November 27, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Muheesi sent to Somalia as Burundi takes over AMISOM

27 Nov- Source: Daily Monitor- 446 words

Maj Gen Geoffrey Baraba Muheesi last night flew to Somalia a decorated and contented man having been promoted from Brigadier and appointed deputy forces commander in-charge of operations for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

He was decorated yesterday by the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, at the army headquarters in Mbuya.

According to sources at Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the former defence adviser to India, “passed through a thorough screening process, he emerged the best out of three and was interviewed both in Uganda and by Amisom.”

A visibly excited Gen Muheesi, accompanied by his wife, said: “This is a great day for me. It is a great feeling. All along I have given my best now the army is rewarding me and I pledge not to let it down.”

Key Headlines

Somali President appoints new Central Bank Governor (Radio Garowe/Jowhar Online)
Somaliland parliament speaker detained in Hargeisa (Radio Dalsan/Xogta News Online)
Muheesi sent to Somalia as Burundi takes over AMISOM (Daily Monitor)
Twenty four Somalis arrested in Sudan (Radio Bar-kulan)
Unknown assailants attack Iranian Red Crescent office in Mogadishu (Radio Dalsan)
Somali Volleyball league got under way in capital (RBC)
Heavy rains wash dirty water into wells in Jariban (Radio Ergo)
Security forces apprehend citizens for using former Somali Passport (Radio Dalsan)
Somali man found not guilty of piracy in 2008 ship hijack (The Guardian/AP)
Cost of Kenya’s Somalia incursion hits Sh26 billion (Business Daily Africa)
It’s safe to return home Somalia assures refugees (Standard)
Alleged rape victim journalists jailed at Mogadishu Central Prison (Sabahi Online)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali President appoints new Central Bank Governor

27 Nov- Source: Radio Garowe/Jowhar Online/Xogta News-134 words

Despite political crisis involving President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon, Somalia has a new central bank governor, according to independent sources.

President Hassan has reportedly appointed Bashir Isse Ali who served as the head of the country’s highest monetary authority under TFG (Transitional Federal Government) of Former Somalia President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. Ali replaces former governor Yusur Abrar, who resigned recently.

The Somali Federal Government Finance Minister Mohamud Hassan Suleiman Wednesday said Mohamud discussed the appointment of temporary chief for the Central Bank with International Donors representatives in Mogadishu on Tuesday.

The appointee, Isse resigned on the grounds of new Somali Shilling banknotes when Former TFG finance Minister Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan insisted that Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s government forged an agreement with a Sudanese company to print new Somali shilling.

Unknown assailants attack Iranian Red Crescent office in Mogadishu

27 Nov- Source: Radio Dalsan- 141 words

At least one civilian was wounded after heavy gunfire between unknown assailants and security guards for the Iranian Red Crescent office in Mogadishu on Monday night.

According to police sources, the unknown attackers hurled hand grenade at the building where the Iranian Red Crescent uses as an office near Benadir Junction of Mogadishu’s Hodan neighborhood.

The attackers then tried to storm the building but they were repelled by the heavily armed security guards in the building. The police forces reached the building just as the attackers escaped from the area.

It was not immediately clear what the motive of the attack was and who was behind it. The militant group of al Shabaab has previously claimed attacks and suicide explosions against several foreign aid agencies and offices in Somalia capital, but there were no indication of them claiming the attack.

Twenty four Somalis arrested in Sudan

27 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 79 words

Twenty four Somalis have been arrested in Sudan’s capital of Khartoum for illegally entering the country according to some of the Somali community members in Sudan. Abdiweli Hassan Hussein Fadilatuhu, one of the Somalis living in Khartoum told Bar-kulan the twenty four were detained after arriving in a boat from Yemen in the city of Port Sudan. He added that nine of the twenty four were women and were accused of entering in the country without proper documentations.

Somaliland parliament speaker detained in Hargeisa

27 Nov- Source: Xogta News Online/Radio Dalsan- 116 words

Police in Hargeisa have detained Somaliland’s parliament speaker Abdurahman Irro along with four other members of his opposition party. Abdurahman Irro who is also the chairman of the political opposition party of Wadani was arrested from his home on Tuesday night and was taken into unknown police custody.

