By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/un1sompirates012810.html
UNITED NATIONS, January 28 -- At the UN on Thursday, Europeans bragged what they're going for Somalia, while a representative from Minneapolis of the Transitional Federal Government, in control of all of ten square blocks in Mogadishu praised Norway for its help. Video here.
Afterwards, off camera, he agreed with Inner City Press' critique of Norway's role in a Kenyan - Somali Law of the Sea filing about Somalis' mineral and other rights.
First Inner City Press asked the Chief of Staff of EU NAVFOR Somalia (Operation Atalanta) Paul Chivers which UN system ships EU NAVFOR provides protection for. Chivers spoke mostly about the World Food Program, which he said spends its money on food and not on good ships.
Later in the day, Inner City Press asked Carl P. Salicath, Senior Advisor at Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), if this meant that the UN ships don't comply with the "best practices" he was describing.
Mr. Salicath said he can't speak about particular ships, just as he said he can't speak for the Chinese, why and how they will participate in the EU NAVFOR.
So, Inner City Press asked Mr. Salicath about Norway's controversial funding of a joint Kenyan - TFG filing with the UN under the law of the sea, which the Somali Parliament later voted to reject. Mr. Salicath said he knew about the deal, but didn't understand the criticism. I better leave it there, he said.
Afterwards in the hall, Omar Jamal of the Somali mission agreed that the Parliament had voted it down. But he issued an email to the Press praising Norway, which we public exactly as received:
"Omar Jamal, First Secretary of the Somali mission spoke today at the Fifth Plenary meeting of Contact group chaired by Norway. "Somali feel sometimes being diagnosed with their input." said Omar Jamal. The piracy issue is prodcut of the lawlesness of the country, and to tackle it, international communtiy must empower the Somali security force so they can patrol thier own waters. There is NO short cut here, and the only way out is long term plan by empowering the Somali goveremnt to restore law and order and patrol Somali coastline." Omar Jamal continued. The Mission expresses thanks to the leadership of Norway in this particular problem. The Somali people are at complete loss that the fact the international community rendered helpless by bunch of Somali teenagers riding speedboats, armed with AK47 and PRGs. Somali goverment will collaborate with the international community to come up with ever lasting resolution to the piracy issue."
He still uses a cell phone with a Minneapolis area code. Watch this site.
