YouSaid · the spoken record

Olhaye

lines on the record: 631
first: 1993-01-29
most recent: 2013-10-22
sittings or episodes: 73
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We value his extensive and multifaceted career, which is undoubtedly a rare asset in the understanding and appreciation of the Somali conflict and its ramifications. We congratulate him and wish him well. We also wish to pay a deserved tribute to his predecessor, Mr. David Stephen, for his sterling performance in the conduct of his duties. We found him a fine, genuine and reliable professional, as well as a good friend. The latest report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Somalia highlights several critical issues in the search for a comprehensive peace and stability in Somalia. The report cites the fact that the Security Council had noted that the Arta peace process is the most viable basis for peace and national reconciliation in Somalia.”
2002-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4487Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Let me at the outset congratulate you, Sir, for assuming the presidency of the Council for this month. With your usual open- mindedness and sensitivity to conflict situations before this body, coupled with your vast experience, we are indeed in good, steady hands. May I also express our gratitude to your predecessor, Ambassador Adolfo Aguilar Zinser of Mexico, for steering the deliberations of the Council last month to a successful conclusion. May I also extend a warm word of welcome to the new Foreign Minster of Somalia, Mr. Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim, who is in our midst today. My delegation is very pleased with the appointment of Mr. Winston Tubman as the new head of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia.”
2002-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4487Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Finally, the President, the Government and the people of Djibouti have made the utmost efforts in every possible way to create a climate conducive to the re-emergence of Somali nationhood. Thanks to the tireless efforts and sacrifices of Somalis themselves, we have a national representative outfit that deserves this Council's unswerving support. Members of the Council, it is in your hands for this entity to survive, to grow and to usher Somalia into tangible peace, reconciliation and stability. We have no doubt you will also play your part.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“The transition from war to consolidated peace is not without its problems. Quite often, it is associated with insecurity, an uncertain future and repeated cycles of violence. That is what Somalia is. This is not a situation never seen before. So it all depends on how the international community comes to look at Somalia again - in a different light. We hope it will do so, and do so soon, to avert the re-emergence of violence. For all genuine regional and international efforts to succeed in Somalia, it becomes necessary that all actors reach a common, objective and unbiased vision about the real tasks ahead. The TNG will need to continue to reach out to all concerned, with a View to achieving lasting peace.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“And, believe it or not, the people of Somalia are determined to press on for attention, even if they continue to receive indifference, neglect or bias. Somalia will not go away. Like many other nations emerging from long periods of conflict, Somalia remains a challenge that we ignore only at our own peril. Beyond moral and humanitarian concerns, Somalia has continued to be shunned; it has become yet another threat of unfathomable security dimensions, a breeding ground of terrorism and drug-trafficking and a centre of arms trade. So as we build a global coalition to root out international terrorism, we also need to think seriously about restoring hope and rebuilding shattered societies into tolerant, stable and peaceful places, rather than watching them degenerate slowly into cells of extremism, fundamentalism and terrorism.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“No doubt, such a group could help to facilitate the exchange of information about Somalia among interested parties, and we welcome that, but the TNG's paramount role need not be compromised. We strongly encourage the Council to forge a common view on Somalia with regard to assisting the people, including a reasonable and flexible response to the security issue, which is becoming the stumbling block to establishing a post-conflict peace-building mission. It would also be constructive to make a comprehensive security assessment, directed from New York Headquarters. Somalia today means different things to different people. For many, the wounds and misfortunes of eight years ago remain raw, as if inflicted only two or three months ago. Somalia had undergone tremendous cycles of bust and promise at that time.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“On the proposal for setting up a Committee of Friends, we have no objection in principle, if the overriding motivation behind it is to support the TNG in consolidating peace, stability and reconstruction, and if the TNG is seen, as it should be, as the cornerstone of future activities. The TNG, first and foremost, needs to be supported by all and accorded the requisite legitimacy, as this Council has done and continues to do, in Guinea-Bissau, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone and Liberia. We therefore cannot accept any equivocation, destruction or diversion from this central prerequisite. Normally a group of friends of a certain country constitutes a voluntary get-together of like-minded countries, as opposed to a gathering of divergent viewpoints and interests.