OCHA Somalia - Humanitarian Access Update 01 to 31 July 2009

MAIN ISSUES DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD The security situation throughout South/Central Somalia continued to deteriorate during the reporting period due to heavy fighting particularly in Mogadishu, resulting in significant displacement and civilian deaths. • Approximately 67,000 people were displaced in July throughout Somalia, out of which roughly 56,000 people were displaced due to insecurity in Mogadishu1. • The number of war-wounded was exceedingly high with 317 admitted to the main surgical hospitals in Mogadishu in July 20092, bringing the total number of war wounded admitted to these two facilities this year to 2942. The true scale of civilian loss is not known due to the lack of official records and the lack of access to key areas of conflict.

KEY CONSTRAINTS ON ACCESS

OCHA - Somalia and its partners monitor the following categories of access issues3: 1. Military operations and ongoing activities impeding humanitarian interventions The security situation in and around Mogadishu deteriorated significantly in May, and continued to do so into July 2009. For example: • 01 July, fighting between TFG forces and insurgents took place in Karaan and Yaaqshiid districts, Mogadishu, during which more than 50 people were killed and around 40 wounded. • 02 July, fighting between TFG forces and insurgents in the Shibis and Karaan districts, Mogadishu, resulted in 20 people killed and 41 wounded. • 11 July, fighting in the Abdul-Aziz district, Mogadishu, between TFG forces and insurgents resulted in the deaths of 24 people and 47 injuries. • 23 July, fighting including the use of artillery between TFG forces and insurgents in Wardhiigleey, Karaan, and Boondheere districts, Mogadishu killed more than 25 people and injured 60. It is difficult to provide a comprehensive picture on the impact of the ongoing hostilities on humanitarian response. Clearly, continued violence in Mogadishu hinders the implementation of programmes. There was however a positive development in the month: • 10 of the 16 sites where wet feeding is provided, which have been closed since 20 June, were re- opened on 29 July. This means that roughly 50,000, out of the planned 80,000, daily meals are currently available. 2. Impediments and restrictions to agencies • 03 July, the Al Shabaab administration in Garbahaarey district, Gedo region ordered all agencies working in the district to pay a monthly ‘security fee’ ranging between $200 and $1,000 depending on the capacity of the organization. In a follow-up action, on 05 July, that administration started collecting approximately $10 per humanitarian supply truck. • 05 July, the Al Shabaab administration in Gedo region, issued a decree that all humanitarian agencies in the region must be registered.

1 UNHCR sources. 2 Medina and Keysane Hospitals in Mogadishu, 01 – 28 August 2009. 3 The figures quoted are collected from various sources and represent OCHA’s most reliable estimates. However, under-reporting and validation of events are chronic challenges; therefore, these figures should be considered indicative.

United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia) Ngecha Road off Lower Kabete Road P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia

1 • 12 July, after being back for roughly 5 days (after a 38 days absence), an INGO withdrew from Bu’aale, Lower Juba region. The INGO did not agree with the contents of an Al Shabaab drafted Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). • 29 July, all LNGOs operating in Bay region, were summoned by the authorities and told that: (1) all NGOs have to report the details of their activities to them; (2) IDP camps cannot be visited without reason, and projects cannot be implemented without prior approval; (3) NGOs are required to pay a registration fee of $500 to $1,000 depending on project size. 3. Restrictions or delays in movement of goods The graph below aims to capture the impediments to freedom of movement as experienced by humanitarian workers in different regions4.

EVOLUTION OF THE CHECK POINTS BY MONTH PER REGION

5.0 5.0 5.0 4.8 4.7 4.4

4.0 4.0 3.6 North 3.3 North-East Central 3.0 3.0 3.0 South Mogadishu 2.0 Average Notation (1 to 5) to (1 Notation Average

1.0 Jan.09 Feb.09 Mar.09 Apr.09 May.09 Jun.09 Jul.09 5

Limited restrictions on the transport of humanitarian goods occurred in July, as in most of the regions check points are limited to the entrance/exit of the main towns, with the exception of Mogadishu. 4. Incidents involving humanitarian workers and assets An aid worker was killed during the reporting period. Eight aid workers have been killed since the beginning of the year. • 21 July, a national organization’s staff was killed when the mini-bus he was traveling in came under shell fire in Dabka area Hodan district, Mogadishu. No abductions of humanitarian staff in Somalia occurred during the reporting period. However, three INGO staff were abducted outside Somalia and taken to Somalia in July raising the number of aid workers held in captivity to 19. Most of these aid workers have been in captivity since 2008.

