The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, today condemned the resumption of hostilities in Mogadishu. As heavy fighting flared anew in the city, Ambassador Fall said he was deeply disturbed by the cost to the civilian population, the wasting of opportunities to reconcile and reconstruct the country, and the impact of heightened insecurity on United Nations humanitarian responses to a severe drought emergency. "Somalia is already at war with nature and poverty on a scale that is difficult to conceive," he said. "The last thing this country needs is for its leaders to be fighting among themselves. I appeal to all parties to immediately and unconditionally hold their fire and respect the needs of the people. This is a time for pulling together, not for pulling further apart. I appeal to those faction leaders in Mogadishu, who are also Ministers in the Transitional Federal Government, to put down their arms and join the political process in Baidoa for the good of the nation."
| "Come now, stop that! The UN Charter clearly states 'No Hitting'." |