September 12, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

President Hassan Sheikh: My Government has done a lot to maintain security in Mogadishu

11 Sept- Source: Radio Shabelle- 113 words
The president of the federal republic of Somalia Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that his government has done a lot to maintain the security of the capital Mogadishu. Addressing journalists in Mogadishu during the marking of the first annual anniversary since the federal government was established, Mr. Mohamud said that reshuffles in the national security agencies has enabled the federal government prevent planned attacks in Mogadishu and other parts of the country. The remark made by the president comes at a time when security in the capital is deteriorating as explosions frequently occur in government controlled areas. Assassinations carried out by unknown gunmen and direct confrontations have been on the rise during the past few months.

Key Headlines

National Conference on Extremism concludes in Mogadishu
(Radio Muqdisho)
Al Shabaab executes amputates its fighters (Radio Dalsan)
Somali Prime Minister returns to Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu)
Obama administration credits Somalia government decision on Syria
(Radio Dalsan)
Bay and Bakol officials meet over security (Radio Bar-kulan)
Mogadishu’s stability under the gun again (Aljazeera)
‘Help free our men’ plead relatives of hostages kidnapped after leaving Dubai waters
(National (UAE)
UAE foreign minister voices anti-piracy support for Somalia (Xinhua)
Somali Women Train to Fight Sexual Violence (VOA)

SOMALI MEDIA

National Conference on Extremism concludes in Mogadishu

11 Sept- Source: Radio Muqdisho/Bar-kulan/Radio Risaala/BBC Somali Service- 97 words

The National Conference on Extremism which was launched in Mogadishu by the president of the republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday concluded on Wednesday. The five-day conference brought together influential figures in the community including religious leaders, scholars, elders intellectuals from various parts of the country and abroad. The National Conference discussed best ways to eradicate extremism in Somalia. Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon who attended the closing session remarked the outcome of the discussions, saying that his government will take into consideration the conference resolutions. The Somali Federal government has hosted numerous National Conferences in a bid to unity the war-ravaged horn of African country.

Al Shabaab executes, amputates its fighters

11 Sept- Source: Radio Dalsan/RBC/Shabelle- 130 words

Somalia’s rebel group, al Shabaab on Wednesday executed and amputated two of its fighters in Buloburte town of Hiiraan region. Sheikh Mohamed Mire who is al Shabaab’s Hiiran governor said they have arrested the two young men after they have found with different crimes. The group executed one of the men on charges of spying for the federal government of Somalia and amputated the other for alleged gang robbery. Large crowds of people gathered in the town’s centre to watch the execution. Al Shabaab has previous years carried out such executions against young men and women, but the process of getting independent defense lawyers for the defendants and investigations are totally unclear and can not be verified.

President Hassan Sheikh: My Government has done a lot to maintain security in Mogadishu

Somali Prime Minister returns to Mogadishu

11 Sept- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/SNTV- 130 words

Prime Minister of the Somali Federal government Abdi Farah Shirdon together with his delegation on Wednesday returned to the Somali capital, Mogadishu after trip to Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and Yemen. Addressing journalist at Aden Adde international airport in Mogadishu, Prime Minister Shirdon stated that his meetings with the leaders of the countries he visited was successful. Mr Shirdon further added that he signed agreements with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Djibouti. Shirdon who was received in Mogadishu airport by government officials thanked the crowd for their warm welcome. Somalia’s internationally-backed government continues to struggle to deliver its promises for the first year in power as al Qaeda-inspired al Shabaab militant group still controls major towns and villages in southern parts of the war-ravaged country.

Obama administration credits Somalia government decision on Syria

11 Sept- Source: Raxanreeb/Radio Dalsan/Radio Mustaqbal -129 words

The U.S. Special Representative for Somalia, James McAnulty, welcomes the decision of the Federal Government of Somalia to join 33 other nations in supporting the September 6 Joint Statement on Syria. “Somalia has shown great leadership on the issue of chemical weapons, acceding to the Chemical Weapons Convention on May 29, 2013 and becoming the 189th State Party to that landmark agreement”, stated the Special Representative.Somalia is in proud company with many of its Arab League and Organization of the Islamic Conference partners in condemning the brutality of the Assad regime in its horrifying chemical attack on the people of Damascus.

