As factions grow weaker, foreign intervention is in danger of making them stronger again
On the face of it, the plan for 25 Somali factions to meet in the north-eastern port of Bossasso in November sounds like a step forward for the peace process. In practice, many Somalis (of any or no faction) fear that the summit, which is meant to form yet another 'national' government, will strengthen the factions and their leaders, and hence, the chances of conflict continuing. A gradual but major change has been taking place over the past two years and especially since the death of General Mohamed Farah 'Aydeed' in August 1996. Factions and their leaders have lost a good deal of credibility.
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