UN: Somalia Agrees to Human Rights Probe

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

UN: Somalia Agrees to Human Rights Probe
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY 05.15.07, 3:25 AM ET

Somalia has agreed to allow the United Nations human rights commissioner
to investigate allegations that recent fighting in the capital violated
international law, the U.N.'s top humanitarian official said.

John Holmes, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs,
said Monday that the government "did not accept any of the allegations,"
but said it will allow an investigation by U.N. High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Louise Arbour.

-snip-

The latest surge in fighting, between March 12 and April 26, killed at
least 1,670 people and sent at least 400,000 fleeing the capital as the
government and its Ethiopian allies tried to quash and Islamic
insurgency.

-snip-

Holmes has said the fighting in the city had violated international
humanitarian law. "When you have a pitched battle going on in a city full
of civilians, that is not in accordance with the Geneva Conventions," he
said over the weekend.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/15/ap3720626.html