As EU Hits In Somalia, Question of Consent, Mahiga's Tardiness Echoed by TFG?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 15 -- While US Ambassador Susan Rice on Tuesday stressed that the Somali Transitional Federal Government must finally transition to a new elected government by August 20, the UN's envoy Augustine Mahiga arrived more than 20 minutes late for the Security Council meeting. 

 

  Whether or not Mahiga's tardiness portends another delay for the TFG, Inner City Press inquired into why he had come late and was told "he was to meet with Karl Wycoff," a US official on Africa.

  Mahiga was to have addressed the Council first, but once he did not arrive TFG president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed took his place, and asked for the arms embargo to be removed. This came right after the first of what may be many European Union helicopter raids inland in Somalia. 

 

  Inner City Press asked the EU about this plan, and was told not to over-focus on inland attacks. Specifically, on April 27 Inner City Press asked Operation ATALANTA commander Admiral Duncan Potts about this proposal, he said the reporting was "incorrect." 

 Potts told Inner City Press, "I wouldn't focus too much on the two kilometers. We want to create the perception in the mind of the pirates that they can no longer act with impunity from beaches of Somalia. It's about the perception of impunity rather than a kinetic effect."

  At the at time Inner City Press wrote that it still seems that the way the EU wants to "create this perception" is to shoot guns, from helicopters, up to two kilometers inside Somali territory.

   And now it has happened. 

 

  Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to his credit did a UN TV stakeout, at which Inner City Press asked him about the EU inland helicopter action and how and why it was approved, and about other non-Somali military actors in the country. 

 

  He said that the way to solve piracy is ongoing development, that one or two action like this won't solve it. I have no details on approvals, he said somewhat strangely. Another Security Council diplomat said Germany described not only approval but close cooperation.

  Sharif Sheikh Ahmed had with him a big entourage, from Permanent Representative to First Secretary, amid much talk of the Millennium Hotel. But when will they take the T out of the TFG and actually hold elections? Watch this site.

IMF Claims Focus on Horn of Africa Drought , But Says Doesn't Recognize TFG in Somalia- or Libya's NTC; DSK to DC

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 25 -- The day after new International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde said on the drought in the Horn of Africa "the IMF stands ready to provide financial assistance to affected countries," Inner City Press asked IMF spokesman David Hawley what the IMF is doing in the famine's epicenter, Somalia, and in adjacent Eritrea.

Hawley replied that he had "no timeline of contacts with Eritria" and that the IMF has "no operat[ions] in Somalia," saying that there has been "no recognized government there for several years."

But the UN and others have recognized the Transitional Federal Government; there is a UN funded African Union peacekeeping mission, AMISOM, supporting the TFG.

Lagarde said, "We are discussing requests from Djibouti and Kenya for additional assistance, and are ready to provide more to other affected countries if requested by the authorities.” But what authorities, in the case of Somalia?

On Libya, Hawley said that the IMF is not involved in the frozen assets issue -- click here for Inner City Press coverage of the issues -- and that the IMF does not yet deal with the National Transitional Council.

When he was pressed about many large IMF members having recognized the NTC, he maintained that there was not yet international consensus to deal with the TNC -- similar, it seems, to the position that South Africa took -- alone, the US said -- in the Security Council on August 24. Watch this site.

Footnote: Hawley confirmed that Dominique Strauss Kahn is planning a "personal" visit to the IMF. Hawley said DSK would meet with staff, and that it would be closed to the public and press. Expect a circus outside.

At UN, Somali Minister Dodges on Saracen & Sharif Term, Even Who Ambassador Is

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 14 -- When Somalia's Transitional Federal Government's new Prime Minister Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed Farmajo spoke to the Press at the UN on Friday, Inner City Press expected answers about the TFG's contract with private military contractor Saracen, about Sheikh Sharif, at least about who now is the TFG's Permanent Representative to the UN.

But none of these questions were answered.

Mohamed Abdulahi said he has “assigned a committee” on the issue of Saracen, which will report in “the next couple of weeks.”

Inner City Press asked who has signed the contract for the TFG with Saracen, since Mohamed Abdulahi's predecessor Prime Minister Shamarke had denied he signed, has said the document used by Mohamed Abdulahi is a forgery. Video here, from Minute 1:41.

“We have the letter of intent.. singed by the former Prime Minister,” Mohamed Abdulahi answered. When Inner City Press asked for his personal view on the use of mercenaries, Mohamed Abdulahi said it would be improper for him to comment for the next two weeks. Video here, from Minute 3.

