December 27, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Committee to manage aid delivery set up in Middle Shabelle

27 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle/Radio Bar-kulan- 116 words The commissioner of Middle Shabelle region Abdi Jinow Alasow has formed a committee to manage the delivery of aid to flood and inter-clan survivors in the region. The head of the newly formed committee, Ali Iley told Bar-kulan that the main task of the committee is to ensure that the aid is equally delivered to all affected people in Middle Shabelle region. He called on the population in the region who are in need of aid to directly contact the committee. Middle Shabelle region is a home to hundreds of victims of the recent flooding of Shabelle River and inter-clan conflicts in the region.

Key Headlines

Committee to manage aid delivery set up in Middle Shabelle (Radio Shabelle/Bar-kulan)
Somaliland Police arrest man over murder (Somaliland Informer)
Somali President off to Kenya for IGAD summit (Hiiraan Online)
Kenya police officer who took 15 bullets at Westgate gets award (Standard Media)
Bulo Burde residents flee al-Shabaab’s oppressive rule (Sabahi Online)
China to continue fighting pirates off Somalia (Xinhua/Daijiworld)

PRESS STATEMENT

SOMALIA: Somali Prime Minister Handover Ceremony in Mogadishu

26 Dec – Source: Office of the Prime Minister – 335 words His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed today officially takes over responsibility and duties of the Office of The Prime Minister. Speaking during the handover ceremony he thanked the president, parliament and the outgoing Prime Minister H.E. Abdi Farah Shirdon for their support during transition. He stated the government’s vision and key priorities. “I would like to assure the Somali people that we will put together a professional and transparent government that is committed to deliver public services”, the Prime Minister said. Focusing on delivery he stated that the government will utilize the available local knowledge and experience, and will set strategies to build institutional capacities for delivering concrete results to the Somali people. During handover ceremony Prime Minister outlined his focus on security, economic, social development and rebuilding the legislative branch of the government. He commented on his commitment towards building a capable and technocratic cabinet. He is expected to announce his new cabinet in few days. He stated that cabinet members will be selected based on merit, expertise and experience. “I am well aware of the reality in Somalia and the constraints facing the government today. I believe we need to have a bold vision to reach a stable, democratic and prosperous Somalia”, The Prime Minister said at the office transfer ceremony. The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to the New Deal Compact agreed in the Brussels conference on 16th September. He stated that the New Deal will support the institutional capabilities and capacity, services delivery systems and the Federal government by providing a resources and a framework for carrying the Peacebuilding and Statebuilding process. The ceremony was concluded with the President H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud welcoming the new Prime Minister and thanked the outgoing Prime Minister. He urges the Somali people and the international community to provide full support and cooperation to the new government at this critical stage in Somalia.

SOMALI MEDIA

Committee to manage aid delivery set up in Middle Shabelle

Somaliland Police arrest man over murder

27 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer- 121 words Police in Erigavo have arrested a man who deliberately killed another man by the name of Hassan Nasir Jama on Thursday morning according to police. Sanaag Police Chief Mr. Hassan Ismail Yusuf “Gacmayare” speaking to the press said that the man named Mr. Abshir Hassan Warsame was arrested by police in Erigavo after thorough search. He further added that the killer will be brought before court of law. Sanaag police chief has thanked the members of police that were part of the operation that led to the detention of the murderer.

26 trainees complete training course in Burao

26 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Somaliland Press- 113 words 26 trainees have completed a six-month training course on Business and Journalism skills in Burao town, the provincial capital of Togdher region. The training course was sponsored by Gaafo, a local non-governmental organization in Somaliland. Gaafo regional representative, Mohamud Ibrahim Jama Barawani said that the course is aimed at improving the skills of the people in order to allow them manage their livelihoods in a better way. He emphasized that his organization will continue to offer the training courses as he urged the local people to make good use of the courses. Jama Abdullahi Ali, one of Togdher region education officers thanked the local NGO while congratulating the trainees who completed the courses.

