Ben Agina And Andrew Teyie
10 January 2004
Nairobi — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni yesterday described the civil war in Somalia as slow genocide.
He said the bloody civil war threatened to wipe out an entire generation of youthful Somalis.
" A whole generation will soon be wiped out in Somalia," warned Museveni.
He urged the warring leaders to embrace dialogue and bring to an end a decade of civil war.
Museveni urged Somalis to embrace dialogue as the only way out of the crisis.
Museveni, who is the Chairman of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government was speaking at the Safari Park Hotel where he launched the Somali Leaders Retreat.
The Ugandan President, who left the country yesterday, said there are four urgent things the Somali leaders ought to do.
He told them to observe a ceasefire and also form a government of national unity with a single army.
He said the leaders should also strive to restore the country's sovereignty and focus on improving the economy.
"Its a mockery of our independence if we deny our people their sovereignty," said Museveni.
Museveni said he was ready to come back to Nairobi or go to Mogadishu to ensure that the peace process is speeded up.
The chairman of the IGAD Partners Forum Ambassador Carlo Ungaro said the Partners Forum was deeply committed to the Somali peace process.
He expressed hope that the chance of reconciliation was still there despite disagreements from the warring groups.
Ungaro urged the Somali leaders to avoid pointing fingers at one another.
" Lets look forward. We have all made mistakes which we can surmount. Lets try and respect one another," said Ungaro.
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