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“Let us not forget that the TNG represents the will of the people of Somalia, irrespective of its fragility, its lack of resources and the lack of meaningful and credible support from the international community despite being the only recognized Somali national framework in existence today. The so-called Reconciliation and Restoration Council, in other words, has been condemned many times and has been warned to desist from obstructing and undermining efforts to achieve peace. Suffice it to say that we are deeply concerned not only by the casual manner of according a parallel status to this bunch of discredited criminals, but also by the dilution of and utter disregard for the popular will of Somali civil society, which has throughout borne the full brunt of egregious human rights violations perpetrated by the same individuals.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“In a number of paragraphs mention is made of the so-called Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) and its formation, objectives and communications with the Secretary-General. As far as we are concerned, this is not an entity that has an existence, context or relevance. If there is anything there, it is the rehabilitation, reincarnation and resuscitation of the otherwise vanishing phenomenon of warlordism in Somalia. The objective is nothing other than to hasten and bring about the early demise of the Transitional National Government itself.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“In June 2000 the Council's statement urged States and international organizations in a position to do so to give the Arta process political support. Furthermore, the Council expressed its readiness to consider taking appropriate steps against warlords and faction leaders who continued to obstruct and undermine efforts to achieve peace. In its press statement of 11 July 2001, the Council called upon all armed groups in Somalia to put down their weapons and to engage in peaceful dialogue with the Transitional National Government. As the Secretary-General's report states, the Organization of African Unity summit in Lusaka strongly condemned warlords who persist in their stubbornness in blocking the peace efforts in Somalia. That brings me to share our views on the Secretary-General's report.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“Not only did they opt to stay away, but they also embarked on obstructing and undermining the Conference in order to maintain the status quo. Despite their absence, genuine representatives from every district, region, clan, sub-clan and minorities converged at Arta, Djibouti. Indeed this was a people-oriented, people-led and people-driven process, embracing all segments of Somali society. This Council followed the Arta process with great interest from its inception. In its first statement on the matter, in November 1999, the Council welcomed the initiative of President Guelleh aimed at restoring peace and stability in Somalia. It endorsed the President's call on warlords to recognize fully and accept the principle that the people of Somalia are free to exercise their democratic right to choose their own leaders.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“In initiating this national dialogue, Djibouti was unambiguous. The process would be comprehensive in addressing all facets of Somalia's ills; it would be transparent, inclusive and independent of undue influences. The participation of leaders of factions and administrative regions was sought and aggressively pursued directly and indirectly throughout the Conference and since the formation of the new Government. The criteria for their participation were never spelled out in advance. The door has always been open, and it will continue to be open. But it was implicit that they had to affirm the unity and territorial integrity of the country, that they had to agree to peace, reconciliation and the primacy of law, and that they had to commit to complete and verifiable disarmament.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“The focus, though, has always remained on ways to bring together these feuding warlords in order to assist them to reach an agreement that will end their stalemate. All these efforts, however, as we all know, ended in vain. In Somalia, as in similar conflict situations elsewhere, more than 90 per cent of casualties in the last decade have been civilians. A whole generation of Somalis has grown up in cultures of warfare. It was against this backdrop that my President initiated a series of proposals at the General Assembly in September 1999. In a nutshell, he stated plainly that appeasing the warlords had not worked and never would. He exhorted the people of Somalia to come together to consider his proposals as an alternative to the never-ending squabble, prevarication and impotence of warlords.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“So catastrophic were the suffering and national unravelling that the international community had to intervene. As the Secretary- General's report (S/1999/882) on Somalia of 16 August 1999 stated, the country had degenerated into a "black hole" of anarchy. Time and time again the so-called leaders of Somalia, the rabble of warlords, were brought together in attempts at reconciliation, disarmament and restoration of government. We recall the successive conferences held until the end of 1997. The more they met and signed agreements, the more they disagreed subsequently. Many countries and organizations have worked tirelessly and relentlessly to restore a measure of governance in Somalia.