From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Tue Sep 08 2009 - 05:20:04 EDT
Mission impossible: Peacekeeping in Somalia
* X
Rebellions
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/unrest-conflicts-war/civil-unrest/rebel
lions/16003002.topic>
U.S. Centers for
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/health/diseases/u.s.-centers-for-diseas
e-control-prevention-ORGOV000011.topic> Disease Control and Prevention
Political Development
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/politics/political-development/11024003
.topic>
Burundi
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/intl/burundi-PLGEO00000083.topic>
Washington
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/us/washington-PLGEO100104900000000.topi
c>
Guerrilla Activity
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/unrest-conflicts-war/guerrilla-activity
/16005000.topic>
Somalia
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/intl/somalia-PLGEO00000615.topic>
Mogadishu (Somalia)
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/intl/somalia/mogadishu-%28somalia%29-PL
GEO100100602011462.topic>
Civil Unrest
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/unrest-conflicts-war/civil-unrest/16003
000.topic>
By Edmund Sanders Tribune Newspapers
September 8, 2009
MOGADISHU, Somalia - -- When a mystery illness swept through the African
Union peacekeeping mission here, killing six soldiers and sickening dozens,
doctors were stumped.
With help from the
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/health/diseases/u.s.-centers-for-diseas
e-control-prevention-ORGOV000011.topic> U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, they ruled out swine flu, tropical infection, rat-borne bacteria
and even deliberate poisoning, as claimed by
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/intl/somalia-PLGEO00000615.topic>
Somalia's insurgents.
But the culprit, doctors fear, is just as alarming: beriberi, a
vitamin-deficiency disorder typically only seen in famines. Simply put,
African Union soldiers appear to have died of a form of malnutrition.
It's the starkest example yet of how the mission in Somalia, which is
authorized by the
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/crime-law-justice/international-law/uni
ted-nations-ORCUL000009.topic> United Nations and largely funded by
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/us/washington-PLGEO100104900000000.topi
c> Washington, has become one of the most dangerous, yet least supported,
peacekeeping operations in the world.
More than two years after the AU launched its effort to try to turn around
this Horn of Africa nation, only 5,000 of the pledged 8,000 troops are on
the ground, nearly all from Uganda and
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/intl/burundi-PLGEO00000083.topic>
Burundi. Experts said even the full contingent of 8,000 would be half of
what's really needed.
Though the new commander said he is intent on taking a tougher stance
against insurgents who have growing ties to al-Qaida, his force only covers
about 8 square miles -- roughly one-third of
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/intl/somalia/mogadishu-%28somalia%29-PL
GEO100100602011462.topic> Mogadishu.
The mission's projected $800 million-a-year budget has never been fully
funded, with the U.S. contributing about $200 million this year. Funding
shortfalls have forced commanders to depend on donations, such as the new
hospital building paid for by Britain and food rations from the U.N.
And even though Somalia is the only operation in Africa where peacekeepers
are routinely targeted by insurgents with mortars, roadside bombs and
suicide attackers, there is no cease-fire agreement or U.N.-brokered treaty
to enforce.
"How do you do a peacekeeping mission in a place that has no peace?" asked
Maj. Anthony Lukwago, an AU Ugandan commander.
On the campus of Mogadishu University, now serving as headquarters for
Burundi's contingent, soldiers face roadside bombs nearly every time they
leave the base. Nevertheless, they can't get basic bomb-detection devices to
sweep the streets or equipment to defuse the bombs.
Their solution? Drive fast and travel at irregular hours, said Brig. Gen.
Prime Niyongabo, commander of the Burundian contingent.
"There is so much we need," he said.
<mailto:edsanders@tribune.com> edsanders@tribune.com
Copyright C 2009,
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