April 8, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

AMISOM Head of Mission Visits AU Forces in Kismayo

06 Apr – Source: AMISOM-HQ -220 words

The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif accompanied by the Force Commander, Lt General Andrew Gutti, and the Director of the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA), Amadou Camara and the Representative of Kenyan Defense Forces, Major General Francis K. Nthenge visited AMISOM forces in Kismayo, Somalia.

The Special Representative commended AMISOM forces for their role in the liberation of Kismayo and thanked the people and Government of Kenya for their sacrifices. Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif said that the main purpose of his visit was to assess the logistical challenges and living conditions of the troops in the sector as well as getting first-hand information on the issue of charcoal.

The Special Representative said that AMISOM was bound by the United Nations Security Council Resolutions and Somali laws banning the export of charcoal. The Sector Commander Brig. A. M. Ngere reassured the Special Representative that AMISOM forces have been operating under AMISOM mandate and are not directly or indirectly involved in the charcoal issue.

He further reiterated that AMISOM’s KDF contingent upholds and respects all national and international laws. Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif and the team that accompanied him had an opportunity of touring the city and its seaport where they appreciated the work of AMISOM in securing that key facility.

Key Headlines

Terrorists planning Somali attacks government warns(The Guardian)
Parliament summons PM Interior minister for questioning(Radio Mogadishu)
Somali government downplays UK terror alert on possible attacks(Hiiraan Online)
AMISOM Commander: Al Shabaab Wiped out Along Mogadishu and Baidoa(Shabelle)
Somali Speaker visits Norway(Shabelle/SNTV)
IGAD foreign ministers meet in Addis to discuss Somalia situation(Bar-kulan)
Roadblocks in Kismayo(Shabelle)
Report details abuse of Somalia’s displaced persons(Standard Digital Media)
Somalia: Puntland President meets with South African delegation(Garowe Online)
Government to deal with criminal groups in Dhusamareb(Bar-kulan)
Uneasy calm in Sierra Leone after al Shabaab threat( Africa Review)
Restoring contact between families separated by conflict(ICRC)

PRESS RELEASE

AMISOM Head of Mission Visits AU Forces in Kismayo

06 Apr – Source: AMISOM-HQ -220 words

SOMALI MEDIA

Parliament summons PM, Interior minister for questioning

07 Apr – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Bar-kulan – 91 words

The federal parliament has once again summoned Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and Interior minister for questioning over number of issues including alleged extrajudicial killing in Mogadishu. Chairing a parliamentary session on Saturday, deputy speaker of the national assembly Mahad Abdalla Awad said the PM will be grilled over government activities and formation of local administrations in recently liberated areas of the country. Parliament also wants to grill interior minister Abdikarin Hussein Gulled over the recent killings of suspects who were allegedly picked up from their holding cells and executed secretly.

Somali government downplays UK terror alert on possible attacks

07 Apr – Source: Hiiraan Online – 103 words

The federal government of Somalia has downplayed a terror warning issued by the British government.

Terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, the British government has warned on Saturday. In a response issued by Somalia’s Information Minister Abdullahi Hersi Elmoge said security agencies in Somalia did not report any terror plots that can lead to such warnings. “Britain has the right to warn its citizens from risk, but we do not have any formal information of possible attacks.” Mr Elmoge said. Despite recent car bombings and assassinations, the minister assured that The security of the capital is reliable.

AMISOM Commander: Al Shabaab Wiped out Along Mogadishu and Baidoa

07 Apr – Source: Shabelle – 114 words

The Commander of the AMISOM troops in Somalia has assured the Somali public that members of the outlawed group al Shabaab have been wiped out of the long highway that connects the cities of Mogadishu and Baidoa. The long highway is estimated to be 241 KM. The federal Government troops and the AMISOM troops are reported to be finalizing a joint assault on the militia group to eradicate the terrorist along the main highway that connects the two cities. The commander of the AU troops General Andrew Guti said that they are planning to establish a peaceful environment for motorist travelling along the busy highway and will ensure them that they travel without fear.

