Protection Cluster Update Funded by: The People of Japan Weeklyhttp://www.shabelle.net/article.php?id=4297 Report 15 th July 2011 European Commission IASC Somalia •Objective Protection Monitoring Ne twork (PMN) Humanitarian Aid This update provides information on the protection environment in Somalia, including apparent violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law as reported in during the last week through the IASC Somalia Protection Cluster monitoring systems. Incidents mentioned in this report are not exhaustive. They are intended to highlight credible reports in order to inform programming and advocacy by the humanitarian community and national authorities. General Overview Fighting between forces allied to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) and Al Shabaab has largely subsided in recent weeks due to the extended humanitarian crisis caused by the severe drought throughout Somalia. Although the drought has been the protection concern and the main cause of displacement through South Central Somalia, insecurity remains high in many areas. People throughout Somalia are involved in a rapidly declining human rights situation as the country is facing a level of famine and drought not seen in decades. According to various humanitarian agencies the famine and drought is currently threatening an estimated 2.85 million people in the country, or one- third of the country’s population.1 UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres recently stated that Somalia has come to represent “the worst humanitarian disaster in the world.” 2 The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has stated that malnutrition rates for children under five in central and southern Somalia are the highest in the world, as one in ten children are at risk of starving to death in the drought-hit regions. 3 An official from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in an interview informed that 100 children die every day in Somalia due to malnutrition and that the drought has forced nearly 60,000 people to flee daily in attempts to access humanitarian aid in urban areas of Somalia or beyond the borders in refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. 4 Amid the severe ongoing droughts in the country, Al Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mahamud Rage (Sheikh Ali Dhere) announced that the movement will allow both Muslim and non-Muslim organizations with a humanitarian purpose to freely operate in the previously banned regions under their control.5 The statement comes following criticism from the Somali population on the capability of Al 1 Reuters, In the Horn of Africa, drought threatens millions , 11 th July available at http://af.reuters.com/article/somaliaNews/idAFLDE76A0F320110711?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true Food Security and Nutriotion Analysis Unit- Somalia (FSNAU), 2.85 million people facing food security crisis in Somalia , 28 th June, availible at, http://www.fsnau.org/in-focus/fsnau-releases-update-number-people-food-security-crisis-somalia 2 Reuters, Somalia is world’s worst humanitarian disaster , 11 th July available at http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE76A0F720110711 3 Reuters, Child malnutrition in Somalia at dire levels: ICRC , 13 th July available at http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE76C0FV20110713 4 All Headline News, UN official: 100 children die in Somalia daily, 9 th July available at http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90053808?UN%20official%3A%20100%20children%20die%20in%20Somalia%20 daily 5 Reuters, Somali rebels lift ban on food aid after drought , 6 th July available at 1 Shabaab to respond to the severe humanitarian crisis, as well as pressure from local elders to let the international humanitarian agencies assist vulnerable people. The lifting of the ban was nevertheless welcomed by aid agencies. However, it remains to be seen whether access to the vulnerable populations will be fully granted. Since the announcement of the lifted ban, Al Shabaab has reportedly arrested two humanitarian aid workers working for international humanitarian agencies in southern Somalia 6 and further limited access to aid by preventing or limiting movements of fleeing IDPs. The continued drought has been especially detrimental for the country’s agricultural sector and livestock population that has left people throughout drought-affected zones with no food or income. The lack of seasonal rains has caused agricultural output to drop more than 80 percent in areas where rural communities have previously relied heavily on local farms and crop production. 