|
Human Rights
Somalia's human rights
situation is poor, and serious human rights abuses continued through
2001. Citizens' right to change their government is circumscribed by
the absence of an established central authority. Many civilian
citizens were killed in factional fighting, especially in Gedo, Hiran,
Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, Middle Juba, Lower Juba regions, and
in the cities of Mogadishu and Bosasso. Kidnaping remained a problem.
There were some reports of the use of torture by Somaliland and
Puntland administrations and militias. In Somaliland and Puntland,
police used lethal force while disrupting demonstrations. The use of
landmines, reportedly by the Rahanwein Resistance Army (RRA), resulted
in several deaths. Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening.
Arbitrary arrest and detention remained problems. Somaliland
authorities detained a number of persons who challenged President Egal
and his management of the nascent political party system. In most
regions, the judicial system relied on some combination of traditional
and customary justice, Shari'a (Islamic) law, and the pre-1991 Penal
Code; reports of harsh physical punishments by Islamic Shari'a courts,
including public whippings and stonings, were rare. Citizens' privacy
rights were limited. There were restrictions on the freedoms of speech,
press, assembly, association, and religion. There were restrictions on
freedom of movement. There were several reports of attacks on NGO's
during the year. Violence and discrimination against women, including
the nearly universal practice of female genital mutilation (FGM),
continued. The abuse of children remained a problem. Abuse and
discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in the various
clan regions persisted. There was no effective system for the
protection of workers' rights, and there were isolated areas where
local gunmen forced minority group members to work for them. Child
labor and trafficking remained problems.
Source: U.S. Department of
State
|