October 24, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Kenyan intelligence report reveals troubling al Shabaab presence in Garissa
24 Oct – Source: Sabahi Online – 137 words
Facts about the extent of al Shabaab’s presence and influence in Kenya’s north-eastern Garissa County, which were revealed in a recently leaked National Intelligence Service (NIS) report, have left county leaders and residents troubled.
“The high number of terrorist attacks Garissa has suffered compared to other counties in the country is a testament that al Shabaab are among us,” Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji told Sabahi.
“During the early stages and at the height of the attacks, Garissa was regarded as the group’s headquarters,” he said, adding that al Shabaab moved its operations to Kenya after Somali and allied forces cornered the militant group on its home soil in Somalia.
A situation report within the 32-page NIS document, which was dated April 26, 2013 but leaked to the public after al Shabaab’s attack on Westgate mall last month, described the troubling facts.
Key Headlines
- Somali Media Awards 2013 Launched (Radio Dalsan)
- Norwegian spies tried to stop mall massacre gunman from travelling to Somalia (Daily Mail/AP)
- Ghana Police Service denies deployment of personnel to Somalia (Vibe Ghana)
- ‘Warring militia’ to return to Kismayo under new Jubaland deal (Garowe Online)
- Somali FG forces conduct security operations in Jowhar town (Radio Mustaqbal)
- Kenyan intelligence report reveals troubling al Shabaab presence in Garissa (Sabahi Online)
- Westgate attack ‘validates’ US Strategy on al Shabaab AFRICOM head Says (Africa Review/Daily Nation)
- Former Minnesotan arrested on suspicion of assisting pirate ringleader (MPR News)
- Women struggle for space ahead of Puntland elections (Radio Ergo)
- Somali piracy at seven-year low new tactics by militants onshore – UN (Reuters/New York Times)
- Al Shabaab imposes blockade on Bay region town of Qansahdhere (Sabahi Online)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali Media Awards 2013 Launched
24 Oct – Source: Radio Dalsan – 149 words
The United Nations in partnership with the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) invite journalists to submit stories that highlight and explain development and humanitarian issues for the 2013 Somali Media Awards.
The awards reward excellence, application of principles of good journalism and relevance in reporting in media. They aim to recognize the contribution of Somali journalists in increasing awareness on development and humanitarian issues in the general public and are awarded to Somali journalists working in the Somali language with the aim of encouraging a strong, vibrant and responsible media for the benefit of the Somali people.
“I am delighted that the Somali Media Awards 2013 are being launched today in Mogadishu, Garowe and Hargeysa,” said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Philippe Lazzarini. “Well-trained and critically-minded journalists provide the crucial information Somali citizens need to campaign for economic development, accountability and transparency.”
‘Warring militia’ to return to Kismayo under new Jubaland deal
24 Oct – Source: Garowe Online – 129 words
A new deal brokered during talks between Somali Federal Government (SFG) delegation led by Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled and Jubaland president Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) aims to “return” a warring militia that previously fought against Jubaland government forces in Kismayo last June, Garowe Online reports.
The deal is part of implementing the Juba Agreement, signed in Addis Ababa on Aug. 27, 2013, and brokered by Ethiopia under the auspices of IGAD.
Jubaland’s leader Ahmed Madobe told reporters on Monday that Jubaland administration will attend the proposed reconciliation conference in Mogadishu and noted that Jubaland has accepted the return of militia loyal to ex-warlord Col. Barre Hirale, who fought pitched battles during three days in June in Kismayo, leading to more than 100 deaths and hundreds others wounded.
Somali FG forces conduct security operations in Jowhar town
24 Oct – Source: Radio Mustaqbal – 144 words
Reports from Jowhar town, center of Middle Shabelle region in Southern of Somalia say that the government troops have conducted security operation in the villages of Jowhar. The forces were patrolling the villages of Jowhar and were also making house to house search.
The government forces were seeking militants, al Shabaab who had attacked Jowhar airstrip on Wednesdaynight as the correspondent of Middle Shabelle region from Mustaqbal radio Mr. Bashir Ali Dahir reported. The correspondent did not specify how the government forces conducted the operations and if anyone was seized, but said the operations are still under way.
Al Shabaab militants have attacked the airfield in outskirts of Jowhar town where the government troops have a military base but the casualties from that attack is not yet known. However, al Shabaab claimed it killed government forces in the attack on Wednesday night.
Women struggle for space ahead of Puntland elections
23 Oct – Source: Radio Ergo – 284 Words
Somali women in the federal state of Puntland face greater challenges in getting a place in local politics as the parliamentary and presidential elections draw closer. But Puntland’s Ministry for Women’s Affairs and the United Nations Office in Somalia are encouraging the clan elders to give women a space in the parliament. “The UN is very keen to encourage the elders to select a large number of women for the parliament in Puntland,” said Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, when he visited Puntland this week.
