Humanitarian Update

Highlights Nov 04-Jan 05 Political: The newly formed Somalia Transitional Federal Government has embarked on the task of identifying a suitable seat of Government inside the country. In Puntland, General Mohamud Muse Hersi (Adde) was elected president on 8th January 2005 defeating acting president Abdi Hashi. Pg 2 Inside this issue: Tsunami Response Somalia was the only African country adversely affected by the tsunami that devastated many Political Update 2 parts of South East Asia on 26th December 2004. More than 150 people died and 54,000 others were affected. Story and pictures: Pg 3 & 4

Tsunami 3 Security and Access: Response Access in the South Central Zone remains difficult because of clan clashes in various parts of Human Rights 4 the region. Hargeisa airport has closed for 45 days for repairs. Pg 6 Mission Mission: Drought 4 The Independent Expert on Human rights visits Somalia Pg 5 interventions Access and 5 USG/ERC speaks out on Somalia’s forgotten emergency Security he UN Under Secretary Gen- IDPs 6 eral and Emergency Relief Co- IDD Mission T ordinator, Mr Jan Egeland, completed a very successful three days mission in Somalia where he decried the high levels of malnutri- tion and under-five mortality rates. Enumerating the humanitarian needs in Somali, the USG said that one in every 10 Somalis are living in dis- placement or as refugees. One in every 10 Somalis needs international assistance. Altogether 1.4 million people out of 7 to 8 million people are in desperate need of assistance. Mortality rates in Somalia The scale of suffering in Somalia, which is being largely ignored by were similar to those of Darfur and the donor community, is a "moral outrage", Jan Egeland said on in some cases higher yet Somalia, he return from Somalia. noted, received a tenth of the assis- tance that went into Darfur, Sudan, with two very limited resources. Furthermore, humani- thirds of beneficiaries. tarian aid actors reached many of those in UN Office for the Mr Egeland said Somalia needs sus- need but there are thousands of people who co-ordination of tained interest and investment by the interna- do not receive assistance for various reasons. Humanitarian tional community to move forward the The USG called on international do- Affairs achievements attained in the peace process in nors and Somalis to help end the spiral of (UN-OCHA) neighbouring Kenya. He commended the UN hopelessness and let 2005 be the turning SOMALIA and NGOs for working under difficult condi- point in the history of the war ravaged coun- tions to save lives against all odds and with Continued on page 2 Relocation plan advances as PL gets a new leader

he newly formed Somalia Transitional expected to accomplish these tasks in 60 days. Political Update T Federal Government has embarked on However some analysts say they require more the task of identifying a suitable seat of Gov- time than that allocated in order to achieve the ernment inside the country. New cabinet set objectives. Reports indicate that the TFG re- committees have been formed to find a suit- ceived US$ 5,000,000 from the international com- able relocation site. The Somalia Government munity to fund the relocation exercise. has been working from neighbouring Kenya Part of the relocation involves creation of since its formation last year following more a harmonization committee consisting of 9 mem- than two years of peace talks. The two com- bers, selected from the various committees and mittees, Reconciliation and Administration, chaired by the Prime Minister. This committee will and Security and Fundraising, have recom- consolidate reports from the regional missions. mended reconnaissance missions to five loca- This strategy will help to array concerns of antici- Adde is perceived tions in Somalia. pated competition among clans owing to the as a peace maker The missions composed of ministers importance attached to the location of the seat of who did not take and legislators will visit five regions as follows: Government. Its decision is expected to be en- part in the overall Areas Galgadud, Beletwein, , dorsed because it will be reached through con- conflict that en- Benadir and ; Lower and Mid- sensus. gulfed Somalia dle Juba regions; region; Bay and Ba- In Puntland, General Mohamud Muse since the ouster of kool; and the area under Puntland Authority. Hersi (Adde) was elected president on 8th January President Said Somaliland was excluded on this exercise. 2005. He defeated the acting president, Mr Mo- Barre in 1991. The terms of reference for the com- hamed Abdi Hashi, who had been tipped to win. mittees also include reconciliation in case of Adde is perceived as a peace maker who did not any unresolved conflicts in each respective take part in the overall conflict that engulfed So- region, encampment of militias outside the malia since the ouster of President Said Barre in towns, establishing administration structures 1991. He is widely credited for his courageous for any of the regions that do not have a and critical role in bringing about reconciliation functioning authority. The committees are continued on page 5 USG/ERC speaks out on Somalia’s forgotten emergency

Continued from page 1 community to provide resources and armed per- try. He called for immediate action saying sonnel. the emergency in Somalia had been forgot- The USG officiated at the Somalia 2005 ten and neglected for too long. CAP local launch in Nairobi and addressed a press In addition, Mr Egeland said the conference to advocate for support for humani- newly formed Federal Transitional Govern- tarian aid for Somalia. ment must embark on a process of recon- ciliation and cooperation among the Somalis and should not wait for the international

