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Weapons flowing into Somalia, UN forms group
The Security Council voted unanimously to create a new expert group to continue investigating violations of the United Nations arms embargo against Somalia and make proposals to improve compliance.
| New group, same as the old group |
| "We have a problem. We have to discuss it." versus "We have a problem. We have to solve it." |
The resolution adopted by the council on Tuesday asks Secretary-General Kofi Annan to re-establish the monitoring group within 30 days, for a six-month period, to carry out investigations in Somalia and neighbouring states and to update a list of those who continue to violate the embargo. It condemned "the continued flow of weapons and ammunition supplies to and through Somalia" and said those on the list, and their active supporters, could face "possible future measures by the council."
| They'll send a stern note and frown at them. |
| ... without having to go to the expense and unpleasantness of putting together a hunter-killer team to take out the gun runners... |
The United Nations imposed an arms embargo against Somalia in 1992, a year after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted.
| And very well it's worked, hasn't it? Not a thunderstick to be found in Somalia, Somaliland, or Puntland... |
The Horn of Africa nation has not had an effective government since then, and the embargo has not been effectively enforced. The previous monitoring group, which the council authorised in mid-December, was based in Nairobi and focused on transfers of ammunition, single-use weapons and small arms.
| They have better hotels in Nairobi |
| Thousands of gun runners were snagged in the lobbies, no doubt... |
A report to the Security Council from that group, circulated this week, said its investigation revealed that arms continue to flow in and out of Somalia but the pattern of the arms traffic appears to have changed. "While in the past warlords were known to have been the main importers of arms and weapons, arms traders and other businessmen are increasingly playing a more active and bigger role in this traffic," it said.
| So instead of importing them to use on each other, they are importing them for resale. |
| ... and resale to whom? My guess would be to the warlords who were importing them before. Even without a working government, division of labor still makes sense. Among the "warlords," by the way, you can also include the Islamist fifth column... |
The Bakaaraha arms markets in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, remain the main source for arms, and weapons are either bought off the shelf or ordered by agents of the warlords and other interested parties, the report said.
| The "other interested parties" being the guys with the Koran in one hand and the bomb in the other... |
The monitoring group said it did not find "concrete proof" that any of Somalia's neighbours were directly involved, or directly approved the transfer and trafficking of arms and weapons into Somalia.
| The UN wouldn't recognize concrete proof if you dropped it on their heads. |
| Prob'ly it's not the governments that're involved, with the exception of Sudan. It's companies and groups within the country that're engaged in the arms trade. But you probably don't notice that over aperitifs with the Eritrean second secretary... |
"On the basis of the investigations, however, it is apparent that some individuals and groups in some of these states are involved in the transfer and trafficking of arms and weapons into Somalia," it said. "These violations of the embargo may be taking place with or without the knowledge of the concerned states."
| "We're the United Nations, so we're not too concerned with anything that goes on at other than the national level." |
The monitoring group said it also learned from several sources that shipments of small arms "are regularly being supplied to certain businessmen and other parties... in Somalia through Kenya." At this stage in the investigation, the monitoring group recommended that the list of violators "be called a watch list and remain confidential," noting that it will include individuals who should be investigated further "to establish clearly whether they continue to violate the arms embargo."
| "We are placing them on double-secret probation list and we're gonna watch them for a few more years." |
| "Our work here is done. Is it time for tea yet?" |
Posted by: Steve 2004-08-18 |
