January 14, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Al Shabaab fighters surrender to government forces in Gedo
14 Jan- Source: Radio Dalsan/Goobjoog Online- 120 words
Somali government official in Gedo province said that seven al Shabaab fighters have defected and surrendered to them on Monday. The defectors were escorted to a government forces base in the region, according to government military officer in Gedo region Col Abbas Gurey.
Two months ago, government officials in the southwest region of the country have publicly announced that any al Shabaab defector who lay down arms will be given a full amnesty to minimize number of Somali youth lured by al Shabab militant group in Somalia.
Col. Abbas Gurey said that the call is now becoming effective as number ranging from three to ten surrender to the government each month since the call for amnesty was declared.
Key Headlines
- Al Shabaab fighters surrender to government forces in Gedo province (Radio Dalsan/Goobjoog Online)
- Somali MPs vote for motion against return of former ministers (Radio RBC/Jowhar Online/Hiiraan Online/Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu)
- 200 Somalis trapped in South Sudan due to arrive in Mogadishu (Radio Bar-kulan)
- Businessman assassinated in Mogadishu market (Radio Dalsan)
- New Puntland Parliament Speaker officially assumes office (Radio Bar-kulan/RBC/Radio Garowe)
- Two Kenyans abducted in Mogadishu (Daily Nation/NTV)
- Ex-U.S. soldier who wanted to help al Shabaab sentenced to prison (Reuters)
SOMALI MEDIA
Al Shabaab fighters surrender to government forces in Gedo
14 Jan- Source: Radio Dalsan/Goobjoog Online- 120 words
Somali government official in Gedo province said that seven al Shabaab fighters have defected and surrendered to them on Monday. The defectors were escorted to a government forces base in the region, according to government military officer in Gedo region Col Abbas Gurey.
Two months ago, government officials in the southwest region of the country have publicly announced that any al Shabaab defector who lay down arms will be given a full amnesty to minimize number of Somali youth lured by al Shabab militant group in Somalia.
Col. Abbas Gurey said that the call is now becoming effective as number ranging from three to ten surrender to the government each month since the call for amnesty was declared.
Somali MPs vote for motion against return of former ministers
14 Jan- Source: Radio RBC/Jowhar Online/Hiiraan Online/Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu- 167 words
Somali lawmakers are on Tuesday voting for a motion which bars the former ministers from inclusion into the new council of ministers. The controversial motion was officially tabled on Sunday after nearly a hundred parliamentarian signed. It says that no single member of the country’s ousted government will return to the new cabinet.
The security was extremely tightened in the parliament building and nearby roads on Tuesday morning as the Members of the country’s Federal Parliament started registering to enter the parliament hall. Debate on the new motion heated up on Sunday as fifty more lawmakers expressed their views on the motion.
If MPs vote in favor of the motion, it will be the first time Somali Parliament passes a law barring any member of a former cabinet to return to the new government as the motion describes specifically the former government of Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon which was ousted in a parliamentary vote of “no confidence’ in early December.
200 Somalis trapped in South Sudan due to arrive in Mogadishu
14 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 128 words
Somali Ambassador to South Sudan, Abdirahman Nur Mohamed Dinari has stated that over 200 Somali nationals in South Sudan are due to be flown back to the country in the next 24 hours. In an interview with Bar-kulan, Ambassador Dinari said over 200 Somali nationals eager to return home have registered their names with the Somali Embassy so far.
Dinari thanked Somali government leaders for their continuous support and efforts to rescue Somali nationals trapped in the ongoing conflicts in South Sudan. Meanwhile, the ambassador expressed hope over recovering 30 Somali-owned trucks that have fallen into the hands of the opposition fighters. Somali government has already evacuated hundreds of its nationals for the first time in more than two decades since the civil unrest erupted in South Sudan.
