asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the tragic killing of the Irish aid worker, Valerie Place, in Somalia, he will seek an urgent review at United Nations level of the security arrangements for all Irish and other aid workers in Somalia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Private Notice Questions. - Protection of Aid Workers in Somalia.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a full inquiry will take place into the tragic death of Concern volunteer, Nurse Valerie Place, in Somalia; and the steps, if any, which are now being taken to ensure the safety and security of our aid workers there for the future.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the information available to him about the murder in Somalia on Monday, 22 February 1993, of the Irish aid worker, Valerie Place; the steps, if any, which are being taken to ensure the safety of other Irish aid workers in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which he proposes to give proper protection to the many Irish aid workers now in Somalia, in view of the tragic murder of the Irish aid worker, Valerie Place.
I propose to take these Private Notice Questions together.
Those who knew Valerie Place, those who met her in Somalia, and those who saw the poignant film of her at work on television last night, will have been struck by her obvious dedication to helping others and her selfless commitment to the people of Somalia. Deep anger — outrage — must be our feelings at the callous murder of one who had already given so much and had so much more to give.
Yesterday I visited Valerie Place's family to convey my own and the Government's deep regret and sympathy. I am sure that all Members of the House will join me in expressing our condolences to Ms Place's family and to her colleagues in Concern.
Valerie Place's death, and that last month of Sean Devereux, highlight the great difficulties facing aid workers in Somalia and the dangers to which they are exposed. Following Mr. Devereux's death the Government raised with the European Community, the UN and the United States the question of the safety of the aid community. We had hoped that the dispatch of the 30,000 strong Unified Task Force would stabilise security in Somalia and reduce the risks to aid workers. Unfortunately it appears that the bandits who used to attack the aid supplies have turned their attention to aid workers, both Somali and foreign.
Yesterday the Government decided to again approach the United Nations, which authorised the dispatch of the Unified Task Force in Somalia, and the United States, which is in charge of the Force, to reiterate our concerns about safety, to review security in Somalia and to seek greater protective measures. I have asked the Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Tom Kitt, to take up these questions with the UN and US authorities as a matter of urgency. He will have discussions in Washington and New York tomorrow.
In the absence of any national authority in Somalia we are also asking UNITAF to investigate and report on the circumstances of Ms Place's killing.
At home I met today representatives from Concern, GOAL, Trócaire and the Irish Red Cross to review security and to discuss the additional protective measures that might be taken. We all agreed that, while in the present conditions it is not possible to provide complete protection, further steps can and should be taken to enable aid volunteers to carry out their work in greater security. The Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, will put proposals to the UN and the US tomorrow.
I assure the House that the Government view the killing of Valerie Place with the utmost concern. We owe it to the memory of Valerie Place and to the many Irish men and women who give selflessly of themselves in the service of humanity, to explore every possibility to provide the maximum degree of security and protection while they carry out their work.
Before I call Deputies to put questions may I say that I have allowed further Private Notice Questions in respect of the audio typists' dispute and in respect of the Yugoslavian nationals detained here? I ask for brevity. I would express the hope that one round of supplementary questions would be sufficient. I now call Deputy Michael McDowell.
Would the Tánaiste agree with me that the only real practical hope of ensuring safety for people like Valerie Place in future is to insist that some steps be taken by the United Nations to disarm the bandits and that we cannot allow the situation to go on where armed elements co-exist with the UN force in Somalia?
If one were able to achieve the disarmament of the bandits one would obviously reduce the risks and the dangers. That will be part of the approach that we will be making to the United Nations. There are other practical measures which we might be able to implement and one is to look at the method of travel used by aid workers in Somalia. That is something we are reviewing. In the course of my discussions with the agencies, we looked at that and some alternative proposals put forward. We will raise those tomorrow in New York.
On behalf of Fine Gael, I offer my condolences to the family of Valerie Place and her colleagues on her tragic death.
