July 2, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Armed group attacks al Shabaab fighters in Barawe district
02 Jul- Source: Radio Mustaqbal- 94 words
Reports from Barawe district in Lower Shabelle region in the Southern of Somalia say that armed group attacked al Shabaab fighters at outskirts of the district. Reports say that the armed men attacked the fighters with grenades but the exact casualties is not yet known.
Al Shabaab didn’t comment about the incident, but witnesses in Barawe district say that 3 al Shabaab fighters were killed in the attack while two others were also wounded.
Al Shabaab seems to fight among its own forces after conflicts between the officials of al Shabaab emerged.
Key Headlines
- President Hassan: It is very unfortunate what is happening in Kismayo (Radio Shabelle/SNTV/ Universal TV)
- Puntland accuses Somali government of fomenting war in Kismayo (RBC/Hiiraan Online/Jowhar Online)
- Injured people in Kismayo fighting transferred to Mogadishu for treatment (Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/al Shahid)
- Armed group attacks al Shabaab fighters in Barawe district (Radio Mustaqbal)
- Inda Adde: Aweys in critical condition (Source: Radio Shabelle)
- Kenya-AMISOM rejects Somalia govt accusations (Radio Garowe/ Radio Mustaqbal/Kismaayo24)
- 53rd Independence Day celebrated across Puntland (Garowe Online)
- Somaliland president opens job fair to create jobs for the youth (Somaliland Informer/Universal TV/Horn Cable TV)
- Replace KDF Somalia demands (Daily Nation/Star)
- Exclusive: Arms ship seized by Yemen may have been Somalia-bound: U.N. (Reuters)
- Human trafficking crisis plagues Somaliland (Sabahi Online)
- Chinese factory accused of poisoning Somaliland water supplies (Source: The Guardian)
- Exclusive: Somalia Central Bank a ‘slush fund’ for private payments – U.N. (Reuters)
SOMALI MEDIA
President Hassan: It is very unfortunate what is happening in Kismayo
02 Jul- Source: Radio Shabelle/SNTV/ Universal TV/Radio Mogadishu – 106 words
The president of the federal republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who addressed the media said that it was very unfortunate for Somalis to fight over power at this critical time when the people of Somalia are recovering from two decades of infighting.
The president added that the government was not happy with what was going on in Kismayo as rival clans fought over leadership in the coastal city.
The president called on the groups fighting in Kismayo to come to the table and discuss their differences and sort out in a peaceful way.
Puntland accuses Somali government of fomenting war in Kismayo
02 Jun- Source: RBC/Hiiraan Online/Jowhar Online- 123 words
Puntland administration accused the government of fueling the war in Kismayo, of the province of Lower Juba, southern Somalia. The vice president of Puntland Abdisamad Ali Shire told reporters, “It is unfortunate that the government officials inciting war in Kismayo town.”
He added that the Somali government to stop what he called to intervene in the fighting of Kismayo, also called for a cease-fire immediately.
He defended the Kenyan forces of AMISOM forces deployed in Kismayo, which was accused of supporting one of the warring parties in kismayo.
He said that the Somali government criticised the Kenyan forces of AMISOM, after the defeat of Barre Hiiraale militias and al Shabaab militants from the town.
Injured people in Kismayo fighting transferred to Mogadishu for treatment
02 Jul- Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/al Shahid- 114 words
Somali government confirmed the transfer of dozens of people, who were wounded in the recent fighting in Kismayo, to the Somali capital Mogadishu for treatment.
A spokesman for the Somali Prime Minister Ridwan Haji Abdiwali told reporters that 54 injured people have been moved to Mogadishu, most of them are civilians.
He added that the Somali government sent three planes to the city of Kismayo to transport the injured in the fighting in the port city of Kismayo. He pointed out that they will continue to transport the injured to Mogadishu.
Heavy fighting occurred this week in the port city of Kismayo, which resulted in heavy casualties.
Armed group attacks al Shabaab fighters in Barawe district
02 Jul- Source: Radio Mustaqbal- 94 words
Reports from Barawe district in Lower Shabelle region in the Southern of Somalia say that armed group attacked al Shabaab fighters at outskirts of the district. Reports say that the armed men attacked the fighters with grenades but the exact casualties is not yet known.
Al Shabaab didn’t comment about the incident, but witnesses in Barawe district say that 3 al Shabaab fighters were killed in the attack while two others were also wounded.
