From: wsargeant@IGC.APC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Somalia, U.N. security council appr'
Date: 30 Jul 92 17:35:33 GMT

/* Written 12:19 am  Jul 30, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "SOMALIA: U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL APPR" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: United Nations
Title: SOMALIA: U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES WIDE-RANGING PLAN


new york, july 28 (ips) -- in what could become the most
comprehensive peacekeeping cum humanitarian operation of the
united nations in africa, the u.n. security council monday
approved a plan ''to enlarge and adapt'' the international
body's involvement in strife-torn somalia.

the security council passed a resolution unanimously monday
after world-wide concern that the united nations was paying too
little attention to the civil war and starvation in somalia.

even boutros boutros-ghali, the u.n. secretary general, echoed
the criticism in an angry letter to the security council last
week when u.n. forces were committed to help implement the
london agreement between the warring groups in bosnia and
hercegovina.

monday's resolution on somalia requests the secretary general
to use ''all available means and arrangements including the
mounting of an urgent airlift operation'' to provide
humanitarian aid to the people of that eastern african country.

it is estimated that a third of somalia's more than 4.5
million people are likely to starve to death within six months.

welcoming the resolution, fatun hasan, the somalian
representative who was especially invited to attend the security
council meeting when it considered the issue, said it was ''a
good start.''

''i think everybody is now aware of what is happening in
somalia. so there is a moral obligation to do something,'' hasan
said.

the resolution calls on all parties to the conflict in
somalia to cooperate and warns that ''other measures to deliver
humanitarian assistance'' would be used if they did not help the
u.n. effort.

''there is not only a willingness but a commitment on the part
of the security council to implement the resolution. even the u.
s. has expressed its commitment and is willing to generously
fund the pmplementation of the resolution,'' said simbarashe
mumbengegwi, the ambassador of zimbabwe.

the secretary general's report, approved by the security
council, involves what he calls ''the decentralised, zonal
approach'' to peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts. (more/ips)

somalia: u.n. security council approves wide-ranging plan (2)

four operational zones will be set up in berbera, bossasso,
mogadishu and kismayo, to carry out the u.n. programme. each zone
will be involved in humanitarian activities, monitoring of
ceasefire and containment of potential hostilities, security and
demobilisation, and national reconciliation.

the report places special emphasis on the security of
humanitarian relief operations.

''without adequate protection for relief personnel and
supplies, the implementation of an effective humanitarian relief
programme is not possible,'' it says.

the secretary general will send a technical team to somalia to
assess the monitoring of ceasefire arrangements, the deployment
of military observers, the feasibility of an ''arms for food''
exchange programme, the protection of humanitarian aid activities
and the ''possible'' role of the united nations in setting up a
local police force.

according to the report somalia is a country ''without
central, regional or local administration.'' only ''the
institution of elders'' has remained a source of authority in
all the regions and it will be the basis of u.n. assisted
national reconciliation efforts.

the report mentions a serious lapse in the ceasefire in
mogadishu, the capital city, when an aircraft under charter by
the world food proggamme and ''still bearing united nations
markings'' delivered a consignment of somali currency and
military equipment.

boutros-ghali has ordered a full investigation of the incident
and has promised to take ''all legal remedies'' to track down the
culprit.

describing the security situation in mogadishu the report
says the ceasefire ''has held reasonably well''. but the major
problem in the city has  been instances of ''banditry and
looting attributable to regular armed groups.''

in a separate press release monday, the secretary general has
expressed concern at the illegal circulation of ''newly printed
currency notes ordered by the old regime in somalia.''

this could become the ''cause of renewed hostilities'' and
boutros-ghali has appealed to all somali leaders to ''avoid
introducing a new element of conflict'' in the already
deteriorating political situation. (end/ips/am/da/92)

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