Somali President off to Kenya for IGAD summit

26 Dec – Source: Hiiraan Online – 287 words Somali President Hassan Sheik Mahmoud has flown to Nairobi for an urgent IGAD summit slated in Kenya for 27th of December which will focus on the troubled situation of South Sudan, where fierce fighting has been raging between government and rebels for the past several weeks. Heads of state of IGAD member nations will try to consolidate the fragile ceasefire between the warring sides in South Sudan, although sporadic fights were reported in some areas in the country despite IGAD foreign ministers mediated a ceasefire between the Juba government and the rebels earlier in the week. In their recent mediation attempts IGAD foreign ministers met with the president of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit who promised an unconditional ceasefire plus the launch of negotiations with the rebels in a bid to reach a lasting solution for the anarchy in the world’s newest country. According to a presidential statement, the Somali President will address at the IGAD summit, and during his address president Hassan Sheik Mahmoud is expected to illustrate how the IGAD member nations might have confirmed a concrete and lasting solution for the armed confrontations in the country in a bid to prevent further human casualties.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya police officer who took 15 bullets at Westgate gets award

27 Dec- Source: Standard Media-293 Words A brave policeman who was shot 15 time while trying to save thousands of Nairobians has been honoured by the Police Service. Little known Sergeant Godfrey Moses Emojong was among officers injured during the four-day siege of Westgate Mall by al Shabaab terrorists in September. Emojong received a medal during an annual ceremony to honour outstanding police officers at a Nairobi hotel on December 19. Police said he was among the first policemen to enter the mall minutes after gunmen stormed the shopping centre shooting indiscriminately. According to a citation for the award Emojong, “tactfully, skillfully, bravely and professionally entered the mall with little regard to his safety where he managed to free hundreds of hostages who had been held captive by the attackers. “The officer even after being shot several times (total of 15 bullets) daringly fought the militants who had put up a strong resistance thus managing to rescue many hostages.”

Bulo Burde residents flee al-Shabaab’s oppressive rule

26 Dec- Source: Sabahi Online-859 Words Residents of Bulo Burde have grown increasingly concerned about al-Shabaab tactics after the militants started cracking down on existing rules regarding residents’ clothing, hairstyles, leisure time and access to information. For the past two months, al-Shabaab militants have been harassing youth they say are “dressing like infidels”, residents in Somalia’s Hiran region told Sabahi. On a regular basis, al-Shabaab members roaming the streets round up anyone not abiding by the groups’ strict dress code, according to Ismail Mohamed, a 28-year-old who fled Bulo Burde in November. Mohamed, who used to own a general store in Bulo Burde, said he relocated to Beledweyne hoping to rebuild his life there in peace. Back in Bulo Burde, he said, anyone wearing long pants and what the militants consider tight or fashionable clothing is targeted. They are taken to al-Shabaab headquarters where they receive a lecture, have their pants shortened on the spot, are stripped of their shirts and have their hair shaven.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

China to continue fighting pirates off Somalia

27 Dec- Source: Xinhua/Daijiworld-206 Words China will continue to send naval fleets on escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, described by a Chinese naval officer as the nation’s international obligation. The pirates in the area have become more violent and are brazen in using weapons. Reinforcing escort forces is a real need and a long-term mission, Xinhua quoted Ding Yiping, deputy commander in the Chinese navy, as saying Thursday, the fifth anniversary of China’s first such escort mission. In the past five years, China has sent 16 fleets composed of 42 warships to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, escorting 5,465 vessels and rescuing 42 ships attacked by the pirates, said Ding. A total of 13,214 marines have participated in the escort missions. Pirate activity has dropped off drastically in the wake of the escorts from various countries, Ding said. Only 11 incidents have been recorded this year to date, and none of them were successful. The navy will expand its escort area and strengthen cooperation with international forces to ensure regional and world peace, he said.

