Information
Somalilandsun – Additional information gathered from various sources during the week indicates that the threat level for humanitarian agencies operating in Somaliland has not fundamentally been modified despite the updated British travel alert that was issued on 27 January 2013
The “specific threat” that was mentioned in that travel alert was not directed at humanitarian agencies.
Recommendations
Precautionary measures that were suggested on 28/12 can be lifted, namely:
- Avoiding sending international staffs to Somaliland for unessential missions.
- Avoiding unessential movements of international staffs already in Somaliland.
- However humanitarian agencies should:
- Avoid concentrating international staffs – particularly American or European – in compounds with poor protection.
- Review their compound protection particularly considering a generic threat of kidnapping.
- Maintain a high level of vigilance and ensure all staffs report suspicious behaviour to their managers.
Additional information can be obtained on demand from NSP.
Source: www.thet.org
Editor’s Addendum
– On the 27th January 2013 the UK Foreign and commonwealth Office-FCO issued a Somalia travel alert and to the surprise of many include Somaliland where the UK informed of threats to westerners thus the advisory to Britons to leave.
The UK travel ban has since then seen Somalilanders in various cities of the country take to the streets in demonstrations protesting against the lumping of their country with others known to be terrorist infested.
A few days after the travel advisory a suicide bomber who targeted the Prime minister’s office in Mogadishu managed to kill six innocent citizens and caused injuries to numerous others.
Meanwhile expatriates in Somaliland have not heeded the UK travel advisory that asked them to leave with immediate effect though the alert has resulted in restrained movements.Editor