IGAD foreign ministers meet in Addis to discuss Somalia situation

06 Apr – Source: Bar-kulan – 73 words

Foreign Affairs Ministers from IGAD member states are today meeting in Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to discuss Somalia’s current situation following the recent military gains against the Al-Shabaab group. Somalia’s foreign minister Fowzia Adan who is in Addis Ababa for the summit said the IGAD ministers will discuss critical issues including strengthening support for Somalia armed forces. Adan said the ministers’ resolution will be submitted to IGAD’s heads of states for further deliberations.

Roadblocks in Kismayo

07 Apr – Source: Shabelle – 108 words

There are reports coming from Kismayo, the capital city of the juba regions that road barriers have been put along the roads in the entire city. The city is being administered by members of the Raskamboni brigade.

A witness who refused to reveal his identity because of security reasons told Shabelle media that money was being collected at the roadblocks from vehicles and businessmen who are in the city.

Somalia: Puntland President meets with South African delegation

07 Apr – Source: Garowe Online – 106 words

The president of Somalia’s Puntland government Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Farole met with a delegation of South African officials on Saturday in the administrative capital of Puntland, Garowe Online reports. The South African delegation led by Edgar Motsisi arrived in Garowe on Saturday to meet with President Farole, Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire and Cabinet Ministers. The officials discussed the protection of the Somali coast – that has the longest coastline in Africa – that has been riddled with illegal fishing and toxic dumping.

Government to deal with criminal groups in Dhusamareb

06 Apr – Source: Bar-kulan – 106 words

Dhusamareb District Commissioner Abdirahman Moalim Ali has vowed to tackle insecurity in the district following the Friday incident where gunmen stormed a passenger truck injuring five people.

Ali said his administration will not sit back as the gangs continue wreaking havoc in parts of the district. He hinted the establishment of special forces to patrol along the main roads linking the district to other parts of the country to deal with criminal groups waylaying passenger vehicles plying the route.

Somali Speaker visits Norway

07 Apr – Source: Shabelle/SNTV – 61 words

A delegation led by the Speaker of the Federal Republic Somalia Mr. Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari arrived at the capital of Norway. The delegation was welcomed by Norway’s government officials and members of the Somali Diaspora living in that country. The speaker is accompanied by the Deputy Speaker Mr. Jeylani Nur Likar, 15 parliamentary committees and top officials from the speaker’s office.

Somalia to repossess cargo vessels from Yemen

07 Apr – Source: Mareeg Online – 81 words

A delegation from the Somali government arrived at the capital city of Yemen Sana’a and the purpose of their visit is to repossess the shipping vessels which were in the hand of the Yemeni authorities since the fall of Siad Bare’s government 21 years ago. Foreign affairs minister led the delegation on their visit to Yemen and told the media that their purpose of their visit was to reclaim the Somalia-owned ships abandoned at the Yemeni coastline for duration of 20 years.

The Mayor of Hargeisa Passes Away

06 Apr – Source: Somaliland Press – 85 words

The Mayor of Hargeisa late Eng. Yusuf Warsame Said has passed away while undergoing medical treatment in an Abu Dhabi Hospital where he was admitted shortly after being elected to the office late last year. On the other hand President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Silanyo) has sent a message of condolence to the family, friends and all Somalilanders on the untimely death of Mayor of Hargeisa late Eng. Yusuf Warsame Said who died today while undergoing medical treatment in an Abu Dhabi Hospital, UAE.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Uneasy calm in Sierra Leone after al Shabaab threat

06 Apr – Source: Africa Review – 142 words

Somalis may be rejoicing after the recent deployment of Sierra Leonean troops to help fight their war but the move has ushered in an uneasy calm for citizens of the West African nation. Concerns over the group`s recent threat against Sierra Leone grew after deployment last week of the first batch of 850 troops to help contain the Islamist militants. Already there are reports of suspected jihadists having been intercepted in neighboring Guinea. The daily Global Times newspaper Friday cited an official at the Office of National Security (ONS) who stressed that the al Shabaab threat was real and urged vigilance among the public. The report said ten suspected jihadist militants were intercepted by Guinean soldiers heading for Sierra Leone. Al Shabaab had threatened actions against Sierra Leone in retaliation to its planned deployment when it was first announced last year.