Kay said he had discussed the issue with women’s groups, elders, civil society and government officials. He said the UN’s message was that it would like to see far more women represented in parliament than now. Community leaders and clan elders will soon begin the process of appointing the 66 members of parliament who will elect the president in January.
However, the Deputy Minister for Women’s Affairs, Asha Mohamud Omar, who met the UN envoy, said they were working with the UN to enable more women to participate in politics. Women occupy only two seats in the current Parliament, fewer than the number of women in the first parliament in 1998, Puntland’s deputy minister for health, Zaynab Ugas Yasin told Radio Ergo’s local reporter.
“Women are excluded from the committee in charge of nominating and vetting members of the parliament and they are not members of the elders committee. Therefore, their chance of being members of the new parliament is very low this time,” said Yasin, who is one of the five women elected to Puntland’s first parliament in 1998. She warned that the men might even take over the current two women’s seats.
Somaliland Minister of Presidential Affairs’ on Working Visit to UK
23 Oct – Source: Somaliland Press – 123 words
Somaliland’s Minister of Presidency Hon Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan arrived in Heathrow airport London, UK where he was welcomed by his supporters who had gathered there..
The Presidential Affairs’ minister is in the country on a working visit and is due to meet with members of the Burao –Erigavo road fund raising committee London Chapter and he also expected to sit for his final examination for a Master Program in Leading Innovation & Change at the prestigious St John University in London.
Hon Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan will during his stay expected to attend fund raising function intended to raising much needed funds for the Road project and which have been organized by Somaliland Diaspora in the living in the UK.
Jubba administration soldier executed in Kismayo
23 Oct – Source: Radio Mustaqbal – 103 words
The Interim Jubba administration which controls the port city of Kismayo, center of lower Jubba region has executed one of its soldiers in the town for killing another soldier..
The execution took place in the presidential palace of the interim administration, and the shooting was conducted by the administration’s forces. Juba officials were present at the execution venue but the Journalists were not allowed. The administration of Jubba didn’t release further detail about the killing.
Somaliland Authorities Relocated Dozen IDPs Families to New Homes
23 Oct – Source: Somaliland Press – 139 words
A couple of dozen internal displaced families were relocated from their former residences which were adjacent to the presidential palace and the compound of the ministry of finance to land donate by government located in the outer fringes of the city.
Apart from the land allocated by the government the IDP were given unspecified amount of money and free transport to ferry their them and belonging to their new homes. Disabled people were among those the government has demolished their residences and said that the government is relocating them to the city outskirts.
Some of the families we interviewed said “Our new homes are ideal and have access to all things we want be it safe drinking water and education you named it, in our door step and we thank the Somaliland government for its generosity, said one of IDPs.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Kenyan intelligence report reveals troubling al Shabaab presence in Garissa
24 Oct – Source: Sabahi Online – 137 words
Facts about the extent of al Shabaab’s presence and influence in Kenya’s north-eastern Garissa County, which were revealed in a recently leaked National Intelligence Service (NIS) report, have left county leaders and residents troubled.
“The high number of terrorist attacks Garissa has suffered compared to other counties in the country is a testament that al Shabaab are among us,” Garissa Senator Yusuf Haji told Sabahi.
“During the early stages and at the height of the attacks, Garissa was regarded as the group’s headquarters,” he said, adding that al Shabaab moved its operations to Kenya after Somali and allied forces cornered the militant group on its home soil in Somalia.
A situation report within the 32-page NIS document, which was dated April 26, 2013 but leaked to the public after al Shabaab’s attack on Westgate mall last month, described the troubling facts.
Westgate attack ‘validates’ US Strategy on al Shabaab, AFRICOM head Says
24 Oct – Source: Africa Review/Daily Nation – 129 words
Successes achieved by US-supported African forces fighting al Shabaab in Somalia led to the deadly attack on Nairobi’s Westgate Mall, the head of the US Africa Command (Africom) said on Wednesday. “This really validates our strategy,” declared Africom Commander Gen David Rodriguez.
The same affirmative interpretation was offered by Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Linda Thomas-Greenfield who joined Gen Rodriguez in a State Department teleconference with reporters.
The Westgate massacre showed al Shabaab is resorting to hitting “soft targets because other targets are being made harder for them to go after,” the top US diplomat for Africa said.
“It highlighted to us we were pursuing the right strategy,” Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield said in regard to al Shabaab’s targeting of the high-end shopping mall. “We need to bolster that strategy,” she added.
Al Shabaab imposes blockade on Bay region town of Qansahdhere
23 Oct – Source: Sabahi Online – 205 Words
Al Shabaab since Saturday (October 19th) has instituted a blockade on the town of Qansahdhere in Somalia’s Bay region. Al-Shabaab has turned back vehicles leaving Qansahdhere en route to Baidoa, Burdhubo and Bardhere, and also refused to allow entry of vehicles into the town, Qansahdhere District Commissioner Abdi Adam Qoqane told Sabahi.
