Nine more Somali ministers resign

AFP
August 2, 2006

The resignations of Culture Minister Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, Water and Natural Resources Minister Muhamoud Salat Nur, Fisheries Minister Hassan Abshir Farah, Ports Minister Ali Abdi Jir and five assistant ministers brought to 27 the number of ministers who have quit the 102-member cabinet.

The move came two days after Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi survived a motion of no confidence.

"Gedi's government is unpopular among most members of parliament, and its work plans will not be accepted by the national assembly," Nur told AFP.

Abdullahi said the resignations, which plunged the government into fresh turmoil, were "based on the interests of the nation."

"I have resigned ... to give time for Somali people to resolve their differences and to pave the way for a fresh reconciliation," Farah told reporters.

Analysts said the resignations aimed to exert pressure on the premier to reshuffle his cabinet or step down.

After the government had watched helplessly as a powerful Islamic militia seized the capital Mogadishu and much of southern Somalia, the Islamists renewed their opposition to Arab League-mediated peace talks, scheduled to resume on Wednesday in Khartoum, unless the Ethiopian troops withdraw.

Some hardline elements have declared a holy war against Addis Ababa as imams have stepped up jihadist rhetoric.

The deployment has split the country, with the United Nations, the United States and other Western countries warning that any interference by Somalia's neighbours -- arch-foes Ethiopia and Eritrea -- might scupper efforts to achieve lasting peace in the country.

In Nairobi, the UN special envoy for Somalia Francois Fall urged both sides to resume dialogue.

"The continuation of dialogue between" the two sides "was an essential first step towards a solution to the present situation in Somalia," Fall told foreign ministers from the seven nation east African Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

"Once an agreement has been negotiated, there may be a role for the peace support mission, as a neutral third party, to observe and possibly monitor the ceasefire through the deployment of a relatively small-unarmed observer force," Fall said.

"It is necessary to have the agreement of all parties not to engage in hostilities in any form and for their forces to remain in place and not make any move that could be seen by others to be provocative," he said.

IGAD ministers urged neighbouring states to refrain from interfering with Somalia, apparently referring to members Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Some 50 armed militiamen ditched the government and joined the SICS in Mogadishu where they were welcomed by the Islamic courts' deputy commander in charge of security, Muktar Robow.

"This is the beginning. Every soldier in the government camps will join the Islamic movement here in the capital or everywhere in Somalia," Robow told the group.

The transitional government in Baidoa, formed in Kenya in late 2004 after more than two years of peace talks, was seen as the best chance for the lawless nation to set up a functioning administration since the ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Since then more than 14 internationally backed initiatives have failed to produce a government, with analysts blaming unruly warlords who obtained arms and other forms of support from neighbouring countries despite a UN arms embargo.

Weak government orders disarmament

BAIDOA, Somalia (AP) - Somalia's president told residents of the only town his government controls Tuesday that they have a week to give up their weapons or "every single gun" would be seized by force.

President Abdullahi Yusuf said his government would pay people for any arms surrendered and that details of the disarmament plan would be released Wednesday.

He did not say why his government decided on the measure, but two lawmakers have been shot in Baidoa, 155 miles from the capital of Mogadishu, over the past week, one fatally. More than 21 others have resigned in disgust, including five on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the rival Islamic militia has expanded its influence beyond the country's south and Mogadishu to central Somalia for the first time. The government has watched helplessly as the militia tightened its grip since seizing control in June.