Tanzania backs Kenya's military action against Al-Shaabab
By Chrispinus Omar
NAIROBI, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian has voiced support to Kenya's decision to send its military into Somalia to pursue militants who have abducted foreigners in the East African nation.
A statement received in Nairobi on Saturday said Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has expressed support to Kenya's action, invoking Article 51 of the United Nations Charter to defend its economic and security interests threatened by Al-Shaabab insurgents.
President Kikwete said Kenya is justified in taking action against the Islamic militants who have blatantly violated its territorial integrity through escalated cross-border raids. "He pledged his country's commitment to support efforts by Kenya, IGAD, EAC, AU and the international community to stabilize Somalia and the Horn of Africa region," said a statement issued from Kenya's presidency.
The support comes as Kenyan troops struck several Al-Shabaab training sites in Somalia on Friday. The militant group, which includes many rival factions with different leaders, operates from Somalia.
The East African nation has also ruled out possible negotiations two weeks after Kenyan troops stormed into Somalia to hunt for Al-Shabaab, which Kenya blames for recent kidnappings of foreigners in the nation.
The Tanzanian leader, who is in Perth, western Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2011, was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki at his residence.
The meeting followed an earlier brief by President Kibaki to an executive session of the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government on Kenya's military operation against Al-Shabaab to secure national security and economic interests.
During the session, President Kibaki maintained that Kenya was not at war with Somalia but is carrying out military action against the Islamic militia which is a non-state actor.
Kibaki said Kenya had no intentions of keeping troops in Somalia longer than is necessary, but will undertake the mission established under the operation to protect the country.
President Kibaki informed the session that the country's current mission in Somalia is meant to deal with the continuing threat posed by Al-Shabaab to Kenya's national security and economic interests. "Our mission in Somalia is therefore, based on a legitimate right to protect Kenya's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.
President Kibaki emphasized that the prolonged conflict in Somalia has progressively mutated into a myriad of activities threatening the security of Kenya and other neighboring states, the region and the international community.
Saying that Kenya is working with the African Union, IGAD and the Somali Transitional Federal Government to create safe zones within the war torn country, the Kibaki called on the international community to support efforts towards stabilizing Somalia.
Such support, President Kibaki noted, would enable the Transitional Federal Institutions to establish local administration to provide basic social and economic infrastructure while facilitating the return of refugees to Somalia and reduce the heavy security and economic burden currently being borne by Kenya. "Kenya can no longer bear the burden of hosting the massive number of refugees in the country and calls upon the Commonwealth to support efforts to facilitate their return to Somalia or relocation to another country," the President said.
He assured the international community of Kenya's commitment to continued close working relationship with the TFG, IGAD, AU and the International community to deal decisively with the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed terrorist militia operating in the two countries to resolve the conflict in Somalia. "It is therefore in the interest of the region, the Commonwealth and the international community as a whole to support efforts towards strengthening the Transitional Federal Government and its institutions as well as provision of sustainable funding for the AMISOM forces in Somalia" President Kibaki noted.
Kenyan officials have declared self-defense justifies crossing the border with Somalia, saying a recent spate of abductions threatened its security and constituted an attack. Kidnappers have seized two aid workers and two European tourists in the past month.
Earlier, at a forum on Indian Ocean Piracy held on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, participants observed that piracy is now rife off the coast of Somalia and is spreading to other regions around Africa.
The leaders noted that pirates attacked a record number of ships worldwide in the first nine months of 2011, but are making off with fewer vessels due to better policing by international naval forces.
The Tanzanian leader also joined other world leaders in calling for tougher action against piracy in the Indian Ocean, which continued to increase the costs of international trade and cause enormous harm to regional countries' fishing and tourist industries.
Leaders were of the view that the financiers of piracy must be targeted and pursued through surveillance, so that the true beneficiaries of the illegal trade may be brought to justice.
Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-10/29/c_131219328.htm
NAIROBI, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian has voiced support to Kenya's decision to send its military into Somalia to pursue militants who have abducted foreigners in the East African nation.
A statement received in Nairobi on Saturday said Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has expressed support to Kenya's action, invoking Article 51 of the United Nations Charter to defend its economic and security interests threatened by Al-Shaabab insurgents.
President Kikwete said Kenya is justified in taking action against the Islamic militants who have blatantly violated its territorial integrity through escalated cross-border raids. "He pledged his country's commitment to support efforts by Kenya, IGAD, EAC, AU and the international community to stabilize Somalia and the Horn of Africa region," said a statement issued from Kenya's presidency.
The support comes as Kenyan troops struck several Al-Shabaab training sites in Somalia on Friday. The militant group, which includes many rival factions with different leaders, operates from Somalia.
The East African nation has also ruled out possible negotiations two weeks after Kenyan troops stormed into Somalia to hunt for Al-Shabaab, which Kenya blames for recent kidnappings of foreigners in the nation.
The Tanzanian leader, who is in Perth, western Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2011, was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki at his residence.
The meeting followed an earlier brief by President Kibaki to an executive session of the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government on Kenya's military operation against Al-Shabaab to secure national security and economic interests.
During the session, President Kibaki maintained that Kenya was not at war with Somalia but is carrying out military action against the Islamic militia which is a non-state actor.
Kibaki said Kenya had no intentions of keeping troops in Somalia longer than is necessary, but will undertake the mission established under the operation to protect the country.
President Kibaki informed the session that the country's current mission in Somalia is meant to deal with the continuing threat posed by Al-Shabaab to Kenya's national security and economic interests. "Our mission in Somalia is therefore, based on a legitimate right to protect Kenya's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.
President Kibaki emphasized that the prolonged conflict in Somalia has progressively mutated into a myriad of activities threatening the security of Kenya and other neighboring states, the region and the international community.
Saying that Kenya is working with the African Union, IGAD and the Somali Transitional Federal Government to create safe zones within the war torn country, the Kibaki called on the international community to support efforts towards stabilizing Somalia.
Such support, President Kibaki noted, would enable the Transitional Federal Institutions to establish local administration to provide basic social and economic infrastructure while facilitating the return of refugees to Somalia and reduce the heavy security and economic burden currently being borne by Kenya. "Kenya can no longer bear the burden of hosting the massive number of refugees in the country and calls upon the Commonwealth to support efforts to facilitate their return to Somalia or relocation to another country," the President said.
He assured the international community of Kenya's commitment to continued close working relationship with the TFG, IGAD, AU and the International community to deal decisively with the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed terrorist militia operating in the two countries to resolve the conflict in Somalia. "It is therefore in the interest of the region, the Commonwealth and the international community as a whole to support efforts towards strengthening the Transitional Federal Government and its institutions as well as provision of sustainable funding for the AMISOM forces in Somalia" President Kibaki noted.
Kenyan officials have declared self-defense justifies crossing the border with Somalia, saying a recent spate of abductions threatened its security and constituted an attack. Kidnappers have seized two aid workers and two European tourists in the past month.
Earlier, at a forum on Indian Ocean Piracy held on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, participants observed that piracy is now rife off the coast of Somalia and is spreading to other regions around Africa.
The leaders noted that pirates attacked a record number of ships worldwide in the first nine months of 2011, but are making off with fewer vessels due to better policing by international naval forces.
The Tanzanian leader also joined other world leaders in calling for tougher action against piracy in the Indian Ocean, which continued to increase the costs of international trade and cause enormous harm to regional countries' fishing and tourist industries.
Leaders were of the view that the financiers of piracy must be targeted and pursued through surveillance, so that the true beneficiaries of the illegal trade may be brought to justice.
Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-10/29/c_131219328.htm
Comments