State Department Spokesman Robert Wood said today:
"His removal is a welcome step on the road to peace. He has caused nothing but havoc for the people of Congo and frankly for the people of the region. He has been causing havoc for far too long. I think this was a good sign of cooperation among those governments to try to get at Mr. Nkunda, General Nkunda, but I can not give you a much broader assessment at this point. I just don't know.
"Africa is going to be a priority for Secretary Clinton and trying to foster cooperation by countries in the region, particularly in the region of Congo, is very important. The violence has been going on for much too long and the secretary knows that and so does the president. They are going to take a very strong interest in trying to promote peace and stability on the continent in general."
Friday, January 23, 2009
Nkunda Arrested
Major Jill Rutaremara, the Rwandan military spokesman, says in a report on VOA that General Laurent Nkunda was arrested for obstructing military operations currently being carried out jointly by Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a surprising turn of events the two countries announced earlier this week that Congo would allow Rwandan soldiers on its soil to assist in fighting the FDLR, a well-armed group of Hutu rebels accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide that killed 800,000 Tutsis in Rwanda.
Before the operation began, Nkunda's authority of his own rebel group, the CNDP, was challenged and many of his officers, led by General Bosco Ntaganda, joined forces with the Congolese army to fight the FDLR.
More than 1,500 Rwandan troops crossed into the DRC Tuesday to help Congolese troops hunt down and disarm Rwandan Hutu rebels who fled to the country in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Capt. Olivier Hamuli, military spokesman in DRC, confirmed that Nkunda had been arrested in Rwandan territory last night. The arrest was made after Nkunda ordered his troops to resist Congolese soldiers.
Nkunda's forces have been fighting the Congolese army since he defected in 2004. Nkunda, who is a Tutsi, claimed to be protecting the Tutsi of eastern Congo from the FDLR. The last fighting between Nkunda and the army occurred late last year, and left 250,000 people displaced in eastern Congo.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Reflections on The Obama Inauguration, Africa and Transitions
I've seen and experienced many things in my life, some good, some evil -- many of them recorded here from my time in Africa. And as I watched Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, I had to think about some of those times.
Like the time, in my final year in Kenya, when a man showed up at my office in Nairobi from Uganda. He told me he had come by my office in the press center to announce he was going to take up the armed struggle against President Yoweri Museveni.
I asked him why and he explained he had been in the opposition in Uganda but he and his supporters were fed up and wanted to overthrow the government. I asked him if he had ever considered running for office and fighting for peaceful change of power.
He looked at me as if I had come from another planet and simply dismissed the question. "There is no point in that," he said.
And he went on quickly to reveal his group intended to stage a strike soon against government forces -- in western Uganda, as I recall. Did I want to report on their plans and interview him about it?
I told him I had no patience anymore for his kind of violence, for his view of government transition.
And I asked him to leave.
He was dumbfounded. But I felt somehow a better person for what I had said and done.
And that brings me back to today, Inauguration Day in the United States.
It can be done peacefully and cordially and with grace, even by those who have suffered the indignities and abuses of society.
Yes we can.
Like the time, in my final year in Kenya, when a man showed up at my office in Nairobi from Uganda. He told me he had come by my office in the press center to announce he was going to take up the armed struggle against President Yoweri Museveni.
I asked him why and he explained he had been in the opposition in Uganda but he and his supporters were fed up and wanted to overthrow the government. I asked him if he had ever considered running for office and fighting for peaceful change of power.
He looked at me as if I had come from another planet and simply dismissed the question. "There is no point in that," he said.
And he went on quickly to reveal his group intended to stage a strike soon against government forces -- in western Uganda, as I recall. Did I want to report on their plans and interview him about it?
I told him I had no patience anymore for his kind of violence, for his view of government transition.
And I asked him to leave.
He was dumbfounded. But I felt somehow a better person for what I had said and done.
And that brings me back to today, Inauguration Day in the United States.
It can be done peacefully and cordially and with grace, even by those who have suffered the indignities and abuses of society.
Yes we can.
Obama Is Now President: His Inaugural Speech
REMARKS OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
Inaugural Address
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Washington, D.C.
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Inaugural Address
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Washington, D.C.
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Washington Mall Packed: Two Million or More?
