December 21, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Fifty-five people drowned off Somali coast – UNHCR

20 Dec- Source: Reuters- 285 words
Fifty-five people were drowned, or missing and presumed to have drowned, after an overcrowded boat capsized off the Somali coast, the U.N. refugee agency said on Thursday.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement that the accident on Tuesday was the worst such incident in the Gulf of Aden since February 2011 when 57 Somali migrants perished attempting to reach Yemen.
The U.N. agency quoted five of the survivors, all young Somali men, as saying the boat was overcrowded and ran into trouble almost immediately after leaving the port of Bosasso in the northern Somali breakaway region of Puntland.

Key Headlines

UN refugee agency cautions against stigmatizing refugees in wake of violence in Kenya (UN News Centre)
African Union Congratulates Somali Police Force On Its 69th Anniversary (Source: AMISOM-)
Norwegian Minister of International Development visits Mogadishu (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
UN AMISOM humanitarian assessment team visit south Somalia (Press TV)
Somali forces clear illegal checkpoints in Kismayo clashes reported (Radio Risaala)
Puntland anti-piracy campaign launched in Garowe (Garowe Online)
Somali Ambassador expresses hope in Kenya’s refugee issue (Radio Bar-kulan)
Gunmen kill three in Garissa town (Standard/Daily Nation)

PRESS RELEASE

African Union Congratulates Somali Police Force On Its 69th Anniversary

20 Dec- Source: AMISOM-463 Words

As the Somali Police Force marks the 69th anniversary of its formation the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mohamat Annadif, has reaffirmed AMISOM’s commitment to continuing to enhance the capacity of SPF to serve and protect the people of Somalia.

The SPF was founded in 1943 and the Force is now recovering and rebuilding having been held back by decades of armed conflict and civil war. AMISOM’s police component has been helping to reconstitute the force and to train and mentor its personnel. The component is also helping to equip the SPF through providing basic supplies to the police stations. It recently deployed 2 Formed Police Units. The FPUs continue to play a crucial role of ensuring improved security in the liberated areas through Public Order Management including joint patrols together with the Somali Police Force, provision of security to VIPs, individuals and properties.

Paying tribute to the men and women of the Force, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Annadif, reaffirmed the Mission’s commitment to enhance the capacity of SPF by training, mentoring, advising the SPF and ensuring the security of individuals and properties.

Amb Annadif said: “Without strong and enduring rule of law and public order there is no lasting peace. The Somali Police Force is playing and will continue to play an integral part in Somalia’s recovery. On this anniversary, I pay tribute to the efforts of the SPF in working to serve and protect every citizen and reaffirm AMISOM’s commitment to helping the SPF in the future”.

He reaffirmed AMISOM’s commitment to supporting with the Somali Police Force. AMISOM Police from across the African Union have focussed on enhancing the capacity of the SPF in its efforts to restore the rule of law and public order in Somalia.

He said: “AMISOM has a strong and productive partnership with the Somali Police Force and we are committed to building on this good work. We shall continue to encourage Somali Police to serve and protect every citizen in a manner that will build public confidence. Our training and mentoring partnerships with the SPF are crucial to helping Somalia develop the security framework in which long lasting peace and stability can grow.”

The AMISOM police component currently has 363 police officers drawn from different African countries. AMISOM Police are also involved in mentoring and advisory support to the SPF on basic police duties, such as human rights observation, crime prevention strategies, community policing and search procedures. It has conducted training for nearly a third of the SPF’s 5000 officers including running a refresher course for middle level officers, training new recruits as well as running courses in traffic management and criminal investigation techniques.

SOMALI MEDIA

Norwegian Minister of International Development visits Mogadishu

20 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu- 123 words
Norwegian Minister of International Development, Heikki Holmas has Thurday arrived in Somali capital Mogadishu for official visit.
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received the minister and his delegation at Villa Somalia.
President Hassan discussed with the minister on Somalia’s development, saying that the past twenty years has seen flow of millions of dollars to the country but with little development.
“Somalia’s new government will put emphasis on security matters. We urge the international community to support the various ministries in the government.” President Hassan said.
Mogadishu has achieved considerable amount of stability. More international airlines now fly into Mogadishu, and, internally, one can go from the capital to Baidoa, and other towns, where previously fighting and factional tensions had made such journeys prohibitively perilous.

