March 14, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Turkish Red Crescent relief ship off to Somalia

13 Mar- Source:turkishweekly/Anadolu Agency- 199 words

A humanitarian aid ship of the Turkish Red Crescent carrying food and construction materials was set to depart on Wednesday for Somalia as part of Turkey’s drive to contribute to the African nation’s efforts to fight starvation and to reconstruct their country.

The aid vessel is loaded with concrete plant and paving stone factory supplies, relief supply kits, sugar, flour, and it is set to leave the Derince Harbor in the northwestern province of Kocaeli in the evening.

Key Headlines

Military chief commanders changed (Radio Mustaqbal)
Galmudug administration came against the speech of the prime minister (Radio Kulmiye)
Two militants killed in Kismayo by their own explosives (Radio Bar-kulan)
Four dead bodies found in Daynile district of Mogadishu (Hiiraan Online)
cholera diseases due to poor sanitation of Somalia prisons (Mareeg Online)
Somaliland hands over teenage “militant” to Puntland (Radio Bar-kulan)
Returns to Somalia continue UNHCR says (Raxanreeb)
‘Khat’ comeback allows Somalis to chew on (Aljazeera)

SOMALI MEDIA

Military chief commanders changed

13 Mar- Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Shabelle/Radio Dalsan/Radio Kulmiye- 143 words

The Somali government has relieved its army chief, General Abdukadir Shiekh Diini of his duties in the army alongside his deputy General Abdikarin Yusuf Dhega Badan following a ceremony held at the Somali defence ministry headquarters in Mogadishu.
The ceremony, which was attended by officials both from the government and the African Union mission in Somalia, AMISOM, was also an occasion to nominate a new army chief and a new deputy chief.
General Dahir Adan Elmi was nominated as the new chief of the Somali army while Abdirisaq Khalif Hussien, another General was nominated as the new deputy army chief.

Somaliland hands over teenage “militant” to Puntland

13 Mar- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Garowe/Balabal Online/Galgala News- 141 words

Somaliland authorities on Wednesday handed over to Puntland authorities an alleged militant teenager accused of being part of the team that killed Sheikh Abdikadir Noor Farah, who was killed in Garowe mid last month.

Abdullahi Osman Ahmed was handed over to Puntland Internal Security minister Gen. Khalif Isse Mudan and several regional MPs at Tukaraq village of northern Somali region of Sool.
The transfer comes after days of consultations between the two sides.

Four dead bodies found in Daynile district of Mogadishu

13 Mar- Source: Hiiraan Online- 104 words

Residents in Mogadishu’s Daynile district found four bodies who were shot dead by unknown attackers.
Eyewitnesses say these victims were young men at the age of 20 to 27 years old.
“Most of them were shot in the head several times” Said Hussien Omar a resident in Daynile district.
Two more bodies were found in other parts of the capital in the past 24 hours, which has led to fear among residents, following months of security improvements in Mogadishu.

Returns to Somalia continue, UNHCR says

13 Mar- Source: Raxanreeb- 361 words
The trend of increased returns, mainly from Kenya to Somalia, which saw an uptick in January, continued in February, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. In the first nine weeks of the year, about 12,000 people reportedly crossed the border into Somalia.
The numbers, however, do not indicate intentions and many refugees cross back and forth, sometimes to check on property or find seasonal work.

Two militants killed in Kismayo by their own explosives

13 Mar- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 153 words

At least two suspected al Shabaab militants died on Tuesday evening after explosives went off near the venue of the ongoing Jubaland conference in Kismayo.
Locals who spoke to Bar-kulan on condition of anonymity say the militants were believed to have been an improvised explosive device meant to carry out a deadly attack in the area.

Galmudug administration came against the speech of the prime minister

13 Mar- Source: Radio Kulmiye- 124 words

Following a series of visits to provinces in Somalia, the Somali Prime Minister visited Mudug region to meet Ambi Awale Qebdid.

The president of Galmudug, his ministries and the elders from that community have told that the Galmudug residents are now ready to dismantle the administration.

The prime minister of Somalia has said while in the southern Galkacyo that the Galmudug can join any other state they would need, adding that the constitution says two provinces ore more can form a regional state. He also urged Galmudug administration to form a regional state which is more than two provinces.

Cholera diseases due to poor sanitation of Somalia prisons

13 Mar- Source: Mareeg Online- 480 words

There are concerns by the Somalia Social Workers Association (SOSWA) over the health conditions of inmates across Somalia prisons. This concern comes after the SOSWA acknowledged that the prisoners in Somalia central prison are sick with diarrhea and cholera due to the scorching typical weather over the last two weeks, causing death.

One soldier killed, two injured in Beled-Hawo

13 Mar- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 68 words

A government soldier died and two others were injured Wednesday after rival government troops in Beled-Hawo town exchanged gunfire.
The incident occurred when disagreements arose between government soldiers over relief food, sparking deadly gunfire.
Confirming the incident, area station commander Abey John said trouble started when some soldiers tried to free trucks carrying relief food for needy persons in the area after they were seized by errant soldiers.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Freed tanker heads to Oman port

13 Mar- Source: Gulf News- 373 words

MV Smyrni, the freed Liberian-flagged super tanker, is heded to southern Omani port of Salalah after Spanish warship ESPS Méndez Núnez, also an EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) ship, provided safe cover out of the pirate-infested Somali coast. The Spanish warship, which is conducting EU counter piracy patrols off the Somali coast, provided much needed protection to super tanker MV Smyrni, after the vessel was released from Somali pirate control after being kept in captivity for 10 months since May 11, 2012.

‘Khat’ comeback allows Somalis to chew on

133 Mar- Source: Aljazeera- 1446 words

The mood is tense. A group of young men, some in soldier’s uniforms, gather near empty market stalls in this small town 30km west of Mogadishu, the capital. Standing silently, their eyes stare blankly into the distance.
Not far away, a large group of women in colourful hijabs stand in the scorching sun. Both groups are waiting for the daily delivery of khat. Also known as qat, the plant is a mild stimulant, chewed mainly by men and sold by women in Somalia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Turkish Red Crescent relief ship off to Somalia

13 Mar- Source: Turkishweekly/Anadolu Agency- 199 words
A humanitarian aid ship of the Turkish Red Crescent carrying food and construction materials was set to depart on Wednesday for Somalia as part of Turkey’s drive to contribute to the African nation’s efforts to fight starvation and to reconstruct their country.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Local stakeholders have been partners of the international community but the post-transition government is a new partner of the international community. By talking to local stakeholders about harmonising partnerships with the international community the federal government could send a message that the role of government is not paying a lip service to local governance.”

Somalia: The Role of the International Community

13 Mar- Source: Raxanreeb-658 Words

The role of the international community in Somalia’s post-transition politics seldom becomes a topic for discussion among Somalis. Somalia’s political leaders depend on the international community—the UN, AU, IGAD, the United Sates, the Arab League and European Union— not only for resources but for political relevance. Without the commitment of the international community Somali political leaders would not have facilitated the end of the transition and the emergence of a permanent government.
Fifty three years ago Somalis owed to themselves effort to create a post-colonial state. Now they owe a lot to the international community on the efforts to form and sustain a post-conflict state after state failure in 1991. AMISOM protects the Somali government against Al Shabaab and kicked Al Shabaab out of Mogadishu and several regions in the south to give Somali government the space and peace of mind to govern.