December 31, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Uganda to deploy 2,200 army veterans to Somalia
31 Dec – Source: Daily Monitor – 303 words
The army has recalled at least 2,200 ex-soldiers for deployment against the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab terrorists in war-ravaged Somalia. The recall targets army veterans, retired soldiers, reserve forces, Local Defence Units and members of auxiliary forces like Amuka and Arrow Boys in northern and eastern regions.
The UPDF’s Fifth Division spokesperson, Lt Telesphor Turamumanya, at the weekend said the recruitment is intended to beef security in Somalia early next year. He also said more than 180 ex-soldiers are expected to come from the Fifth Division which covers Lango and Acholi regions after undergoing a three-month training. The Fifth Division spokesperson also said the veterans must be below 47 years and should have been at the rank of lieutenant at the time of retirement if they are to be eligible for deployment.
Key Headlines
- Local aid workers kidnapped in southern Somalia (Jowhar Online/Al Shahid)
- Somaliland Ethiopia hold talks (Somaliland Informer)
- Uganda to deploy 2200 army veterans to Somalia (Daily Monitor)
- UN chief appoints new deputy envoy to Somalia (Xinhua/UN News Centre)
- Somali female journalists establish new association in Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu)
- Somalia: Vetting Committee Reveals New Puntland MPs Line-Up (Garowe Online)
- Somalia’s Hopes of Broadband Internet in 2014 Hangs in Question (Hiiraan Online)
- Somaliland parliament speaker deputies strike deal to end feud (Somaliland Informer)
SOMALI MEDIA
Local aid workers kidnapped in southern Somalia
31 Dec- Source: Jowahr Online/al Shahid- 46 words
Four Somali officials and their driver working for Juba Foundation and Southern Aid were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Sunday in the area between the Dhobley and Tabta in the province of Lower Juba in southern Somalia. The kidnapped officials were on their way to Tabta village, according to an anonymous Somali official. No report on their whereabouts and those behind the kidnapping.
Somali female journalists establish new association in Mogadishu
31 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu- 106 words
A highly organized ceremony to launch a new association for Somali female journalists have been held in the Somali capital Mogadishu. The ceremony was attended by federal government officials, journalists and civil society representatives.
Somali president spokesperson, Eng. Abdirahman Omar Osman Yarisow welcomed the establishment of the new association and promised that the government will work with it. Nimo Hassan Abdi, the chairperson of the new association said that the idea of creating the new association came after Somali female journalists discussed on ways to enhance cooperation between the female journalists. She added that they will work with other Somali journalists associations in the country.
Vetting Committee Reveals New Puntland MPs Line-Up
31 Dec – Source: Garowe Online/Somalicurrent- 457 words
The Vetting and Conflict Resolution Committee in Somalia’s Puntland region has announced the new 66-member list of Members of Parliament, ahead of the presidential election on January 8, 2014. Mr. Yusuf Abshir Adami, chairman of Puntland Vetting Committee, made the announcement at Parliament Hall in the capital Garowe.
Vetting and Resolution Committee of Puntlands Representative Parliament has approved on Monday night the new members of the regional parliament.
Clan elders selected the 66 members’ assembly, after a planned general elections was abandoned due to fear of clashes and election dispute.
The former parliament voted unanimously to allow clan elders to select new members of parliament before it was dissolved on July this year.
The assembly will elect the regional president on January 8 and will have its first session on Wednesday(January 1), to elect Speaker and then Election Commission.
Somaliland, Ethiopia hold talks
31 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer- 238 words
The Governments of Ethiopia and Somaliland have held talks and discussed the best way that students from Somaliland currently studying in Ethiopian universities to be protected by the government of Ethiopia and not to be targeted.
Ever since the Ethiopian government arrested groups plotting to carry out explosions in Addis Ababa, there is a growing fear that Somali community is faced with after reports said that Somali nationals are among individuals apprehended. The agency in charge of intelligence decided that foreigners based in Ethiopia to be snooped and followed.
The decision has caused widespread anxiety among Somaliland students who currently study at Ethiopian universities. Reports said that students from Somaliland take temporary visas rather than residence visas which they encounter hurdles. Parents of Somaliland students expressed their worry over the decision made by Ethiopia to snoop on the foreigners.
Somaliland Assistant Foreign Minister Hon. Mowlid Mohamoud Ibrahim said that the two governments held talks and it is agreed that a joint committee from both sides will come up with the exact number of Somaliland students in Ethiopia.
Somaliland parliament speaker, deputies strike deal to end feud
30 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer- 144 words
It was just last week ago when Deputy and Vice Deputy Speaker of Representatives, Bashe Mohamed Farah and Ali Yusuf Ahmed, respectively, placed a complaint to Hargeisa’s High Court against House Speaker, Abdirahman Irro.
The complaint is about a committee reshuffle whereby the House Speaker implemented widespread changes without prior consultation with the Deputy and Vice Deputy Speakers.
However, it appears that a deal has been brokered. The House Speaker, after opening the last parliamentary session, passed the floor over to his Deputies. It is believed that a closed-door meeting took place, or a series of meetings, whereby all three individuals agreed on ending the feud.
Deputy Speaker, Bashe Mohamed Farah is also expected to contact the High Court and retract the previous complaint. Both, Bashe and House Speaker Irro are to hold a joint-press conference sometime soon.
Somaliland: Phase II of Airport Upgrades Expected to Start Soon
30 Dec- Source: Somaliland Press- 327 words
Somaliland Government recently received a new grant from the Kuwait fund to be used to finish the remaining 1KM of the runway and to build electrical system that will support for day and night operations at the Egal Airport including 70 KM of security Fence.
