Gang rape in the IDP camps in Boosaso – in 2014- Investigative Report

By ;

Adam Shardi

Some of the IDP’s women living in IDP camps in Boosaso , the next main city in the semi-autonomus Regional State of Puntland can not reveal masked men who they are acquainted with who always launch attacks and rape them.Some of them delivered children in this improper way acted on them by the culprits while others are pregnant .

These women have had acute trauma after experiencing such brutal attacks in the face of their husbands and relatives and some

IDP women in Suweto enclave in Boosaso do difficult pieces of work in an irrelevant times with chances that they may come into risks including rape.

In one eveing , I visited them in their shanty huts in early 2014 and the most spoken issue in the place is the gang rape assaults by the masked men and as I have deeply got down to reveal the fact , what I have got back was that many families living there was effected by this .

Among the women raped include wives but I couldn’t access meeting and interviewing with them.

I spoke to five of the those gang raped women with different trauma effects by this assaults .all of them quitted their names to be mentioned in this story and I have accepted their offer.

A women named Sahra , although it is not her real name , is a mother of six children and she is an IDP in Boosaaso for the last three years , she was gang raped in her house inside the IDP’s camp

“I was living in this shanty hut , some of my children still remein in Mogadishu ..then three men raided in my hut..they dragged me out …then raped me.”

“ They hit me with a knife ‘

Where did they hit You ?

The answer of the raped women: “ the hip and my arm “

Question ; “ At what time it was when the accident happened ?

The answer of the raped woman: I did not have a watch…but approximately it was between 8;00 to 9:00 …nobody comes out to protect us ..they can’t protect us because people who reside around us poor IDP’s ..men who raped me were armed with pistols and knives .

This gang rape has effected her whole life -”“ Enormous effects done by these gang rape on us , people in the neighborhood always call us “women who has been gang raped” ..we hide our faces with veil inorder that they may not see our faces”

Some other IDP women are raped in a way that is different from Sahra inside Boosaso ay most of the residents sleep as they are going to work early in the morning

-”I stay here for a year and twelve months , at night I do awkward job which lasts at midnight when I was on my way home ..three men followed and threatened me with knives ..I could not call for help ..they ordered me follow and then they gang raped me …I hate to marry because ..if I got five children without a father to feed them ..and whenever I endeavor to support them , I get on this problem .. I say enough God help me grow up this children…I do not seek a husband …I will remain with them …I preffered here for safety and I have this problem ….I don’t know what I can say …..I have fled my original location of residence for the sake of war .”

I named this women as Halimo , she has a small child who is the output of a gang rape she had and she was holding children during the interview.

Question : Is this daughter you have on your thigh was born for the sake of the gang rape ?

Answer : Yes , I stay here in Boosaaso for one year and five months inluding my stay here and her pregnency .

Question : When the rape occurred ?

Answer: it was early morning when people were asleep ..I went out for work in a small restaurent for cooking pancake ..during my walk …men with pistols said to me “stop” threatening me ..then they raped me.

Question : Other injuries they inflicted upon you ?

Answer: YES , under the eye they hit me with a iron bar “(The wound could be seen ).

Question: where is the others daughters’ father , are you married or divorced ?

Answer : We are divorced ..isn’t that why I am going early in the morning seeking job ?

Qouest: After you have met with these difficulties is there anybody that you informed to support you ?

Answer: I informed this to my relatives ..nobody supported me…I can recognize the faces of those who raped me and I can’t tell them to anybody because they warned me if you tell us somebody you will be died and killed .

Question : What do you think , if you inform the police ?

Answer: If I inform them to the police they will kill me , nobody can be informed ..I trust on God on this .

Question : Are you still insist doing the job that led you rape ?

Answer : Yes, I need to support my children ..they need to be fed …who is going to feed ..these conditions me onset for this riskfull job ..I trust on God ..I know nothing else to do.

Question : What do you expect from your future having another marriage ?

Answer: I have got children ..I rely upon God help me grow up …nothing else to do.

Question : Hopeful for marriage again ?

Answer; If I have prospect I will acquire , otherwise I will give up..I don’t want it.

Question : Why ?

Answer: A problem existing

Question : Can you explain ?

Answer: I fled from my original residence for insecurity ..and where I preferred for safety I met

Deeqo Mohamed Farah is a member of Suweto IDP camp administrators I inquired her why these IDP women are specificifically targeted for gang rape.

” IDP’s women are particularly targeted ..they are poor and vulnerable ..there are those who work carring things on their back , others wash clothes for others.

At after midnight they cook pancakes ..they can’t reveal those who victimized them even if they know in fear of to be killed .

Last summer a woman hs been killed because she has revealed men who raped her…people who witnessed the action could not reveal for their safety”

Additionally , Deeqa told me that at least 3 to 4 women are gang raped monthly.

Some of the women feel deep-despresed like a woman with five children whose father divorced her who has been gang raped in her workplace and she told me how she was disappointed after being assaulted and gang raped in a town she has preffered for her security and safety …and how is hopeless for an other marriage in the future .

”I stay here for a year and twelve months , at night I do awkward job which lasts at midnight when I was on my way home ..three men followed and threatened me with knives ..I could not call for help ..they ordered me follow and then they gang raped me …I hate to marry because ..if I got five children without a father to feed them ..and whenever I endeavor to support them , I get on this problem .. I say enough God help me grow up this children…I do not seek a husband …I will remain with them …I preffered here for safety and I have this problem ….I don’t know what I can say …..I have fled my original location of residence for the sake of war .”

Marian Gadudo, Chairman of womens’ organization In Bari region who I asked her reaction these incidents met by the IDP women in Boosaso replied

”“ This problem is done upon IDP’s women but the other women here can’t be done upon because their brothers and relatives react ..if the culprits do not fear somebody to react they can do whatever they wish”

IDP’s women victimized and others that we spoke to similarly said that the men behind the gang rape are armed men who always dress up like the ordinary people while some other dress up military camouflage .

Bari region Police Command said that investigations underway relating to the gang rape assaults against IDP women in Boosaaso.

ADAM SHARDI
Somalireport.com
Head of Investgation