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“It is almost a year since we last had a report on Somalia, and that long interval itself says much about where the international community stands in its support for the new institutions in Somalia. The entire world is too familiar with the events in Somalia over the last decade, in particular, its plunge into chaos, civil strife and near disintegration. No one will deny the contribution of numerous factors to this spectacle. Yet, likewise, no one will deny the overwhelming share of blame that must be placed at the feet of self-serving, greedy and criminal individuals. Through their domestic terrorism, divisiveness and continuous assaults on peace and security, they succeeded in driving Somalia beyond ruin to a virtual pariah status.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“Obviously, there is no better barometer of security than these patriotic individuals, who are not there for pay, comfort or power. More than anybody, they know what is at stake and what is justifiable or reasonably risky. They know what is exaggerated or irrational. We need to take into full consideration the sacrifices and determination of this truly international staff in determining the broader scope of security in Somalia. After a long wait and anxious moments, we have the Secretary-General's report on Somalia at last. We wish to express our gratitude to the Secretary-General, who has always displayed keen interest in restoring peace and stability to Somalia. We also recognize the Secretariat's efforts, in particular, those of Mr. David Stephen and his staff, including the many humanitarian aid workers in Somalia.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“He has made tremendous personal sacrifices in pursuit of national reconstruction, cohesion and reconciliation. It is important to mention that the Arta Peace Conference and the subsequent formation of the Transitional National Government attracted hundreds of qualified, talented and highly experienced Somali professionals from all parts of the world, particularly from Europe and North America. These individuals left behind their families, careers, well-paying jobs and secure and comfortable lifestyles, in order to meet the challenges and to nurture the nascent Government in its crucial task of nation-building. Like the international staff in Somalia, they have a deep sense of appreciation of the true dimension of security. They deeply care about security as they toil daily to restore a semblance of hope, sustenance and normalcy.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“I should like at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency for this month. Given your openness and clear insights and your sensitivity to the causes and consequences of many conflict situations before this body, as well as your vast diplomatic experience, we are, indeed, in good hands. May I also express our deep gratitude to your predecessor, Ambassador Jean-David Levitte of France, for steering the Council's deliberations last month to a successful conclusion. It is also with great pride and a distinct feeling of honour that I welcome Prime Minister Ali Khalif Galaydh and his delegation here this morning. I commend him for his patience and strength in the face of formidable odds and for his strenuous and tireless efforts.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392 (2001) · source
“It must also commit itself to restoring dignity, respect and sovereignty to the Palestinian people. Like all other peoples everywhere, they have the right to live in peace and to have a secure existence.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Among the immediate measures that are deemed urgent are: to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, including provocation, assassination and destruction, and for the lifting of the siege; to demand that Israel relinquish Orient House and the other Palestinian offices in and around Jerusalem; to urge the urgent resumption of the peace talks; to approve a monitoring mechanism to oversee the implementation of the proposals set out in the Mitchell Committee's report; and to demand that Israel relieve the economic pressure inflicted upon the Palestinian people, including releasing the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax money owed to the Palestinian Authority. Finally, the Council is called upon to heed and to exercise its Charter responsibility by ending the occupation which is the root cause of the persistent mayhem and suffering.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The more Israel employs the excessive power of repression, destruction and incursion, the more radical the Palestinian response becomes. There is no immediate end in sight under this scenario. And there is no alternative except mutually assured destruction. Against the backdrop of such an explosive situation, the Council needs to be proactive and, in accordance with its mandate under the Charter and with relevant resolutions, to take steps necessary to de- escalate the violence that has already claimed hundreds of lives and has caused thousands of casualties and senseless destruction.