Rice at talks on Africa conflicts

ADDIS ABABA – More African countries should send peacekeepers to Somalia, where an Islamic insurgency has killed thousands of civilians this year, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday.

Rice was in the Ethiopian capital, where the African Union is headquartered, to meet with African leaders after expressing growing unease about deteriorating security and faltering peace deals in a number of countries on the continent. The United Nations has said Somalia is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa.Uganda has about 1 800 troops in Somalia, officially as the vanguard of a larger African Union peacekeeping force, though so far no other countries have sent reinforcements.Ethiopia, which sent soldiers to Somalia late last year to wipe out Islamic militants, is not part of the peacekeeping force and hoping to withdraw.”We do believe the Ethiopian forces should not have to stay in Somalia past a certain point, and that will require peacekeeping forces, very robust peacekeeping force, and so that will be part of my discussions here,” Rice said.Peacekeepers have tried to pacify Somalia before, with tragic results.More than a decade ago, a massive UN relief operation was launched for thousands of civilians left starving because of fighting in Somalia.But 1993 attacks by Somali militiamen that brought down two Black Hawk helicopters and killed 18 US servicemen were followed by the withdrawal of US troops and the eventual end of the UN peacekeeping operation.Rice, who is scheduled to meet with Somalia’s new prime minister during her trip, said she will impress upon him the need be inclusive in his administration.Somalia’s president, meanwhile, is in Kenya for treatment of what aides say is a bad cold.Five ministers in the Somali government resigned this week, soon after the Cabinet was named, to protest their clans’ representation, prompting Rice to wryly comment: “It’s not the easiest situation in Somalia, but when has it been?” “The Somali leadership is going to have to really reach out to all the elements that are not associated with terrorism,” Rice said.”It has to be broad and that’s really my message to the prime minister.He has to find a way to broaden his base of support.”Last year, a radical Islamic movement accused of links with al Qaeda seized control of much of the southern part of Somalia, prompting Ethiopia to invade in December 2006 with Washington’s tacit backing.The Islamic movement was toppled, but its supporters have waged an Iraq-style insurgency.A Somali human rights groups said over the weekend that nearly 6 000 civilians have been killed in the crossfire this year.Nampa-APThe United Nations has said Somalia is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa.Uganda has about 1 800 troops in Somalia, officially as the vanguard of a larger African Union peacekeeping force, though so far no other countries have sent reinforcements.Ethiopia, which sent soldiers to Somalia late last year to wipe out Islamic militants, is not part of the peacekeeping force and hoping to withdraw.”We do believe the Ethiopian forces should not have to stay in Somalia past a certain point, and that will require peacekeeping forces, very robust peacekeeping force, and so that will be part of my discussions here,” Rice said.Peacekeepers have tried to pacify Somalia before, with tragic results.More than a decade ago, a massive UN relief operation was launched for thousands of civilians left starving because of fighting in Somalia.But 1993 attacks by Somali militiamen that brought down two Black Hawk helicopters and killed 18 US servicemen were followed by the withdrawal of US troops and the eventual end of the UN peacekeeping operation.Rice, who is scheduled to meet with Somalia’s new prime minister during her trip, said she will impress upon him the need be inclusive in his administration.Somalia’s president, meanwhile, is in Kenya for treatment of what aides say is a bad cold.Five ministers in the Somali government resigned this week, soon after the Cabinet was named, to protest their clans’ representation, prompting Rice to wryly comment: “It’s not the easiest situation in Somalia, but when has it been?” “The Somali leadership is going to have to really reach out to all the elements that are not associated with terrorism,” Rice said.”It has to be broad and that’s really my message to the prime minister.He has to find a way to broaden his base of support.”Last year, a radical Islamic movement accused of links with al Qaeda seized control of much of the southern part of Somalia, prompting Ethiopia to invade in December 2006 with Washington’s tacit backing.The Islamic movement was toppled, but its supporters have waged an Iraq-style insurgency.A Somali human rights groups said over the weekend that nearly 6 000 civilians have been killed in the crossfire this year.Nampa-AP