4 For the purpose of OCHA’s access analysis and reporting the regions are grouped as follows: 1. North: Awdal, Togdheer, Sanaag, Sool, Wogooyi Galbeed; 2. North East: Bari, Nugaal; 3. Central: Mudug, Galgaduud, Hiraan; and 4. South: Bakool, Gedo, Bay, Lower Shabelle, Lower Juba, Middle Shabelle, and Middle Juba. 5 The Chart depicts the following notations (1-5): 1 = Check-points frequently prevent movement of humanitarian personnel and supplies; deadly incidents reported at check-points in the last three months; and/or contractors may refuse to move to the area because of high taxation or harassment at check-points; 2 = Check-points occasionally prevent movement of humanitarian personnel and supplies; 3 = Presence of check-points or administrative control-points in the district; and/or harassment and taxation usually reported but does not hinder movement of humanitarian personnel and supplies; 4 = Presence of check-points or administrative control-points in the district; harassment and taxation rarely reported; and/or no hindrance of movement; 5 = No check-points in the district or only administrative control-point with no harassment reported.

United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia) Ngecha Road off Lower Kabete Road P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia

2 • 17 July, three international staff working for an INGO were seized from their residence in Mandera, Kenya, by gunmen from a Somali insurgent group. The kidnappers crossed back into Somalia with their hostages. Approximately 88 security incidents occurred in July. Out of these, six incidents directly targeting humanitarian workers and assets were reported. For example: • 02 - 04 July, the compounds of several INGO and LNGO in Mogadishu were raided and looted by insurgents. • 07 July, unidentified gunmen attacked the residence of a staff working with an INGO in Marka district town, Lower Shabelle region. The gunmen exchanged fire with security guards at the residence. One security guard was seriously injured, and the attackers managed to flee. • 07 July, a vehicle rented by a UN agency was carjacked in Baidoa, Bay region. The driver was unharmed, and the vehicle later recovered. • 20 July, Al-Shabaab forces entered the UN compound in Baidoa, Bay region, and ordered three UN agencies (UNDP, UNPOS, & UNDSS) to cease operations and leave the country. During the raids office equipment belonging to the three agencies was looted. Additionally nine vehicles, three of them armoured, were taken. As a result of UNDSS being forced to leave, UN humanitarian staff could not remain in the compound. Since 19 May, the UNICEF compound in Jowhar town, Middle Shabelle region is still occupied by Al Shabaab forces and remains inaccessible to UNICEF staff.

SECURITY INCIDENTS BY MONTH DIRECT HUMANITARIAN INCIDENTS BY MONTH PER REGION 10 180 160 8 140 120 6 100 4 80 60 2 40 0 20 Jan‐09 Feb‐09 Mar‐09 Apr‐09 May‐09 Jun‐09 Jul‐09 0 Jan‐09 Feb‐09 Mar‐09 Apr‐09 May‐09 Jun‐09 Jul‐09 NORTH NORTH EAST SOUTH CENTRAL 6 7

6 NSP, July 2009. Examples of incidents included in the graphic are: improvised explosive devise attacks, kidnapping, assassination and piracy. 7 NSP, July 2009. Examples of incidents included in the graphic are: robbery, intimidation, assassination and abductions.

United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia) Ngecha Road off Lower Kabete Road P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia

3 HUMANITARIAN DEATHS BY MONTH HUMANITARIAN ABDUCTIONS BY MONTH

4 5

4 3

3 2 2

1 1

0 0 Jan‐09 Feb‐09 Mar‐09 Apr‐09 May‐09 Jun‐09 Jul‐09 Jan‐09 Feb‐09 Mar‐09 Apr‐09 May‐09 Jun‐09 Jul‐09 8 5. Attitude toward the humanitarian community Statements towards the international community or aid workers were recorded during the reporting period. • 08 July, community elders in Bay region ordered humanitarian organizations to distribute food aid within three days or else leave the region. • 10 July, elders in Gedo region condemned aid agencies for not helping the people in the region, a day after WFP publicly announced that it will suspend food aid in regions with crop production. • 12 July, the TFG President called on international aid agencies to help the internally displaced people along the outskirts of Mogadishu. 12 July, further to this, traditional elders in Bay and Bakool regions reportedly gave an international aid agency a 25-day ultimatum to reconsider its recent decision to suspend food aid for 2 months. • 22 July, the head of political and social affairs of Al Shabaab, Sheikh Hussein Fidow, accused the UN and some other aid agencies of fueling the Somalia crisis. • 30 July, the Somaliland government declared the director of an INGO persona non grata, and had the police escort him to the airport. This came after the INGO announced the results of the voter registration process. 6. Targeting civil society and media Since the beginning of the year several incidents involving civil society and the media have occurred, such as deliberate attacks, assassinations, and the arbitrary arrest of journalists. • 05 July, a Somali radio journalist from “Radio Holy Koran” was shot dead in Mogadishu. • 06 July, two French television reporters were expelled from Bossaso, Bari region on the basis that they did not have the proper permission to enter the region. • 17 July, the office of a TV station in Hargeysa was raided by Somaliland authorities and two journalists were arrested and detained. Six Somali journalists have been killed this year alone. Two foreign journalists remain captive in Somalia since 20089. According to a Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index for 2008, Somalia is Africa’s deadliest country for the news media, and was ranked 153rd out of 173 countries in the 2008 press freedom index.

8 Three INGO international staff members were abducted in Mandera, Kenya in July 2009 and then taken to Somalia. 9 SPAS NGO, 23 August 2008.

United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia) Ngecha Road off Lower Kabete Road P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia

4 7. Piracy Piracy continued during the reporting period; with two ships hijacked in July10 bringing the total of number of ships hijacked to 29 this year.

PIRACY INCIDENTS IN SOMALIA BY MONTH

30 Attempted Hijacking 25 Successful Hijacking

0 Jan-09 Feb-09 Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Jul-09

Of special interest is that for June and July there has been a decline in piracy incidents, which according to maritime experts is a direct consequence of the seasonal monsoons and the high seas.

HUMANITARIAN STAFF PRESENCE IN SOMALIA

The following is the geographic breakdown of UN and NGO international staff presence in Somalia in July.

UN International Staff Presence NGO International Staff Presence

120 Jan 09 120 Jan 09 100 July 09 100 July 09 80 80 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0 SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH EAST NORTH SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH EAST NORTH

An increase in NGO and UN international staff presence was noted from January to July 2009, increasing respectively from 44 to 66 and from 67 to 168 throughout Somalia. However, while international presence has increase, the bulk of staff are located in the North and North East.

ACCESS MAP

To generate the Access Map, eight coefficients are analyzed to determine the degree of difficulty faced by humanitarian agencies working in Somalia. The analysis provided is to the district level, and reflects the

10 www.unosat.org.

United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia) Ngecha Road off Lower Kabete Road P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia

5 barriers, or lack of, imposed on humanitarian agencies. It is not a reflection of the physical presence of humanitarian partners, or the volume of humanitarian assistance provided in each district. Mogadishu: Due to the intense fighting that started in May 2009 access in the capital remains at its lowest levels. Looting of NGO compounds in Cabdulasis and Karaan districts has reduced not only their capacity to operate, but has impacted on the wider humanitarian community. This is significant as these districts had remained relatively open for humanitarian activities in the past. South: Overall the situation has remained as it was in June 2009 with extreme restrictions of access in most regions. Targeting of UN offices in Baidoa and Waajid has led to a reevaluation of the situation in all areas controlled by Al Shabaab but has not had an immediate and major impact on humanitarian operations conducted by NGOs. Central: The situation in Hiraan and Galgaduud regions has progressively improved. In the northern districts of Galgaduud Region, this positive trend has been recorded almost each month since the beginning of 2009, and now is considered as one of the most promising in terms of access in all of South- Central. North-East: No significant changes, slight variations are due to minor evolutions in some of the districts or to revisions of past notations. North: No significant changes, slight variations are due to minor evolutions in some of the districts or to revisions of past notations.

United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Somalia) Ngecha Road off Lower Kabete Road P.O Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya http://ochaonline.un.org/somalia