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Response to
Information Request
Number: SOM01002.ZAR
Date: 9 February 2001
Somalia
Query:
According
to reliable sources (UK Home Office, UNHCR, UN IRIN) over 100,000
Somalis have been repatriated from Ethiopia and Kenya.
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What
clans have been repatriated?
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Are
repatriations forced or voluntary?
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Is
it safe to repatriate to southern Somalia?
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Would
certain clans be able to safely relocate within Somalia?
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Are
there clans who could not safely relocate within Somalia?
Response:
Background
on Somali refugees and asylum seekers
About
425, 000 Somali refugees and asylum seekers lived in about two-dozen
countries at the end of 1999. An estimated 170,000 were refugees in
Ethiopia, some 160,000 in Kenya, about 50,000 in Yemen, more than
20,000 in Djibouti, 3,000 in Tanzania, nearly 3,000 in Egypt, nearly
3,000 in Libya, about 2,000 in Eritrea, 1,000 in Uganda, and some
14,000 new asylum seekers in various European countries. An estimated
350,000 Somalis were internally displaced. Tens of thousands of
Somalis also fled their homes in the southern part of the country in
1999 (USCR 2000, p 115).
Repatriation
of Somali refugees
UNHCR
began voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees in February 1997.
UNHCR assisted a total of 45,000 Somalis with repatriation during
2000. This brought the total number of Somali repatriates from
northwest Somalia to 115,000. The 130,000 Somali refugees in eight
camps in eastern Ethiopia are mostly from north and northwestern areas
of Somalia, although some southern Somalis are found in Ethiopia's
Jijiga camp. UNHCR stated in September 2000, that "We are waiting
for conditions to improve in southern Somalia before facilitating the
return of another 140,000 Somalis still in Kenyan camps" (UNHCR 3
Nov. 2000; UN OCHA 8 Sept. 2000).
In
1999 approximately 25,000 Somali refugees repatriated, mostly from
Ethiopia and Yemen to Somaliland (USCR 2000, p 115-116).
At
the beginning of 2000, UNCHR repatriated 1,000 Somali refugees living
in the Kakuma and Dadaab camps in Kenya to Bosasso in Puntland and to
Berbera in Somaliland. Nearly 140,000 Somali refugees, mainly from
southern Somalia, remain in camps in Kenya (AFP 16 Feb. 2000).
Repatriations
of Somali refugees under UNHCR's auspices have been voluntary. In a
recent report on minority groups in Somalia a distinction is made by
UNHCR's Head of Somali Operations between "promoted returns"
and "facilitated returns." UNHCR's current policy on
repatriation of Somali refugees is that repatriation can be promoted
for those from the north (the self-declared states of
"Somaliland" and "Puntland") because UNHCR is
convinced that the areas of origin are relatively peaceful and stable.
Returnees to northern Somalia received food packages or financial
subsidies to last several months, household items such as blankets and
water containers, and travel allowances to reach their homes from
transit centers in northern Somalia (DIS, UK Home Office, Ministerie
van Buitenlandse Zaken, Dec. 2000, p 18; UN Resident Coordinator, 13
Nov. 2000; USCR 2000, p 116).
"Facilitated
returns" occur on an individual basis. For these returns UNHCR
provides basic assistance and fully informs those who express the wish
to return of the risks inherent in return. Facilitation usually
involves transportation arranged by UNHCR, but without the material
assistance given when UNHCR assumes full responsibility for organized
repatriation to the northern regions of Somalia. UNHCR repatriation to
southern Somalia is only "facilitated" by UNCHR for those
who insist on returning to the southern regions of Somalia (DIS, US
Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Dec. 2000, p.18; UN
Resident Coordinator, 13 Nov. 2000).
In
mid-December 2000, repatriation of southern Somali refugees from the
Obock refugee camp in Djibouti resumed. As many as 624 Somali refugees
were repatriated to Mogadishu. The operation was interrupted due to
lack of funding and is scheduled to be completed in January 2001. No
further information on these repatriations having been completed was
located among the sources consulted by the RIC. The repatriations to
Mogadishu were facilitated and not promoted by the UNCHR. At the end
of September 2000, UNHCR facilitated the repatriation of 44 returnees
from Yemen to Mogadishu (UN Coordination Unit 30 Sept. 2000; UNHCR 15
Dec. 2000).
