October 16, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Stakeholders question constitutionality of Somali federal government-Puntland agreement
15 Oct – Source: Sabahi – Words 218
Representatives from Somalia’s Galmudug and Himan and Heeb regions and Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa (ASWJ) on Wednesday (October 15th) dismissed as unconstitutional the agreements reached by the federal government and the Puntland state administration on Tuesday.
In a joint statement, the three parties said they were suspending their co-operation in the state formation process for the Central State. According to the 12-point agreement reached between the federal government and Puntland administration, the proposed federal Central State will comprise southern Mudug and Galgudud regions, while northern Mudug will remain part of Puntland state.
However, Galmudug, Himan and Heeb and ASWJ argued that the partitioning of Mudug region into two areas violates the federal constitution which has the authority to establish and define state borders. The three parties have asked the federal parliament and the Ministry of Interior and Federalism to look into points of contention in the agreement that may have violated the constitution.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Mahad Mohamed Salad also criticised the point in the agreement that divides Mudug region, saying the constitution does not say a federal state can comprise one region and a half, Somalia’s Jowhar reported. According to the constitution, two or more regions can merge to form a federal state.
Key Headlines
- Federal government forms a committee of ministers to end tribal clashes in Hiran (Goobjoog Radio/ Radiomuqdisho.net)
- Banadir administration blames al-shabaab of targeting innocent civilians (Goobjoog Radio)
- Displaced families arrive in Baidoa (Radio Ergo)
- Child maids slaving for a poor wage in Mogadishu (Radio Ergo)
- Global handwashing day marked in Mogadishu (Radio Barkulan)
- Interim Juba administration express fear over Ebola outbreak (Goobjoog Radio/Kismaayonews.com)
- Stakeholders question constitutionality of Somali federal government-Puntland agreement (Sabahi Online)
- Japan facilitated security training in conflict prevention (Geeskaafrika.com)
- Kay calls on Somali leaders to accelerate ttate formation process (Sabahi Online)
- Fears Aussie banks driving cash into hands of terrorists by cancelling remittances (SBS.com -Australia)
- Somali Coast Guard personnel trained by NATO ship off the coast of Somali (Defenceweb.co.za)
PRESS STATEMENT
UN Special Representative for Somalia condemns Mogadishu bomb attacks
Mogadishu, 16 October 2014 – The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, condemned last night’s bomb attack outside a popular restaurant in Mogadishu resulting in the death and injury of many people.
“I strongly condemn last night’s cowardly terrorist attack. I am appalled by the complete disregard for the lives of ordinary Somalis, including children and passers-by. Such crimes violate the most basic principles of humanity. The perpetrators need to be brought to justice swiftly.” SRSG Kay said.
“The United Nations remains determined in our support for the Somali people as they work to realise their hope for a peaceful and stable future.” he added. SRSG Kay extends his sincere condolences to the families and friends of all those who have suffered as a result of last night’s attacks.
SOMALI MEDIA
Federal government forms a committee of ministers to end tribal clashes in Hiran
16 Oct – Source: Goobjoog Radio/Radiomuqdisho.net -163 Words
The federal government of Somalia has announced the formation of a committee of ministers to resolve the fresh tribal clashes in Hiran region.
National security minister Khalif Ahmed Ereg told the media that the federal government is committed to immediately resolving the hostilities between the clans in Deefow locality in the outskirts of Beledweyne district.
The minister stated that the committee will visit the area and sit with all sides to facilitate peace. He urged the clans to seize fire immediately and refrain from anything that might escalate the conflict. Fresh tribal clashes that broke out on Tuesday in Deefow area killed at last five people from the sides and many others sustained injuries.
The remarks of national security minister comes a time when a federal parliament MP Mr. Abdinasir Gaarane blamed the federal government of Somalia of failing to tackle the clan clashes in Hiran region.
Banadir administration blames Al-shabab of targeting innocent civilians
16 Oct – Source: Goobjoog Radio – 155 Words
Banadir administration stated that the security agencies are conducting intense investigations into last night’s deadly explosion in Mogadishu. The spokesman for Banadir region Ali Mohamud Farah speaking after the car bomb that killed at least five civilians said the forces are conducting operation to pursue and bring to justice the perpetrators of the fatal blast.