Mohamed Dirir, the information secretary of Wadani opposition party has confirmed the arrest of Wadani chairman together with four other party members.

It was unclear what the motive of his arrest was, but the move came two days after Feysal Ali Warabe, the chairman of UCID, another renowned opposition party in Somaliland was pushed back from Hargeysa airport while he was planning to travel to outside the country.

Heavy rains wash dirty water into wells in Jariban

27 Nov- Source: Radio Ergo- 212 words

Water wells in Jariban district of Mudug region have been contaminated as a result of the storm and floods that hit Puntland last week. Mohamud Abshir, a local resident, said the carcasses of livestock drowned in the floods had entered the main well in Jariban, which is the only source of water available to the majority of residents and their livestock. Other water pans and boreholes on the outskirts of the town had also been polluted by flood debris.

“The dirty waters submerged the entire district including water sources and streets and there are signs of ill health in the district,” Abshir told Radio Ergo’s local reporter, who visited the district. A local medical officer, Abdulahi Ali, told Radio Ergo that waterborne diseases had already broken out. He said several patients, mainly children, were suffering from malaria and diarrhea.

“These patients can’t get the necessary treatment in the town because the local hospital is inactive due to lack of drugs and funds,” Ali said.

The district hospital, which was reopened last year by the local community, was closed again due to financial and supply constraints. Ali said even the volunteer staff who had hoped to stay on at the hospital had now left because they had no medicines to give the patients.

Security forces apprehend citizens for using former Somali Passport

27 Nov- Source: Radio Dalsan/RBC- 147 words

Security forces of the Federal Government of Somalia apprehended on Tuesday more than 20 citizens who were traveling from Mogadishu to Hargeisa.

The 20 individuals- men and women were arrested while waiting to depart to their travel destination from Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport after the immigration officials found them using the former Somali Passport.

Gen Abdullahi Gaafow, head of the Immigration and Naturalization of Somalia said that the government already banned the former Somali Passport which was replaced by the new E-Passport.

“We have arrested 20 people as they were trying to use illegal passport to reach some parts of Somalia.” Gen Gaafow said.

The 20 individuals were handed to the police for further investigation as the immigration officials blamed some of the airline agents were wooing the people to use former passport to travel to Hargeisa and Berbera of the breakaway region of Somaliland.

Somali Volleyball league got under way in capital

26 Nov- Source: RBC- 235 words

After its recent reappearance into the world volleyball platform, the Somali volleyball federation has organized its 26th volleyball men’s championship which got under way in Mogadishu over the weekend.

The competition gathered 8 division ‘A’ teams, according to Somali Volleyball federation Secretary general Mohamed Abubakar Hirei who addressed at the launching ceremony of the league on Saturday.

“On behalf of Somali volleyball Federation I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Confederation African de Volleyball (CAVB) for its support and assistance to Somalia” said Secretary General Mohamed Abubakar Hirei adding that CAVB donated the latest volleyballs used in the world to the country whose volleyball is recovering from years of setbacks.

Somali Volleyball Federation president Engineer Abdulkader Omar Abukar who delivered a short speech at the launching ceremony of the country’s volleyball division A league said he was very grateful to CAVB President Amr ELWANI for his continued support.

“I would like to announce that this beautiful competition we are starting today wouldn’t have been possible for us to do without the support of CAVB President Amr ELWANI “ Somalia’s volleyball Boss told the ceremony.

The Somali military club ‘Horseed’ defeated its Dekedaha rivals by 3-2 in the opening match. Horseed are the defending champions of the competition. Former Somali basketball federation president Ibrahim Hussein Ali, now Somali NOC executive committee member and officials from the civil service development ministry attended Saturday’s opening match.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Muheesi sent to Somalia as Burundi takes over AMISOM

27 Nov- Source: Daily Monitor- 446 words

He was decorated yesterday by the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, at the army headquarters in Mbuya.