The Washington Mall, as far as I can see, is packed full of people assembled for the inauguration of Barack Obama -- still another two plus hours away. I suspect the prediction of two million visitors may be exceeded -- and that will make this the largest crowd ever gathering for a Presidential inauguration! The Park Service will issue a crowd estimate based on aerial photos. But I understand that won't come until possibly later in the week. So what you hear today will be guess-timates. Still, it's a whole lot of people with a terrific festive energy despite the cold.
Schedule of Inaugural Events: Obama At Church Now Before Meeting Bush at White House Just Before Going to Capitol
President-elect Obama and his wife have just gone to a private church service near the White House. After that is when the following events will take place (all times are local Washington DC times):
9:55am The President and Mrs. Bush welcome the President-elect and
Mrs. Obama, North Portico, The White House
10:05am The President and Mrs. Bush participate in coffee with the President-elect, Mrs. Obama, the Vice President-elect, Dr. Biden, and the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies Leadership State Floor, The White House (NO PRESS COVERAGE)
10:45am Presidential Party leaves the White House
10:46am Members of the House of Representatives enter inaugural platform
10:50am Members of Senate enter inaugural platform
10:52am U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff enter inaugural platform
10:55am Presidential Party arrives at Capitol and enters
10:58am Joint Color Guard moves into position at base of inaugural platform
10:59am Justices of the Supreme Court enter inaugural platform
11:00am Presidential Party passes through Senate side of the Capitol
11:02am Former Presidents, Vice Presidents & Speakers of the House enter inaugural platform
11:15am Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Cheney enter inaugural platform; trumpets play fanfare
11:18am Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden enter inaugural platform; trumpets play fanfare
Marine Band plays musical selection
11:21am President Bush and Vice President Cheney pass through cordon
11:22am Herald trumpets play “Ruffles & Flourishes,” announcement and “Hail to the Chief”
11:22am President Bush and Vice President Cheney enter inaugural platform
11:24am Marine Band plays musical selection
11:25am Vice President-elect Biden passes through cordon
11:26am Vice President-elect Biden enters inaugural platform; trumpets play fanfare
11:27am Marine Band plays musical selection
11:29am President-elect Obama passes through cordon
11:30am President-elect Obama enters inaugural platform
11:32am Marine Band plays musical selection
11:33am Sen. Dianne Feinstein issues calls to order and makes opening remarks
11:36am Sen. Feinstein introduces Dr. Rick Warren
11:37am Dr. Rick Warren offers invocation
11:40am Musical selection by Aretha Franklin
11:44am Sen. Feinstein introduces Senator Robert Bennett
11:45am Senator Bennett introduces Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honorable John Paul Stevens
11:45am Oath Of Office administered to Vice President-elect Biden by Justice Stevens
11:49am Musical Selection: John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet)
11:57am Senator Feinstein introduces Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
11:59am Oath Of Office administered to President-elect Obama by Chief Justice Roberts (12:00pm real time)
12:00pm Herald Trumpets play “Ruffles & Flourishes” and “Hail To The Chief”
Guns ordered to fire 21-gun salute
On first note of “Ruffles & Flourishes, Joint Color guard presents arms. On 21st gun, the bandmaster will terminate the salute. This is the cue for the Color Guard to come to order arms and ceremonial at-ease.
12:01pm Sen. Feinstein introduces President Barack H. Obama
12:03pm President Obama delivers inaugural address
12:25pm Sen. Feinstein introduces Elizabeth Alexander
12:26pm Elizabeth Alexander reads poem written for the inauguration
12:28pm Sen. Feinstein introduces The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowry
12:29pm Rev. Lowry offers the benediction
At conclusion of benediction, Joint Color Guard comes to attention and right shoulder arms
12:30pm The National Anthem
12:33pm President Obama and Vice President Biden depart inaugural platform
12:34pm Former President Bush and former VP Cheney depart inaugural platform
12:36pm Former President Bush & former VP Cheney say goodbye to President Obama and VP Biden on East Capitol steps
12:38pm Former President Bush & former VP Cheney depart on helicopter
12:55pm President Obama enters Statuary Hall for Congressional Luncheon
1:25pm The Former President Bush makes remarks at Departure Ceremony Andrews Air Force Base (NO PRESS COVERAGE)
2:15pm Congressional Luncheon concludes
2:25pm Presidential Party escorted to East Front Capitol steps
2:26pm President Obama, Vice President Biden and families pass through Honor Cordon
2:30pm Presidential Party joins the motorcade for Inaugural Parade
3:15pm Herald Trumpets & Color Guard posted in preparation for President Obama’s arrival at the White House
Honor Cordon posted on White House Lawn
3:30pm Presidential escort arrives at the White House
3:40pm President Obama passes through Honor Cordon and enters Reviewing Stand
Obama Inauguration Crowd is Extraordinary and I am There, Reporting To You
I am downtown in Washington DC, just below the Capitol, as I write this. I've just come in from being with the massive crowd heading towards the Mall. It is truly an enormous gathering -- much bigger than anything I have ever witnessed and surely will be largely than what I understand was the previous record DC crowd: the U. S. Park Service estimated that 1.2 million people attended the inauguration of Lyndon Johnson as president on January 20, 1965.
