In
Somalia, After
Merka Deaths
Admitted by
AU, UK Tells
ICP It Wants
AU Cell
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 28 --
After the
African Union
acknowledged
that Ugandan
troops in
AMISOM
executed
civilians at a
wedding in
Merka in late
July,
Inner City
Press asked
the UN and
Ambassador Matthew
Rycroft of the
UK, what will
the UN
Security
Council which
authorized
AMISOM, and UN
Peacekeeping
which supports
it, do?
On August 28,
in response to
Inner City
Press'
question to
Ambassador
Rycroft, the
UK Mission to
the UN told
Inner City
Press:
"You
asked about a
recent AMISOM
incident. We
are aware of
reports of
civilian
deaths in
recent AMISOM
operations.
This is a very
serious
allegation.
The AU has
apologised and
is
investigating,
including
through
recalling the
local AMISOM
commander for
questioning.
"The AU now
needs to
follow up and
ensure
accountability.
"Incidents
like this
underline the
need for
AMISOM to
improve
protection of
civilians in
operations.
The Security
Council has
repeatedly
called for a
civilian
casualty
response cell
in AMISOM. The
UK is taking
forward
discussions
with the AU to
get a cell
established as
soon as
possible."
The answer is
appreciated;
we'll say on
this.
Back
on July 28
when the UN
Security
Council
adopted a
Somalia
resolution
days after
allegations of
reprisal
killings by
AMISOM in
Marka, Inner
City Press asked
UK Ambassador
Rycroft:
Inner
City Press: On
Somalia, there
are a lot of
Al Shabaab
attacks, there
have also been
some recent
allegations of
a reprisal
attack by
AMISOM. And
the UN said
they asked the
African Union.
But given the
increasing
support in
relation with
the UN, what
should be done
to help the
African Union
forces don’t
commit abuses
while fighting
Al Shabaab?
Amb Rycroft:
"So the very
clear message
from this
resolution is
first of all
that AMISOM
does need to
get stronger
in its robust
response to
some attacks.
But it does
need to do so
in a way that
has absolute
clarity about
command and
control. And
we’re looking
to see that
improve
through the
mission
statement in
this
resolution.
"And in terms
of allegation
of any
inappropriate
behaviour by
any members of
AMISOM, or the
other UN
peacekeeping
operations,
all of those
allegations
need to be
followed up
rapidly and
robustly, and
we are putting
in place
through this
resolution and
through the
work that the
African Union
has done,
measures that
will allow the
African Union
to get a
tighter grip
on these sorts
of
allegations."
But what does
this "grip"
mean? What
implications
does this have
under the UN's
supposed Human
Rights Due
Diligence
Policy?
Now AU
envoy and
AMISOM head
Sidokou has
admitted the
killings of
civilians had
taken place.
“We have
established
that, on that
occasion,
seven
civilians died
following an
incident
involving our
troops,”
Sidokou said
in a statement
issued in
Kenya.
The UNSC
resolution
itself, while
"welcoming the
AU's
investigation
of allegations
of sexual
violence
allegedly
perpetrated by
some AMISOM
troops,"
expresses "its
disappointment
that the AU
did not
receive full
cooperation
from all
AMISOM troop
contributing
countries in
carrying out
its
investigation,
and calling on
the AU and
troop
contributing
countries to
ensure that
allegations
are properly
investigated
and
appropriate
follow-up
action is
taken."
We'll
see.
Back on May 8
when the UN's
outgoing
humanitarian
coordinator
for Somalia
Philippe
Lazzarini held
a press
conference,
Inner City
Press asked
him about the
impact of
money transfer
and remittance
being cut off,
about the
future of the
Dadaab refugee
camp in Kenya
-- and about
Puntland and
Somaliland,
where people
fleeing Yemen
are landing. Video here.
Lazzarini said
that
remittances
have been cut
from the UK,
US, Australia
and more
recently
Kenya; the
latter country
might
reinstate some
of the money
transfer
companies, he
said. Returns
to Somalia
from Dadaab
should be
voluntary.
In response to
Inner City
Press'
question about
the
involvement of
some parts of
the UN, and of
the
International
Organization
for Migration
in screening
refugees
including for
“counter-terrorism,”
Lazzarini said
that the
government of
Somalia is
concerned
about
returnees who
might have
joined certain
groups while
in Yemen. Can
you say, Al
Qaeda in the
Arabian
Peninsula?
There is more
transparency
needed,
however,
particularly
from IOM.
Lazzarini
has previously
answered
Inner City
Press about Somaliland's
airspace.
On May 8 when
Inner City
Press asked
about the UN's
dealings with
Somaliland and
Puntland, he
said it is a
big topic, but
concretely the
deadly attack
on UNICEF in
Puntland means
one can no
longer say
Puntland more
safe than,
say,
Mogadishu. But
what about
Somaliland? We
will have more
on this.
Lazzarini is
headed next to
Lebanon; we'll
continue to
cover his and
the UN's work
there, and
wish him luck.
, 