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The question is whether Israel will ever contemplate dismantling and relinquishing the illegal settlements to pave the way for a lasting peace with the Palestinians? As one would expect, the current Prime Minister of Israel, in an interview last April, ruled out the removal of Jewish settlements, claiming that they provided "essential strategic depth to protect Israel's existence". And, in another interview in the same month, he said he was "willing to accept the establishment of a Palestinian State on 42 per cent of the West Bank". So, in the context of that grim prospect, coupled with the failure of the peace process and the siege making life intolerable, the current widespread unrest was not unexpected. Now an escalation of rage and bitterness reigns.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Israel's 34-year-old occupation of Palestinian territory has long been condemned by the international community and by the Security Council as illegal and as a serious obstruction to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. In total disregard of repeated international demands, however, Israel has been vigorously pursuing the policy of extensive illegal settlements throughout the occupied territories. Those territories are today punctuated by Jewish settlements. The territory has been balkanized into about five dozen "bantustans" completely encircled by Israel. They are separated, with no territorial contiguity, no borders and no airspace. And travel between one bantustan and another is through Israeli checkpoints.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Israel cannot have one set of democratic principles and human rights standards for its own citizens and none at all extended to the Palestinian population under its occupation. It is a charade, to say the least. We condemn all acts of violence and killings directed against innocent civilian populations on both sides. As we all know, our attention is directed to the ever worsening situation through the day-to-day reports. We tend to focus on the disturbing accounts of the moment, often forgetting that this is yet one more side effect of a lingering, pervasive and much larger problem, namely, occupation - perhaps one of the longest, if not the longest, foreign occupation of a people in modern history.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“For it is inconceivable that a nation that professes to respect universal values and norms is the one that at the same time pursues, as a matter of policy, cruel and discriminatory practices against the Palestinians, administering the notions of democracy and human rights as they relate to Palestinians as an option and not as an inalienable right as we know it. The lack, therefore, of any legal or moral basis for the continued colonization of the Palestinian people in this age and era, coupled with the phenomenal growth in illegal settlements, place Israel outside the self-proclaimed democratic and ethical norms at the centre of its foundation and continued existence.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The economic effects of the Israeli blockade, now almost a year old, in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip are alarming, with rising unemployment and falling incomes as people grapple with perhaps the most severe movement restrictions imposed on the Palestinian population and territory since 1967, according to a United Nations study just released. The restrictions on movement in and out of Palestinian areas and between towns and villages are having dire consequences on all economic activities and on the livelihood of the people. The self-sustaining claim that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East is fast becoming a myth.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Such a policy is at best counterproductive, and at worst simply misguided, fuelling sentiments of distrust, hatred, despair and anger Relying on repressive measures alone - brutality, collective punishment, assassinations, demolitions and denial, and including unrealistic demands - cannot bring enhanced security to Israel. It has the right to security and to live in peace. Unfortunately, Israel has trapped itself in a vicious cycle of violence, leaving no room for diplomacy. This is a grave political blunder that requires serious rethinking.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“On one side, we have a nuclear power with the latest cutting-edge technology in air power, missiles, tanks, a superb navy and state-of-the- art intelligence. On the other side, we have young stone-throwers and men with basic weapons - with no armour, no artillery, no navy or any air defences. Obviously, this large-scale military campaign by Israel is intended to coerce the Palestinians into submission and into accepting impossible conditions, or else face prolonged siege, expulsions or even the crippling of the Palestinian Authority. Anything is possible under the current climate.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The continuous brutal acts of aggression by Israel - entering and attacking Palestinian-controlled areas in gross violation of agreements reached; targeting and destroying police headquarters, police stations, government facilities and infrastructures; and occupying the very symbols of Palestinian nationhood - all indicate to us the determination of the occupying Power to paralyse Palestinian institutions and their Authority in order to create a security vacuum. The insistence by Israel on a ceasefire from the Palestinians while offering nothing in return - tangible or intangible - makes a mockery of its desire for security and peace. The overwhelming, brazen show of power by Israel simply highlights the glaring disparity of the forces.