From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:AFRICA: Boutros-Ghali faces criticism over Somalia intervention
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 22:21:46 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'.

Title: AFRICA: Boutros-Ghali faces criticism over Somalia intervention


an inter press service feature

by victor ego ducrot

geneva, dec 23 (ips) -- united nations secretary-general boutros
boutros-ghali could come in for heavy criticism over the situation
in somalia at a special u.n. sponsored meeting to be held here
monday.

the united states-led military intervention in somalia is not on
the agenda at the important meeting of high ranking african
development experts but nevertheless boutros-ghali could come
under fire over the ''humanitarian'' operation, which he
personally supported.

the officials, meeting for the first time, will discuss the so-
called ''new agenda'' of aid for africa in the nineties, approved
by the u.n. general assembly in december 1991.

a un official in geneva said the international military
intervention in somalia is not part of the official timetable but
admitted that a discussion on the topic will be ''inevitable and,
in some cases, controversial''.

african sources stated that the organisation of african unity
(oau) will be ''prudent but clear'' in voicing its concern over
somalia, which some leaders say ''appears to be humanitarian but
is really a true intervention''.

non-governmental organisations (ngo's), headed by the
international league for people's human rights (lidp), directly
accused boutros-ghali and washington of trying to convert the un
into a ''ministry of colonies''.

the intervention in somalia, which was planned by the un
security council, comprises two stages: the u.s. troops must
secure military control, after which multinational troops will be
in charge of supervising the security of the country.

according to african sources, boutros-ghali will have to
explain his disagreement with washington over the duration of the
military operation in somalia. boutros-ghali believes that the
intervention should be protracted while the pentagon aims for a
''fast and easy'' action.

in geneva, herman cohen, assistant for african issues to the
secretary of state, has issued a statement saying that the
military objective in somalia ''is nothing but humanitarian''.

un sources in geneva believe that the u.s. government wants to
placate some critical african countries who have voiced doubts in
dakar, lagos, harare and paris, while at the same time convincing
boutros-ghali that the intervention must be brief. (more/ips)

africa: boutros-ghali faces criticism over somalia intervention(2-e)

the key issues of the new african agenda to be discussed in
geneva are: promoting regional and cross-regional economic
cooperation, strengthening democratic processes and boosting
investment.

subjects like environment, development, population,
agriculture, food resources and the role of the non-governmental
organisations (ngo's) including african development will also be
broached.

an african diplomat stated that ''it is good that the u.n.
worries about the drama of our continent, but it would be better
if it did so from a non-patronising, or rather, non-colonial,
perspective''.

according to robert desmond, of the centre for sub-saharan
african studies at lausanne university, the u.n. and the
industrialised countries with ties to africa should ''show some
honesty and admit that the present situation is the result of
centuries of colonial rule''.

a document prepared by the united nations children's fund
(unicef), that was presented at an international conference held
in dakar at the end of november, states that, of the 28 million
who were born in africa in 1990, 4.6 million died before the age
of five.

this year, the world bank (wb) reported that 50 percent of
africans south of the sahara  will be living in conditions of
extreme poverty by the turn of the century.

the world health organisation (who) declared that of the total
number of aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) patients, two-
thirds are africans. at this time about half of the african
population, 320 million, have no access to basic medical
facilities.

according to the preparatory documents for the meeting on
monday, the general picture is critical in countries like somalia.

among those attending the meeting in geneva are sylvie brunel,
president of the ''international action against hunger'', bronson
dede, of the organisation for african unity (oau), martin huslid,
norwegian representative in the u.n., edward jaycox, vice-
president of the world bank for africa and olusegun obasanjo,
former president of nigeria.(end/ips/ip/sp/ved/ego/mv/mf/92)
Xref: sparky soc.culture.african:7240 sci.anthropology:1610 misc.misc:4181