29 Aug 2011 – Daily Monitoring Report
Key Headlines:
- Somali president calls for ending drought in the nation
- Saudi Prince visits Mogadishu promises aid
- Somali government condemns al Shabaab’s abuses in the country
- Police intercept car laden with explosive devices
- Forces take over new areas in southern Somalia
- Somali National Olympic Committee joins famine relief effort
- Somali military court executes 2 for intending to sell ammunition to al Shabaab
- Relief team off to Somalia
PRESS STATEMENT
Saudi Prince visits Mogadishu, promises aid
29 Aug – Source: AMISOM HQ – 40 words
The Somali government on August 27 hosted His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, who chairs the Alwaleed Humanitarian Foundation, as he made an assessment visit on behalf of the organization to the famine afflicted capital, Mogadishu.
Video link:http://bit.ly/qBUqk5
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali president calls for ending drought in the nation
29 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu, Shabelle and Kulmiye – 167 words
In a press conference in Garowe town where he paid a one day official visit, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the leader of Somalia called the Puntland administration and all other Somalis to take their role in fighting drought and famine and to help those starving in southern Somalia regions. He says the Somali people must work together on helping each other during this critical time. It is necessary for Somalia to get international aid to end the suffering currently gripping most of southern Somalia. He said that if Somalis unite and assist each other, Somalia will be out of the drought and famine. Somali president received warm welcome by Puntland leaders at the town of Garowe as his trip to the region is the first since he was elected as a president three years ago.
Somali government condemns al Shabaab’s abuses in the country
29 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 165 words
The Somali government has condemned al Shabaab’s human rights violations against the Somali people after the militia group recently beheaded several youths in the country. The government vowed to double its efforts in wiping the rebel group out of the country and bolster the security situation. Government’s condemnation comes days after the outlawed group resorted to beheading innocent people, especially youths in Mogadishu and other areas under their control. The Al-Qaeda-inspired rebels had been waging a four-year insurgency against Western-backed government troops and African Union peacekeepers, before retreating from the capital earlier this month, in a move they said was tactical. But it has been clear that apart from financial and leadership crisis, the group has been overwhelmed by government and its allied troops that saw them pull out of all positions in the capital.
Police intercept car laden with explosive devices
28 Aug – Source: Somaliweyn, Shabelle and Bar-Kulan – 396 words
The spokesman of the Somali National Police Colonel Abdullah Hassan Barise has told the press that the police have intercepted a car laden with explosive materials, which was parked at the famous intersection of KM4 along the street which leads to Aden Ade international airport.
“The Somali police have succeeded in intercepting a luxury car which was fully loaded with explosive materials and carefully parked at the KM4 junction along the airport street. (The place) where the car was parked is often densely populated, with commercial activities around the KM4 arcade. Immediately after the police got the information we sent expert to the scene, and the police unit trained for such issues have succeeded in controlling the situation” said the police spokesman man Colonel Barise.
An officer from the Somali national security Mr. Khalif Ereg has also confirmed that the purpose was to harm the diplomats of the Arab world who are recently frequently visiting Somalia, mainly on the basis of humanitarian issues. The Somali police spokesman has also added they the police are very suspicious that the Islamist group of al Shabaab is behind this issue.
http://www.somaliweyn.info/
Somali military court executes 2 for intending to sell ammunition to al Shabaab
28 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 177 words
The Somali military court has declared an execution rule on two Somalis a civilian woman and a military rifleman. The names of these two people are Zainab Aden Noor and Abdi Amey Mahdi. These two people were accused of intending to sell AK47 assault rifle ammunition to al Shabaab which is the greatest adversary of the TFG. The judge of the military court Lieutenant Colonel Mohamed Hussein Mungab has told the media that these two people have pleaded guilty that they were intending to sell ammunition to al Shabaab. “These perpetrators have pleaded guilty of intending to sell 87 AK47 rounds to al Shabaab which is our number one foe, and the court has passed a rule that they should no longer breathe fresh air in this world, and whoever is found involved in such activity whether a civilian or a military or a police officer will face similar penalty” said Lieutenant Mungab. This will be the first case for the Somali military court to pass an execution penalty on a civilian woman, accused of selling ammunition.
Saudi Arabia to double its effort in aiding Somalia
28 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 193 words
The Saudi government has said it wills double its aid to hunger-hit Somalia, where millions of people are facing starvation due to drought and famine-related crisis in the Horn of African country. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has promised that his government wills double its effort in aiding the Somali people.