Businessman assassinated in Mogadishu market
14 Jan- Source: Radio Dalsan- 92 words
Unidentified gunmen have shot and killed a local businessman at Suuqbacad area of Yaqshid neighborhood late on Monday. It was not immediately clear what the motive of the killing was as the perpetrators escaped from the area soon after the shooting. Police at the Yaqshid neighborhood started investigating the case.
On Monday armed men dressed in government military uniforms abducted two Kenyan engineers from Hodan district in Mogadishu as they were transported to their workplace in Tarabunka. The Kenyan engineers were hired by a Somali businessman and came to Mogadishu to construct a new fuel station in Mogadishu.
New Puntland Parliament Speaker officially assumes office
14 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/RBC/Radio Garowe- 105 words
Puntland’s new Parliament Speaker, Said Hassan Shire has on Monday officially assumed office from his predecessor Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi. Speaking at a handover ceremony in Garowe, Shire expressed his confidence to lead the newly inaugurated Puntland Parliament to an unprecedented level in the next five years.
Meanwhile, former Puntland Parliament Speaker, Abdirashid Mohmed Hirsi who also spoke at the ceremony praised the previous parliamentarians for their leadership qualities and urged the new legislators to demonstrate similar commitments. The ceremony was attended by newly elected Puntland president, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas and his deputy Abdihakim Abdullahi Haji in Garowe.
Al Shabaab warns Mogadishu residents ‘not to work for int’l agencies’
13 Jan- Source: Radio Garowe- 200 words
Somalia’s Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group Monday issued a fresh warning to Mogadishu residents, asking the ordinary residents not to work for international agencies, reports say. Speaking on Pro-al Shabaab radio station, the group’s representative in Banadir region Sheikh Ali Mohamud Hussein said that they would fight those who work at UN and Turkish agencies offices in Mogadishu.
“We warn the residents of Mogadishu against working for international agencies, whether they are UN or Turkish agencies,” noted Hussein, adding that al Shabaab will firmly deal with anybody who breaches the order.
Al Shabaab representative in Banadir region declared that the militants are ready to launch more attacks on US military advisers, their Somali friends and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeepers.
“USA was the latest enemy that dispatched advisers to Somalia, we will fight against those who have been hired,” he said.
Al Shabaab previously called on the residents in Mogadishu to keep themselves away from government offices. Two suicide bombers rammed explosive laden cars into Al Jazeera hotel in Mogadishu, a spot popular with Somali government officials and foreigners, killing five persons including two police officers a few days after Somalis witnesses the year 2014.
Grandmother graduates after 32-year wait
14 Jan- Source: Radio Ergo- 226 words
A grandmother has finally graduated from Hargeisa’s Alpha University with a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Information Technology, 32 years after she finished secondary school.
Ubah Omar Gafane, who has nine children including a seven year old and one grandchild, finished her secondary school in 1982. She was not able to go to university because the civil war was intensifying. She and her family fled to the refugee camps in Ethiopia in 1988 to escape the bombardment of Hargeisa by the Barre regime.
“When I returned after the fall of the government, there were no universities in the region, and I couldn’t continue my studies,” Gafane told Radio Ergo’s local reporter.
She got married and was busy taking care of her children. Four years ago, she saw on local television an advertisement for Alpha University, and decided to dust off her old dreams at the age of 45 and registered for a degree course.
“It was bizarre to my family and friends. They were saying I am going to go crazy because I am too old to go to school!” she recalled.
She struggled to balance her studies over three years with her administration and finance job at Somaliland’s National Organization for Women (NOW). But three months ago, her family members and friends travelled across the country to witness her graduation.
Ethiopia, Somaliland agree to establish transit cooperation mechanisms
12 Jan- Source: Hornnewspaper/Qurbejoog Online/Somaliland Informer- 397 words
Ethiopia and Somaliland have agreed on Monday (January 06, 2014) to exercise maximum efforts for the establishment of short and long-term transit cooperation mechanisms which will help to seek mutually agreed workable directions on modalities of Ethiopia’s maximum usage of Somaliland ports.
