PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : SOMALIA Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 20 June, 2003) Also available at http://www.idpproject.org Users of this document are welcome to credit the Global IDP Database for the collection of information. The opinions expressed here are those of the sources and are not necessarily shared by the Global IDP Project or NRC Norwegian Refugee Council/Global IDP Project Chemin Moïse Duboule, 59 1209 Geneva - Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 799 07 00 Fax: + 41 22 799 07 01 E-mail : [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 PROFILE SUMMARY 6 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND OF DISPLACEMENT 10 BACKGROUND 10 CONFLICT IN SOMALIA BEGAN WITH SIAD BARRE’S NEAR EXTERMINATION OF THE ISAAK CLAN LATE 1980S 10 THE FALL OF BARRE REGIME IN 1991 WAS FOLLOWED BY ALL OUT INTER-CLAN WAR 11 MINORITIES IN SOMALIA: A HISTORY OF SEGREGATION AND LAND EXPROPRIATION 12 TWO APPROACHES TO POLITICAL CONSOLIDATION IN SOMALIA (1991-2002) 14 SELF-PROCLAIMED REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND IN 1991 STILL NO INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION (2003) 15 DE FACTO REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED IN PUNTLAND 16 A FACTION OF THE RAHANWEYN RESISTANCE ARMY (RRA) PROCLAIMS AUTONOMY OVER THE ‘STATE OF SOUTHWESTERN SOMALIA’ (SWS) IN APRIL 2002 18 TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (TNG) ELECTED IN AUGUST 2000 LACKS CREDIBILITY AND HAS LIMITED CONTROL OVER MOGADISHU (2002) 19 ERITREANS AND ETHIOPIANS BOTH ACCUSED OF BEING INVOLVED IN SOMALI CIVIL WAR (1996- 2003) 22 IRIN-CEA CHRONOLOGY OF THE CONFLICT IN SOMALIA (1960-2000) 24 TEST 26 TEST2 26 CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 27 MASS DISPLACEMENT BEGAN WITH OUTBREAK OF CIVIL WAR IN 1988 27 THOUSANDS FORCED TO FLEE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN AIDEED-CONTROLLED AREAS DURING LATE 1990S 27 CLAN-BASED COMPETITION OVER RESOURCES MAIN CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 28 INTENSIFICATION OF INTER-FACTIONAL CONFLICTS IN SOUTHERN SOMALIA MAIN CAUSES OF DEATH AND DISPLACEMENT (2002) 30 CRUEL COMBINATION OF CONFLICT AND CLIMATIC EXTREMES CAUSE REPEATED DISPLACEMENTS IN SOMALIA 32 PEACE EFFORTS 34 PEACE EFFORTS IN SOMALIA HAILED AS SUCCESSES DESPITE 10 YEARS OF FAILURE 34 ARTA DJIBOUTI PEACE PROCESS RESULTED IN CREATION OF THE TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (TNG) (AUGUST 2000) 35 SECRET PEACE TALKS UNDERWAY IN PUNTLAND (2003) 36 THE SOMALI NATIONAL RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF IGAD (OCTOBER 2002-JUNE 2003) 37 POPULATION PROFILE AND FIGURES 39 GLOBAL FIGURES 39 AN ESTIMATED 350, 000 PERSONS SAID TO BE DISPLACED IN SOMALIA (2003) 39 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 41 MAJORITY OF DISPLACED PERSONS RESIDE IN AND AROUND MOGADISHU (2002) 41 IDPS IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL SOMALIA (2003) 42 OVER 38,000 IDPS LIVE IN AND AROUND MAJOR TOWNS IN NORTHWESTERN AND NORTHEASTERN SOMALIA (2002) 43 IDPS IN NORTHEAST SOMALIA: PUNTLAND 44 DISAGGREGATED DATA 45 RECENT RETURNEES FROM ETHIOPIA WHO ARE UNABLE TO REGAIN HOMES NOW MAKE UP PORTION OF IDP POPULATION (2001-2002) 45 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 48 GENERAL 48 IDPS TEND TO FLEE NORTHWARDS WHERE SOME DEGREE OF PEACE AND STABILITY SUBSIST (2002) 48 PEOPLE TEND TO TAKE REFUGE IN MAIN TOWNS (2002) 48 FAMILIES MOVING EARLY TO WATER AND GRAZING SITES AS RESULT OF FAILED RAINS (JULY- SEPTEMBER 2001) 50 SOMALI FAMILIES MOVE AND SPLIT UP IN ORDER TO REACH RESOURCES (1999-2000) 