Earlier last week the Saudi National Campaign for the Relief of Somali People has raised more than $42 million in addition to tones of food, housing and medical supplies since it was launched last Monday. King Abdullah kickstarted the fundraising campaign with a personal donation of ($5.3 million; the Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz donated 2.6 million and Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz donated $1.3 million. Thousands of citizens also raised millions of Saudi Riyals in a mobile phone donation scheme set up by STC mobile network.
The campaign received a boost after Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, who, with his family, donated 100 thousand SR, issued a Fatwa on the permissibility of giving Zakat to the poor in Somalia.
IDPs at Mogadishu’s Badbado start fleeing
28 Aug – Source: Markacadeey, Shabelle – 79 words
Some famine-displaced people started fleeing from Badbado, a government-established refugee camp in Mogadishu. Badbado, which means safety, is located in Dharkenley district and was established to accommodate the people who fled drought zones and arrived in Mogadishu. The fleeing people say the bad security was the main reason why they are running away from the refugee camp. They say they have moved to Tarabunk refugee camp in Mogadishu’s Hodan district to get a better life situation there.
http://www.markacadeey.com/
Rebels fire on relief trucks in Baidoa, Bay region
28 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 140 words
Al Shabaab militant group in Baidoa town has sprayed bullets on relief trucks bound for drought and famine-struck people in parts of the region. The trucks laden with humanitarian relief food donated by local traders in Baidoa were attacked on their way to needy people in pockets of Bay region. Ibrahim Kule, one of the local residents in Baidoa told Bar-kulan that militia men armed with light weapons ambushed the relief trucks and indiscriminately fired on them, damaging the windscreens of some of the trucks. One of the local traders who sought anonymity for fear of reprisal accused the militia for irrationally targeting relief foods aimed at saving the lives of famine-struck people in the region. The rebel group has earlier banned relief agencies from aiding starving people in regions under their control, putting the lives of a million people at risk due to starvation.
Forces take over new areas in southern Somalia
29 Aug – Source: Shabelle – 137 words
The TFG forces on Sunday peacefully confiscated new territory in Gedo region of southern Somalia, an official said on Monday. Ismail Sheikh Abdi, one of the government military officials in Gedo region, said in an interview with Shabelle Media Network that al Shabaab fighters escaped from the village of Gariley after learning that Somali forces were on their way. He said the government soldiers have plans to seize the areas in the region that are still under the control of al Shabaab. Mr. Abdi went on to say that the al Shabaab fighters who ran away from the village reached Bardhere district in the same region and started activities bothering the civilians live in the district. Al Shabaab has not released any comments about the government’s claims so far.
http://www.shabelle.net/
Baidoa elders condemn the killing of ICRC officer in the district
29 Aug – Source: Radio Shabelle, Kulmiye and Bar-Kulan – 94 words
Traditional elders in Baidoa, Bay region, have strongly condemned the killing of an aid worker with ICRC who was shot dead on Sunday night. Unknown assailants have shot aid worker Abdisalam Feleg on the head and chest several times before fleeing the area. Malaq Ibrahim Issack who is the chairman of the area’s traditional council of elders called the incident unacceptable, saying that the deceased had committed no offence. He urged the area’s militant group leaders to immediately investigate and to arrest those behind the killing of the aid worker.
Puntland president, Farole calls people for removal of al Shabaab
29 Aug – Source: Mareeg Online – 75 words
Puntland’s President, Abdirahman Sheikh Mohamud Farole called the Somali community to remove al Shabaab from the whole Somali territory, reports said.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UAE, Somali Red Crescent officials coordinate ways of aid delivery
28 Aug – Source: Emirates News Agency – 244 words
UAE aid workers and Somali Red Crescent officials have met to coordinate delivery of humanitarian and relief assistance to the famine-wracked Somalia and other Horn of Africa countries.
Mohammed Ahmed Adeli, coordinator of the Somali Red Crescent said during a meeting with the second UAE relief team in Somalia that the UAE had swiftly answered the humanitarian appeal to rush emergency aid to the Somali people who are facing a severe spell of drought. ”Everybody here in Somalia knows the UAE Red Crescent Authority has been delivering humanitarian assistance including food and medicines for the past 18 years,” Adeli said.
He described his relief agency’s relations with its UAE counterpart as ”strong and solid”, saying:” We know that you have come from your country to provide aid to our disaster-stricken people”. For his part, head of the UAE relief team Abdullah Al Tunaiji thanked the Somali Red Crescent for facilitating consultations on a broad range of humanitarian topics of mutual interest.
Somali National Olympic Committee joins famine relief effort
27 Aug – Source: APA, Afrique Avenir – 321 words
The Somali National Olympic Committee which is playing a decisive role in the campaign against famine in the country has spread its relief effort outside Mogadishu where it distributed food items and other basic essentials.
The SNOC first vice president Duran Ahmed Farah told reporters in Mogadishu on Saturday that the movement was fully engaged in humanitarian work in the capital and surrounding villages to deal with the consequences of the famine currently plaguing the war- weary country. He said they had collected money from members of the Olympic committee and purchased food items for people in villages near the capital.
He said that SNOC members have made contributions but this is far from adequate to tackle the scourge and urged the international sports fraternity to join the humanitarian campaign in Somalia.
“We were expecting aid from the international sports fraternity like the IOC and we hope other international sporting organizations will respond in like manner to the famine” said Mr. Duran Farah who is also the Qatar Charity country director for Somalia.
He noted that FIFA’s recent $1 million donation to the anti-hunger cause was a good step forward, but pointed out that it was still negligible in comparison with what is required in resources to deal with the humanitarian disaster.
http://www.afriqueavenir.org/
Saudi air bridge takes off to deliver relief to Somalis
29 Aug – Source: Arab News – 564 words
Saudi Air Force cargo plane carrying 20 tons of relief supplies left here Sunday for Somalia as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of the famine-hit Somali people. The air force will transport 200 tons of supplies donated by people in the Kingdom.
“The relief supplies will be distributed directly among the famine victims,” said Saaed Al- Harithy, adviser to Prince Naif, second deputy premier and minister of interior and chairman of the relief committee.
Saudi Air Force will operate 24 flights to transport the relief supplies including food, medicine and tents. Among them, 17 will be from Riyadh and seven from Jeddah. “We are planning to send four cargo flights of relief to Somalia every day,” he said.
Al-Harithy said the national fundraising campaign for Somalia was still collecting donations from Saudis and residents in both cash and kind. Interested people may transfer their donations to the unified account No. 6000 at NCB and IBAN No. SA43100020177777000104.
A two-day telethon organized by Saudi Arabian Television last week raised more than SR202 million in addition to hundreds of tons of food, medicine, medical appliances, dates, tents and other supplies.
The nationwide campaign, ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, received a tremendous response. King Abdullah gave SR20 million while Crown Prince Sultan donated SR10 million and Prince Naif SR5 million to the fund. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has commended the Saudi government’s generous donation of $60 million for Somalia, adding that it would contribute to reducing the suffering of the Somali people.
http://arabnews.com/
Ethiopia, US jointly working for peace in Africa – Ambassador
28 Aug – Source: Sudan Tribune – 173 words
Ethiopia and the United States are working together towards ensuring peace and stability in the African continent, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the United States said. Ethiopia is considered as a key U.S. ally in the Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) mainly in curbing threats and insecurity in Somalia where al-Qaeda linked Islamic militant group Al- Shabab is battling the weak Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG).
Speaking to the official Ethiopia News Agency (ENA), Ambassador Girma Birru said both countries are working together in conflict prevention and to build a sound basis for sustainable peace in the continent and particularly in the volatile region of East Africa. In 2006 US-backed Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia to oust an Islamist movement which became a direct challenge to the authority of the UN-backed interim government.
Ethiopia’s invasion in Somalia became unpopular and was considered by political analysts as an mission pushed for by the U.S. administration. However Addis Ababa defended itself saying it was forced to send troops to Somalia because it faced a direct threat to its own borders.
http://www.sudantribune.com/
Kuwaiti volunteers continue delivering supplies to Somalis
28 Aug – Source: Kuwait News Agency – 172 words
Teams of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society have continued delivering aid supplies to relocated Somalis who have settled at makeshift shanty towns where necessities for survival have been made available by the KRCS and relief agencies of other nations.
Abdul Rahman Al-Aoun, the head of the KRCS expedition to Somalia, said the volunteers distributed rice, cooking oil and powder milk to hundreds of families at the camps of Adel Deir and Eil Hindi. The teams have been working diligently to deliver basic supplies for those who needed them badly in the sprawling camps in the Somali capital, he said.
The Kuwaiti agency is also coordinating with local authorities to dispatch these supplies to refugees located in remote areas, Al-Aoun explained. Somali authorities and ordinary people have praised the Kuwaiti humanitarian efforts and expressed gratitude to the people of Kuwait, namely His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.Waves of Somalis have recently fled their homes in remote areas in the African nation after drought made food scarce in these areas.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Islamists behead 11 civilians in capital
27 Aug – Source: AP – 272 words
Somali Islamist rebels have beheaded at least 11 civilians in the capital in the past two weeks, a campaign of terror that residents said Friday is designed to show the insurgency can still act in Mogadishu after withdrawing from their bases there earlier this month.
“We wake up with beheaded bodies on the streets every day,” said Abdinur Marwan, who lives in a district of Mogadishu called Hewila. “They call themselves Muslims while doing what Allah banned! Everyone is trying to leave here because people are being killed like goats.”
The Islamist al-Shabaab militia withdrew from their bases in the Somali capital after being steadily pushed back by more heavily armed African Union forces supporting the U.N.-backed Somali government. The Islamists described the withdrawal as a “tactical retreat” and said they would still carry out operations in the capital.
Resident Afrah Abdikhayre said five decapitated bodies were found in his Suqa Holaha area last week. He says two beheaded men in Somali government uniforms and another three headless bodies were found this week.
Resident Nur Sugow said al-Shabaab beheaded a donkey cart driver in the Yaqshid district. Al- Shabab frequently carries out beheadings and amputations. The militia also executed two men and a 16-year-old boy by firing squad on Tuesday after accusing them of spying.
Residents — some to terrify to give their names — appealed to the Somali government and AU troops to secure their neighborhood. Although al-Shabaab has pulled back, individual fighters are still active in the city and gunfire is still common. Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991 and at least five of its districts are suffering from famine.
Surviving on hope in Somali camps
29 Aug – Source: ABC – 349 words
Kadija and her family once lived on a thriving three-hectare farm in southern Somalia. As drought ravaged her land, she helplessly watched her crops and cows die one by one. After days turned into months of little to no food, she realized she had to move to ensure her family’s survival.
Kadija, her husband and their children would have to walk for days with no food or water to get to a camp in the capital Mogadishu. But she knew her elderly mother, who lived with her family, would not be able to make the grueling walk.
In the end, Kadija had to make a painstaking decision: stay with her mum and risk the death of her whole family; or leave her behind and walk to a slightly more secure future. As her children became hungrier, she decided she had no choice but to leave her mum and her eldest daughter, 13. She said that’s all she could do.
Kadija left them to survive off begging in a famine-hit town while she, her husband and their three other young children walked to a camp to try to secure their survival. They’re now based in a camp called Al Adullah, living off the meager offerings from locals living near the camp and international aid. But there’s no way of contacting her mum and young daughter to see if they’re okay. There’s no phones, no internet, no way to know if they’re even alive.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/
Relief team off to Somalia
29 Aug – Source: The Star – 187 words
The first delegation of volunteers for the humanitarian aid mission to Somalia has left with eight tonnes of food and medical aid for the famine-struck country. The Putera 1Malaysia Club mission will deliver aid to 45,000 people in Mogadishu, the country’s capital.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the volunteers were loaned a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) C-130 aircraft for travel and 26 RMAF personnel would help in the mission. He said the team of 76 would be led by RMAF Lt-Kol Zahadin Zainal and included 19 medical staff, 17 journalists and 14 volunteers.
Club president Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said the club aimed to visit five camps in the capital and provide enough food and medical aid for two months. “In addition to the medical aid and personnel, we are bringing worm medication for 30,000 children. “Based on the situation in the country, Bakti (the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) may come with a second batch of supplies and aid,” he said at the Subang TUDM base here yesterday.The team is expected to return on Sept 5.
http://thestar.com.my/news/
BLOGS/EDITORIAL/CULTURE
How famine makes unscrupulous businessmen fabulously wealthy
28 Aug – Source: Daily Nation – 573 words
In September 2008, a food aid convoy operated by a wealthy Somali businessman and his wife was allegedly looted by an armed group in northern Somalia.
The owner of the company operating the convoy blamed the Union of Islamic Courts for the incident, but independent Somali and international sources told investigators from the Monitoring Group on Somalia that the attack was probably staged, and the food had, in fact, been diverted for sale.
The Monitoring Group on Somalia – an entity mandated by the UN Security Council to monitor arms embargo violations in Somalia – presented the findings of its investigations to the United Nations Security Council in March 2010.
The report stated that the World Food Programme, the single largest provider of food aid in Somalia, had supplied 80 per cent of transport contracts worth roughly $160 million to three Somali businessmen who operated a monopolistic cartel in Somalia, and who were probably involved in the diversion of food aid.
Sources interviewed by the Monitoring Group estimated that up to 50 per cent of food aid was regularly diverted, not just by transport companies, but by WFP personnel and non-governmental organizations operating in Somalia, including one founded by the wife of one of the businessmen belonging to the transport cartel.
The Monitoring Group also suggested that one of the transporters belonging to the cartel had links to the Union of Islamic Courts, which raised questions about whether food aid was being used to finance armed opposition groups.
http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/