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IRIN interview: Kenyan Foreign Minister Bonaya Godana
The following is the second part of an interview with Kenyan Foreign Minister Bonaya Godana, held on 23 April 1999. It deals specifically with Somalia.
Somalia: regional security concerns
QUESTION: There is concern that Somalia, as a failed state, is in a vulnerable position regarding security issues. After the bombings last year in Nairobi and Tanzania, what perspective does Kenya have on this?
ANSWER: We share fully these concerns, which we have made clear to the other international actors. Somalia is an immediate neighbour with which we share a common population, Kenyan ethnic Somalis inhabit the whole length of that frontier and the clans spread across. So we've not just been home to refugees from Somalia, but our attitude towards Somali refugees, towards the Somali problem, has naturally been conditioned by this close proximity and shared population. Not only has this ensured a very accommodative policy from our end, but most Somalis appreciate this - outside the passions of interclan warfare.
But it also has negative effects, and one of those negative fallouts is precisely what you said. Somalia in its present state is a major worry to us, as a conduit for terrorists, drug smugglers, or the arms trade. Arms are already coming across our borders resulting in the increased "militarisation" of criminal activities in our country and capital. Merely a few weeks ago a plane from Somalia was opened up and we found guns in it, at Wilson Airport [in Nairobi]. And yet we facilitate humanitarian missions to Somalia which have to be launched from this place.
Somalia as a base for terrorism
QUESTION: There have been specific concerns about Somalia being used as a terrorist base by, for example, Osama bin Laden. Have you had discussions about this with US agents, who are investigating the bombing of last year?
ANSWER: Let me put it this way, I wouldn't want to say yes or no to questions as to whether we've had specific discussions on those specific concerns. But we've been concerned that - and we've made it clear to our partners in the US - that Somalia, continuing in its present state of statelessness, is bound to be a haven for all kinds of undesirable elements, terrorists - Bin Laden included - to acquire training grounds, and to use it as a point of infiltration into neighbouring countries with very porous borders. But we've not felt it necessary, for our own reasons, to scream about our suspicions and fears. We felt it prudent so far to try and deal with the problem in a very quiet and diplomatic manner.
QUESTION: What can Kenya do, especially in light of what happened last year? What may have been a theoretical threat turned into a terrible reality.
ANSWER: We are strengthening our procedures - I cannot disclose details, but you can expect various machineries of control and surveillance to be on the increase even while we are facing extreme economic hardships and cutting back on public expenditure. We've made it clear publicly that the security area is one we cannot tamper with - if anything, we feel it necessary to increase. I cannot give the details but I think that public commitment has been made and donors themselves understand this. In the area of security maintenance we need better equipment, more trained, more efficient personnel. And definitely we are addressing our minds to the problem. The bottom line ultimately, is for us to get an internationally recognised, legitimate authority in Somalia. One which can bear responsibility on the international plain vis-a-vis neighbouring states, Kenya included, for the actions of its citizens or its groups.
We are a bit disappointed that the international community, the Western world that has resources, seems to have been fatigued into disinterest in Somalia. We keep on saying, look of course it's a special menace to us but potentially it's a menace to everybody. I mean the drugs that are passing through [Somalia] are designed mainly for the lucrative markets of the west.
International fatigue - the consequences
QUESTION: Do you think because of these security concerns there is a little bit of renewed interest in Somalia?
ANSWER: Frankly, there is nothing we have seen which is particularly encouraging. We've been urging for this. About a month ago, all the European missions and the diplomats met with me over a traditional get-together lunch, where we reviewed various issues with them, within the country, within the region. Well, we gallivanted all over the region - Congo, the Great Lakes, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea - for two hours! I was expecting a question on Somalia, but they said well, good, thank you very much and prepared to leave. I said, wait a minute: 22 of you will keep me, the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs, for two hours, discussing passionately these issues in a very problematic region, yet there is not one question on a country which is our neighbour and which in a sense is in the most pathetic situation? And that is Somalia. They glanced at each other and a leading ambassador said well, there's really fatigue about Somalia.
But we can't afford to be fatigued. So in light of that experience, I'm saying I would want to be hopeful, to be optimistic, but we want to see concrete, tangible steps or measures that are being taken for us to be convinced that there is interest coming back to Somalia. With those [security] concerns, presumably there will be a return of interest, and it's long overdue.
QUESTION: What about the US? There was a strong FBI presence here after the bomb and some have remained. In view of this relationship between the FBI and the Kenyan government, is there anything being offered that will help?
ANSWER: There is nothing really at this stage we can declare publicly. In a general sense I need only reiterate that the FBI presence in the context of the investigation of the specific horrendous crime which took place in Nairobi, in cooperation with Kenyan security officials, went very well. We are excitedly [sic] satisfied with this. Definitely, it's natural that you would expect the two governments to build up on that, and that everybody should understand that a longer lasting relationship of cooperation is formed to deal with these common problems.
[ENDS]
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 14:37:19 +0300 (EAT) From: IRIN - Central and Eastern Africa <irin@ocha.unon.org> Subject: IRIN Interview [pt 2]: Kenyan Foreign Minister Bonaya Godana [19990430]
Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D
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