What is the Union of Islamic Courts?
A network of 11 Islamic courts has been set up in recent years in Mogadishu, funded by businessmen who preferred any semblance of law and order to complete anarchy.
The Union of Islamic Courts' stated goal is to restore a system of Sharia law in the city and put an end to impunity and fighting on the streets. Whilst they are credited by some residents in Mogadishu as having clamped down on criminal activity in the city, there are elements within the Islamist militia pushing for an Islamic state.
The militias became increasingly powerful as a military force after Mogadishu's main warlords formed the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism this year.
The alliance - widely believed to have been backed by the US - said it wished to root out al-Qaeda members being sheltered by the courts.
Who supports them?
As a grassroots movement they have become increasingly popular among city residents and the business community desperate to see an end to the rule of the gun.
Where the UIC militia has obtained its substantial weaponry and financing is unclear though.
A United Nations report, which called for a tighter arms embargo on Somalia, said that Ethiopia was supplying weapons to the interim government while Eritrea was arming the Islamic courts.
Some fingers have been pointed towards Saudi Arabia and others to wealthy foreign supporters of Islamic militancy.
What about the al-Qaeda links?
The main source of concern for the United States is al-Qaeda involvement.
The UIC deny any links, or that there are terror training camps in Somalia.
But diplomats believe that small groups of al-Qaeda militants, including foreigners, are operating in the country.
There have been at least four attacks on US and Israeli targets in east Africa - all linked in some way to Somalia.
Has life changed in Mogadishu?
There has been an improvement. There are fewer check-points where gunmen working for the warlords used to stop vehicles and demand money. As a result, prices of everything from basic food to TVs have fallen. Furthermore, with the UIC providing security, residents have fewer fears of being robbed by gunmen. The courts have flogged drug-dealers in public and executed those they have convicted of murder. They have also banned the popular stimulant, khat, which was used by many gunmen. But life for most Mogadishu residents remains extremely tough.
There are very few jobs - many depend on money sent home by relatives abroad. The city is home to many people who have fled fighting in other parts of the country over the past 15 years. Many live in abandoned buildings or shelters cobbled together from whatever they can find - branches, pieces of material or cardboard.
However, it remains far too dangerous for all but the very bravest aid workers to operate in Mogadishu - as well as the interim government which is based some 250km (158 miles) away in Baidoa.
What about the government?
The weak but internationally recognised government has been powerless to stop the UIC increasing its grip on southern Somalia. Even the defence minister fled with his forces as the UIC advanced on the key port of Kismayo, which he had controlled. The government has asked for international help against the UIC.
The UN Security Council has approved plans to send an East African peacekeeping force to Somalia to support the government. The Islamists say they will fight any foreign peacekeepers.
There have been several reports - always denied - that Ethiopian troops have already gone to Baidoa.
The UIC say this is tantamount to an Ethiopian "declaration of war". Somalia and Ethiopia have fought two wars over control of Ethiopia's large Somali-speaking region. The UN resolution rules out sending troops from countries which Somalia borders, such as Ethiopia.
So what happens next?
There are fears of direct war. In terms of Somali fighters, the UIC is far stronger than the government but it is not clear whether the international community would let them take control of the whole country. The nightmare scenario for ordinary Somalis would be the US and the Ethiopians helping the government, while Islamic fighters from around the world join the Islamist cause. Ethiopia's rival, Eritrea, is also reported to have sent troops and weapons to help the UIC, although Eritrea has denied these claims.
Another possibility is Ethiopia and Eritrea fighting using Somali proxies. Or they could try to negotiate. The two sides have already held talks, mediated by Sudan but tension remains high. The government accuses the UIC of breaking the terms of a ceasefire agreement by continuing to expand its territory. After 15 years without a national government, a lasting peace seems as far away as ever.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Somalia
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is widely practiced in Somalia/Somaliland with type three as the most performed form. This entails the removal of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching or narrowing of vaginal opening, leaving very small opening to allow urine and Menstrual opening.
The age at circumcision is usually 6 - 10 years although some girls are circumcised when they are much younger.
FGM is usually performed by elderly women using either a pair of scissors, sickle knife or razor without anesthesia and under non-sterile conditions that can result or lead other infections like tetanus and HIV. Also due to complications, FGM is today one of the main social problems which contribute to high maternal mortality in Somalia / Somaliland. The maternal mortality ratio in the country is amongst the highest in the world (1600:100000 live births). FGM is thus an important female health issue in view of the associated complications during the operation preparatory phase till childbirth. The problem continues past menopause. It has been postulated that FGM may play a big a role in the transmission of HIV.
