Monday, December 7, 2009

Terrorist Attack in Somalia Condemned by UN Security Council
  Terrorism piece by Jim Kouri

Calling it a “criminal attack”, the United Nations Security Council on Friday afternoon condemned “in the strongest terms” the December 3 terrorist attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, which killed and injured innocent civilians at a graduation ceremony for Somali medical students. The attack also resulted in the deaths of the Ministers of Health, Higher Education and Education of the Somali Transitional Federal Government.

“The [United Nations] Security Council condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Mogadishu on 3 December at a graduation ceremony for Somali medical students at Banadier University, which resulted in the death of innocent civilians and the Somali Ministers of Health, Higher Education and Education. This was a criminal attack on people dedicated to building a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the people of Somalia,“ officials said in their condemnation statement.

“While the UN should be expected to condemn such barbarism, calling it a ‘criminal act’ is wrongheaded and treats an act of war as if it were a bank robbery,“ said former Marine intelligence officer and New York police detective Sid Francks.

The 15-member body expressed its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the attack, and to the Government and people of Somalia, in a statement read out by Michel Kafando (Burkina Faso), its President for December, and urged a thorough investigation and for the perpetrators to be brought swiftly to justice.

““The Security Council urges that a thorough investigation be conducted and that the perpetrators of this attack be brought swiftly to justice,“ he stated.

It also reaffirmed its demand that all opposition groups end attacks immediately and that they put down their arms to join the reconciliation efforts.

The Security Council reiterated its “full support” for the Djibouti Peace Process, which it said provided a framework for achieving a lasting, political solution. It reaffirmed, as well, that Somalia’s long-term security rested with the effective development by the Transitional Federal Government of the National Security Force and the Somali Police Force, in the framework of the Djibouti Agreement and in line with a national security strategy.

The Council also called on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly to respect the security of civilians, humanitarian workers and personnel serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The Governments of Uganda and Burundi were singled out for appreciation for their commitment of troops to AMISOM, for which the Council reiterated its strong support.

Jim Kouri, CPP

Posted by Jim Kouri on 12/7/09

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