[dehai-news] (MO) Eritrea-based Somali Islamist leader pessimistic about Yemen agreement


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From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Mon Jul 21 2008 - 11:25:24 EDT


Somalia: Top Islamist leader disgruntles with Yemen agreement
 
Mareeg Online, Monday 21 July 2008

 
The chairman of the Shura Council of the Union of Islamic Courts, Sheikh
Hasan Dahir Aweys, who is in Eritrea, is not optimistic about the
alliance's peace talks concluded in Yemen.
 
 
 
Speaking to somali media Sheikh Aweys said that he did not believe that
the Yemen meeting considered the reality of the existing situation,
pointing out that it agreed on the deployment of international troops in
Somalia.
 
 
 
"What we are against is the presence of foreign troops in our country
and we will not accept an agreement allowing the deployment of new
troops in Somalia," stated Sheikh Hasan Dahir Aweys.
 
 
 
Asked about his view of the other articles in the agreement, Sheikh
Aweys said that he would not comment on the other articles at the moment
but would do so as soon as he receives further clarification.
 
 
 
Meanwhile, Sheikh Aweys has accused the government and particularly the
governor of Banadir Region, Muhammad Dhere, of being responsible for the
killing and abduction of aid workers.
 
 
 
"The killings in Mogadishu and the abductions are the work of Muhammad
Dhere because he is on record as saying that the areas where displaced
people had sought refuge accommodated terrorists and that relief
organizations were feeding Al-Qa'ida in those areas," declared Sheikh
Aweys.
 
 
 
He distanced Islamists from involvement in the killing of aid workers.
 
 
 
The cleric, accused of links to Al-Qaeda by the United States, argued it
failed to set a clear deadline for the withdrawal from Somalia of
Ethiopian troops.
 
 
 
Aweys and his allies stayed away from the talks earlier happened in
Djibouti, saying they would not take part unless Ethiopian troops
backing government forces since late 2006 pulled out of Somalia.
 
According to that accord, Ethiopians would withdraw after the UN
deployed peacekeepers within 120 days of the armistice taking effect.
 
 
 
"The most important part of the accord is the withdrawal of Ethiopian
troops from Somalia... if that position is not honoured, Somalis have a
right to defend themselves," Ahmed said.
 
 
 
The African Union has deployed some 2,600 peacekeepers in Somalia --
short of the pledged 8,000 troops -- but they have failed to stem
violence.
 
 
 
Since their ouster early last year by joint Somali-Ethiopian forces, the
Islamists have waged a guerrilla war, which according to international
rights groups and aid agencies, has left at least 6,000 civilians dead
and displaced hundreds of thousands.
 
 
 
The leaders urged gunmen to release five aid workers -- including four
foreigners -- currently in captivity, including a top UN refugees agency
official who was kidnapped Saturday near Mogadishu.
 
"The abduction of aid workers is a criminal act that will not help
Somalia. This must stop and those kidnapped must be released," Ahmed
said.
 
 
 
The UN and other aid groups have scaled down operations in Somalia owing
to increased insecurity, largely blamed on Islamist militants.
 
At least 2.6 million Somalis are facing hunger due to acute food
shortages spurred by a prolonged drought, insecurity and high inflation.
The UN famine monitors have warned that the figure could hit 3.5 million
by year-end.
 
 
 
Aid workers have been constantly targeted since the 1991 ouster of
dictator Mohamed Siad Barre paved the way for a breakdown in the state
machinery and a rise in factional warfare.
 
 
 
The feuding sides agreed in the June 9 deal to facilitate unhindered
delivery of humanitarian aid, but this has gone largely unheeded,
worsening the living conditions of millions.
 
 
 
"Shortage of food is now the main killer in Somalia rather than the
conflict. Many people in Somalia are starving and many others are in
prison for no reason," said Aden, a former parliament speaker who was
fired for backing the opposition.
 
 
 
By: Abdi Guled
 
naasir0513@hotmail.com
 
 

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