The visual aid which are expected to be installed at the Egal Airport include Runway, Taxiway and approach lights. The non-visual aids are Instrument Landing system and navigation equipment which aircrafts utilize in order to make a safe landing when the visibility and the height of the cloud drops below the standard set by the international civil aviation organization. All these equipments including the communications radios are all basic fundamentals of safety.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Uganda to deploy 2,200 army veterans to Somalia
31 Dec – Source: Daily Monitor – 303 words
The army has recalled at least 2,200 ex-soldiers for deployment against the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab terrorists in war-ravaged Somalia. The recall targets army veterans, retired soldiers, reserve forces, Local Defence Units and members of auxiliary forces like Amuka and Arrow Boys in northern and eastern regions.
The UPDF’s Fifth Division spokesperson, Lt Telesphor Turamumanya, at the weekend said the recruitment is intended to beef security in Somalia early next year. He also said more than 180 ex-soldiers are expected to come from the Fifth Division which covers Lango and Acholi regions after undergoing a three-month training. The Fifth Division spokesperson also said the veterans must be below 47 years and should have been at the rank of lieutenant at the time of retirement if they are to be eligible for deployment.
Kenya: We will weed out radical Muslim youths, promises DP William Ruto
31 Dec- Source: Standard Media- 228 words
The Government has warned of decisive action against the radicalisation of Muslim youths believed to be behind runaway crime at the Coast. This is the first time the Office of the President has spoken about Muslim youth radicalisation in the region, that is blamed for a wave of daring takeovers of mosques, killing of members of the clergy and arson attacks on churches. Deputy President William Ruto said the Government was concerned over increased radicalisation and recruitment of Muslim youths from the Coast to fight for terrorists groups in the region adding that they would weed out the radicals. Ruto said they would deploy the military where necessary to combat the in security in the country.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UN chief appoints new deputy envoy to Somalia
31 Dec – Source: Xinhua/Global Times/UN News Centre – 261 words
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon announced Monday the appointment of Philippe Lazzarini as his Deputy Special Representative, as well as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia. Lazzarini, a citizen of Switzerland, will serve as deputy to Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicholas Kay, who heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (USM).
The Security Council established the mission in May to more effectively coordinate international support for the government of Somalia, an African country which has been torn asunder by factional fighting since 1991 but has recently made progress towards stability.
Suspected terrorist Samantha Lewthwaite continues to thwart authorities
31 Dec- Source: Toronto Star-1709 Words
She is called the most wanted woman in the world, a suspected terrorist charged with plotting to blow up resort hotels in Kenya packed with Christmas tourists, a Westerner who wrote an ode praising Osama bin Laden, a jihadist who has eluded the law even as she has travelled through Africa with four young children in tow. Samantha Lewthwaite’s saga is one of betrayal and revenge in a murky world where, somehow, a white woman born to a British soldier becomes a Muslim convert and then an international fugitive accused of conspiracy.
Her first husband blew himself up as part of Britain’s worst-ever terrorist attack in 2005, an act she first condemned — and her second partner adhered to the same militant brand of Islam and also apparently met an early death. Her notebooks, seized in 2011, are filled with lavish praise for extremists who slaughter civilians and hopes that her children will do the same.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Despite the disillusionment with American think tanks and institutions this has caused, I’m keeping my eye out for other talks on Somalia. Hopefully more will be committed to the truth rather than their respective ideological biases.”
How to not talk about Somalia
30 Dec- Source: Africa on the Blog-820 Words
Last month I attended two events in DC that focused on Somalia. Both left much to be desired and were woefully inadequate in giving a nuanced picture of Somalia. I will try to tackle the flagrant inaccuracies and glaring omissions of each. The first event was held at the Institute of World Politics (IWP). Had I known that IWP is neoconservative and issues masters degrees in defense and security, I probably would have avoided it. But seeing as the speaker was a native Somali with an interesting background I thought, why not. The title of the talk was “What is al Shabaab and how to Counter it” which can be watched here.
Sharmaake began by discussing the rise of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and the coalescing of the Somali community around the unifying force of religion. He claimed that the ICU arose from “inter-clan fighting,” although others more convincingly argue that the ICU arose from the vacuum created by the illegitimate and corrupt TFG (Transitional Federal Government). He then said that the extremist elements within the ICU posed a threat to the TFG which prompted it to “ask Ethiopia to come in and assist them.”
Top tweets
@OCHASom UNSG appoints Philippe Lazzarini as Deputy Special Representative & RC/HC for #Somaliahttp://bit.ly/1dQpMvA pic.twitter.com/q2PiF2QM2O
@amisomsomalia SOUNDS AND PICTURES – Check out our ROUNDUP of 2013 in #Somalia #AMISOM http://bit.ly/1cgRv61 ,http://bit.ly/19Auhv2
@AmbAmerico This is very positive sign as we, #Somalia airlift our nationals stranded in #SouthSudanpic.twitter.com/8FqJeof36p
@Moadow For 23 years it’s been either repatriations or deportations. Now its evacuation as #Somalia airlifts her nationals stranded in #SouthSudan
@aysanei The majority of those who’ve already voted in the survey created by @UNSomalia said “support the #Somalisecurity institutions.”
Image of the day
A Somali man carries his baby as Somalis arrive in Mogadishu after fleeing fighting in South Sudan on Dec 30, 2013. Photo: AFP