01 Jul 2011 – Daily Monitoring Report
Key Headlines:
- PM calls for national unity amid 51st anniversary of Somalia independence
- Somali independence day celebrated in Nairobi
- Low flying planes seen over Kismayo
- Al Shabaab threatens independence attacks
- Museveni US envoy discuss Libya Somalia
- Somalia becomes the sixth country attacked by US drone planes
- We apologise that the French translation of the headlines is not available until further notice
SOMALI MEDIA
July 1st, Southern Somalia’s independence is celebrated in Mogadishu
01 Jul – Source: Radio Mogadishu, Shabelle, Bar-Kulan and Kulmiye – 273 words
A lively and colourful ceremony on Thursday night was held in Mogadishu’s presidential seat (Villa Somalia) to mark the 51st anniversary of southern Somalia independence and the unity of north with south making Somalia republic. The ceremony was attended by President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adam and the Speaker of the parliament, Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the Prime Minister, ministers, lawmakers, military officials and others. Excited Somali national singers entertained participants with concerts, plays and songs, followed by the raising of the Somali national flag by members of the Somali military at exactly 12.00 Midnight.
PM calls for national unity amid 51st anniversary of Somalia independence
01 Jul – Source: Raxanreeb – 240 words
Somalia’s newly approved Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has called on all Somalis to be united and join together to help the drought affected citizens in the country, RBC Radio reports. In his speech at the celebrations to mark the 51st anniversary of Somalia independence celebrated on the 1st of July, the Prime Minister Mr. Abdiweli Miohamed Ali spoke about the impact on the people of the severe droughts affecting the country which he described as the worst ever. He requested the international community to help the country deal with the effects of the drought. “I call on the donors and the Somali Diaspora to urgently help the drought affected people in Somalia, whose life conditions seem to be the worst ever” the prime minister said. He said for the last two decades of civil war in Somali, the country had undergone very hard conditions, and urged the people to put their differences aside and unite to rebuild their country.
The prime minister also paid tribute to all Somali heroes who have lost their lives for the nation and in the struggle for independence in 1960s. He vowed to maintain the war against extremism in Somalia and deplored that Al-Shabab and their allies Al-Qaeda do not want to see any functional and strong government in Somalia.
He promised that his government will focus on both the humanitarian situation facing the country and security as the two top priorities.
http://www.raxanreeb.com/?p=101682
Somali independence day celebrated in Nairobi
01 Jul- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 150 words
An occasion attended by masses of people to mark the independence day of Somalia when the country gained independence from Italy was held in Nairobi at the embassy of Somalia in Nairobi. Thousands of people attended the occasion from different parts of the community, including diplomats and ambassadors, legislators, former ministers, Somali musicians notably Ahmed Naji, Saado Ali Warsame, Khadijo Foodey Nur and Fatuma Musa among others. The ceremony was organized by the Somali embassy in Nairobi. Somali refugees from refugee camps of Kenya were also invited and narrated their plight and the deplorable life they are leading. The ambassador of Somalia to Kenya, Mohamed Ali Noor, who spoke at the occasion, emphasized the importance of 1st July. He expressed his happiness that the occasion was held in Somali-owned ground in Nairobi. The flag was raised at midnight to mark the important occasion.
Somalia independence occasion held in Puntland and South Africa
01 Jul- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 79 words
Independence celebrations were held in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, attended by the Puntland president Abdirahman Farole and other officials. Songs depicting the importance of the Independence Day were sung by popular musicians and the flag was also raised. The Somali community in Cape town, South Africa also held their celebrations which were attended by officials from the South African government, the Somali community leader and businessmen.
Low flying planes seen over Kismayo
01 Jul – Source: Hiiraan Online – 90 words
Eye witnesses in the port city of Kismayo in southern Somalia report seeing unknown low flying planes in the last 24 hours. No one knows to whom the planes belong or why they were flying over the city. Kismayo is the third largest city of Somalia with a big sea port and other important facilities that make it very strategic. Residents in the city are worried about the planes. This is not the first time unknown low flying planes are seen over the cities in Somalia.
Al Shabaab threatens independence attacks
01 Jul – Source: Radio Furqan – 92 words
Al Shabaab has threatened to launch attacks against any ceremony commemorating the formation of an independent Somalia. Speaking in Dabaqayn Mosque in Huriwaa district in Mogadishu, senior al Shabaab eader Sheik Muktar Robow Abu Mansoor warned Muslims not to attend any celebrations. “The Mujahidin must shell and use suicide attacks on every ceremony about Independence Day said Ahmed Bali, a senior al Shabaab officer, while speaking in another Mosque.
Donations given to IDPs in Baidoa
01 Jul- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 115 words
Students and women from Baidoa gave donations to the recently displaced persons from the outskirts Baidoa town those were affected by the scourge of drought which has ravaged a good number of the provinces in Somalia. The people fled from the drought that hit the area and took refuge in Baidoa where they were given shelter in camps meant for the internally displaced persons. Mohamed Haji Ibrahim, one of the students who participated in the donations, told radio Bar-kulan that the donations are in the form of clothes and food. The donations were received mostly by women, children and destitute families.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Museveni, US envoy discuss Libya, Somalia
01 Jul- Source: New Vision- 173 words
President Yoweri Museveni, who is currently attending the AU summit in Equatorial Guinea, has held discussions with the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson on the sidelines of the summit in the capital Malabo. The two leaders who are both attending the 17th, Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of States and Government being held under the theme, “Accelerating Youth Empowerment for sustainable Development”, discussed bilateral relations as well as issues related to the situation in Libya, Sudan and Somalia. Ambassador Carsons commended President Museveni for his involvement and commitment to efforts to ensure peace and security in Somalia and said the US will continue supporting all efforts in Somalia and the region.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/759021
US strikes at al Shabaab
01 Jul – Source: Daily Monitor -339 words
The US military has wounded two top al Shabaab commanders and injured scores of its fighters in a surprise drone attack, the Washington Post has reported, quoting an unnamed senior army officer knowledgeable about the operation.
