JEDDAH, 22 August — Somali Interim Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah has reiterated his administration’s request for UN Security Council to pass a resolution to authorize member states to disarm Somali people. He said no genuine reconciliation can be possible while numerous arms and ammunitions remain in the hands of the warlords and teeming militias.
"The Transitional National Government (TNG) has faced numerous obstacles since its formation two years ago. The TNG has not succeeded in its reconciliation efforts. The major reasons are large arms and ammunitions in the hands of the warlords, lack of the expected international financial support and outside interference," Farah told the Arab News during a visit last week to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.
He had very fruitful discussions with Prince Abdullah, the regent, Prince Saud Al Faisal, the foreign minister and other senior Saudi officials.
The prime minister said that his administration has met with some of its opponents and had reached viable agreements. "Whatever TNG wanted to do was impeded by the continuous Ethiopian intervention. Ethiopia supplies large quantities of arms and ammunition to the warlords, spreads baseless propaganda against the TNG, sends its troops to Somalia and publicly denies the legitimacy of the TNG," he said.
The absence of international assistance, he said, has minimized the ability of the TNG to provide basic social and economic services to the Somali people.
The East African body of Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) is organizing peace talks between TNG and warlords. IGAD comprises Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan. The talks will be held in Kenya next month.
In reply to question, he said any warlord or armed group that rejects the recommendations of the conference should be prosecuted before an international legal tribunal.
The premier said that he requested the Saudi leaders to support the reconciliation process, to lift the ban of livestock exports from the country and to give scholarships to Somali expatriate children in the Kingdom.
"The Saudi government has pledged to support the Somali people and has made a commitment to see Somalia emerges out of its troubles," he concluded.
