Snapshots of Somalia
Two faces, one country
By Katrine Siig Kristensen, Programme Analyst, Mine Action and Small Arms, BCPR

From images of hunger to Black Hawk Down, my preconceptions of Somalia stemmed from my childhood. It was a great opportunity to challenge these ideas when I and Sara Sekkenes, Senior Programme and Development Advisor, visited Somalia (Hargeisa and Baidoa) in July to review the UNDP-supported Mine Action Programme, which has been ongoing for almost a decade.

Hargeisa was in many ways the opposite of what I expected: The town was well developed, with roads and a functioning market. I did not see a single person carrying a weapon. This image masks decades of armed conflict, which included the use of landmines. Thanks to UNDP’s support, the Mine Action Centre is operational and National Police Bomb Disposal Teams are working effectively. Together with partners, the teams have cleared 157,792,937 square metres of contaminated land and destroyed 524,186 mines and unexploded ordnance, opening up access to agriculture.

Baidoa, our next stop, is the temporary base of the Transitional Federal Government. Armed groups are operating just a few kilometres outside the town, so the security situation is very fragile. This quickly became apparent when I was picked up from the airstrip in armoured vehicles with armed guards. On every corner I saw men—young and old—with their AK-47s. Very few women or children were on the streets.

The mine action programme in Baidoa is quite different from the one in Hargeisa. Although training of Bomb Disposal Teams, including female officers, and Mine Risk Education teams has started, their ability to conduct operations is very limited due to the security situation. No one really knows the level of contamination in the region, its impact on communities and the deaths and injuries being caused. The security risk UNDP faces in South Central Somalia is very real. The day after we left Baidoa, two UNDP staff members were abducted; the week after, the Head of UNDP in Mogadishu was assassinated; and two weeks later, armed groups attacked Baidoa.

Visiting Somalia has opened my eyes. The country is much more than the one-dimensional image in the media. While the situation in South Central is currently alarming, the progress in Somaliland highlights the dividends that peace can bring. UNDP’s support to the Mine Action Programme will continue and I hope that, sooner rather than later, it can be extended throughout the country. CPR

Photo caption: A displaced woman passes Somali police guarding the food supply. Source: IRIN/Manoocher Deghati

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In this Issue

> Sexual violence in Sierra Leone
> Snapshots of Somalia
> One month in Myanmar
> Livelihoods in Liberia
> Building peace in the DRC
> Spotlight on Staff

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