Most people who know the situation in Somalia believe that there will not be peace unless there is complete disarmament. Arising from that, does the Tánaiste think that the number of troops there at the moment, mainly US troops, are trying to complete disarmament and are capable of doing it? Secondly, would he also accept that a major problem arises from the import of the drug quat and is he aware of any steps to ensure that those imported supplies are stopped? Can he outline how many aid workers are there? He made a statement that the 33,000 UN troops from the US would not be sufficient to provide security for them. Why does he say that? How many troops does he think would be necessary? Is there a case for having Irish troops serving under a UN flag there? In a sort of doomsday situation, have they thought ultimately of withdrawing or encouraging the agencies to withdraw our aid workers if sufficient security is not provided?
The question of disarming the bandits and bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict has to be the prime aim of any policy in relation to Somalia. It is difficult to see what progress is being made at present. In the course of our discussions with the United Nations and the United States tomorrow we will be looking at the policy imperatives and the options for the 30,000 troops in Somalia. There is obviously a major problem, in relation to drugs. I do not have information whether it is increasing or decreasing but it is something we can try to get information on.
On the question of the troops providing complete security, as a concept I am not sure there is any such thing as complete security. Improvements can be brought about in relation to the level of security. There is the question of convoys travelling between towns, with protection or otherwise, and the question of an alternative method of travel, particularly light aircraft, which would reduce these journeys to 40 minutes from a number of hours and would I hope also be far safer.
Withdrawing the aid workers is something I hope we do not have to look at in the short term. In the course of our discussions, the prime aim has to be to increase protection and security of the aid workers. That may be something we may have to look at down the line.
And the Irish troops?
I will come back to that.
I join the Tánaiste and other Deputies in conveying my condolences and those of my party colleagues to the family of Valerie Place and in paying tribute to her courage in taking on such a task at such a young age. I pay tribute not only to the Irish aid workers but to all the aid workers who continue to work in Somalia in such risky conditions. Would the Minister agree with the criticism that has been made that the United Nations has not given security of aid workers the priority it deserves and that this is an issue which he will be arranging for the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, to raise with the United Nations in his discussions with them?
Has the question of Irish troops been considered? One aid agency indicated that they thought that might be an option, while another felt that it was not a practical option. Could the Minister indicate if the Irish Government has looked at that option and their view of it? Has the Minister taken up with John O'Shea of GOAL the point raised by him that aid workers have to pay up to $100 a day to armed individuals and members of these gangs, for their protection? Surely, this is not an adequate way in which to pursue this matter.
I could link the Deputy's first and last questions as they are quite close. From the information I have to hand the United Nations would not appear to be giving priority to the protection of aid workers. That is a matter we will discuss with them as a matter of urgency. Mr. O'Shea in the course of our discussions today and previously has brought up the question of money being paid to gangs for protection. That is not satisfactory, and we are setting out to eliminate it. It comes back to the question of the security of the aid workers. There is a role for the United Nations in that respect. That is what we are going to discuss with them.
With regard to the question of Irish troops, last November the previous Government made a decision to provide a transport contingent to serve with the United Nations observer mission in Somalia. That was to comprise of 60 personnel from the Defence Forces. Meanwhile the preparation of the observer mission was suspended and the United States was authorised by the Security Council to send in their troops to provide a secure environment for humanitarian relief operations in Somalia. That force is currently operating there. Discussions are taking place at the United Nations in relation to replacing UNITAF with a United Nations force established by the Security Council, and that is something I would welcome.
I join other Deputies in the expressions of sympathy to the family and friends of Valerie Place and to Fr. Aengus Finucane and the other staff of Concern. Fr. Finucane was in one of the vehicles in the convoy when Valerie Place was shot dead. Would the Tánaiste not agree that the problem seems to relate to the terms of reference under which the 30,000 UN troops are deployed in Somalia? Their two jobs are to confiscate the weapons—they are not doing a very good job on that — and to escort only the food convoys. Would the Tánaiste not agree that a section of that 30,000 troop must be deployed to each of the agencies working there so that every journey can be protected by some of those UN troops?
The suggestion made by the Deputy in relation to the deployment of troops is a very valuable one which we will be discussing with the United Nations tomorrow in New York. It is a question of ensuring that the troops are put to the best use and are deployed to protect our aid workers. The protection to date has not been adequate and that has to be remedied as a matter of urgency.
May I ask a brief supplementary question?
Sorry, Deputy, but I am now going on to deal with other questions concerning the audio-typists dispute.