©Somalia Report

Somali refugees in the program

In most cases, you would not expect to get higher education at a refugee camp in Africa. But that is exactly what a group of refugees, including Somalis, in Kakuma refugee camp, northwestern Kenya, are receiving following the launch of an online course at the camp in mid-March.

The camp was established in 1992, a year after the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre plunged Somalia into chaos, and life there for almost 80,000 refugees, many from Somalia, is challenging, both in terms of environmental conditions and security risks from local armed pastoralists.

The camp is located in a semi-arid area, with sandstorms frequent. Refugees refer to the camp - run by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) with Kenyan cooperation - as an open-air prison, as they are not allowed to leave without a permit. It’s particularly hard for the Somali refugees, who have nothing in common with the host community and are stranded almost 1,500 km from the Kenya-Somalia border

Impossible dream

Under such harsh conditions and restrictions, education seemed like an impossible dream. But a group of Somalis have enrolled in an online program that allows them to do diploma courses in various fields. The course is offered by Jesuit Commons - Higher Education at the Margins (JCHEM), an umbrella organization that has more than 28 colleges and universities in the US under its management. These include Regis University in Colorado, which offers the curriculum.

Students can take three-year diplomas in Liberal Studies, focusing on areas such as humanities, leadership, business studies, communication and conflict management.

“While most refugees have access to primary and some to secondary education, we have seen a strong demand for tertiary education,” said James Stapleton, Communications Coordinator for Jesuit Refugee Service. “It’s about giving them education for leadership and service ... they are expected to give back to society.”

Students download their course materials through a bank of computers in the camp, and then interact with their American tutors across several different time zones. Thirty-five students from eight different nationalities are studying for the diploma, and the number is expected to rise to 100 by the end of the year.

New leaders in the making?

Ahmed Abdi Farah is a 23-year-old Somali refugee. He fled his country at the age of three and has lived at the camp all his life, where he attended his primary and secondary education. When the opportunity to study online presented itself he did not think twice. “This is a God send,” he said. “I never thought I would pursue higher education in Kakuma camp, since there were no colleges or tertiary institution here.”

“I hope to use this opportunity to change my life and those who depend on me, as you know, its now 20 years since the conflicts began in my country and I believe only the youth who can help in creating peace and this can only be achieved through education’’

Most of the youth, who have little to do in the camp, yearn for the chance to move to a Western country, although only a few lucky ones make it. For those who stay behind, the project gives them another source of hope.

Suleiman Abdullahi, another of the Somali students enrolled in the program, had been holding out for such a move, but he is now studying and hopes one day to be involved in leading his country out of a seemingly endless cycle of conflict.

“What we lack in Somalia are credible leaders who have respect for human rights and can up hold the rule of law,” he said. “I think studying leadership and conflict management as a course will help me make better decisions, hence I may stand a better chance of leading my country out of the abyss of violence it has found itself in.”

©Somalia Report

Doctors Meeting on Mental Illness in Nairobi

The cases include mild depression, post-traumatic stress disorder attributed to the raging conflict in Somalia, a high level of substance abuse, and daily challenges facing the refugees in the city.

"I can tell you that mental illness among the Somali urban refugees is very high. I can estimate that it’s around 80 percent," said Dr. Abdikadir Hussein Warsame, who works with the research organization, African Metal Health.

Dr Abdikadir, who also runs a clinic in Eastleigh dominated by Somali refugees, said cases are on the rise and primarily attributed to the decades long war.

"Out of the 10 patients that we see daily at our clinic, at least 8 show some signs of metal illness. You see most of the urban refugees in city have at one time in their lives been exposed to traumatic situations in Somalia. Some of them had watched their loved ones die in front of their eyes, women were raped, and so on," Dr Abdikadir explains.

He is among more than 40 Somali medical practitioners who recently met in Nairobi to find answers to the numerous medical problems faced by Somali urban refugees. "The practitioners have all fled from the conflict in Somalia and are now struggling to make a living in the city through private practice. This trend has been growing over the years and what we see now is a serious situation that needs to be addressed urgently," the doctor warns.

Researching the Problem

Recently, African Mental Health launched research into the cases of mental health within the community. Hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees have fled into Kenya and settled in the city ever since the toppling of the Somali military regime in 1991. Most of them have been engaging in booming businesses that have transformed the skyline of the estate in a short period.

According to the doctors, post-traumatic stress disorder - also known as PTSD - is caused by traumatic events that happen to the person in the past. "Some of the patients may not even know that they suffer from PTSD," says Dr Abdikadir, adding that in most cases the person may appear normal as he or she carries out their daily activities. The problem becomes apparent once the person is again exposed to another tragic event. For example, if a person who has watched a kin been killed in front of their eyes may suffer the effects if he or she comes around an accident or violent scene."

The urban conditions in which the refugees find themselves like Nairobi are not helping the situation. They encounter numerous challenges including lack of employment and proper healthcare. Some of the refugees also face problems with law enforcement agencies due to their legal status. Although some of the refugees have been recognized as urban refugees five yeas ago, arbitrary arrests and harassment of community members by police is still common.

Substance Abuse

Doctors also blame the high level of substance abuse for the increase of mental illness within the Somali community. Khat, a mild stimulant, is commonly abused drug particularly by men in the Somali community. It’s cheaply available since it’s locally grown and doctors are warning that members of the community are over-using the drug.

Women Have it the Worst

In general, women, children and the elderly tend to be most affected by the mental illness problem. Dr Mohamed Hussein Ali, explains "the reason why women are most affected to be begin with is because their copping ability to traumatic situations is very low."

Secondly, it is increasingly becoming common within the Somali community for women to shoulder the responsibility of caring for the families which has exposed them to many challenges. He adds, "their level of education is low, hence they are vulnerable to abuse."

Abdia Hassan, a 34 year old mother of three children, has suffered serious post traumatic stress. In late January she lost her husband and two of her children when an artillery shell fell on her house in Mogadishu.

Scared and with few options left, she fled to Kenya. "It was difficult for me to cope with the life in Nairobi with no one to help me," she says. It was after she fell seriously ill that she visited the hospital. After the initial background and medical check-up, the doctor recommended counseling service for her.

Although, some of the patients improve after thorough counseling, in most cases it’s difficult for the Somali refugees to access such services and doctors are asking for the establishment of a counseling and rehabilitation centre for the urban refugees.

"The sooner we establish such a centre the better," says Dr. Abdikadir. He explains that there is a need for all the stakeholders to pull their resources together and avert a looming major health crisis.

Thirty of the forty-five lawmakers were part of the Presidential Election Parliamentary committee (PEPC) appointed by Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan last month.

They were stopped after the head of the Airport Security and Immigration Department arrived at the airport minutes before takeoff and asked officials to cancel the flight, allegedly at the order of President Sheikh Sheriff Sheikh Hassan and the National Security Council (NSC).

According to Hon. Hared Hersi, one of the lawmakers at the airport who spoke to Somalia Report, they were harassed, and one of the MPs was beaten by the airport security.

“I couldn’t believe we were stopped. We were intimidated. My colleague, Mursal Abdi, was beaten and tortured by the airport security officials," said Hersi. "I strongly believe that the government doesn’t have any authority to stop lawmakers from traveling."

The MPs were picked up from the airport by the speaker, eight hours after they were prevented from leaving the country. The speaker was accompanied by a commander from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Ongoing Rift Between the President and Speaker

Last month Sheikh Sharif said, “A potential candidate cannot appoint an election committee that is supposed to monitor and regulate presidential elections.”

Although the president never mentioned the speaker’s name, Somali political analysts pointed their fingers toward the parliament speaker who handpicked members of the Election Committee, in what is seen as an attempt to facilitate his way to become the next president. Sheikh Sharif and the speaker openly disagreed over many issues, like the well-publicized rift of how the vote to confirm the newly elected prime minister will be conducted and when the next presidential elections will be held.

As the controversy over the elections continue, analyst say this public showdown between the president and the speaker may lead to a split within the government.

Rashid Abdi, an analyst with International Crisis Group and an expert on Somalia, says this latest incident may lead to the creation of two factions each fighting for legitimacy ahead of August deadline.

Mr. Abdi says he is not surprised that the dispute between the leaders is escalating because "there are no checks and balances since there are no independent institutions to arbitrate on such disputes."

Last Saturday, Somalia Report reported that the National Security Council (NSC) wanted to press charges against MPs after some lawmakers criticized the president and his government, claiming that he is secretly working with al-Shabaab.

©Somalia Report

Wounded in Mogadishu

Yusuf, a surgeon, faces perpetual exhaustion and long hours dealing with a constant stream of civilians suffering from bullet and shrapnel wounds suffered in fighting between Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab and the government, backed by African Union peacekeepers. Many of Somalia’s medical staff have fled abroad, leaving those left behind to pick up the slack.

"The demand for our services is overwhelming,” he says. “The number of people wounded in the almost daily fighting is beyond our capacity. Every war victim is a priority for the few but dedicated staff ... taking them away from other patients in equal need of attention.”

This is one of the major challenges that has faced medical professionals working in Somalia, particularly in the capital Mogadishu, since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre plunged the country into anarchy.

©Somalia Report

Treating a Patient in Mogadishu

The struggle to save lives

"Sometimes we were forced to work for more than 24 hours, especially when there is a major explosion or fierce fighting,” says Dr Mohamed Hussein Ali. “The situation has been getting worse ever since the insurgency began four years ago.”

Ali spoke to Somalia Report in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, where more than 40 of his colleagues operate. Hundreds more are estimated to have fled to Europe, America and other parts of the world. His main concern is that many patients who suffering from illnesses are neglected amid the daily wash of war wounded.

"Of course, the exodus of medical professionals is a major blow to healthcare delivery in Somalia," he says.

