27 Dec 2011 – Daily Monitoring Report
Key Headlines:
- TFG Parliament MP shot in Mogadishu (Source: Radio Shabelle Kulmiye Risaala)
- Somali government endorses Erdogan for the coveted UN award (Radio Mogadishu Radio Bar-kulan)
- Somali MPs announce January 2nd as date for controversial Speaker’s election (Source: Radio Shabelle)
- Somali PM reaches Qardo northeastern Somalia (Source: Radio Bar-kulan Radio Garowe)
- African Union Official Cites Successes Challenges in 2011 (Source: VOA)
- Meeting on Security Development Concludes in Somaliland’s Borama town (Source: Hadhwanaag Times)
- Somali MPs say only legislators eligible to contest for Speaker’s position (Source: Radio Shabelle)
- Somali Deputy Speaker invalidates Garowe meeting (Source: Hiiraan Online)
- Somali elders denounce Kenyan fighter jet attacks (Source: Radio Shabelle)
- KDF kills five and maim 150 al Shabaab fighters (Source: the Standard)
- Somali pirates paid Sh1.7 bn in one year says maritime boss (Source: Daily Nation)
- Somalia: Al Shabaab and the regional response (Source: Freedom Writers Blog)
- Legality of US drone attacks questioned (Source: The East African)
- Somalia may lose $100m in American remittances (Source: CarRentals)
PRESS STATEMENT
Somali National Consultative Constitutional Conference
24 Dec – Source: UNPOS – 1000 words
- The first national constitutional conference was held in Garowe from 21-23 December, 2011. The meeting was convened by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and hosted by Puntland State Government of Somalia and facilitated by the United Nations, under the auspices of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Somalia.
- The meeting brought together the signatories of the Roadmap and members of Civil Society. Among the dignitaries present were H.E. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal overnment (TFG), Honorable Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP), H.E. Professor Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Prime Minister of TFG, H.E Dr Abbdirahman Sheikh Mohamed Mohamud, the President of Puntland, H.E. Mohamed Ahmed Alin, President of Galmudug, Sheikh Mohamed Mohamoud Yusuf, Representative of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a (ASWJ). The meeting was opened by the host, H.E Dr Abbdirahman Sheikh Mohamed Mohamud, the President of Puntland, who highlighted the need to end the transition by pointing to the urgency to implement the Roadmap.
- The meeting identified two principal issues requiring consideration by the delegates in light of the current political climate and the necessity of timely implementation of the Roadmap:
• The structure, size, as well as the basis of representation and the selection criteria of the new federal parliament under the new federal constitution;
• Adoption of the new federal constitution by a constituent assembly, including, the mandate, size and the selection criteria of the members of the constituent assembly together with the selection of the new parliamentarians.
- Whereas the Participants have considered the Transitional Federal Charter, the Djibouti Agreement, the Kampala Accord and the Roadmap; whereas the Signitories reaffirm the unity of the Somali people, the political independence and territorial integrity of the Somali nation, the following principles were agreed by the delegates and signatories of the Roadmap. These principles, henceforth to be referred to as The Garowe Principles,shall guide and direct finalization of the draft constitution and the process of ending the transition.
The Garowe Principles on the Finalization and Adoption of the Constitution and the End of the Transition
- National Constituent Assembly
a. The Final Draft of the Somali Federal Constitution shall be ompleted no later than 20 April 2012.
Meeting of the cabinet ministers Mogadishu, 26 December 2011
27 Dec- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 240 words
An extraordinary meeting was today held by the Somali cabinet ministers under the auspices of the acting Prime Minister who is also the deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohamed Mohamud Haji Ibrahim. The meeting discussed about a United Nations Award.
The acting Prime Minister explained what the United Nations Award means urging the ministers to immediately select the person they deem fit for receiving the award. The United Nations Award is a yearly award given by the United Nations to any institution or minister whom they find has taken a great role in sensitizing public or the international community about any issue.
The award of honor was passed by the United Nations Resolution 36/201 in November 1983. The award honor consists of golden medal, certificate and some amount of money.
Its expected of the Somali government to submit the person they find deserves the award of honor not later than 31st of December 2011.
After lengthy debate, the Somali cabinet minister finally agreed upon to select the Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan as their chosen person who is to receive the United Nations Population Award and the Somali government to submit his name to the United Nations.
The United Nations is to announce the individuals who have been chosen to receive the Award on March 2012 and the Secretary General of the United Nations will then hand over the awards to them on June 2012.
