15 Dec 2011 – Morning headlines
Key Headlines:
- Somali President Sharif Ahmed asks MPs to respect the law (Source: Mareeg)
- UN chief lobbies for bigger Amisom force (Source: Daily Nation)
- Djibouti reportedly appeals for assistance with deployment of troops to Somalia (Source: Shabeelle Media)
- TFG intensified its anti-terror operations in Mogadishu (Source: Radio Risaala)
- Somalia’s rare window of hope (Source: BBC News)
- Parliament meeting concludes in chaos in Mogadishu (Source: Radio Shabelle)
- Somali Lawmakers Exchange Blows in the House (Source: Somalia Report)
- Kenya army: Somali villagers need food aid (Source: AP)
- Somalia’s Insurgents Embrace Twitter as a Weapon (Source: New York Times)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali President, Sharif Ahmed asks MPs to respect the law
14 Dec- Source: Mareeg, SONNA- 153 words
Sheikh Sharif Sh. Ahmed, President of Somali Transitional Federal Government has for the first time spoken about the dismissal of Somali Parliament Speaker, Sharif Hassan Sh. Adan and asked lawmakers to respect the law, state media said. In a press release from his office, Somali president said that he was worried by the quick decision made by the Somali parliamentarians yesterday, adding that it was something new to his government.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
TFG intensified anti-terror operations in Mogadishu
14 Dec-Source: Radio Risaala, Somalia Report- 59 words
The Somali government’s anti-terror forces started a massive security operation in the main streets of Mogadishu and called for al Shabaab to stop their attacks towards civilians. The forces were mainly considering the important streets in Mogadishu and took the control of ex-control Afgoye from the police. TFG security officer Kalif Ahmed called for al Shabaab to stop targeting civilians with explosives.
Parliament meeting concludes in chaos in Mogadishu
14 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle-125 words
Meeting held by parliamentarians in Mogadishu on Wednesday has concluded in chaos after the former deputy speaker accompanied with security forces interrupted the session. Most of the Somali parliament has formally dismissed the former speaker of the parliament Sharif Hassan Sheik Aden whom they accused for refusing to open the sessions of the MPs in the capital on Tuesday and appointed Madobe Nunow who is one of the lawmakers as a interim speaker to continue the meetings of the parliament.
Djibouti reportedly appeals for assistance with deployment of troops to Somalia
14 Dec – Source: Shabeelle Media – 165 words
The government of Djibouti has asked the international community to support them with the deployment of some of its forces into Somalia.
According to senior officials at the country’s ministry of defence, Djibouti leader, Ismail Umar Guelleh has asked the American government to support his government with the deployment of troops in Mogadishu to join AMISOM [African Union’s Mission in Somalia] troops.
Somali Lawmakers Exchange Blows in the House
14 Dec- Source: Somalia Report, Somaliweyn- 98 words
Somali lawmakers on Wednesday exchanged blows with each other in parliament just hours after the House Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden was voted out, eyewitnesses said. The fighting took place at the Parliament Building located in Mogadishu’s Wardhigley district when the legislators were attending a session in the chambers.
Suspected Somali pirates to face justice in Seychelles
14 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan-93 words
Seven suspected Somali pirates captured last week by a British navy arrived in Seychelles to face prosecution, under an agreement between the two countries. Seychelles’ Home Affairs Minister Joel Morgan said his country agreed to accept the seven suspected pirates for prosecution because piracy was a threat to Seychelles’ tuna fishing industry, according to TheSeychelles Nation.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UN chief lobbies for bigger Amisom force
14 Dec- Source: Daily Nation- 348 words
Kenya’s efforts to send troops to Somalia received a major boost after UN boss Ban Ki-moon asked the Security Council to expand the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom). The UN secretary-general lobbied the powerful council to allow more troops join the peacekeeping force to secure parts of Somalia that have been liberated by the Kenya military and the Transitional Federal Government troops in Operation Linda Nchi.
Somalia legislators block deputy Speaker
14 Dec- Source: Dail Nation- 436 words
Somalia’s first deputy Speaker Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim Mudey was Wednesday blocked from entering Parliament, a day after Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden was replaced. Mr Mudey, accompanied by his bodyguards had tried to enter Somalia Transitional Federal Government Parliament by force but was turned away. Mr Mudey had refused to chair a parliamentary session on Tuesday, which saw Sheikh Aden being removed as Speaker.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenya army: Somali villagers need food aid
14 Dec- Source: AP- 648 words
Trade stopped months ago when Kenyan soldiers came here in pursuit of al-Qaida-linked militants. Now thousands of unsold bags of charcoal are stacked 15 high, and fishermen are prohibited from going too far from the white sand shore. That has left Somalis in this small seaside town dependent on handouts from the Kenyan military, which again asked aid agencies to step in during a rare food distribution Wednesday.
Helping children overcome trauma in Mogadishu
14 Dec- Source: Trust.org- 306 words
Since SOS Children’s Emergency Relief Programme got underway across the Horn of Africa in July, the international children’s charity has helped save lives and improve living conditions for over 70,000 of the worst-affected victims of famine. Now, SOS Children are also providing ‘child friendly spaces’ in Badbado refugee camp in Mogadishu to help children to come to terms with the difficult times.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/
Somalia’s rare window of hope
13 Dec – Source: BBC News ( by Barbara Plett – BBC- UN correspondent)
Somalia’s prime minister (l) now feels safe enough to play football on the Mogadishu beach on the outskirt of Mogadishu.After two decades of war, beset by drought and famine and home to both the lucrative piracy industry, which threatens shipping across the Indian Ocean, and Islamist militant groups, Somalia is perhaps the ultimate failed state.
Somalia’s Insurgents Embrace Twitter as a Weapon
15 Dec – Source: New York Times – 1,253 words
Nairobi — Think of it as the Battle of the Tweets.
Somalia’s Islamist insurgents, al Shabaab, best known for chopping off hands and starving their own people, just opened a Twitter account, and in the past week they have been writing up a storm, bragging about recent attacks and taunting their enemies.
We have no famine, says Somali Prime Minister
13 Dec- Source: Telegraph- 676 words
Mr Abdiweli Mohammed Ali, who leads Somalia’s officially recognised government, chose the week when the United Nations has appealed for $1.5 billion to help his country’s people to deliver a stinging attack on relief workers. A Harvard-educated economist, he believes they have become an “entrenched interest group”, exaggerating the scale of suffering in order to drum up donations. The United Nations says that 250,000 Somalis are suffering from famine in three regions of the country, including Mogadishu. Patches of waste ground across the bullet-scarred city, devastated by two decades of war, are filled with the shacks of refugees who have fled drought and food shortages. Children with distended bellies and stick-like limbs can be seen in many of these sand-blown camps.