Cost of Kenya’s Somalia incursion hits Sh26 billion

26 Nov- Source: Business Daily Africa-845 Words

Kenya’s incursion into neighbouring Somalia has consumed more than Sh25 billion whose reimbursement Nairobi is urgently seeking to ease its budgetary constraints. Kenya is looking up to the United Nations to reimburse the money spent by its defence forces – now in Somalia as part of the African Union Mission (AMISOM) in the coming months, having factored it in the Budget.

Amisom, comprising Burundi, Uganda, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Kenyan forces, is backed by the UN but Kenya, which was the last to join the stabilisation force, has only received minimum external financial support for its contribution. The Treasury has included the Sh26.8 billion that the Kenyan Defence Forces have so far spent in the 2013 budget review and outlook paper, meaning it expects the reimbursement to be made in the coming months.

Nairobi made a similar provision for the payment of Sh18.9 billion in the last financial year but was paid only Sh5.4 billion, leaving a Sh13.1 billion deficit. Delay in reimbursement of the money has been linked to UN’s insistence on proper verification of Kenya’s claims that are yet to be done, culminating in budgetary pressures with the continued build-up of public expenditure obligations.

It’s safe to return home, Somalia assures refugees

26 Nov- Source:Standard- 203 words

The Somalia Government has assured Somali refugees in Kenya that it is safe to return home. Somalia Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Ali Nur said the Somalia Government will continue creating conducive conditions for the safe return of refugees to enable them quickly settle and rebuild their lives.

“There are places that are already safe and ultimately we will secure the whole country. We will never put the Somali people in harm’s way by sending them to places where it is not safe,” he said during a media briefing in Nairobi. He added: “We are grateful to the Kenyan Government and its people for temporarily hosting us for more than two decades. We will help the refugees settle in the country they once called home and give them incentives to help them in rebuilding their lives and provide for their families.” Nur reiterated that no one will be forced to go back as there is a legal framework they have to abide by. However, some refugees are reluctant to go back to Somalia over fears of insecurity. Zulekha Salat fled Somalia with her parents in the late 80s, a time when Somalia was torn apart by civil war. She is now married with children.

Alleged rape victim, journalists jailed at Mogadishu Central Prison

26 Nov- Source: Sabahi Online- 943 words

In a move that has sparked further outrage and concern among human rights groups, a young woman who said she was raped and the journalist who interviewed her were transferred Monday (November 25th) to Mogadishu Central Prison without an official trial or conviction. The two are charged with false reporting.

Benadir District Chief Judge Hashi Elmi Nur said he based his decision to transfer 19-year-old Fadumo Abdulqadir Hassan and the Radio Shabelle journalist who interviewed her, Mohamed Bashir Hashi, to the central prison pending ongoing investigations and the search for evidence.

Radio Shabelle director Abdimalik Yusuf Mohamud was also re-arrested on Saturday as he was visiting Hashi at the Criminal Investigation Department. He was detained on the spot and then transferred to the central prison along with the others.

Hassan Sheikh’s building already ablaze

25 Nov – Source: Africain telligence – 770 words

Just as differences over Jubaland seemed to be calming down a little, the tension that has been simmering for a while between President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon moved up a notch at the beginning of November. This crisis in the country’s executive subsequently spread to parliament, where the partisans of both sides have been confronting each other for several days, threatening to send the already fragile regime into a tailspin. To such an extent that it could compromise the Mogadishu government’s capacity to prepare for the major military offensive against the al Shabaab militants expected in the second quarter of 2014.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali man found not guilty of piracy in 2008 ship hijack

27 Nov- Source:the Guardian/AP- 744 words

A federal jury Tuesday found a Somali man who acted as a negotiator for pirates aboard a hijacked ship not guilty of piracy, but had not yet reached a verdict on two lesser charges.

Ali Mohamed Ali, 51, who would have faced a mandatory life sentence if convicted of piracy, smiled and embraced one of his lawyers after the verdict was announced. He then removed his glasses and dabbed his eyes. A friend in the courtroom sobbed. Ali has been held in a DC jail for more than two and a half years.

US district judge Ellen Huvelle told the jurors, who began deliberations last Wednesday, to continue deliberating on two remaining charges of hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking. Both of those charges carry potential, but not mandatory life sentences, and Ali is unlikely to receive a life sentence even if the jury convicts him on those charges.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Director of Stolen Seas highlights the plight of Somali-American ransom negotiator now in a US jail awaiting trial on piracy.”

