Summary

On 1 December 2005, SAACID, in partnership with UNDP, began Phase II DDR encompassing all 16 districts of Mogadishu. This is the first time that all 16 districts have worked in coordination on a single programme, and is highlight in its own right. Each district had the right to contribute 32 militiamen to the programme (512 militiamen) – as long as each militiaman contributed a functional machinegun in exchange for up to 14 months of training. At the end of the programme, in a public ceremony, all 512 machineguns will be destroyed.

After having accomplished the task of collecting, registering, decommissioning and storing the required weapons with the collaboration of the authorities of the 16 districts of Mogadishu, SAACID assigned the 512 militiamen to a SAACID school in the district of Shibis to undergo 3 months of formal numeracy and literacy training before moving on to vocational training in a business, or receiving specialist business training and start-up capital to begin their own business.

SAACID, in consultation with the District Commissioner’s (DC’s) of all 16 districts, decided to launch the formal opening ceremony for the DDR programme on 2 February at Nasahablod Hotel in south Mogadishu.

Some 350 people were in attendance, including all of the different sectors of Mogadishu society, 2 Ministers of the current TFG - led by the Minister for Disarmament and Demobilization, Mr. Botan Isse Alin - other officials from the TFG, and international and local NGO’s operating in Mogadishu, plus the 16 District Commissioners of Benadir Region (Mogadishu) and youth militia undergoing the present DDR programme and their respective trainers, as well as some people who participated in Phase I DDR, the media - both the news print press and local radio stations.

The Inauguration

All the invited people eventually arrived at the venue, but some delays occurred because of the unstable city transport system. The inauguration started officially at 10:00 o’clock local time. The selected coordinator for the ceremony, Mr. Hutti the DC from Bondhere District, invited Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed to recite some verses of the Holy Quran. Subject to the inauguration schedule the coordinator started inviting the 11 people that had been agreed upon to begin addressing the audience one after the other. The first person to take the podium was:

1. Mr. Derow, a prominent Somali poet, was invited to deliver a poem focusing on the DDR programme carried out by SAACID. The poet captured all aspects of life - like the social disruption, the civil strife, and the prevalent lawlessness, the harassment of the vulnerable, human rights abuses, the deforestation and related mismanagement of the environment. He praised SAACID, mentioning the tangible activities touching the feelings of the audience and raising their patriotic sentiments, while he directly assured the advantages of DDR projects that had thus far been accomplished in Mogadishu. He advised the disarmed youth undergoing the preset programme to show sincerity and complete their training courses as they had agreed by contract.

2. Ms. Fatima Abdulle Addow, a female teacher representing the teaching staff of SAACID’s Shibis school that is hosting the numeracy and literacy component of the DDR programme, articulated aspects relating to the rehabilitation of the disarmed militia. Ms. Fatuma, speaking as a teacher and a mother voiced her approval of the programme, while pressing the rehabilitated youth to participate fully in the course and conclude their training sincerely. She reminded them that they are the future leaders of the nation and had to cooperate fully in the restoration of the law and order. She further confirmed that civil society was eager to salvage the Somali youth, who she said were utilized as the firewood in the prevailing atrocities and civil strife. She told them that the youth of the nation are the backbone of the nation’s economy and its defence, and should not be left lost under the grip of criminal activities, aberrant behaviour and ignorance.

3. Mr. Bashir Abdi Kulane, the District Commissioner of Heliwa District, took the podium. He was one of the prominent DC’s who facilitated the selection of the now disarmed youth and the collection of their weapons. He referred to the current and previous SAACID/UNDP initiated DDR programmes (Phase 1 & Phase 11) and the disposal of the accumulated garbage of some Mogadishu districts in which he fully collaborated (ILO/EC funded). He affirmed that the programmes SAACID performs usually elevate the living conditions of many families residing in the respective districts of the city where these programmes enhance the required social reintegration of the residents of Mogadishu that were divided among the support of the fighting factions contending for the leadership and control of the metropolis. In fact, he plead to other local NGO’s operating in the capital to follow suit, and work like SAACID in engaging with the district authorities of Mogadishu (Benadir Region) to participate in the programmes focusing on social improvement - educationally and economically.

4. Mr. Mohamed Abuker Sheikh, a previously SAACID-rehabilitated young militiaman, was invited to say a few words concerning the benefits of the newly launched disarmament and demobilisation programme. He expressed to all his feelings in a very concise poem, mentioning the hardships he witnessed during his engagement as an armed militiaman, and after his participation in the disarmament and demobilisation programme implemented by SAACID. He declared that he benefited enormously from the LNT training, coupled with skills training, and he felt safe from any possible occurrence of injury. He praised SAACID and UNDP, imploring that God might pay them back for their humanitarian deeds.

5. Ms. Sahra Hassan Einte, the District Commissioner of Karaan District, and the only female DC of Benadir Region, addressed the audience, explaining the collaboration of her district with SAACID. She declared that her district implemented the ILO garbage disposal programme, as well as militia disarmament and demobilization programmes. She praised the SAACID/UNDP DDR programme, calling it a tangible programme that would facilitate the restoration f peace and order in the city and elevate family livelihoods through increased economic activity, through increased security. She urged other local NGO’s not to hide the programmes that they are implementing and should confer with the residents of the districts, so as to create genuine interaction between the inhabitants of the implementing organisations.

6. Mr. Adan Haji Yabarow (Wiesh), a member of the Somali Olympic Committee (SOC), declared that the SOC concluded an agreement with SAACID to conduct joint programmes focusing on the correction and orientation of the armed youth prowling in the city and disturbing the stability of the community. He confirmed that his organization conducted many sports competitions among different groups and teams established by the youth and civil society organizations, in the hope of reintegrating these youth back into the community and create increased harmony. He further voiced his appreciation towards the activities of disarmament carried out by SAACID and UNDP, and called it a nationalistic and unifying move and a daring step towards the restoration of peace and order in the city. He assured everyone that SOC and SAACID developed jointly a slogan targeting the armed youth encouraging them, which says, “Put the Gun, Take the Pen and Play the Ball”. Mr. Wiesh then presented a certificate of honour to SAACID’s Country Director for the nationalistic and unifying deeds it has performed that generally target the peace, reconciliation and reintegration of previously fractious groups.

7. Abdinasir Ahmed Osman, the chairperson of Peace and Human Rights Network (PHRN – INXA) gave appreciation for the disarmament programme implemented by SAACID and UNDP. He informed the audience that the means the world community could restore peace in order in a war-torn country like Somalia is through the application of DDR programmes similar to the one carried out by SAACID at present. He further advised the militia undergoing the present VEBT and skills training under SAACID to fully participate in the accomplishment of the programme and its realization so they could be a good example and a role model for the future DDR programming.

8. Faduma Mohammed Yusuf, a UNDP Somali employee, speaking as a representative of the organisation, thanked all the guests participating in the inauguration ceremony. She asserted, “UNDP follows a drawn up policy in supporting all local NGO’s and civil society organizations that come up with plausible beneficial programmes for community development”. She declared also that this DDR programme was the third of its kind that had been implemented by SAACID in Benadir Region (Mogadishu). She voiced her hope that UNDP Somalia would support future expanded programmes of this nature.

9. Mr. Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, the Minister of Tradition and Culture of the TFG, took the stage and thanked all the participants including TFG members and civil society groups. He confirmed that the present youth generation has totally no idea of state legislature and administration. The youth also did not receive any civic education that could have helped them absorb the values of patriotism, peace (disarmament), rehabilitation and reintegration. He told the audience a precious adage used by the Somalis as a noteworthy principle saying, “Tol waxaa loo yahay: kan qallocan toosintiisa, kan quman quweyntiisa iyo kan qooman wax u qabadkiisa” meaning “People hang on to kinship links by correcting the crook, strengthening the well-bred and assisting those having grievances”. Finally he advised local NGO’s to teach the militia peace, culture, patriotism and reintegration.

10. Mrs. Raho Mohamud Janaqow, SAACID Country Director, took the podium to address the audience. She gave a brief background history of SAACID organization, elaborating that SAACID, regardless to inherent risks, had succeeded in implementing many difficult programmes, targeting absent social services - like education, health and peace restoration. She affirmed that much effort had been invested in restoring peace and order in Mogadishu while disarming the armed youth plundering the city. Ms. Raha then elaborated the circumstances concerning the DDR programme inaugurated in the present opening ceremony. She warmly praised UNDP and UNDP’s commitment for national DDR and further told the audience that SAACID and UNDP did not rest inactive, but pressed for a further expanded programme. Ms. Raho said that all the 512 required machineguns were surrendered to SAACID, and now they were al decommissioned and safely stored in a container in an armoury-like form, with all guns bearing successive numbers. Factually, each machinegun carries the number given to the militiaman owning all this efforts made all the district leaders, without them nothing would happen.

Ms. Raho told the audience that the militia undergoing the DDR training programme have already started their LNT training sessions -, which will continue for 3 months. The militiamen would then be divided in to 2 groups. One group would undergo a vocational skills training course, where they will be transferred to different host trainers owning small businesses in Mogadishu workshops. The other group will undergo specialised Business Principles and Practices training for 2 months, followed by a cash grant for start-up business capital. Every one of the militiamen will be allowed to choice which training stream he wants, and what sort vocational training he wants (mechanical, carpentry, etc).

Ms. Raho, after completing the elaboration of the DDR programme, thanked all those attending the inauguration ceremony, wishing also the youth success and good future, encouraging them further to be serious and sincere in completing the training course.

11. Finally, Mr. Botan Isse Alin, the TFG Minister of Disarmament and Demobilization, was invited to speak in the first DDR programme carried out during the tenure of the nascent Somali TFG government. The Minister praised SAACID and UNDP for the significant and heavy task it had bravely undertaken. He urged other local NGO’s to follow suit, promising that the government would give more consideration to the disarmament and rehabilitation of the armed youth, who are the backbone and the human resource base of Somali society. According to the assessment of the Minister, Mogadishu hosts about 53,000 armed militiamen, some 80% of which were freelance militiamen he said. He expressed his wish to participate in the closing ceremony of the programme, and he asserted that his Ministry would back up SAACID’s efforts in carrying out armed youth disarmament programmes of this nature.

The coordinator, Mr. Hutti, after the conclusion of the speeches of the ceremony, declared the closure of the inauguration.