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“If there is any contact at all, it is through the barrel of the gun. What a dreadful scenario, and what an alternative to the joy, warm handshakes and the high hopes pinned on the Oslo Declaration of Principles, of 1993, and on the so many subsequent negotiations, however protracted and less fruitful than they might have been. What we are witnessing today is a war of attrition, which may grow into a regional war unless there is an immediate intervention by the international community. The Security Council cannot continue to stay on the sidelines.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I wish to congratulate you most warmly, Mr. President, at the outset, for assuming the presidency of the Council for this month, in which you have already displayed your diplomatic and political acumen. May I also extend our gratitude to your predecessor, Ambassador Wang Yingfan of China, for his effective leadership last month. Against the background of repeated broken promises, failure to honour previous agreements and a litany of assurances unfulfilled, the situation in the Middle East is crying out for urgent help as it inches towards a conflagration, with both the Palestinians and the Israelis displaying mounting resolve to make the sacrifices necessary in the effort to break each other's will. All forms of contacts have ceased, and relations between the Palestinians and Israel, the occupying Power, are almost non-existent.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The Government of Djibouti is fully aware that IGAD, OAU member States, the European Union, the League of Arab States and the United Nations have all welcomed, fully supported or endorsed the initiative and the peace plan. It is to be hoped that their support for the Conference, as well as for the outcome of the Conference, will be readily available. The draft presidential statement to be issued following this debate goes a long way to recognizing the current state of affairs in Somalia and the efforts under way. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all members of the Council for their renewed tireless efforts for the revival of that nation, which experienced collapse some 10 years ago and which is now making every effort to come back and take its rightful place in the community of nations.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“A clear consensus is emerging that holds that this may be the last opportunity to salvage Somalia, and that it must be seized. The process is open, as I have already said; it is transparent and inclusive, and it has been beneficial to all Somalis. They can never go back or relapse to the era of the 19905. They have awakened and have the will to continue until they attain their legitimate rights. Let me emphasize once again that the Conference truly represents the broadest, most participatory assemblage ever in Somalia's history. Never before has an important gathering been so representative nationally across the country and so deeply representative in terms of clan, class and economic standing. It has been acknowledged by Somalis everywhere as unique. There is no place for scepticism, false pride or mutual jealousy.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“The standard practice has been to concentrate indefinitely on the adversaries and on repeated attempts to bring them together in agreement. Djibouti, however, has reversed that strategy because of repeated failures with the warlords over the past decade, and has sought instead to empower the disenfranchised and unarmed civilian population: the vast majority; the ones who are really suffering; the ones who were betrayed. The people saw this as their last chance, given the level of pervasive hopelessness. President Guelleh's call struck the right chord. The people began challenging the armed groups and other small dictators, to claim their legitimate rights, demanding peace, government and their future. So, Somalia appears to be on its way to getting back on track towards genuine dialogue.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Prime among them are: causes and consequences of the civil strife; human rights; healing and reconciliation; overcoming the past; the national capital; rebuilding the State; return of property unlawfully confiscated; negative economic and social consequences; disarmament and security; and transitional mechanisms, including the constitution, legislature, Government and judiciary. The list of tasks is impressive. The Conference is expected to conclude its work by 15 July and to culminate in the establishment of a transitional assembly and in the election of a president and a prime minister. The Conference, and the entire process, can well be seen as an innovative approach to the question of conflict-resolution and nation-building.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Most important of all, we have made certain that the Conference should be - and should be seen to be - fully representative of the entire Somali society: no sector, group, region or individual is excluded, even those individuals with name recognition who make headlines with their refusal to participate and who speak only for themselves and not for the people in their respective regions. Defying all odds, the people have all come from every district and region of the entire country, regardless of whether a certain leader is for or against the Conference. The second phase of the Somalia National Peace Conference has made great progress, discussing a wide range of issues.