Al Shabaab seems to fight among its own forces after conflicts between the officials of al Shabaab emerged.
Inda Adde: Aweys in critical condition
02 Jul- Source: Radio Shabelle- 126 words
Speaking to Radio Shabelle, Yusuf Mohamed Siyad (Inda Ade) said that Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys is in a critical condition and blamed government officials for the Sheikh’s deteriorating health. Mr. Inda Ade said that the government intelligence agency tortured the Sheikh while they interrogated him.
He accused General Khalif Ahmed Eg who is the commander of top national security agency official in Banadir region for giving orders to torture the Sheikh. The general also blamed the president of the federal republic of Somalia for failing to honor his promise to protect the Sheikh whom he persuaded to come to Mogadishu.
Kenya-AMISOM rejects Somalia govt accusations
02 Jul- Source: Radio Garowe/ Radio Mustaqbal/Kismaayo24/ Dhanaan Online/Jowhar Online -222 words
The spokesman of Kenya’s army Col. Cyrus Oguna has rejected accusations from Somalia’s federal government that Kenyan troops took part in the fighting that rocked the southern Somali port city of Kismayo.
Col. Oguna addressed the media in Nairobi, saying that Kenyan troops are part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and are deployed in Kismayo to assist the Somali federal government.
“Kenyan troops are part of AMISOM, they operate under AMISOM mandate, and it is completely false that Kenyan troops were involved in Kismayo fighting,” said Col. Oguna.
He noted that Kenyan-AMISOM medical facility in Kismayo is treating persons wounded in Kismayo fighting. Jubaland forces battled against a militia led by Col. Barre Hirale, who recently claimed to have joined al Shabaab militants.
Jubaland forces took control of Kismayo as the militia fled to outside of Kismayo, and local businesses reopened in the port city on Monday.
Addressing a question about the arrest of Col. Abbas Ibrahim Gurey, a Somali military commander, Col. Oguna denied that Kenyan-AMISOM troops arrested him and stated that Col. Abbas was transported to Busar area of Gedo region to rejoin his forces.
Somali Deputy Information Minister Abdishakur Ali Mire accused Kenyan-AMISOM of “taking sides” in the Kismayo fighting during a Sunday press conference in Mogadishu.
Somaliland president opens job fair to create jobs for the youth
01 Jul- Source: Somaliland Informer/Universal TV/Horn Cable TV- 129 words
Somaliland president Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo has on Monday officially opened center established to spur job opportunities for Somaliland youth. The center has been organized by the ministry of national planning headed by Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire, the Minister of planning.
On the other hand, the president has toured the offices and seen the office equipments as well as the staff.
In addition, the president has attended the opening ceremony of two day seminar held in Mansoor hotel which the organization was in charge by the national planning ministry.
Finally, the president has opened job fair which is created for spurring employment opportunities for Somaliland youth and to prevent the soaring illegal immigration which is rampant in Somaliland.
53rd Independence Day celebrated across Puntland
01 Jul- Source: Garowe Online- 492 words
Celebration events marking the 53rd Independence Day in Somalia were held in major cities of Puntland State in northern Somalia on Sunday, Garowe Online reports.
A nighttime event was held at the Puntland State House in Garowe and attended by Puntland government leaders, traditional elders, civil society, poets, and journalists.
Puntland Waberi drama group presented a drama event with songs, while poets Jama Kediye and Halimo Puntland awed the audience with poetry in honor of Somali Independence Day.
The Somali Republic was born on July 1, 1960, after the former British Protectorate of Somaliland in northern Somalia unconditionally united with the former Italian Somaliland colony in southern Somalia with Mogadishu as capital.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Replace KDF, Somalia demands
02 Jul- Source: Daily Nation/Star- 298 words
The future of Kenyan military operation in Somalia was on Monday cast in doubt after the federal government in Mogadishu demanded withdrawal of the forces.
Information, Telecommunication and Postal Services Deputy Minister Abdishakur Mire said the Somali Federal Government would like Amisom Section Two forces replaced with what he termed as “a more neutral African Union force.” The sector is held by Kenya Defence Forces and a few Sierra Leone soldiers.
His statement came after three days of fighting in Kismayu between forces loyal to Jubaland president Ahmed Madobe and a militia led by former Defence minister Bare Hirale, who has also laid claim to the presidency.
Human trafficking crisis plagues Somaliland
01 Jul- Source: Sabahi Online- 724 words
Hargeisa resident Halimo Ismail said she worries about the fates of her 27-year-old son Osman and 24-year-old daughter Hoda, who, like many youths in the region, arranged for human traffickers to smuggle them out of Somaliland.”I cannot sleep due to worry. I am afraid they will die in the desert, get killed or their boat will be lost at sea,” she told Sabahi.
Osman left in April and reached Libya two weeks ago, but Ismail has had no news from Hoda, who left this month. “Neither of them had any money when they left, but they were assisted by those who smuggle people,” she said.
Since Osman’s departure, he contacted his mother twice to ask her to send money to smugglers in Khartoum and Dubai, so Ismail said she sent payments of $2,300 and $1,350.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Chinese factory accused of poisoning Somaliland water supplies
02 Jul- Source: The Guardian- 585 words
A Chinese-owned tanning factory based in Somaliland has been accused of dumping dangerous chemicals in waterways for years. But the government has failed to intervene for fear of spooking foreign investment, according to local people.
Jeronimo Group of Industries and Trading PLC, a subsidiary of Chinese glove-making firm Phiss, is the first and only foreign-owned company in the breakaway east African state. It has been operating a factory in the village of Dar-Buruq, 60km outside the capital Hargeisa, since 2008.
People living near the factory have made numerous complaints about respiratory problems. A former worker at Jeronimo named Ibrahim said that one day, while mixing chromium compounds without a mask, he was overcome by the smell and fell down, hitting his head. “The company did not take me to the hospital,” he says. “To this day I still have breathing problems.” Other locals confirmed many health complaints had been made.
When the Guardian investigated the Jeronimo compound it found an unbearable smell, and workers with no face masks or proper shoes and sacks of corrosive material spilling onto the factory floor.
UN identifies Nigeria, Somalia, Sierra Leone as possible hindrance to sub-Saharan Africa on MDG goals
02 Jul- Source: Premium Times NG- 732 words
The UN released a Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 on Monday. The United Nations has revealed that about two out of five students who started primary school in 2010 in Sub-Saharan Africa will not make it to the last grade. The global body also urged countries in the region to concentrate more efforts on Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia if the region hopes to meet the Millennium Development Goal, MDG, target by 2015.
This was disclosed in the Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, launched on Monday by United Nations, UN, Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon in Geneva.
The Millennium Development Goals Report is an annual assessment of global and regional progress towards the global target; and it reflects the most comprehensive, up-to-date data compiled by over 27 UN and international agencies which is produced by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Exclusive: Somalia Central Bank a ‘slush fund’ for private payments – U.N.
01 July- Source: Reuters-753 Words
Money at the Central Bank of Somalia is not used to run government institutions in the war-torn Horn of Africa country, with an average 80 percent of withdrawals made for private purposes, according to a U.N. report seen by Reuters on Monday.
The confidential report by the U.N. Group of Experts to the Security Council’s Somalia and Eritrea sanctions committee blamed a patronage system – dubbed the “khaki envelope” practice after the color of the stationery carried to the Ministry of Finance – for preventing the creation of state institutions.
“In this context, the fiduciary agency managed by PricewaterhouseCoopers was reduced to a transfer agent that could not ensure accountability of funds once they reached the Somali government,” the report said.
“Indeed of $16.9 million transferred by PWC to the Central Bank, $12 million could not be traced,” it said. “Key to these irregularities has been the current governor of the Central Bank, Abdusalam Omer.”
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Omer and the Somalia U.N. mission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Exclusive: Arms ship seized by Yemen may have been Somalia-bound: U.N.
01 July- Source: Reuters-919 Words
An Iranian ship laden with arms seized by Yemeni authorities in January may also have been bound for Somalia, according to a confidential U.N. report seen by Reuters on Monday.
Yemeni forces intercepted the ship, the Jihan 1, off Yemen’s coast on January 23. U.S. and Yemeni officials said it was carrying a large cache of weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, being smuggled from Iran to insurgents in Yemen.
The confidential U.N. report, by the U.N. Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, cited Yemeni officials as saying that it was possible diesel carried aboard the ship could have been intended for shipment to Somalia.
The group, which tracks compliance with Security Council sanctions, raised concerns in the report about the flow of weapons to al Shabaab militants since the U.N. Security Council eased an arms embargo on Somalia’s fragile Western-backed government earlier this year.