SOMALI MEDIA
TFG Parliament MP shot in Mogadishu
27 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle, kulmiye, Rissala- 162 words
One of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Parliament TFP has been injured on Monday in the heart of conflict-torn Somalia capital Mogadishu, amid the political tension in the government stokes high.
Residents said a Somali lawmaker was shot on the leg at a Mogadishu street on Monday 12 noon local time.
Government soldiers opened fire and injured Hassan Abdi Adan, as he was preparing to leave his house near Sayidka monument.
Witnesses said pro-government soldiers opened fire deliberately on the vehicle carrying the lawmaker. He was rushed to a hospital in Mogadishu, where he is now getting medical treatment.
It was not immediately clear the reason behind the shooting of the legislator
Somali government endorses Erdogan for the coveted UN award
26 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu, Radio Bar-kulan- 217 words
Somali council of Ministers have nominated Turkish Prime Minister H.E Recep Tayip Erdogan as Somalia’s choice for the United Nations Population Award.
Turkish Premier visited Somalia on August to garner world support for Somalia which was suffering the worst drought in history and went on a tour of the displaced camps in Mogadishu.
Turkey has also initiated projects in Somalia with TIKA, Kimse Yok MU and other Turkish aid agencies opening up permanent bases in Mogadishu.
Turkey also airlifted hundreds of patients to Ankara and Istanbul hospitals after a suicide bomber exploded outside a ministerial building in Mogadishu claiming the lives of hundreds and wounding two dozen others.
Turkey is managing many displaced camps in Mogadishu as well as opening several hospitals in Mogadishu as a clear sign that the people of Turkey were fully behind the people of Somalia.
Each year, the Committee for the United Nations Population Award presents an award to an individual and/or institution(s) in recognition of outstanding contributions to increasing the awareness of population questions and to their solution.
The Award, which was established by the General Assembly in November 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983, consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year.
Somali MPs announce January 2nd as date for controversial Speaker’s election
27 Dec – Source: Radio Shabelle- 304 words
The committee of MPs organizing election of the new Speaker of Parliament have today held a meeting in Mogadishu in which they announced the date for the elections
Committee members have held a meeting after which they issued a statement detailing the registration process for candidates and elections date for a new Speaker of Parliament.
The committee’s coordinator, Muhammad Mahmud Guled alias Gacmo Dheere, a Federal Somali MP read the statement to the media and said he was optimistic about the smooth running of the campaign for these elections.
“Parliament Committee on elections has reached the following decisions while performing their duty in accordance with the constitution and Federal Somali Parliament rules, that;
- Registration of candidates which started at 0900 on 25th of December will end 12 noon on 31rst of December 2011.
- Candidates will be allowed to address the parliament on the 1rst of January 2012 between 1000 to 1500.
- Election of the new Speaker of Parliament will be held 2nd of January 2012 at 0900.”
Asked how the MPs will able to meet at the Praliament Building given that the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia’s [TFG] ministry of internal affairs has already barred the MPs from meeting at this venue for a period of four weeks, Gacmodheere said MPs and the government are currently in talks to discuss the events that recently transpired there [involving fighting between the MPs] and that these talks are now progressing well.
“Two things. One is that talks between the administration and the parliament are progressing well and there is mutual understanding. Besides, parliament has the right to cast its votes wherever it wishes and there will be no problem and I hope that parliament will be able to perform its duty,” said the MP.
Al Shabaab compels elderly men to join its militias in Bay and Bakol regions
27 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan, Radio Mogadishu – 199 words
Al Shabaab militant group in Baidoa town, Bay region has on Monday night ordered elders in the district to participate the war against government troops in the region.
Speaking at Arab Mosque in Baidoa, Bay and Bakol regional rebel leader Mahad Omar Abdikarin said it is obligatory for area elders to support his rebel group in order to fight the Somali government troops in parts of these regions.
He said they will soon commence trainings for new recruits including elderly men and young boys in order to give the necessary military trainings needed for them to join the group’s battle with government.
Some elders have reportedly fled the district in fear of forceful conscription.
Earlier this month, Al Shabaab rebel group in the port city of Kismayo has reportedly recruited students and teachers from all schools in the city.
The rebel group compelled all schools in the city to bring students and teachers to serve its ranks and take part in the fight against the Somali government troops in the region.
Some of the parents whose children were recruited into the militia expressed their disapproval, saying that they are powerless and cannot face the militia group to get back their children.
