Displacement update: Erigabi Conflict
27-30-November 2024
Location-Erigabo
Somali Canadian federation and Development (SCFD)
Erigabo, is the capital and largest city of the Sanaag region of SSC-Khatumo administration,with a rich cultural heritage, a vibrant market, and a stunning landscape. A town with history of faith and poetry. The longstanding territorial disputes between and SSC-Khaatumo and Somaliland have been a major source of conflict. The SSC-Khaatumo administration, however, has accused Somaliland forces of targeting civilians in Erigabo and its surrounding areas, alleging that these actions have further a blazed tensity in the region.Though there are calls for peace by traditional leaders on both sides , tensions remain high as both sides continue to use sophisticated mass weapons as well light weapons, increasing concerns that the conflict could escalate further any time.
This report highlights the dire situation faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) These people fled from their respected villages after last week conflict, henceforth, they live in desperate situation, they are scattered in every where and that made them to report in low profile. having fled from tribal conflict in between somalialand and SSC-Khatumo and drought. unfortunately, there has been limited response from organizations to address their critical needs, resulting in a lack of access to protection projects, water, sanitation, and healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities. The alarming number of gender-based violence (GBV) cases further emphasizes the urgent need for intervention and support.
Immediate Humanitarian Assistance:
Shelter, Food, Health, Nutrition, Protection, Water, Sanitation, and hygiene {WASH) Services.
Shelter
The main types of shelter in the IDPs are makeshifts and semi-permanent buildings. Somali traditional huts served temporary in case of emergency. To improvise, Pastarolist shelters are used. In the Somali community the most affordable shelter in the rural areas is one called “Aqal Somali. This is constructed of twigs easily available, Therefore, majority of IDPS are using these structures as shelters.
Make- shift houses in Jeedali
Problems Noticed
- Extremely hot during the day
- Leakages during the rainy season
- Unsafe for keeping valuable items
- Susceptible to fires
- The living space is limited especially for large families
Scorpions and snakes pose a threat to the family as they can easily enter the shelter and bite family members
Villages for the newly IDPs from Erigabo
- Jeedali
- Yube
- Damala- Xagare
- Xingalol
- Fiqifuliye
- Kulaal
- Awrboogeys
- Xudun
- Lafweyne
- Biyo-guduud
The main settlement situations in the community are in two categories:
- The displaced people (IDPS) from Erigabo villages
- And Host community.
The IDPs live in scattered and dispersed settlements in Erigabo surrounding areas. Lack of basic household items such as blankets, mosquito nets, utensils, cooking ports and sleeping mats.
Recommendation
- Provision of temporary shelter (tents/plastic sheets) for the displaced persons, and the hosts with no proper shelter.
- Provision of basic cooking utensils, cloths and other non-food items
- Coordination and information sharing: one of the challenging is lack of coordination at field level and limited information. None of local NGO’S or international organizations are based in Erigabo at the moment
- There is no consolidated report shared, despite assessment missions have been carried in the earlier days of the conflict 2023.
- Profiling/registration of IDPs, and the hosting community
Recovery
Formation of Community Peace Committee, bringing together the hosts, and IDPs, to settle land grievances and other inter-clan disputes arising between the communities.
Food insecurity
The devastating famine of 2023 and low rainfall and the absent of humanitarian organizations from the region and particularly has been the last straw that has broken the camel’s back on food security. This practice has drained SSC-Khatumo of the cash injection it needed for job creation. Furthermore, business people who had resources and wanted to invest SSC- Khatumo in general were discouraged by somaliland misguided policy on business people.
Market
During natural disasters and conflict, markets become inaccessible for indefinite periods of time, which impact both consumers and producers. Merchants that rely on trade routes to import goods to their areas often face a reduction in access to supplies during floods, conflict or inter-communal violence, has led to similar impacts on markets in SSC-Khatumo particularly Sanaag regions.These challenges often increase transportation costs, leading to an inflation in the prices of basic goods which is heavily relies on imports for both food items and other basic goods due to its limited infrastructure and manufacturing capacity, prices are already unaffordable for much of the population. At present, SSC-Khatumo is grappling with an enduring financial crisis as well as hyper-inflation.poverty has increased, and households are finding it increasingly difficult to have sufficient cash to purchase goods in the market. The economic conditions have also made it difficult for traders to obtain an adequate supply of goods, and maintain prices that are affordable
for their customers.
Key findings
The prolonged conflict and drought has forced many people to go to neighbouring regions to get relief assistance while others fled to neighboring countries for assistance. Furthermore, Since SSC-khatumo administration captured, Sanaag regions, did not receive substantial humanitarian assistance it needed most. logistic experts who were interviewed by the assessment team confirmed that there is no food available currently for the hungry people in Sanaag regions, which include both IDPs, an host community as such, the food insecurity situation in sanaag which was caused by the above complex crises has created a huge imbalance in the capacity of IDPs and poor people to meet their daily needs for survival.
Challenges
- The Conflict against the Somaliland has disrupted food production in SSC- Khatumo regions generally, but the newly interim administration is in no shape to fill the food gap.
- As the economic hardship worsened, many farmers who lost harvests moved into urban areas, increasing discontent among the Sanaag population.
