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1994-05-02
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<text>
<title>
Humanitarian Tragedy in Somalia
</title>
<article>
<hdr>
Humanitarian Tragedy in Somalia
Hearing before the One Hundred Second Congress
</hdr>
<body>
<p>Testimony for Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African
Affairs, Mr. Robert G. Houdek, on Somalia, Before the House
Select Committee on Hunger, January 30, 1992
</p>
<p>Mr. Chairman,
</p>
<p> Thank you for inviting me here today to speak with you about
Somalia.
</p>
<p>The Present Situation
</p>
<p> Somalia is one of the world's most desperate tragedies.
Hundreds of thousands of people who have fled the fighting in
Mogadishu are in dire need of food and medical care. Tens of
thousands, especially the young and the aged, are at risk of
dying. Food aid cannot be delivered to Mogadishu because of the
fighting and the lack of security for aid workers.
</p>
<p> This disaster results from politics. In the year since the
fall of former president Siad Barre, Somalia has almost ceased
to exist as a state. The animosities fueling Somalia's conflict
are based on clan affiliation and lust for power, not ideology.
What authority exists is exercised by warlords, who battle one
another. The population is at the mercy of desperate, hungry
young militiamen--some not yet teenagers--who often double
as bandits.
</p>
<p> A new round of fighting between rival clan leaders--Ali
Mahdi and Mohamed Farah Aideed--broke out in Mogadishu on
November 17. Since then, as many as 6,000 people may have died
and perhaps 15,000 have been wounded. Some estimates are that
90 percent of casualties are non-combatants and that, of these,
75 percent are children. The fighting continues, varying in
intensity from day to day.
</p>
<p> The most powerful group in central Somalia, the United
Somali Congress (USC), seems to be destroying itself in the
current fighting. The most powerful group in northern Somalia,
the Somali National Movement (SNM), declared an independent
"Somaliland Republic" last May, which none of the other
factions nor any foreign countries have recognized. In the past
month there has been significant intra-clan fighting in
"Somaliland" as well. Northeastern Somalia appeared relatively
calm until recently when a UNICEF doctor working there was
murdered. In southwestern Somalia the ousted Siad Barre and his
supporters form yet another faction. Siad's continued presence
has discouraged humanitarian assistance to the region controlled
by his forces.
</p>
<p> Alarmed by the Somali catastrophe, former Secretary General
Perez de Cuellar sent Under Secretary General James Jonah to
Mogadishu in early January, to assess the situation and attempt
to arrange safe passage for relief supplies and aid workers.
General Aideed told Jonah that the fighting was none of the
UN's business, although UN humanitarian aid would be welcome.
</p>
<p>The U.S. Response
</p>
<p> Throughout the crisis we have urged the factions to stop
fighting and permit international relief operations to go
forward. We have consulted with UN Security Council members;
influential countries such as Italy, Egypt and Saudi Arabia;
the OAU and others, about actions the international community
could usefully take to promote peace and prevent famine.
</p>
<p> On January 23, with U.S. support and as a result of Under
Secretary General Jonah's report, the Security Council adopted
Resolution 733 on the situation in Somalia. The resolution:
</p>
<p>-- Urges an immediate cease fire.
</p>
<p>-- Calls for the Secretary General, in cooperation with the
OAU and the Arab League, to contact all the warring factions to
seek their commitment to a cease fire permitting humanitarian
assistance to be distributed.
</p>
<p>-- Declares a general and complete arms embargo.
</p>
<p>-- Calls for increased UN humanitarian assistance and asks
the Secretary General to consider appointment of an
international relief coordinator.
</p>
<p>-- Urges all parties to assure the safety of humanitarian
assistance personnel.
</p>
<p>-- Calls upon all states and international organizations to
contribute to the humanitarian relief effort.
</p>
<p>-- Decides to remain seized of the matter until a peaceful
solution is achieved.
</p>
<p> UN Under Secretary General Jonah believes that humanitarian
assistance on a serious scale is impossible without a cease
fire. The problem is how to bring that about. In a conflict it
takes more than one side to make peace.
</p>
<p> The UN, the OAU and the Arab League are now looking at what
can be done about the crisis in Somalia. Somalis and others
have urged the United States simply to take the situation in
hand and impose peace. We are sympathetic, but believe that
such suggestions are unrealistic. While outsiders can
facilitate contacts and offer good offices, these efforts will
come to naught if the Somali leaders themselves refuse to lay
down their arms and consider national rather than personal
interests. We and others will continue to seek ways to persuade
the Somalis to accept a cease fire.
</p>
</body>
</article>
</text>