Mohamed Abdulahi has cracked down on charcoal exports from Somalia, calling these a product of the country's chaos. But isn't a contract with mercenaries, with a company affiliated with the brother of Yoweri Museveni president of AMISON troop contributor Uganda, a product of chaos?

Inner City Press asked what will happen in August 2011 when the TFG expires -- will Sheik Sharif move to extend his term? Mohamed Abdulahi said “I don't want to speculate,” there are “several options” which will be clarified “in the next two months.” Video here, from Minute 8.

What is the Security Council's, and the United States', position on the use of mercenaries? Former US State Department official Pierre Prosper is speaking to the Press about the TFG deal, but its fundings have not yet been made public. (Inner City Press is told by sources the funders are the UAE and Jordan.)

What is the Security Council's, and the United States', position on democracy in Somalia?

Long time UN official Charles Petrie told Inner City Press he would be working in Somalia for the TFG. But when Inner City Press asked Mohamed Abdulahi about this, Mohamed Abdulahi said “never heard of it.” Video here, from Minute 8:45.

Somali sources previously told Inner City Press that the new foreign minister of the TFG had written directly to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon re-naming Idd Beddel Mohamed as Permanent Representative, and saying that the long time Permanent Representative was being recalled to Somalia.

Inner City Press immediately asked Ban Ki-moon's Spokesperson's Office to confirm receipt of such a letter, on December 23. Having no answer, Inner City Press repeated the question several times between Christmas and New Years. Finally this answer arrived:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Subject: Answer
To: Inner City Press

We can confirm receipt of a 17 December letter from the Somali Foreign Minister recalling the Permanent Representative for consultations. The Permanent Representative himself sent the Secretary-General a 22 December letter confirming his recall.

Inner City Press prepared to write a follow up article, but wanted to speak to Idd Beddel Mohamed himself. But on January 5 in front of the first UN Security Council meeting of the year, Idd Beddel Mohamed refused to answer any Press questions.

On January 12, he chided Inner City Press for its articles. Inner City Press said that, since it covers Somalia, it will be better to speak, to be professional.

On January 14, Inner City Press spoke with the long time Permanent Representative and his staff. Who is running the Somali mission?

Mohamed Abdulahi wouldn't say. He answered that “we have an ambassador, he is with me here today, that is an internal matter.” Video here, from Minute 7:05. Which one is the Ambassador? Watch this site.

Mogadishu in Manhattan Redux, The Return to Represent Somalia at UN of Idd Beddel Mohamed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 5 -- After more than a year's absence from the UN in New York, Somali diplomat Idd Beddel Mohamed has returned, following the appointment of a new foreign minister of the Transitional Federal Government.

Wednesday he stood in front of the UN Security Council waiting to attend a briefing for all UN member states on January's program of work of the Council -- but refused to answer Press questions such as, “Are you the Somali Permanent Representative now?”

There has been something of a coup in the Somali Mission to the UN. Before Idd Beddel Mohamed's return, sources in the Mission snarked that Idd Beddel Mohamed had been remiss in December 2009 when, after another change in the TFG, he was ordered back to Mogadishu.

The sources said Idd Beddel Mohamed refused to return to Somalia, but instead went to Canada. They told Inner City Press a variety of things, not yet published, about Idd Beddel Mohamed's time in Canada.

Then they said that the new foreign minister of the TFG had written directly to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon re-naming Idd Beddel Mohamed a representative, and saying that the long time Permanent Representative was being recalled to Somalia.

Inner City Press immediately asked Ban Ki-moon's Spokesperson's Office to confirm receipt of such a letter, on December 23. Having no answer, Inner City Press repeated the question several times between Christmas and New Years. Finally this answer arrived:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org

Subject: Answer

To: Inner City Press

We can confirm receipt of a 17 December letter from the Somali Foreign Minister recalling the Permanent Representative for consultations. The Permanent Representative himself sent the Secretary-General a 22 December letter confirming his recall.

Inner City Press prepared to write a follow up article, but wanted to speak to Idd Beddel Mohamed himself. But on January 5 in front of the first UN Security Council meeting of the year, Idd Beddel Mohamed refused to answer any Press questions.

Even as diplomats from two other African countries, to whom Idd Beddel Mohamed was speaking, stopped to great Inner City Press, Idd Beddel Mohamed scowled and looked away. Apparently he did not like the story about his time in Canada. We are always eager to hear, and publish, more. But it is clear that the chaos in Mogadishu is playing out in real time in Manhattan, and now without any explanations.

Also on Somalia, Inner City Press asked India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri, incoming chairman of the Somalia sanctions committee, to comment on the TFG's (and Puntland's) use of the private military contractor Saracen, which is affiliated with the brother of Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, main TFG supporter. He said he will study and comment on this shortly. Video here. Watch this site.

