The Somali government this week announced plans to crack down on the so-called shadow courts run by the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab. Somalia's interior minister has admitted many Somalis are turning to extremists for justice because Somalia's legal system is too weak.
Somalia's new interior minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, said this week that the government plans to wage war against the so-called shadow courts that al-Shabaab operates around. The capital Mogadishu said that it is building a
He said the government would close al-Shabaab courts within the next two years.
He says there are people going to the terrorist al-Shabaab courts for justice because government court decisions have not been enforced. He said he would close al-Shabaab courts around Mogadishu, including one on the outskirts of Basra and Mogadishu's Dainiil district.
Omar Mahmood is a Senior East Africa Analyst for the research organization International Crisis Group. He told VOA that the group has invested in the judicial sector and focuses primarily on land and contract disputes.
Key factors include a reputation for low levels of corruption, less discrimination based on clan, and greater enforcement capacity compared to the government's judicial system," Mahmoud said. Always sophisticated, the threat of brutal force underpins them, but ultimately proves to be more effective in addressing the needs of some people.
16} Matt Bryden is a Horn of Africa analyst based in Nairobi, Kenya. He also said courts are operating in a way that is more accessible to many Somalis by invoking Islamic law.A crackdown in court would be a formidable challenge, he said.
"First, the federal and state governments must earn public trust in the fledgling state-run justice system," Bryden said. Shabaab violence because the jihadist courts act like a protective racket. Either you follow their summons and abide by their rulings, or Al-he Shabaab takes the punishment - even in government-controlled areas.
Abdirisak Aden is Executive Director of Farsight Africa Research & Policy Studies. He said the government's willingness to close the al-Shabaab courts was commendable.
He said the best way to combat al-Shabaab's courts was to establish a vibrant judicial system that worked for the people and created a friendly environment for those seeking justice. says he believes. He says it's a shame that everyone who thinks he has been unfairly defeated in court goes to al-Shabaab's court.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year, al-Shabaab has reportedly built schools and hospitals in parts of Somalia they control to gain more popular support.
But the group, which has fought the Somali government for 15 years, has not stopped carrying out attacks.
Last month al-Shabab carried out suicide bombings in the towns of Merkah and Jowar, killing more than 25 of his people, including senior officials.