People of all ages are bundled up against the bitter cold but the mood is very upbeat. A large proportion of the crowd is African-American, as might be expected to witness this historic event.
The Metro subway system is being stressed by the flow. Getting off at the Federal Center SW station stop at 6AM, it was difficult to get off the platform, up the stairwell/escalator and through the turnstiles, and then up another set of escalators to the outside. Fortunately at that hour the street heading toward the Mall was not that crowded and I was able to make it to the VOA building where I work.
But just half an hour later, looking out the windows, I could see the sidewalks were packed. People were pressing up against the VOA building to try and move toward the Mall and the Capitol.
People of all ages are bundled up against the bitter cold but the mood is very upbeat. A large proportion of the crowd is African-American, as might be expected to witness this historic event.
The Metro subway system is being stressed by the flow. Getting off at the Federal Center SW station stop at 6AM, it was difficult to get off the platform, up the stairwell/escalator and through the turnstiles, and then up another set of escalators to the outside. Fortunately at that hour the street heading toward the Mall was not that crowded and I was able to make it to the VOA building where I work.
But just half an hour later, looking out the windows, I could see the sidewalks were packed. People were pressing up against the VOA building to try and move toward the Mall and the Capitol.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Sky Is Falling: Iran Links with Eritrea to Threaten Everyone!
No the sky isn't falling. Today’s topic is disinformation of a laughable nature. To wit, the following dispatch that came our way from the National Council of Resistance of Iran by Reza Shafa, described as “an expert on the Iranian regime's Intelligence networks, both in Iran and abroad.”
According to Shafa, Iran has “recently deployed military forces and equipment in one of the ports of Eritrea. The African Affairs branch of the terrorist Qods Force is an organ that implements the regime's goals of exporting fundamentalism to Africa. One of the targeted countries in northern Africa is Eritrea.”
It goes on: “According to intelligence reports, in recent weeks the mullahs' regime has installed long-range and anti-aircraft missiles, and has deployed a number of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the outskirts of Eritrea's Port of Assab near the Red Sea… These forces and equipment have been transferred to the region using the regime's submarines. The agreement and the deployment of forces and long-range missiles in the Port of Assab have been carried out under the guise of renovating the port's oil refinery (which is an old facility). The mullahs' regime is operating there under the cover of refining crude oil in the port's refinery. It has also crafted phony documents in this regard.”
The aim of the deployment, according to the report, is “to exert control over the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, situated 3 km from Eritrea and Yemen. The Bab-el-Mandeb strait ("Gate of Tears") is the closest spot to the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, and is in fact the passageway for oil tankers and cargo ships in the African and Southwest Asian regions. As such, this area is of exceptional strategic importance. The regime's objective is to cause disturbances and sabotage oil tankers of oil-rich countries of the region, such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and African countries.”
African countries? The report claims the threat to this waterway “is significant because some African countries like Nigeria, Sudan, Gabon, South Africa, New Guinea, and the vast desert between Angola and Nigeria are very rich in oil, and American oil companies are competing with each other for presence in this area. Some reports estimate that the discovery of oil in recent years has led the US to obtain 25% of its oil from this continent, essentially transported though the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.”
Setting aside many other issues that undermine the authenticity of this report, the notion that countries on the WEST African coast would ship oil to the United States, even further to the west, via a waterway on the opposite side of Africa is of course ludicrous. (And New Guinea? Come on!)
We also find laughable the notion that missiles and troops would be transported by submarine. According to GlobalSecurity.org, Iran has eight submarines, five of which are described as “midget” subs. According to the site, Iran has three larger Kilo-class diesel subs. GlobalSecurity says “all three Kilos remained operational as of 2008, but difficulties in maintaining the vessels, designed for colder northern European waters, had resulted in the need to replace the batteries. By 2008 the design was also nearing 30 years old, and the Iranian vessels were no doubt in need of refit.”
