June 28, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
UPDF captures more weapons from al Shabaab
28 Jun- Source: New Vision- 376 words
The capture of Balaad by AMISOM peacekeepers on Tuesday is not only a loss of territory, but a big blow to the al Shabaab who also lost lots of weapons.
“After a peaceful entry on Tuesday, as the insurgents fled the town, some wanted to create insecurity on Balaad-Mogadishu road and we beat them up. We captured one alive and took from them eight submachine guns, one PK machine gun and one rocket propelled grenade. Of course some of them died,” said Brig Paul Lokech, the commander of the Ugandan contingent in Somalia on Wednesday.
Balaad is a key strategic town, being the gateway connecting Mogadishu to central Somalia as well as the Puntland region.
Key Headlines
- UPDF captures more weapons from al Shabaab (New Vision)
- Roads Project to link coastal towns in Puntland (Garowe Online/Bar-kulan)
- Parliament speaker: the constitution is on good process (Radio Kulmiye/Radio Shabelle)
- Give us weapons and we can beat pirates says Somalia’s president (Ntaional)
- Ahlu Sunna plans to retake parts of Galgadud from al Shabaab (Radio Bar-kulan)
- President Museveni to hold talks with Somali Prime Minister (New Vision)
- Somali president to meet his Somaliland counterpart in UAE (Jowhar Online)
- Sierra Leone troops complete AMISOM deployment training (dvids)
- DP World calls for long term solution to maritime piracy (Khaleej Times)
SOMALI MEDIA
Roads Project to link coastal towns in Puntland
27 Jun- Source: Garowe Online/Bar-kulan- 163 words
A project to build roads linking coastal towns to the main road which runs through Puntland is set to begin, Radio Garowe reports. Puntland Highway Authority (PUNHA) director, Hassan Osman Ali held a press conference in Garowe on Wednesday to announce the new project set to begin in the coming weeks. “The project when completed will finally make coastal towns in Puntland accessible to travelers,” said engineer Hassan. The project will build roads to towns on the coast of Puntland like Bargaal, Hafun, Eyl and Jariban which have been inaccessible due to virtually non-existent roads.
Parliament speaker: the constitution is on good process
28 Jun- Source: Radio Kulmiye/Radio Shabelle- 145 words
Speaker of the Somali Parliament Sharif Aden Hassan said that the Somali draft constitution is in good process. Speaking to the reporters in Mogadishu, Sharif emphasised his eagerness to have the constitution for the country’s future structure.
The speaker admitted that the president has played crucial role in the process and the encouragement of the Somali committees to put it forward to ensure its accomplishments as soon as before August this year, in order to hold the national reforms and the presidential elections for the new permanent government ending the transition period.
“There are rumors circulating among the people, all on the draft constitution, and there are also some opponents, so I urge people to maintain their support to draft constitution, then we would be able to make changes in draft constitution,” said Somali parliament speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh.
Ahlu Sunna plans to retake parts of Galgadud from al Shabaab
27 Jun- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 114 words
Ahlu Sunna’s central Somalia administration has said plans are underway to retake territories they lost to al Shabaab militants in Galgadud region. In an exclusive interview with Bar-kulan, the group’s executive committee chairman Mohamed Yussuf Hefow said they are now mobilizing their militias in order to wrest control of areas they previously lost to al Shabaab after pulling out of these areas. Hefow said their withdrawal from these areas was just tactical retreat, adding that they will soon retake them and clear militant fighters from the entire region. He claimed his forces are now ready to retake El-bur, Wabho and Mahas districts from al Shabaab militants without any military support from other allied forces in the region.
Somali president to meet his Somaliland counterpart in UAE
27 Jun – Source: JowharOnline/Shabelle-111 words
The presidents of Somalia and (the self-declared republic of) Somaliland are expected to meet in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. A delegation led by Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmad arrived there yesterday.
Reliable sources say the time of the meeting had not yet been decided. Other reports say the meeting will coincide with Somalia’s Independence Day and its unification with the northern regions (Somaliland) on 1 July.
Speaking on 26 June, on the occasion of Somaliland’s independence day, President Ahmad said the celebration coincided with an important point in time as talks between southern [Somalia] and northern regions continued. He expressed optimism that the talks will bear fruits.
Hundreds mark Somaliland independence day in Somali capital
27 Jun – Source: Bar-kulan/Somali Midnimo Online- 130 words
Hundreds of people, including Somali Prime Minister Dr Abdiweli Muhammad Ali Gas and members of his cabinet, yesterday attended celebrations to mark the northern regions’ (Somaliland) independence day in Mogadishu.
