UN EXPERT FOR SOMALIA URGES DONORS CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS TO CONTRIBUTE GENEROUSLY TO SOMALI SECURITY FORCES

24 April 2009



The Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia, Shamsul Bari, issued the following statement on the occasion of the opening today in Brussels of the Donors Conference on Somalia:

GENEVA -- The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, Dr. Shamsul Bari, appeals to the Governments and International Organizations participating in the Somali Donors Conference in Brussels to contribute generously to the call for funding for Somali Security Forces as it is directly related to the improvement of the protection of civilians and the cause of human rights protection for all Somalis in general: “I would like to urge the international community to help the Government of National Unity of Somalia with financial, technical and other assistance in discharging its responsibilities. There is now a greater need for such assistance in view of the stabilization of the political situation owing to the establishment of a new Transitional Federal Government and extended Transitional Federal Institutions which include the ARS in February 2009, as a result of the Djibouti peace process, and the withdrawal of the Ethiopian troops from Somalia,” said Dr. Bari.

“However, in the difficult circumstances of Somalia, where human rights is a victim of endless and myriad violations in a daily basis – the conference should fully support the establishment of accountability and transitional justice mechanisms to address past and current human rights and international humanitarian law violations as repeatedly highlighted by the Special Representative of the UN-Secretary General (SRSG) for Somalia and recommended by the Djibouti preparatory conference on Justice and Reconciliation..”

“There is a consensus among many, both nationally and internationally and including in the Djibouti Agreement that the success of the security mechanisms will be judged on their capacity to protect the civilian population rather than abuse. Hence, vetting processes, command structures, international disciplinary mechanisms and independent oversight mechanisms need to be put in place to ensure human-rights complaint forces,” said the Independent Expert.


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