Report details abuse of Somalia’s displaced persons

06 Apr – Source: Standard Digital Media – 108 words

Ethnic discrimination, restricted access to aid, forced eviction, rape and beatings are among abuses being meted on displaced persons in Somalia. The revelations are contained in a March 2013 Human Rights Watch report titled Hostages of the Gatekeepers. Accounts of at least 70 internally displaced persons at the camps detail how Government forces and camp managers prey on vulnerable groups, sometimes denying them access to food and shelter.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Terrorists planning Somali attacks, government warns

06 Apr – Source: The Guardian – 90 words

Terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, the British government has warned. Concerns about a possible attack were highlighted in a statement issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which already advises against all travel to Somalia. The Foreign Office’s website states that attacks in and around Mogadishu continue to be carried out by al Shabaab, a terrorist group, and others opposed to the Somali government. Attacks in the past have targeted government institutions, hotels, restaurants and public transport, including the international airport.

Restoring contact between families separated by conflict

06 Apr – Source: ICRC – 106 words

After two decades of conflict, tens of thousands of Somalis have been separated from their families. The ICRC in Somalia helps reunite these families in partnership with the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), and other Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world. Radio remains the easiest way for people to connect in Somalia. We met Hashi in Mogadishu; he had lost touch with members of his family – his sisters, brothers and in-laws. Each week the ICRC provides 125 names of missing people to the BBC Somali service to read out.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Taxation is crucial to Somalia’s development, peace and security. If done well it will provide the government with the financial ability to drive forward its own national agenda and execute the policies that can once again bring a nation together. It will provide funding for business start ups that will free the people from monopoly, build the infrastructure for trade and investment and educate the future leaders of the nation freely so that they escape the tribal strangulation that is suffocating them today. It is time to, once again, take taxation seriously in Somalia.”

It’s time to take taxation seriously in Somalia

06 Apr – Source: Hiiraan Online – 2168 Words

As the saying goes, there are only two certain things in life: Taxes and death. While there is a lot of the latter, there is very little of the former in most African nations which despite their resource wealth are reliant on foreign aid. Tax evasion across the globe is rising and at a difficult economic time such as this, the world appears to have finally woken up to its impact. The European Union, American government and now some African nations such as Nigeria are making an enormous fuss about lost revenues that they could have used to bolster their public finances and investments. Some are working desperately hard to retrieve some of it but with clever international tax and business lawyers and accountants on their side, the tax evaders can rest comfortably safe in the knowledge that the underpaid and skilled government greyhounds are only going round in circles at the scent of their own failure.

“If this public call from Afghani had come last summer, it would have been a brave move. But the Afghani call coming now, after al Shabaab has gotten their ass kicked incessantly since the merger, isn’t particularly brave. Al Shabaab lost its most important city of Kismayo, which Afghani once commanded, and I imagine he and many others have little to command under Godane at this point.”

Al Shabaab in Somalia publicly fractures & pressures al Qaeda

06 Apr – Source: Selected Wisdom – 1031 Words

Well, I’ve been waiting for a year to see the outcome of al Shabaab’s “Game of Thrones” and today a surprising public fracture emerged on the aljihad.com website. Ibrahim al-Afghani, a once senior leader of al Shabaab, close associate of Ahmed Godane and fellow member of Godane’s Isaaq clan, posted a public and direct call to Ayman al-Zawahiri asking him to intervene in Somalia and remove Godane as leader of al Shabaab.

Ibrahim al-Afghani’s public posting finally discloses the fractures I’ve been discussing for the past year. Omar Hammami, the American public relations arm for Team Robow (maybe should be renamed Task Force Robow/Aweys/Afghani), has provided ten reasons for Afghani’s public denouncement of Godane – a major development in Somalia. These are quotes from Omar’s tweets so if you don’t like the language, complain to Omar on Twitter.