AFRICA/SOMALIA - “Increase pressure on Somali clans to help interim government exercise effective power” Apostolic of Mogadishu tells Fides commenting yesterday’s bomb blast

Wednesday, 4 May 2005

Mogadishu (Fides Service)- “There are contrasting reports with regard to yesterday’s explosion at the capital’s sports stadium” Bishop Giorgio Bertin, of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu told Fides. “Members of the government said the incident was caused by the accidental explosion of a hand grenade belonging to one of the Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi body guards. But this explanation does not convince many seeing the dimensions of the attack” the Bishop said.
International media report that between 7 to 15 were killed and forty injured in the explosion. The incident happened at the capital’s sports ground only minutes after the prime minister of Somali’s interim government Ali Mohamed Gedi started his address to several thousand supporters. However, although the explosion happened only 8 meters from where he stood, Mr Gedi, on his first visit to the capital since he was appointed Premier last year, was unhurt.
“Whether an attack or an accident the incident shows just how necessary it is for the international community to give strong impulse to the new government of national unity” said Bishop Bertin. “Strong pressure must be put on the Somali clans which are an obstacle on the path of the new government. Clans and fundamentalists have formed a strong alliance to prevent the government from exercising effective control of the territory which would reduce their power”.
“Hence the need to accelerate deployment of an African peace-force to guarantee security in Somalia until the new executive is able to control the whole of the country” Bishop Bertin told Fides. The African Union intends to send to Somalia a contingent of 7,500 peacekeepers including a consistent group of Ethiopian troops. The military presence of neighbour Ethiopia has met with loud protest from many parts in Somalia. “In a way perplexity with regard to the presence of soldiers from neighbour nations is partly understandable. But the clans are using this as a protest to prevent the government from affirming its authority. Even calls for democracy and freedom launched from various sides are instrumental. In fact the validity of this preaching coming from people who for the past 20 years have done nothing but destroy the country, remains to be seen” the Bishop concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 4/5/2005 righe 33 parole 404)


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