Destroyed land of IDP camps turns into a legal battle between local residents and the government
Local residents of Kahda location in the outskirt of Mogadishu have complained of losing their legal plots and properties worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in alleged governemnt order to destroy 23 IPD camps on early Janunary 2018 and demanded their plots to be returned to them.
Goobjoog News today visited the site of the land where IDs camps were destroyed and barred access to the area but were able to meet few victims who were adversly affected by the destructions allegedly carried out by security forces from the Somali government.
Residents in the area who spoke to Goobjoog News noted that they lost land and properties and raised their needs among others government support, compensation and asked why their land was confiscated by the federal government since they were displaced by state security soldiers.
“Government has taken our plots by force and the people must be condoled and paid compensation that were negatively exposed to government force” said Ahmed, a local resident.
Another citizen Fadumo Hussein Yussuf, a septuagenarian who lives in the area describes how events which victimized her tremendiously unfolded duirng the fateful day pointing a blame finger at the government that was supposed to protect her but instead made her homeless and poor.
“On Friday 29th December 2017, we were caught offguard in our homesteads we inherited almost through everal generations and still living in this yard while I am now 70years old. No one informed us in prior or visited us. 50 technical cars (battle vehicles) of governemnt security soldiers and caterpillars destroyed our homes and properties by a national government we used to support. We are now reuqesting to get by our rights. If the government wants to rob us, then let her continue with it because it has robbed and destroyed us with their security soldiers” lamented Fadumo.
Among the displaced citizens included Isse, an octogenarian in his 80s who lost all his lifetime property worth thousands of dollars among them his plot and was eager to know who he wronged to loose his lifetime savings and whom the government gave his land to.
“I have a plot in Kahda location and I am 80years old. I was attacked by government soldiers and caterpillars while I was leeping in my house having good knowledge that no one has a case against me or land dispute with. You can see my homestead worth US$80,000 destroyed. Last Friday was when the attack took place. All destroyed. I only salvaged items to the value of US$100. I want the governement to answer me by telling me who accused us and who was given our land to. I want justice and good treatment as expected from a national government. We support the government and pay taxes. We don’t want the governement to treat us with deaf ears like an enemy” Old man Isse said.
A week ago through a report published on Reliefweb site, a humanitarian coordinator for Somalia Peter de Clercq, has been gravely disturbed by the large- scale destruction on internally displaced persons (IDPs) settlements in Kahda district, Mogadishu, Banadir state.
“Some of these displaced people have walked long distances from different parts of the country fleeing drought and conflict,” said de Clercq, pointing out that on 29 and 30 December, over 23 IDP settlements, housing over 4,000 IDP households, were destroyed.
Goobjoog News