UN puts Somalia on spot over violation of Human Rights

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The government of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has yet again been put on the spot over alleged violation of Human Rights, with a top United Nations investigator citing serious incidents which could put Mogadishu at loggerheads with the international partners.

The concerns, it has emerged, are also highlighted in a report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is responsible for protecting the oppressed from being antagonized by organized groups, and the team could now shift focus to the Horn of Africa nation.

Ms. Isha Dyfan, who was appointed as an independent expert on Somalia in March when the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, says she's been gathering information on the violation of Human Rights by reaching out to various sources. According to her, preliminary evidence strongly indicates Somali authorities are regressing on commitments to protect peoples’ economic, social, and cultural rights.

She acknowledges the country’s armed conflict and humanitarian crises have been worsened by the pandemic and a locust infestation, with little or zero checks and balances, something which has allowed authorities to act with impunity and in total disregard of the rule of law.

“There have been reports of attacks against health care and aid workers, excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies resulting in the death of civilians, violations of the right to freedom of expression and opinion, and an increase in sexual and gender-based violence and forced evictions during the pandemic,” she said.

According to her, she is particularly troubled by long-standing and deeply rooted patterns of prejudice, discrimination, and violence aimed daily at women and girls. The country has recorded many cases of violence targeting the two groups.

“I have continued to hear of incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, girls, and boys, occurring for the most part with impunity, forcing victims and their families to turn to other avenues, which seem to provide a semblance of justice, but in reality, continue to fuel violence,” Dyfan added.

Somali Ambassador to Switzerland and Austria Ebyan Mahamed Salah said her government does not believe it is possible to achieve peace and security without the preservation of human rights. She said Somalia has adopted a human rights-based approach and established institutions to end impunity and violent conflict and to ensure peoples’ rights and freedoms.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has often been under spot for failing to regulate security forces which have been harassing and intimidating critics. The opposition politicians have often raised issues, arguing that the regime uses the National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] to unleash against opponents and journalists.

Also, there have also been cases of defilement targeting girls and women, mostly perpetrated by the Somali security forces and at times, the Al-Shabaab militants. A number of rape incidents have been recorded in the country where convictions are rare, and it's only last week when a soldier was slapped with a life sentence for raping a minor.

Newly appointed Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who assumed office a couple of weeks ago, has already formed a committee to specifically look at complaints involving a violation of Human Rights, arguing that the team will ensure perpetrators of sexual violence are punished in line with the rule of law.

For three decades, Somalia has struggled to form a nationally accepted government, leading to cases of lawlessness and anarchy. The civilians' courts in the country are fairly dysfunctional and this matter has also led to a serious of questions from the international community.

GAROWE ONLINE