November 23, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Three arrested over Eastleigh blast

23 Nov – Source: Standard/Citizen TV – 344 words

Police are holding three suspects in connection with the Eastleigh mini-bus blast that claimed ten lives. The suspects are believed to have been behind the delivery of the explosion that went off in the bus on Sunday killing ten and injured 40 others.

Police have warned that the suspects’ accomplices are planning worse attacks in Nairobi. Detectives charged with monitoring terror matters say the terrorists plan to attack supermarkets, churches, markets and other social places.

Nairobi Area police boss, Moses Ombati on Thursday said that intelligence reports show the terror gangs are planning to strike on a daily basis with an agenda of dividing Kenyans, killing and maiming.

Key Headlines

Explosion injures four in Bardale Bay region (Bar-kulan)
Three arrested over Eastleigh blast (Standard/Citizen TV)
Ending impunity in Somalia is a human rights priority says Mahiga (Bar-kulan)
Kenyan PM warns of tough action against terrorists (APA News)
Somali forces arrest 20 suspected al Shabaab agents in Mogadishu (Mareeg Online/Garowe Online)
The UAE-supplied ship that saw off Somali pirates (The National)
UNESCO Chief: 2012 Set To Become Deadliest Year For Journalists (RTT News)
88 suspects in court over Eastleigh chaos (Standard/Star)
Kenya’s Cabinet calls for joint efforts to tackle terrorism (Nz New)

SOMALI MEDIA

Explosion injures four in Bardale, Bay region

23 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan – 112 words

An explosion caused by grenade hurled government soldiers patrolling the streets in southwest Somali town of Bardale, Bay region, has injured four people.

Security officials in Baidoa said unknown assailants hurled a grenade at a government soldiers patrolling along the streets in the area and four civilians were injured. The injured people were buying items from a shop near the scene of the incident.

Witnesses told Bar-kulan that soldiers fired in the air to disperse onlookers who gathered to witnesses what happened. The attacked soldiers have just been deployed to the area after completing their training in order to keep law and order in the area.

Somali forces arrest 20 suspected al Shabaab agents in Mogadishu

22 Nov – Source: Mareeg Online/Garowe Online – 149 words

Somali security officials say they have arrested over twenty suspected al Shabaab agents with their guns during a crackdown in Mogadishu on Thursday, November 22, 2012.

Khalif Ahmed, a commander of Somali security forces in Benadir region, told journalists in the capital that a tip-off led the forces to the arrest of 20 al Shabaab agents who have been hiding in Suqa-Holaha vicinity, north of Mogadishu.

Ahmed noted that the detained al Shabaab members were seized in a dawn swoop in northern parts where insecurity acts were reported over the past few weeks.

Ending impunity in Somalia is a human rights priority, says Mahiga

23 Nov – Source:: Bar-kulan – 178 words

The ending of impunity in Somalia particularly that related to the killing of journalist is a human rights priority, the UN Special Representative for Somalia Augustine Mahiga has told Bar-kulan as the world marks the international day to end impunity.

In response to emailed questions by Bar-kulan regarding the role of UNPOS in ending impunity in Somalia, Mahiga emphasized the need for law enforcement to investigate each killing, apprehend suspects and follow due process to ensure that culprits are brought to justice.

In Somalia, more than 18 journalists were killed this year alone, making the country the worst place for journalists in the world and the perpetrators of such killings were never brought to book, according to journalists’ rights groups.

“This year alone the SRSG Dr. Augustine Mahiga has issued at least 10 Statements and addressed press conferences condemning the targeted assassination of journalists in Somalia,” said a statement from UNPOS, adding that the new Somali government has taken a step in the right direction to end impunity by setting up a Task Force to investigate the killings.

Somaliland: SONSAF to Dispatch Observers to Monitor Electoral Process

22 Nov – Source: Somaliland Press – 147 words

Somaliland Non State Actors Forum (SONSAF) says it’s ready to dispatched local observers to all regions of the country to monitor the upcoming Local Council election which are due to take place in six days’ time; this was revealed during a press conference held at SONSAF Headquarters on Wednesday.

Adam Haji Ali the Chairman of SONSAF noted the (S ONSAF) role in the upcoming electoral process and also issues pertaining the upcoming process with the Electoral Ethics Monitoring body.

Adam said that in the coming days they are going to set up independent committee from the various segments of society to monitor the upcoming Electoral process so as to report any situation as it arises.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Three arrested over Eastleigh blast

23 Nov – Source: Standard/Citizen TV – 344 words

The UAE-supplied ship that saw off Somali pirates

23 Nov – Source: The National – 630 words

If there is a single moment when the Seychelles lost its reputation among pirates as a soft target, it would be in April of last year, when a group of six Somalis armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) tried to fight off a UAE-supplied Seychelles Coast Guard patrol boat.

