AU must not dodge duty
Jul 26, 2010
EDITOR—After the recent bombings in Kampala, many people have called for the withdrawal of Ugandan troops under AMISOM from Somalia. However, President Museveni has declared war on the al-Shabaab who claim responsibility for the attacks.
EDITOR—After the recent bombings in Kampala, many people have called for the withdrawal of Ugandan troops under AMISOM from Somalia. However, President Museveni has declared war on the al-Shabaab who claim responsibility for the attacks.
Lessons from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia itself show that we probably will not win unless we follow in the footsteps of Sri Lanka’s Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is next to impossible.
I call for the African Union to join Uganda and Burundi in continuing to maintain peace in Somalia. Uganda and Burundi did not go to Somalia out of their own volition. Their mandate, is part of the AU resolution under AMISOM created by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council on January 19, 2007.
Uganda was the first country to contribute troops to AMISOM in March 2007 and Burundi followed in 2008. Unfortunately, the force is still far short of the 8,000 soldiers initially announced by the AU. To-date, no other country has fulfilled their mandate and thus Uganda and Burundi are being targeted by al- Shabaab.
If the AU countries that pledged soldiers do so, they will not only be able to improve the situation, but also make it more challenging for the al-Shabaab to attack every country that supports AMISOM with troops. The AU must not dodge responsibility and should play their part because Al- Shabaab is a regional threat.
Daniel R. Ruhweza
USA
Lessons from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia itself show that we probably will not win unless we follow in the footsteps of Sri Lanka’s Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is next to impossible.
I call for the African Union to join Uganda and Burundi in continuing to maintain peace in Somalia. Uganda and Burundi did not go to Somalia out of their own volition. Their mandate, is part of the AU resolution under AMISOM created by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council on January 19, 2007.
Uganda was the first country to contribute troops to AMISOM in March 2007 and Burundi followed in 2008. Unfortunately, the force is still far short of the 8,000 soldiers initially announced by the AU. To-date, no other country has fulfilled their mandate and thus Uganda and Burundi are being targeted by al- Shabaab.
If the AU countries that pledged soldiers do so, they will not only be able to improve the situation, but also make it more challenging for the al-Shabaab to attack every country that supports AMISOM with troops. The AU must not dodge responsibility and should play their part because Al- Shabaab is a regional threat.
Daniel R. Ruhweza
USA