Somalia
Background
Human rights violations have been prevalent in Somalia for decades: including during the Colonial period; the tenure of Siad Barre’s military regime; the 21-year period in which there was no federal government; and since the emergence of the militia group al-Shabaab in around 2007. While difficult to say for sure, between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people have died because of these conflicts. Alongside, conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence has been rife in the country.
It is unusual to meet a Somali who has not experienced conflict-related trauma or loss. But there is no easy solution. Over the years, many people have been both victims and perpetrators of violence.
Now, there is growing recognition of the lasting impact of trauma in Somalia. Conversations about trauma healing have played a prominent role in public discourse. However, peace and security are precarious in Somalia. As a result, many Somalis do not think their country is ready for conversations about transitional justice.
The focus on healing from trauma and finding a way to move on from the past is a core idea of restorative transitional justice. After decades of brutal conflict, there is an urgent need for it in Somalia.
VAI Deputy Director Clare Brown with members of the Somali Advocacy Group, November 2023
Working towards transitional justice
We have been working with Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI) in Somalia since 2022. IRLI is an Irish legal NGO working to improve access to justice and the rule of law worldwide.
Through the ongoing project, we aim to give legal and advocacy support to victims of serious international crimes. We began working with the victim groups after a scoping exercise in 2022. During this, we met communities demanding justice and looking for legal and advocacy support.
Most recently, we have been working with the Somali Advocacy Group (pictured above). This is a group of young people advocating for transitional justice in the country. For them, community-based transitional justice offers hope and a way forward towards reconciliation.
An advocacy video recently produced by the Somali Advocacy Group on transitional justice
Working with victims of drone strikes
Over the last few decades, the United States has been carrying out drone strikes in Somalia targeting the militant Al-Shabaab group.
While Trump was in power, the number of such strikes tripled. During his first term, there were 208 – a staggering 460 % increase over Obama’s two terms. This increase was accompanied by many civilian deaths.
Over the last two years, we have been meeting with the families of victims of these drone strikes. Many of these have sought an apology or compensation from the US but have been ignored. Our work now is to support them in their fight for justice.