Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of supplying arms to Somali militants
August 28, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia has accused neighboring Eritrea of supplying illegal arms to Somali Islamists groups violating regional protocol that bans the circulation of illegal arms in the Horn of Africa.
According to representative of the office of the protection of movement of illegal arms at the Ethiopian Federal Police, Deputy Commander Yemane, the Eritrean government is violating the Nairobi Protocol for the prevention, control and reduction of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa.
The deputy commander said Eritrea giving illegal arms to the Somali Islamists militants. He further said that the conflict in Somalia had intensified the circulation of illegal arms, and added that the establishment of a responsible government would greatly reduce the insecurity threat.
“The establishment of a responsible government in Somalia will be decisive for peace and stability in our country. If the government controls and limits the movement of illegal arms, then anti-peace elements will not be able to get what they want due to the lack of these arms. This will in turn have a positive impact on our country’s security and stability.” He said.
11 eastern Africa and Great Lakes countries signed the Nairobi Protocol in April 2004 to control the movement of illegal arms: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.
The Islamic militants vowed in December to conduct an Iraq-style insurgency after they were toppled by Ethiopian troops supporting Somalia’s U.N.-backed transitional government.
Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then fought each other, throwing the country into anarchy. The current administration was formed in 2004 but has struggled to extend its control.
(ST)