A/HRC/13/65 page 20 80. It can, of course, be said that more time is needed for the efforts of Government to bear fruit. While that is true, it is also true that Al-Shabaab also appears to be gaining ground in the mean time. Al-Shabaab should either be halted or weakened or won over; the independent expert believes that the latter two strategies have the best chance of success, as he sees little chance of the Government prevailing through military means alone. 81. From his talks with newly arriving refugees in Dadaab camps, IDPs in Bossaso and others, the independent expert is of the view that the people still see the Transitional Federal Government as the best option for governance, although they are not yet convinced of its ability. The Government will have to work hard and imaginatively to consolidate the Somali people’s support. If it succeeds, the expert foresees defections from opposition ranks, particularly from the nationalist elements among the hard-liners. To facilitate the process, the Government must have a clear strategy to provide necessary concessions, offers and welcome to those who wish to defect. 82. For the Government’s strategy to succeed, the independent expert believes there is a need for greater involvement of the people of Somalia. It has so far appeared that the people have not been significantly involved in the peace/reconciliation process. Refugees in Kenya and Yemen have time and again pleaded not only for their own involvement in the peace process, but also for the involvement of clans, their leaders, business people and the diaspora, inter alia. The Government’s policy paper referred to earlier involved all those groups. Is it not possible to start a process in the near future where all these groups may be consulted, either together or separately? Whatever the outcome, the process itself will send a message to all concerned that without popular support, neither the Government nor the opposition can prevail. 83. Consultations should take place in Somalia itself, wherever feasible. An effort must be made to move away from what is referred to above as “Nairobi syndrome”. The Government should be seen to be consulting with the people as much as with other Governments and the United Nations. Refugees in Dadaab told the independent expert that they wanted to see members of the Transitional Federal Government and Somali Parliament visit them in the refugee camps regularly and observe how they lived. There is a need for the Government to show compassion for the people. 84. The independent expert remains concerned that the hub of United Nations activities for Somalia is still in Nairobi not Somalia. While many local staff and some international staff are posted in Somalia, the expert asks why is it not possible to move some or most of the United Nations country offices for Somalia to Somalia itself, at least to areas where there is relative peace, say in Somaliland and Puntland. While a wholesale move may not yet be possible, a start could be made, as the expert has been informed that a site for common United Nations compound in Mogadishu has already been identified. It would reportedly not be impossible to make arrangements for additional secure premises for the United Nations and accommodation for its staff in Somaliland and Puntland, although it would require the political will of the United Nations and some investment. 85. There would, of course, be serious worries in the beginning, as the opposition forces would not like to see the United Nations move to Somalia fully. Nevertheless, the effects of the move on the minds of the people of Somali and the confidence it would generate would likely to pay early, rich dividends, neutralizing the scare tactics of the opposition. The independent expert