Blast kills 3 Soldiers, a civilian northern Somalia
27 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle- 209 words
At least four people, soldiers and a civilian were reportedly killed in separate incidents occurred in the coastal and commercial city of Bosaso in northern Somalia, reports and witnesses said on Tuesday.
A landmine targeted on a convoy of soldiers loyal to the Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state in the heart of Bosaso town, killed three soldiers, among them police officers as they were trying to uncover landmines in the area.
In a separate incident, hours later this Tuesday morning,armed groups shot dead a civilian man in Bosaso town, witnesses said. The gunmen shot the civilian several times on head, killing him on the spot.
It was not known immediately the exact reason behind the killing of the civilian by the unidentified gunmen in Bosaso town in northern Somalia.
Bosaso town, which serves as the Puntland’s main port situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden witnessed high level of insecurity in the past few weeks.
The Security forces of Somalia’s Puntland state reported to have reached at the scene and began conducting massive operations and investigations, but no arrests were reported so far.
These separate incidents come as Somali Premier Abdweli Mohammed Ali is due to arrive in Bosaso.
Somali PM reaches Qardo, northeastern Somalia
27 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan, Radio Garowe- 110 words
Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali who is touring parts of Puntland has on Tuesday morning arrived at Qardo town in Bari region.
The PM is accompanied by Puntland President Abdirahman Farole and other top government officials from TFG and Puntland.
Ali and his entourage who left Garowe by road early this morning will have their first stop at Armo town, where there is a UNDP established Police Academy before proceeding to Bosaso.
During his stay in Qardo, the PM is expected to hold talks with area administration and elders. This is the first trip for the Somali premier to this region since he assumed office earlier this year.
Somali MP asks government to address attacks on female street cleaners
25 Dec – Source: Radio Shabelle – 166 words
Somali MPs have condemned explosions and attacks targeted on female street cleaners in Mogadishu, last of which a few days ago targeted street cleaners in Dharkeenley.
Ibrahim Isaq Yarow, a former Minister for Internal Affairs and National Security spoke to the media following a meeting held in Mogadishu yesterday and condemned these attacks on female street cleaners in Mogadishu, calling on the government to ensure the security of these women.
The MP also welcomed recent statement by the United Nations Political Office for Somalia asking senior Transitional Government of Somalia [TFG] to help resolve the conflict in Somali Parliament in order for the country to progress from the challenges it faces.
A woman was killed and several wounded in a recent explosion attack targeting female street cleaners in Mogadishu district of Dharkenley.
Meeting on Security, Development Concludes in Somaliland’s Borama town
27 Dec- Source: Hadhwanaag Times- 120 words
Two days meeting focusing on the security and development on Monday wrapped up in the town of Borama of Somaliland.
The meeting which was very important was highly organized by the Ministry of Interior Affairs as elders of the town have largely attended the meeting.
The meeting concentrated who lengthily the elders of the town could take part in the security field by helping the security forces of Somaliland.
At the end of that convegance, the elders prolonged the importance and significance of assuring peace and tranquility as the development of the town.
Borama mayor and his deputy who spoke at the meeting said that they are ready to work with the elders at the side of the security.
Somali MPs say only legislators eligible to contest for Speaker’s position
27 Dec – Source: Shabeelle -140 words
The committee organizing elections of the new Somali Speaker has said only Somali MPs are eligible to contest for the position.
The committee today held a meeting in Mogadishu in which they discussed the eligibility criteria for the position and how preparation for the elections are going.
Amina Umar Jama’a who is a member of this committee and also the deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee on information spoke to the media after the meeting, saying only Somali MPs are eligible to contest for the position of the Speaker.
Amina said five Somali MPs who asked not to be named have so far expressed interest in the position. Somali MPs that dismissed Sharif Hasan Shaykh Adan have in recent days been involved in a campaign to elect a new Speaker.
Military movements are reported from Gedo region
27 Dec- Source: Radio Kulmiye- 57 words
Reports from Gedo region say troops loyal to the Transitional Federal Government TFG along with the Ahlusunah Waljamaa militia launched military operations across Gedo region. A witness says al shabaab militants have also began similar movement to avert possible assault by the joint armed forces.
Public Transport grounded as operators down tools
26 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 136 words
Public transport in areas between Mogadishu and Afgoye remained paralysed for better part of the day as Public transport operators withdrew their vehicles from the roads citing increased levy collection at Ex-control junction.
