Over 7,000 now evicted from Las’anod

GOOBJOOG NEWS|LAS’ANOD:Over 7,000 people have since been evicted from Las’anod, the UN has said.
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said Friday 7,250 have left Las’anod following forced evictions by Las’anod.

OCHA Somalia has reported that 24 households have been forced to move to nearby villages in Buhoodle district while 75 other people have reportedly left for Gaalkacyo and Baidoa towns after authorities issued a notice asking people from southern areas to leave by 21 October.

The report by the organization further puts the number of displaced people from Las Anod that have arrived in Gaalkacyo since 2 October when the forced displacements started to 3,300 of whom 986 have proceeded to South West State, Hirshabelle and Banadir.

The agency added that 32 other families are said to have arrived in Margaga settlement in the outskirts of Ba’adweyn town, 50km northeast of Gaalkacyo on 14 October and were airlifted to Baidoa. Since 10 October. 561 displaced families (3,366 people) have arrived in Baidoa.
OCHA Somalia has decried the forceful displacement of scores of families from Laas Anod noted that it has led to separation of families, child abandonment ( with one an unaccompanied minor reported to be living with IDPs in Gaalkacyo) and loss of property.

According to statistics by humanitarian partners, an estimated 400 households (2.400 people), registered with the immigration office from Ceerigaabo are expected to be displaced when the 21st October deadline is reached. Incessant calls to the Sanaag administration to grant them a six months extension in order to put a close to business and clear off  debts have fallen on deaf ears, as per locals.
OCHA Somalia has also said that 333 households (approximately 2,000 people) not registered with the immigration office, may also be forcefully displaced in the ongoing forceful evictions. And in a matter raising concern, OCHA Somalia reported that a joint monitoring mission to the temporary IDP settlement established by the authorities In Gaalkacyo, found more than 200 children who are out of school following their forced displacement.

The forceful eviction of Somalis from Somaliland has led to an outcry from both the Somali Federal State and the international community, with calls to stop the illegal evictions by the administration being largely ignored.

Somaliland has however defended its actions saying that the evictions were a culmination of several security threats posed by the evictees to its people.