7 In addition to the reduction of local food production, at least 65 percent of the population in Somalia relies on the 8 livestock sector for income. According to reports received, hundreds of displaced Somalis fleeing in search of humanitarian aid have travelled on foot often for weeks to arrive in under-equipped and overcrowded IDP and refugee camps in Kenya and Ethipia. According to UNHCR, in June an estimated 54,000 refugees fled into Kenya and Ethiopia from Somali, which represents three times the number of people who fled in the previous month of May. 9 The death toll of displaced Somalis continues to increase as many travel in last minute desperation when food reserves have run dry, leaving them to make the journey with no resources. Reports have documented that throngs of children are dying in transit and others are too weak to be revived after reaching access to therapeutic feeding and succumb to malnourishment upon reaching the camps. 10 MOGADISHU (BANADIR) Thousands of IDP families are fleeing to Mogadishu in dire attempts to access any form of humanitarian aid. Many of the IDPs have been travelling by foot from southern regions in Somalia without food or water for days and they enter the capital on the verge of death. Reports have told stories of many women and children dying upon reaching the city or along the way. Estimates indicate that over 250 IDP families arrive to the capital per day, with nearly 10,000 new IDP arrivals in the last few weeks.11 Forced refugee returns have put increased pressure on the capital as well, with over 100 refugees http://af.reuters.com/article/somaliaNews/idAFN1E76519820110706?sp=true RBC Radio, Al-Shabab removes suspension from aid agencies in Somalia , 6 th July, available at http://www.raxanreeb.com/?p=102520 6 Raxanreeb, Al-Shabaab fighters abduct two aid workers , 13 th July available at http://www.raxanreeb.com/?p=103511 Shabelle Media Network, Al shabaab arrests aid workers in southern Somalia town , 13 th July available at http://shabelle.net/article.php?id=8708 7 All Headline News, Somalia's agricultural output suffering under drought , 4 th July available at http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90053342?Somalia's%20agricultural%20output%20suffering%20under%20drought 8 IRIN News, KENYA-SOMALIA: Drought decimates livestock, hits incomes , 4 th July available at http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93142 9 UNHCR, UNHCR concerned about malnutrition levels among new Somali refugees , 5 th July available at http://www.unhcr.org/4e12fe0d6.html 10 CBS News, Throngs of Somali refugee kids dying in exodus , 6 th July available at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/06/501364/main20077099.shtml 11 Raxanreeb, Government estimates 9,474 IDPs reached the capital, 10 th July available at http://www.raxanreeb.com/?p=103026 2 deported from Saudi Arabia and arriving in Mogadishu in recent weeks. 12 The overextended humanitarian aid in Mogadishu has not been able to cope with the large influx of IDPs as many IDPs in Mogadishu are remaining in destitute conditions and child death due to malnourishment remains on the rise in the capital. 13 Following the large influx of IDPs in the capital, the TFG has urged IDPs from Mogadishu to return to their homes to allow for space for IDPs fleeing into the city. 14 • At least 110 Somali refugees were forcibly returned to Somalia and left at Mogadishu airport after they had been deported from Saudi Arabia after previous fleeing Somalia.15 (12 th July) • TFG soldiers clashed amongst each other following a dispute for control of houses in Taleh neighbourhood, leading to crossfire that killed two people and wounded two others in Hodan district.16 (10 th July) • Heavy rains in Mogadishu caused flooding throughout the city and destroyed many makeshift shelters of recently arrived IDPs who have not yet received proper shelters or humanitarian aid.17 (9th July) • A bomb exploded in an IDP camp in Bondhere district of Mogadishu after a boy in the camp found the bomb and began playing with it, causing it to explode. Two IDPs in the camp were wounded in the incident. The bomb was most likely the cause of leftover reminents of artillery in the district, which was recently a main frontline battlezone between the TFG and Al Shabaab.18 (9th July) • A TFG officer managing a traffic stop opened fire on a civilian bus in Mogadishu, killing at least two passengers, including one woman, and wounding one other. The incident ocurred after a dispute between two buses passing the stop. 19 (7 th July) 12 Shabelle Media Network, Over 100 forcibly deported Somalis land at Mogadishu , 12 th July available at http://shabelle.net/article.php?id=8665 13 All Headline News, Death toll of malnourished children increases in Somalia’s capital , 11 th July available at http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90053864?Death%20toll%20of%20malnourished%20children%20increases%20in %20Somalia%26%23146%3Bs%20capital Shabelle Media Network, Kids die of hunger as drought-displaced