31 Aug 2011 – Morning headlines
Key Headlines:
- UNHCR urges more aid to drought-hit Somalia
- President congratulates Somalis and Muslims on Eid festival
- Mahiga welcomes President Sheikh Sharif’s visit to Puntland
- EU military personnel visits Uganda on Somalia troops training
- Mogadishu’s main camp handed over to Disaster Management Agency
- Somalia Puntland end dispute
- Somalian militant leader denounces reluctant fighters
SOMALI MEDIA
President congratulates Somalis and Muslims on Eid festival
30 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu, Bar-Kulan, Shabelle and Kulmiye – 73 words
The president of Somalia Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed congratulated all Somalis and Muslims around the globe on the occasion of Eid el Fitr. He wished for all the people of Somalia to live in peace and prosperity in the years to come.
Faithfuls celebrate Eid el Fitr
30 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu, Bar-Kulan, Shabelle, Kulmiye and Risala – 120 words
Millions of Muslims in Somalia got into joyous celebrations and feasting to mark the end of holy month of Ramadan. Somalia’s Justice and Religion Affairs minister Ahmed Hassan Gabobe announced on Monday night the sighting of the crescent in various regions of Somalia. In Mogadishu thousands of Muslims started streaming into open fields as early as 7am to await the 9am congregational prayers marking Eid el Fitr.
Somali PM sends congratulatory message to the Muslims in the World
30 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu, Shabelle – 112 words
The prime minister of Somalia, Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali on Monday night sent a congratulatory message to all Somalis and Muslims around the world upon celebrating the Eid el Fitr after observing the fasting during Ramadan. “I am saying to the people of Somalia continue the good jobs and fear of Allah you have done in Ramadan and change other bad deeds for forgiveness, brotherhood and reconciliation” Ali said.
Mahiga welcomes President Sheikh Sharif’s visit to Puntland
29 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu, SONNA – 171 words
The United Nations Political Office for Somalia in a Press Release has hailed the Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and PM Abdiweli Mohamed Ali’s tour of Puntland. The press release read that ”Dr Augustine P. Mahiga welcomes the visit by President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to Puntland (as) it marks a new chapter in the relations between the TFG and Puntland”.
EU military personnel visits Uganda on Somalia troops training
30 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 164 words
Military officials from the EU are set to visit Uganda to oversee the official pass out of Somali government troops under going trainings in Uganda. Officials from five European countries are on Wednesday morning expected to officially conclude training for over a thousand Somali troops who have been undergoing six months of military training in Uganda.
Mogadishu’s main camp handed over to Disaster Management Agency
30 Aug – Source: Mareeg Online – 132 words
The TFG’s Regional administration of Banadir on Monday handed over the management and the control of Badbado’s IDP camp to the Somali National Disaster Management Agency. In a press conference held in Mogadishu, the mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamoud Ahmed Nur Tarzan said they have done a good job and improved the control of the camp but that some insecurity activities were still present.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
MPs share happiness and festival with Somalis celebrating Eid
30 Aug – Source: Shabelle – 84 words
Some Somali parliamentarians on Tuesday widely congratulated all people upon performing the festivity of Eid el Fitr following Ramadan. Mahmoud Abdullahi Wehliye, one the MPs, hoped Somalis to live in peace and reach developments in near future, while also calling for Somalis, both rich and ordinary ones, to help the famine-stricken people who are starving in Mogadishu.
http://www.shabelle.net/
Al Shabaab ban locals in Elasha Biyaha from conducting Eid prayers in mosques
30 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 97 words
Al Shabaab in Elasha Biyaha area have banned locals from conducting their Eid prayers inside mosques and instead ordered them to conduct them in open fields in the area. The rebel group ordered faithfuls to converge into open fields like in Alamada, Lafole, Hormud and Sinka-der where they will be led by militia leaders in conducting the Eid prayer.
Famine-affected people in Mogadishu not taking part in Eid carnival
30 Aug – Source: Shabelle – 125 words
The drought and famine hit people in Mogadishu did not take part in the celebrations and carnivals on Eid el Fitr as Muslims in the world are celebrating. Visiting at refugee camps in the Somali capital, one does not feel any happiness and glee from people dressed in new clothes to celebrate the first day of Eid el Fitr.
http://www.shabelle.net/
Al Shabaab arrests three in Beledweyne town, Hiran region
30 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 156 words
Al Shabaab in Beledweyne town on Monday night arrested three men from Garbo village, 25 KM north of Beledweyne for allegedly masterminding attacks on the militia group in the region. Local villagers who sought anonymity for security concerns told Bar-kulan that hooded al Shabaab gunmen whisked way the men from their village before keeping them behind bars in Beledweyne.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Somalia, Puntland end dispute
30 Aug – Source: Daily Monitor – 293 words
Somalia and Puntland have seemingly resolved their differences after TFG President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed made a surprise visit to the semi-autonomous state last Sunday. Puntland, which unlike Somaliland does not seek to secede, had in January this year cut ties with the TFG over, reportedly, policy differences. President Ahmed told a news conference that the two regions would now work closely together.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/
Botswana sends aid to starving Somalis
29 Aug – Source: Africa Review – 211 words
Botswana has dispatched a consignment of locally produced food and blankets to hunger-stricken and war-ravaged Somali refugees in Kenya, a diplomat confirmed Monday. Botswana has donated about 131 tonnes of food to Somalia refugees in Kenya, said Ms Tuelonyana Ditlhabi Oliphant, Botswana’s High Commissioner to Zambia.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalian militant leader denounces reluctant fighters
30 Aug- Source: Reuters- 218 words
The leader of al Shabaab militants in Somalia Sheikh Muktar Abu Zubeir, in an audio message sent to media, said his fighters would keep up attacks against government troops and foreign peacekeepers despite the retreat. “This new phase of fighting has also split people into two groups. Al Shabaab — a faithful group that says the real fighting has just started (…), and a hypocrite group that lost hope and believes there will be no victory,” Abu Zubeir said in the message on the eve of Eid, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
http://af.reuters.com/article/
East Africa refugees get cash handouts
30 Aug – Source: UN, CBC News – 303 words
The United Nations refugee agency is raising concern that hundreds of independent charities are doing more harm than good at Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp by handing out aid — including cash — to those who have fled the famine in the Horn of Africa. The agency UNHCR warns the unprecedented generosity is uncoordinated and could cause significant problems among the camp of hundreds of thousands of refugees, who are mostly from neighboring Somalia.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/
UNHCR urges more aid to drought-hit Somalia
30 Aug – Source: AFP – 365 words
UN refugee agency chief Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that relief groups should increase aid to war-battered and drought-hit Somalis to reduce the exodus to neighbouring countries. “We’re helping more than 800,000 Somali refugees in the countries around Somalia, but we should not aim at emptying Somalia,” Guterres said during a visit to Somalia’s Dolow area, near the border with Ethiopia.
Somalia’s famine refugees celebrate end of Ramadan with food aid
30 Aug – Source Washington Post – 150 words
Somalia’s famine refugees are celebrating the Muslim holiday of Eid el Fitr, which ends a month of fasting, with the food rations distributed by aid agencies for their survival. Eid el Fitr is traditionally celebrated with grand feasts in which delicacies are in abundance after fasting during the month of Ramadan.