As
Kenya Soldier
Kills 6 Somali
Civilians, UN
Accountable,
Mahiga Cancels
Q&A
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 24
-- For weeks
the UN's envoy
on Somalia
Augustine
Mahiga has declined to
comment as the
Kenyan Navy as
fired
shells into
the town of
Kismayo,
killing
civilians in
mid-August.
Inner
City Press
asked
repeatedly
about it, and
was finally provided
with a three
week old
statement by
the UN's
humanitarian
on Somalia
Mark Bowden,
since
re-assigned to
Afghanistan.
On
September 24,
after reports
that a Kenyan
ground soldier
who is part
of the UN
supported
AMISOM force
shot and
killed at
least six
civilians,
Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Martin Nesirky
what
standards for
accountability
in such cases
the UN has,
for armed
forces it
supports. Video
here, from
Minute 31.
Nesirky,
who
had previously
responded that
forces should
"show maximum
restraint" but
had not
answered on
accountability
when less then
maximum, or
no, restraint
has been
shown,
insisted that
he had
already
answered the
question. He
also said that
the question
could
be put to
Mahiga
himself, who
had a
scheduled 4:30
pm press
conference at
the UN.
And
then, just
before 4 pm,
Mahiga
canceled his
press
conference. So
who
is going to
answer the
question?
There is a
September 26
"mini
summit" on
Somalia, on
the sidelines
of the UN
General
Assembly.
Watch this
site.
, 