- Some Farmers already live in disputed areas do not have access to cultivate their farmers, due to the conflict
- Conflict has disrupted the harvest and planting cycles
- Vital infrastructure particularly irrigation canals, dams, and water pipe has been damaged due to Conflict or neglected due to displacement.
- Two years of the conflict has forced even more farmers to abandon their land.
Note: urgent investments are necessary to feed IDPs, and host community families today,donors should also work to improve agricultural production for the long-term resilience of vulnerable communities.
Recommendations
- There is a scarcity of food for IDPs and hosting community have limited access to food. IDPs and poor people can hardly afford three meals a day.
- IDPs interviewed reported that they changed their eating habits from three meals to one meal as a coping strategy.
- There is no sufficient economic activity that can help IDPs and the poor people employed which limits the purchasing power of the people to buy food from the market
- General food distribution to IDPs and to targeted poor people in Sanaag is of urgent priority until food security situation stabilizes in the area. International organizations and other local relief organizations are in a better position to intervene in this matter.
- Cash relief, voucher food distribution and other income generating activities are needed to inject cash in to the local economy
- urgent operational of nutrition centers is required to save lives of children who may not be able to survive within shortest time possible
- Food for work and school feeding program can enhance access to more food in SSC-Khatumo regions
Health-care
The health care delivery system, health -posts, maternal and child health centers, Primary Health Care units, district hospitals, regional hospitals, general hospitals and specialized hospitals, a large percentage of these facilities were, however, neither functional nor operated at reasonable levels due to the blockage and the conflict of Somaliland and SSC-khatumo, poor economic management and emerging security problems in general. Sanaag regions ranked near the bottom of infant mortality rates, due to that, natural disasters and epidemics (Conflict, drought, flood, AWD, measles, malaria, TB cases increased. major health problems that caused the death of people were diarrhea and measles (For total death no medical proper records) They need health services because none of them don’t have access to sufficient health care in the area. They live at a risk point to an outbreak of cholera and communicable diseases.
Recommendations
- supplementary feeding for the IDPs to reduce the morbidity and mortality of malnutrition
- Maternity and pediatric services as referral for severe cases to treat has to be set up soon
- Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) has to initiate in Erigabo and its villages like healthcare center
- Immediate immunization campaigns among the children <5s to reduce vector borne diseases.
- Vaccines through centralized or sentinel site cold chain are urgently needed, with support from the concerned ministry, institutions or humanitarian organizations.
- Treated mosquito nets to prevent malaria and other ill health
Wash-Sector (water, sanitation & hygiene)
The two years conflict has destroyed the water infrastructure in Sanaag regions and people have resorted to digging shallow wells. These wells are privately owned and are unprotected at all times, most of the wells in Sanaag regions are salty and not fit for domestic consumption (extremely salt during dry seasons) most wells are privately owned wells that have soft water and people have to buy water from these wells. henceforth, it is difficult for IDPs, and poor host communities to buy water for their daily consumption, in addition, women and girls walk long distances to fetch water for the family. The women surveyed reported that walking long distance to fetch water has denied them to spare valuable time for other domestic house work.
water for domestic use:
On average, each household uses 40 liters per day (two 20-liter jerrycans). With an average household of six members, each person uses 6 liters per day. The water is drawn mostly from unprotected shallow wells with low water yield. These wells are not treated and have poor drainage system. In addition to that, the water is very expensive for IDPs, host-community Pastarolist and poor communities (20 liters of water costs 0.4 dollars)
The common form of water storage is 20-liter plastic jerrycans. Each family has an average of two containers which are used for both collecting and storing the water, as such the capacity for the family to store water is very limited.
Water treatment:
During the assessment none of the respondents reported using treated water (neither chlorinated nor boiled)
Sanitation and hygiene
- It plays an important role in improving a general health of the community
- Its part of personal hygiene, for disposal of human feces
- it reduces the incidences of water related diseases
Latrine Facilities:
Latrines are almost none existent at the IDP settlements visited. There is no a single latrine in Yube IDP residence. All the people in Yube use bush for defecation. The residence elders & other members did show an understanding of the importance of constructing and using latrines even (communal latrines)
Key findings:
- it is evident that the target areas are suffering from water scarcity linked to lack of access to water sources.
- Water scarcity has already negatively impacted these IDPS, and host community as women and children are required to walk long distances to fetch water
- Poor sanitation facilities in all the residences surveyed results in poor hygiene practices and thus increases the risk of outbreaks in (AWD)
- In adequate of shelter materials have negatively impacted on the well being of the IDPs.
Recommendations
- t is the recommendations of this report that meaningful investment in water, sanitation, shelter, hygiene programs are made
- The only meaningful of water source is borehole that can cover the needs of this population
- Supply of hygiene kits to every household. Distribution of NFIs and shelter materials. Distribution of water storage containers.
- Carryout hygiene promotion campaigns all general and build the capacity of community hygiene volunteers (if any)
- Construction of household latrines at IDP camps and construction of institutional latrines
- Improving water infrastructure and service management, this will involve capacity building of local water management institutions (water user associations)
- It is the opinion of the team that boreholes be considered as an option particularly in the IDPs, and host community dwellings
Conclusion
The conflict has created a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 20,000 Families (approximately 120,000 persons ) disrupting services, and significantly impacting vulnerable women, elderly and children.
Program Manager
Somali Canadian Federation & Development (SCFD)
Mohamud Mohamed Ibrahim (Geele)