UN Office for the co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs | Participants follow proceedings at the CAP 2005 launch officiated by Mr Jan Egeland, UN Under Secretary Gen- eral and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the Grand Regency Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. (UN-OCHA) SOMALIA Page 2 Aid reaches Somalia tsunami affected

omalia was the only African country ad- households in the three districts while UNHCR TSUNAMI RESPONSE S versely affected by the tsunami that devas- will distribute shelter and household items to tated many parts of South East Asia on 26th De- an estimated 25,000 beneficiaries. cember 2004. The stretch between (Bari MSF Holland delivered ORS and anti- region) and Garacad ( region), about 650 biotics to local health staff in Jerriban district km was affected with differing degrees of devas- on 30th December 2004 to 1st January 2005. tation. It is estimated that 150 people died; in The items can cater for approximately 680 addition, others were injured. The tsunami families in case the number of people suffer- caused extensive damage to shelters, houses and ing from diarrhoea diseases goes up. WHO has water sources as well as fishing equipment and distributed emergency kits in villages in Ha- boats. fun, Iskusban district and is currently visiting This disaster further impoverished a settlements between Bender Beyla and Eyl to community that was affected by a series of suc- distribute more kits. In addition, UNICEF is cessive natural disasters including a four year assisting 1,250 affected households in Bender drought that decimated livestock in this area Beyla, Iskusban and Jerriban by providing where pastoralism is the economic mainstay. In measles vaccinations, health renewable kits, early November, more than half of the surviving folic acid, Vitamin A, and cholera kits. CARE is livestock were killed by extremely cold weather also involved in health and sanitation relief forcing some pastoralists to turn to fishing as an services and targets 900 families in Mareeye alternative livelihood. Others who could not af- and Dhanaane villages in Eyl. This disaster fur- ford to buy fishing gear became internally dis- UNICEF is trucking clean drinking wa- ther impoverished placed and joined urban settlements as a source ter from wells for distribution in the affected a community that of casual labour or became beggars. areas. In addition, it is rehabilitating shallow was affected by a Initial assessment in Puntland, showed wells and chlorinating wells to stem the series of succes- that at least 18,000 households were directly af- spread of waterborne diseases. On sanitation, sive natural disas- fected and in need of urgent humanitarian assis- UNICEF is facilitating the digging of latrines ters . tance. Aid agencies moved pre-positioned stock because most of the latrines were inundated to meet the emerging needs such as drinking with sea water. These efforts target 1,250 water, food, medicine and shelter. The response households in the Hafun, Bender Beyla and in Somalia was initiated simultaneously with ae- Jerriban districts. At the same time, UNICEF is rial and ground assessments to determine af- implementing an ‘Education and Psycho- fected areas and arising emergency needs. Social Care’ Programme whose aim is to sup- In the meantime, a Flash Appeal for So- port the resumption of learning opportunities malia, in which agencies have requested US$10 through provision of education and related million to meet emergency needs of the affected support to affected children affected in Hafun population was launched along with East Asia town and Island. In Jerriban district, an ongo- appeals by the Secretary General on 6th January. ing project, by a local NGO SOFA and funded Delivering assistance to the needy con- by NOVIB, will conduct civic education and tinues to be a challenge due to the remoteness community mobilization. of the affected areas and poor communication The Humanitarian Response Group and road infrastructure. Apart from the poor in- (HRG) of the Somalia Aid Coordination Body frastructure, insecurity remains a serious impedi- (SACB) recommended an in-depth impact ment. For example the aerial mission could not analysis of the affected areas. An Interagency fly south of Hobyo due to security concerns. assessment led by UN-OCHA and FSAU is in To date, WFP and CARE have distributed Somalia for seven days. The mission will iden- food to more than 40,000 beneficiaries in Jerri- tify gaps in the emergency response; establish ban, Bender Beyla, Iskusban, Eyl and Garacad. mid-term and long-term intervention needs. UNICEF has started a supplementary feeding pro- As part of this exercise, guidelines and tools/ gramme in Bari and Mudug regions. On Shelter, instruments have been developed for joint UNHCR and UNICEF have distributed shelter and agency multi-sectoral assessments. The two household items in Iskusban, Bender Beyla and agencies are encouraging agencies to share Jerriban districts. The Family Relief Kits distrib- assessment reports covering areas that will uted by UNICEF contained blankets, plastic not be covered by the current mission in order UN Office for the sheets, ropes, a 20 litre collapsible jerry can, to plan for interventions that will cover all the co-ordination of cooking pots, plastic bowls and utensils and affected people. Humanitarian soap. Some additional items included; ORS, mos- Contact: [email protected]/ Affairs | quito nets and chlorine. UNICEF targets 1,250 [email protected] (UN-OCHA) SOMALIA Page 3 Independent expert visits Somalia