He added that the security forces will be vigilant to thwart other planned explosions against innocent civilians and government institutions. He blamed Al-shabab for targeting innocent civilians.
Ali Mohamud Farah urged the public to collaborate with the security forces to prevent further attacks by Al-shabab and beef up the security of the country particularly the capital city which has witnessed strings of explosion the last few days. Al-shabab claimed the responsibility of the second deadly attack on a popular café in Mogadishu.
Displaced families arrive in Baidoa
15 Oct – Source: Radio Ergo – 298 Words
More than 150 families displaced from Tiyeglow and its surroundings have settled in a new camp for Internally Displaced People on the outskirts of Baidoa.
The IDPs, who are mostly women and children, have been displaced by fighting between Al-Shabaab fighters and the Somali government troops in parts of Bakol region. They pitched makeshift houses in the new camp, and cited insecurity as the major reason that forced them to flee their homes, leaving behind their livestock and farms.
Habiba Mohamed Aden, 40, fled with her four children. She told Radio Ergo she did not have food to give to her malnourished children. “We are hit by rains, and we don’t have anywhere to shelter from it. In the last 24 hours, I didn’t cook any food for my children,” she said.
Radio Ergo’s local correspondent met another mother of seven children, Addey Abdi, 60, inside her makeshift home, made of sticks and scraps of cloth, where he saw some of Addey’s children crying because of hunger. “Hunger, thirst and violence forced us from our homes, and here we don’t have shelter or [anything] to eat,” she said.
Hawa Isaq Abdi, the chairlady of the camp, said they were facing appalling living conditions and appealed to aid agencies to provide humanitarian support for them. “What we need most now are food and shelter. We came here escaping from violence and anticipated to be assisted, but no-one has yet come to our aid.”
She said the camp was far from the town, denying them the chance of finding any small-scale jobs to earn a living. Hussein Ali Sheikh, one of the IDPs from Biyoley village near Tiyeglow said most of the people in the camp were women and children, because most of the men had fled to other areas due to security reasons.
Child maids slaving for a poor wage in Mogadishu
15 Oct – Source: Radio Ergo – 366 Words
Girls as young as 10 years old from disadvantaged families are working as domestic servants in many homes in Mogadishu. Hundreds of these girls are believed to be subjected to abuse and poor conditions and have no legal rights.
Khadija Maaddey Osman, 13, works as a maid in a home in Mogadishu. “My day starts by going to the house where I work as a servant at 6:30 am, and I leave at 5:00 in the evening. I cook three times a day, I wash clothes, I clean the house, I sell items in their shop, and I bathe the children, give them food and send them to school. At midday, I put the children to bed, and then I go to the shop to let their mother go home and sleep for a while,” she said.
Khadija said she gets 600,000 Somali Shillings (30 USD) as her monthly wage. She said she was not happy with the work she was doing, but circumstances forced her to do it. “I hate washing the clothes, and cleaning the house, because I feel a lot of pain in my back and shoulders. I would like to go to school and learn something instead. In the future I want to become a teacher who helps young girls in education.”
Her wages are not enough to cover the basic needs of her family, but she says it helps. “I don’t have any issues with the family who employ me, except that I am overloaded with the housework, and they don’t assist me,” she said.
Khadija Ibrahim, 10, also works as a servant. Her family lives in the Sayidka IDP camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu. She has to trek a long distance to reach her place of work. She earns 500,000 Somali Shillings (25 USD) a month. She complained of many problems in the household she serves. “They shout at me, and insult me sometimes,” she said.
She said she liked to study, but her circumstances did not allow it. “I see myself as an unlucky girl when I see my age-mates going to school in the morning. I then become very disappointed,” she said.
Global handwashing day marked in Mogadishu
15 Oct – Source: Radio Barkulan- 220 Words
The global handwashing day event was today marked in Somali capital Mogadishu. The event which was organized by the Somali ministry of health was attended by senior Somali government officials.
Acting director of health Abdirashid Farah Osman has said the occasion was meant to encourage the population the importance of hygiene. He urged the Somali community to ensure the sanitation and the hygiene of their kids to avoid disease resulted by unhygienic conditions.
Global Hand Washing Day (GHD) is a campaign to motivate and mobilize millions around the world to wash their hands with soap. It takes place on October 15 of each year.
