OCHA Situation Report
Somalia
5 January 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Main Developments

Although there has been no wide-spread conflict in Somalia in the last 
number of days, reports continue of serious security incidents. On 2 
January, a UNDSS staff member was detained by Ethiopian forces at 
Afmadow (Lower Juba) and the UN is seeking information on his 
whereabouts. There have been incidents of NGO staff being subject to 
harassment and arbitrary detention by Ethiopian military. On 3 January, 
two UNCAS flights (one passenger and one cargo) were refused offloading 
at K50, with the passenger flight being forced to return to Nairobi and 
the cargo flight carrying UNICEF supplies being rerouted to Jowhar. On 4 
January, an UNCAS flight was refused landing at Kismayo air strip. Armed 
militia are said to be on the roads leading from Mogadishu to Lower 
Shabelle, Middle Shabelle and Baidoa, with looting, banditry, extortion 
and harassment occurring. There have been specific reports of three 
separate incidents of freelance militia committing rapes ? of female 
passengers on the road from Mogadishu to Lower Shabelle at 60km, of 
businesswomen near Afgoye district at Bushka and of girls in Gandershe 
village between Merka and Mogadishu (the latter during an attack on 4 
January that left four people dead).

Former warlords are reportedly resuming or attempting to resume power in 
Jowhar, Kismayo, and Mogadishu. After PM Gedi's call for voluntary 
disarmament in Mogadishu last week went largely unheeded, the TFG 
announced today (5 January) that it will begin disarming citizens of 
Mogadishu tomorrow, forcibly taking weapons from those who do not 
surrender them voluntarily. Such a move could trigger further 
insecurity.

In Galkayo, the situation is said to be generally stable, although 
revenge killings have been reported in parts of southern Galkayo and 
people are said to be restricting their movements out of fear. The 
president of Puntland announced the pardon and release of all 
conflict-related prisoners. Apparently, however, very few prisoners have 
been released in Bossaso and none in Galkayo. There are about 212 
wounded TFG and ICU troops in hospital/clinics in Galkayo. There are 
also a reported 58 wounded (mostly combatants) in Gellinsoor who have 
not reported to any hospital for fear of arrest or revenge.

Displacement

It is estimated that up to 65,000-70,000 people have been displaced by 
the recent conflict. Some of these suffered secondary displacement, 
having already left their homes due to flooding. Much of the 
displacement was localized and many have returned to their places of 
origin since the conflict abated. Returns of conflictrelated IDPs have 
been reported in Jilib (an estimated 2,000) and in Mudug, where 800 
people have returned to Bandiiraley village, the scene of heavy 
fighting.

The Kenyan border remains closed to Somali asylum-seekers, despite 
efforts by the humanitarian community to persuade Kenyan authorities to 
reverse the closure order. Four-hundred asylum-seekers, many of them 
women and children, were deported from Liboi's Reception Center in Kenya 
on 3 January. Prior to being deported, about half of them had already 
been screened and registered by Kenyan authorities. The 4,000 Somali 
asylum seekers who were stranded at Dhobley on the Kenya-Somali border, 
unable to cross due to the border closure, have reportedly dispersed. 
Another 600 Somalis are said to be at the border at Shabtug, also unable 
to cross to Kenya. Kenyan authorities are citing security concerns as 
the reason for the border closure. To date, Kenyan police are reported 
to have arrested 14 people at Liboi and El Wak border points accused of 
being ICU fighters.

Access and Response

It is generally recognized that a momentum now exists in Somalia that 
may enable the establishment of some degree of governance, law and 
order, and humanitarian actors are assessing the unfolding situation 
with regard to humanitarian re-engagement on an increased level. 
However, serious concerns exist about the return of warlords, 
particularly with the reports of increased lawlessness, roaming 
freelance militia and re-establishment of checkpoints. All efforts must 
be made to support legitimate governmental authorities and institutions 
during this transitional period. With regard to its own engagement, the 
humanitarian community will immediately begin developing a code of 
conduct to be adhered to by humanitarian and development actors 
operating in Somalia. Such a code would help to prevent the resumption 
of a system of coercion and violence that has prevailed in the past.

Roaming militia groups and the increasing number of checkpoints are 
reportedly causing transport delays, especially around Mogadishu.

Following security reassessments of airfields across Somalia in the wake 
of the recent conflict, Hargeisa, Bossaso, Wajid and K50 have been 
declared open for passengers and freight, while Jowhar and Baidoa are 
open for freight. All other airfields are currently undergoing or will 
undergo security assessments in the coming days.

The United States announced on 4 January that it was pledging $16 
million in humanitarian assistance for Somalia. The pledge includes 
$11.5 million for WFP, $1.5 million for UNICEF and $3.575 million for 
UNHCR.

For further information, contact:

Amanda di Lorenzo at +254 734 210102 or Molly McCloskey +254 727 659 100
Office: +254 (20) 375 4150-5
mccloskeym@un.org, dilorenzoa@un.org

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