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Anyone who refuses to be part of the Somali peace process will be left behind. Then it will be up to the Somali people to decide what to do about them." The international community needs to be cautious and to avoid showing an unwarranted tendency to entertain ideas that impinge on the territorial integrity of Somalia through spurious guises and approaches. Djibouti, conscious of possible or contrived allegations, has taken into full consideration all areas of concern.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“There are, of course, some who derive considerable benefit out of the current chaotic drift in Somalia and who are in the business of continuously issuing misleading, false and baseless statements against the Conference because they are determined to thwart any meaningful attempt to restore a sovereign national framework in Somalia. In the war-ravaged and politically fragmented Somalia, the situation encourages individuals to pursue profit motives and the accumulation of personal wealth at the expense of national cohesion. So there is an economic dimension to the refusal of some to come to terms with reality, and certainly some of the current rancour is not internal in character. As my President has stated: "The majority should not remain captive any longer to a few who would not care for the future of the Somali people.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“A clear separation, therefore, between central and regional powers, as well as the separation of powers between the branches of government, including a system of accountability, checks and balances, are of paramount importance. The agenda items before the Conference seek to instil a decentralized system of governance, be it regional or federal. Our approach is holistic, as are those of IGAD, the OAU and the United Nations, insofar as this process embraces the whole of Somalia as one entity. An approach which is not holistic is unrealistic and the onus lies on those who diverge to demonstrate otherwise. The Conference is the only forum for tackling pernicious and divisive national issues.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“We have clearly stated all along that the current process is not designed to undermine any of the existing administrative regions that have achieved a measure of relative peace and stability. On the contrary, these units will be key components of any national framework. The ultimate objective of the entire process will be peace, government, legitimacy and reconstruction. It was important, however, to guard the process against divisive personal, clan or regional politics, preset prescriptions and narrow agendas associated with a few individuals or a specific clan or clans. Many Somalis believe that a central Government enjoying absolute, almost stifling power, accountable to a single person alone, contributed largely to clannism, corruption, waste and excessive violations of human rights.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“The President of Djibouti himself visited a number of countries, both within and outside the region, to advance the process and delegations were sent to various regions of Somalia to consult with traditional and political leaders. In March and April of this year, a number of events took place, including a symposium that brought together over 60 Somali professionals, administrators, peace activists and academics, about 20 elders to consult extensively with the President and over 30 businessmen. All these groups issued statements and recommendations. We have undertaken all these efforts to broaden the base of consultations in order to render the process inclusive and transparent.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Try to establish a new State that is different from the failed one, based on healthy and strong pillars, responsive to the real needs and true aspirations of the masses and based on justice, fairness, democracy and respect for the rights of the individual." He continued, saying: "The State must be free from past ills, including abuse of State authority, oppression and dictatorship, clannism and neglect of the common good, disrespect and disregard of the law, misappropriating State property and treating it as personal property, and disrespect for good Somali values and Islamic teachings." Even prior to the Conference, there was a flurry of activity as Somalis continuously descended on Djibouti, seeking more information and clarification, as well as providing valuable input into the preparatory phase.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Over 900 official delegates and more than 1,000 others from everywhere are participating in the second phase, which started on 15 June. Opening the second phase, President Ismail Omar Guelleh warned the Somali people not to repeat past mistakes that led to the collapse of the State. He was blunt in his remarks, and said: "If the disease is not properly diagnosed, if people do not ask what went wrong, if they are not careful to avoid falling into the trap again, all those efforts will be in vain. Please keep that in mind. You may want to discuss and analyse the source of Somalia's demise as a State and how to prevent it from ever occurring again. Learn from history. Make sure that the new State that you are about to reorganize does not carry within itself the germ that may terminate it in the future.