Stitch by stitch, refugee women in Kenya craft new lives for themselves

26 Dec- Source: UNHCR/Reuters-698 Words Lydia Umutoniwase fixes her gaze on a sewing machine as she prepares to thread a needle. She is deep in concentration, despite the chatter of women and whir of other machines surrounding her. To her left is a pile of colourful scarves freshly pressed and ready for sale. Lydia, 19, is one of the more than two dozen young refugee women who form the Maisha Collective. The group makes and sells tie-dyed textiles and scarves, allowing the members to learn a trade and earn an income. “Maisha” means “life” in Kiswahili, and Lydia says for the members it has indeed opened the door to a new existence in a new country. “When I was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I didn’t have hope. But now, my life has changed,” she says softly in halting English, but with a wide smile. The scarves are sold at craft fairs and stores in Nairobi and online. Since the collective began in 2009, it has sold thousands of scarves — to people who live as far away as Canada, the United States and Europe. What the buyers do not see are the proud faces of the young women — all refugees who arrived in Kenya as children or teenagers on their own and are now able to pay their own rent and put food on the table.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“While the Somali Artifact and Cultural Museum is building their staff and volunteer team, regular hours will not being until 2014.”

The Somali Artifact and Cultural Museum

26 Dec- Source: Insight News-196 Words The Somali Artifact and Cultural Museum, 1516 East Lake Street, at Midtown Global Market, is the only Somali heritage museum in North America. Founder and curator Osman Ali wanted to remind Somali youth where and what they came from. “It is important for them to learn what their ancestors were doing a long time ago,” said Ali. The founder also said Minnesotans can benefit from the museum. “I want them to learn about the new community of Minnesota.” The museum serves as a permanent home to more than 700 traditional artifacts from the continent of Somalia. There have been two exhibits at the museum: “Water and Milk Vessels” and “Women’s Work,” the current exhibit which features a simulation of a Somali hut. Outreach Coordinator Sarah Larsson said it gives the museum visitor a sense of the “traditional home” in Somali.

“The threat to a future peaceful and prosperous Somalia has two phases. One phase is for the Somalis who segregated themselves and allowed leaders to manipulate and destroy their lives and future under pretext of defending a cause without thinking of their plight and yet not showing a slight mercy to speak of. The other phase is for the leaders that hardly believe that tomorrow is another day and things may change straight away and get out of their control if they want to press ahead with the mentality, culture and attitude of today that are totally irrelevant to the predicament and prevailing conditions in the country.”

The future of Somalia and the threat of nationhood

26 Dec – Source: Raxanreeb – 620 words Not long time ago when Somalia’s huge problems arose following the collapse of the statehood of Somalia in 1991. The ensuing political and social footballs precipitated waves of hostilities and conflict that wiped out any sign of government and paved the way for destruction, disarray and internecine war. The lucky people managed to walk away from the tragedy and sought a refuge in overseas. The vulnerable and impoverished families stayed put as they were financially challenged and even who didn’t know where to go, where to flee and nothing to do. Many of them were butchered on separate occasions aimed the intensity of clashes while as for others narrowly survived from the havoc and the man-made disaster but sustained trauma and psychological problems due to the loss of loved ones and other painful experiences they encountered over successive years. The populations are wearied by warlordism leading one another that ruled out for the country to reclaim its nationhood and the betterment of the whole situation throughout the country. To add their misery, the Somali nationals within the country developed a great concern for future as to lacking in security, education, employment, health care and more other basic needs that were previously covered by the late government of Somalia. Although there is a glimmer of hope in the air but a significant breakthrough and a nationwide upheaval is unlikely to come for the years ahead in regard to the deepening political discord and the disintegration of the grassroots.

Top tweets

@tresthomas_HOA In #Mogadishu, a traffic cop scolds then rides with a license-less driver to HQ to be booked for an offense http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sopa8GIZpEU …#Somalia

@Aynte Stunning of photos of #Somalia capital #Mogadishuslowly but steadily coming back to life http://bit.ly/1dVj0oQ

@amisomsomalia Fishermen ready their boats to go out onto the open ocean in the old port of #Mogadishu, #Somalia, on December 21. pic.twitter.com/n63Wc1i9dm

@TurkishGazette #UN expert urges new #Somali government to finalize and implement human rights roadmaphttp://u.aa.com.tr/267519

@Hamza_Africa Two #Somali nationals killed in South Sudan violence according to foreign minister Fawzia Yusuf. #Somalia

Follow the conversation →

Image of the day

Image of the day Somalia’s new PM Abdiweli Sh. Ahmed officially takes the office, at a ceremony held on Thursday in the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu. @Daudoo