Somalia: More than 280,000 refugees since May 2009 – new weapons stir up war

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has criticised the doubling of the military aid planned by the USA for Somalia’s transition government. „Somalia does not need any new weapons, but more aid in reconstruction and dialogue between the opposing sides in the civil war”, said the GfbV Africa consultant, Ulrich Delius on Friday. More than 280,000 inhabitants of Mogadishu have fled the escalating violence in Somalia’s capital since May 2009. At least 448 civilians have been killed in fighting in the past three months and 1,950 Somalis have been injured. „New weapons will only fan the civil war and cause misery for even more refugees”, warned Delius. US Foreign Minister Hillary Clinton promised Somalia’s transition government on Thursday during her visit to Africa a doubling of the US delivery of arms and munitions.

„Clinton’s threats to Eritrea are not much help since they will only mean a hardening of the positions of both states”, said Delius. Clinton had threatened to impose sanctions against Eritrea if necessary, should that country continue to support Somali Islamists fighting against the transition government. „The immense tension between Eritrea and Ethiopia must be reduced. This is the only way of stopping Eritrea’s proxy war in Somalia against the enemy neighbouring country and bringing peace”, said Delius. But unfortunately the US government is failing to mediate between the two countries and is simply taking up position for Ethiopia. The USA supported the failed intervention of Ethiopia in Somalia with military aid in December 2006.

After 18 years of civil war Somalia needs more help in rebuilding the country. The European Union (EU) is also spending more money on security in Somalia than in rebuilding. The operation „Atalanta” for combating piracy costs 450 million US dollars per annum while only 212 million euros in development aid are scheduled for Somalia for the next five years.

Somalia’s transitional government is steadily losing influence in the country as opposed to the Islamists, who are gradually gaining the upper hand. „No measures against the Islamists have any chance of success without reconstruction and the dialogue between the transitional government and the moderate Moslems”, said Delius. „Somalia needs no fresh intervention from abroad, but rather more dialogue inside the country.”

Ulrich Delius can also be reached at u.delius@gfbv.de