Puntland: Rape a Major Problem for Bossaso IDPs

[Kamaavi]

Nairobi — The number of reported rapes in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bosasso, in Somalia's self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, is increasing and rape has become "a major problem", says a civil society source.

 

"We are seeing more and more women who have been raped in the displaced camps," said Hawa Ali Jama, of We Are Women Activists (WAWA), an NGO.

 

"We have recorded 30 women raped in October 2009 and 45 in November," she said. These numbers did not reflect the actual number of raped women, because many did not report it, she said, for two reasons. First, the family may not want the case to be reported "because they are afraid that it will reflect badly on them". Second, the woman may be afraid the perpetrator may come back and harm her or her family.

 

Jama said there were at least 24 IDP camps in Bosasso and rape cases had been reported in most.

 

She said rapes were committed either by men from the host community or other IDPs. Among the IDPs there were men who took a fancy to a girl and wanted to marry her but if they were rejected, "he may return at night to rape her; he will then be forced to marry her, according to tradition. That was his aim all along."

 

Unsafe haven

 

Many of the displaced fled violence in the south, particularly the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

 

Ambro (not her real name) came to Bosasso, the commercial capital of Puntland, in 2005, seeking a safe haven for her family.

 

A month ago her teenage daughter was attacked near the IDP camp that is their new home in Bosasso while Ambro was out finding work in the town.

 

"It was around 11:30am when a young man raped my girl," the 35-year-old mother of five said. "He tied her up and then raped her." By the time the mother returned she found her daughter bleeding.

 

WAWA staff took her to the doctor. "She is recovering now but it is hard for a young girl to recover from something like this," said Ambro.

 

"I never thought it would happen here. It was for fear of something like this happening that I fled Mogadishu," she explained. "It seems no place is safe for us."

 

Breaking the silence

 

In the same month and in the same IDP camp two men raped a young girl.

 

"These people survive on very little and they supplement it with work they find in the town. Now they are afraid that when they go to find work they may get raped," Jama said, adding that it was becoming one of the biggest security concerns for the women.

 

Jama said her group and others working with the displaced had started a campaign to encourage women to report cases of rape. "We have volunteers in the camps who interact with the women and encourage them to come forward." Her group was providing counselling and medical help.

 

The authorities are also taking the matter more seriously. "We have a very good relationship with the local authorities and once we identify the culprit they are arrested and taken to court."

 

The volunteers and staff stay with the survivors throughout the process. "We are there with them until the rapist is brought to court and convicted. This has encouraged more women to come forward," she said.

 

A campaign of awareness to encourage families to abandon the tradition of hiding rape cases has helped to "break the silence", she said.

 

"We will keep fighting until we put a stop to these violations," said Jama.

 

Ambro said she did not know what she would do now. "I cannot take my children back to Mogadishu, because it is not safe but I don't feel safe here either. At least here I have the support of the people like WAWA."

 

Full Coverage.

[Peace Action]

The authorities are also taking the matter more seriously. "We have a very good relationship with the local authorities and once we identify the culprit they are arrested and taken to court."

 

Instead of jailing, if the rapist are hanged this henious crime can be eliminated.

[Hamse]

Among the IDPs there were men who took a fancy to a girl and wanted to marry her but if they were rejected, "he may return at night to rape her; he will then be forced to marry her, according to tradition. That was his aim all along."

read it again onlf boy. the refugee are rapin each other. the puntland authorities are doing their best stop rape as the article states. criminals come to our state and start breaking the law. one time they throw bomb, now they are raping young kids.

 

try again onlf boy.

[Peace Action]

Hamse know the difference between legtimate news and propoganda. Don't shoot the messenger, there are real porblems at IDP camps and the authorities need to do more. For the love of God, drop the use of ONLF boy, please.

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by Peace Action:

Hamse know the difference between legtimate news and propoganda. Don't shoot the messenger, there are real porblems at IDP camps and the authorities need to do more. For the love of God, drop the use of ONLF boy, please.

Whether real problems exist or not is not in questions(rape, etc are all common in IDP camps), what is more disturbing is the posters intentions for posting this. From what I gather, it was not to highlight the plight of women in IDP camps, but to take pot shots at the region in question. Which is off putting to say the least and disturbing, using the misery of others to score points on an online forum. Have we come to this point?

[Hamse]

Originally posted by Peace Action:

Hamse know the difference between legtimate news and propoganda. Don't shoot the messenger, there are real porblems at IDP camps and the authorities need to do more. For the love of God, drop the use of ONLF boy, please.

move out of my way mr istustus. noqobi posted this article to make my people look bad. no other reason my friend. i don't speak for you, i am only defending my puntland.

