AFRICA/SOMALIA - Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi resigns

Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- Situation ever more confused in Somalia, where today, 29 October, prime minister Ali Mohamed Gedi presented his resignation to the temporary parliament meeting in Baidoa (250 km north west of Mogadishu), heightening the crisis in Somalia's already shaky transition government. The crisis was expected because of growing tension between the Premier and Presidente Yusuf, members of different clans. President Yusuf represents the Darod clan, and prime minister Gedi is a Hawiye. Both men, lacking support by their respective clans, became allies in the National Transition Government to strengthen their respective positions. The National Transition Government is not popular with the majority of people because it installed itself in the capital Mogadishu with the help of the Ethiopian army and with the support of Washington, chasing away the Islamic courts. The latter had imposed Sharia law but they also kept the warlords who had created a situation of insecurity in Mogadishu under control.
So far the new government has failed to restore order; militia groups connected with the Islamic Courts and clans which refuse to recognise the National Transition Government, have launched urban guerrilla warfare against the Somali and Ethiopian armies, creating a dramatic humanitarian crisis which has worsened in the past few days. Hundreds of civilians since yesterday 26 October have begun leaving Mogadishu, after fighting broke out between the Islamic insurgents on the one hand and the Somali and Ethiopian troops on the other.
The situation is complicated by a crisis in Puntland. Yusuf is president of this semi-autonomous province which is disputing control of the Sool region with Somaliland (northern Somalia which declared its independence in 1990s) (see Fides 30/10/2004). In the Summer Puntland suffered the secession of the disputed Sanaag region which became autonomous as the as the State of Makhir, presided by Jibril Ali Salad, who as a see in Somaliland's parliament.
In the background regional tensions persist especially between in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the interests of the great world powers which want control of strategic area to guarantee the planet's oil supplies. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 29/10/2007 righe 34 parole 533)