According to Shafa, Iran has “recently deployed military forces and equipment in one of the ports of Eritrea. The African Affairs branch of the terrorist Qods Force is an organ that implements the regime's goals of exporting fundamentalism to Africa. One of the targeted countries in northern Africa is Eritrea.”
It goes on: “According to intelligence reports, in recent weeks the mullahs' regime has installed long-range and anti-aircraft missiles, and has deployed a number of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the outskirts of Eritrea's Port of Assab near the Red Sea… These forces and equipment have been transferred to the region using the regime's submarines. The agreement and the deployment of forces and long-range missiles in the Port of Assab have been carried out under the guise of renovating the port's oil refinery (which is an old facility). The mullahs' regime is operating there under the cover of refining crude oil in the port's refinery. It has also crafted phony documents in this regard.”
The aim of the deployment, according to the report, is “to exert control over the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, situated 3 km from Eritrea and Yemen. The Bab-el-Mandeb strait ("Gate of Tears") is the closest spot to the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, and is in fact the passageway for oil tankers and cargo ships in the African and Southwest Asian regions. As such, this area is of exceptional strategic importance. The regime's objective is to cause disturbances and sabotage oil tankers of oil-rich countries of the region, such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and African countries.”
African countries? The report claims the threat to this waterway “is significant because some African countries like Nigeria, Sudan, Gabon, South Africa, New Guinea, and the vast desert between Angola and Nigeria are very rich in oil, and American oil companies are competing with each other for presence in this area. Some reports estimate that the discovery of oil in recent years has led the US to obtain 25% of its oil from this continent, essentially transported though the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.”
Setting aside many other issues that undermine the authenticity of this report, the notion that countries on the WEST African coast would ship oil to the United States, even further to the west, via a waterway on the opposite side of Africa is of course ludicrous. (And New Guinea? Come on!)
We also find laughable the notion that missiles and troops would be transported by submarine. According to GlobalSecurity.org, Iran has eight submarines, five of which are described as “midget” subs. According to the site, Iran has three larger Kilo-class diesel subs. GlobalSecurity says “all three Kilos remained operational as of 2008, but difficulties in maintaining the vessels, designed for colder northern European waters, had resulted in the need to replace the batteries. By 2008 the design was also nearing 30 years old, and the Iranian vessels were no doubt in need of refit.”
Friday, January 16, 2009
Islamists in Somalia Take Over Mogadishu Bases Vacated by Ethiopian Troops
In Somalia, Islamist fighters loyal to the Islamic Courts Union have taken control of several bases vacated by Ethiopian troops in the Somali capital. VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu in Nairobi reports Mogadishu remains tense amid fears that militant al-Shabab fighters could launch attacks against moderate Islamists and African Union peacekeepers for control of the city.
Residents in the capital, Mogadishu, say the Islamic Courts Union militia took over six bases on Thursday, as Ethiopia pulled the last of its forces out of the capital and ended its two year-long mission to protect the country's weak transitional federal government. The ICU was thrown out of power by Ethiopia in late 2006.
Government troops are reportedly in charge of two former Ethiopian bases in the southern end of the capital and some 3,000 African Union peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi are guarding the presidential palace, the city's airport and the seaport.
But Mogadishu remains far from settled, following threats by the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab to continue their attacks on the African Union mission known as AMISOM. Al-Shabab's spokesman Muktar Robow says his group sees no difference between Ethiopian troops and AMISOM peacekeepers.
Robow says al-Shabab fighters will now concentrate their attacks on peacekeepers unless AMISOM agrees to leave Somalia immediately.
AMISOM spokesman, Ugandan army Major Barigye Ba-Hoku dismissed the threat, saying al-Shabab is trying to spoil an opportunity for Somalis to end the insurgency and achieve stability.
"Muktar Robow said that they are not interested in peace," he said. "They are going to continue fighting. Whom are they going to fight? Because, all along, the argument has been, 'We are fighting an occupation of force from Ethiopia.' AMISOM is not in any way, and will never be in any way, an occupation force."
It is not known if the ICU militia in Mogadishu includes members of al-Shabab. The radical group, which has vowed to turn Somalia into a strict Islamic state, functioned as the military wing of the ICU before it split off in 2007. Al-Shabab and ICU fighters often fought side-by-side in the past two years. But they have recently emerged as rivals.
