CITY OF BETRAYAL – BOSASO

By Alinasir Abshir Geire

Bosaso is a city in Bari Administrative Region of Somalia, and the most populous in the state of Puntland, with around 191,171 residents (according to UN estimate in 2010). By virtue of its proximity to the Arabian Peninsula and the long notorious oceanic border it has with the Gulf of Aden, Bosaso town happens to be one of the fastest growing cities in the region. Despite the millions of dollars injected by the traditional business investments every year, public amenities are no one’s concern and little is planned for the future.

It goes without saying that the growth occurs haphazardly and no piece of land is spared for government enclave; in its place, land grab continues to peak in its grinding grip; a source of conflict, which habitually turns to anarchy. So called like-minded elites from the indigenous clans often strive for the control of the town merely representing the different interest groups. Even so, emphasis is placed on clan based political power sharing for inhabitant multi-clan communities, who have discrepancies over access to business opportunities, power and influence over the existing infrastructure, which leads to inter-clan rifts.

The overall situation has dramatically deteriorated from relatively stable since the beginning of 2016 to volatile at the end of the last quarter of 2016 to date. This significant change in the security environment can be explained by the growing presence, infiltration and reorganization of ISIS and Al Shabab fighters in Bari and parts of Sanaag region. Other factors include piracy and its legacy, the increased assassinations with the climaxing local criminal activities. Categorically, human traffickers and illegal migrants going through the Corridor, enroute to Yemen and Europe attracts a well-established, deep-rooted as well as compromised high level government officials to the cartel of traffickers and smugglers cause more security imbalances in the region.

Of late, there’s been a noticeable change in tactics and modes de operandi of attacks in Bosaso. Evident to that, almost all the attacks were carried out in broad daylight at the heart of the town in areas with most security infrastructures, compounded with 100% escape rate. The tactical incapability’s and inconsistence of the state apparatus to handle and contain the situation encourages more opportunistic attacks.

Over fifty AS inmates are in the death row awaiting execution, who were initially captured in the coastal villages in Mar 2016. The prisoners were transferred from a spacious and a comparatively up to standard correction facility in the Capital, Garowe, where they were initially detained. In spite that Bosaso prison was already accommodating more than its capacity, of criminals ranging from pirates to drug dealers, and from felony to misdemeanors, observers pointed out the rationale behind the transfer with surprise. Notwithstanding the harsh climatic conditions, which are also not favoring. This prison was the first of its kind built in Puntland’s second year of inception ever since it’s been forged in 1998.

Certainly, is it true Bosaso needs security? Though the question is who needs it and to what extent; The general public? Religious leaders? Government officials? Who actually needs security?

Before answering the above, one must be given some heads up spurge of salt with the below remarks given by a pundit of the episode, “Apparently, suffocating with mixed feelings, as to who ruled it with an iron’s fist in the chilling jaws of terror? Of men intoxicated for the kill, salivating for blood of kindred. Free for the rape and extortion in the bastion of Bosaso, Port City of Somalia, the crooked reasons of eating oneself in a serial bloodbath of a nation, usurping its nationhood”.

There comes who needs to safe and secure what and from whom! Indisputably, the authorities strictly protected the revenue collection facilities. Most govt officials and individuals made their own protection. Safety at civic areas is no one’s responsibility. The public is therefore left under the mercy of their bloodthirsty horrors.

On record, people did not take the shooting of the late deputy police chief seriously, and immediately, rumors went round that the slain commander was assassinated for intra-Warsangeli clan revenge killing on 15^th Dec 2016. Yet, the demise of the late Bosaso Statehouse chief followed in less than the span of a week. Again, unknown gunmen shot dead the late Attorney General of the Military Court, on 25/12, just a few meters away from the heavily guarded court and the city’s central police station, who managed to flee the scene. Alshabaab claimed responsibility for serial shootings.

The routine queries of “Who killed” shadowed, which has become the frequently asked question and the commonly given answer is “two young men armed with pistols”! where and how “They escaped,”! These are the exchanged quotes by the public. A bewildered bystander asked “what were the security personnel doing during the occurrence but then, another replied with skepticism “the security personnel at the sites had their stomachs and magazines empty” and added that every soldier is guarding a relative of his and bothers less about others. “Aax! Waay! Aax!” an old blind man furiously lamented these discussions.

Analysts believe that the swoops didn’t bear fruits; instead, the process, with its tough scrutiny and harassment, has created a noticeable disparity between security services and the public, allowing armed non-state actors to take advantage of the situation. Irrefutably, the police are making marvelous efforts nowadays but for reasons of extreme doubt; arresting almost all the young people on the streets, whether going to school or not! Though harsh, reactionary, unbecoming and unwarranted crackdowns; the procedure awaits any member of the public. Many described this manner as signing a blank check for untrained, immoral, poor and frustrated vigilante-like paramilitaries, who were dispatched to capture ideologically-oriented, tactful enemy from within.

Critics say that it is looks like opening a market to commercialize police stations, where every detainee is faced with at least one of the following 3 scenarios: –

• Blind confession that the imprisoned is a member of Al-Shabaab/ISIS.
• To bribe the security forces or
• If lucky- be related to a prominent person to facilitate one’s release, who will of course return this with favor. Howsoever one decides lies with the fate of the subject person at that specific point in time.

Subsequently, indiscriminate extrajudicial arrest and detentions have seriously impacted on the lives of the internally displaced persons as Bosaso hosts nearly 49,000 IDPs, most of whom are from southern regions of Somalia, who are easily identifiable by their physical appearance and/or by their southern dialects. They live in 39 camps scattered all over, stretching from the city’s outskirts in the east to the Balade stream on the west. These communities constitute a higher proportion of the city’s unskilled casual workforce, who normally undertakes heavy-duties. Sheltering in the camps, they are most vulnerable to the recent notorious so called swoops. It’s not the first time that such malpractice ill-treats these communities. In 2011, thousands of southerners were forcefully deported to the south of Galkacyo by the then Farole administration, during which time; Puntland government was fighting with Al Shabaab in Galgala Mountains. What goes round, comes round, as some analysts believe that the move wasn’t independent from internal politics to create relevance for the Capital, Garowe at the expense of Bosaso – the city of betrayal.

Now the hidden killer is out there among the people, he sits and chews khat with them; discusses and prays with the rest; shops just like any other ordinary citizens in the market, the neighborhood where he lives, and he knows but no one knows nor dares to know about him! Back to square one, who needs safety and security? The armed state actors? None state actors? or the general public?…a mystery yet to be unlocked.

 Bosaso – The Sacrificial Lamb.

Alinasir Abshir Geire
Email: [email protected]

Horn  Africa Politices   Analysi  and  Securety