Specific information about the killing of 60 top-ranking civil servants and about their bodies being dumped in the sea is currently unavailable to the IRBDC. Publicly available published sources indicate that there was fighting between the Somali National Movement (SNM) and the government of General Siad Barre in 1988 (Human Rights Watch, 28 June 1988, p. 1). The government reportedly retaliated by engaging in acts of repression and human rights violations against the civilian population. "For example, we received reports that in March 1988, at least 20 civilians suspected of SNM sympathies, were forcibly drowned in wells in the town of Gebiley" (Ibid., p. 2). According to the Foreign Broadcasting Information Service (FBIS) 37 civilians were murdered in Ceel Bardaale and Gabiley areas and 10 of them were "thrown alive into wells where they later died" (FBIS-AFR-88-035 23 Feb. 1988). Index on Censorship (Oct. 1988, p. 39) reports that 17 civil servants were arrested in connection with the SNM. For further information about this question, please refer to the attached documents.
Bibliography

Human Rights Watch. 28 June 1988. "Letter to President Mohammed Siad Barre.

FBIS-AFR-88-035. 18-19 Feb. 1988. "'Barbaric' Raid by Government Forces Reported" in Radio Halgan [Somalia, in Somali], 22 Feb. 1988.
Index on Censorship. Oct. 1988, Vol. 17, No. 9. " Somalia."

Attachments

Human Rights Watch. 28 June 1988. "Letter to President Mohammed Siad Barre.

FBIS-AFR-88-035. 18-19 Feb. 1988. "'Barbaric' Raid by Government Forces Reported" in Radio Halgan [Somalia, in Somali], 22 Feb. 1988.

Index on Censorship. Oct. 1988, Vol. 17, No. 9. "Somalia."

Amnesty International. (AFR 52/WU 07/89 External 3 August 1989). "Somalia: Killings and Arrests Erupt Shortly After AI visit".