By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 6 -- Somalia and Puntland have become hotbeds for diplomatic entrepreneurs as they leave the UN and US government. The UN's Charles Petrie has said he will be working for the Transitional Federal Government -- but some in the TFG are not so such, not least about for whom Petrie will be working.
On December 6, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky about a former US State Department official seemingly involved in violations of the 1992 UN Somalia sanctions regime:
Inner City Press: there is a former US official, Pierre Prosper, who has said that Puntland, the portion of Somalia, has hired a private military contractor, Saracen, to do anti-piracy work — that it’s being all funded by a Muslim nation that he wouldn’t name. So what I wonder is whether, given Mr. [Augustine] Mahiga or anyone in the UN, given both the prohibitions against mercenaries and also the 1992 sanctions on Somalia, what does the UN say to Puntland pretty openly, or at least as acknowledged by a former US official, hiring a mercenary firm to patrol the coast of Somalia, and what’s the UN going to do in light of this report?
Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, thanks for the question, Matthew, and let’s see what we can find out. I don’t have anything at the moment.
After UN business hours on December 6, Inner City Press asked SRSG Mahiga directly. He said the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General had not asked him, but to his credit gave a long and detailed answer.
Mahiga said he had told Puntland officials that they might well be violating the UN's Somalia sanctions. They replied, according to Mahiga, that since it “doesn't involve arms, it can't violate the sanctions.” This is an inaccurate reading of the sanctions regime.
Mahiga asked if Prosper was still working for the US. Not on paper, is the answer. Mahiga said Petrie's roll is even more confusing. According to Mahiga, Petrie wanted to work as a consultant to the TFG while still under UN contract.
Inner City Press previously corresponded with Petrie -- one of the more intriguing UN officials -- then asked for formal confirmation, of his letter, and his role.
The following arrived:
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply
To: Inner City Press
Subject: Your question on Charles Petrie
Mr. Petrie submitted his resignation from the UN effective 1 November, but was asked, for operational reasons, to postpone his departure to the end of the current mandate, which concludes 31 December, 2010. He is continuing to exercise his functions as ERSG for Burundi until that time. It was also decided that while still under the UN’s employ Mr. Petrie would provide some support to the UN Political Office for Somalia's work with the Transitional Federal Government, drawing on his past experience as Deputy SRSG for Somalia. He is doing so in close collaboration with SRSG Augustine Mahiga.
But on December 6, Mahiga told Inner City Press that "No one knows who Petrie is working for." Petrie says he had the agreement of the previous TFG, but according to Mahiga, the current government is not so sure. Watch this site.