MISSION he Independent Expert on the situation of During a briefing with the UNCT it was T human rights in Somalia, Dr. Ghanim Al- suggested that Truth and Reconciliation struc- najjar, has just completed a mission in Somalia. ture is establishment to facilitate reconciliation In his visit in Somalia, between 30th among all parties to the conflict. The UNCT sug- January and 4th February 2005, Dr Alnajjar Mr Alnajjar met with a variety of diplo- gested establish- looked into human rights issues such as recon- mats, local authorities, civil society representa- ment of Truth and ciliation and building of a human rights cul- tives and international organizations in Nairobi Reconciliation ture, the access of prisoners to health facilities and different regions of Somalia. He will hold a structure in order and the situation of destitute pastoralists in press briefing in Nairobi on 7th February to to facilitate recon- urban areas. It was noted that there has been debrief the media. ciliation among no improvement on the human rights in So- This is his fourth annual fact-finding the parties malia since the last visit and prisoners have no visit to the country since his appointment in access to health facilities. June 2001.

Drought affected continue to receive assistance

FP has moved food stocks from Kis- use. COOPI is also importing hybrid chicken, W mayo to private warehouses in Marerey incubators and animal drugs and will vacci- village, district. This food was in Kismayo nate livestock. for three months. However, only a few benefi- In Bay and area, WFP distrib- DROUHGT RESPONSE ciaries have received food aid because of inse- uted food while IMC and MSF-B supported curity. health facilities. FAO has distributed farm Agrosphere an NGO based in equipment such as grains grinding and oil has started rehabilitation of the flood irrigation pressing machines to a number of villages in canals through canal excavation, sluice gate Huddur. ICRC has distributed utensils in a renovation and bridge construction. In addi- number of villages in Huddur. tion, Agrosphere will build ten water gates on CARE-International distributed food the east bank of the Juba River where farmers in Gedo region in January under its regular access water for flood irrigation and domestic Rural Food Security Programme (RFSP).

Relocation plan advances as PL gets a new leader

to counter the promised AU force deployment Continued from page 3 and the TFG which several Somali groups in between various parties during the constitu- Somalia see as an extension of SRRC and its tional crisis in Puntland in 2001. His election perceived pro Ethiopia leadership. A big dem- may provide a window of opportunity to dif- onstration in Mogadishu against the deploy- fuse tension between the Puntland and Soma- ment of AU troops led by the Islamic courts on liland authorities, especially for the contested the 7th January 2005 is another indication of the regions of Sool and Sanag. negative attitude of the Islamists towards the The president elect has formed a cabi- TFG and the foreign influence in Somalia. net consisting of 16 ministers and 19 deputies. Aid operations in South Somalia need It has been observed that only a few changes to be conducted with vigilance. Much will have been made to his predecessor’s Cabinet. however depend on how TFG establishes itself There are reports that anti-western/ in country with, of course, the help of the AU TFG sentiments are growing in Southern So- protection force . malia. Some leaders have started recruiting UN Office for the militias in Galgadud in a bid to marshal forces co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) SOMALIA Page 4 Humanitarian operating environment worsens SCZ