The
UNHCR Head of Somali Operation states that to UNHCR's knowledge no
Somali who is recognized as a refugee in Kenya has been deported to
Somalia. However, he was unable to completely rule out the possibility
of this having happened in the past (DIS, US Home Office, Ministerie
van Buitenlandse Zaken, Dec. 2000, p. 27).
The
situation faced by returnees/repatriates
Internally
displaced persons (IDPs) from the south were generally worse off than
town residents in the north, however, the returnees faced severe
problems as well. Both IDPs and returnees face problems in terms of
integration within the depressed local economy. The current Saudi ban
on the sale of livestock, has furthered the decline of the local
economy, especially in the north. IDPs around Bosasso face risks in
terms of sanitation and health. The shelter available is meager and
vulnerable to fires. Insecurity of land tenure and ownership is of
primary concern (DIS, US Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse
Zaken, Dec. 2000, p.18; UN Resident Coordinator 13 Nov. 2000).
Detailed
information on the specific clan membership of repatriates could not
be found among the sources consulted by the RIC. Individual will be
most secure in an area in which their clan is dominant and able to
provide them protection (UK Home Office Oct.2000, Section 5.11),
however, the information below does provide some idea of the situation
of some clans which have either repatriated or relocated to the
northern areas of Somalia.
Situation
of various clans in Somaliland
In
Isaaq-dominated Somaliland, authorities have been tolerant of
non-Isaaq clan members living in their territory. The SNM
administration in Somaliland has allowed Somalis who originate from
the north-west and minorities such as the Bantu to settle in its
territory (UK Home Office Oct. 2000, Sections 5.11, 5.19, 5.36).
"Occupational
castes" such as the Midgan, Tumal, and Yibir, who are referred to
collectively as sab, traditionally lived in areas of the four
main nomadic clan families of Darod, Isaaq, Dir and Hawiye in northern
and central Somalia. In the last few decades many members of these
groups migrated to the cities. In 1998, some 2,000 Midgan, Tumal,
Yibir returned from Ethiopia to Hargeisa in Somaliland. Once there,
they found recovery from the civil war especially difficult.
Economically they fill mostly menial jobs, and feel insecure to
conduct business, fearing other clans could confiscate their
possessions (DIS, US Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken,
Dec. 2000, p. 61-62).
The
Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn), who have fled their homes since 1995
when Aideed's forces captured Baidoa, are a visible minority in
Somaliland. Although initially they were well-received, they are no
longer welcome as they are seen by the Somaliland population as
aggressive beggars. They live in very poor slum-like conditions and
there is no place for them in society. They form the lowest
socio-economic layer, although they are not systematically threatened
(DIS, US Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Dec. 2000, p.
68-69).
Situation
of various clans in Puntland
The
authorities of Majerteen-dominated Puntland have been willing to allow
thousands of people from other clans and minorities to live in
territory they administer. Members of the Midgan (or Gaboye) minority
have been able to settle in Puntland (UK Home Office Oct. 2000,
Sections 5.11, 5.19, 5.36).
The
Ashraf (or Asharaf) are a minority religious clan, but they do not
support armed Islamic fundamentalist groups such as Al-Ittihad.
Because they fear Al-Ittihad, the Ashraf prefer not to relocate within
Puntland, where Al-Ittihad has had influence in recent years (DIS, UK
Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Dec. 2000, p. 52, 62,
& 69).
A
Dutch mission to Somaliland and Puntland in November 1999 found that
Reer Hamar and Reer Brava minorities have resettled in Puntland, but
in small numbers. They live in IDP camps. Although they are not unsafe
or persecuted, they face discrimination and their socio-economic
position is tenuous. Rahanweyn (Digil and Mirifle) are present in
Puntland, however they are very poor and often live from begging (DIS,
UK Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Dec. 2000, p. 52,
62, & 69).
Two
international aid groups suspended their operations in Puntland in May
and June 2000 in response to death threats and an attempted grenade
attack against one of the agencies (USCR 28 Aug. 2000).
