July 9, 2012 | Morning Headlines.
Somali elders stall political transition over constitution concerns
09 Jul- Source: VOA- 682 words
Time is running out for Somalia to end its long-running political transition and elect a new president in accordance with a U.N.-backed plan. But a group of elders is holding up the process due to concerns about the draft constitution.
Somalia’s political leaders have a lot of work to do before August 20, the absolute deadline to end the transitional government.
Key Headlines
- Somali president meets elders of dominant clan over draft constitution (Shabelle)
- Al Shabaab arrest farmers in Jowhar (Bar-Kulan)
- Ahlu Sunna fighters advance into El Bur town militants retreat (Mareeg Online)
- Mass literacy campaign concluded in central Somalia regions (Bar-Kulan)
- Ex-Somali premier to vie for top seat (Daily Nation)
- U.N. mulls sanctions against Eritrean officials (Reuters)
PRESS STATEMENT
SRSG Mahiga’s letter to the Somali people
09 Jul – Source: UNPOS – 616 words
As-Salaamu Alaikum,
My friends, we now find ourselves at a decisive moment in the Somali peace process. Since I last wrote to you all in March, a number of remarkable developments have taken place. We are very close to witnessing one of the most significant political events in a generation: the adoption of a provisional draft constitution by a Somali National Constituent Assembly (NCA). The road that led us here has been difficult, with many bends, bumps and no shortage of obstacles. But the Somali people have worked hard to overcome these challenges and their efforts have begun to bear fruit. On 22nd June 2012 the signatories to the Roadmap process signed the provisional Somali Constitution at the Principal’s meeting in Nairobi.
The draft text will be submitted in mid-July 2012 to a National Constituent Assembly representing the full spectrum of Somali society and in turn selected by a group of 135 traditional Elders representing all of Somalia’s clans in accordance with the “4.5 formula”. The Principals also agreed on a number of mechanisms to help move the process forward in the small amount of time left before the Transitional period expires on 20 August, including creation of an International Observer Group and a series of protocols establishing a Technical Selection Committee, a Signatories’ Technical Facilitation Committee, the National Constituent Assembly and the New Federal Parliament.
Each of these bodies has an important “quality control” role to play in safeguarding the political process and ensuring the adoption of the provisional constitution and preparation for elections by the new Parliament of the President, the Speaker and his or her Deputies.
The adoption of the provisional constitution will indeed be a watershed. But here, let me make an important point: this approval will not be the end point of the constitutional process but the beginning of a new chapter. The Somali people will have ample opportunity to provide input and amendments to the document in the post-August period ahead of a public referendum to be held before the end of the new parliament’s first term. The draft constitution is fully compliant with Islamic law and written by Somalis after consultation with Somalis, specifically through the Independent Federal Constitution Commission and the Committee of Experts.
The international community has assisted with funding and has provided expert technical advisors who have developed constitutions in other countries, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Nepal, Indonesia and South Africa. It is a living document which provides a framework to end the transition as foreseen by the Mbagathi and Djibouti Agreements of 2004 and 2009 respectively. Critically, it will also set the stage for the establishment of permanent institutions, such as National Federal Parliament, the Executive and an independent Judiciary.
The provisional Constitution will provide the base for future progress and development. It will protect human rights, ensure adequate women’s participation and guarentee fundamental freedoms without discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, origin, or other status.
The end of the transitional period will be an important benchmark, but it is time for us all to begin to look past 20 August and think about the future political dispensation of Somalia. The international community continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Somali sisters and brothers. At recent major international conferences and meetings in London, in Istanbul, in Addis Ababa, in Nairobi and in Rome the message has been uniform and crystal clear—THIS is the moment. We must work together to seize this golden opportunity for peace. The world is looking to the future of Somalia and sees a state that serves the Somali people with effective governance through representative, inclusive and
accountable institutions at all levels.
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali president meets elders of dominant clan over draft constitution
09 Jul – Source: Shabelle Media – 110 words
The president of Somalia’s TFG has met traditional elders of the Hawiye clan taking part in the ongoing elders’ conference in Mogadishu.
The president’s meeting with the elders, numbering 17, was held at Villa Somalia.
The president called on the elders to fast-track the selection of delegates who will approve the constitution by forming a technical committee, also asking them to obliterate wrong clauses from the draft.