ccess: The Hargeisa Airport was closed on ried out the retaliation. The GTZ, ADRA and A 15th January 2005 for repairs. Officials CINS international staff temporarily left the area announced that it will remain closed for 45 and are monitoring the developments. days. This will affect Air access to Somaliland as In neighbouring Wajid, UNSECOORD the nearest airport is in Berbera 167 kms away. had advised removal of all non-Somali staff It is not yet clear if this will have a sig- because of a misunderstanding between WFP nificant effect on humanitarian aid operations and some local business people revolving because the airport in Berbera can effectively around issue of car hire. The problem was JVA has im- serve the area. The UN agencies and some solved. posed a ban on NGOs will be organising centralized convoys for carrying arms in travel between Hargeisa and Berbera, a three Middle and : In Kismayo, the secu- the public and it hours drive. In addition, Ethiopian Airlines, has rity situation deteriorated to an extent that all is hoped that suspended flights to Somaliland making all aid private and public vehicles were withdrawn these measure agencies to rely on UNCAS and ECHO. from the roads in December 2004 because of will improve exorbitant taxation. Militia allied to the Juba security and ecurity Update Valley Alliance fought among themselves lead- hence humani- Galgadud & Mudug regions: Ten peo- ing to the death of more than ten people. The tarian space in S ple were killed and 18 others were in- clash resulted from a dispute over sharing of Kismayo. jured in a conflict in Mudug and some technical vehicles captured from rival Galgadud in December. The area suffered from militias. Although the fighting has subsided, it intermittent clashes in early 2002 over land is likely that they might fight again because the ownership in Gelinsor and El-Colad. In the past, dispute has not been resolved. clashes claimed more than 100 lives and re- In addition, JVA has imposed a ban on sulted in the displacement of thousands of carrying arms in the public and it is hoped that people. MSF said medical supplies were not these measure will improve security and hence sufficient to meet the needs of the wounded. humanitarian space in Kismayo. Other meas- Most of the newly displaced moved to IDP ures include the consolidation of check points. camps in Mogadishu. Elders and religious lead- This has had a positive impact on traffic move- ers intervened and initiated peace and recon- ment. For example, the number of . check- ciliation talks that helped to ease tension and points between Jilib and Kismayo (120Km) has stemmed further confrontations. reduced from 10 to six. The JVA has moved all the freelance militias to the six stations. How- Bay and Bakool: Most parts of Bakool were ever, in each roadblock, transport owners pay tense in December 2004 and January 2005 fol- the cumulative amount of roadblock charges lowing the killing of 9 unarmed people from meaning that transport costs remain high and Hadama clan between 25th and 28th December. are passed on to the consumers. The murders took place in Atto, in a village near On 14th January 2005 a clash between the Somalia-Ethiopia border. The Hadama did JVA militia at Berhani village near Kismayo, re- not take revenge immediately but an increase sulted in the death of three people and six oth- in the sale of livestock and purchase of guns ers were injured. The main dispute was over a and ammunition are indicative that they might technical vehicle taken without permission. be planning to take revenge. oney for all the 9 murdered people within two Lower Shabelle: In another incident at Fagan weeks. village of a man was killed after Security has progressively deteriorated a group of militia stopped a WFP food convoy and hostility among the RRA sub-clans has from Kismayo to Marerey. The militia opened been on the rise since the killing of an MSF Hol- fire on the WFP food escort sparking off the land employee in November 2004. In addition, fighting in Lower Shabelle. In the Da’araha vil- the area has weak regional administration. lage of Kurtunwaarey district, Lower Shabelle The tension in Hudur has forced some region, bandits attacked the village killing at UN Office for the relief organizations to suspend their activities least seven villagers. Lower Shabelle admini- co-ordination of and move their staff from the area. The MSF stration arrested three of the bandits and are Humanitarian murder was avenged through killing of the looking for the rest. The security situation in Affairs murderer which has set off a chain reaction Da’araha village is relatively calm following the (UN-OCHA) with GTZ being asked to fire the man who car- banditry attack. SOMALIA

Page 5 Mission Report on the Inter-Agency Internal Displacement Division

he IDD mission led by Dennis McNamara visited Hargeisa, Berbera, Burao, Bossaso, Gardho, Garowe T and Jowhar. The main aim of the IDD mission was to review the inter-agency response to the IDP situation, propose IDD support to the UN Country Team and discuss with relevant Somali authorities issues related to IDPs. Although statistical data is extremely difficult to cor- roborate, out of a population of approximately 7 million people, some 400,000 are estimated to remain internally displaced, 400,000 are refugees outside the country, and around one million have returned in the past decade. Many of the displaced persons visited in different areas of Somalia are amongst the poorest and least secure of all Somalis with limited or no access to basic services includ- ing food, health, clean water, shelter and income opportu- nities or the most rudimentary protection. A significant number of recommendations were made. It is important that the momentum gained from this mission and the efforts of the UNCT in the preceeding Mr Dennis McNamara speaks to some IDPs in Bossaso months to highlight the plight of IDPs is not lost. The re- Pic by Ruud Elmendorp. port is available at www.unsomalia.net

Fire guts down a Bossaso IDP Camp A two year old child was seriously burnt in fire outbreak at Askar Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Bossaso on 18th January 2005. Sixty one households lost everything in their cottages. There were no fatalities. Initial estimates indicated that between 100 and 220 households had been affected but a rapid assessment revealed that only 61 households lost their food stocks and properties in the fire. It is not clear how the fire started. UNI- CEF distributed non food items including non-food items including blankets, plastic sheeting and jerrycans to the af- fected people. The fire and related vulnerabilities reinforces the need to move expeditiously in ameliorating IDP conditions in the short term while supporting longer term actions including rehabilitation and resettlement.

This update is prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Somalia. 7th Floor, Kalson Towers, Crescent Road, off Parklands Road, . Address: P.O. Box 28832, 00200, Nairobi Kenya. Phone 254-20-3754150-5; Fax 254-20-3754156 For more information and comments contact: [email protected]