Idle banter forum

Well, I have never heard of a refugee not be allowed to return home. Being forced to return yeah. Not allowed? I find it hard to believe the UN would not allow him to return home. On the other hand, perhaps he's from the Ogaden and was a member of AIAI or the ONLF in which case the Ethiopian government won't let him return. Since you mention the "Djibouti area" I presume we are talking about either the Ogaden or Somaliland, in which case perhaps the Somaliland government won't let him return because he fought with government forces against the SNM. Without talking to him myself, it's difficult to peel back the onion here. Does he have an email address or a way I could contact him? I am also very surprised that Cambodia was taking in Somali refugees ten or more years ago...

OK, tell him you need the real story - the no bullshit story. Tell him if he lies, there's no chance once that lie is uncovered, which it will be.

I have a friend who works in the Somali government and maybe, just maybe, he can help the guy out. But we'd need a lot of details and they got to check out.

During the wars in the Ogaden and Somalia, a lot of war crimes took place perpetrated on all sides. The poulations in this region are not dense, so people who committed attrocities are known, and payback is part of the culture. Maybe this guy was up to no good, but more probably he is up to no good - probably just trying to bilk you out of money for a loan to help him out in his desperate circumstances. Tell him you need his full name, place of birth, any historical military affiliation and clan affiliation. If he won't give you that info... cut him loose.

He's Midgan - he's fucked. It's a minority group that's usually associated with a lack of real clan identity - hence security in that place. I haven't heard the word in a long time and I personally know no Midgan.

As an affiliate of SNM Morgan, I would not doubt that he had no connection to Aideed or the SNA. Assuming he's telling the truth, and based on coming from Kismayu and a Midgan identity, there's no reason not to believe him. It wouldn't matter now anyway, though, since Aideed is long since 6 feet under and his SNA is now defunct.

Morgan (and yeah, you got the name right. It's a nom de Guerre, and I don't know how he got it. His real name is Mohammed Said Hersi, and he's a bad actor (although he was the enemy of my enemy at one time). Morgan was involved in more attrocities than you can shake a stick at. Your man here is doubtless on the low end of the totem pole though. I never heard of any Midgan having any positions of any kind of authority in Somalia.

This area (Kismayu - Juba River) is currently in conflict, with heavy Al Shabbab presence and the Kenyan Army is operating in the vicinity as well. It's not a safe area.

Getting back is a problem for him because there are no direct flights to Somalia, and he would likely have to transit through Kenya to get to Kismayu. Getting into Kenya by air would, in all probability, be very difficult as I doubt he has a valid passport and no money to plane ticket if he did. I doubt the UN "won't let him back" - it's a question of mechanics and money. Why he was querring the US embassy is a mystery to me, since the US embassy has nothing to say about any of this really. The geograghy of his refugee status is a major stumbling block, as there is no easy way to get from Cambodia to Kenya. Ask him if he has tried to querry the Kenyan embassy about arranging for a visa to transit Kenya - at least that would be a start to clearing the way to go back. Doesn't solve his monetary problem, but it does help him in the event he can scrape up the money. Wish I could give him better advice, but he needs assistance from his extended family, if he knows where any of them are. Perhaps I can querry the UNHCR and see what they say about UN assistance in repatriation.

He probably thinks that because we fought the SNA we are anti-Somali. That couldn't be further from the truth. A lot of Somalis helped us in that campaign a great deal, and I developed life long friendships out of it as well. The Abgal were great to us. I have a lot of Darood friends as well. I almost married a Somali woman. I'll admit were he Haber Gedir that would be a little tougher for me, but Midgan? I've got a lot of sympathy for the Midgan. Tell him not to worry.

And sure, give him my email and have him drop me a line: madmac572@yahoo.com

If I can do anything to help, I will.

Just spoke to. The Somali basically he backed off fast when I mentioned transitting thru Kenya.got very nervous wouldn.t even take t your e-mail.wamts ro call it all off I saw aletter of appeal to UNHCR.You obviously make him nervous.Says he doen't trust tou.So that's that.no more can be done
anyway again thanks for your efforts.
I think he's in big trouble or is after money

I. completly agree with yor assessment.He's got somthing to hide.I'm more than a little annoyed that he didn't have a word of thanks to offer.I feel embarresed at the shabby way he's treated your offer of help.All I can do is apologise for wasting your time and thank you for your kind help

I was looking forward to this story progressing further.. it was making for an intriguing read over my morning coffee!

The very fact he was more interested in you than in any help you could offer spoke volumes to me.When I offered your e-mail address he became very agitated and far from looking at me with gratitude I could see in his eyes not only fear but some hatred as if I was setting him up.He couldn't get away fast enough.I have no doubt this guy has done something pretty awful and maybe he's on some sort of wanted list.I think because your American he thinks you belong to some agency hunting these people down.I doubt I'll see him again and that he'll avoid me like the plague.I just wonder what he expected,someone to send him home, no questions asked? He's the only Somali I know among the Muslim foreign community here, though we have refugees from all the other conflicts and bad regimes.Last year a Syrian guy who ran a small cafe made a decision to go home.No one has heard of him since.sometimes I'm so glad I was born with a decent passport in a democracy (far from perfect but better than some of the hell holes these people come from.)

I met the Somali this morning, in fact he wanted to talk to me.He says now that he wants to go to another part of Somalia because he knows there is too much trouble in his home area.I suggested again he e-mail you but for some reason he refuses any contact other than face to face with you.I explained you live in Thailand so it's impossible.So he refuses to use e-mail.I'm intrigued that he only wants a personal meeting.If I wanted to go home desperately I'd sure as hell grab at anything but he's adamant.He laughed nervously when I mentioned that Morgan was no angel.What the hell is it with this guy? He seems geniune enough, nice guy.
Anyway, I have written this just to kep you updated.I wonder if he'll relent and use e-mail.He's really frustrating me.It's as if he's trying to make up his mind to tell me something but each time he loses his nerve.

Liz, this guy doesn't want to see or talk to me. He's up to something, and via Sayadian he has figured out that he won't be able to lie to me. He wants guys he can BS, for purposes only he knows. Most people don't know anything about Somalia, but it just happens to be one of the places I know really well. I am sure he wants nothing to do with me - but can't flat out admit that.

Just an update:
Abdulkadir telephoned me yesterday morning. Apparently he must have the impression you work for some NGO or something because he asked that you phone to talk to him.
A bit cheeky I think since he's asking you to make an international call. He says he 'must' talk to you personally and he is happy to relocate to any part of Somalia.
Please don't shoot the messenger but his number is (855)89664323.
Anyway I've done what I promised I'd do for him.