JEDDAH, 23 February 2004 — With the formation of a Somali transitional parliament on the horizon, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on the country's faction leaders to improve security and ensure political progress, UN Information Center said on Friday.
In a report on Somalia, Annan pointed out that members of the Somali parliament, when chosen, will elect the transitional president, laying the foundation for an effective, working system of government after years of civil conflict.
"Progress in the two areas would be conducive to the implementation of a political agreement, which would lend the agreement the credibility needed to gather the full support of Somalis and the international community," he said.
Annan expressed concern over insecurity and violence in many parts of the country, and territorial tensions between regional administrations of Somaliland and Puntland in the north.
"Insecurity and violence in many parts of the country, and more recently tensions over control of the Sool and Sanaag regions underline the fact that a comprehensive peace is both urgent and necessary in Somalia.
"Somali leaders and their militias should also be aware that they will be held accountable for continued violations of human rights," he noted.
Somali faction leaders are currently participating in protracted peace talks in neighboring Kenya. On Jan. 29, the delegates at the talks agreed to form a transitional parliament in Mogadishu.
The UN chief hailed President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, who is the chairman of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) - an east African body, and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, their officials and international observers for their persistent efforts to facilitate a Somali reconciliation.
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About 10,000 people staged a peace rally in Mogadishu to demonstrate their support to the ongoing Somali peace talks in Kenya, press reports said.
The rally was organized by the civil society groups. One of the organizers said in a statement that Zeinab Hagi Bahsan, a well known Somali artist, other prominent personalities, and representatives from civil society groups addressed the gathering.
"At present time, Somalis need a system of governance. We hope the ongoing talks will produce a government of national unity.
"The civil society groups have already appealed to faction leaders, particularly those who have threatened to withdraw from the recent agreement, to move on to the power-sharing phase of the talks. All prominent personalities who spoke to the demonstrators, have urged the international community not to accept any move which might jeopardize the peace conference," Abdullahi Shirwa, said in a statement.
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More than 130,000 Somali refugees in Kenya will be repatriated once the ongoing peace negotiations conclude successfully, Daily Nation said.
According to the Nairobi-based newspaper, discussions over voluntary repatriation of Somalis and Sudanese had begun but the final decision hinged on the conclusion of the peace talks.
"The government is concerned about this group of asylum seekers as they are likely to engage themselves in nefarious activities.
"The government will soon crack down on these illegal foreigners in order to flush them out," Moody Awori, the Kenyan Vice President was quoted as saying.
