IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 859 

Expressing strong support for lasting peace, democracy, and economic 

recovery in Somalia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 22, 2009 

Mr. PAYNE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing strong support for lasting peace, democracy, and 

economic recovery in Somalia. 

Whereas following the collapse of central authority in 

Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, rival Somali groups 

have engaged in armed struggle, committed serious atrocities against innocent civilians, and obstructed the delivery of humanitarian assistance; 

Whereas more than 500,000 people died from violence, starvation, disease, and many more have been displaced from 

their homes over the past decade; 

Whereas in October 2002, the Inter-Governmental Authority 

for Development (IGAD) launched a peace process designed to end factional fighting in Somalia, led by the 

Government of Kenya and in September 2003, the parties agreed on a Transitional National Charter (TNC); 


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•HRES 859 IH 

Whereas in June 2006, the forces of the Islamic Courts 

Union (ICU) took control of Mogadishu; 

Whereas during the 6-month rule by the ICU, Mogadishu became relatively peaceful, but efforts to bring peace did 

not lead to sustained progress; 

Whereas on December 28, 2006, Ethiopian troops captured 

Mogadishu with little resistance from the ICU; 

Whereas the Ethiopian intervention led to more chaos and instability in Somalia; 

Whereas humanitarian, political, and security conditions deteriorated across south-central Somalia; 

Whereas in the past 3 years, more than 22,000 civilians have 

been killed, an estimated 1,100,000 people displaced, and 

476,000 Somalis have fled to neighboring countries; 

Whereas in November 2008, the Ethiopian Government announced that its forces would pull out of Somalia by the 

end of 2008 and in January 2009, Ethiopian forces completed their withdrawal from Somalia; 

Whereas in June 2008, the Transitional Federal Government 

(TFG) and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia 

(ARS), a group dominated by members of the ICU, 

signed an agreement in Djibouti mediated by United Nations Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah; 

Whereas the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), 

made up of peacekeeping troops from Uganda and Burundi, has done and continues to do remarkable work to 

secure a just peace in Somalia; 

Whereas, on September 17, 2009, the terrorist group AlShabaab carried out a suicide attack against AMISOM 

forces in Mogadishu, injuring and killing over 35 peaceVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:37 Oct 23, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR859.IH HR859

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•HRES 859 IH 

keepers, including the Deputy Force Commander of 

AMISOM; 

Whereas in September 2009, United States Armed Forces 

killed Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, an al-Qaeda terrorist responsible for the suicide bombing in Mombasa in 2002 

and a suspect in the bombings of the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and several other foreign 

terrorists in Mogadishu; 

Whereas in January 2009, the Somali Parliament elected the 

leader of the ARS, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad as 

President; 

Whereas in February 2009, President Ahmad appointed 

Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke as Prime Minister; 

Whereas civilians, humanitarian workers, journalists, and 

human rights advocates have been the primary targets of 

the insurgent groups; 

Whereas a number of Somali journalists covering the crisis 

in Somalia have been assassinated by insurgents, while 

dozens of humanitarian and human rights advocates have 

been killed or injured; 

Whereas the terrorist group Al-Shabaab continues its terror 

campaign, with the support of al-Qaeda and other foreign 

jihadists; and 

Whereas the TFG continues to fight these terrorist and extremist groups and is committed to establishing a terrorfree and democratic Somalia: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses strong support for the Transi3 tional Federal Government (TGF); 


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•HRES 859 IH 

1 (2) commends the dedicated humanitarian and 

2 human rights workers and the sacrifices they con3 tinue to make to help the people of Somalia; 

4 (3) recognizes the valuable work and sacrifice of 

5 the African Union Peacekeeping Mission; 

6 (4) recognizes and commends the mediation ef7 forts of the Government of Djibouti and the United 

8 Nations Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdullah; 

9 (5) calls on the Obama Administration to pro10 vide assistance in education, health care, infrastruc11 ture, and security sectors to Somalia; 

12 (6) strongly urges the Obama Administration to 

13 support civil society, human rights groups, and the 

14 independent media to lay the foundation for a demo15 cratic and peaceful Somalia; 

16 (7) strongly recommends that the Obama Ad17 ministration appoint an ambassador and commence 

18 work on opening up a United States Embassy, once 

19 security conditions improve; 

20 (8) urges the Obama Administration to recog21 nize the TFG and allow the opening of an official 

22 Somali Embassy in Washington, DC; 

23 (9) calls on the Government of Somaliland to 

24 respect the rule of law and hold free and fair elec25 tions without further delay; and 


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•HRES 859 IH 

1 (10) recommends that the governments of 

2 Puntland and Somaliland work together with the 

3 TFG to contain the threats posed by terrorist and 

4 extremist groups and work toward a mutually ac5 ceptable political arrangement. 

Æ 


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