Africa Focus: Kenya, Ethiopia in talks to create buffer zone in Somalia
Xinhua, December 3, 2014
Kenya and Ethiopia are in discussions to create a buffer zone inside Somalia
along their respective borders to deter Al-Shabaab attacks, a senior
government official said on Wednesday.
Deputy President William Ruto decried that the existing 800km porous border
which Kenya shares with Somalia has made it difficult to curb cross-border
terror attacks mounted by Al- Shabaab.
"Kenya is holding talks with Ethiopia to likewise create their buffer zone
inside Somalia to police their common border against insurgency from the
militants," Ruto told a local television station during a talk show.
For several years, Kenya, with international support, has been pushing for
the creation of a buffer zone at upper Jubaland, just inside Somalia, to
shield its territory from neighboring Somalia.
Kenya shares an 800km-long border with Somalia, whereas the length of
Ethiopia-Somalia border measures 68 kilometers.
Ruto's remarks come in the wake of fresh attacks at the border town of
Mandera on Tuesday in which 36 quarry workers were killed at point blank
range after being told to lie facing down.
The dawn massacre occurred barely 10 days following similar killings after
members of the militant group murdered 28 people whom they pulled out of a
Nairobi-bound bus at sunrise.
"Terrorist activities from Al-Shabaab have been exacerbated by the 800km
long porous border and the similar communities occupying both sides of the
border that make it difficult to discern one from the other," Ruto said.
He said that whereas terrorism continues to pose a huge challenge to the
country, Kenya will not pull out its troops from Somalia, which he said is
the narrative that the insurgents use as the reason for the attacks.
"The best defense is offense. The paramount way to keep Al- Shabaab away
from Kenya is to take the fight to them in Somalia and stem the problem at
its base," he said.
Ruto said Kenya is winning the war against the militants hence the reason
Al-Shabaab is agitating for Kenyan troops to pull out so that they can have
space to carry out their murderous activities against the Somali nation.
"If Kenya and the international community had not gone into Somalia at the
time they went in, we would not have a region to talk about. We are here
talking about a well-armed and ruthless group in their thousands that is out
to further their militaristic agenda," Ruto said.
He said the 36 quarry workers who met their fate had been requested to move
out to safer areas, but they did not think they were under threat.
"Even after they were informed that this is not safe for you, you better
move out that place, they still insisted on staying there, unfortunately we
learn a lot of lessons. We are re- strategizing to make sure our security
forces read from the same script to be able to protect Kenyans," he said.
"We have learned a lot. I admit it was a failure on our side not to have
moved them out forcefully, and we will in future do what needs to be done in
matters pertaining to security," he added. Endi