Free Movement 15 October 2013 The Upper Tribunal has listed an appeal to be heard in December in which it intends to give further country guidance about returns to Mogadishu. No doubt the case will address the contention long advanced by the Secretary of State that the situation has so improved that the current guidance – which finds there is in general a real risk of serious harm to those in Mogadishu – can be disregarded. The audacious attack on a Nairobi shopping mall last month provided a stark reminder that al Shabaab remain a potent force. That shouldn’t come Read the full article…

26 September 2013 Amnesty International In May 2013, Denmark – along with other states – changed its policy towards returns to Somalia. Denmark no longer consider Mogadishu as having a situation of generalised violence that would put the lives of any Somalis at risk if returned there; an individual assessment determines the risk for any particular individual. However Denmark is now attempting to argue that Mogadishu can be used as an internal flight alternative; that is, that Somalis not from the city can be safely returned to Mogadishu. Amnesty International recognises that there have been improvements in the security situation Read the full article…

24 September 2013 Human Rights Watch The human rights situation in Somalia, particularly in the south-central part of the country, remains dire. The Islamist armed group al-Shabaab continues to commit serious abuses including targeted killings, executions and punishments amounting to torture both in areas under its control and in government areas, including the capital, Mogadishu. In Mogadishu, Somali security forces and non-state armed groups remain responsible for serious abuses. Targeted killings of journalists, clan elders, and officials have increased over the first seven months of this year. Internally displaced persons have been subjected to forced evictions, beatings and severe restrictions Read the full article…

30 August 2013 Amnesty International Rape and other forms of sexual violence have long been part of the multitude of human rights abuses committed by different actors in Somalia, during more than two decades of conflict. Perpetrators have included government security forces, members of armed opposition groups, militias and private actors. Members of the peacekeeping force, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have also been accused of rape. Perpetrators operate with impunity in a situation of ongoing lawlessness resulting from decades without an effective central government, which has allowed different state and non-state actors and powerful interest groups to Read the full article…

Fund For Peace July 2013 Somalia tops the Fund for Peace Failed States Index 2013 The Fund for Peace is an independent, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that works to prevent violent conflict and promote sustainable security. We promote sustainable security through research, training and education, engagement of civil society, building bridges across diverse sectors, and developing innovative technologies and tools for policy makers. A leader in the conflict assessment and early warning field, the Fund for Peace focuses on the problems of weak and failing states. Our objective is to create practical tools and approaches for conflict Read the full article…