In Somalia, Saracen Funder Secret, Link With AMISOM Denied, UN Not Briefed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 27 -- Amid growing doubts about private military contractor Saracen working for the Somali Transitional Federal Government and Puntland, the lawyer for the program, former US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Pierre Prosper, spoke to a half dozen UN correspondents on December 23, ostensibly on background.

In remarks subsequently disseminated, Prosper said that he was briefing the Group of Experts of the UN's Somalia Sanctions Committee but would not yet provide the name of the program's funder, due to concerns the UN would leak it.

Afterward, Inner City Press on the record asked the outgoing chairman of the UN's Somalia Sanctions Committee, Claude Heller of Mexico, if he or the Committee had been briefed about the use of PMCs or mercenaries in Somalia. No, Heller said, he had only read about it in the newspapers. Video here.

With Mexico leaving the Council at the end of the month, India is to be given the chair of the Somalia Sanctions Committee, as first exclusively reported by Inner City Press. Will Saracen reach out to India? We will be asking.

Inner City Press asked Prosper about the involvement in Saracen of a brother of President Museveni of Uganda, which provides the majority of African Union peacekeepers to the TFG. Prosper's answer involved different arms of Saracen, one in South Africa as opposed to the Uganda based arm in which Museveni's brother is involved.

When Uganda's Permanent Representative to the UN Ruhakana Rugunda gave a briefing later in the day, Inner City Press asked about Museveni's brother's interest in Saracen. He is a retired general, Rugunda answered, of course he wants to stay involved in the field.

Rugunda said that Saracen's “private” work “has nothing to do with AMISOM,” the African Union peacekeepers. Video here. Does that mean the two don't coordinate?

Despite three rounds of questions, two on the record and one on background, this use of mercenaries in Somalia gets more and more murky. Who is funding it? Watch this site.

Footnote: Ambassador Heller's and Rugunda's press conferences were in connection with each leaving the Council after two years. We hope to cover this wider context in the next few days. And we will report anything we hear on the record from Saracen, "the funder" or Mr. Prosper -- even what he may think of his successor's positions on war crimes ranging from Sri Lanka to Cote d'Ivoire.

On Somalia, UN Looks Away from Mercenaries & Funder, Withholds MOU

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 13 -- As not only Puntland but the Transitional Federal Government in Mogadishu move to use mercenaries, the UN is in denial even as its Security Council's sanctions regime is being violated.

On December 6 Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky:

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.

A full week later, the UN Spokesperson's Office has not provided any information. But on December 10, Inner City Press asked the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Mark Bowden about mercenaries. Despite reports that the TFG is moving forward, Bowden said that there's been a step back. Video here, from Minute 13:55.

Inner City Press asked if the UN knows the identify of the country funding the mercenaries. Bowden did not answer, but said that the funder should contact the UN Somalia Monitoring Group, or they might be in violation of the sanctions. But the country has indicated it will not identify itself, ostensibly to not suffer attacks. Is there a loophole in the sanctions regime for this?

On the UN World Food Program's confidential Memorandum of Understanding with the OIC, Inner City Press asked what it says about paying to deliver service.

Ms. Kiki Gbeho, Head of the Somalia Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs replied that she “hopes” it has prohibitions, adding that the UN “in principle does not pay to deliver... perhaps it has happened, but it is the policy not to pay.”

But neither she nor Bowden have seen the WFP agreement. What does it mean, then, to be a UN Humanitarian “Coordinator” or OCHA Head of Country office? What is WFP doing? Watch this site.

While US Denies Paying Child Soldiers of Somali TFG, Safeguards and UN Role Not Clear

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/tfg1caac061510.html

UNITED NATIONS, June 15 -- Since the Transitional Federal Government was installed in Somalia, it has been known that it controlled its small turf by using child soldiers. The US provided salaries, the UN system provided training.

But as Mexico's Ambassador to the UN Claude Heller told Inner City Press on June 15, when a 12 year old with an enormous AK 47 is on the front page of the New York Times, what had been accepted changes. See video here.

Heller is the president of UN Security Council for June, and will chair a meeting on June 16 on children and armed conflict. After Inner City Press asked him about the TFG, Heller replied off camera that the issue will be raised on June 16.

In the interim, Inner City Press asked but the UN and US diplomats about the issues. Carolyn Vadino, a spokesperson at the US Mission to the UN, told Inner City Press that

"The United States is firmly against the use of child soldiers by all sides in any conflict. U.S. assistance provides salary support to TFG security forces. Prior to making payments to any individual member of these forces we take appropriate steps to verify the ages of such individuals to ensure that we are not funding salaries of anyone under the age of 18."