Bay and Bakol officials meet over security

11 Sept- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 126 words

Government officials in the southern Somali regions of Bay and Bakol have taken a meeting intended to improve the security situations in the area on Wednesday amid preparations of the formal of a regional administration in these regions. Governor of Bay interim administration Abdi Aden Hosow stated that they will meet locals over ways of developing the regions, asking locals to cooperate with the security forces. Hosow further added that members of the Somali Federal Parliament led by Parliament speaker Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari who hail from these regions are soon expected to visit these regions. A permanent administration replacing the interim one in Bay and Bakol regions is set to be formed in the next couple of weeks.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Mogadishu’s stability under the gun again

11 Sept- Source: Aljazeera- 1079 words

Ahmed Jama is busy picking up the remains after explosions ripped apart his roadside eatery, not far from Somalia’s partially rebuilt parliament. A broken chair here, burnt bones there. To him, this has now become routine. More than a dozen people died in Saturday’s attack in the capital Mogadishu. It was the third time in less than two years that Jama’s restaurants have been hit – the second time this particular eatery was targeted. Last September, two suicide bombers blew themselves up at this restaurant, killing 15 diners.

‘Help free our men’ plead relatives of hostages kidnapped after leaving Dubai waters

11 Sept- Source: National (UAE)- 290 words

Relatives of 11 seamen held hostage by Somali pirates for nearly three years have appealed to the international community to help free their loved ones. The families from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Iran fear for the lives of the men who were captured on board their ship, the MV Albedo, in 2010. The crew were the main breadwinners, and after so many years the families are struggling to make ends meet, let alone pay a ransom.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

UAE foreign minister voices anti-piracy support for Somalia

11 Sept- Source: shanghaidaily / Xinhua – 319 words

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) foreign minister said here Wednesday that his country will continue supporting the Somali people in their fight against maritime piracy at the third UAE counter-piracy conference. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that in 2012, his government pledged 50 million U.S. dollars to the Somali government in support for economic and security projects. “Only economic progress and political stability in Somalia can further reduce piracy in the Gulf of Aden and secure international trade on international waters,” said the minister.

Somalia: Civil servants get Norwegian cash

11 Sept- Source: BBC- 155 words

Norway is reportedly paying the salaries of hundreds of government workers in Somalia in an attempt to fight corruption. Money from Oslo’s aid budget is going directly to 380 public employees in a bid to fight corruption, UN-backed Somali Radio Bar-Kulan reports. Norway says that the scheme is the most effective way of helping the state establish itself, and has engaged accountancy firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers to manage the transfers on its behalf. According to Oslo’s The Local news website, employees have to register their biometric data to ensure that the money only goes to the intended recipients.

Somali Women Train to Fight Sexual Violence

11 Sept- Source: VOA- 375 words

The Somali government and African Union have wrapped up a two-day training course for women on how to protect themselves from rapists. The United Nations says it registered 1,700 cases of rape in Somalia last year. This is the first training to be held in Mogadishu as the government struggles to protect women from rapists in towns and camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). According to the organizers, the training focused on 20 women working with women’s organizations and displaced persons camps in central Somalia. Human rights organizations have accused Somali government soldiers and militia groups of committing widespread abuses, including rape.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“To be credible and effective in the remainder of his term President Hassan has to step back from the limelight, which he has so far monopolized. He should let the Prime Minister, the cabinet, and the Parliament carry out their responsibilities in the public eye. People should see all the institutions of the country work, as they should.”

The First Year of Hassan Sheikh Mahmud’s Presidency

11 Sept- Source: Wardheernews-2565 Words
Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud was elected a year ago as the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia upon the lapse of a long ‘Transitional Period’. He defeated the incumbent Sheikh Sharief Sheikh Ahmed fairly and squarely in a transparent electoral process. Although the independence, sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity of Somalia were reaffirmed over and over again in all international fora discussing the Somali situation, the transitional governments were never recognized by the West. But this changed, almost overnight, when the transitional period ended, Parliament was reconstituted through a democratic process, the President was elected in open, free and fair manner and a regular, fully mandated government came into being.