Somalia’s healthcare system has been a shambles for years. Due to poor infrastructure, there are no known statistics of how many medical practitioners are operating in the country, nor data on the number of medical staff graduating from learning institutions. Coupled with this are the twin challenges of sourcing medical supplies and ensuring the quality of the drugs reaching the country. The government usually relies on well-wishers and donors, including a recent donation from the United Arab Emirates.

With no proper functioning government to check and certify the quality of drugs getting into the country, unscrupulous traders have been raking in millions of dollars by importing fake or low quality drugs.

"Dumping of fake drugs in the country has become a major business, because suppliers and traders know very well that the government does not have the capacity to check the quality of the drugs," says Ali.

Attacks against health professionals

Medical staff in Somalia are also targeted by the insurgents, who seem to view any kind of development as against their interests. The most shocking attack against medical staff in recent years was in December 2009, when a ceremony marking the graduation of a batch of medical students - the first group of its kind to graduate in many years in Mogadishu - was targeted by a suicide bomber. Nobody claimed responsibility for the blast, but suspicion automatically fell on al-Shabaab.

The attacker struck in the middle of the ceremony, leaving behind a trail death and destruction. More than 25 people were killed, most of them graduating students along with ministers, lecturers, journalists and other guests.

For Dr. Mohammed Kassim Hassan, one of the students graduating that day after six years of study at Banadir University, it was to be the end of long and difficult journey and the beginning of a bright new career. Instead, he was left maimed, losing an eye and several fingers.

©Somalia Report

Dr. Mohamed Kasim Hassan

Lucky to be alive

He considers himself lucky to be alive, as many of his friends were murdered that day. He was among the victims airlifted to Nairobi for treatment and later to Saudi Arabia, where he spent months in a Riyadh Hospital.

He remembers the day vividly.

“It was a bright sunny day, and the venue was well decorated,” he says. “Many people attended the ceremony since the event was one of its kind.”

Although he has largely recovered and is now gaining medical experience at Nairobi’s Kenyatta National Hospital, he still bears the mental and physical scars.

"I lost an eye, as you can see, and this remains a permanent reminder to me of how the attack of December 2009 changed my life,” he says. “I don’t know why anyone would target innocent students who are graduating.”

Kassim, who studied general medicine, says he will not return to Somalia until the war is over, but he knows how painfully his absence is felt back home.

“I am determined to help my fellow countrymen using the knowledge and skills I gained, but how can I do so when my life is in danger?” he asks.

Somali medical professions say that once – if ever – security is restored, they are hopeful everything else will fall into place, including getting health professionals back into the country. That day seems further away than ever.

©Somalia Report

TFG Soldiers

Briefing the international press in Nairobi via video link from Mogadishu, AMISOM Spokesman Paddy Ankunda described the achievement of the force as 'tremendous' adding that they are now close to Bakara Market which has for many years served as the biggest base for the insurgents. He also reminded journalists that the recent offensive has seen the greatest gains against al-Shabaab in the last four years.

"We have gained territory. We have moved about 200 meters to Baraka Market which is the closest we have ever come to the market," said Mr. Ankunda.

The spokesman said that if the leadership of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) would unite then AMISOM could more quickly take control over the capital.

"We can’t put a time frame on when we will take over Mogadishu," he said. "Taking over the whole of the city is not the problem. What we lack is unity and cooperation needed on the political front in order to bolster military achievement."

This briefing follows a major offensive this past week by AMISOM forces which primarily targeted the heart of the insurgents in the city.

The 9,000-strong force is tasked with protecting Somalia's weak transitional government, which the al-Shabaab insurgents have been fighting to topple over the past four years.

However Mr. Ankunda told reporters the force has managed to take the war to the insurgents.

"The objective was to take the fight to the enemy. So far we have succeeded. They can’t defeat us now, we are determined now more than ever," he vowed.

Since they were deployed to Mogadishu four years ago, the AMISOM force, which comprises of troops from Uganda and Burundi, have been hampered by lack of resources and enough troops.

The UN Security Council has recently approved 12,000 more troops, however there are currently only 9,000 troops, a situation the spokesperson says has been a factor hindering total success.

"The moment we get the recommended number of troops, I can I assure you that we will finish off the insurgents and they will become history," he pledged.

Mr. Ankunda said their achievements have given hope to civilians.

"Every time we gain new territories, civilians move to our side and settle in the new areas that we have managed to liberate. They are running away from the militia," he explained.

The political bickering over the term of the TFG and the upcoming elections seems to have occupied the time and resources of the TFG leading to what analyst are describing as paralysis.

The election slated for July and August, in which a new president and parliament speaker are expected to be elected, has dominated the debate over the last few months, and according to analyst it has affected the workings of the government.

Mr Pandy Ankunda, was speaking to the press for the first time since he was re-appointed to the post in April and he began operations in May. He previously served as the first spokesperson for the force between 2007 and 2009.