By the time the skirmish ended, one pirate was dead, five others were in custody and the four Seychellois hostages they had been using as human shields were free. But more than that, it effectively marked the end of the surge of pirate attacks that began in 2009 and to which the two mainstays of the Seychelles economy – tourism and fishing – were particularly vulnerable.

For Lt Col Georges Adeline, the acting commanding officer of the Seychelles Coast Guard, a significant factor in that lower frequency of pirate attacks was the response of the international community to the island nation’s request for help.

88 suspects in court over Eastleigh chaos

22 Nov – Source: Standard/Star – 167 words

Eighty-eight people who included students, minors and foreigners were arraigned in a Kibera court over Eastleigh skirmishes that left six people dead and property destroyed.

Police arrested the suspects believed to have been involved in the mayhem that erupted following a blast in a Public Service Vehicle that killed nine people.

The prosecution of the suspects was delayed for more than two days as the court sought to verify the age of some youth, majority of whom were of Somali origin.

Militant Gunned Down In Garissa town

22 Nov – Source: K24 TV – 2:18 min

Police in Garissa have made a breakthrough in its war against suspected militant groups in the area after gunning down a suspected militant in a fierce exchange of fire Wednesday night.

The militant who was among a heavily armed gang are believed to be part of a larger cell of criminals plying the area. Confirming the incident, Garissa county commissioner warned that the government will not relent in its war to bring back normalcy in the North Eastern region.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan PM warns of tough action against terrorists

23 Nov – Source: APA News – 200 words

Kenyan Prime Minister on Thursday toured the scene of Sunday’s bus bombing in Nairobi and warned that the government will ruthlessly deal with the perpetrators of the violence against innocent people, APA reports. The prime minister who addressed Eastleigh residents that the government will not let terrorism take root in the country and all terror groups will meet the full wrath of the law.

“As a government, we will not abdicate our responsibility to provide security to people and their property,” he said while visiting the scene of Sunday’s bus blast in Eastleigh which has claimed the lives of 10 people.

Odinga’s remarks came as a group of people were prosecuted in a Nairobi court over Eastleigh clashes between ethnic Somalis and Kenyans that also saw property worth millions of shillings destroyed. Police arrested three suspects believed to have been involved in the mayhem that erupted following a blast in a public service vehicle that killed nine people.

During the visit to Eastleigh, Odinga also lashed out at xenophobic attacks against members of the Somali community after Sunday’s explosion and appealed to all Kenyan communities to live peacefully together, saying all Kenyans should enjoy equal rights irrespective of their ethnicity.

UNESCO Chief: 2012 Set To Become Deadliest Year For Journalists

23 Nov – Source: RTT News – 220 words

Irina Bokova, the Head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom, said Thursday that 2012 is set to become one of the deadliest years for media workers covering not just conflicts but also illegal activities in their countries.

In her message to the 2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity being held in the Austrian capital city of Vienna, Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), highlighted the need to defend freedom of expression and ensure the safety of journalists.

“Today’s meeting could not be more timely,” Bokova said in her message which was read out to the delegates attending the meeting by UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information in Vienna, Janis Karklins.

“More than 100 journalists have been killed so far this year, making 2012 the deadliest year for the media since UNESCO began keeping records on the killings of journalists. And we are only in November,” Bokova noted. The meeting in Vienna is being attended by UN agencies, independent experts, governments, media houses, and civil society organizations.

Kenya’s Cabinet calls for joint efforts to tackle terrorism

22 Nov – Source: Nz News – 165 words

Kenya’s Cabinet on Thursday called for joint efforts among agencies to eradicate terrorism which is a big threat to the East African nation security and economy.

A statement issued after a Cabinet meeting which was chaired by President Mwai Kibaki discussed at length the security challenges that the country has faced in the last few weeks and outlined and adapted various steps to be taken to ensure the security of Kenyans and their properties.

“The Cabinet also appealed to all the branches of government to work together in the fight against forces that were out to create insecurity in the country,” said the statement which was issued in Nairobi after the meeting.

The statement comes amid a string of attacks by al Shabaab militants and their sympathizers since Kenya sent troops into Somalia in October 2011 to subdue the insurgents who were blamed for a series of murders and kidnappings on the Kenyan soil with northern region being one of the worst hit by the attacks.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Those who planted the bomb that devastated the Caasi minibus in Mogadishu in 2008 succeeded in inflicting damages. But, the bombers of Matatu minibus in Nairobi appear to have accomplished something in provoking hegemony to mask their deeds. Civilians turning on each other, destruction of properties and halting of businesses as in Nairobi this week could never be the answer. It is a naive way of looking for solutions.”

