By Ted Townsend
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI – An average of twenty thousand Somali’s are fleeing Mogadishu every month, according to Guillermo Bettocchi, the head of the U.N. refugee agency for Somalia. Bettocchi continued “the situation is intractable . . . (and) seems to be deteriorating. We don’t see any improvement.”  The recent wave of refugees means that up to one million of Somalia’s nine million total residents are now living as refugee’s.

This mass exodus gives Somalia’s the worlds largest group of internally displaced people, with over two hundred thousand clustered in difficult conditions between Mogadishu and another town to the west. Consequences for refugees have become dire, with many of the refugees surviving on less than a meal a day and spending almost their entire income on drinking water. In discussing the consequences, Bettocchi cited an example of an Ethiopian woman who gave birth while unconscious on a boat. Before she regained consciousness, smugglers threw her baby overboard.

The conflict that has wracked Somalia for the last seventeen years took a new turn in early 2007, when the Ethiopian-backed government was attacked by an Islamist-led insurgency.  The most recent wave of refugees fled what are described as “Iraq-style” attacks on the capital.

The recent exodus continues, despite the African Union Mission to Somalia’s (AMISOM) deployment of peacekeepers to the area. Assessments of the now one-year old peacekeeping force are mixed, with detractors citing a thinly stretched force that lacks funds and equipment to effectively provide a security presence. Out of a pledged troop strength of eight thousand from multiple African nations, only two Ugandan battalions and one hundred and ninety-two Burundian soldiers are on the ground in Mogadishu. Many of these troops do not have adequate resources.

However, officials from Uganda, provider of the most troops, cite improved security where troops are deployed, as well as improved medical services and water provisions as evidence of success of the mission. “What used to be hell on Earth if not hell after all,” said Captain Paddy Ankunda, a Ugandan army spokesman.” Even those who try and find success in the first year of AMISOM’s deployment, admit that the force could be much more effective if each country who has pledged troops would deploy those troops.

AMISOM’s mandate is to protect Somalia’s transitional federal institutions to enable them to carry out their functions of government. Citizens of Mogadishu claim to have seen no change since the deployment, saying that violence has continued, and there is no effect on the lives of the ordinary people.

The semblance of a functioning government in Somalia, non-existent for the last seventeen years, got a boost this week, when United National Special Representative Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah announced that the transitional government was ready to hold talks with the opposition. Ould-Abdallah will assume a leadership role, joining the two parties in discussions on peace and stability.  In discussing his role, Ould-Abdallah said “I have no doubt that all Somalis and their concerned friends, governments and organizations will support this move and that everyone would refrain from any action that might hinder these important steps.”

For more information, please see:

allAfrica.com – UN Envoy Lauds Government’s Willingness to Talk With Opposition – 12 March 2008

Reuters – Somalia War Creates 20,000 refugees a month – 13 March 2008

allAfrica.com – One Year Later, AU Force in Mogadishu Soldiers On – 12 March 2008

Relief Web – UN Special Representative for Somalia calls for support for reconciliation – 12 March 2008

By Ted Townsend
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI – An average of twenty thousand Somali’s are fleeing Mogadishu every month, according to Guillermo Bettocchi, the head of the U.N. refugee agency for Somalia. Bettocchi continued “the situation is intractable . . . (and) seems to be deteriorating. We don’t see any improvement.”  The recent wave of refugees means that up to one million of Somalia’s nine million total residents are now living as refugee’s.

This mass exodus gives Somalia’s the worlds largest group of internally displaced people, with over two hundred thousand clustered in difficult conditions between Mogadishu and another town to the west. Consequences for refugees have become dire, with many of the refugees surviving on less than a meal a day and spending almost their entire income on drinking water. In discussing the consequences, Bettocchi cited an example of an Ethiopian woman who gave birth while unconscious on a boat. Before she regained consciousness, smugglers threw her baby overboard.

The conflict that has wracked Somalia for the last seventeen years took a new turn in early 2007, when the Ethiopian-backed government was attacked by an Islamist-led insurgency.  The most recent wave of refugees fled what are described as “Iraq-style” attacks on the capital.

The recent exodus continues, despite the African Union Mission to Somalia’s (AMISOM) deployment of peacekeepers to the area. Assessments of the now one-year old peacekeeping force are mixed, with detractors citing a thinly stretched force that lacks funds and equipment to effectively provide a security presence. Out of a pledged troop strength of eight thousand from multiple African nations, only two Ugandan battalions and one hundred and ninety-two Burundian soldiers are on the ground in Mogadishu. Many of these troops do not have adequate resources.