The celebrations were held at the former headquarters of the SYL [Somali Youth League party] and were attended by ministers, members of parliament, women, youths, artists, bands, officials and a huge crowd of civilians to mark the regions’ 52nd independence day, which is an important occasion for Somalis.
Prime Minister Abdiweli Muhammad Ali Gas delivered a speech there, saying the event was very important for Somalis.
Water shortage hits Beled Hawo district
27 Jun- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 231 words
A server water shortage has hit several areas of Beled-Hawo district near the border with Kenyan.The affected villages include Gubo-diya, Malkariyey, Jira’le Hareri Hosle, and Kamora-gof. This water shortage is attributed to the failure of Gu’ rains which forced water pans and water wells which served as the main source of water for locals and their livestock to dry up.
Sheikh Adan Ali Barow, one of the local elders in the area told Bar-kulan that the district is experiencing severe shortage of water which has affected both humans and animals. He said acute water problem has compounded the drought situation saying that situation is getting worse by the day and it is becoming a great concern for the locals since they risk losing their livelihoods. Barrow added that wild animals like monkeys have started attacking homes in search of water, prompting human and animal conflict in the area.He urged international aid agencies and the Somali government to intervene this situation and embark on water tracking to save the lives of disadvantaged locals in the area.
Erratic rainfall and subsequent droughts resulting in serious water shortages has compromised the lives of locals in the region. South and central Somalia has recently endured the worst drought and famine related crisis forcing thousands of Somalis to flee into the neighbouring countries like Kenya and Ethiopia in search of humanitarian aid.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UPDF captures more weapons from al Shabaab
28 Jun- Source: New Vision- 376 words
The capture of Balaad by AMISOM peacekeepers on Tuesday is not only a loss of territory, but a big blow to the al Shabaab who also lost lots of weapons.
“After a peaceful entry on Tuesday, as the insurgents fled the town, some wanted to create insecurity on Balaad-Mogadishu road and we beat them up. We captured one alive and took from them eight submachine guns, one PK machine gun and one rocket propelled grenade. Of course some of them died,” said Brig Paul Lokech, the commander of the Ugandan contingent in Somalia on Wednesday.
Balaad is a key strategic town, being the gateway connecting Mogadishu to central Somalia as well as the Puntland region.
Give us weapons and we can beat pirates, says Somalia’s president
27 Jun- Source: National- 262 words
Somalia can eliminate piracy in a year if they are given the funds they need, according to the country’s president. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, president of Somalia’s transitional federal government, yesterday called on the international community to spend money arming his navy.
“These pirates do not live at sea; they live in Somalia. Who better to battle them than the people of the land,” he told a gathering of 400 delegates at the second UAE Counter-Piracy Conference in Dubai.
“We are completely ready to combat this problem. Despite our limited funds we are ready to train and set up a marine force that would attack and dispel all pirate activities.”
Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, agreed that a regionally led solution was vital. He said the UAE would donate Dh3.67 million to finding a home-grown solution.
“The UAE is happy to announce a contribution of US$1million to maritime forces in Somalia to enhance counter-piracy measures and help bring peace,” he said. “This conference is a clear message that regional partners will always work together to achieve solutions.”
President Museveni to hold talks with Somali Prime Minister
28 Jun- Source: New Vision- 235 words
Somali Prime Minister Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali is expected in the country this evening at 10pm. Ali became Somalia’s Prime Minister as a result of the Kampala Accord which was crafted here in Kampala by President Museveni last June.
He will meet Museveni on Friday, the Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and the Army Chief Gen Aronda Nyakairima. Ali will also visit a few families of Ugandan soldiers currently serving under AMISOM, relatives of those who died and those who are wounded.
For security reasons, details of the program are guarded but the advance team is already. Ali in the one year he has been the Prime minister has brought a number of reforms in the War Torn Somalia.
Somali President thanks UAE for hosting Second International Counter-Piracy Conference
27 Jun- Source: Emirates News Agency- 165 words
Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has expressed his gratitude to the UAE leadership, government and people for hosting the Second International Counter-Piracy Conference, describing it as vital to Somalia’s stability. He added he hopes the conference will issue effective and implementable resolutions.
Addressing the conference, the Somali President reiterated his thanks to the UAE, which he said has been exerting great efforts to bail Somali people out of the quagmire, indicating that the UAE has been spending millions of dollars to restore the security and stability to Somalia through material and moral support.
Close encounters at Afmadhow frontline
27 Jun- Source: Star- 1512 words
We are seating on a bed at a military camp in Afmadhow listening keenly to Captain Patrick Mutuku as he narrates to us his and the fellow troops’ experiences since the Kenya Defence Forces incursion into Somalia. We are whiling away time after taking dinner several hours ago before retiring to our eight by eight bunkers, hardly five hundred metres from the frontline.
