From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: SOMALIA: Kenya calls for setting up 'zones of peace'
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 22:46:58 GMT

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

Title: SOMALIA: Kenya calls for setting up 'zones of peace' for refugees


luxembourg, sep 30 (ips/alecia mckenzie) -- kenya is appealing to
the european community (ec) and other western powers to establish
''zones of peace'' in somalia to stem the tide of refugees fleeing
to neighbouring countries.

kenya, which is sheltering about 700,000 refugees -- 70 percent
of whom are somalis -- says that it has been ''pushed to its
limits'' and that the refugees are placing a great strain on the
country's ''fragile economic situation''.

the appeal was made during the acp-eec joint assembly taking
place this week in luxembourg. the acp is the 69-nation grouping
of african, caribbean and pacific territories.

dr. mtana lewa, the spokesperson for kenya at the joint
assembly, said that his country appreciated what the ec had done
up to now for somalia, but that sending more food aid to the
refugee camps along the kenyan border -- south of somalia -- is
not the solution.

''if zones of peace were established in somalia, the refugees
wouldn't have to walk such long distances to come to kenya,'' he
said. ''they are exhausted and dehydrated when they get there.
many die on the way. and there is no infrastructure in the
camps.''

he added that another problem facing the kenyan authorities is
that of ''tribal conflict'' in the refugee camps. ''you have to be
careful who you put with whom. that's why it's better to have
zones of peace within their own country,'' lewa said.

somalia is now in the grip of a vicious 20-month-old civil war
involving the same factions which had previously united to force
dictator mohammed siad barre to flee the country. an estimated 1.5
million people are said to be threatened with starvation because
of massive food shortages.

djibouti, too, on the northern border of somalia, is in need of
urgent help in dealing with an estimated 100,000 refugees.

''kenya, djibouti and ethiopia can no longer support the
burden.  the international community has been very late in
reacting,'' a representative from djibouti said. ''we thank the ec
for the aid so far but there needs to be an increase. we need
medicine, water and housing.''

he said it was not a matter of djibouti ''feeling sorry for
ourselves, but some solution must be found to the war in
somalia''.  a political initiative is now necessary, he stressed.
(more/ips)

somalia: kenya calls for setting up 'zones of peace' for refugees(2-e)

somalia: kenya (2)

but baroness linda chalker, the current president of the ec
council of ministers, told the joint assembly that while the ec --
now chaired by britain -- is willing to contribute to united
nations peacekeeping efforts in somalia, its 12 member states are
concerned about the protection of these troops.

european commission commissioner manuel marin, responsible for
development, added: ''i don't think there's anything we can do
about the political problems in somalia. this is a very sensitive
issue.'' but the community, he said, would do ''what we can for
kenya''. (end/ips/ip/am/cpg/92)
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