April 2, 2013 | Morning Headlines.
Somalia launches Judicial reform conference in Mogadishu
01 Apr – Source; Hiiraan Online – 161 words
Somalia’s first conference on judicial reforms was launched in Mogadishu, which was one of the key priorities of president Hassan Shiekh Mohamud since he was elected on September last year. He pledged to restructure the country’s institutions including the judicial system. In his opening remarks, president Hassan has urged participants to come up with concrete recommendations that can take the country into another level of judicial reliance. “The intention of this meeting is to restore the confidence of the Somali people in their judicial system, Judicial system in our country was neglected by previous governments, but it will be a key priority in my government,” said the president.
Key Headlines
- Somalia launches Judicial reform conference in Mogadishu
- (Hiiraan Online)
- Somalia forms new interim administration for Gedo region (RBC)
- Prime Shirddon : Kismayo meeting is unconstitutional(Shabelle)
- Parliament sessions on regional reports held in Mogadishu (Bar-kulan/Shabelle)
- AMISOM kills top al Shabaab commander (Source: Shabelle)
- Somali president congratulates Kenyatta (New Vision/Africa Review)
- President Hassan jets back home (Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu)
- Red Crescent to build a boarding school in Somalia (World Bulletin)
SOMALI MEDIA
Prime Minister’s delegation visit Gedo
01 Apr – Source: Shabelle/Raxanreeb Online- 83 words
A high ranking delegation from Somalia government and members of Somalia federal parliament toured the southern Somalia region of Gedo. The prime minister is accompanied by internal security Minister of the federal republic of Somalia Abdi kariin Hussein Gulled, defense minister Abdi hakin Haji Mohamud Fiqi and other members of the parliament. The delegation has been welcomed by the Gedo administration of the federal republic and members of the public. The prime minister held a meeting with the Gedo administration.
Somalia forms new interim administration for Gedo region
01 Mar- Source: Raxanreeb- 164 words
Before concluding his tour to Gedo region, the prime minister of Somalia Abdi Farah Shirdon “Saacid” has appointed Mohamed Abdi Kalil as the new interim governor of Gedo region. Mr. Kalil is also the current administrator of Gedo region and his new nomination has to end within six months, a decree from the prime minister’s office said on Monday. “The nominations of the other regional officials will be soon completed.” The prime minister’s decree added.
AMISOM kills top al Shabaab commander
01 Apr – Source: Shabelle -107 words
Uganda contingent Public Information officer in Somalia, Maj. Henry Obbo, told shabelle radio that a senior al Shabaab commander was killed during a raid at the lower shabelle region on Sunday. Mr Obbo identified commander killed as Mohamed Abu and he was commanding the al Shabaab militia groups in the Bay and Bakool regions. The Ugandan PIO added that the al Shabaab commander was killed at a place 70 kilometers from Mogadishu the capital city of Somalia and security situation at the lower Shabelle region was improving.
President Hassan jets back home
01 Apr – Source: Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu – 8 words
The president of the federal Republic of Somalia and a large delegation led by him on Monday arrived back in the country. The president jetted back from Dubai the capital of the United Arab Emirates. After the president attended Arab summit in Doha Qatar, he was invited by the Emir of the United Arab Emirates and the Somali business community living in that country. The president requested the Somali businessmen in that country to invest in their country so that they can help in development of the country.
Somalia launches Judicial reform conference in Mogadishu
01 Apr – Source; Hiiraan Online – 161 words
Somalia’s first conference on judicial reforms was launched in Mogadishu, which was one of the key priorities of president Hassan Shiekh Mohamud since he was elected on September last year. He pledged to restructure the country’s institutions including the judicial system. In his opening remarks, president Hassan has urged participants to come up with concrete recommendations that can take the country into another level of judicial reliance. “The intention of this meeting is to restore the confidence of the Somali people in their judicial system, Judicial system in our country was neglected by previous governments, but it will be a key priority in my government,” said the president..
Parliament sessions on regional reports held in Mogadishu
01 Apr – Source: Shabelle/Bar-kulan- 139 words
Members of Somali federal parliament held a session at the public city hall in Mogadishu. The session was attended by 163 members of parliament chaired by the deputy speaker of the federal republic of Somalia Mr. Abdalla Mahad Awad. The agenda discussed was the report brought by some members of parliament who visited several regions in the country. The members of the delegates who visited the different regions told the parliament that people in different areas faced different problems and needed the government to provide some basic facilities they needed to make a living.