With Ethiopians out of the capital, there have been indications that many Islamist insurgents, clerics, and residents want an end to the conflict, which has killed some 16,000 civilians and has left one-third of the country's population in need of food aid.
Some clerics have publicly criticized al-Shabab's militant stance on AMISOM, highlighting a widening rift between moderate and hard-line Islamists on the way forward.
Many moderates are leaning toward supporting a Djibouti-based Islamist opposition faction called the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia. The political alliance, led by former ICU leader Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, was initially criticized for signing a U.N.-sponsored peace accord with the Ethiopia-backed government. Many Somalis did not believe Ethiopia would follow through on its promise to withdraw and allow a joint force of Islamist fighters and government troops to take over security.
But Al-Shabab and another hard-line Somali Islamist group, based in Asmara, Eritrea, have refused to participate in the peace process, prompting fears that a prolonged power struggle within the Islamist movement is yet to come.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
World Community Gets Serious About Somali Pirates; Plans Another Meeting in March; Will Seek More Member Countries (Hmmm)
The U.S. State Department says the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia met at United Nations Headquarters in New York on January 14, 2009, and agreed on the following statement.
Begin Text:
Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1851, the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) was established on January 14, 2009 to facilitate discussion and coordination of actions among states and organizations to suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia. The CGPCS will report its progress periodically to the UN Security Council. Participating in the meeting were representatives from: Australia, China, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, The Netherlands, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia TFG, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen, as well as the African Union, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the UN Secretariat, and the International Maritime Organization.
The Contact Group notes with deep concern that piracy off the coast of Somalia grew significantly in 2008, and that attacks on shipping vessels can be expected to increase without enhanced international efforts. In 2008, over 100 attacks, including over 40 successful seizures, resulted in hundreds of persons taken hostage. The pirates have been demanding million-dollar ransoms for release of the hostages, ships and cargoes. Piracy disrupts critical humanitarian aid deliveries to Somalia, increases shipping insurance premiums along one of the world’s most traveled routes to near-prohibitive levels, damages littoral economies by forcing the diversion of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, and raises the prospect of an environmental disaster as ships fall prey to hostile intent. Piracy is a symptom of a wider lack of security and rule of law in Somalia and continues to constitute a threat to regional stability. As important, piracy is symptomatic of the overall situation in Somalia including the prevalence of illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping off the coast of Somalia, which adversely affects the Somali economy and marine environment. As such, piracy issues must be kept in mind as one element of a larger challenge, and international support for initiatives such as the international Contact Group on Somalia must be encouraged as well as support for the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The CGPCS considers its activities as part of wider international efforts to secure peace and stability in Somalia.
As an international cooperation mechanism created pursuant to Security Council resolution 1851 to act as a point of contact between and among states, regional and international organizations on aspects of combating piracy and armed robbery at sea off Somalia’s coast, the CGPCS will inform the UN Security Council on a regular basis of the progress of its activities, including through providing relevant information to the UN Secretary General for possible incorporation into his periodic reports to the Council.
The CGPCS emphasizes the primary role of Somalia itself in rooting out piracy and armed robbery at sea and the importance of assisting Somalia in strengthening its own operational capacity to fight piracy and bring to justice those involved in piracy.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia applauds the efforts countries, industry, and regional and international organizations have taken to address the piracy problem pursuant to Security Council resolutions. Of particular note, the CGPCS applauds the counter-piracy operations that individual nations, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), NATO and the EU have undertaken during the last six months.
Pursuant to UNSCR 1851, States and regional organizations fighting piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia will consider creating a center in the region to coordinate information relevant to piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia (the Counter-Piracy Coordination Center) as soon as possible in 2009. Pending the establishment of such a center, the Contact Group will look to put interim arrangements in place. The CGPCS asks participating states, international and regional organizations to support both the interim and follow-on facilities.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia agrees that better operational information is needed in order to address the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia, and calls on members to contribute additional operational information and surveillance assets to the region.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia recognizes the importance of apprehending and prosecuting suspected pirates. The CGPCS calls on state parties to implement their obligations under relevant treaties and applicable international law, including in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea with respect to suppressing piracy, establishing jurisdiction, and accepting delivery of suspected pirates, and to discuss, as appropriate, the applicability of other international instruments including the 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation ("SUA Convention"), and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.
