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American Morning
Somalia: Next in War on Terrorism?
Aired January 16, 2002 - 10:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: As U.S. forces continue their work in Afghanistan, there are growing questions about the next target in the War on Terrorism. Some say Somalia is high on the list. It is a lawless land believed to be a terrorist haven.
Our Christiane Amanpour is in Mogadishu, with more.
Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, a visiting U.S. political officer a few weeks ago came here to Mogadishu and so did other U.S. officials come to other parts of this country, to discuss with various warlords and various tribal and factional leaders how to conduct this War on Terrorism in so much as it pertains to Somalia. In Mogadishu, the political officers said that, in essence, he could see no evidence of al Qaeda centers here in the capital.
Nonetheless, all of the people here we talked to are very, very afraid their country will be next on the U.S. bombing list. It's the key topic of conversation in the tea houses here; whenever we go out on the streets people ask us that as first question: Have you come because war is upon us, or have you come in peace, they ask. It is definitely something causing a great deal of concern.
Also, amongst the war faction leaders and warlords, post- September 11 has created, if you like, a jockeying for position of favor with the United States, all trying to prove that they are cleaner than clean, whiter than the driven snow and that they would be the perfect partner for the United States in its War on Terrorism.
Many have said here that they would welcome the United States back despite that very, very difficult moment in U.S.-Somalia relations back in 1983, when those 18 U.S. soldiers were killed in a battle that ensued for the then warlord Mohammed Farah Aideed. Despite all of that, the Somalis say they want to move on; they want to forget, and they hope the United States forgives and opens a new chapter in their relations -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Christiane, first of all, as you were talking about being approached on the street and people asking do you come because war is coming or do you come in peace, what do you tell those people?
AMANPOUR: Well, I say that we don't know anything specific. We are here to take the pulse of this country and to see what we can find out about the law and security situation here. What we have found out is that compared with the last time we were here -- and for me that was in 1996 -- and before that, during the U.S. And UN operations in the early '90s, compared to that, there does appear to be a better security situation here. In fact, the police chief here is saying they have had many, many fewer crimes over the last year, although there was a gun fight about ten days ago. But that was something that hadn't happened in a long time.
There are factional leaders that divide the country, but there appears to be a greater control over the militias. So the security situation appears to be better than it was before. Everybody here tells us, including the officials, that they have absolutely no al Qaeda members here, that they are committed to not harboring any terrorists, and they would welcome the United States coming here to make those investigations.
KAGAN: Christiane, also interesting when you say officials come and they talk. You have explained to us how this is a lawless land you how it is run by warlords. How would officials know who to meet with? How can you tell who is it driving the bus in Somalia, so to speak?
AMANPOUR: Well, the United States has sent a handful of political and other officials here to Somalia over the last six weeks or so, and they have talked to various faction leaders in Baraawe and here in Mogadishu. But apart from that, there is also the UN, which is sending in a new security team to see if it has any partners here.
In Mogadishu itself, there is what is called the Transitional National Government. That took office in about 2000. It does control most of the city -- not all of the city, but most of the city. It has been trying to make the first inroads into some kind of order, establishment, and security. So TNG, so-called, is the contact point when it comes to humanitarian organizations an others here in Mogadishu.
KAGAN: Christiane Amanpour, reporting to us live from Somalia. Christiane, thank you very much.
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