Al Shabaab arrest farmers in Jowhar
09 Jul – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 103 words
Reports from Jowhar town say al Shabaab militants have arrested over ten local farmers in the area for allegedly failing to pay taxes. The farmers were reportedly picked from Shinaha Qeybta Barrow area after they allegedly failed to pay 400,000 Somali shillings amounting to around twenty dollars for every hector of land.
Al Shabaab attacks Somali troops in Beledweyne
09 Jul – Source: Hiiraan Online/Shabelle – 83 words
Al Shabaab attacked TFG military positions in the central Somalia city of Beledweyne on Sunday (July 8th). “The al Shabaab agents have attacked the city with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades and the government forces with Ethiopian and Djibouti troops repelled the attack and warded the area from fighters,” said Somali military officer Abukar Ibrahim Dhakad. Three people from both sides were killed in the clash, he said.
Ahlu Sunna fighters advance into El Bur town, militants retreat
09 Jul – Source: Mareeg Online – 98 words
Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a fighters backed by battle-wagons on Monday moved towards the main town of Al Burin Galgudud region, central Somalia, after al Shabaab retreated, ASWJ security Official Abdirahamn Ali Igal said. He said ASWJ fighters are in Bulacley village, on the outskirts of El Bur, preparing to take over the town and set up a local administration after al Shabaab militants pulled out of the city.
Mass literacy campaign concluded in central Somalia regions
09 Jul – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 170 words
Over four thousand villagers in central Somalia regions have gained from a two-month long literacy campaign that was sponsored by Iftin, a local NGO. The campaign which was concluded on Sunday was aimed at teaching thousands of adults and children in these regions how to read and write Somali language.
Group of elders opposes regional governments in liberated areas
09 Jul – Source: Garowe Online – 104 words
A group of tribal elders in Mogadishu feel that the Somali government shouldn’t recognize regions captured from al Shabaab as federal states at the moment. A group of tribal elders held a press conference in Mogadishu requesting that the TFG reject regions that have been captured by Somali and African Union forces as federal states of Somalia.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Ex-Somali premier to vie for top seat
09 Jul- Source: Daily Nation-198 words
Former Somali Prime Minister Mohammed Abdullah Farmajo has announced he would vie for the country’s presidency in the elections slated for next month.
Mr Farmajo told Nation he had decided to give up his job in the US to give Somalia politics “another shot because I believe in serving the common cause for the motherland”.
Yemen PM receives letter from Somali counterpart
09 Jul- Source: Yemen News Agency- 102 words
Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa received here on Monday a letter from Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali.
The letter handed over by Somali minister of fisheries, marine resources and environment Abdirahman Sheikh dealt with the possible means to enhance the bilateral cooperation relations as well as the several issues of common concerns.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
U.N. mulls sanctions against Eritrean officials
09 Jul- Source: Reuters- 434 words
Eritrea said on Monday the United Nations was considering imposing sanctions on two Eritrean military officials over allegations they had helped Islamist militants in Somalia, and accused Washington of being behind the plan.
The United States Treasury included the two Eritreans on a list of six people placed under sanctions last week for their role in the Somali conflict, which U.S. officials see as a growing threat to stability across east Africa.
Somali elders stall political transition over constitution concerns
09 Jul- Source: VOA- 682 words
Time is running out for Somalia to end its long-running political transition and elect a new president in accordance with a U.N.-backed plan. But a group of elders is holding up the process due to concerns about the draft constitution.
Somalia’s political leaders have a lot of work to do before August 20, the absolute deadline to end the transitional government.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The effective combatting of piracy and armed robbery at sea is a prerequisite for economic viable solutions on land, as well as the development of a secure regional maritime trade. Loopholes in the international legal and judicial system to address piracy continue to hamper the effective combatting of this scourge.”
Rooting Out Somali Piracy Starts On-Shore
09 July- Source: Institute for Security Studies (ISS)-1325 Words
The dilemma facing those trying to solve piracy in Somalia is that any such efforts should start on-shore. Yet piracy’s yields are significant and alternatives are limited. On October 31 2011, Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, United Nations (UN) Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, summed up this dilemma in a statement made to the United Nations Security Council: ‘The Somali people, especially the youth, need greater incentives not to succumb to the lure of piracy. Economic rehabilitation and creation of alternative livelihoods, especially development and rehabilitation of coastal fisheries, must be the centre of efforts to fight piracy. But as long as piracy is lucrative, alternative livelihood options will be hard to sell.’