’s Pascal Hundt urged the gunmen of the warlords’ Anti-Terrorism Alliance to leave so the medical staff could continue looking after the injured.
Are you in Mogadishu? Send us your experiences
He told the BBC there were 120 patients in Keysaney Hospital when armed fighters arrived on Monday afternoon during a lull in fighting.
« We saw armed fighters entering into the hospital and taking some military positions on the roof of the hospital, » he said.
Facts and figures about life in Somalia
At-a-glance
He said 60 patients were taken home by their families. The other patients were still at the hospital with some Red Crescent staff.
« The situation remains very very tense, » he said.
But an alliance commander told the agency their aim was « to protect [the hospital] from the Islamic courts militia that could prevent people from getting medical aid ».
The Islamic Courts grouping has gradually been gaining the upper hand in recent fighting and civilians have been hiding in their homes or fleeing the sporadic but heavy battles.
The fighting began earlier this year when a group of warlords, who had divided Mogadishu into fiefdoms, united to form the Anti-Terrorism Alliance to tackle a growing Islamist force.
The Anti-Terrorism Alliance includes eight warlords, among them four ministers in the current government.
_________________________________
2 – CICR – Somalie : Le CICR est extrêmement préoccupé par le nombre élevé de victimes civiles
Type : Communiqué de presse
Emetteur: CICR
Thème: Dossiers | Afrique
Le 25 mai, des hôpitaux de la capitale, en particulier l’hôpital Keysaney, géré par la Société nationale, et l’hôpital Medina, ont admis plus de 150 blessés, parmi lesquels des femmes et des enfants. Quant au nombre de morts, estimé à plusieurs dizaines, il n’a pu être confirmé par des sources indépendantes. Depuis le début des affrontements, le 18 février, plus de 300 personnes ont été tuées et 1 500 blessés ont été soignés dans les hôpitaux.
Le CICR et le Croissant-Rouge de Somalie demandent instamment à tous les belligérants de respecter les règles du droit international humanitaire et de faire preuve, en permanence, de la plus grande prudence dans la conduite des opérations militaires, afin d’épargner la vie et la dignité des blessés, des malades, des détenus et des civils en général. De plus, il est impératif que toutes les parties au conflit armé prennent toutes les mesures possibles pour protéger le personnel et les installations sanitaires, ainsi que les véhicules utilisés pour transporter les blessés et les malades.
Les personnels du CICR et du Croissant-Rouge de Somalie doivent eux aussi être respectés pour qu’ils puissent mener à bien leurs activités humanitaires vitales.
Le CICR a renforcé le soutien sans faille qu’il apporte aux hôpitaux Keysaney et Medina, tout en fournissant aussi une aide d’urgence à d’autres structures médicales de la capitale somalienne. Les personnels de santé à Mogadishu et ceux du CICR, qui viennent de Nairobi, travaillent tous sans relâche dans un environnement dangereux et instable pour sauver des vies dans des circonstances difficiles.