Mogadishu mastered lessons being learnt by Nairobi

23 Nov – Source: Daily Monitor -1529 Words

One of the popular public transport minibuses known in the Somali capital Mogadishu as Caasi exploded in 2008. It was speeding along October 21 Street, carrying mainly women traders on their way to K50 Airstrip, 50 km south of Mogadishu.

The mission of the trip was for the female merchants to collect their shares of consignments of Khat, a mind-stimulating herb widely chewed in Somalia, airlifted from Wilson Airport in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Six women died instantly so was the driver and the turn-boy while the rest sustained grave injuries.

That was four years ago. A replica of that event occurred at Eastleigh neighbourhood in Nairobi, Kenya, last Sunday. Another popular public transport minibus better known in the Kenyan capital as Matatu exploded.

“Puntland is advancing on the correct political path, to give an opportunity to the state’s future generations. By opening up the political system, the hope is to motivate political activism providing the Puntland people new opportunities based on merit and competence, and this is a much-anticipated and welcome political evolution for Puntland.”

The future of Puntland is in multiparty system

22 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 440 Words

Over the past 14 years ago, Puntland State of Somalia has trekked along at its own pace rebuilding basic institutions and managing regional affairs. This is clear indication of the Puntland people’s commitment to state-building, self-government and progress as part of federal Somalia. Puntland’s achievements, with limited external support, have been remarkable in re-instituting government organs and providing basic services to citizens, underpinning the Puntland people’s commitment to live a life of peace and development.

On Sept. 11, 2012, the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) announced that political associations could be legally registered for the first time in Puntland – a milestone on Puntland’s journey towards multiparty political system.

So far, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole has declared Horseed political association consisting of government officials to compete in local elections slated for May 2013. More recently, a second political association named Puntland Democratic Party (PDP) was declared, and more political associations is expected to be announced in the coming days.

This process is the future of Puntland, as the clan representation system has contributed to peace in Puntland and time is long due to advance towards competitive elections based on merits and competency, and away from the old system of selection process by clan elders.

“The fact of the matter is that the longer the Kenyan forces remain in Somalia, the more likely they will be perceived as occupiers determined to annex Kismayo to Kenya. It is very likely that this will create more Somali nationalist movements determined to liberate Somali regions including the Somali region in Kenya from the clutches of Kenya. In short, Kenya, please come out of Somalia quickly before it is too late.”

Eastleigh bus bombing in the context of the Kenyan invasion of Somalia…

22 Nov – Source: Hiiraan Online – 773 Words

Somalis in Eastleigh in Nairobi are under siege by stone throwing and machete wielding mobs angered by the recent bus bombing that has killed many people and injured others. Some of the mobs have called themselves “Kenyans” as though their Kenyan identity is in danger, labelling Somalis as “terrorists” in their midst who are threatening their national security and their way of life. Indeed, a sense of growing xenophobia against Somalis – refugees or even Kenyan Somalis – has been reported.

On a personal level, having lived in Eastleigh in peaceful times in late 1980s and knowing how it was enough to be a Somali to be picked on by the security services to extort money from you, or to be robbed by machete wielding and gun-trotting Kenyan gangs, I can only feel sorry for any Somali who lives in Nairobi right now.

Somalis must be feeling a sense of insecurity and helplessness during these stressful times. My heart goes out to them, as it equally goes out to the relatives and families of those killed in the bus bombing.

Top tweets

@Lattif Cooking for freedom and peace: Aidan Hartley on the Master Chef of #Mogadishu http://specc.ie/WlD8q7 #Somalia.

@gcmcSomalia #Somalia Somalia: Regional Food Security Situation and Outlook – Central & Eastern Africa, Oct…http://bit.ly/10nHO3A #crisismanagement.

@CispSom If empowered #youth can become a driving force for a better #Somalia. A youth parliamentary committee to empower them http://bit.ly/RYqPjM.

@Africathinker A message from the Mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamoud Nur,describing the rebirth of #Mogadishu http://youtu.be/2vx1eWVZkeg #Somalia.

‏@JamalMOsman #Somali man who refused to spy on fellow #Muslims is being held in East #African prison camp, claim his anxious family: http://bit.ly/T9fbBe.

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Image of the day

Image of the day BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding interviews the mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamed Nur, on a street in the Somali capital, for the BBC World Service’s Assignment programme. Photo: BBC.