The CGPCS will examine practical options for strengthening the ability of countries willing to detain and prosecute suspected pirates. It will also examine options for developing other mechanisms to address piracy, including international judicial mechanisms. The Group welcomes the efforts of States, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UN Development Program to build judicial capacity and commends the Government of Kenya in particular for supporting the prosecution of suspected pirates. The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia notes the work of the maritime shipping industry and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish measures to prevent and suppress acts of piracy and armed robbery for commercial vessels transiting the region. International maritime industry groups have taken efforts to address the piracy threat. Of note is the adoption by the world’s leading shipping, cargo, and insurance organizations of a set of common best management practices which were based on recommendations by the EU’s Maritime Security Center – Horn of Africa (MSC-HOA). The CGPCS will continue to work with the IMO, shipping industry representatives, and shipping companies to increase the distribution and voluntary employment of best practices and threat information.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia reaffirms its respect for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and sovereign rights over natural resources, and its participants ensure that their flagged vessels respect these rights.
The CGPCS offers participation to any nation or international organization making a tangible contribution to the counter-piracy effort, or any country significantly affected by piracy off the coast of Somalia. As such, the Contact Group extends invitations to Belgium, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and the Arab League.
The CGPCS identified six related focus areas: improving operational and information support to counter-piracy operations, establishing a counter-piracy coordination mechanism, strengthening judicial frameworks for arrest, prosecution and detention of pirates, strengthening commercial shipping self-awareness and other capabilities, pursuing improved diplomatic and public information efforts, and tracking financial flows related to piracy.
The participants agreed to establish four working groups in which all CGPCS parties may participate, to address the focus areas. Working Group 1 will address activities related to military and operational coordination and information sharing and the establishment of the regional coordination center, and will be convened by the United Kingdom with the support of the International Maritime Organization. Denmark will convene Working Group 2 to address judicial aspects of piracy with the support of UNODC. The United States agreed to convene Working Group 3 to strengthen shipping self-awareness and other capabilities, with the support of IMO. Egypt agreed to convene Working Group 4 to improve diplomatic and public information efforts on all aspects of piracy.
Additionally, participating states affirmed the importance of attention to financial flows to pirates and their activities and decided to remain seized of the issue. The CGPCS also calls on international bodies that track illicit financial flows to examine the question of such flows to pirates and their operations and to report as appropriate to the CGPCS and other groups concerned with the issue.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia agreed to establish a small Secretariat to support scheduling and reporting on the outcomes of meetings of the Contact Group and the working groups. The CGPCS requests appropriate and relevant organizations and agencies to contribute to the Secretariat.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia recognizes that the international community of interest is far greater than the participation of States in the CGPCS, and pledges to inform the larger community of all significant CGPCS conclusions, rationale and activities. It recognizes that effective coordination of activities to eradicate piracy requires coordination among the entire international community, and so remains open to receiving input from CGPCS and non-CGPCS members.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia plans to meet again in March 2009 to review the progress and direction of the four working groups and other developments. It will consider, at that time, the addition of new members.
Begin Text:
Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1851, the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) was established on January 14, 2009 to facilitate discussion and coordination of actions among states and organizations to suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia. The CGPCS will report its progress periodically to the UN Security Council. Participating in the meeting were representatives from: Australia, China, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, The Netherlands, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia TFG, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen, as well as the African Union, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the UN Secretariat, and the International Maritime Organization.
The Contact Group notes with deep concern that piracy off the coast of Somalia grew significantly in 2008, and that attacks on shipping vessels can be expected to increase without enhanced international efforts. In 2008, over 100 attacks, including over 40 successful seizures, resulted in hundreds of persons taken hostage. The pirates have been demanding million-dollar ransoms for release of the hostages, ships and cargoes. Piracy disrupts critical humanitarian aid deliveries to Somalia, increases shipping insurance premiums along one of the world’s most traveled routes to near-prohibitive levels, damages littoral economies by forcing the diversion of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, and raises the prospect of an environmental disaster as ships fall prey to hostile intent. Piracy is a symptom of a wider lack of security and rule of law in Somalia and continues to constitute a threat to regional stability. As important, piracy is symptomatic of the overall situation in Somalia including the prevalence of illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping off the coast of Somalia, which adversely affects the Somali economy and marine environment. As such, piracy issues must be kept in mind as one element of a larger challenge, and international support for initiatives such as the international Contact Group on Somalia must be encouraged as well as support for the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The CGPCS considers its activities as part of wider international efforts to secure peace and stability in Somalia.