Somali forces clear illegal checkpoints in Kismayo, clashes reported

20 Dec- Source: Radio Risaala- 91 words
Reports coming from the Somali coastal town of Kismayo say that clashes have taken place between security forces and armed gangs in the city’s Alanle neighborhoods.
The public is said to have tipped the Security force of the illegal roadblock where gangsters extorted money from motorists, thereby leading the soldiers to raid the area and clear the roadblock.
Although casualties are reported, we could not establish the exact number and the extent of the damage caused.
The roadblock has being successfully cleared and the army is currently controlling the flashpoint area.

Puntland anti-piracy campaign launched in Garowe

20 Dec- Source: Garowe Online- 385 words
An opening ceremony for an anti-piracy advocacy campaign was held in the capital of Puntland, Garowe, and was attended by special guests from all over the Puntland regions, Garowe Online reports.
Many government officials attended the event held on Wednesday including Puntland Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire, Minister of Ports, Marine Transportation and Counter-Piracy Saeed Mohamed Ragge, Minister of Justice Abdi Khalif Ajayo, Minister of Youth Abdiweli Indoguran, Director of the Counter-Piracy Directorate Abdirizak Mohamed Dirir, members of parliament, governors and other government officials.

Somali Ambassador expresses hope in Kenya’s refugee issue

20 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 130 words
Somalia’s ambassador to Kenya, Mohamed Ali Nur expressed hope that the Kenyan government will review its decision on Somali refugees.
Kenya ordered all Somali refugees living in urban areas to relocate to Dadaab camp.
Ambassador Nur, in an exclusive interview with Radio Bar-kulan, said the issue is being discussed at diplomatic level by Somalia and Kenyan governments.
Somalia’s foreign affairs minister Fozia Yussuf Haji Adan is in Nairobi to discuss the issue with Kenya, the ambassador told Bar-kulan.
“Majority of Somalis in Nairobi have legal documents issued by Kenya and UNHCR. Forcing them to go to Dadaab will create a humanitarian situation and overcrowding.” said the ambassador.
Somali refugees in Eastleigh estate of Nairobi are worried about the government’s decision. Most of these refugees have small businesses to sustain their livelihood.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Gunmen kill three in Garissa town

20 Dec- Source: Standard/Daily Nation- 119 words
Three people were on Thursday evening shot dead in two separate incidents by gunmen in Garissa town, in northeastern Kenya near border with Somalia.
Two National Bank workers were shot near DRC nightclub, while the third person, officer working with the Ministry of Information was killed in one of the town’s commercial street.
A fourth person who sustained gunshot wounds was immediately rushed to the Garissa Provincial General hospital.

The two incidents happened simultaneously within a radius of less of the 300 metres.
The latest incident comes in the wake of a new wave of attacks targeting security personnel and government officials in the region.
Kenya has suffered a string of grenade and gun attacks since its troops crossed into Somalia in pursuit of al Shabaab militants.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Fifty-five people drowned off Somali coast – UNHCR

UN refugee agency cautions against stigmatizing refugees in wake of violence in Kenya

20 Dec- Source: UN News Centre- 519 words
The United Nations refugee agency spoke out today against public statements in Kenya linking the presence of refugees in that country to recent violence – which the agency equally condemned.
“We caution against stigmatization of refugees and asylum-seekers,” said a statement from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Geneva-based agency additionally urged Kenya to “continue to uphold the rights of refugees and asylum seekers who have fled to Kenya in search of protection.” UNHCR said this would be in keeping with the east African country’s “long-held commitment to refugee protection.”

UN, AMISOM humanitarian assessment team visit south Somalia

20 Dec- Source: Press TV- 281 words
The United Nations and the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) have sent a team to southern Somalia to assess the humanitarian situation there, Press TV reports.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the UN Children’s Fund as well as AMISOM’s humanitarian Affairs office sent representatives to Merka on Tuesday to meet with local administrative officials and visit schools and hospitals.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Remittance companies, regardless of their size, have created the kind of dependency that the earlier generations of Somali people detested. Somalis by their very nature are proud, independent and resourceful. War has left most it allowed to live poor, desperate and without public services or support. The only hope for many in Somalia has been kind relatives sending money home to support their loved ones.”

Remittance: Not all good news.

20 Dec- Source: Hiiraan Online-991 Words

Billions are sent every year around the world to loved ones, business partners and for community development through remittance companies. For many from war torn nations like Somalia where most institutions were destroyed including banks, these companies have been a life line for them and their families. The number of remittance companies has blown out of proportion and most have flashy headquarters in the developed world. Although there are no official reliable statistics many argue that Dahabshiil is the largest Somali led Remittance Company in the world but they know have real competition as more and more investors are entering the already crowded market. Every other advert on Somali TV promotes remittance companies and it appears it is they who are able to afford the enormous advertising costs to keep these western based Somali broadcasters operating.