In a meeting held between the Ethiopian Consulate General office in Somaliland and a Somaliland adhoc committee tasked to look into the matter with the Ethiopian mission in Hargeisa, the two sides have discussed in details on opportunities and challenges being raised by both sides pertaining to present and future usage of transit services.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Two Kenyans abducted in Mogadishu
14 Jan- Source: Daily Nation/NTV- 155 words
Two Kenyan men are said to have been kidnapped in the Somali capital Mogadishu. According to Shabelle, an independent media network, their vehicle was stopped at gunpoint near Tribunka, a former parade ground in South Mogadishu. Reports indicate that those who stopped the car were in army uniform but their identities remain unclear. During the Monday incident, the driver, of Somali origin, was left at the scene unharmed. Sources said the only information available about the two Kenyans is that they are engineers who were working with a firm in Mogadishu. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Kismayo to host football development courses
13 Jan- Source: Al Shahid- 346 words
Somali Football Federation has unveiled huge development programs aimed at improving football power in the once ‘Islamist hub’ regions south of the country, particularly the Lower Jubba region bordering with Kenya where football influence has returned so far, the SFF revealed in a press statement here in Mogadishu on Monday.
According to the statement by SFF secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab, the development plans for the southern regions were approved by the Somali Football Federation executive committee during its meeting at its headquarters in the capital Mogadishu.
“The development programs we have drawn for southern regions will compose of sports administrations courses, refereeing and coaching courses, these giant tasks are schedule to be accomplished some time before mid this year” Somali Football Federation Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab noted in his Monday’s Press statement.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Ex-U.S. soldier who wanted to help al Shabaab sentenced to prison
14 Jan- Source: Reuters- 305 words
A former U.S. soldier who admitted to trying to help the al Shabaab militant group, an al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday, the Justice Department said. Craig Baxam, 24, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Baltimore after pleading guilty to destroying records that might be used in a terrorism investigation, the Justice Department said in a statement. Baxam, who had been trained in intelligence and cryptology while in the Army, was arrested by Kenyan police in December 2011 as he tried to cross the border into Somalia to join al Shabaab.
High Court Rejects Ex-Somali Official’s Case
13 Jan- Source: ABC/AP- 97 words
The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a former top official in Somalia who has been ordered to pay Somali torture victims $21 million. The justices did not comment Monday in letting stand lower court rulings against Mohamed Ali Samantar, who now lives the Virginia suburbs of Washington. He had previously been a top official in dictator Siad Barre’s regime in the 1980s and early 1990s. Federal courts found that Samantar could be held liable for human rights abuses and rejected claims that he should be immune because he was an official of a foreign government.
Soma Oil & Gas Holdings Limited: Funding Agreement and Board Appointments
13 Jan- Source: prnewswire-249 words
Soma Oil & Gas Holdings Limited (“Soma Oil & Gas” or “the Company”) announces that it has secured an equity investment ofUS$50 million from a private investment company, Winter Sky. In conjunction with the funding agreement, three individuals connected to Winter Sky have joined the Soma Oil & Gas Holdings Limited board as Non Executive Directors.
This additional funding is sufficient to see the Company through the initial stages of the exploration programme and satisfy its obligations to the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia under the Seismic Option Agreement.
Soma Oil & Gas is now in a position to finalise a contract with a seismic operator for the planned 2D exploration programme offshore Somalia and is in advanced negotiations. A further announcement will be made in due course.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“If Ethiopia joins AMISOM and withdraws its forces to the number of authorized troops or reallocates them to areas that fall within the mission parameters, a security vacuum may be created in the areas under the current control of Ethiopian forces. Consequently, this might provide an opportunity for al Shabaab to recover the areas lost unless another mechanism is devised.”
