---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 06:22:07 -0700 From: David Mozer <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] To: wa-afr <[log in to unmask]> Subject: [wa-afr] FW: SOMALIA: Peace conference passes new charter [2000717] -----Original Message----- From: IRIN Africa English Service [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of IRIN Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 5:01 AM To: IRIN - English Service Subject: SOMALIA: Peace conference passes new charter [2000717] SOMALIA: Peace conference passes new charter DJIBOUTI, 16 July (IRIN) - The Djibouti-hosted Somali National Peace Conference adopted a Transitional National Charter at the weekend, conference sources told IRIN on Monday. They said the charter was adopted on Saturday by an overwhelming majority of participants at the conference. It provides for a three-year transitional government, based on a federal system, with a transitional national assembly (TNA) elected on the basis of clan. It also provides for the establishment of a transitional judiciary system, validating the 1960 Somali constitution and "other laws not in contradiction with the charter", a source said. After the new charter was read to the conference by Mohamed Warsame Kinico, speaker for the Drafting Committee, and passed around 5:00 p.m., people sang the national anthem and celebrated. "The mood was very excited, and optimistic", an observer told IRIN. The charter stipulates that once the three-year transitional period is over, the elected TNA "shall transfer itself into a constitutional assembly after twelve months". Other provisions in the new charter include moves to restore security, the collection of illegal arms, and the storing of confiscated arms, as well as the rehabilitation of the faction militias. After establishing the transitional government, factions will cease to function and laws will be drawn up governing the formation and operation of political parties. It also includes clauses on land redistribution and the establishment of a human rights commission. But the sources said there had been so far no decision on where the new transitional government will be based. In the charter, Mogadishu remains the capital of the Somalia, but Baidoa may be used for the first six months in order to "prepare" Mogadishu, which was devastated during a decade of civil war and still suffers insecurity - for the arrival of the new authority. More than 2,500 delegates are participating at the conference in Arta, 30 km south of the capital, Djibouti. Although scheduled to conclude with the election of a president and prime minister by 15 July, the conference has only just broken political deadlock to agree on the method of election for the TNA. Despite reports that Mogadishu-based faction leader, Hussein Mohamed Aideed, had arrived on Friday, officials said one of his top aides, Hussein Siad Farah, also known as "Qor Gab", was in Djibouti at the weekend to pave the way for his arrival. Sources in Djibouti told IRIN that the Djibouti government arranging air transport for Aideed. [ENDS] [IRIN-CEA: Tel: +254 2 622147 Fax: +254 2 622129 e-mail: [log in to unmask] ] [This item is delivered in the English service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: [log in to unmask] or Web: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial sites requires written IRIN permission.] Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! 1. Fill in the brief application 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds 3. Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR http://click.egroups.com/1/6628/12/_/23029/_/963840107/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Next meeting Wed., July 26, 7 PM, Douglas-Truth Library, 23 and E Yesler, Seattle, see web site for details. To post a message: [log in to unmask] To subscribe sending a blank message to [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe send a blank message to [log in to unmask] For complete information on the Washington State Africa Network visit: www.ibike.org/africamatters ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------