From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:SOMALIA: BUSH ANNOUNCES OPERATION ''RESTORE HOPE''
Date: 16 Dec 92 02:50:31 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: North America
Title: SOMALIA: BUSH ANNOUNCES OPERATION ''RESTORE HOPE''


washington, dec. 4 (ips) -- u.s. president george bush friday
announced the launching of ''operation restore hope'' under which
u.s. servicemen will safeguard the distribution of food relief in
somalia.

''we will not stay one day longer than is absolutely
necessary,'' said the u.s. head of state, who declined to give
the number of troops which will be involved.

bush said in a televised address that the mission was going to
somalia to open up a safe corridor between the port where the
relief arrives and the starving populations for whom it is
destined.

''the people of somalia, especially the children of somalia,
need our help,'' he said.

admitting that the united states could not resolve all the
world's problems, he said, however, that many situations would
remain unresolved without washington's support.

the ''restore hope'' mission will also seek to create
conditions which would enable a un force to guarantee stability
and the distribution of food to the somali population when the
u.s. operation ends.

the mission is made up of 12 countries, headed by the united
states, with nigeria as its only african member.

the chief of the united states' joint chiefs of staff, colin
powell, said at a meeting with congressional leaders that the
operation is scheduled to last between two and three months.

the decision to send u.s. troops to somalia to safeguard the
distribution of food relief there came after the un security
council, adopted a u.s. proposal to that effect on thursday
night.

the council's vote was seen as a victory for un
secretary-general boutros boutros-ghali, who had been advocating
international action in the east african country for months.

somalia has been in the throes of a bloody civil war since
january 1991, when the 22-year old regime of president mohammed
siad barre was overthrown.

in november of that year, a split bettween the two leaders of
the coup which ousted siad barre, farah aideed and interim
president ali mahdi mohammed, led to a bloody conflict, which
caused the virtual disintegration of the entire governmental
apparatus. (more)
----


the ensuing chaos dislocated production in somalia and has
also made it impossible for relief supplies to get to the
population.

televised images of starving children and people paralysed by
undernourishment made somalia a popular cause in the united
states, which moved bush to act.

''when we see somalia's children starving, all of america
hurts,'' said the u.s. president, whose term ends on jan. 20. his
decision to send in u.s. troops was supported by president-elect
bill clinton.

in a warning to the warring factions in somalia, bush said
''our mission is humanitarian, but we will not tolerate armed
gangs ripping off their own people, condemning them to death by
starvation.''

addressing the people of somalia, he said ''we respect your
sovereignty,'' adding that the u.s. troops were going in with one
sole aim, enabling starving people to get food.

the first contingent of u.s. troops is already off the coasts
of somalia preparing to enter the capital, mogadishu. it will
later be joined by other marine and army troops.
(end/ips/trd/so/mas-ds/kb/92)