ARTICLE: How communities in Marka are using football to

end inter-clan conflict and promote reconciliation

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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
DATELINE: 6/OCTOBER/2017, MARKA, SOMALIA

MARKA - Communities in Marka are using football to engage in mediation and

promote reconciliation.

Members of two rival clans from Marka, in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, who
have fought each other for years, recently set aside their differences and unified in a
game of football.

The Bimal and Abirigidir clansmen held a game at a football pitch in Ceeljale on 28th
September.

The pitch was constructed by locals, with the help of the Civil Military Coordination
Team of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), who worked with the
community to clear and level an open field, donated by an elder.

Rival clans agreed to have their first football match pitting Marka Ayub football team
against Ceeljaale football team. The game ended in a nil-nil draw.

The match followed mediation and negotiation meetings spearheaded by the

AMISOM Civil-Military Coordination team and Colonel Bonny Ogwal, the
Commander of the Ugandan Battle Group XXII in charge of the area.

We undertake such community initiatives as part of our continuous effort to build

and sustain relations with the local population that we work with in ensuring
security. The football match was made possible because of the relative peace
attained in Somalia today, allowing the population to engage in social activities and
sports, Major Robert Kamara, the AMISOM Ugandan Contingent Spokesperson.

The idea of a football match was mooted by the local administration of Lower
Shabelle, who requested AMISOM for support, to clear an area and set up a football
ground, after a local elder donated part of his unused land in support of the sports
project.
The local community joined efforts to create a sports facility. With AMISOMs
support, they used bulldozers to level the surface to create ideal football pitch
conditions.

Football is a hugely popular sport in Somalia and is commonly used to mobilize the
youth in the promotion of peace activities.

END