 

naqaska ha nug celin.

 

onlf boy will get what he deserves.

[Abtigiis]

nogobi,

 

Qolyahan hadal qaadkooda iska daa. Aduun waad aragtaaye.

 

Thanks Peace Action.

[Kamaavi]

^Yeah I got it.

 

 

Originally posted by Hamse:

quote:Originally posted by Peace Action:

Hamse know the difference between legtimate news and propoganda. Don't shoot the messenger, there are real porblems at IDP camps and the authorities need to do more. For the love of God, drop the use of ONLF boy, please.

move out of my way mr istustus. noqobi posted this article to make my people look bad. no other reason my friend. i don't speak for you, i am only defending my puntland.

 

naqaska ha nug celin.

 

onlf boy will get what he deserves.

Ever heard of the saying "only bad news is good news"?

 

Fact is, most news are about negative stuff, no matter which country is the subject.

 

The report did not necessarily reflect my views. But since you mentioned I'm taking at Pirateland I suggest you take a look at O'gaden news papers and other media if you are capable of understanding why the news have been posted. You will come to the conclusion that the whole region of the horn of Africa is in a desperate state and about to fall apart.

 

It just seems to me you have the typcial Pirateland attitude that it's better to sweep things under the carpet than talk about them.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Anigu mar mar waxan is yidha puntland marki lugu dhawaqayey Mala bisinka looma qabban.

[GAAROODI]

thats the true puntland spirit and the young girl is somalia.

[Kamaavi]

The crime of rape as a crime against humanity, it omitted rape from other categories of crimes. Women and girls constitute more than half of refugees in the world today, and refugee women are particularly vulnerable to crimes of rape and sexual violence. While fleeing war in their homelands, women are victims of rape and sexual violence at the hands of security forces, border guards, locals, smugglers, and other refugees.

 

Unaccompanied women and girls are often regarded as common sexual property in refugee camps and may face forced prostitution as well as coercion into sex in exchange for food, documents or refugee status.

 

 

Rape is not an accident of war, or an incidental adjunct to armed conflict. Its widespread use in times of conflict reflects the unique terror it holds for women, the unique power it gives the rapist over his victim, and the unique contempt is displays for its victims. The use of rape in conflict reflects the inequalities women face in their everyday lives in peacetime.

 

Until governments take responsibility for their obligations to ensure equality, and end discrimination against women, rape will continue to be a favored weapon of the aggressor.

[RedSea]

Originally posted by Xaji_Xunjuf:

Anigu mar mar waxan is yidha puntland marki lugu dhawaqayey Mala bisinka looma qabban.

Waar maxaad tidhi? hmmm

[Kamaavi]

^ Xaaji says he was refering to his SL flag, and as it reads he was trying to induce the Pirateland an idea of having a new flag with Kalimah like Saudi Arabia. He is a smart dude.

[Kamaavi]

Hay'adda Maareynta Xuquuqda Soomaalida oo canbaareyneysa Maamulka Puntland

 

Hay'adda maareynta xuquuqda Soomaalida (SRM) waxey canbaareyneysaa falalka dilalka & kufsiga ah ee ka dhacaya ismaamulka puntland kaas oo kor u sii kacaya maalinba maalinta kadanbeysa.

 

Xafiiska haay'adda waxaa soo gaaraya warbixino aad iyo aad u badan oo tibaaxaya tacadiyadda loo geysanayo dadka soomaaliyeed ee ka soo jeeda goboladda koonfureed iyo Soomaali galbeed.

 

Tacadiyaddas oo iskugu jira dil , dhaawac, caga jugleyn, iyo kufsi lagu bar tilmaameysanayo dumarka Soomaaliyeed ee ka soo barakacay koonfur soomaaliya iyo kuwa ka soo cararay gumeysiga Ethiopia.

 

Hay'adda ayaa ku tilmaamtay arimahaas jinsi naceeyb eey beerayaan madaxa sare ee ismaamulka Puntland, arintas oo loga gol leyahay in lakala irdheeyo shacabka soomaaliyeed ee walaalaha ah.

 

Hay'addu waxeey oogu baaqeysaa maamulka Puntland iney ka waantoobaan jinsi naceeybka eey caadeysteen una soo laabtaan

islaanimo,walaaltinimo,Soomaalinimo, kana fogaadaan kala qeybinta umadda Soomaaliyeed iyo abuurista cadaawad sokeeye.

 

C/Raxmaan Yuusuf Axmed

 

Xoghayaha guud ee hay'adda

 

Somalian Rights Monitor