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“The first phase of the Conference, which had been preceded by a great deal of preparation over the previous nine months, began in Djibouti on 2 May and concluded in early June. This was the most difficult phase of the process, since it was devoted exclusively to healing, reconciliation and overcoming the past. More than 200 elders and traditional leaders from every part of the country conducted intensive intra- and inter-clan dialogue, seeking to reconcile, forgive one another, overcome a painful past and prepare the ground for the second phase of the Conference, dealing with political issues. This phase was the central pillar of the whole process, and special recognition goes to the tenacity, wisdom and sincerity of the elders.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Responding to the historic statement of my President, Ismail Omar Guelleh, at the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly last year, in which he called for the citizens of Somalia to make themselves heard in order to see to it that their interests, needs, well-being and future received priority, the people of Somalia began to speak out in near unison. Their action was overwhelming and spontaneous, encouraging Djibouti to formalize its proposals in an initiative which received successive support from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the League of Arab States, the United Nations Secretary-General and, of course, this Council.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“As has been said so often, correcting this dreadful situation is largely the responsibility of Africa, its people and regional organizations and their sustained and demonstrated will. But it has often also been recognized and stated that the continent cannot be expected to do it alone, without outside help. Where there is evidence of a determination of the people to resolve their problems, the international community should be relied upon to play a constructive role in achieving a final resolution. With regard to Somalia, such an occasion has fortunately presented itself.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“As we have pointed out in previous statements, it came to be seen that the essential premise, rationale and basis of this continuing conflict were all false and that in the final analysis, the sum total of what was at stake was little more than the excessive egos, personal agendas and fantasies of grandeur of a self-anointed few. The utter disregard for the state and condition of unarmed civilians was stunning to the outside world and became more so as the years rolled by with no apparent resolution in sight. Sadly, the problem of the warlords is not confined to Somalia, but is found in all corners of the African continent, if not throughout the world. The recent, if not continuing histories of Liberia, Angola, Sierra Leone, Congo and other countries provide a widespread and disturbing regional tapestry of violence and conflict.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“The victorious factions and clans simply turned their weapons upon each other. This violent interfactional fighting resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Somalis and spread an inevitable air of doom over the country's very survival. We are all aware of the international community's reaction in the early part of the past decade and its intervention to prevent total disaster and save the country. However, with little to lose, certain faction leaders chose to challenge the United Nations presence in the country and, with the withdrawal of United Nations peacekeeping forces, the situation once again began a spiralling descent into chaos and insecurity. Time and again, golden opportunities to bring this self-destruction to a halt have been cynically ignored.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“Clearly, the financial burdens and pressures of this all-out effort have proved daunting for a country of Djibouti's size and resources. Djibouti therefore urgently calls on the international community, which has an interest in the final achievement of Somalia's rebirth, to contribute generously to this enormous burden, almost exclusively borne by us thus far. For over a decade Somalia has been an international concern, as well as an embarrassment. The very word "Somalia" has come to denote international failure and futility in restoring peace, security and order in a troubled country. Following the widespread revolt against brutal oppression and mismanagement, the country was plunged deeper into chaos and sustained life without government, administration, services or peace.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“We have also brought in over 40 Somali singers, composers, poets and comedians to drive home the culture of peace, accommodation and brotherhood. The meeting itself is held in a giant tent. There are no class or social distinctions evident among the participants, who include over 100 women, representatives of all minorities in Somalia, a number of warlords and all clans. A distinctive feature of this Conference has been the extensive coverage of the proceedings by satellite and on the Internet, allowing Somalis and other interested observers to follow the Conference from anywhere around the globe on a daily basis. The web site "Somalia-rebirth", which we started, receives some 5,000 hits per day and is evidence of the widespread interest in the Conference.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source