Accused pirate tells his side of the story

27 Nov- Source: The Star Online -643 Words

As film-goers head to the cinema to watch Captain Phillips, the Hollywood action thriller about Somali piracy, Ishmael Ali will not be among them. Ali is the protagonist of a different film, which focuses on his role as a negotiator in another real-life piracy drama. Ali is in jail and about to go on trial in the United States after being accused of being a pirate himself.

Thymaya Payne, director of the award-winning documentary Stolen Seas, says Ali has always insisted he was compelled to negotiate on behalf of the pirates. A US citizen who spent most of his working life as an electrician in New York, Ali returned home to Somalia but was drawn into the drama because of his excellent English.

“He saw himself as a counterpart to the British security consultants who represent the shipping company on the other side,” said Payne. While the documentary was being edited in 2011, Ali was invited to a piracy conference in the US. He was arrested as soon as he arrived in Washington and has been held ever since.

“This case and many before it have unearthed the real relationship between the Somali government and the media. It’s obvious that something has got to change.”

The Somali Government’s Love and Hate Relationship with Media and Journalists

26 Nov- Source: Somalianewsroom- Words

A new high-profile case involving rape accusations in Somalia has flooded the Internet again. A 19-year-old woman who accused two Somali government radio journalists of rape was arrested and arraigned along with her interviewer, a Radio Shabelle employee, for defamation charges.

According to sources familiar with the case, the Somali government belatedly and briefly detained the alleged perpetrators before releasing them while the alleged victim and the interviewer were rounded up as soon as the report was released to the media.

The love and hate relationship between journalists and government officials is something that’s been going on since the collapse of Siad Barre’s government in 1991.

“In this monograph, however, Dr. J. Peter Pham adopts a different approach. Beginning with a keen appreciation for the intricacies of Somali culture and
history, he argues that the key is to understand political legitimacy among the Somali and then examines how both al-Shabaab and the different local polities that have emerged in Somalia have, to varying degrees, acquired it—as well as how successive Somali regimes have not.”

State Collapse, Insurgency, and Counterinsurgency: Lessons from Somalia

26 Nov- Source: Strategic Studies Institute/Small Wars Journal-407 Words

For almost a generation, Somalia has been a byword for state failure, defying the combined efforts of diplomats and soldiers to restore some semblance of order, to say nothing of a functional national government. In the absence of an effective sovereign, the country is a backdrop for multiple humanitarian crises, as well as the emergence of an epidemic of maritime piracy that threatened vital sea lanes in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean.

Even worse, notwithstanding a military intervention by the army of neighboring Ethiopia and the subsequent deployment of an African Union force operating with a mandate from the United Nations Security Council, an al Qaeda-linked militant group, al Shabaab, managed to seize control of most of central and southern Somalia and confined the internationally-recognized government and the peacekeepers protecting it to little more than a few besieged districts in the capital of Mogadishu.

Top tweets

@UNSomalia History, background & work of #UN political missions around the world incl. #Somalia in a report by #UNSG http://ow.ly/r1UbB via @UN_DPA

@SomaliaNewsroom ICYMI: #Kenya Minister and Media Stir Confusion on Refugee Return http://wp.me/p2mzkG-M8 A legal outlook at Lenku/media statements #Somalia

@Refugees Pilot project starting w/ #refugees returning on their own to #Somalia. Discussing Luuq, Baidoa & Kismayo areashttp://rfg.ee/rcKCN

@JamalMOsman In Adaado #Somalia, every afternoon a man walks through the town with a camel advertising as tomorrow’smeat. pic.twitter.com/zb4PXFO9x0

@JamesGadin Meeting in Addis Ababa of #AMISOM troops + police contributors + #Somalia + Ethiopia to discuss troops surge pic.twitter.com/MIzm2TvCJs

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Image of the day

Image of the day Deputy PM & Minister of Foreign Affairs of #Somalia meets H.E. Joe Costello, Minister for Development & Trade of Ireland in Brussels, on 27 November 2013. Photo: @engyarisow