Somalia's Parliament Debates Foreign Military Intervention

August 13, 2001 - 0:0
MOGADISHU Somalia's interim Parliament was on Sunday debating a motion which, if passed, would ask the government to invite foreign troops to help disarm groups opposed to the administration, AFP quoted officials as saying. The motion was brought to Parliament by 38 members of the Transitional National Assembly (TNA) who said they wanted the transitional government to seek military intervention from "friends of Somalia". "Those who want outside intervention are demoralized by the degree of violence, lack of progress in the national peace process and the desire by the opposition to divide Somalia into lawless emirates," an MP who asked not to be named told AFP. "The matter is under debate and I hope the TNA will endorse the motion," he added. Somalia's transitional national government, established last year with international support, is facing growing hostility from a group of warlords united under the umbrella of the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC).