In Post-Morsi Diplomacy, Turkey Hosting Somaliland & Somalia Talks
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, July 9, 2013 -- With events in Egypt putting Turkish
diplomatic forays ever more in question, the country has gone forward with
its attempts to mediate between Somalia and Somaliland.
Could this reverse things for Turkey, casting it in the role of Qatar on
Darfur or Burkina Faso on Mali?
As Somaliland's Minister of Trade and International Investment, Dr.
Mohamed A. Omar and Somalia's Minister of Interior and National Security,
Abdikarim H. Guled met, it was Free UN Coalition for Access
<
http://www.funca.info> member Mohamoud Walaaleye who asked, obtained and
sent us a document said to be the 1960 (ill-fated) union on Somalia and
Somaliland.
We put it online here
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/somaliland1960somaliatrans.doc> . But why was
the UN seat not called Somali Republic? Here are the Somaliland side's
points:
1. SFG should recognize that Somaliland reclaimed their independence
2. As long as discussion continues for two sides Somaliland should be
allocated separate seat during international conferences concerned what was
used Somalia
3. Somalia should arrest and hand to Somaliland all individuals committed
crime against humanity, and given compensation
4. Somaliland should have authority of managing its airspace.
5. Getting investment for Somaliland resources.
Somalia's five point agenda was:
1. Unity of Somalia should be abiding
2. Permit free movement of people and politicians on each side.
3. Other remaining dialogues be hold inside country
4. To hold future dialogues inside Somaliland or Somalia
5. Design standard procedure abiding for future dialogue
The UN unilaterally transferred Somaliland's airspace to Mogadishu, leading
to a cancellation of UN system flights. UN envoy Nicholas Kay has been told
that the new UNSOM mission should not open in Somaliland.
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/un7somaliland061513.html>
Meanwhile, Kay declined to confirm or deny
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/unmas5somalia070113.html> that in Mogadishu
UN Mine Action Service boss David Bax shares information with US
intelligence <
http://www.innercitypress.com/unmas4somalia062613.html> . Kay
told Inner City Press this is a question for the UN in New York
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/unmas5somalia070113.html> , where UN
Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous refuses to answer Press questions
<
http://youtu.be/rm1V-cY9u40> . That is now being fought by the Free UN
Coalition for Access. Watch this site.
****************************************************************************
*****************
In S. Sudan, UN Focuses on Jonglei, not Unity & Lakes Firings, Silencing of
Press
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, July 8, 2013 updated -- The UN had its South Sudan envoy
Hilde Johnson go silent during Monday's Security Council session
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/funca1untvsilent070813.html> , so that what
she said could not be heard by the public
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/funca1untvsilent070813.html> .
After the resulting consultations, Inner City Press asked US Ambassador
Rosemary DiCarlo if the firing of the governors of Lakes and Unity State had
been discussed.
No, Ambassador DiCarlo answer, no specifically. But she said SRSG Johnson
had spoken about "developing institutions." That's certainly important, the
day before South Sudan's second anniversary of independence from Sudan. But
does the UN best serve it with an envoy so closely aligned with the
government?
What has been said, for example, about the closure and now censoring of
Good News Radio in Lakes State? Ambassador DiCarlo said that did not come up
either; later this month the US will hold a Council session on protection of
journalists, What about in South Sudan?
It's not just Hilde Johnson. The Free UN Coalition for Access
<
http://www.funca.info> , much concerned about the UN's waning commitment to
freedom of speech and of the press, has asked humanitarian coordinator Toby
Lanzer what about Good News Radio, in response to his upbeat view of the
UN's Radio Miraya <
https://twitter.com/FUNCA_info/status/353503152848375809>
. No response. Maybe after South Sudan's second birthday party?
The UN's radio stations claim to be independent. But as FUNCA has shown,
Radio Okapi only covered the Congo sanctions report
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/drcrep7icponline070413.html> exclusively put
online <
http://www.innercitypress.com/drcsanc0613repicp.html> by Inner City
Press -- and covered and credited by BBC
<
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23198141> and Bloomberg News
<
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-07-02/congo-s-army-smuggling-minerals
-in-east-congo-un-experts-say> -- after the DRC government criticized it.
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/drcrep7icponline070413.html>
And the UN's MinustahFM in Haiti has yet to cover
<
https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/353330313461633024> Ban
Ki-moon's letter to Congress about denying cholera claims.
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/haitiban3congress070713.html>
How can this UN speak for free press when it doesn't practice it, and
threatens to suspend or withdraw accreditation for it even in UN
Headquarters <
http://www.innercitypress.com/funca1dpithreat062413.html> ?
Watch this site.
Updated with US Mission transcript:
Inner City Press: You mentioned Jonglei, but I wanted to know if
whether--these issues of the governors of Lakes State and Unity State will
be relieved of their function. Some people are saying it's kind of a sour
note in terms of the second birthday coming up. And also some press freedom
issues. Something called Sudanese Radio that was taken off the air for
criticizing the government and any issue of sort of the government's own
limitation of allowing elected officials to remain in governorships and
freedom of press come up?
Ambassador DiCarlo: That issue was not raised by the SRSG. She did raise a
number of issues, however, about the need to help develop institutions, to
work with the South Sudanese in this regard-to develop capacity. We spoke a
great deal about Jonglei - obviously, Jonglei State - and the need to
protect civilians.
Received on Tue Jul 09 2013 - 22:35:27 EDT