UN concerned over deteriorating security in Kismayo and Mogadishu

Press Statement
Geneva, 31 March 1998. At the launch of the 1998 United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Somalia through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mr. Dominik Langenbacher, expressed the deep concern of the UN Agencies working in Somalia over renewed inter-clan clashes in the city of Kismayo and a rise in banditry and insecurity in Mogadishu.

In the city of Kismayo, ongoing inter-clan hostilities, with over one hundred reported casualties, are threatening the safe delivery of urgently needed humanitarian emergency supplies and the safety of UN staff who are involved in their distribution in the Juba Valley. Moreover, Langenbacher added, Athe hostilities and the theft of humanitarian supplies threaten the health and the lives of innocent civilians and prevent the United Nations from assisting those most at risk. I call upon the factional and traditional leaders in AJubaland to resolve their differences by peaceful means.

In addition to the attacks in Kismayo, Langenbacher said that Ain Mogadishu, over a period of only five days, two UN and one Saudi Arabian humanitarian convoys have been attacked with heavy weapons and looted. Langenbacher stressed that the UN would find it extremely difficult to operate in such an environment. He strongly appealed to the local political and traditional leaders to take action. AI strongly appeal to the city's leadership, he said, Aboth factional and traditional, to do what they can to suppress lawlessness and to reassert control. The time has come to act decisively and in collaboration so as to assure a positive future for the long suffering population of Mogadishu..

Langenbacher reconfirmed the UN's commitment and full cooperation with Mogadishu's leaders, once an acceptable level of security had been achieved in the city. AThe UN stands ready to assist in any way that we feasibly can, he said, Awe are looking forward to working with Mogadishu's leadership in a secure environment in the near future. He reiterated his readiness to assist in the re-opening of the air - and seaports of Mogadishu under a unified administration which can also provide the necessary security for full UN operations to resume.

The 1998 UN Appeal for Somalia seeks US$ 79 Million in donor funding for joint UN and NGO programmes for operational support, emergencies, food security, re-integration, rehabilitation and governance. As new flooding threatens the South of Somalia the United Nations Agencies have also appealed for an additional US$ 15.3 Million for the inter-agency flood response together with NGO's.

For further information contact:

Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Complex Emergency Response / Consolidated Appeal Process (CERCAP)
2, chemin des Coudriers, CH-1209 Geneva. Switzerland. Tel.: (41-22) 788 63 84

Office of the Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Dominik Langenbacher
Nairobi Kenya. Tel.: (254-2) 448 434. Fax.: (254-2) 448 4391

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