http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/ ... wsbrief-02The Benadir administration has launched a neighbourhood watch programme that is enlisting the help of citizens to prevent terrorist attacks and other criminal activities.
The watch, dubbed the Fostering Neighbourhood and Social Integration Programme, is underway in the Hamar Weyne, Hamar Jajab, Waberi, Dherkenley, Bondhere, Wadajir, Huriwa and Howlwadag districts of the Somali capital, Benadir administration spokesman Mohamed Yusuf said.
"We are planning to expand the project to all districts so that security is strengthened," he told Sabahi.
Under the programme, each district is divided into blocks of 50 houses and assigned a block leader who is responsible for passing along any suspicious activity reported by neighbours to the police. In addition, block leaders will hold weekly meetings with residents to discuss security issues and promote a sense of communal responsibility for the neighbourhood's security.
District commissioners who spoke to Sabahi welcomed the programme, saying it is helping Mogadishu's residents take ownership of their own safety.
Hamar Weyne District Commissioner Abdullahi Sahal Gardhub said the new programme is helping authorities gather better intelligence.
"We are now aware of the activities of district residents because they have been asked to report when new people move here," he told Sabahi. "This will help us prevent any activities that threaten security."
Last November, tips from citizens helped authorities crack down on suspected al-Shabaab operatives who were living in the Yaqshid area on the north side of Mogadishu. On November 22nd, police, tipped off by a landlord, killed al-Shabaab commander Abdinur Gardhub and arrested 16 other suspected militants. Another tip led to the November 24th arrest of 21 suspected al-Shabaab militants and the seizure of a cache of weapons.
Hamar Jajab District Commissioner Mohamed Ali Ahmed said dividing his district in four blocks has made it easier to detect and monitor suspicious activity. "We know a lot about the residents of our district and have asked the public to report anyone who is making trouble or creating instability to security officers such as the police," Ahmed told Sabahi.
Yasin Abikar, a 45-year-old business owner in the Waberi District, told Sabahi that locals have felt safer since the administration implemented the programme in his district. The public now can go about its business and daily activities without any trouble, he said.
"As the residents of Waberi district, we welcome this programme created by Benadir region officials," he said. "Security is very good, and even though incidents can still happen, we operate our businesses till 10 pm."
Bondhere resident Luley Osman, 37, said this programme has the potential of having a great impact on city's security. She said that if accompanied with a better prepared police force, the neighbourhood watch can help prevent explosions such as the court complex bombing on April 14th by providing useful intelligence to authorities.