Prime Shirddon : Kismayo meeting is unconstitutional
30 Mar – Source: Shabelle Radio- 191 words
The prime minister of Somalia Abdi Farah Shirdoon who arrived from Kismayo has officially announced that the meeting in Kismayo is violating the Federal constitution and can be used to form a local administration. The prime minister added that many factions were missing at the meeting including the Government and the people of the Juba region were divided over the matter.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Somali president congratulates Kenyatta
31 Mar – Source: New Vision/Africa Review – 271 words
The president of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has congratulated the newly president-elect of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta. This comes after Kenya’s Supreme Court ruling on Saturday in which judges unanimously rejected a challenge from defeated candidate Raila Odinga that the vote was marred by rigging and technical problems. The decision thus cleared the way for Kenya’s richest man to take the top job in east Africa’s biggest economy.
Another al Shabaab commander shot dead
31 Mar- Source: Daily Monitor- 214 words
A senior al Shabaab commander was on Wednesday killed by African Union forces from the Ugandan contingent in an ambush in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia. The statement issued by the Uganda contingent Public Information officer in Somalia, Maj. Henry Obbo, said Mohammed Abdu Saidi was killed in an ambush. “He fell as his group lost-out to us in a battle at Salini, some 70km south-west of Mogadishu, where the Al Qaeda linked group also lost to us military long-range communication gadget and assortment of weaponry and uniform.”
UAE, Federal Republic of Somalia sign MoU
31 Mar – Source: Khaleej Times/WAM – 93 words
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the UAE and Federal Republic of Somalia today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for furthering bilateral relations in political, security, diplomatic, economic, investment and developmental spheres. Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister, signed the MoU for the UAE, while Fowsiyo Yussuf Haji Adan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, signed for her country. Shaikh Abdullah discussed with his visiting Somali counterpart ways of enhancing relations and cooperation between the two friendly countries to serve their mutual interest.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Red Crescent to build a boarding school in Somalia
31 Mar – Source: World Bulletin – 80 words
Turkish Red Crescent Aid Society will establish the Turkish Foundation and build a boarding vocational school in Mogadishu as part of the “Somalia Humanitarian Aid Operation”. Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), Turkish Red Crescent Chairman Ahmet Lutfi Akar underlined that the Turkish Foundation would promote Turkish culture in Somalia and meet the social needs of displaced individuals. “Once the boarding vocational school is completed, it would provide education to 360 students on machinery, computers and electronics,” Akar also said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Even though higher learning has flourished among generations of Somalis who were lucky enough to migrate to a number of key receiving countries, including the United States, Canada, and Europe. Yet, a significant number have shown a feeling that they are generally not concerned, may I say sufficiently, with Somalia’s rebirth, perhaps of vastly embedded mediocrity or a general tendency and inclination to express parochial loyalties and sentiments that favor inter-tribe conflicts.”
Who failed Somalia?
31 Mar – Source: Hiiraan Online – 983 Words
Somalia has everything it needs for regaining momentum to succeed at this juncture of its turbulent history, with one exception: critical masses of thinkers, analysts and policy specialists who can help unleash the creative potential of the Somali people and build a functioning government and policy structures that will facilitate a new wave of nationalism and successes in nation building. Figuring out of why so many of our intellectuals and experts are so poorly equipped to play a constructive role-and figuring out how to develop the leadership we currently lack- may be the single most important work Somalis need to work on right now.
I think that Somalia is walking on a thorny road, and that we are stuck with a tribal-based model that doesn’t work, or, may I say that can’t go toe-in-toe with a modern national life. No matter how we try to numerically simplify, or amplify our tribal base structures (4.5, 5,), or give a particular spin on the importance, or no-importance of “federalism”, the tribal-based governance model is about to fail. I have no desire to inundate you on the relevance of this argument; we all could see how the gathering storms would look like. Unless we tend to betray our senses, we live in a modern era in which tribal affinity and existing tribal structures make no sense any more. Our social unity demands emphasis of modern concepts and social constructs such as businesses, professional structures, citizenship, or families.
“To be fair, President Hassan has inherited enormous problems. These problems include: a fragmented society, a bankrupted country, needy people, and individuals, groups and rogue elements who are so determined to win against the others through zero sum game.”
Somalia: Mogadishu is yet to deliver the right messiah
31 Mar – Source: Horseed Media – 1416 Words
Early 1991 when the Somali Government has crumpled piece by piece and the regime has vacated the power and many Somali analysts have rushed to conclude that the Somali misfortune will end and new era will start for Somalia. Unfortunately, an aimless Somali civil war has started and Somalia entered into a new era of chaos, death and destruction that never seen in Somalia. The analysts have been proven to be wrong. Over the last twenty 22 years, the Somali people were actively and desperately showing their hunger and crave to find a new messiah to save them from lawless, anarchy, and humiliation. As a result they went through eras of warlordism, Islamism, and mixture of all groups. Unfortunately, nothing works well for them.