Without Solutions for IDPs, Somalia's Recovery Can't Succeed

By Mark Yarnell

It has been nearly a year since Somalia established a new federal government, ostensibly ending years of political transition. Some areas in Somalia are indeed experiencing increased stability and economic revival, but overall, a severe and complex humanitarian crisis continues and many challenges remain – especially for the country’s 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

I will be traveling to Somalia in the coming days to assess the current conditions for IDPs and to investigate how (or even if) the rights and needs of displaced people are being considered in Somalia’s development plans (both by the Somali government itself, and by the international community).

In Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, there remain several hundred thousand IDPs. Many of them fled their home areas during the 2011 famine, while others have been displaced by conflict. Earlier this year, the Somali Federal Government (SFG) put forward a plan to relocate IDPs from multiple camp locations within Mogadishu to larger camp sites on the outskirts of the city. This is meant to be merely the first step toward their return “home.” But in fact, many IDPs (especially those who have been displaced for years) do not have homes or land they can return to. And for many others, the regions from which they fled are still too insecure.

As I learned during my last visit to Somalia, IDPs are not benefiting from Mogadishu’s economic boom. Many of them live in camps that are controlled by powerful local gatekeepers who divert much of the aid meant for IDPs and physically abuse them. Wresting control from these gatekeepers is critical, but a hasty relocation that is not properly planned and resourced could have a negative impact on the IDP population. The kind of physical harm and exploitation that can come from evicting and physically moving people must be avoided, and any new camps outside Mogadishu must have adequate security, shelter, access to livelihoods, healthcare, education, and other basic necessities.

Any relocation of these IDPs must therefore be done in a deliberate and thoughtful way that is based on fundamental humanitarian principles, upholds the rights of IDPs, and actually ameliorates their situation instead of causing harm and increasing vulnerability.

It will be a major challenge to do this right, but for the Somali government, the existence of IDPs must not be considered an obstruction to be pushed aside. A huge proportion of the country remains displaced, so properly supporting the displaced community must rank highly on the country’s development agenda.

When the Somali government first drafted its relocation plans, it called for “no IDPs in Mogadishu” by August 20, 2013. Fortunately, the SFG backed away from this unfeasible timeline and is now working with the UN and aid organizations to develop more comprehensive and realistic plans. But this initial policy framed IDPs as a problem, rather than a key segment of the Somali population, and that assumption needs to change. If Mogadishu and Somalia as a whole are going to move forward in the years ahead, then the displaced must be consulted and engaged.

Over the next few weeks, I will be meeting with a multitude of local and international actors involved in Somalia’s humanitarian response. But most importantly, I will meet with many members of the displaced community to learn how they can best be supported as they play their key role in Somalia’s development. Stay tuned for updates and reports from the field.

Source: refugeesinternational.org