The crisis has been provoked by accusations that government soldiers at the junction were frustrating operators by increasing the amount of money they used to pay from Sh. 40,000 to 70,000.
They demanded the immediate reduction of the amount since they cannot afford it. All roads leading in and out of Mogadishu towards Afgoye remained with less traffic after operators withdrew their vehicles from the road.
Commuters were seen on Monday footing between Mogadishu and Elasha Biyaha following the strike.
The strike also affected long distance truck drivers after furious public transport operators barricaded roads along the area, putting their activities on hold.
Somali elders denounce Kenyan fighter jet attacks
26 Dec- Source: Shabelle- 168 words
Some of Somali prominent elders in Lower jubba region have strongly condemned the latest Kenyan air raids on villages in that province that did not discriminate between civilians and military objectives.
Speaking to Shabelle Media, Abdiqadair Ahmed Mohamed, one of the elders in Lower Jubba region condemned the latest Kenyan aerial strikes, which warplanes struck intentionally on civilians’ locations in Guda village near Kismayu town, some 500-km away southMogadishu, Somali capital.
The elders denied Kenyan claims of killing senior Al-shabab fighters in its latest air strikes in southern Somalia. They said, KDF bombed makeshift huts including a schools and villages for innocent civilians.
“We call on Kenyan government to halt swiftly its air raids on civilian targets because most of them inflicted heavy casualties on civilians….we also urge Nairobi to start a prompt and impartial investigation into what happened in Guda village.” said Abdiqadair Ahmed Mohamed, one of the elders in Lower Jubba region.
http://shabelle.net/article.
Somali Deputy Speaker invalidates Garowe meeting
25 Dec- Source: Hiiraan Online- 279 words
The Somali legislatures who have ousted the speaker of the national parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan have voiced their opposition to the Garowe consultative meeting basing their lamentation to the fact that Sharif Hassan whom they ousted was invited to the meeting to represent the parliamentarians.
The second deputy speaker of the Somali parliament Ahmed Dhimbil Rooble who was leading the group of lawmakers who ousted the speaker Sharif Hassan said the Somali parliament was not invited to attend the Garowe consultative meeting and that only Sharif Hassan was invited.
“We are not contravening the roadmap or the consultative meeting in its entirety but we disapprove the invitation of the former parliament speaker and his representation of the parliament in the Garowe consultative meeting”, Aasowe said.
Mr Aasowe said the meeting was one which was done in stealth and off the eyes of the Somali parliament which is the body tasked to enact law and that they have no endorsement for the meeting.
The deputy speaker also said they will continue with their work, adding that they have asked the government to bring the roadmap before the parliament for discussion and approval.
“We asked the government for the peace roadmap which was agreed in Mogadishu and to be tabled before the parliament in order to know its content and its scope but it seems the government is eluding it from the parliament”, Aasowe added
REGIONAL MEDIA
KDF kills five and maim 150 al Shabaab fighters
27 Dec- Source: the Standard- 957 words
As Kenyans thronged churches and entertainment spots on Christmas Day the country’s military was literally in the trenches battling al Shabaab under the blistering Somalia sun.
When the guns finally went silent, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) had killed five members of the militant group and injured eight in the Southern Somali sector.
But signs there could a bigger war involving the Kenyan forces and al Shabaab got cleared when the militia revealed it was marshalling its forces in Kismayu. This is the town out of which KDF wants to flush them out as the port town is considered to be its economic lifeline and logistical support base.
KDF spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir reported the Kenyan forces struck Kuday, a town South of Kismayu. In his latest update posted on Twitter, Chirchir confirmed KDF had hit targets in Wamaitho and Deida Adhi both in Lower Juba leaving at least150 injured, with some may be even dead.
In the same raid, one ‘technical’ vehicle popular with al Shabaab fighters was decimated and one skiff (small boat) also destroyed. Chirchir urged civilians in Somalia to stay away from al Shabaab bases to avoid being hit during air strikes.
al Shabaab accuses Kenyan Air Force of hitting civilians in camps for the internally displaced and claiming victory, a claim that has been denied strongly by Kenya, which insists it only targets military installations.
al Shabaab has not officially commented on the latest attacks by KDF, but the raids may be the closest yet to Kismayu and represent an escalation of the conflict. The deadly strikes appear targeted to soften al Shabaab positions and to break their will to fight.
Curiously, the air raids have avoided Kismayu, possibly to prevent mass deaths, especially of civilians in this densely populated town in Southern Somalia.
http://www.standardmedia.co.
