Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- “For about a century the Catholic Church has dedicated her service-witness to the poor in Somalia. She did this under colonialism, then with the first Republic, the regime of Siad Barre and in the chaos which followed his fall in January 1991. And she intends to continue her service, if she is allowed to do so, even after the Islamic Courts have taken power over a good part of the country” Fides was told by Bishop Giorgio Bertin, Catholic Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu.
“I have just returned from visits to Europe and the United States where I illustrated the situation in Somalia” the Bishop said. “Many people asked whether an intervention is necessary in the face of the advance of the Islamic Courts. I replied that at the moment it is best to wait and see what happens. Outside interventions can sometimes make things worse rather than better. It is enough to see what happened in recent months when support offered to the ephemeral War Lords’ alliance proved to be ulterior incentive for the Islamic Courts”.
“Somali society is extremely complex” the Bishop explained. “It is very difficult to intervene from outside without upsetting things. It remains to be seen if the Islamic factor succeeds in overcoming traditional Somali clan traditions. The Islamic Courts now in power in Mogadishu were born within the Hawaye clan and so far, despite various attempts, they have failed to expand themselves beyond that clan ”.
Some international media say Ethiopian troops are ready to intervene in support of the transition government, recognised by the international community and based at the moment temporarily in Baidoa. “Ethiopia has always feared that the presence of Islamic extremism in Somalia could spread to Somali Muslims living on its territory” said Bishop Bertin. “However an outside intervention might push many Somali to side with the Islamic Courts. Hence the need for maximum prudence and careful assessment of the situation”.
Today July 14 to protest against supposed violations of the cease fire on the part of the militia of the Islamic Courts the provisional government decided to boycott peace talks due to open tomorrow in Sudan. The cease fire agreement was agreed on 22 June during the first talks in Sudan between representatives of the Islamic Courts and those of the provisional Somali government.
At the international level the UN Security Council agreed to let the arms embargo on Somalia be lifted: this opens the way for a possible deployment of peacekeepers in Somalia as requested by the African Union. A decision will be taken on the basis of a detailed AU study for the Inter-Government Authority for Development (IGAD), comprising seven east African countries (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda and Somali provisional government) which already approved the initiative in principle in January 2005. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/7/2006 righe 42 parole 521)