Captain Mutuku narrates how a KDF convoy of 13 Armoured Personnel Carriers on the way from Tabda to Hosingow was attacked by a group of about 50 al Shabaab fighters. The area of attack is the insurgent fighters favourite ambush point because of the thick vegetation and the narrow road that links Jillib, Hosingow, Afmadhow and Biibi towns.
DP World calls for long term solution to maritime piracy
28 Jun- Source: Khaleej Times- 1790 words
Viewing piracy as a matter of grave international concern, the UAE called today for a comprehensive, inclusive approach that can deliver a long term, sustainable solution to the problem.
‘Piracy’s destabilizing impact can only be mitigated through collaboration across political, military, financial and legal arenas. The need of the hour is to explore new ways to secure the freedom of those held captive, curb the reach of the pirates, provide comprehensive support to Somalia, and crystalise the unified stance created by our Public-Private Partnership,’ Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Chairman, said in his opening address to the 2nd high-level, public-private UAE Counter-Piracy Conference, co-convened by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and global marine terminal operator DP World.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Sierra Leone troops complete AMISOM deployment training
27 Jun- Source: dvids- 604 words
Nearly 1,000 Republic of Sierra Leone armed forces personnel completed training for an upcoming African Union Mission in Somalia deployment, May 20. U.S. Army Africa commander Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg and U.S. Ambassador to the Republic Sierra Leone Michael S. Owen were on hand to address RSLAF soldiers and dignitaries at the event in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
“You are now going to be part of a small band of brothers who are members of the AMISOM peacekeeping mission in Somalia. A small but important number,” Hogg told the RLSAF troops.
“The strides and progress made in Somalia are huge. In Mogadishu, people are able to go to the market without getting killed because of what AMISOM has done. You will join the Kenyan forces in southern Somalia to continue to push al Shabaab and other miscreants from Somalia so it can be free of tyranny and terrorism and all the evil that comes with it,” Hogg said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Asian countries are showing increased interest in an area where the U.S. has traditionally reigned supreme. Piracy is an issue virtually all rival powers seem to agree there should be a minimum cooperation in combating.”
Somali piracy: A threat and an opportunity for major rival powers
27 June- Source: Korea Herald-739 Words
The coasts of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden have been home for some of the worst acts of piracy for years, costing lives and billions of dollars in damage every year and threatening Indian Ocean trade and shipment in one of the most vital trade routes in the world.
But this part of the world is also emerging as an area of cooperation between (sometimes rival) countries and an opportunity to project power for others. Whether it is the U.S. Navy rescuing Iranian fishermen, or Iranian naval forces rescuing American commercial ships, it is interesting to note that such actions often coincide with heightened diplomatic tension suggesting that combating piracy might at times be used as a means to demonstrate goodwill and diffuse tension between political rivals.
“It is imperative to mention here that all sorts of illegal immigrants must be prevented from entering Tanzanian territory. The increasing use of our country as a transit route for such illegal missions must be discouraged by all means.”
A very, very sad incident indeed
28 June- Source: Daily News (Tanzania)-358 Words
It was disturbing news indeed to hear that 43 illegal immigrants from Ethiopia and Somalia suffocated in the truck in which they were travelling on their way to Malawi and probably beyond. The container was reportedly sealed!
The fugitives, 113 in total, who were either fleeing the civil strife at home or heading to some ‘promised land’ in search of greener pastures, had been packed in the unfortunate truck. They had probably entered the country clandestinely, avoiding formal entry points such as Namanga and Horohoro, to avoid arrest.
Top tweets
@t_mcconnell Newsweek article inside a prison in Puntland#Somalia conflates piracy & terrorism with aplombhttp://bit.ly/Ls25dA
@tresthomas_HOA #Somalia:”Covert war in which the CIA has recruited gangs of unsavory warlords to hunt down & kidnap Islamic militants” http://trib.in/KMKcLB
@lawofwomen The 4.5 clan formula major obstacle 2 women politicians. Stoneage elders will base selection on clan affiliation. #womenrights #somalia
@Suaalthegooner Its called networking @somaliexpert: With Pres. Sharif now in UAE and PM Abdiweli on his way to Uganda,#Somalia‘s big two must have spent 85% of their term travelling abroad.
@AbdulhalimAhmed If Somalia ever made the world cup I’d spend every penny I have to go to all their games and be the biggest cheerleader alive #Somalia
Image of the day
Somali President Sheikh Sharif (C) sits beside Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad (L) , Deputy Ruler of Dubai at the second international piracy conference in Dubai on Wednesday. Photo: WAM