GHD was created at the annual World Water Week 2008, which was held in Stockholm from August 17 to 23 and initiated by the Public Private Partnership for Handwashing (PPPHW).
The first Global Handwashing Day took place on October 15, 2008, the date appointed by the UN General Assembly in accordance with year 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation.
Interim Juba administration express fear over Ebola outbreak
16 Oct – Source: Goobjoog Radio/Kismaayonews.com – 153 Words
The interim administration of Juba in Southern Somalia is expressing fear that the deadly Ebola virus might spread to the region through African Union peace-keeping troops in Somalia.
Suldan Abdikadir Lugadhere, second vice president of the administration recommend the suspension of the deployment of Sierra Leone troops to minimize the spread of Ebola.
He requested that the troops undergo broad medical evaluation before deployment in to the country. The remarks of the leader comes after a Siera leone soldier among a battalion of 800 soldiers tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus, the troops were placed in quarantine.
Earlier on August 2014 African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has put on hold the deployment of Sierra Leone troops as one of the precautionary measures to minimize the spread of Ebola among peacekeeping troops in Somalia. Sierra Leone peace-keeping troops operate in sector two, the Juba regions together Kenyan defense forces and Burundian forces.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Stakeholders question constitutionality of Somali federal government-Puntland agreement
15 Oct – Source: Sabahi – Words 218
Representatives from Somalia’s Galmudug and Himan and Heeb regions and Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa (ASWJ) on Wednesday (October 15th) dismissed as unconstitutional the agreements reached by the federal government and the Puntland state administration on Tuesday.
In a joint statement, the three parties said they were suspending their co-operation in the state formation process for the Central State. According to the 12-point agreement reached between the federal government and Puntland administration, the proposed federal Central State will comprise southern Mudug and Galgudud regions, while northern Mudug will remain part of Puntland state.
Japan facilitated Security training in conflict prevention
15 Oct – Source: Geeskaafrika.com – 243 Words
A ten-day training course in conflict prevention for senior military officers from nine East African countries startedon Monday (October 13) at AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The training is organized by the Ethiopian International Peacekeeping Training Center (EIPKTC) which funded and assisted by the Japanese government.
It brings together high ranking army officials from Burundi, Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. At the opening session EIPKTC chief Brigadier General Habtamu Hesbeto Tilahun noted that the Government of Ethiopia had established EIPKTC to scale up the country’s role and contribution to safeguarding peace and security in the region as well as promote key conditions for the creation of a harmonious, stable and prosperous region.
He said Ethiopia was “not only among the pioneers, but also remains… one of the major contributors to peacekeeping operations.” Ambassador Kazuhiro Suzuki, Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia, expressed his hope that the course would enhance the capacity of regional peacekeeping operations as well as elevate the concept of the joint African standby force to new levels.
Ambassador Suzuki, who said the establishment of EIPKTC in 2010 was aimed to enhance the regional standby capacity of military, police and civilian peacekeeping experts, welcomed Ethiopia’s contribution to institutionalizing a cooperative regional peace and security architecture. Japan has so far provided US$790,000 for construction of buildings for EIPKTC as well as helped develop course curricula. It has also assigned a Japanese military official to the Center.
Kay calls on Somali leaders to accelerate state formation process
15 Oct – Source: Sabahi Online – 354 Words
United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay said Tuesday that Somalia has made tangible political progress, but urged the government to move faster in establishing the National Independent Electoral Commission and the Boundaries and Federation Commission.
“I encourage the federal government to accelerate an inclusive state formation process in the central regions. I reiterate my hope that we will have a new map of a federal Somalia by the end of the year, and if possible, by the time of the Copenhagen High-Level Partnership Forum next month,” Kay said in a briefing to the UN Security Council.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Fears Aussie banks driving cash into hands of terrorists by cancelling remittances
16 Oct – Source: SBS.com (Australia) – 228 Words
Many believe the move will force the prolific remittance industry under-ground, and play directly into the hands of terrorist organisations. Thousands of Somali-born Australians use the services to remit funds to immediate and extended family for food, clothing and education, and are concerned for their relatives’ welfare if the system is dismantled.
Aden Ibrahim from the Somali Cultural Association said the ability to remit funds in an efficient manner is crucial as a “life-line”. But by month’s end, Australian banks will no longer offer the service.