Scotland Yard joins hunt for terror cells
27 Dec – Source: Daily Nation – 610 words
British detectives are in Kenya to help track down militants and dismantle their terror network. This follows the arrest last week in Mombasa of a Briton said to be the al Shabaab bomb expert.
Security sources said police want Scotland Yard to help them dig into his past and establish if he has links with Al Qaeda and unmask the people he has been working with since he came into the country.
The Anti-Terrorist Police Unit [ATPU] raided the suspect’s house and seized material and chemicals believed to be used in bomb-making. The officers also questioned his wife, a Kenyan of Somali origin. Items seized included dynamite, detonators and timers that are easily available on the market and are used in mining and quarrying industries.
Police described the Briton as a technician with expertise in making explosives. On Saturday [24 December], police spokesman Eric Kiraithe directed dealers in laboratory chemicals to vet their clients and report any suspicious characters.
He said such chemicals, readily available and widely used in school and college laboratories, could be bought by terrorists to make explosives.
The chemicals listed as dangerous include Sulphuric acid, sulphur-based compounds, urea and other ammonium-based compounds, lead nitrate and hydrogen peroxide.
Legality of US drone attacks questioned
26 Dec- Source: the East African – 499 words
US drone attacks in Somalia and elsewhere may violate international law, Human Rights Watch said last week.
The New York-based group warned President Obama in a letter that his administration’s policy of targeted killings is setting “a dangerous precedent for abusive regimes around the globe to conduct drone attacks or other strikes against anyone labelled a terrorist or militant.”
Several countries, including Iran and China, are said to be developing their own drone capabilities. In addition, the Obama administration is planning to sell drones to allies such as Turkey, the Wall Street Journal reported last week.
American air strikes on targets in Somalia have been taking place for at least the past five years. Some have involved use of un-piloted aircraft, such as the killing in June of two alleged leaders of al Shabaab, which the US labels a terrorist organisation with ties to Al Qaeda.
That has been the only publicly acknowledged US drone attack in Somalia, Human Rights Watch notes. Several others, however, are reported to have taken place in Shabaab-controlled parts of Somalia where independent verification is not possible.
The US has said it is flying reconnaissance drones from bases in Ethiopia and the Seychelles. Drones are also launched from the US military base in Djibouti. In addition, the Pentagon has supplied Ugandan and Burundian troops in Somalia with at least four hand-launched reconnaissance drones.
“Your administration has taken few steps to provide greater transparency and accountability in conducting targeted killings, intensifying concerns both in the US and abroad about the lawfulness of these attacks,” HRW says in its letter to Mr Obama.
Somali pirates paid Sh1.7 bn in one year, says maritime boss
26 Dec- Source: Daily Nation- 240 words
Somali pirates have been paid Sh1.7 billion as ransom over the last one year, a maritime official has said.
The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) Director General Nancy Karigithu said there were at least 219 attacks on ships in the coast of Somalia since last year.
Attributing the information to the International Maritime Bureau, she said that Somali pirates hijacked at least 49 ships and took 1,016 crew as hostages.
Ms Karigithu also revealed that total ransom as at June this year was Sh1.7 billion (US$254 million). There are 14 pirated vessels and 345 hostages awaiting ransom payment.
Mrs Karigithu was making her presentation titled ‘simulation of piracy incidences’ to judges and magistrates attending a maritime law meeting at Leisure Lodge Resort, Diani.
Kenyan police launch manhunt for two ‘al Shabaab’ suspects
27 Dec- Source: Coastweek, Xinhua- 876 words
Kenyan police said on Saturday they have launched a major manhunt for two local suspects believed to have vital information on activities of the Somali militant group, al Shabaab.
Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe called on Kenyans to assist the police with the information that may lead to the arrest of Sylvester Owino Opiyo alias Musa Osodowhose home district is Siaya in Western Kenya and Hussein Nderitu Abbas alias Mohamed whose home district is Nyeri in Central Kenya or called on the duo to surrender to the nearest police station.
“Kenya police has cause to believe that the two individuals are believed to have vital information on al Shabaab activities in Kenya,” Kiraithe said on Saturday as he released the photos of the two suspects.
Kiraithe told journalists in Nairobi that both suspects have cases pending in courts having been arrested in March and August. Opiyo who was born on November 5, 1985 is originally from Ugenya North Location, Ukwala Division in Siaya District. His ID Number is 24196514 and had been arrested on March 5.
