| Just build a wall around them and ignore them for the next 500 years... |
 In Somalia, the town of Baidoa is said to be in the hands of warlord Mohamed Ibrahim Habsadeh.
| "Arrrr! It's mine! All mine!" |
Fighting broke out between militias loyal to Mr. Habsadeh and a rival militia commanded by Hassan Mohamed Nur Shargudud. Both men are members of the transitional parliament, temporarily based in Nairobi.
"Mister Speaker! Point of order!"
[BANG!] |
They reportedly disagreed over whether the new government should be relocated from Kenya to the former Somali capital, Mogadishu, or to two cities near it, Baidoa and Jowhar.
"Arrrr! Baidoa!"
"Yarrr! Jowhar!"
"Less taste!"
"More filling!"
"Go fer yer guns, Hassan!" |
Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle is the co-director for the Center for Research and Dialogue, based in Mogadishu.
| Bet that's a lonely job... |
Mr. Abdulle told English to Africa reporter William Eagle that Mr. Habsadeh favors having the Somali capital in Mogadishu.
| "Harrr! Yez can't have the capital in Baidoa, 'cuz I'm in control of Baidoa! I'll kill the first guy dat passes legislation in Baidoa!" |
He and others are also against the use of troops from front-line states in stabilizing the country.
| "Don't need no damn' furriners here, sniffin' 'round our wimmin!" |
Mr. Abdulle says he thinks the occupation of Baidoa will prolong the timetable set for introducing troops from Uganda and Sudan, and for moving the interim government from Kenya to Somalia.
| Holmes! How do you do it? |
He also says there may be common ground among the country's various militias.
"Hrarrr! Let's settle on a standard caliber for ammunition!"
"Hey! That's common ground!"
[BANG!] |
For example, he says many would likely support a deadline for establishing security in Mogadishu (April 30). If by then security cannot be established, he says many would probably agree to establish an interim government in more secure towns nearby.
| ... and if that doesn't work, move someplace a little more civilized. Like Liberia. |
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