Hiiraan Online
Monday, July 11, 2011
Kigali, Rwanda (HOL) - Human right protectors are seeking political and social commitment from parties engaged in the long running Somali conflict to enhance and respect international humanitarian law in the troubled Horn of African nation.
The African Union peace keeping mission to Somalia (AMISOM) last week convened a roundtable in Rwanda attended by various state and non-state actors in the field of human rights to discuss on how to improve humanitarian situations in Somalia where conflict and crippling drought conditions are severe.
“The Somalia Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is responsible for ensuring the respect for, implementation, and adherence to international humanitarian law, human rights law, refugee law and any other relevant instrument in Somalia” said a statement read by Senior Political Officer of AMISOM, Ambassador Basile Gateretse at the end of three-day discussions on Friday
“The Transitional Federal Institutions in Somalia therefore, need to enact and implement expediently relevant laws and policies in that respect”
In recent months, hundreds of civilians have been wounded in fighting and thousands more forced to flee their homes to seek refuge in overcrowded camps in neighboring countries.
The high profile AMISOM forum reminded parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect civilians in an effort to promote compliance with international humanitarian law worldwide.
EU and US delegates
Participants drawn from the Somali government, human rights organizations, civil society groups and Diaspora, media organizations, the League of Arab Nations, United Nations, African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) also asked the AMISOM force in the restive capital Mogadishu to reevaluate the force’s relationship with humanitarian organizations.
“AMISOM has the obligation to respect and adhere to international humanitarian law as well as promote and protect human rights in the implementation of its mandate” participants agreed
The Ugandan and Rwandese forces in Somalia have been urged to promote the protection of populations by supporting current entities working towards the goal of the international humanitarian laws.
Human Rights Advisor to the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA) Dr. Omar Alasow said stake holders in the Somali conflict required the political will to advance rights of civilians in the fragile nation where the TFG is battling with insurgency group Al-shabaab.
The AU agency on the Protection of Civilians in African Union Peace Support Operations (PoC) was asked to adopt the guidelines on the protection of civilians, including protection of children in armed conflict.
In May 2009 Amnesty International said it is concerned at the widespread violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, including war crimes, and the dire humanitarian situation that civilians continue to face in southern and central Somalia.
Minister of Justics and the Attorney General of the Republic of Rwanda with Minister of State of the office of Prime Minister Sahro Samatar and Somalia’s Chief of Staff of the Army Abdikadir Sheikh Ali
In its submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review, Amnesty International said the recent heavy fighting in Mogadishu worsened an already fragile situation where both the TFG and Al-shabaab fighters did little to protect civilians.
“TFG security forces continue to receive international support and military and security supplies. However, there are no adequate safeguards in place to ensure that weapons supplied to the TFG will not be used to commit human rights violations” read part of the report
“Al-Shabab is responsible for widespread recruitment of children into their forces, and for forced recruitment of young men. Amnesty International has collected testimonies from Somali refugees in March and June 2010 that show that children as young as 10 years-old are recruited by al-Shabab”