In
Somalia,
Kenya Wants UN
to Fund Its
Troops,
Silence on
Port Blockade
Call
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 14 --
Kenya's action
in Somalia has
been discussed
on the margins
of the UN
Security
Council and
with its
President for
November --
but not in any
formal Council
meeting.
Kenya's
Ambassador
to the UN
Macharia Kamau
is reported to
have "urged
the Council
to assist in
deployment of
African Union
(Amisom)
troops to
areas
dominated by
the
al-Shabaab."
But when Inner
City Press
asked a
Permanent
Member of the
Security
Council about
this Kenya
request,
the answer was
"maybe he said
it to
Ambassador
Cabral" of
Portugal,
November's
president.
Inner
City Press
asked Cabral,
who said what
had been
discussed was
"re-hatting"
the Kenyan
troops in
southern
Somalia as
part of the
AMISON force
--
and having the
UN pay them.
Cabral was
dubious this
would be
accepted.
Kenyan
Ambassador
Kamau also
said he is
"still pushing
for Security
Council
members to
initiate a
naval blockade
of Kismayu."
Inner City
Press asked
Cabral if this
meant a block
on traffic
which Al
Shabaab
is reportedly
taxing. Cabral
said he
understood the
request to
only
be enforcement
of the arms
embargo.
But
since Kenya
has complained
that al
Shabaab gets
its revenue by
taxing goods
in
the port,
Inner City
Press also
asked
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Martin Nesirky
if Ban or his
envoy
Augustine
Mahiga have
any comment on
the call to
blockade a
port, as could
relate to
civilians.
(c) UN Photo
Kamau of Kenya
and Ban
Ki-moon, port
blockade &
$ for troops
not shown
Nesirky said
he would
check, just as
he has said
without
further follow
up to previous
Inner City
Press
questions on
Somalia.
When
will the
Security
Council openly
address and
discuss
Kenya's cross
border move
into Somalia?
If it doesn't,
how can it
criticize
other cross
border
moves? Watch
this site.
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