Statement by Sheik Sharif Sh. Ahmed

Chairman, executive committee, IC

On the occasion of the visit by IGAD/ AU, LAS/ IPF mission

Mogadishu July 6^th 2006

On behalf of the Somali people, we the Islamic courts, along with the civil society, business community, traditional leaders and the regional administration, extend our warmest welcome to you. We appreciate and applaud your efforts to visit us in this city.

Brief Background

For the past sixteen years, the city of Mogadishu has sustained the fourth largest bombardment in the history of modern warfare and witnessed a degree of human suffering and destruction that boggles the mind. All public institutions and infrastructures have been decimated. In effect, Mogadishu has become a humanitarian catastrophe.  

These calamities were perpetrated by warlords and factional leaders, who received substantial foreign military and economic aid. In due course, these forces managed to isolate Mogadishu from the rest of the world. The deprivation and the toil they have caused have precipitated the current popular uprising, which is participated by all the segments of society and led by the Islamic courts. This uprising has profoundly changed the political landscape within a short period. Subsequently, the level of peace and security in Mogadishu has significantly improved.  

Despite all these difficulties, Mogadishu remains the most dynamic and vibrant city in the country. It hosts a large business community and the most diverse civil society in the nation. At present the explanation and consolidation of the current peace dividend is progressing well. We have created ad hoc communities to study and report on various issues, such as security, reconciliation and the reopening of the main port and airport. The whole effort is geared towards the creation of stable and effective city and regional administration.  

1. The Islamic Courts believes the only way forward to achieve everlasting peace in Somalia is through dialogue. In this regard, we are committed to continue the political negotiations we started in Khartoum with the TFG. It is therefore important that the international community abstains from all steps that may prejudice and  detail the forthcoming 15^th July Khartoum negotiations between the Islamic courts and the TFG, lest we lose the golden opportunity which we could resolve all our differences.
2. The residents of Mogadishu and the Islamic Courts have categorically stated their objection of foreign troops into our country. We believe that alien forces are both unnecessary  and counter-productive. The Somali problem is a political one, and cannot be resolved by military means. The injection of foreign troops will jeopardize these positive developments. Such forces might have been needed in the long past, while the warlords were brutalizing the Somali people. However, the need has dissipated since they were removed from the scene. Given these facts, we ask the international community:

a)    To demand Ethiopia to withdraw immediately its invading troops from all Somali territory, and to stop violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia. Ethiopia's action undermine IGAD positive neutrality.

b)    That the International community observe and maintain positive neutrality vis-à-vis the TFG and the Islamic Courts as well as Somalia and Ethiopia.

c)     It is regrettable that the TFG has unilaterally decided to pursue the deployment of foreign troops against the spirit of Khartoum agreement between the IC and TFG. We strongly propose that the issue of foreign troops be left for the Somalis to discuss in the upcoming Khartoum negotiations.

d)    We seek to make Mogadishu peaceful stable. We therefore, request the International community to encourage and support our local efforts to strengthen the pace and security of our land, particularly in Mogadishu.

e)    The Islamic Courts categorically denies any link with terrorism and strongly  believes that these charges are nothing more than attempts to tarnish our reputation. We invite any impartial observer who is concerned about any aspect of our policies to send a fact finding mission to Somalia to meet us.  

We are guided by the principle of peaceful coexistence which is enshrined in our Holly Koran, be it with our immediate neighbors or with the rest of the international community. This means we are not against the interest of any group or nation, or collectivity of them. By the same token, we will collaborate with the international community to clear mutual misunderstanding and suspicion that may exist in the air.  

AFSOOMAALI... AKHRI HALKAN...