Seán Barrett
Question:1 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Irish troops serving on the UN peace enforcing mission in Somalia.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Troops in Somalia.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:5 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Somalia; the mandate or terms of reference under which Irish troops are operating in Somalia; the person to whom the Officer in Command of the Irish troops reports; the role and function of the Irish officers attached to UN headquarters staff in Somalia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 5 together.
I visited the Irish troops serving in Somalia between 7-11 October 1993 immediately following my visit to The Irish personnel serving in Lebanon. It was a most reassuring visit and I am happy to report that morale was high and our troops are well settled in at Baidoa. Their accommodation, dining and other arrangements are excellent. Baidoa is 150 miles distant from Mogadishu and the situation there is calm.
While in Baidoa I met the commander of the French Brigade, General Quadri, who has been very helpful to the Irish transport contingent. I met also with the district governors and members of the district council. I restated Ireland's commitment to UNOSOM II and underlined our wish that the Irish contingent remain in Baidoa. I performed the official opening of the Concern-run teacher training school and visited the GOAL-run Baidoa orphanage. I also visited Mogadishu where I met the special representative of the UN Secretary-General, Admiral Jonathan Howe, the force Commander of UNOSOM II, Lieutenant General Cevik Bir and also the head of the force's Logistics Command, Major-General Williams.
The second UN operation in Somalia, UNOSOM II, was established on 26 March 1993 under Chapter VII of the UN Charter with an expanded mandate, including: (a) to monitor that all factions respect the ceasefire; (b) to prevent the resumption of violence and to take appropriate action against factions which violate or threaten to violate the ceasefire; (c) to maintain control of heavy weapons; (d) to seize unauthorised small arms; (e) to secure ports, airports and lines of communication; (f) to protect UN, Red Cross and NGO personnel and facilities, and to take such forceful action as may be required against attacks on them; (g) to continue the demining programme; and (h) to assist in the repatriation of refugees.
The principal duty of the Irish contingent is the provision of supplies to military components of UNOSOM II. The Irish contingent also assists the Irish aid agencies, Concern and GOAL, as well as other humanitarian agencies. I saw their handiwork in the GOAL orphanage where one of the kitchens which had become begrimed from over-usage for many years had been steam cleaned.
The officer commanding No. 1 transport company is a unit commander of UNOSOM II and as such operates under the operational control of the force commander of UNOSOM II. His immediate superior in the chain of command is the commander of the logistics support command. It is expected that one officer and one NCO will shortly be assigned to UNOSOM II Headquarters as a contingent liaison team, which is very important in terms of liaising between south Mogadishu, Mogadishu generally and Baidoa.
A request has been received for three officers to fill staff appointments at force headquarters in mid-December. These officers will fill a variety of staff posts, one as senior staff officer finance branch, one in operations and one in maintenance and logistics.
I am sure that, like me, all Deputies are pleased to hear that the Irish troops have settled in well in Baidoa. Is the Minister satisfied from his visit to Somalia that the force command structure is operating as it should? Reports which have been received suggest that the US force is operating on its own in Somalia. Is the Minister satisfied that the command structure is operating properly? It has been suggested that the US troops will withdraw from Somalia in the near future. What role does the Minister envisage for the UN in Somalia after the withdrawal of the US troops? Does he envisage difficulties arising and the possibility of Irish troops being transferred from Baidoa to other parts of Somalia?
Command structures are in place. I visited the area on a number of occasions, including last June, with a number of Army personnel so that I would be in a position to assure the families of the Irish troops that their fathers, husbands and sons were safe in Somalia. I availed of the opportunity to speak at some considerable length to the then deputy force commander, General William Montgomery. I was reassured at that time that the UN structure was working properly. However, when the Pakistanis were killed by General Aideed's people the command structure seemed to unravel to some extent and there seemed to be a loss of direction. I felt that the UNOSOM mandate, which is more specific and directed towards the provision of humanitarian aid, was becoming military in character. Having visited Somalia recently I am satisfied that there has been a return to the stated aims of UNOSOM II. Hopefully, General Aideed will come on side and a political rather than a military resolution can be found to the problems in Mogadishu.
I should like to remind the House that events in Mogadishu are not reflected in the rest of Somalia. For example, in Baidoa peace has been restored. The French troops are working side by side with the Irish troops and the contingents are working hand in glove with the humanitarian organisations. The Somalian district commissioner is in contact with the UN forces on a day-to-day basis and orphanages, hospitals and schools are operating. This air of normality in Baidoa is not reflected in Mogadishu. However, events in Mogadishu do not reflect events in the rest of Somalia. There are a number of armed elements in Baidoa, but the UN troops are capable of dealing with these.
With regard to the withdrawal of the US troops by the end of March under an edict from President Clinton, that is a matter for the US administration to decide and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it at this stage. Ireland will remain committed to keeping its transport company in Baidoa until such time as we are advised by our military authorities that we should adopt a different position. It will then be a matter for the Government to decide which position we should adopt, having regard to the circumstances in Mogadishu at the end of February or early March when the rotation comes up for decision.
Can the Minister assure the House——
I am sure Members will have regard to the need for brevity at this time, for obvious reasons.
I have been very brief.
There are two of them involved.
Can the Minister give an assurance to the House that the Irish troops will remain in Baidoa? Does he envisage a situation arising in the very near future whereby the mandate of the Irish troops will be changed from one of peace enforcement to its traditional role of peace keeping? Is the Minister satisfied with the political structures which have been put in place whereby a political solution can be found to the problems of Somalia as distinct from the imposition of a military solution?
To deal with the last part of the question first, I would like to see a political resolution to the problem. No other resolution would be acceptable and I would like to see the last United Nations soldier leaving Somalia in three or four years time and handing back the key of Somalia to its people. That would be what I would envisage for our contingent and what I envisage to be Ireland's philosophical role in the United Nations and Somalia specifically.