As an international cooperation mechanism created pursuant to Security Council resolution 1851 to act as a point of contact between and among states, regional and international organizations on aspects of combating piracy and armed robbery at sea off Somalia’s coast, the CGPCS will inform the UN Security Council on a regular basis of the progress of its activities, including through providing relevant information to the UN Secretary General for possible incorporation into his periodic reports to the Council.
The CGPCS emphasizes the primary role of Somalia itself in rooting out piracy and armed robbery at sea and the importance of assisting Somalia in strengthening its own operational capacity to fight piracy and bring to justice those involved in piracy.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia applauds the efforts countries, industry, and regional and international organizations have taken to address the piracy problem pursuant to Security Council resolutions. Of particular note, the CGPCS applauds the counter-piracy operations that individual nations, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), NATO and the EU have undertaken during the last six months.
Pursuant to UNSCR 1851, States and regional organizations fighting piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia will consider creating a center in the region to coordinate information relevant to piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia (the Counter-Piracy Coordination Center) as soon as possible in 2009. Pending the establishment of such a center, the Contact Group will look to put interim arrangements in place. The CGPCS asks participating states, international and regional organizations to support both the interim and follow-on facilities.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia agrees that better operational information is needed in order to address the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia, and calls on members to contribute additional operational information and surveillance assets to the region.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia recognizes the importance of apprehending and prosecuting suspected pirates. The CGPCS calls on state parties to implement their obligations under relevant treaties and applicable international law, including in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea with respect to suppressing piracy, establishing jurisdiction, and accepting delivery of suspected pirates, and to discuss, as appropriate, the applicability of other international instruments including the 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation ("SUA Convention"), and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.
The CGPCS will examine practical options for strengthening the ability of countries willing to detain and prosecute suspected pirates. It will also examine options for developing other mechanisms to address piracy, including international judicial mechanisms. The Group welcomes the efforts of States, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the UN Development Program to build judicial capacity and commends the Government of Kenya in particular for supporting the prosecution of suspected pirates. The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia notes the work of the maritime shipping industry and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish measures to prevent and suppress acts of piracy and armed robbery for commercial vessels transiting the region. International maritime industry groups have taken efforts to address the piracy threat. Of note is the adoption by the world’s leading shipping, cargo, and insurance organizations of a set of common best management practices which were based on recommendations by the EU’s Maritime Security Center – Horn of Africa (MSC-HOA). The CGPCS will continue to work with the IMO, shipping industry representatives, and shipping companies to increase the distribution and voluntary employment of best practices and threat information.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia reaffirms its respect for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and sovereign rights over natural resources, and its participants ensure that their flagged vessels respect these rights.
The CGPCS offers participation to any nation or international organization making a tangible contribution to the counter-piracy effort, or any country significantly affected by piracy off the coast of Somalia. As such, the Contact Group extends invitations to Belgium, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and the Arab League.
The CGPCS identified six related focus areas: improving operational and information support to counter-piracy operations, establishing a counter-piracy coordination mechanism, strengthening judicial frameworks for arrest, prosecution and detention of pirates, strengthening commercial shipping self-awareness and other capabilities, pursuing improved diplomatic and public information efforts, and tracking financial flows related to piracy.
The participants agreed to establish four working groups in which all CGPCS parties may participate, to address the focus areas. Working Group 1 will address activities related to military and operational coordination and information sharing and the establishment of the regional coordination center, and will be convened by the United Kingdom with the support of the International Maritime Organization. Denmark will convene Working Group 2 to address judicial aspects of piracy with the support of UNODC. The United States agreed to convene Working Group 3 to strengthen shipping self-awareness and other capabilities, with the support of IMO. Egypt agreed to convene Working Group 4 to improve diplomatic and public information efforts on all aspects of piracy.
Additionally, participating states affirmed the importance of attention to financial flows to pirates and their activities and decided to remain seized of the issue. The CGPCS also calls on international bodies that track illicit financial flows to examine the question of such flows to pirates and their operations and to report as appropriate to the CGPCS and other groups concerned with the issue.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia agreed to establish a small Secretariat to support scheduling and reporting on the outcomes of meetings of the Contact Group and the working groups. The CGPCS requests appropriate and relevant organizations and agencies to contribute to the Secretariat.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia recognizes that the international community of interest is far greater than the participation of States in the CGPCS, and pledges to inform the larger community of all significant CGPCS conclusions, rationale and activities. It recognizes that effective coordination of activities to eradicate piracy requires coordination among the entire international community, and so remains open to receiving input from CGPCS and non-CGPCS members.
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia plans to meet again in March 2009 to review the progress and direction of the four working groups and other developments. It will consider, at that time, the addition of new members.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Chinese Naval Ships on Anti-Piracy Duty Off Somalia
China’s Xinhua news agency reports in a dispatch from on board the destroyer Wuhan that a Chinese naval task force on Monday began to carry out an escort mission for four merchant ships, including one from Taiwan, in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.
In addition to the Taiwanese vessel, the mission is also escorting two ships from Shanghai and one from the Philippines to protect them against pirate attacks.
Xinhua says at 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT), the four ships set out in a line for a voyage of 553 sea miles (1019 km), accompanied by the destroyer Wuhan. “Two groups of Chinese naval special forces were aboard the first and the last ships,” it reported.
Another Chinese destroyer, Haikou, will join the mission later in waters, where the pirates are more likely to appear.
Xinhua quoted Rear-Admiral Du Jingchen, commander of the naval fleet, as saying safeguarding transport in the Gulf of Aden and maintaining security of ships was the common wish of all pacifists including compatriots across the Taiwan Straits.
The Gulf of Aden is a key trade route linking the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
The fleet, including the two destroyers and one supply ship, conducted its first escort mission from Jan. 6 to 8. The Destroyer Haikou escorted two ships from Hebei province. The journey lasted forty four hours. In a separate mission, the missile destroyer Wuhan sailed alongside two foreign cargo ships. Neither encountered any pirates.
The fleet has about 800 crew members, including 70 soldiers from the Navy's special force, and is equipped with missiles, cannons and light weapons.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
AFRICOM And The Pirate Hunt: A Clarification
We have a clarification to make about the item we posted on December 24th about the newly-released U.S. Defense Department map showing the areas of responsibility for the various regional military commands, including the Africa Command.
In that post, which quoted a report by VOA Pentagon Correspondent Al Pessin, it was stated, “this map indicates that Africa Command will not have responsibility for any of the waters off the continent's north shore on the Mediterranean, its northwestern shore on the Atlantic, and its northeastern shorelines on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It is that last area where pirates have attacked dozens of ships, and still hold hundreds of hostages.”
However we have since received an email from AFRICOM spokesman Vince Crawley who says: “it is incorrect to say U.S. Africa Command ‘will not have responsibility for any of the waters’ in question. In the areas you discussed, Africa Command has responsibility for coastal waters, though not the international waters.”
I won’t speculate at this time on why this distinction is important to the Pentagon. But I asked Vince for clarification on the distinction, given that coastal waters are in fact a country’s territorial or sovereign waters and international waters are in fact the waters in which all ships have free passage. Vince replied: “Coastal waters are sovereign territory. And yes, in the piracy region, Central Command continues to be responsible for international waters.”
The Defense Department map displaying AFRICOM’s area of responsibility can be seen at this link.
A series of Pentagon slides on AFRICOM including the map is at this link.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
What About Kenya?
Amidst all the attention of late focused on Somalia, Sudan and Congo, it is easy to overlook the fact that Kenya, long a symbol of stability on the continent, is still seething with unsettled issues that could lead to renewed violence and even, in the estimation of some very concerned analysts, Rwanda-like bloodshed.
I have for some time been looking for a report on the situation there and it came today in the form of an update from VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu in Nairobi. She writes that Kenya's fragile eight-month-old coalition government is in deep crisis amid accusations that President Mwai Kibaki is trying to sideline and undermine the authority of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
High-ranking ODM officials have publicly complained about several decisions announced by Mr. Kibaki and his allies in government in recent weeks. ODM says the decisions were made unilaterally and have had the perceived effect of diminishing the role of the prime minister in the coalition government.
The growing rift between ODM and PNU reached a crisis point Friday when President Kibaki signed into law a media bill that has been condemned by journalists and human rights groups as a move to muzzle the media.
The law, if implemented, gives the government broad powers, including the right to raid media offices, wiretap journalists and control broadcast content and restrict licenses.
Prime Minister Odinga, who vehemently opposed the bill, says he had been given assurances by President Kibaki that it would not be signed into law. One Kenyan newspaper described the president's unilateral action as a slap in the face for Mr. Odinga.
ODM officials say despite the current crisis, they are not about to pull out of the coalition or call for its dissolution. But analysts say they fear the renewed political bickering could lead to more violence and instability in Kenya.