“Al Shabaab wants to sanction the people and prevent them from trading or living. They are terrorists,” Qoqane said. “They have threatened motorists causing them to cancel their trips as a result.” He said goods used in Qansahdhere come from Mogadishu and pass through Baidoa, but al Shabaab has refused to let the goods going to Qansahdhere through.
He also said they refused to let vehicles transport goods from Qansahdhere to be sold in other regions in order to destroy people’s lives. “Beans, maize and barley that grow in Qansahdhere are transported for sale to other regions of the country, so al Shabaab is against trade within the society,” he said.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Norwegian spies tried to stop mall massacre gunman from travelling to Somalia
24 Oct – Source: Daily Mail/AP – 216 words
Norwegian agents tried to stop a suspected Nairobi mall gunman from leaving the country for a life of terror three years ago. Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow, a 23-year-old Somalian whom Kenyan authorities believe was one of the terrorists in the Westgate mall seige, was ‘well-known’ to the PST domestic intelligence service, its chief said yesterday.
PST agents tried several times to persuade him to abandon plans to move to Somalia in 2010 – and join jihadist group al Shabaab – but failed to stop the young man. The Kenyan government has said that Dhuhulow is one of the men who can be seen in CCTV footage pointing a rifle at cowering victims in the attack last month.
On Sunday it announced that it had recovered the remains of four of the gunmen, who were filmed coldly gunning down fleeing shoppers in the upscale mall. Though PST have not yet confirmed that he was one of the attackers, Marie Benedicte Bjoernland, the head of the agency, revealed the dealings with Dhuhulow, who spent his youth in Norway after his family moved there in 1999.
She said: ‘We had several talks with him… before he left Norway more than three years ago. Obviously we didn’t succeed, but there was quite an effort put into the preventive side of this.’
Somali piracy at seven-year low, new tactics by militants onshore – UN
24 Oct – Source: Reuters/New York Times – 603 Words
Pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia are at the lowest level since 2006 because of tougher ship security and more Western naval patrols, while onshore al Shabaab militants have shifted tactics to guerrilla warfare, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Somalia is struggling to rebuild after two decades of civil war and lawlessness sparked by the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991. In a report to the U.N. Security Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said there were 17 attacks in the first nine months of 2013, compared to 99 attacks in the same period last year.
“As of 17 October, 2013, two small vessels and 60 seafarers are still held by Somali pirates, most of them ashore, and some of which the whereabouts are unknown,” he said, adding that in 2012 pirates collected up to $40 million (24.7 million pounds) in ransom payments.
“The hostages held by Somali pirates endure dire conditions in captivity and are sometimes tortured and threatened by pirates in an effort to extract the maximum ransom,” Ban said.
Ghana Police Service denies deployment of personnel to Somalia
23 Oct – Source: Vibe Ghana – 115 words
The Director of the Police Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Cephas Arthur has denied reports that Ghana would deploy about 90 personnel to strengthen the Peace Support Operations in Somalia which is mandated by the African Union.
Reports on Wednesday indicated that Ghana’s security forces were undergoing some training at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra to augment the operations of the African Union Mission (AMISOM) in Somalia.
But speaking on the Strict Proof with host Isaac Kaledzi on Radio XYZ, DSP Cephas Arthur confirmed that some officers were undergoing training at the centre but dismissed that those officers would be sent to Somalia for any Peacekeeping mission.
Former Minnesotan arrested on suspicion of assisting pirate ringleader
23 Oct – Source: MPR News – 115 words
The inspiring story of a former Burnsville, Minn., man who helped stabilize an area in his native Somalia has taken a detour after Belgian authorities arrested him this month on suspicion of assisting a pirate ringleader.
The U.S. State Department is providing consular assistance to Mohamed Aden, a naturalized U.S. citizen, a department official told MPR News. The official declined to say more about Aden’s case, citing privacy rules.
Friends and fellow community members in Minnesota, home to the nation’s largest Somali-American population, were taken aback by the Oct. 12 arrest. More than 400 people have “liked” a recently launched Facebook page called “Free Tiiceey,” a nickname by which Aden is better known.
Ghanaian policemen in Somalia won’t trigger any attacks – Analyst
23 Oct – Source: Citi Fm Online – 208 Words
An Islamic analyst has downplayed suggestions that plans to send 90 police officers to Somalia could lead to medium and long term security implications for Ghana. Ghana’s officers are to augment African Union’s peace support operations.
Although some analysts believe Kenya’s involvement in Somalia triggered the recent Nairobi attacks which left over sixty people dead, an Islamic expert, Ibard Ibrahim in an interview with Citi News stated that, the presence of the police officers in Somalia does not mean Ghana would be an automatic target.
