HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOMALIA

HEADQUARTERS PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOMALIA

At a Headquarters press briefing this morning, Abdi Hashi, Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations,condemned Ethiopia’s aggression against his country and called on the international community to ensure that country’s compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions.

Briefing correspondents on the latest developments in Somalia, he said that in the last few weeks Ethiopian troops had continued to invade two major regions in south-western Somalia:  Gedo and Bakool, capturing the capital of the Gedo region, Garbahaarrey, and a vibrant commercial centre near the Kenyan border -– Bulla Hawa.  Formal written communications had been sent from the Foreign Minister of Somalia to the Secretary-General, the Security Council and its Sanctions Committee, expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in the country. 

The invasion has caused many innocent civilian deaths and displacement of thousands of people, he continued.  As a result of the fighting, Bulla Hawa had been burning yesterday.  In Garbahaarrey, the Ethiopian troops had captured the leadership of the region, whose fate remained unknown.  Ethiopian troops were also poised to attack the southern port city of Kismaayo.

Earlier, with Ethiopia’s military assistance, a coup d’état had been staged in the north-east of the country, he said, where elected legitimate authorities were overthrown by force.  Ethiopia also continued to flood Somalia with all  sorts of weapons, including mortars, AK47s and anti-personnel mines.  In the last 10 days, large weapons consignments had been shipped by Ethiopia “to its own favouring warlords” in Mogadishu and several other towns.

Ethiopia’s aggression against Somalia had become a pattern in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions reaffirming Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Both resolutions and presidential statements (the latest of 30 March) adopted by the Council urged in the strongest terms that neighbouring countries should not interfere in the internal affairs of Somalia.  The Ethiopian regime was also in violation of the arms embargo imposed by resolution 733 of the Security Council.  The continued flow of arms into Somalia posed a threat not only to his country, but to the stability of the whole subregion of the Horn of Africa.

Ethiopia had taken upon itself the role of sole arbitrator of the fate of Somalia, he added.  It refused to heed the call of the international community to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia and stop the flow of arms that killed and maimed innocent civilians, including women and children.  Ethiopia supported the warlords who abducted and kidnapped international aid workers in Somalia, and it should be held accountable for that.

With regard to the national reconciliation process, Ethiopia continued to be the main obstacle to the achievement of peace and stability in Somalia, he said.  It did not want to see a strong, vibrant and unified Somalia –- it wanted a “balkanized” Somalia of small fiefdoms it could dominate.  He was asking Ethiopia to stop its aggression.  His people wanted to live in peace with Ethiopia, but they would defend their honour and territory.

Asked if he had requested a Security Council meeting to address the latest developments, Mr. Hashi said that he had transmitted his country’s communications

only yesterday, and he was now waiting for a response.  He would request an emergency Council meeting, if necessary. 

To another question, he said that he would ask the President of the Council to circulate the letters as official documents of the United Nations, and he would make them available to the press.

He also confirmed that the invasion was continuing at the time of the briefing.  As it needed access to sea, Ethiopia was trying to capture Somalia’s ports by force.  Not at peace with itself, it was becoming the bully of the region, and that should not be allowed.  For the sake of peace, stability, development and democracy in the Horn of Africa, it was time for the international community to stand up to its demands and restrain the bully.

To a question regarding the territory that was being invaded, Mr. Hashi replied that it was and would continue to be part of Somalia.  Under international law, no State had a right to invade another country, under any pretext. 

What form was the aggression taking? a correspondent asked.  Mr. Hashi said that it was a military invasion, with Ethiopia’s armed troops entering Somalia’s territory.

Asked if his country had made any diplomatic approaches to Ethiopia, he said that since the inception of the Transitional National Government in Somalia, his country had made numerous attempts to establish a dialogue with Ethiopia.  The first high-level national delegation had gone “straight to Ethiopia”.  That had been followed by several high-level delegations.  In fact, immediately after his appointment, the new Prime Minister of his country had flown to Addis Ababa to talk to Ethiopian authorities.  Ethiopia did not want a dialogue, however.  The last delegation had gone to Ethiopia in January this year.  Three other delegations had visited the country since August 2001. 

Thus, a correspondent suggested, this was not a new, but a continuing, situation.  Mr. Hashi responded that since 1996 Ethiopia had been repeatedly crossing the border, and its aggression had become a pattern.  Acts of aggression were being committed with impunity.  Instead of extinguishing the fire, Ethiopia was feeding the flames, giving arms and ammunition to warlords and supporting strife in Somalia.

Asked why he had waited until yesterday to send a communication to the Council, he said that his country had been trying diplomatic means first.  One   of the aspects of the situation was that Ethiopia continued to be part of the   so-called front-line States –- Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya –- mandated to hold a national reconciliation conference for Somalia in Nairobi, Kenya.  While invading Somalia, Ethiopia could not be an honest broker in the reconciliation process.  For that reason, it should be removed from the committee preparing the national reconciliation process. 

Asked whether the Ethiopian Government had acknowledged sending troops to Somalia, he said that it continually denied such actions, but his Government could provide evidence to that effect.

Asked about the refugees from the area, Mr. Hashi replied that according to the latest reports, some of them were being caught in the crossfire, and some women and children had died.  About 10,000 of them were now in camps in Kenya.  The total number of people displaced by fighting in Somalia was actually unknown.