Jerry Rawlings says situation in Somalia is ‘complex minefield

The situation in Somalia is a complex minefield whose solution lies with the people of Somalia and not outsiders, and therefore the need to change tact in addressing it, said former President of Ghana Jerry Rawlings.Rawlings, who is Africa Union’s High Representative to Somalia, said in Nairobi that part of the solution to the Somali crisis requires the drawing of a new constitution for the country and talking to the moderates of the Islamic insurgent group, the Al Shabaab.

“Many people are wondering why I took up this assignment.“Since my appointment, I have done a little bit of reading about the situation in Somalia and come to the conclusion it needs a homegrown solution,” the 64-year-old told journalists late on Thursday.Rawlings said that the situation in the war-torn country required enormous financial and logistical resources.“Kenya is very stressed because of the war in Somalia and in my capacity as the High Representative to the Horn of Africa nation I will take my request to other countries to assist Somalis' quest for freedom that has reached a level that it creates a problem for all of us,” Rawlings said at a recent international press briefing.Rawlings, who said he is in the country to pay respects to the President and the people of Kenya for what the country is doing to assist Somali refugees, said violence that does not bring a “cleansing effect of justice is a perpetration of injustice.”Rawlings said the AU soldiers are doing their best with limited resources to fight a very complex war, though he wondered whether the AMISOM forces can sustain the onslaught against the ragtag insurgents.“It is very difficult fighting casually dressed people in crowded towns.“In such instances you become a sitting duck.“For every one terror element you are looking for, there are ten other people engaged in the war and need to earn a living.”The AU envoy said the activities of the Al Qaeda-backed fighters has blurred the genuine quest for freedom by the citizens who he said in the past have been hounded been hounded servitude by successive governments.He defended the extension of the term of the Transitional Federal Government by three years saying it was the closest to being described as a political national platform.“Though the parliament was not elected, it took the representatives three years to come together to form what can be described as the only institution that enjoys a national representation,” Rawlings said.The appointment of Rawlings is a follow-up to the decision on the report of the Peace and Security Council of the AU on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa which was adopted by the Assembly of the Union at its 15th Ordinary Session in Kampala, Uganda in July 2010.In that decision, the Assembly of the Union requested the Chairperson of the Commission to appoint a high-level personality to mobilise increased support for efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Somalia and generate greater attention from the international community.Rawlings’ mandate includes undertaking advocacy work to further mobilise the continent and the rest of the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and contribute more actively to the quest for peace, security and reconciliation in Somalia.He is required to work in close coordination with the countries of the region, the UN, including the Security Council and its members, the European Union, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Conference and other bilateral and multilateral partners.Source: jjrawlings.wordpress.com