 | The words 'new', 'council', and 'takes' are relative in Somalia. The word 'control' doesn't translate into their language. |
Warlords and civilians installed a council Sunday to govern Somalia's capital, an action that further fragments the nation but could bring the city under the control of a single group after 14 years of anarchy.
| That leaves the rest of the country going in all directions, of course... |
The swearing-in of the 64 new legislators formalized a break with Somalia's transitional government, which was stillborn formed last year under President Abdullahi Yusuf after lengthy peace talks in Kenya.
| Wasted a lot of precious breath on that one, didn't they? |
The new council contains mainly members of the Hawiye clan that dominates the capital of about 2 million people, which previously was divided under the control of rival warlords. There was no immediate comment from Yusuf, whose transitional government is based in Jowhar, north of Mogadishu.
| "That settles it! I'm not moving the gummint to Mogadishu any time soon!" |
The U.N. envoy to Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, warned last month that Somalia could become a terrorist haven because it is a failed state where extremist Islamic groups are growing.
| Brilliant Mr. Ambassador, simply brilliant. |
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