50 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 52 PHYSICAL SECURITY 52 INTERNALLY DISPLACED WOMEN AND GIRLS LACK PROTECTION (2003) 52 DISPLACED CHILDREN LACK PROTECTION (2003) 53 DISPLACED PEOPLE FROM MINORITY GROUPS SERIOUSLY LACK PROTECTION (2002) 54 IDPS IN ABSENCE OF FUNCTIONING STATE ARE FIRST VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES (2002) 57 MOST SOMALIS ENSURE PERSONAL SECURITY BY RESIDING IN CLAN "HOME AREAS" (NOVEMBER 2000) 58 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 59 IDPS FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT HAMPERED BY MILITIA ROADBLOCKS AND EXTORTION (2002) 59 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS (HEALTH NUTRITION AND SHELTER) 60 GENERAL 60 SOMALIA RANKS AMONG THE FIVE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 2003 60 FOOD 60 FORCED DISPLACEMENTS AND WAR CAUSE RECURRENT HUNGER IN SOMALIA (JUNE 2003) 60 IDPS THREE TIMES MORE AT RISK OF MALNUTRITION THAN RESIDENT POPULATIONS (2003) 61 2 FOOD SECURITY CRITICAL IN 2002 64 GEDO IN STATE OF COMPLEX EMERGENCY (1999-2002) 65 HEALTH 67 78% PEOPLE HAVE NO ACCESS TO HEALTH FACILITIES AND HAVE ALARMING HEALTH STATUS (2002) 67 EXTREMELY POOR HEALTH STATUS OF IDPS IN MOST REGIONS OF SOMALIA (2002) 69 IDPS IN HARGEISA INDICATE THE LOWEST HEALTH SERVICES COMPARED TO OTHER DISPLACED POPULATIONS (JUNE 2002) 70 WATER AND SANITATION 71 MOST IDPS HAVE NO ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES(2002) 71 SHELTER AND NON-FOOD ITEMS 73 INTERNALLY DISPLACED LIVE IN MEAGER MAKE-SHIFT HOUSING (2002) 73 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 75 GENERAL 75 MINIMAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR THE SOMALI POPULATION (2003) 75 IDP CHILDREN FACE MULTITUDE OF OBSTACLES TO EDUCATION (2002) 76 SCHOOL ENROLEMENT STATUS IN HARGEISA: THE LOWEST AMONG IDPS POPULATIONS DUE TO BEGGING AND DISCRIMINATION (JUNE 2002) 77 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 78 SELF-RELIANCE 78 SELF-RELIANCE IN THE NORTHWEST: SOMALILAND 78 SELF-RELIANCE IN THE NORTHEAST: PUNTLAND (2002) 81 IDPS SELF RELIANCE IN SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL SOMALIA COMPLICATED BY DROUGHT AND CONFLICT (2002) 81 IDPS RESOURCES STRETCHED TO MAXIMUM (2002) 83 LIVESTOCK BAN HAS LED TO MAJOR INCOME DEFICITS FOR PASTORALISTS AND IDPS (2000-2003) 84 ACCESS TO LAND 87 IDP WOMEN CANNOT ACCESS LAND WITHOUT MALE SUPPORT (2002) 87 COPING MECHANISMS 87 TRADITIONAL COPING MECHANISMS ERODED BY PROTRACTED CONFLICT AND DROUGHT (2002) 87 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 88 GENDER DISCRIMINATION BARRIER TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (1998-2002) 88 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 90 GENERAL 90 LINEAGE IDENTITY IS CENTRAL ORGANIZING FORCE IN SOMALIA (2002) 90 PROPERTY ISSUES 92 GENERAL 92 3 MOST IDPS FROM SOUTHERN SOMALIA IN HARGEISA RENT LAND FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS (JUNE 2002) 92 BOSASSO IDPS EVICTED FROM THEIR PLOTS BY ORIGINAL OWNERS (2002) 92 INTER-CLAN FIGHTING RESULTS IN LAND DISPUTES AND DISPOSSESSION (1999-2000) 93 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 95 GENERAL 95 IDPS FROM THE SOUTH HAVE LITTLE TO RETURN TO (2002) 95 MAYOR OF BOSASSO REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO SETTLE SOME OF THE 28,000 IDPS (2002) 96 DISPLACEMENT AND RETURN ARE OCCURRING SIMULTANEOUSLY AS POPULATIONS MOVE TO ACCESS RESOURCES (1998-1999) 97 HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 98 GENERAL 98 SERIOUS INSECURITY HAMPERS HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMMING IN MOST OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL SOMALIA (JUNE 2003) 98 WARLORDS AND MILITIAS REGULARLY EXTORT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (2003) 100 INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN MOGADISHU ON A VISITING BASIS ONLY (2003) 101 SERIOUS CHALLENGES FACING THE NEW GOVERNMENT REGARDING IMPROVEMENT OF SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN ACCESS (2000) 103 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES 104 NATIONAL RESPONSE 104 THE SOMALI RED CRESCENT HAS PROVIDED MEDICAL AID TO THE DROUGHT-AFFECTED THROUGHOUT THE CONFLICT (2000-2001) 104 ISLAMIC ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE IN MOGADISHU DISPLACED PERSONS' CAMPS (1999) 104 COORDINATION 105 THE SOMALIA AID COORDINATING BODY (SACB) (1994-2003) 105 THE UN COORDINATION UNIT (UNCU) AND THE UN COUNTRY TEAM (UNCT) (1998) 107 THE NGO CONSORTIUM (1998) 107 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 2003 108 CAP 2003 FOCUSES ON INTEGRATION AND PROTECTION OF IDPS 108 UN JOINT ACTION AND RECOVERY PLAN FOR SOMALIA (JARP) LAUNCHED IN 2002 110 SELECTED UN ACTIVITIES 2003 112 STRENGTHENING IDP PROTECTION ONE OF TREE PRIORITIES OF THE UNCT (2003) 112 UNCT INITIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS TO ANALYSE IDP VULNERABILITY AND DEVELOP COUNTRY STRATEGY 112 IRIN OUTREACH RADIO PROJECT COVERS IDP AND HUMAN RIGHTS (2003) 113 UNDP BASIC SERVICES PROJECT TO IDP SETTLEMENTS TO ACHIEVE MINIMUM STANDARDS (2003) 114 UNDP EMERGENCY REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROJECT FOR IDPS IN NORTHWESTERN SOMALIA (2003) 115 UNDP UNDERTAKES SECOND PHASE OF THE PROGRAMMED FOR THE REINTEGRATION OF RETURNEES AND IDPS (2003) 115 4 UNICEF PROJECT TO IMPROVE WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES FOR IDPS IN URBAN PERIPHERIES (2003) 116 IOM PILOT PROJECT TO IMPROVE SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF IDPS IN SOMALILAND (2003) 117 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 2002 117 OCHA IDP UNIT WORKSHOP ON VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN SOMALIA (2002) 117 RETURN AND REINTEGRATION OF IDPS AND RETURNEES IS ONE OF THE THREE PRIORITIES OF UN 2002 APPEAL 118 NGO RESPONSE 121 ACTION CONTRE LA FAIM CONTINUALLY WORKS TO ASSIST IDPS IN MOGADISHU (2000-2002) 121 CARE PROJECTS FOR IDPS IN AREAS OF FOOD SECURITY (2002) 122 DONOR RESPONSE 122 FINANCIAL RESPONSE TO THE 2003 CAP FOR SOMALIA 122 STATE OF FUNDING FOR CAP 2002 123 GAPS 124 INFORMATION GAPS IN SOMALIA PROVE DELETERIOUS TO HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMMING AND ADVOCACY (2003) 124 DONOR DISENGAGEMENT IN SOMALIA (2002) 125 LACK OF CLEAR MANDATE AND COORDINATION TO ASSIST IDPS (2002) 125 POLICY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 125 UNCU RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IDPS IN SOMALILAND AND PUNTLAND (2002) 125 REFERENCE TO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT 127 KNOWN REFERENCES TO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT (AS OF JULY 2002) 127 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 128 LIST OF SOURCES USED 129 5 PROFILE SUMMARY Displaced Somalis in protection limbo Despite hopes raised by the peace deal and cease fire signed in October 2002, Somalis continue to flee a war unabated for over ten years. About 350,000 persons are internally displaced, about 5 percent of the Somali population. Most displaced are from southern minority groups and continue to suffer political and economic discrimination. In the peri-urban areas where they flee to, they receive little or no assistance and most survive through casual work and begging. Income is barely