However, officials from Uganda, provider of the most troops, cite improved security where troops are deployed, as well as improved medical services and water provisions as evidence of success of the mission. “What used to be hell on Earth if not hell after all,” said Captain Paddy Ankunda, a Ugandan army spokesman.” Even those who try and find success in the first year of AMISOM’s deployment, admit that the force could be much more effective if each country who has pledged troops would deploy those troops.

AMISOM’s mandate is to protect Somalia’s transitional federal institutions to enable them to carry out their functions of government. Citizens of Mogadishu claim to have seen no change since the deployment, saying that violence has continued, and there is no effect on the lives of the ordinary people.

The semblance of a functioning government in Somalia, non-existent for the last seventeen years, got a boost this week, when United National Special Representative Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah announced that the transitional government was ready to hold talks with the opposition. Ould-Abdallah will assume a leadership role, joining the two parties in discussions on peace and stability.  In discussing his role, Ould-Abdallah said “I have no doubt that all Somalis and their concerned friends, governments and organizations will support this move and that everyone would refrain from any action that might hinder these important steps.”

For more information, please see:

allAfrica.com – UN Envoy Lauds Government’s Willingness to Talk With Opposition – 12 March 2008

Reuters – Somalia War Creates 20,000 refugees a month – 13 March 2008

allAfrica.com – One Year Later, AU Force in Mogadishu Soldiers On – 12 March 2008

Relief Web – UN Special Representative for Somalia calls for support for reconciliation – 12 March 2008

By: Julie K. Narimatsu
Impunity Watch Managing Editor – Journal
   
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Legislation passed last September to give 51% control of all businesses to black Zimbabweans has been signed by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe.  The law defines an “indigenous” Zimbabwean as any person who, “before the 18th April, 1980, was disadvantaged by unfair discrimination on the grounds of his or her race, and any descendant of such person.”  This corresponds to the date of Zimbabwe’s independence from white rule

The law is complemented by another plan to give black farmers, who have resettled on previously white-owned land, farming equipment and cattle.  Many of Mugabe’s critics see these plans as a political scheme to support his political backers and win public favor.  Many have in mind Mugabe’s previous redistribution of land from whites to blacks, where the most valuable land was given to prominent figures in his government and party, the Zanu-PF. 

This law, promoted by Mugabe as part of his campaign theme of “economic empowerment,” comes ahead of the March 29 elections, which many are predicting will be hotly contested.  Already, many are questioning how free and fair these elections will be, as reports of kidnappings and torture against opposition candidates are prevalent.  Africa News is reporting the disappearance of Edison Muwengwa, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.  Many believe he has been abducted by Zanu-PF militias, as threats by party members in the past few weeks have been directed at Muwengwa and his family. 

Furthermore, while the government’s strict media and security laws have been relaxed by means of a constitutional amendment, Zimbabwe Democracy Now (ZDN), a South Africa-based civil society organization, is accusing the government of being unresponsive to calls for abiding by the rules governing elections, which were agreed to by both major parties.   The agreement reached was to provide for equal media access, voter education programs and the monitoring of elections by an independent body.  However, the Daily News, one of Zimbabwe’s most popular independent newspapers remains banned and ZDN claims that state-run media are refusing to accept their advertisements. 

Amidst all this, civil society organizations, including ZDN, have been urging members of the Zimbabwean diaspora to return home to vote in the elections.  Organizations in South Africa, where an estimated two million Zimbabweans have settled, have been running billboards and “Rock the Vote” concerts to support their campaign.  While some are responding to these calls to vote, many do not have the resources or are in the country illegally and fear deportation back to Zimbabwe if caught.  While an International Organization for Migration study found that most native Zimbabweans desire to return home in the future, the current economic crisis makes this unlikely in the near future.  This month’s elections will be seen as one indicator as to Zimbabwe’s future and the return of its expatriates.

For more information, please see:

CNN.com – Zimbabwe: Blacks to control firms – 10 March 2008

Chicago Tribune – Zimbabwe’s Mugabe orders black control of businesses – 10 March 2008

NY Times – Zimbabwe Seeks ‘Indigenous’ Control of Companies – 27 June 2007

IRIN – SOUTH AFRICA-ZIMBABWE: Go home and vote, NGOs urge expats – 12 March 2008

africanews.com – Zimbabwe: MDC candidate goes missing – 11 March 2008

allAfrica.com – Zimbabwe: Government Violating SADC Guidelines on Elections – 11 March 2008

impunitywatch.net – BRIEF: Zimbabwe bans Western Observers – 10 March 2008