“We are not going there to carry out onslaught; we are going there to keep peace,” adding that al Shabaab may not even come into any direct contact with them, looking at the meager number officers Ghana is sending to Somalia.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Little information has leaked out to the public since the deadly mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya.”
Questions remain a month after Westgate
24 Oct – Source: Aljazeera English – 1221 Words
Since its invasion of Somalia in 2011, the al-Qaeda-linked group al Shabaab has vowed to leave Kenya’s capital looking like Mogadishu, its streets running with “rivers of blood”.
Last month’s Westgate attack leaving at least 67 dead and 175 wounded has prompted most Nairobians to take these threats seriously. For four days the front lines of the war between al Shabaab and Kenyan forces played out on Kenyan soil and cut right through the centre of the capital’s premier shopping venue. The mall itself looked like a war zone.
The entrance to its biggest store, the Nakumatt supermarket, is now a gaping charcoal-black hole into which most hostages ran. All that’s recognisable on the scorched first floor is the distinctive green logo of Safaricom, a telecommunications shop.
Beyond a once-lively carousel, a shaft of light illuminates the pale arm of a mannequin. Though the stench of decaying bodies and rotting meat at markets and restaurants is cleared, a sense of death still persists. One month since the attack, the fog of war has yet to clear. Only a fraction of the total CCTV footage has been released, the most telling procured by local media, showing how the insurgents commandeered the mall.
“…Kenya needs to acknowledge that its millions of Kenyan-born Somalis are Kenyan citizens and should not be looked upon with suspicion. Somali refugees should not be forced from Nairobi and other parts of Kenya into refugee camps, and those Somali refugees already living in camps should certainly not be forcibly repatriated to Somalia.”
Perilous Times For Kenya’s Somalis
23 Oct – Source: Eurasia Review – 877 Words
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent fell victim to a wave of racially and religiously motivated hate crimes in the United States. In one of the most egregious cases, a Sikh man in Mesa, Arizona—who was neither Muslim nor Middle Eastern—was murdered by an attacker who misunderstood his religious dress.
In contrast, there have been no reported vigilante actions against Somalis or Muslims in Kenya in the wake of the horrific Westgate massacre in Nairobi. Why the difference? One answer could be the media’s coverage. In both cases—after 9/11 and Westgate alike—Muslim imams and community leaders quickly and unambiguously condemned the terrorist attacks, calling them contrary to true Islamic teachings. In the United States, these denunciations were hardly mentioned in the media, while in Kenya they were given prominent coverage. Such media attention makes a major difference.
But that doesn’t mean Somalis living in Kenya don’t face serious challenges. As in the United States after 9/11, security in Kenya has increased considerably since the attack, leaving some Kenyans vulnerable to racial or religious profiling. Moreover, some politicians have used the disaster to escalate attacks on Somalis.
“The money transfer companies will come up with a solution acceptable to all sides if they are given a realistic deadline. A regulatory solution that will enable cash transfer accounts to remain open must be found, but it needs time and we cannot have a situation where this solution is owned by everybody and nobody at the same time.”
Cutting remittances will hurt ordinary folk
22 Oct – Source: Daily Nation – 535 Words
The decision by Barclays Bank plc to terminate its support for the money transfer operations that are a lifeline for Somali citizens and their families risks choking the fragile recovery that our country’s economy is at last beginning to make after two decades of turmoil.
In this past year, we have made advances in security, education, human rights, public finance management, reconciliation and good governance. However there is still a long way to go and Somalis still depend heavily on the Somali diaspora for help.
Somalis in the UK, US and throughout the world send about $1.3 billion back home each year. These remittances provide essential income for 4.2 million Somalis, represent half of our country’s national income, and dwarf what the country receives in international aid.
The average remittance transfer is between $100-$200, the same as the average monthly income for a Somali family to survive on. For many, these remittances make a difference between a full belly and hunger, education and ignorance, sickness and health.
Top tweets
@amisomsomalia Snapshots from the city of #BeletWeynetaken over the month of October #Somalia http://bit.ly/HcIsvD http://on.fb.me/YJ6HUd.
@WFPSomalia Investing in the future. @WFP school meals keep #Somali children in school. Look at how these children are glowing! pic.twitter.com/bKjpK6e08W.
@MaryFitzger Mogadishu is home to 370,000 internally displaced people – the largest single urban IDP population in the world, according to UNHCR #Somalia.
@BBCAfrica How one man from London went from teenage gang member to #al-Shabab extremist who died fighting in#Somalia. Watch: http://bbc.in/1fVwmFH.
@UNSomalia #UN Secretary-General’s letter to the Security Council calling for more support to the #Somali army &@amisomsomalia: http://bit.ly/17dP8U6.
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