This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
December 12, 2019
The African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) has been working closely with the Somali government to rehabilitate former al-Shaabab combatants. As part of this effort, Amisom has trained 80 government officials involved in the management and rehabilitation of ex-combatants.
Simon Mulongo, deputy head of Amisom, emphasized the importance of rehabilitation in ending violence in Somalia. "It should be in the national interest to end violence," Mulongo said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
The training program aimed to share best practices and challenges of the rehabilitation program, as well as provide guidance on how to move forward. Mohamed Ali Hussein, director of the defector rehabilitation program in the Ministry of Internal Security, noted that the program complements the government's stand to offer amnesty to those who renounce violence.
"The national rehabilitation program gives a second chance to ex-combatants from extremist groups like al-Shabab, enabling them to be remorseful and seek forgiveness," said Hussein.
Amisom has been a crucial partner in providing training, equipment, and resources for the rehabilitation of former combatants. Hassan Ali Nur Shuute, the chief of Somalia's military tribunal, emphasized the importance of rehabilitation in reintegrating former combatants into society.
"I urge all police station commanders not to harbour ex-combatants in their respective districts without notifying the appropriate authorities for them to undergo rehabilitation," said Shuute.
