Eritrea says Somalia peace efforts 'doomed to fail'

AFRICA NEWS

Somalia floods leave thousands homeless
Devastating floods left an estimated 12,000 people homeless in southern Somalia, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, local residents and aid workers said Tuesday. The floods triggered by torrential rains started sweeping residential areas in Bardhere, some 440 kilometres (270 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu, on Monday. "The floods swept away houses and businesses inside the town. There are at least 700 families who had to flee their homes," local town elder Moalim Adan Muse told AFP by phone. Ahmed Omar, a local aid worker whose family was also among those affected by the floods, said the overall number of people made homeless by the floods was estimated at around 12,000. "The floods followed heavy rains that hit surrounding areas on Monday and Tuesday. They have left about 12,000 people homeless by now. The residents are desperate and staying in makeshift houses made of plastic sheeting and sticks which they have erected on higher ground," he said. "We sent a team to assess the number of people left homeless and they are estimating more than 10,000 people who lived in four of the town's neighbourhoods were directly affected and fled their homes," said Mohamed Idris Yusuf, a member of the crisis committee set by up the local authorities. "We fear the Jubba river can also burst its banks if the rains continues in this part of the region," Abdinasir Warsame, another local elder, told AFP. The Horn of Africa country is already grappling with a dire humanitarian situation caused by an ongoing civil conflict, as well as drought in some other regions and rising global food prices.

by Staff Writers
Nairobi (AFP) Nov 4, 2008
Eritrea said Tuesday that regional and UN efforts to restore stability in Somalia are doomed to fail and urged foreigners to let Somalis resolve their problems.

Eritrea's government stressed "the solution to the problems in Somalia can only be ensured through the determination, choice, and participation of the entire people of Somalia," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Asmara is "also certain that the conspiracies that are being weaved by Washington, with the servitude of the regime in Ethiopia, and facilitation of IGAD, is doomed to fail," the statement said.

Last week, an Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) summit urged fueding Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein to reconcile and form a new government in a bid to end nearly two decades of bloodletting.

Eritrea also rubbished recent deals reached between the Somali transitional government and its main Islamist-dominated political opposition group to end fighting and pave the way for Ethiopian troops to pull out of the country.

The deals, reached on October 26 at UN-mediated talks in Djibouti, violate "the territorial integrity of Somalia," and are "dangerous and conspiratorial engagements."

Ethiopian troops entered Somalia in late 2006 and helped oust Islamist militants who had taken control of much of the country.

Since then, the insurgents have waged a guerrilla war, saying they would only meet the government for peace talks after Ethiopian troops pull out of the country.

The UN and US have accused Eritrea of aiding Somali rebels, a claim rejected by Asmara.

Somalia has lacked an effective government since the 1991 ouster of president Mohamed Siad Barre touched off a bloody power struggle that has defied numerous attempts to restore stability.

Founded in 1986, IGAD has six active members: Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. Eritrea's membership was suspended in 2007 and has rejected several invitations to rejoin the group.

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AFRICA NEWS

Opposition gains in Zambia on worries about China: analysts

Lusaka (AFP) Nov 3, 2008
Zambia's new President Rupiah Banda won last week's election with promises of stability, but the opposition's strong showing highlighted concerns of the poor, especially over Chinese investment, analysts said Monday.

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