It has emerged that the drone strikes, believed to be the first against the extremist group, took place on Thursday last week in the coastal port city of Kismayo, an al Shabaab stronghold.
Somalia’s deputy Defence Minister Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig said the attack was a coordinated operation that killed “many” foreign fighters. The Obama administration brought in the unmanned planes after the Pentagon reported picking strong signals that al Shabaab, a supposed al Qaeda affiliate, was planning new attacks outside Somalia. Those targeted reportedly had “direct ties” with al Qaeda. It is not clear where the drone originated. News of the drone strike closely follows reports that Washington is offering four shoulderlaunched Raven drones among a huge military consignment to AMISOM to help bolster its capability to decimate al Shabaab. The Pentagon has agreed on the $145.4m military aid package and sent the request for approval to Congress as part of a notification process before the equipment can be delivered to Ugandan and Burundian troops fighting on AU’s behalf.
Al Shabaab’s name has been etched on minds of Ugandans after the group said it exploded the July 11 bombs that killed at least 76 people in Kampala to avenge Ugandan military’s involvement in propping up Sheikh Sharif’s Transitional Federal Government that it is fighting to oust.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1192432/-/byoufmz/-/index.html
10 million face hunger in East Africa’s ‘worst drought’
26 Jun – Source: Daily Nation – 423 words
With the UN warning that both East and the Horn of Africa have been hit by the worst drought in 60 years, international aid agencies have warned of an alarming gap in the food pipeline to reach those most in need. More than 10 million people are thought to be affected across the East African region.
The UN says that large swathes of northern Kenya and Somalia are now in the “emergency” category, one phase before what is officially classified as famine.
“Two consecutive poor rainy seasons have resulted in one of the driest years since 1950/51 in many pastoral zones,” Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told a media briefing this week. “There is no likelihood of improvement until 2012.” Child malnutrition rates in the worst affected areas are more than double the emergency threshold of 15 per cent and are expected to rise further, Byrs said. Of mounting concern to aid agencies is the news that humanitarian appeals for Somalia and Kenya, each for about $525 million, are barely 50 per cent funded.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia becomes the sixth country attacked by US drone planes
01 Jul- Source: all voices- 224 words
Following Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan and Yemen, Somalia became the sixth country to have been attacked by US drone fighter planes when they hit the southern coastal town of Kismayo on 23 June. The strike that injured two fighters was conducted targeting two senior members of the anti-Somalia government group, al-Shabab, Al Jazeera said.
Run by the CIA or the American military, the controversial warplanes provide the US low-risk weapons to carry out its counter-terrorism activities because it does not carry any pilot and is controlled several thousands of kilometers away, according to The Guardian. The drone strikes have been met with indignation by the local people due to civilian casualties where it happened. The attached YouTube video shows what former CIA officer Jack Rice said, “The problem [with drone attacks] we have is we never know if we’re actually creating more and more enemies than we’re actually destroying.”
Piracy watchdog warns of ‘industrial scale’ attacks
01 Jul- Source: AFP, Wires-univision- 473 words
Pirates have launched large scale attacks against ships off the Somali coast, a maritime watchdog warned Friday, and called for more robust international action to protect vessels and seafarers. “The Somali pirates are taking the issue of piracy to an industrial scale. This is a worrying trend,” said Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting centre, which has monitored incidents worldwide since 1991. Mukundan said the pirates were using hijacked vessels as bases to extend their range of operations against ships in the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In March, the Indian navy captured 61 heavily armed pirates aboard a hijacked Mozambiqueflagged ship in the Arabian sea which was being used as a mother ship.
http://wires.univision.com/english/article/2011-07-01/piracy-watchdog-warns-of-industrial
BLOGS / CULTURAL / EDITORIAL
Why is it only Uganda and Burundi keeping peace in Somalia?
30 Jun- Source: New Vision – 251 words
Many Ugandans have died in the process of trying to restore peace in troubled Somalia. I feel it is high time they came back home. Although the African Union (AU) has vowed to flush out the al- Shabaab, who are responsible for the misery in Somalia, many AU member countries have not sent their soldiers to Somalia! Only Uganda and Burundi have honoured their promise. Altogether they have sent 9,000 soldiers to fight the al Shabaab. That number is simply too small to take on the al -Shabaab who claim to control 70% of Somalia. The New York Times of June 27 which reported that the US was supporting Ugandan soldiers in Somalia brought back some hope that soon we would be able to see our countrymen back home. The paper reported that the aid package will cost Washington nearly sh111b. The help offered includes four shoulder-launched Raven drones, surveillance systems, night vision gadgets as well as communications and heavy construction equipment. With this aid, the security will be boosted. This should be a lesson to the AU members.
If foreign powers can find it necessary to bring peace back to Somalia, why can’t they participate in this noble cause? The aim of the AU is to make sure that all countries in Africa enjoy political stability. It does not make sense that only two countries should shoulder all the burden of keeping peace in Somalia while all other AU members look the other way! What then, is the meaning of unity?