Opening Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold at a Hearing on Developing a Coordinated and |
Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
As Prepared For Delivery
"Last month, the problem of piracy off Somalia's coast hit home for a lot of Americans with the attack on the Maersk Alabama and the capture of Captain Richard Phillips after his courageous actions to ensure the safety of his crew. I was pleased that Chairman Kerry quickly organized a full committee hearing to examine this growing problem. In addition, several other committees held hearings to assess this problem and potential U.S. responses.
"This heightened level of attention to the Horn of Africa is long overdue, but in order to truly understand and address the piracy problem we need to know what's behind it. We cannot ignore the conditions on land that have made the waters off Somalia a haven for pirates. The recent spike in piracy is an outgrowth of the state collapse, lawlessness, and economic desperation that have plagued the country for over a decade. That is why I decided to hold this hearing today. I have held many hearings over the years to examine how we can best address the crisis in Somalia and am hopeful that today's hearing will look at the situation in Somalia from a new light - ensuring any short-term measures we may take to eliminate the problem of piracy are sustainable and coordinated with broader efforts to establish stability and the rule of law.
"We also cannot and should not isolate piracy from the many challenges the United States faces in Somalia. These challenges include the growth of the terrorist group al Shebaab - some of whose leaders have links to al Qaeda - the staggering humanitarian crisis in the country, and the standing problems of instability and lack of central government.
"I have been greatly troubled by reports over the last two weeks of intensified fighting in and around Mogadishu that has left hundreds of people dead and displaced tens of thousands of people. Over the weekend, there were reports that al Shebaab and their allies were gaining momentum and had overtaken Jowhar, a strategic town in central Somalia. They have pledged to overthrow the government and their ranks reportedly now include hundreds of foreign fighters. More recently, the press has reported that some Ethiopian military forces have crossed back into Somalia. Although the Ethiopian government has denied these allegations, the prospect of a return of Ethiopian forces into Somalia is very alarming and would greatly change the dynamics of the situation.
"For months now I have encouraged the Obama Administration to engage at the highest level to help establish stability and inclusive governance in Somalia, but if these recent events continue, we may miss a major opportunity. I have called on the president to personally call Somali President Sheik Sharif and to indicate a clear commitment to work with the new government on security and governance issues. To my knowledge though, neither he nor Secretary Clinton have yet made that call or issued such a statement.
"We must take steps now to seriously and consistently engage at senior levels with the transitional government in Mogadishu. While I recognize the fragile nature of this government, I am concerned by some reports that the government is losing both popular support and momentum. Helping to build stable institutions, expand effective and inclusive governance, and provide economic opportunities must be at the heart of any truly comprehensive strategy toward Somalia.
"At the same time, engagement and support for the government alone does not constitute a comprehensive strategy. We need a more sustained diplomatic push to communicate regularly with a wide range of non-governmental actors within Somalia and help bring more groups into the political process. We also need to engage with stakeholders and partners in the wider region - both across the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. It is impossible to separate Somalia's situation from wider regional dynamics, especially the historic tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the instability in Yemen. To that end, I have proposed that the administration consider appointing a senior envoy for the Horn of Africa.
"I appreciate that the administration has many pressing priorities and also know there is an interagency policy review process underway, which I look forward to receiving an update about today."
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