Vol. 430 No. 4
16 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the increase, if any, which has taken place in protection for Irish aid workers in the Sudan and Somalia following the representations of the Minister of State at his Department.
I visited Somalia on 22 and 23 March and the Sudan from 22 to 25 April of this year. My principal purpose in going to Somalia was to see what I could do to help improve the security of Irish aid workers there, in the wake of the killing of Valerie Place and of other aid workers. While in Somalia, I had discussions with Admiral Jonathan Howe, special representative for Somalia of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Officer Commanding UNITAF, the special representative of the President of the United States, and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN agencies, and non-governmental organisations. I have also met Somali elders.
In all of these contacts, I emphasised the paramount importance of the security of all relief workers and in particular of NGO staff, on whom the whole humanitarian effort depends. I had previously made the same point to representatives of the US Government in Washington and to UN representatives in New York. The importance of the issue was accepted by all those whom I met. I made a number of detailed proposals for improved security which I had previously discussed with representatives of Irish non-governmental organisations. From subsequent correspondence with Admiral Howe, I understand that these proposals are being integrated into UNOSOM's efforts regarding NGO security.
While my visit to Sudan was not principally concerned with security questions, I availed of the opportunity to emphasise to the representatives of the Government of Sudan and to the leaders of the different factions of the SPLA, whom I also met, the importance which the Government attaches to the security of Irish aid workers. I stressed the need to ensure that there be no repetition of the events of last year, in which a number of aid workers and international journalists in southern Sudan were killed. I underlined the point that people in Europe would find it impossible to understand why the lives of aid workers, whose motivation was purely humanitarian, should be put at risk in this way.
It appears the Minister met a great many people on his visits to Somalia and the Sudan. He stressed that he discussed improvements in security arrangements for the voluntary personnel who work in Sudan and Somalia. Will he outline the arrangements that have been agreed and whether these include volunteers being accompanied by UN military personnel?
NGOs made particular reference to the need for a routine system of flights around Somalia to avoid long road journeys. They were also worried about the dangers involved in large cash transactions in which they were engaged at the beginning of the rehabilitation phase. I discussed these two issues with Admiral Howe and secured his agreement to using UNISOM facilities for the movement of NGO staff between centres and the storage of their cash reserves. I tried to improve relations between security forces and aid workers. Security forces had made the point that aid workers, because of their commitment to humanitarian causes, are not geared to security. I made that point to the aid workers without being critical. The security people should be there to facilitate the aid effort. I hope the suggestions I made were helpful and that there is now a better liaison between the security personnel and the aid effort. The situation in Somalia is obviously quite tense.
Is the Minister aware if aid workers want a vehicle with a driver, that a brigand or bandit will provide it? Were there discussions about the possibility of providing drivers for the humanitarian convoys from UN personnel so that volunteers would not have to hire people who are brigands? Is the Minister aware of the concern that the killer of Sean Devereaux has still not been apprehended and brought to trial? I realise that the structures there have pretty well broken down. However, despite the fact that the killer is known nothing has happened and this is giving rise to further concern among Irish and other aid workers.
In my discussions with UNISOM and UNITAF I made the point that if at all possible, security should be provided from those quarters. The dilemma is that members of aid agencies want to move quickly and they have had their own form of transport and security. President Robinson and the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Andrews, made the point that there were guns — and a gun culture — everywhere and in Somalia. By the time I got there things had changed considerably but there was still that element of local protection being provided for the aid agencies. I discussed this at length with the aid workers. The matter has not been finally resolved but I requested that, where possible, there should be security corridors and that proper notification should be given to the security forces for transport for aid workers. The security authorities made the point that notice was needed to provide proper security. It is difficult to get it absolutely correct in an environment where aid workers must move quickly.
A similar problem is developing in Sudan. The aid is coming in from a place called Lockichokio in Northern Kenya where there is a UN compound, Operation Lifeline is the anchor security operation there. Aid agencies are flying in from Lockichokio to places like Ashwa and Kongor, doing their work and getting out before nightfall. It is risky for all concerned but they are doing their work under difficult situations. In the last 24 hours I received a report from Mr. John O'Shea of GOAL, that fighting has broken out some 20 miles from Kongor. I immediately faxed my concern to the SPLA through Operation Lifeline and said that they must not put the lives of Irish aid workers at risk. The Irish Government is taking a very particular interest in the safety of our aid workers in both countries.