Freedom
of travel/ability to relocate
There
is relatively free movement between Puntland and Somaliland. Freedom
of movement also exists between Puntland and the neighboring USC/SNA
controlled areas to the south, and in the Hiran and Galgadud regions.
Air services are reliably operating to Puntland and Somaliland from
Djibouti. The ability to travel in central and southern Somalia,
however, is generally restricted (UK Home Office Oct. 2000, Section
5.34).
As
the security improves, refugees and IDPs will continue to return to
their homes, however, their properties, which were forcibly occupied
during the early 1990's, remain in the hands of those other than the
pre-war owners (UK Home Office Oct. 2000, Sections 5.37).
Possibilities
for the future
Political
developments in Somalia have sparked hope among Somali refugees that
they may be able to return home in the near future. The election of a
Transitional National Assembly (TNA) and Abdiqassim Salad Hassan as
president was widely celebrated by refugees. In an effort to judge
refugee interest in returning to Somalia a survey was conducted in all
three Dadaab camps in Kenya. The survey results indicated that 71% of
the Somali refugees surveyed were willing to repatriate voluntarily.
This is the first time that there has been such an expression of
willingness to return to Somalia on the part of refugees. UNHCR has
observed some refugee families sending one or two family/clan members
to home areas in Somalia on fact finding missions. Although an
optimistic attitude seems to now exist among Somali refugees who have
lived outside their country for nearly a decade, the new TNA faces
numerous and serious obstacles to the establishing a real sense of
state order (DIS, UK Home Office, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken,
Dec. 2000, p. 15; UN Resident Coordinator, 13 Nov. 2000).
Given
the numerous dimensions of any individual asylum applicant's personal
circumstances, the RIC is unable to categorically conclude which clans
could or could not return to or relocate within Somalia. This response
was prepared after researching publicly accessible information
currently available to the RIC within time constraints. This response
is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee or asylum status.
References
Agence
France Presse
(AFP). 16 February 2000. "UNHCR flies Somali refugees home."
[Internet] URL: http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/s/BF6075D7E4F3F56FC12568880035E2F4
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
Danish
Immigration Service, United Kingdom Home Office, and Ministerie van
Buitenlandse Zaken (Dutch Immigration Service). Report on minority
groups in Somalia--Joint British, Danish and Dutch fact-finding
mission to Nairobi, Kenya 17 to 24 September 2000. (Copenhagen,
Denmark: December 2000), 125 p.
United
Kingdom (UK), Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Country
Information and Policy Unit. October 2000. Somalia Assessment.
[Internet] URL:http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/default.asp?PageId=193>
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
United
Nations (UN) Coordination Unit. 30 September 2000. "UN activities
in Somalia for the week of 25-30 Sep 2000." [Internet] URL:
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/s/AF7E2C035FA2D291C125696D00319AE0
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 15 December 2000.
"UNHCR Briefing Notes: Guinea, Djibouti, Afghanistan/Tajikistan,
European Parliament supports UNHCR." [Internet] URL: http://www/reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/s/0E69400AFAE1E961C12569B6004BEE47
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 3
November 2000. "UNHCR Briefing Notes: Somalia, Angola/DR Congo,
Nansen Medal." [Internet]
URL: http://www/reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/s/77F139D53AD73477C125698C004DA86E
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
United
Nations Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA),
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa
(IRIN-CEA). 8 September 2000. "Horn of Africa: IRIN Weekly
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(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
United
Nations Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA),
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa
(IRIN-CEA). 26 January 2000. "Horn of Africa: IRIN News Briefs,
26 January." [Internet] URL: http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/s/00B92F3673591E2D852568720073BB28
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
United
Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator. 13 November 2000. "Somalia
refugees say they are ready for repatriation." [Internet] URL:
http://www/reliefweb.int/w/rwb/nsf/s/3AA8D75AAB54820EC1256999005402B6
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
US
Committee for Refugees (USCR). 28 August 2000. "Mid-year 2000:
Somalia: Chaos Continues." [Internet] URL: http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/s/8BDE6EB05DEDA56B8525694900773444
(Accessed on 8 February 2001)
US
Committee for Refugees (USCR). "Somalia," World Refugee
Survey 2000. (Washington, DC: USCR, 2000), 328 p.
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