How in a war-torn environmental like Mogadishu the US claims full control over the payments to individual soldiers is not known. Another US official, speaking only on background, referred to safeguards in "the Leahy amendment." Clearly, there are more questions to be asked and answered.

At the June 15 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq:

Inner City Press: on Somalia, there is this report of the use by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of child soldiers, and this includes quotes from the UN saying that they’re aware of it. Since the UN provides training and some funding for the TFG forces, the UN system does, I’m wondering what safeguards are in place that the UN itself has not been either training or funding or otherwise involved in the use of child soldiers by the TFG?

Associate Spokesperson Haq: Certainly the United Nations does not approve of the use of child soldiers anywhere, and we would not encourage any of that in its operations. If I have any further information on the specifics of that, I’ll let you know. But certainly, among other things, tomorrow, we will have as one of the guests at the noon briefing, Radhika Coomaraswamy, who deals with this issue and you can certainly ask that of her as well.

We'll be there: watch this site.

Footnote: In the UN's North Lawn building on June 14, Inner City Press was approached by two Somali woman, in from Minneapolis for a conference on the Millennium Development Goals. Inner City Press was recently in Minneapolis, getting reaction from the Somali diaspora to the UN's replacement of the generally unpopular Ahmedou Ould Abdallah with Tanzania's Ambassador to the UN Augustine Mahiga.

The two women on Monday asked how to arrange a meeting to Mahiga, to tell him of Somalia's plight before he takes up his post in Nairobi. They spoke of the lack of opportunity for children in Mogadishu. But these are not voices that will be heard in Wednesday's Security Council session. But afterward and on the sidelines, there will be questions - perhaps even answers.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/tfg1caac061510.html

On Somalia, UN Ban's Ould Abdallah "Takes All the Money," Bumbles in Politics

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/los9somalia052210.html

UNITED NATIONS, May 22 -- At the conference on Somalia in Istanbul, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon read out an unequivocal call for funding and support for that country's Transitional Federal Government, whose control over a few square blocks of Mogadishu is only maintained by Ugandan and Burundian troops shooting wildly including into civilian areas.

What Ban did not mention was even the Somali Parliament's opposition to UN Special Representative Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, who most recently bumbled by issuing loud support to a move by Somali's president which was nearly immediately reversed as illegal.

The UN often says it will not comment on internal legal matters of sovereign states. But Ould Abdallah is allowed by Ban to do whatever he wants, including having called for a moratorium on media reporting of the killing of civilians by the Ugandan and Burundian troops.

Inner City Press has been told by sources in the meeting that when the TFG contingent met with Ban last week, they complained about how Ould Abdallah is taking all the funding, leaving them with nothing.

He gets $25 million, they said, while they get less than a million dollars. Ban said he'd never heard of this. Perhaps this explains his Turkey call for more funding to the TFG?

At the UN's May 18 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: Yesterday there was a statement put out about the UN – let me see how to put it — backing the President of Somalia’s sacking of the Prime Minister of Somalia. It was put out in your Office that the UN supported the move by the President to fire the Prime Minister. Now the Prime Minister is saying that that was illegal under the Somali Constitution and that the President had no right to do it. What I am wondering is [Ahmedou] Ould-Abdallah essentially taking sides in an internal dispute of Somalia, is it something he did based on legal advice from OLA [Office of Legal Affairs]? Was it his reading — apparently it was — that this was a legal move by the President? And what does the UN say now that many in Somalia dispute the right of the President to make that move?

Spokesperson: First of all, Mr. Ould-Abdallah is well briefed — it’s his area of expertise. As you know, he was here and spoke to you last week. He will be present at the conference in Istanbul on Somalia this coming weekend, and I am sure at the latest at that meeting there will be a chance to discuss this particular matter. I do not have any further comments to add to what we have from yesterday.

Inner City Press: In the briefing that he gave with Mr. Pascoe, there was this question of 300 parliamentarians saying that Ould-Abdallah should in fact — that the UN should look into his actions there and should fire him — that is what they called for. He was the one that responded, and he said that was just a website. I mean, it’s Associated Press which does have a website. But I wondered, I’d wished Mr. Pascoe — and I guess I am asking you now on behalf of the Secretariat — what is the Secretariat’s response to a host country — 300 parliamentarians of a host country — saying that the SRSG should not be in the job? What is the procedure? I mean, I know that Mr. Pascoe said he is well seasoned or whatever he said, but what is, we often hear that the UN can only do things with the consent of a host country and a host Government, so what is the response to a complaint of the host Government in this case?