Ethiopian Troops to Join AMISOM Mission: Implications for Somalia’s Security
13 Jan- Source: Africa UpClose Blog-782 Words
For the last year, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Somalia National Army (SNA) and allied forces were unable to expand their territorial control due to logistical and personnel deficit, and military stalemate. Despite the presence of these forces, the al Qaeda affiliated Islamist group al Shabaab still controls a significant part of south central Somalia.
AMISOM repeatedly reported its lack of capabilities with regard to helicopters, uniformed personnel and other logistics. In response to these requests, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 2124/2013 on November 12, 2013 to increase the uniformed personnel from 17,731 to a maximum of 22,126, as well as to expand the logistical support package for AMISOM with an extension for two years as part of exit strategy from a request of the African Union Peace and Security Council.
Subsequent to the UNSC resolution and request from the SFG, the Ethiopian government has decided to join AMISOM. This paper discusses whether the addition of Ethiopian troops to AMISOM has any implication on the security of Somalia and AMISOM capabilities.
“If one unravels al-Shabaab recent crusades against technology, what will be found is a broader competition for control and influence. Al Shabaab has attempted to draw support through a combination of threats, indiscriminate violence, and public works.”
Unravelling al Shabaab’s Partial Internet Ban and Similar Stunts in Somalia
13 Jan- Source: Somalia Newsroom-1276 Words
On 8 January 2014, al Shabaab’s al Andalus radio outlet released a Facebook message to telecoms and communities under its territories stating that mobile and fibre optic Internet access would be banned in 15 days. According to the post, anyone violating this new ban after the deadline would be considered to be “working with the enemy” and would receive the appropriate Shari’a punishment.
The group claimed the new restrictions were in reaction to the threat of Western countries such as the U.S. intercepting sensitive information that could lead to attacks against the group. It appears al-Shabaab will still allow access through other means including Internet cafes or dial-up and satellite connections.
As a result, foreign countries may still be able to infiltrate digital networks in al-Shabaab territory, but the ban will further limit an otherwise growing freedom to locals since the Somali federal government (SFG) looks to soon connect the country via fibre optic cable.
COMMUNITY VOICES | Somali music piracy highlighted
12 Jan- Source: TC Daily Planet-786 Words
When you hear `Somalia`coupled with `piracy ` it rings the bell that Somalia has grown over the years into a household name with sea piracy. But there has been another form of Somali piracy, a Somali music piracy since the downfall of Siad Barre`s military government in 1991. Of course this music piracy can also ring a bell as to what kind of Somali music piracy we are talking about here, where one might think of it as being some kind of online Somali music piracy: but it is more than that.
Over the years, I have personally witnessed usually young Somali musicians willing to emerge but using a shortcut to singing by singing old Somali songs of 1970s/1980s and then burning it into new albums/CDs. I am not ranting here to speak evil of the reputation of the emerging Somali musicians but I am trying to shape this writing of mine as a way not only to expose this habit of copy singing but mainly to raise awareness of the issue which I think the Somali music deserves at this modern era when piracy is evolving into forms hard to contain or predict.
Top tweets
@amisomsomalia General view of Mogadishu skyline. The captial has re-established itself & a sense of normality has returned #Somalia pic.twitter.com/ARog53Jkzs
@TheVillaSomalia I commend the strong campaign from@elmanpeacecentr to protect rape victims in #Somalia. Unacceptable crime pic.twitter.com/nNM1rVkKX2
@AnalystSomalia If cabinet formation becomes a riddle rather than duty of the PM, we may be in for 3 yrs of politicking rather than nation building #Somalia
@IAmAStarSomalia Women resting during a income generation project in Mogadishu. Proud to be working in #Somalia!pic.twitter.com/D4dYERYwcL
@FCONeilWigan Happy to say UK in Embassy in Mogadishu is now fully operational. 2014 will be a big year for @UKinSomaliaand UK/Somali co-operation.
Image of the day
Somali girl holds up bar of soap. Hand washing saves lives in #Somalia. @GenoWorldview