The complications of FGM which threaten the lives of those who undergo it are classified into two. These are (1) immediate complications such as frightening, hemorrhage, shock, infections e.g. HIV and tetanus, urine retention, among others, and (2) long term complications which include infections that can lead to infertility, dysmenorrhea, cysts, scar, and child birth obstruction. The complications vary from person to person and depends on the type and severity of the procedure, the sanitary condition in which the procedure is performed and health and nutritional status of the girl undergoing the procedure. Nomadic and rural communities are said to suffer the most compared to those in urban settlements. This is because rural people have less access to quality health care services and are more dependent on several harmful traditional remedies.
The continued practice of FGM in Somalia / Somaliland is linked to several factors which include the following:
Marriage: There is a common belief among Somalis that men prefer infibulated girls for marriage.
Control Sexuality and Ensure Virginity: This factor is also closely related to the marriage factor. It seems that ensuring virginity and controlling the sexual activity is one of the main reasons for FGM.
Preventing Pregnancy Outside of Wedlock: There are views that infibulations prevents the pregnancy outside of wedlock.
Traditions and Beliefs: The girls themselves ask for the practice to be done.
Perception of the Community Regarding the Clitoris: Some believe that a girl with clitoris is not clean and she cannot pray and fast except when the clitoris is removed.
The Procedure as the only Source of Income for Circumcisers: Female genital cutting is the only source of income for the circumcisers; they advocate for its continuation and stand against any attempt to eradicate it strongly.
Religion: Although it is found both in Muslim and Christian communities, there are some people who often associate FGM with Islam, particularly the sunna type.
Lack of Reproductive\sexual Health knowledge: This is an important factor that leads to the continuance of FGM within the Somali society.
FGM is a deeply rooted cultural practice in Somalia / Somaliland that is difficulty to eliminate through short term health projects. What is needed is long term interventions and involvement of community groups, government, religious leaders, women groups, youth, development agencies (in planning and undertaking intensive programs to eradicate FGM in the Somali society).
Amran from Somaliland
Amran is a 9 year old girl whose poor family lives in a nomadic area near Tuur village. Her mother called a circumciser to prepare her for adulthood. Amran was happy about the prospects of being circumcised since her peers in the neighborhood had been circumcised earlier. However, as she got more information, she was frightened and could not get asleep.
The next morning Amran was taken to a far off place under a tree for shade and light. This is where such a procedure is usually performed because the huts are dark even during the day. Pastoral or nomadic communities depend on sunlight and fire for light.
Amran’s Mother invited four other strong female members in the community to assist the traditional surgeon. Each of them sat beside one limb of the young girl and held her tightly so that she could not move and cause the genital cutter to injure her elsewhere. The circumciser is very famous in the community and sometimes she performs similar procedures on a team of young girls using the same instrument un-sterilized.
As soon as the operation begun, Amran began to cry for help because of the excruciating pain caused by the operation without anesthesia. None of the women responded to her distress but instead put more pressure on the child. They had all been through a similar experience!
Unfortunately, Amran’s wound started bleeding during the mutilation. The circumciser applied some herbs on the wound but this did not help. Three days afterwards, she was still bleeding. There was no community health worker in the pastoral communities to help and had to be transferred to the nearest village. The village was remote with no regular transportation and had no proper road. A camel had to be used to move Amran.
Amran and her mother spent another three days waiting for a lorry and begging the community for financial help to pay the transportation costs and Medical expenses. They finally arrived at the Hospital on Friday when there was no doctor on call. They had spent another day in the hospital with out getting any medical attention since the Doctor could not be reached on his mobile phone. The network was either busy or the Doctor was out of network coverage. Doctor might also have switched her phone off not to be disturbed.
The next morning, Amran’s health situation worsened and she became unconscious (hypovoleamic shock) due to blood loss. She had to be taken in for an operation but this time under anesthesia. The doctor advised an urgent blood transfusion and ordered that the traditional circumciser’s stitches be removed in order to stop the bleeding.
Following the hospital operation to stop the bleeding and the transfusion to restore lost blood, Amran’s condition gradually improved. Her consciousness resumed but she complained of pain and nausea. She was all the more happy that she was alive.
She has been discharged from the hospital after two months, although Amran’s life was saved, but also her mother was still disappointed at the failure of the traditional procedure and the Doctor’s sole decision on the removal of the stitches. She contemplated a second circumcision on Amran.
Amran’s father was aware of exercise but he did not attempt to discourage the mother for doing so. Incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse have previously occurred within UN missions. According to figures released by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in August 2006, out of 313 investigations of civilian and military staff since January 2004, 202 were carried out in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the UN has its largest peacekeeping operation with about 17,000 personnel. Various actions were taken.
The DPKO established a conduct and discipline team in November 2005, following a report by Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Husein of Jordan, the Secretary-General's advisor on addressing sexual exploitation and abuse of personnel in peacekeeping contexts. Al-Husein was appointed in July 2004, following allegations of sexual exploitation of children by humanitarian workers and peacekeepers in various regions, including West Africa. Troop contributing countries have since been asked to develop codes of conduct, appropriate disciplinary measures and accountability mechanisms.