Abbas whose ID Number is 229208312 was born on Dec. 3, 1978. He had been arrested on Aug. 3 and is originally from 1563-Mahiga Location, 156-Othaya Division in Nyeri District.
Kiraithe called on members of public who may have any information on their whereabouts to avail the same to the police.
The latest development comes a day after Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere called on Kenyans to be extra vigilant during the festive season as the country’s defense forces engage members of the al Shabaab militia group in neighboring Somalia.
Iteere also reported that they were holding six people suspected of trying to unleash attacks on Kenyans during the busy holiday time. Four suspects were arrested in Nairobi while two were nabbed in Mombasa. Police are however, yet to release their names.
http://www.coastweek.com/3451_
Somalis agree on formula to pick MPs
26 Dec- Source: Daily Nation- 176 words
United Nations sponsored consultative meeting on Somalia’s Roadmap to Stability has concluded in Garowe town, the capital of the semi autonomous state of Puntland, 1,000 kilometres northeast of Mogadishu.
One of the thorny issues at the meeting was good governance, which included parliamentary reform before end of the shelf-life of the current government by August 20, 2012.
According to the Garowe Principle, the Somali parliament will be composed of 225 MPs that will be selected on the basis of the clan power sharing-formula of 4.5, that is an allocation for ‘one lot’ for each of four big Somali clans while 0.5 is allocated for a coalition of smaller clans.
It will mean a marked reduction from the current number of 550 MPs. When the TFG was established in Kenya, following two years (2002-2004) of talks at Mbagathi, 275 individuals were selected as MPs.
The number was doubled at the end of another reconciliation conference in Djibouti in 2008, boosting the legislators to 550. The next parliament will have a Chamber of Elders (a sort of Senate).
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
African Union Official Cites Successes, Challenges in 2011
27 Dec- Source: VOA- 165 words
The director of peace and security at the African Union Commission says 2011 was a challenging year in terms of conflict management.
But, El Ghassim Wane said the continental body made great strides in managing some of the region’s hot conflicts, from Somalia to Libya and the independence of South Sudan.
Wane credits the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the forces of the Federal Transitional Government for what he described as unprecedented progress, including what he called the “forced withdrawal of al-Shabab from Mogadishu. He acknowledged that some challenges remain to be overcome in Somalia.
“I referred to progress in Somalia, but it does not, of course, mean that the conflict has been fully resolved, far from it. We are yet to extend further the authority of the Transitional Federal Government. We need to ensure that the transitional period comes to end in August 2012, and that the steps that have been agreed upon among the Somali stakeholders are indeed implemented,” he said.
Somalia may lose $100m in American remittances
26 Dec- Source: CarRentals- 405 Words
Famine-affected Somalis may lose their access to about $100 million in remittances from relatives living in the US, according to charities. NGOs have urged the Treasury and a US bank to not disrupt cash transfers to Somalia, a place where over 250,000 people are affected by famine.
The Franklin Bank, considered the last major American bank offering remittance aid to Somalis, says it will end its services on December 30th due to US counter-terrorism laws. The US Treasury has ordered banks to observe diligence rules, but says that it has not speculated that money transmitters represent a homogeneous or exceeding risk of money laundering.
Oxfam America is pleading with The Franklin Bank and hawalas (money transfer firms in Somalia, where no banks exist) to collaborate with the American government to seek a solution.
Oxfam America’s Shannon Scribner said that about $100 million in remittances are sent from the US to Somalia each year, adding that this would be the worst time for the service to stop. She argued that any gaps in remittance flow during the famine would be disastrous, also urging the US government to guarantee that the bank would not face any legal ramifications of offering this service to Somali people in need.
http://news.carrentals.co.uk/
Taking Schools Back From Militants
26 Dec- Source: IPS- 917 Words
Schools are beginning to re-open slowly in areas of capital Mogadishu that were until recently controlled by the militant Islamic group al Shabaab. But an estimated 80 percent of students have not yet returned.
Schools are beginning to re-open slowly in areas of capital Mogadishu that were until recently controlled by the militant Islamic group al Shabaab. But an estimated 80 percent of students have not yet returned.
The government is moving also to create a unified syllabus for all schools. al Shabaab controlled schools had been running a separate Islamic curriculum.
Eleven of Mogadishu’s 16 districts were under the control of the Al Qaeda linked militants before their August withdrawal from the capital. Only 20 of the 78 existing schools in these districts have opened since September, but they are mainly empty as families slowly return to the capital.
Somalia was the hardest hit by the drought in the Horn of Africa with the United Nations (U.N.) declaring famine in parts of southern Somalia.
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
Somali hip-hop band fighting al Shabaab for hearts and minds
26 Dec- Source: The Guardian- 792 Words
Waayaha Cusub remain defiant despite bearing the scars of the Islamist group, whose reach has extended to Nairobi
Shine Ali doesn’t scare easily. If he did, he would not be with his band in a basement studio in Nairobi, rapping lyrics that challenge the Islamist rebels who control much of his homeland, Somalia – and whose reach extends deep into the Kenyan capital.
Ali is well aware of the risks he is running. Three years ago, members of the al Shabaab group broke into his home in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood and shot him.
“They said, ‘Your message is anti-jihad. You are telling the youth to give up jihad,'” the 29-year-old says in halting English. Ali edges down his baggy checked shorts, pulls up his hooded sweatshirt and shows a scar on his right hip. He has another one on his left arm.
“When they shot me, I knew that if I stopped the music, they would win but if I continued, my power would win.”
Ali is a founding member of Waayaha Cusub, an 11-member hip-hop group that includes Somalis, Kenyans, an Ethiopian and a Ugandan.
The band is, in its composition, a defiant challenge to the al Qaida-linked rebels of al Shabaab and to the thorny political realities of the Horn of Africa.
He started Waayaha Cusub, which can be translated as New Era or New Dawn, in 2004. They have produced several albums since then as well as making waves with the 2010 song No to al Shabaab.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
Intervention tension: UK eyes ‘failed state’ Somalia
27 Dec- Source: Laaska Blog- 511 Words
With the Libya campaign seen as mission accomplished, Britain reiterates it is eyeing another conflict-torn African country – Somalia. The UK cites threats to its national security, but some analysts say this hides a self-interested strategic agenda.
Earlier this week, the UK’s international development minister, Andrew Mitchell, called for “urgent action” in the impoverished country, as “Somalia is a very direct threat to the security of the United Kingdom”, as quoted by Agence France Press.
It’s not the first time that Britain has highlighted the dangers emanating from the conflict-torn African state. In November, the British Prime Minister has called Somalia a “failed state that directly threatens British interests.” David Cameron has scheduled a London summit in February to bring together the countries currently active in the Horn of Africa to discuss how to address the situation. Key decisions are expected to be made on a number of issues, ranging from humanitarian aid to a possible military mission.
International development minister Andrew Mitchell, however, has ruled out any “intention of putting boots on the ground.”
But fears of an intervention have escalated against the backdrop of a claim by Britain’s secret services that Somalia, one of the poorest states in the world, is a new training ground for terrorists. According to The Independent newspaper, MI5 chief Jonathan Evans has warned that Somalia has become the next destination after Pakistan for terrorist training.
Mitchell appeared to confirm MI5’s assertion, saying “there are probably more British passport holders engaged in terrorist training in Somalia, than in any other country in the world.”
http://laaska.wordpress.com/
Somalia: Al Shabaab and the regional response
26 Dec- Source: Freedom Writers Blog- 581 Words
Somalia is no stranger to conflict. Since obtaining independence from its colonial rulers of Britain (British Somaliland) and Italy (Italian Somaliland) in 1960, stability has never truly been achieved. Today, there is no centralized government, no armed forces aside from regional militias, rampant reports of pirating off the country’s coast, a humanitarian disaster in the form of famine, and the notorious Mogadishu-born al Shabaab Islamic militant organization capturing headlines around the world.
Formerly the militant wing of the Islamic Court Union, the reported al Qaeda affiliated terrorist group al Shabaab has stirred media attention in the past few years by engaging in high profile acts of terrorism and violence such as the kidnapping and murder of foreign nationals (particularly aid workers), the execution of suicide bombings and commando raids, and by constantly waging war against neighbouring Ethiopian and African Union peacekeeping forces.
For the duration of the recent famine in Somalia they have drawn the scorn of the world media as they suspended the efforts of many international aid organizations in the worst of the famine stricken zones. Originally barring only non-Muslim aid groups, the al Shabaab suspended all aid efforts in many zones throwing IDPs (internally displaced peoples) and refugee camps into despair as the humanitarian crisis grew. They are seen by the international community as not only a proponent of Somali destabilization but a force of instability across the entire Horn of Africa.
Since 2007 when the United Nations approved the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), it has been active in its mandate of supporting the transitional governmental structures, implementing a national security plan, training Somali security forces, and assisting in creating a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid. With fighting concentrated mainly in Mogadishu, the African Union (AU) forces patrol the city with nearly 10,000 soldiers, mostly from Burundi and Uganda, a number which will have to double by most expert estimates, if the AU is to successfully hold the town and maintain any semblance of security. The securing of the capital by peacekeeping forces would be a major blow to al Shabaab and a step forward for Somali and regional security.
http://www.freedomwriters.ca/
What’s wrong with Kenya’s invasion of Somalia?
26 Dec- Source: JidkaCirka (SkyRoad) Blog- 807 Words
Whatever the actual political motivations of this new effort, military force is unlikely to solve Somalia’s Problems
When political leaders call for the application of military force, it is always useful to assess the intended political and military objectives. Quite often, those objectives are reactionary, ephemeral, or unachievable given the resources committed and the political will of decision makers. The unexpected invasion by Kenyan forces into Somalia to defeat the notorious militant group, al Shabaab, offers such an opportunity to analyse the motives and potential outcomes of this use of force.
What are the intended objectives of the Kenyan military in Somalia?
On October 16, government spokesperson Alfred Mutua said Kenyan troops are “pursuing al Shabaab across the border.” A few days later, he claimed that the Kenyan military would “track down and dismantle the al Shabaab.” Meanwhile, an anonymous Kenyan official declared, “They’re going all the way to Kismayo [an al Shabaab-controlled port 155 miles from the Kenyan border]. We’re going to clear the Shabaab out.”
The rapid escalation of military objectives leads to another question: why exactly did Kenya invade Somalia?
http://jidkacirka.wordpress.
The Many Lives of a Somali Refugee
27 Dec- Source: The Yale Journal of Human Rights- 1140 Words
Mohammed Ahmed has been a professional school graduate from a wealthy family, a senior government official, a tortured refugee and an administrative assistant. Today, he is unemployed and surviving on welfare. Somalis live many lives in order to evade death, adapting to a country that is constantly transitioning from rebellions to civil war to drought to famine. Like his country, Mohammed’s future is uncertain.
In 1980, a young man with a degree in law and political science became a senior official in the Somali government. Somalia was coming to the end of almost exactly 11 years of a coup d’�tat led by Major General Barre that had established the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP). The SRSP had attempted to merge progressive tenants of Islam with Marx socialism, but when Mohammed Ahmed joined the government, the party was disbanding and being replaced by the more totalitarian Supreme Revolutionary Council. Somalia had just lost a war against USSR- backed Ethiopia. After the Cold War, Somalia’s former ally, the United States, no longer found Somalia strategically important and the international spotlight on the country faded. With diminished visibility on the world stage, the Somali government became increasingly tyrannical; resistance movements (encouraged by Ethiopia) sprung up across the country.
Although public gatherings were prohibited and Somali freedom diminished, Mohammed Ahmed remained in his post, increasingly uncomfortable with President Barre’s reign of terror. Torture, disappearance and execution of government protestors were the political norm. Mohammed resigned in opposition in 1988, opened a private notary office in Mogadishu and began receiving death threats regularly. In 1991, the Somali government completely broke down and President Barre was ousted from power. The country dissolved into civil war between rival clans and Somalia’s infrastructure collapsed: at night, Mogadishu was pitch black because the city generators had been sold off, inflation was so high that coins worth nothing littered the streets, famine starved the population and within 6 months, between 1991 and 1992, 10,000 unarmed civilians were massacred in fighting.
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Intervention Tension: UK eyes ‘failed state’ Somalia
SomaliNet Forum Thread
Today’s Topic of Discussion is UK interest in Somalia
Here are some of the quotes from the discussion boards.
“So wait a Minute the UK wants to invade Somalia why now i think there is something fishy the Brits are after the resources and did the lady say the US backed Government i heard there is a conference held in london February for Somalia lets wait and see what comes out of there”
“What natural resources do you speak of? Somalia is a famine-ridded pirate infested barren dessert with no proven (substantial) energy reserves. The only “resource” we have is our vast oceans and coast. I really hope the UK and the international community are serious about intervention in Somalia. Seriously, how could an intervention make anything worse than the status-quo? UK and the West will at least bring some civilisation to a destitute people.”
“How about you as a Somali try to change the status-quo instead of paving the way for people you know well have no interest in bringing “civilization” to you?”
http://www.somalinet.com/