Somali Coast Guard personnel trained by NATO ship off the coast of Somali
15 Oct – Source: Defenceweb.co.za – 243 Words
Task Force 508 of NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield conducted training with Somali Coast Guard personnel. The training took place off the coast of the town of Hobyo, and marks the first time Somali maritime forces have been trained in their territorial waters.
On Monday afternoon, the Commanding Officer of Hdms Esbern Snare, Commander Henrik Holck Rasmussen, handed out certificates of training to 15 Coast Guard personnel.
“The dedication and willingness to learn I have seen these two days has been outstanding,” said Commander Rasmussen. “Through years of naval presence and cooperation, the international community has contained piracy in these waters. However, in the long run the best solution is for Somali authorities to be able to suppress the maritime crime themselves. Today we have taken an important step in that direction.”
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“We needed to know how the recruitment to Al-Shabaab works; why the youth are targeted and the driving force behind the radicalization,”
Kenyan policies fan radicalization -report
16 Oct – Source: World Bulletin – 480 Words
The Kenyan government’s approach to terrorism may be driving some of the youths to extremism, according to a new report on radicalization in Kenya released on Wednesday by an African think-tank.
“Some Muslims have decided to join Al-Shabaab after witnessing their religion being attacked and a number of famous Muslim scholars and leaders assassinated while the government did little to catch the perpetrators,” Anneli Botha, senior researcher at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies, told Anadolu Agency on the sideline of the report launch in Nairobi.
“The Eastern Africa region is full of border disputes. Besides the Kenya- Somalia coastline dispute, there is an outstanding border dispute with Uganda at Migingo Island. In 1998, Ethiopia and Eritrea went to war over their border. In 2008, there arose a dispute between Eritrea and Djibouti.”
Regional efforts needed to solve boundary disputes
16 Oct – Source: Standard Digital – 354 Words
In 1978, during the reign of President Siad Barre, Somalia and Ethiopia went to war over their common border. Mid this year, the republic of Somalia filed a case against Kenya at the International Court of Justice, claiming the latter had encroached on its territorial waters. This is a wake up call to the Government to ensure that our borders are clearly defined to avoid situations that could lead to conflicts with neighbours over boundaries.
“Seeing them trip over their skirts, seeing them not be able to be safe and be active at the same time is really hard,”
Cedar Riverside girls basketball designs own culturally-appropriate uniforms
16 Oct – Source: KMSP-TV – 3:52 Minutes
The Cedar Riverside Community School girls’ basketball team is asking for parents’ opinions about their new uniforms. The girls designed the options themselves to be both religiously appropriate according to Somali culture, with a little help from the University of Minnesota. Parents were invited to see the unveiling and share their thoughts Wednesday evening at the Brian Coyle Center. “Seeing them trip over their skirts, seeing them not be able to be safe and be active at the same time is really hard,” coach Jennifer Weber said.
Top tweets
@SomaliPM #Somalia will not fall back into anarchy and bow to terrorism fear. Al Shabaab is losing ground, more and more members are defecting,
@MohMedAbdiNasir Praying for the victims of the constant suicide attacks in #Mogadishu, one day this will all be in the past.#Somalia
@Eye_on_Somalia #hiiraan Regional efforts needed to solve boundary disputes: NAIROBi, KENYA: In 1978, during the reig…http://bit.ly/1qAuUK0 #somalia
@arabeeyjr Happy World Food Day! we request @WFPSomaliato buy the food aid supplies from our local farmers in order to promote local market. #Somalia
@AfricaResearch .@SomaliWeekFest opens tomorrow! Full programme of artistic & cultural events here: http://bit.ly/1ttI1DI #Somalia
@Abdi_AlSheikh No troops from Ebola-affected countries will be deployed in Somalia – New Vision http://dlvr.it/7D8Shn #Somalia
@AU_PSD Comm #Chergui receives #AMISOM HoM, Special Representative Maman Sidikou, ahead of today’s PSC meeting on #Somalia
Image of the day
Germany’s ambassador to Somalia, Andreas Peschke, celebrates his country’s National Unity Day with Somalia’s Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Osman Jawari, in Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 15. UN
Photo:Tobin Jones