| President Yoweri Museveni has advised European powers that the only way of fighting pirates in Somalia is to build a strong government in that war torn Horn of Africa country.
President Museveni, who was today meeting members of the European Security Committee that is drawn from Generals of the European Union member states armies at State House Entebbe, pointed out that the pirates do not sleep and stay in water. “Unless these pirates live in water, which I doubt, the solution to ocean piracy is to ensure a stable government in Somalia”, Mr. Museveni told the European Generals. President Museveni told his visitors that air superiority over the Somali territory will ensure that Al-Qaeda does not use Somali airspace to ferry in arms. He said that controlling Somali airspace will go a long way in ensuring that arms are not smuggled into that country. The President said that Uganda is willing to raise the 20,000 soldiers needed for the stabilization of the war torn country. “What your armies need are sea carriers to control the Somali airspace, not to fight with pirates because they do not live in the sea”, he said. He further told them that there was also need to control the Indian Ocean coastlines. The President said that pacifying Somalia needs a few committed African countries adding that “it should be a coalition for the willing with military capacity not for everybody because this is not a celebration”, he said. He proposed that the African Union force should be composed of a few states but with capacity led by one country. “This idea of collecting companies from African armies cannot work. We should look for armies with battalions whose armies are capable”, he said. He also defended the Transitional Somali government. “I hear people who accuse the interim government of being weak. It was weak from day one. That’s why the African Union decided that it needed an army to protect it”, he noted. Mr. Museveni said that the anti-African Union sentiment in Somalia is fuelled by foreigners from Asia. “Why do these Al-Qaeda foreigners from Asia tell us to leave? They are the foreigners who should leave Somalia for Africans”, he said. “We went to protect national institutions but now we are controlling more than we are supposed to protect because we have defeated Al-Qaeda in all their attempts to attack us”, he said. Mr. Museveni explained that the UPDF and Burundi are in Somalia to protect the African Union formula. “If these people want peace, why don’t they wait and build the government and give the Somalis opportunity to choose the system they want? He asked. He, however, noted that Somalia must remain as a united country irrespective of the political system the people use. He said that there was no need to attack the African Union forces under the African Union flag because it is not an army of occupation. “Our role is to help the Somalis during the transition period and thereafter put strong state institutions. Uganda, he said, is helping Somalia because of its African tradition and culture. He said that Uganda can raise the required 20,000 alone given logistics and equipment. “We need decisiveness not numbers”, the President said. He gave examples like Uganda during Amin’s time which was liberated by forces led by Tanzania; the frontline states that led to the liberation of Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. The liberation struggle, Museveni said, was led by a few African countries but supported by the continental body. This, he said, is what is needed in Somalia. On the Sudan, President Museveni said that the referendum should be held in time; failure to do so, Mr. Museveni warned, will not help those behind delaying the referendum. The Chairman of the European Military Committee, Swedish General Hakan Syren, explained to the President the role of the European Defence Committee. He told the President where the committee has been involved in conflict resolution. He thanked President Museveni for Uganda’s involvement in peace making. |