The International Crisis Group (ICG) is expressingfrustration with the government of Puntland in Somalia after its leadinvestigator was thrown out of the country Thursday. Customs officials at theSomali airport repatriated ICG official Rashid Abdi, claiming previous reportson Somalia by the Crisis Group have always been negative. Abdi was in the country to ascertain thecurrent situation after an escalation of piracy in the region. Heavily armedSomali men from the chaotic coastal waters grabbed world headlines withSaturday's capture of a huge Saudi Arabian supertanker. It was loaded with $100 million worth of oil,and the event is being considered the biggest ship hijacking in history. RashidAbdi tells reporter Peter Clottey that he is shocked by the decision of theauthorities in Puntland to throw him out of the country.
"Ilanded in Bosaso, which is on the tip of northeastern Somalia, and it is themain commercial port city in Puntland. Unfortunately, the security people tookme and they said we know why you are here and we don't want you in this countryand we are putting you on the same flight you came with. When I inquired whythey were doing that, they simply said they are not happy with ICG's reportingon Puntland, which is curious because I think of all the reporting that I haveseen coming out of Puntland, our report has consistently urged the internationalcommunity should try and help Puntland tackle the security problem it faces,specifically the issue of piracy," Abdi pointed out.
Hesaid the International Crisis Group is of the view that there are numerousproblems associated with the increase in piracy.
"Theposition of the International Crisis Group has been that the issue of piracymasks a much bigger problem, which is the fact that the state is loosing grip.Criminal networks are becoming powerful and state security apparatus is unableto effectively cope. And so our position has been the international communityshould focus on enhancing the capacity of the Puntland government to fight itscriminal networks, not only involved in piracy, but also involved in printingof counterfeit bank notes, and involved in the kidnap for ransom. So the stateactually is at risk of collapsing and is at risk of the criminal network takingover," he said.
Abdisaid the government's move of preventing people from knowing what is happeningis detrimental to its efforts.
"Idon't think it really helps the course of the government because I would haveexpected that the government would welcome reporters and internationalthink-tanks and well-meaning international concerns and people who really wantto see Puntland become a functioning mini-state, which it was. For me as Iwent, Puntland was being touted as this haven of peace in Somalia, as a stable,functioning mini-state. And it was seen like a kind of a model, which would bereplicated elsewhere in Somalia. But here we are now seeing a mini-state, whichis clamping down on basic freedoms, which is bundling out reporters and peoplelike me who are well meaning. And they have this enormous security problem,which our presence would have helped highlight on," Abdi pointed out.
Meanwhile,the African Union (AU) is calling urgently on the United Nations to send peacekeepers to Somalia tostop the strife that it says is fuelling piracy and is being aggravated byfeuding politicians.
Reportssay the escalated attacks in Somali waters this year have sharply driven upinsurance costs for shipping companies, and even made some companies divertcargo around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope.