November 6, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Government troops seize weapons after operations in Mogadishu

05 Nov – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho/Garowe Online – 128 words

The security forces of federal government launched intensive door-to-door searches in some neighborhoods in Mogadishu on Wednesday. Government troops started house-to-house crackdown after security agencies had received tip-offs that members of the Al-shabab are hiding in some area as government spokesman of the ministry of national security Mohamed Yusuf Osman told the media outlets.

The operation was conducted by the National Intelligence, Security Agency, and Somali army. A spokesperson for Ministry of Internal Security Mohamed Yusuf says such operations are part of the wider efforts of the government to improve the overall security of the capital, Mogadishu. The spokesman added that security agencies apprehended 82 people suspected of having connections with Al-shabab and seized weapons including guns, grenades and thwarted planned attacks and explosions.

Key Headlines

Federal government opens conference aimed to tackle FGM and forced marriage (Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho )
Somali Ambassador in Italy in an effort to secure scholarship for students (Radio Bar-kulan)
Suspected al-Shabaab gunmen kill businessman in Gaalkayo (Radio Danan)
Mogadishu Port produces $1.582000 million in revenue within a month (Radio Dalsan)
Government troops seize weapons after operations in Mogadishu (Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho/Garowe Online)
Gal-gaduud regional administration urges warning sides to make peace (Radio Danan)
Somali jailed over his stay (Star)
New wealth rises in Mogadishu as millions suffer (AP/Utsandiego.com)

SOMALI MEDIA

Federal government opens conference aimed to tackle FGM and forced marriage

05 Nov – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho – 138 words

The federal government of Somalia has opened conference aimed at tackling challenges facing Somali Women especially girls, such as FGM and forced marriage. The opening of the ceremony was attended by deputy prime minister and religious affairs minister Ridwan Hersi Mohamed, religious leaders and representatives from women organizations.

The conference which was organized by the ministry of religious affairs is expected to continue for three days. The deputy prime minister in his keynote speech asked the religious leaders to take active role and launch awareness campaign against female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Somali Ambassador to Italy trying to secure scholarship for students

05 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 112 words

Somali ambassador to Italy Muse Hassan Abdulle has met the Diaspora community in the country in an effort to help secure education scholarship for Somali students. Ambassador Abdulle has toured various part of the Italy to talk to regional Italian administrations to help provide education scholarship for Somali students.

The ambassador urged Somali Diaspora community in the country to take part in the initiate which is meant to help Somali students. Ambassador Abdulle also said there are ongoing efforts to secure the release of Somali nationals in Italian jails.

Suspected al-Shabaab gunmen kill businessman in Gaalkayo

05 Nov – Source: Radio Danan – 112 words

Unidentified gunmen have shot dead a well known businessman on Wednesday in Galkayo town, the provincial capital of Mudug region. The deceased person was named Yuusuf Osman Mohamed according to his family members and colleagues.

Mr. Yusuf was gunned down near his house in Gaalkayo while he performed morning prayers a witness said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Mudug regional administration declined to comment on the killing as several killings were recorded in the last two weeks. The perpatrators have escaped the scene shortly after the shooting. Galkacyo police reached the area to maintain the situation but no one has been arrested for the killing.

Government troops Seize weapons after Operations in Mogadishu

05 Nov – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Radio Muqdisho/Garowe Online – 128 words

Mogadishu Port produces $1.582,000 million in revenue within a month

05 Nov- Source: Radio Dalsan – 285 words

Turkish Albayrak Group, which manages the port of Mogadishu issued on Tuesday a statement about the achievements has been accomplished in the past month. Director general of the Al-Bayrak Group in Mogadishu, Mustafa Levent Adali said in the report that the Mogadishu seaport made significant progress in the last month.

Mustafa Levent Adali added that the Albayrak Group have transferred $1.582,000 million dollars to the federal government of Somalia, which he said was made in one month. The Al-Bayrak Group‘s report noted that the economic development of the Mogadishu port came without increasing the cost of the merchandise, but also reduced more than 11%. Director general of the Al-Bayrak Group has shown that the income of the port will increase further in the near future, and the seaport will soon be modern.

Since August 2012, Al-Bayrak Group has conducted much work towards rehabilitating the Port of Mogadishu and is still continuing. Albayrak Group, had promised that without any conditions, they would be transferring 55% of the revenue from the Port to Somali government, as for the 45% revenue, which is left in the group’s administration; it is reserved for the international promotion directed at increasing machine equipment investments, construction investments, new docks and port-based trade.

Gal-gaduud regional administration urges warning sides to take peace

05 Nov – Source: Radio Danan – 109 words

Fierce clan based clashes in central Somalia killed at least 6 people. The clashes broke out in Galgaduud’s Balanbale district on Wednesday. Disputes over pastureland is believed to be the motive behind the warfare. “Gal-gadud regional administration is working to mediate both sides and plan to meet with the region elders in order to solve these inter-clan clashes” Balanbale commissioner Harreri Hassan Bare told radio Danan. He called on warring sides to lay down their weapons and to accept the ongoing peace negotiations led by the region elders and Gal-gaduud regional administration. Residents in the area began to flee to the neighboring villages around Balanbale

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali jailed over his stay

05 Nov – Source: Star – 65 words

A Nairobi court yesterday sentenced a Somali national to one year in prison or a Sh200,000 fine for illegal stay in Kenya. Omar Abdulahi, 27, was in the country without a valid passport or visa. The prosecution told the court that Omar was arrested on October 27 by AP officers in Eastleigh estate. He was suspected to be a member of the al Shabaab.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

New wealth rises in Mogadishu as millions suffer

05 Nov- Source: AP/Utsandiego.com – 606 words

The first ATM and the construction of modern buildings and trendy restaurants are exciting signs of growth for those living in Somalia’s capital. That is, if you have money. Even as war-torn Mogadishu makes strides forward, thousands of residents are facing the prospect of severe hunger. It’s a tale of two very different Mogadishus. One — violent and hungry — is long known to the world. The other is not.

Outside a makeshift home built of scrap wood and sheets, Halima Muse holds her crying baby. The women in this small refugee settlement have begun tightening bands of cloth around their stomachs to try to diminish hunger pangs. Two years ago, Muse left Mogadishu and returned to the town she fled at the height of the devastating 2011 famine that killed an estimated 260,000 people. After bad seasonal rains, she and her family returned to the capital in search of food. “From hunger to hunger. Our life is all about that for now,” Muse moaned, tears dropping down her cheeks. “I couldn’t stay in my hometown anymore because there was no food and animals were dying by the dozens.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Preparing the ground for successful investigations will also require ensuring that local leaders, Somali civil society, and the women and girls most affected understand the basic procedures of how to report an allegation and what safety measures are in place.”

Women reporting abuse in Somalia without persecution

05 Nov- Source: Aljazeera.com- 796 words

The African Union is launching an investigation into sex abuse allegations against its troops in Somalia. Investigating sexual abuse and exploitation – especially when those accused are soldiers – is a complex and time-consuming process that requires sensitive expert handling. But even a skillful and professionally-run investigation will fail if the women and girls most affected fear coming forward to share their experiences. And in Mogadishu, women reporting sexual crimes face threats, intimidation, victimisation, and stigma.

Credible investigations could potentially lead to repatriations and prosecutions for those involved in abuses. The mere presence of investigators could deter misconduct by AU soldiers who see that commanders no longer ignore rape and sexual exploitation. A solid inquiry could improve AU policies and practice in all peace and support missions, helping the African Union to avoid the United Nations’ early failures to address similar allegations.

“Any attempt to bypass the procedure rightly and correctly spelled by the respected elder would likely backfire and impede the critical political targets to be a achieved in 2016.”

Somalia: sanity must come back for Southwestern state formation process

05 Nov- Source: Garowe Online – 642 words

The Regional State formation process in Southwestern Somalia has come under enormous challenge than ever predicted. A new confrontation emerged as far as the endeavor of making the process inclusiveness, fair and transparent among the many stakeholders in the region is concerned.

The confrontation is within the proponents of the idea of the three-regions State formation. The conference agenda was radically altered soon after the international delegation led by Ambassador Nichalos Kay along with the leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) opened the conference and left the town on 28 October.

The mishandling process of the conference prompted Speaker of the House of the People, Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari and FGS Prime Minister to intervene the situation and at the same time call the delegated politicians back to Mogadishu for either new considerations or for possible replacement.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Speaker Jawari together encouraged the 360 delegation to steer the conference in a manner of where all the stakeholders in the region assent whereby concurrently they are making sure that the dismantled rival camp politicians of the Six-regional State formation are on board.