Issue 282

Serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law continue to take place in Somalia amid insecurity and sporadic violence. In this context it is imperative to maintain an international human rights focus on Somalia. Reconstruction efforts to remedy the breakdown of the state in 1991 have only just begun.

Amnesty International reiterates its call, made elsewhere, for a strong human rights component, including protection of civilians, to be included in the mandate of the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and any follow-on United Nations operation. We also reiterate our call for all parties to the present conflict to abide by the applicable norms of human rights and international humanitarian law.

In the process of peace-building, the National Reconciliation Congress, currently being prepared, should give urgent attention to protecting the rights to life, personal security, and freedom of expression and association.

Amnesty International now presents five specific recommendations for the better protection of basic human rights in Somalia:

The mandate of the UN Independent Expert for Somalia should be extended.
Amnesty International requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to expand its field mission to Somalia, currently based in Nairobi, so as to provide technical assistance and advice on human rights to the Transitional Federal Institutions of Somalia and international agencies, and to support Somali human rights defenders.
The Transitional Federal Institutions should develop a strategy and action plan to ensure respect for human rights, including protection of vulnerable groups such as women, children, the discriminated minorities and internally displaced persons. The international community should assist them in doing this.
The Transitional Federal Institutions should guarantee international humanitarian agencies safe and unrestricted access to assist some 800,000 internally displaced persons.
Effective mechanisms should be developed for independent and impartial investigation of past war crimes and crimes against humanity, and serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law (especially during fighting in Mogadishu in recent months). We believe that the United Nations could contribute to such processes, when security permits.

Background

Amnesty International presented the above statement to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 12 June 2007, in support of the report by the UN Independent Expert for Somalia, Dr Ghanim Alnajjar.

Amnesty International asked the Independent Expert for Somalia and the UN Human Rights Council to support these recommendations.

UN Presses For Contingency Plan For Its In Somalia

UNITED NATIONS, 15 June 2007 – The Security Council on Thursday stressed the "urgent need" for appropriate contingency planning for a possible UN takeover of peacekeeping in volatile Somalia from struggling African Union (AU) troops.

In a non-binding statement, the 15-member body also called on feuding Somali factions to convene a thrice-postponed reconciliation conference "as soon as practicable."

The statement was issued after the council heard a briefing from UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe on his recent trip to the Horn of Africa, including Somalia.

It underscored "the urgent need" for appropriate planning for the possible deployment of UN troops in Somalia "if the Security Council decided to authorize such a mission."

It said the council looked forward to receiving a report from UN chief Ban Ki-moon regarding progress on such planning by mid-June.

Somalia 's deputy UN ambassador Idd Beddel Mohamed said that his government "fully supports" the council's push for speedy planning for a possible UN mission in Somalia.

He said this was in line with an understanding reached with the AU before the Pan-African bloc decided to deploy its own troops in Somalia, where Ethiopian-backed government troops are battling Islamist militants.

Mohamed said the council was also committed "to take action against those who try to undermine peace and security in Somalia and in the region at large."

Council members also reiterated their support for the reconciliation congress "as a mechanism for much-needed political dialogue and reconciliation" and called on Somalis "to ensure that the Congress convenes as soon as practicable."

Somalia 's UN-backed reconciliation conference, initially planned for Thursday, has been put back by a month to July 15 to allow organizers to finalize logistics, Somali officials said Wednesday.

The conference was initially set to open on April 16 but has now been put off three times owing to insecurity and lack of funds.

The Security Council also voiced "grave concern" at recent attacks by "extremist elements in Somalia, including the use of explosive devices" and urged member states 'to cease immediately any further support for extremist elements or those who seek to block progress by violent means."

In this regard, the council expressed appreciation for the role of Ugandan troops currently deployed in Somalia as part of an AU peacekeeping mission.

It reiterated its call to other African troops to contribute troops to the AU operation in Somalia and to "other states and partners to provide financial support.

Source: The Times of India

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives | Search