Somali Shopkeepers Torn Between Government Surveillance and Insurgent Threats

In Mogadishu, Somalia, shopkeepers struggle to comply with a government directive to install CCTV cameras for security against al-Shabab while simultaneously fearing violent reprisals from the insurgents. Some businessmen have already lost their lives amidst this tension, forcing others to close their businesses or sell them altogether.

The capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, has become a perilous crossroads for local shopkeepers, who find themselves facing daunting decisions in the wake of a government mandate that requires them to install CCTV cameras outside their businesses. This directive, implemented to bolster surveillance against the al-Shabab insurgents who maintain a stronghold in the city, has put shop owners at significant risk. They now grapple with the unsettling reality that compliance may lead to violent backlash from the insurgents, while non-compliance could result in arrest by government authorities.

Hamza Nuur, a former shop-owner, candidly shares his fears about the directive, explaining how he ultimately chose to sell his business to sidestep the dangers associated with either choice. "The CCTV cameras are why you now see me at home," he states, reinforcing the gravity of the situation. Nuur characterized the government's demands as placing civilians, who are simply trying to survive, into the crosshairs of a violent conflict between powerful forces.

Deputy Mayor Mohamed Ahmed Diriye insists that the government's strategy is yielding success, pointing to a reduction in bombing incidents in the city. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story. A report from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) indicates that four businessmen have been murdered following the installation of CCTV, with many others retreating from their enterprises due to fears of retaliation from al-Shabab.

Mr. Nuur recounts how his initial hesitance to comply with the government's orders ended after he faced threats from the police. Once he installed the cameras, he began receiving ominous calls from unknown numbers, prompting him to change his phone number. Nevertheless, his life became increasingly fraught when an armed man confronted him in his store, a reminder of the pervasive reach of al-Shabab's intelligence network.

Critics of the government’s CCTV directive argue that it thrusts innocent civilians into entanglements with a formidable adversary the government struggles to combat. Reports of targeted hits resulting from camera installations resonate through the community, with shopkeeper Asiyo Mohamed Warsame recounting the tragic loss of her brother, who was murdered shortly after complying with the government mandate.

While the Deputy Mayor dismisses the notion that businesses are being forced to close or comply with dangerous regulations, several shopkeepers report threats from both the insurgents and police. Ismael Hashi, for example, reluctantly reopened his business after being detained by police for refusing to open his shop in the face of death threats from al-Shabab.

Residents like Sidow Abdullahi Mohamed have also faced enforcement actions, revealing a community caught in a web of fear and coercion. After being jailed for neglecting the installation of CCTV at his home, he and his neighbors were eventually compelled to conform, now living under the constant threat of both vigilante violence and state enforcement.

In a landscape riddled with risks, many citizens voice their frustration, expressing concern over the government's expectation that they bear the financial burden of surveillance while simultaneously protecting them from deadly consequences. As Mogadishu's shopkeepers navigate this treacherous environment, the intersection of public safety and personal survival remains precariously balanced amid ongoing insurgencies.