Somali powerful clan, Ethiopia agree to boost ceasefire
April 3, 2007 (MOGADISHU) — Representatives of Somalia’s powerful Hawiye clan and Ethiopian army agreed today to cooperate and to implement a recent ceasefire inked several days ago to end fighting in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
A committee of 15 members recently appointed by Hawiye subclans and the Ethiopian army officers have agreed on strengthening the recent cease-fire agreement signed on April 1.
The two delegations agreed to strengthen the ceasefire agreement. Also it was convened to send two members from each side to the front lines where the fighting took place, while both sides will bury together all the bodies of the people died in Mogadishu fighting.
The spokesperson of the Hawiye subclans, Hussein Siyad Farah told radio HornAfrik that Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi personally ordered this meeting. He further expressed hope that the outcome of the ceasefire will be positive outcome.
The two parties agreed to hold the next meeting within two days on April 5 to check how these provisions have been implemented.
Reports say Ethiopian army prefers to deal directly with the Hawiye because the clan not recognizing the Somali federal government.
The minister of internal affairs, of the federal government of Somalia, Mohamed Mahmoud Guleid Ga’adhere, told HornAfrik that the federal government was not aware of a ceasefire agreement between the Hawiye clan leaders and Ethiopian army officers.
However, the Somali capital was calm on Monday. Some businesses reopened and the public transport system started to operate in the deserted streets.
On Saturday, a Ugandan soldier, part of an African Union peacekeeping force, was killed by a mortar. Uganda has about 1,400 troops here as the vanguard of a larger AU peacekeeping force. So far, it is the only country to contribute to the peacekeeping force.
The insurgents are linked to the Council of Islamic Courts, which was driven from power in December by Somali and Ethiopian soldiers, accompanied by U.S. special forces. The U.S. has accused the courts of having ties to al-Qaida.
The Islamic courts stockpiled thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition during the six months they controlled Mogadishu. The insurgency will likely last until that stockpile is depleted, or key leaders are killed.
The militants have long rejected any secular government and have sworn to fight until Somalia becomes an Islamic emirate.
The country has been mired in chaos since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned each other. A national government was established in 2004, but has failed to assert any real control.
(ST)