The report did not explicitly say that weapons on the ship were headed for Somalia, but one U.N. Security Council diplomat said that if it was true that the diesel was intended for Somalia, it could not be ruled out that other items on the ship, including weapons, might also have been intended for there.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“We need reconciliation in order to treat our collective trauma as a nation and set on the healing process. We need such closure in order to fix our broken relationships, rebuild our damaged identity and rekindling our sense of nationhood. We need the sense of hope that the worst is behind us, and that the future is very promising for all of us.”
Reconciliation…One More Time!
01 July- Source: Foreign Policy Blog-1489 Words
Ironic as it may seem, it is a statement of controversy to assert that a genuine national reconciliation is needed in Somalia. To some, that has already happened; to others, there is no need for it since the country has emerged out of the transitional period and the current government is the officially recognized representative of the state; yet, to others, now is the time for genuine national reconciliation.
Because the first two groups’ argument support status quo, I would spend the rest of this article highlighting the third group’s argument, which is also this author’s. Before attempting to sketch what an organic and holistic national reconciliation actually looks like, allow me to acknowledge the following for context: In the past two decades, sixteen different projects painted as “national reconciliation” were held in various foreign cities. Each one of them, save Arta, was engineered by one foreign nation or interest group or another. Yet, invariably, each one of these costly conferences ended up with the same failed formula of haphazard power-sharing aimed to accommodate various armed actors or clans that did not last long.
Future reconciliation, needless to say, must be driven by counter-historical vision and a strategy.
Reconciliation is a complex concept of settling conflicts and eradicating perpetual grievances and its consequences. There is no one-size-fits-all model. It is a highly coordinated public process of dialogue, compromise, and peace-making. In our case, it may include evacuation of private and public properties, apology, repentance, restitution, etc.
“Godane’s coup, while in essence a movement that is eating its own children, may, indeed, pave the way for the fragmentation of the militant group along clan lines. The nagging question then will be to what extent Godane, a northerner operating in the deep south of Somalia, is able to remain head of what is generally a southern jihadi phenomenon?”
Somalia: The Godane Coup and the Unraveling of al Shabaab
02 July- Source: African Arguments-895 Words
The week of June 19th was a bloody milestone for the course of jihad in Somalia as the leaders of al Shabaab clashed in Barawe, a coastal city in the south. That conflict led to the killing of some of the top echelon of the terror group and the escape of others. What this violent encounter portends for the future, however, is far more serious than it appears at first glance.
In a single stroke, Ahmed Abdi Godane, the emir of al Shabaab who goes by the nom de guerre of “Abu Zubeir,” managed to re-align the radical group’s leadership dynamics and further consolidated his power by getting rid of his major detractors. His loyalists killed two co-founders of al Shabaab, including his former deputy and longtime friend, Ibrahim Al Afghani, and chased away Hassan Dahir Aweys and Mukhtar Robow, the former spokesman for the terror group.
Aweys is now in custody in Mogadishu, as the government decides his fate. Robow, on the other hand, is believed to have fled to the Bay and Bakol region where his Rahanweyn clan is based. Al Afghani, Aweys and Robow have complained about Godane’s authoritarian tendencies and the heavy-handed approach in dealing with foreign jihadists. On April 26th, an al Shabaab assassin loyal to Godane attempted to kill the American jihadist and Alabama native, Omar Hammami, after the latter had gone public in criticizing al Shabaab.
Photos: Somali Independence Day celebration in Twin Cities
01 June- Source: MPR News-27 Words
Somalis in Minnesota commemorated Somali Independence Day this weekend as the 52nd anniversary of their country’s struggle for independence.
Top tweets
@Zoe_Flood Avg of 80% of withdrawals from #Somalia Central Bank made “for private purposes”, acc to new Monitoring Grp report: http://t.co/0zR5dYxZoB
@Charles_Lister #Somalia military officer has claimed on Radio Shabelle that surrendered #Shabab cmmdr Sheikh Aweys is in coma after “torture” in #Mogadishu
@tobinbjones A few more photos of #Somalia‘s Independence Day on the Guardian Website http://t.co/lzWFPgILAy
@UKinSomalia Welcome new UK Ambassador Neil Wigan. He has just handed over his credentials to #Somalia President in Mogadishu. https://t.co/9HogVoOVxL
@t_mcconnell Kismayo port in #Somalia: for competing clan militias, a prize worth fighting over http://instagram.com/p/
Image of the day
People dressed in the colours of the Somali flag gather for a celebration to mark Somalia’s Independence Day at Konis stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia. Photo: Tobin Jones/Handout/EPA