September 11, 2019

Members of the International Community working with Somalia have had developed and adhere to a system of security rating in various parts of Somalia. This starts with points such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on. The lower the number, the better rating for the area peace and stability, the safer it is for expatriate organizations and foreign personnel to go and spend a night there.

There are also contradictions in the system of rating as you discover that Mogadishu is one of the most dangerous places for an expatriate to visit. But, it is the most frequented place by foreigners in the country. Why? This happens in Mogadishu because of the following reasons:

1. There is Xalane Campound, which is off-limits to access by natives and therefore safer than elsewhere in Somalia

2. There is more money, more opportunities to make money and more capacity to absorb aid. That attracts more expatriates to Mogadishu.

Another contradiction in this rating is the fact that Garowe City is many times safer than most big cities of the USA. The difference is that the law and order situation in the US is many times better than that of Garowe – If incidents happen, security reaction is swift. There are no people walking with guns and driving technicals in towns in the USA or Western Europe.

But, the bottomline in the security rating on Somali towns by UN and other foreign agencies is the notion that, in a tribal society, violence can break out any time without prior warning – there is no reliable peace in a tribal society. Personal safety and public security could deteriorate spontaneously.

Clearing out signs of insecurity in towns, however, could help improve this foreign imposed ratings. For example, an expatriate foreign worker could bring his/her family members along with him/her to Hargeisa. They can’t that in Garowe. Why? Because in Hargeisa, you don’t see people moving with guns and roving technicals and security escort pick-ups, while to do that is fashionable in Garowe, even among former politicians and officials. That is damaging to Garowe security rating. In Puntland cities, one often sees many individual stray soldiers clad in military fatigues and guns wandering about, especially around Qat stalls. This is a sign of insecurity in cities.

Once, I saw a heavily guarded UN convoy in Garowe, perhaps UN VIP visiting, onboard white vehicles with UN inscription led by two Puntland Army technicals. That made me sad as it showed me that the government isn’t sophisticated enough to conceal such display of insecurity in town. Ironically, these UN guys are the ones who make the security rating for Puntland Zone. These security escorts for them are from the Presidency itself. Do something about it.

https://ismailwarsame.blog

@ismailwarsame

September 11, 2019

In 2006, Villa Somalia was a dilapidated squatter-campound, initially looted and ramsacked and strip-naked by USC mob, and then spoiled by the militia of Hussein Caydiid, who were squatting there as their shit-hole and living space. It was a place beyond any normal repair.

As the forces of late President Abdullahi Yusuf seized the campound from the militia of Caydiid, they couldn’t believe their eyes to appreciate the extent of destruction the Camp had suffered. Recall, the forces of Yusuf had entered Mogadishu first, losing considerable men and material along the way from Afgoye. The Ethiopian forces came to Mogadishu days later.

President Yusuf and his soldiers made minor repairs in parts of the residence sections of the Villa. The President also let Hussein Caydiid militia to stay on with him in the Campound and get integrated into his own security detail. Ethiopian forces came along and had occupied most of the campound as they too moved into Mogadishu, especially into the run-down Office Complex of Villa Somalia.

At that time, I came to Mogadishu, after completing my contract with the Joint Needs Assessment for Somalia, JNA Project, with the UN and World Bank. I was not with the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

A group of us, including General Morgan, MPs Jurile, Ali Bashi, and Abdullahi Ulaa and Ahmed Giitaara etc took residence in the current living quarters of the FGS Prime Minister. We made our own repairs of the building then.

It so happened that President Yusuf, owing to the absence of most of his office personnel and presidential staff, had asked me to help him out and run Villa Somalia for only ten days, knowing my experience with Puntland Presidency. I, however, found Villa Somalia dysfunctional. In just a few days, I had managed to make the place operational with state of the art equipment and independent communication gear outside the control of Hormud Telecommunication Co. with Internet hooked up with VSat.

Next, I called for the poor Campound engineer inherited fron Hussein Caydiid militia and hooked him up with a wealthy businessman of Puntland origin, to start repairing the whole Villa Somalia and ordered the Ethiopian forces to move out of the campound altogether. China-donated funds for government housing repairs were available at discretion of Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Mohamed Gedi. I requested for the release of these funds for the repair works of Villa Somalia to the level it is today. Former TFG President, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, had inherited the fruits of that labour, where he took over Villa Somalia with no teaspoon missing.

One memorable episode I would like to share with the readers is the fact that one day came to my office General Abdi Qaydiid, the TFG Police Commissioner then, now a Senator, waving a sheets of papers for me to rubber-stamp for him. I looked at papers. They already carried the signature of the president. It was about the promotion of ranks of nearly three hundred police officers. I looked at him and told him that his papers were forgery. Qaydiid couldn’t believe his ears. “What?” “Forgery, “I said. “Don’t you see the signature of the president?” he asked. “This document was not prepared and issued by this office,” I told him flatly. “They have been prepared by my Commander’s Office,” he shot back. “That is why they are forgery,” I told him. He quickly stormed out of my office to the President’s. Later, I was informed that the President advised Qaydiid to wait a bit until I leave office in a few days’ time.

https://ismailwarsame.blog

@ismailwarsame