11 January 2004
Nairobi — Somalia is a sad tale, indeed. Since the January 1991 collapse of dictator Siad Barre's regime, there has been no recognised central government. As a result, the state called Somalia has practically disappeared from the world map.
The clan warfare raging in Somalia has serious ramifications internally and on the neighbouring countries. The neighbours have had to deal with an influx of refugees and the spillover of violence as weapons are smuggled across borders.
The ongoing Nairobi peace talks, though welcome, are the 14th time such discussions have been held. And this latest round - which has lasted over a year - is making pretty little progress.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the current head of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), couldn't have put it better in his warning to the rival warlords that the international community is losing its patience.
Regrettably, the deep divisions between the various groups are still too painfully evident. However, the Somali rivals must realise that the time put aside personal interests and differences and promote the wider interests of their country and people is now.
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