Uganda's "UPDF earn dollars in Somalia"

By Milton Olupot

As the first equipment is being ferried to Entebbe Airport for the African Union peace-keeping force in Somalia, the army has released more details about the terms and conditions for the 1,500 Ugandan soldiers who will take part in the mission.

“Soldiers who get injured in Somalia will be compensated at a rate of between $100,000 and $150,000 depending on the degree of injuries. In case of death, the family will receive $100,000,” UPDF spokesman Maj. Felix Kulayigye, told The New Vision yesterday.

He added that every soldier on the African peacekeeping mission in Somalia will receive an allowance of $400 on top of their normal salary, while another $100 will go to the Government. “The allowance will cover accommodation and food,” he said. The forces will also be entitled to free medical care.

The UPDF asserts it has taken the necessary safety precautions for its soldiers. “The troops will have bullet-proof jackets, helmets and armoured personnel carriers which protect them from shrapnel and gunfire,” Kulayigye explained.

“They were extensively trained to respond to suicide attacks, sniper fire and counter-insurgency operations. Moreover, the mandate allows them to defend themselves when attacked. Insuring our soldiers is really like insuring drivers in Kampala’s traffic.”

The Ugandan force, which is scheduled to leave in two weeks, will stay in Somalia for at least 12 months, after which the UN is expected to take over, according to the deployment plan.

The mission statement of AMISOM, as the operation is dubbed, reads: “To conduct peace support operations in Somalia as soon as possible to stabilise the current situation in the country in order to create conditions for the conduct of humanitarian activities and immediate takeover by the United Nations.”

Besides providing assistance to the transitional Somali government, the force is also supposed to curb the trade of illicit arms, disarm marauding militias and help set up a functional justice system.

The deployment plan spells out the mission’s tasks as follows: “to prevent the inflow of illegal arms into Somalia, to ensure the disarmament of all armed groups that are not under the control of the federal transitional government, to assist in the development of a justice system and the rule of law.”

The mandate also includes to “provide assistance to the transitional government to consolidate its authority over the whole of Somalia, protection and promotion of human rights, provision of a suitable environment for the conduct of humanitarian work and promote understanding of the peace process and the role of the AU mission among the local communities through an effective public information campaign”. The Ugandan mission only awaits approval by Parliament. This week, MPs rejected a bid by the Government to get instant parliamentary approval without the normal three days notice to table a motion.

Burundi is the latest country to offer to contribute troops to the peace mission. Foreign Minister Antoinette Batumubwira said yesterday that Burundi could send 1,000 troops.

The African Union says it has 4,000 of the 8,000 peacekeepers needed for Somalia but it is not clear if that figure includes the Burundi offer. Many countries are hesitant to send soldiers to what is considered one of the most dangerous places on earth.

www.newvision.co.ug (New Vision)