Document #1208235
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
A historian at Savannah State College in
Savannah, Georgia, who specializes in Somali history and politics
stated that the Zeila is inhabited by Issaks, Issas and Gadabursi
(12 Feb. 1997). He stated that the issue of control of Zeila is
contentious because each of the clans would want to claim control.
However, it is the Gadabursi who are the majority in the area
(ibid.). This source was not aware of any conflict in the area and
whether refugees have returned (ibid.).
A researcher at the U.S. Institute for
Peace in Washington, who also specializes in Somali politics,
corroborated the above information but added that the there is a
"struggle" between the Gadabursi and the Issaks because the latter
are collecting taxes (ibid.). He stated that there was fighting
between the Gadabursi and the Isaaks in Zeila in 1994 ( 12 Feb.
1997). This source stated that he was not aware of refugees
returning to Zeila. However, he explained that Zeila separates
Djibouti from Somaliland and refugees returning to Hargeisa from
Djibouti use Zeila as an entry point to and from Somalia (ibid.).
This information could not be corroborated by sources currently
available to the DIRB.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find attached a list of
sources consulted in Researching this Information Request.
References
Hsitorian specializing in Somali hstory
and politics, Savannah State College, Savannah, Georgia. 12
February 1997. Telephone interview.
Unites States Institute for Peace,
Washington, DC. 12 February 1997. Telephone interview with
researcher.
Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential [London].
Weekly.
Africa Research Bulletin: Political,
Social and Cultural Series [London]. Monthly.
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices for 1995. 1996.
Horn of Africa Bulletin
[Uppsala]. Bimonthly.
New African [London].
Monthly.
West Africa [London].
Weekly.
On-line search on NEXIS database.