Spokesperson: As far as I know, there is a difference between the Government and Parliament in a country.

Inner City Press: Could it just be the President? As long as President Sharif… I mean, I am just wondering.

Spokesperson: I think you know how Parliaments and Governments work. There is a distinction between the two. But what is more important here is that Mr. Ould-Abdallah is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and, therefore, clearly is there doing that job, not in Somalia itself as you know, posted in Somalia, but covering that topic because the Secretary-General wants him to.

But then, the President's move was reversed as illegal. The BBC cites experts that it undermine the credibility not only of the president but also of the UN. Inner City Press sought comment from Ban's Spokesperson and Deputy Spokesperson, but none has been received.

Rather, just before Ban and his Spokesman Martin Nesirky headed to Istanbul on May 20, Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: Just one more on Somalia since you’re going to Turkey... Yemen…

Spokesperson Nesirky: Yeah, I am just about to run.

Inner City Press: Absolutely. Yemen has announced the death penalty against six Somali pirates. Given, you know, the role of the UN and of OLA [Office of Legal Affairs] and Patricia O’Brien and sort of suggesting to Member States how pirates should be addressed, what does the UN, does the UN Secretariat, OLA or Secretary-General, what do they think of these death sentences recently announced in Yemen?

Spokesperson: Well, there are two points. You are quite right that this is a topic — not the specific case, but the question of piracy — this is a topic that is clearly part of the agenda at this conference on Somalia in Istanbul on Saturday. The second point is, as you well know, the United Nations speaks out quite clearly on the use of the death penalty, namely that it should not be used.

Inner City Press: So, this is the speaking out clearly about these death sentences?

Spokesperson: I beg your pardon?

Inner City Press: I mean, is this the speaking out clearly about these particular death sentences?

Spokesperson: The use of the death penalty anywhere is something that the United Nations would not be in favour of. I am going to hand over now to Mr. Adlerstein with apologies for being slightly late. And also Marie, very kindly, is going to moderate. Okay, thanks very much.

Then neither Nesirky or Marie Okabe answered for two days this question:

"Now that the President of Somalia has reversed his firing of the Prime Minister after being advised it was illegal, and with the BBC reporting "Analysts say the row has severely weakened the president's credibility, and the UN's, which had backed him" (see below) - I want to reiterate my question from Tuesday, now on deadline:

was 'Ould-Abdallah essentially taking sides in an internal dispute of Somalia, is it something he did based on legal advice from OLA [Office of Legal Affairs]? Was it his reading — apparently it was — that this was a legal move by the President? And what does the UN say now'?"

If and when an answer is provided to this question, we will publish it. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/los9somalia052210.html

On Somalia, UN's Ould Abdullah Dismisses 300 MPs as Web Sites, Hasn't Read Report

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/los8somalia051210.html

UNITED NATIONS, May 12 -- The UN's envoy on Somalia Ahmedou Ould Abdullah, fresh from being denounced and asked to resign by over 300 members of the Somali parliament, dismissed the criticism on Wednesday as being the product of web sites. "I don't consult web sites, except yours from time to time," he told Inner City Press.

He went on to say that the AP report of 300 MPs was "based on a letter not signed." He did not respond to the rejection of the Norway-funded deal he unilaterally made with Kenya, about Somalis' rights to their shelf continential shelf. As to the criticism that rather than mediating he has taken sides in the Somali conflict, he said "yes I take sides.. for peace, stability, legality, human rights." Video here, from Minute 21:33.

But he has in fact defended violations of human rights by Ugandan and Burundian troops in Mogadishu, who have fired into civilian areas trying to "drain the sea" to get at Islamist rebels. Ould Abdullah earlier called for a moratorium on the reporting of the killing of civilians by AU peacekeepers. Now he says reports by human rights groups are overblown.

Speaking of reports, UK Deputy Permanent Representative Philip Parham told the Security Council on Wednesday that he would "like to register our disappointment that the Secretary-General’s report was issued less than 24 hours before this meeting."

Ould Abdullah claimed that he had only read the first draft of his report, trying to explain why in person he was more dismissive of claims of aid diversion than the report was. What exactly is Ould Abdullah doing? He is a man of action. He does not read UN reports, he does not read web sites (except this one, from time to time). He is not based in Mogadishu but rather Nairobi, Kenya. Soon he will be in Turkey beating the drum for donations. But does he have support in Somalia? Apparently not. What is the UN going to do about this? Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/los8somalia051210.html