MOGADISHU — For Abdi Ahmed, the journey from Somalia to Europe was fraught with peril.
Three years ago, he fled Mogadishu, hoping to escape the violence and poverty that plagued his homeland.
His route took him through the deserts of Sudan and the chaos of Libya, where he was imprisoned, starved and tortured by gangs who held him for ransom.
After two years of suffering, his family scraped together enough money to buy his freedom, allowing him to continue his journey to Germany.
Now, Abdi faces a new challenge: the Somali government’s decision to repatriate its citizens seeking asylum as refugees from Europe and the United States.
“I endured too much to get here,” he says by phone, his voice tinged with desperation.
“Returning to Somalia is not an option for me.”
Abdi is among thousands of Somali refugees who made treacherous trips to reach Europe or the U.S., only to find themselves caught in a new web of uncertainty, at least for now.
Many spent their life savings or that of their families to escape Somalia’s instability, only to confront new dangers along the way. In Libya,
African migrants, including Somalis, are often treated as commodities by gangs that trade them as slaves.
“Every day in that prison was a nightmare,” recalls Ayaan Ismail, another Somali refugee who was held captive in Libya for three months before she was released after gangs received ransom from her family.
She now lives in Italy
“We were beaten, starved, and forced to live in inhumane conditions. I can’t go back to Somalia after all I’ve been through.”
The Somali government, under pressure from European and American authorities, recently established a task force to manage and coordinate the repatriation of its citizens.
The Committee to Manage, Coordinate, and Advise on the Issues of Somali Citizens Abroad and Their Repatriation, appointed in May 2024, marks a significant policy shift.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who signed the official document establishing the seven-member committee, insisted in the document that the government was acting in the best interests of its citizens.
However, the decision has sparked outrage among the Somali diaspora. Many refugees argue that returning to Somalia would expose them to the same dangers they fled.
“I’d rather live hungry in Europe than risk my life back in Somalia,” says Ayaan, now settled in Rome via WhatsApp Friday.
According to sources who spoke to the Somali Standard, the committee began its work shortly after their quiet appointment.
Their first major success was the return of dozens of Somali citizens from Libya, where they had been trapped in dire conditions for years, often held as slaves by various gangs.
It was a positive development that was met with praise from both local and international communities — marking a significant humanitarian step forward.
However, the lack of clarity regarding the committee’s full mandate and work scope has sparked intense debate, particularly concerning the repatriation of Somalis seeking asylum in Europe and the United States.
Government officials have maintained a veil of secrecy over the committee’s overall operations, fueling speculation that the Libyan repatriation effort serves as a pretext for the repatriation asylum seekers in Western countries.
But, those suspicions were indeed validated weeks later to the surprise and shock of many.
On July 9, 2024, under the Somali federal government’s coordination, five Somalis were forcibly returned from Finland, reportedly escorted by Finnish police officers.
The returnees were sent across Somalia: two to Mogadishu, two to Baidoa, and one to Isku-Shuban in northern Somalia.
Human rights organizations have also expressed concern, warning that the repatriation plan could lead to further human suffering. They also warned that the initiative constitutes a blatant violation of the international treaties on the rights of the asylum seekers.
“Forcing refugees to return to a country where they face violence and poverty is not a solution,” says Fatima Hassan, a local Human Rights activist.
“The international community must work with Somalia to address the root causes of this crisis.”
As the debate continues, Abdi and others like him are left in limbo, their dreams of a better life overshadowed by the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
For now, they hold on to the hope that the international community will hear their pleas and help them find a path to a safer, more stable future.
“I came here for a chance to live in peace,” Abdi says. “I just want to be safe and have a future. Is that too much to ask?”
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