November 20, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali businessmen shot dead in South Africa

19 Nov – Source: Horseed Media – 202 Words

Armed gangs have shot dead two Somali businessmen in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, as the situation for Somalis is deteriorating in the country. The two businessmen were shot on Tuesday evening in their own shops. Gunmen managed to flee from the scene before the police arrived. In the past two decades, many thousands of Somalis have fled conflict at home and moved to South Africa, where many have opened small shops and kiosks in townships. But Since last year, more than 2,000 Somalis living in South Africa have returned home after most of the country regions became more stable following the driving out of al-Shabaab militants by the AU and Somali national army. Xenophobia plays a role in the violence against Somalis. But criminals also know that because of bureaucratic hurdles, it is difficult for refugees to open bank accounts. Robbers are more likely to find cash in Somali-owned stores. Some have nicknamed the community “ATMs” (automated bank-teller machines). The authorities have dismissed reports of xenophobia, saying the attacks are due to business rivalry. Somalia government has on several occasions requested the South African authorities to do more to protect Somali nationals.

Key Headlines

Somali Businessmen shot dead in South Africa (Horseed Media)
Neil Wigan congratulates the Interim South West Administration on the election of their leadership (Radio Goobjoog)
SIMHA condemns the killing of radio journalist in Galkacyo (Radio Kulmiye)
Business people in Bakara market call Benadir regional administration to protect their business (Radio Goobjoog)
Supporters of Sharif Hassan hold an event in Mogadishu (Dalsan Radio)
Egypt commends efforts to build prosperous Somalia (Daily News Egypt)
Ugandan-Somalis win case against Somali Ambassador (New Vision – 355 Words)
Kenyan police arrest 109 at mosques seize explosives (Reuters – 339 Words)
Qatari embassy receptionist ‘called a black slave’ at work seeks £100000 damages (London Evening Standard)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali Businessmen shot dead in South Africa

19 Nov – Source: Horseed Media – 202 Words

Neil Wigan congratulates the Interim South West Administration on the election of their leadership

20 Nov – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 195 Words

Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Somalia, Neil Wigan, congratulates the conference of the Interim South West Administration (ISWA) on the election of their leadership. Her Majesty’s Government praises all stakeholders in the regions Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle for achieving this milestone and welcomes the constructive role the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) played in facilitating the process. He said: “The United Kingdom welcomes the significant milestone ISWA has achieved in electing their new President; we extend our congratulations to Sharif Hasan Sheikh Adan and look forward to working with him. We now urge the new leadership to demonstrate full inclusivity, of all communities, in the remaining steps of the process and in the creation of the regional assembly. We also encourage all stakeholders from within the regions Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle to continue to come together in reconciliation to ensure that ISWA becomes a signal of stability for Somalia. The creation of ISWA is an important step towards achieving Vision 2016 and we welcome the constructive role the FGS played in achieving this. The United Kingdom remains committed to Somalia and we will support the emerging administrations in delivering essential services for its citizens.”

SIMHA condemns the killing of radio journalist in Galkacyo

19 Nov – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 170 Words

Somali Independent Media House Association (SIMHA) strongly condemns the brutal killing journalist Abdirizack Ali in Galkacyo on Tuesday night. Ali was shot five times by unknown assailants who fled the scene. According to one of his last facebook chat with friend, the radio journalist feared for his life stating that he felt his life was in danger. SIMHA calls upon Puntland authorities to immediately launch an investigation and bring to justice those responsible for the heinous act. SIMHA chairman Hassan Ali Gesey sent his condolences to Somali media fraternity for the loss of the innocent journalist.“It is another sad day for Somali media seeing one of its own killed in cold blood because of being simply a journalist,” he said. “We can’t tolerate such kind of animosity anymore, let us hold our hands together and prevent further violence directed at members of Somalia media,” he added. He urged federal government of Somalia to do more to curb increasing violence meted against Somali journalists.

Business people in Bakara market call Benadir regional administration to protect their business

19 Nov – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 141 Words

The business people in Bakara market called Benadir regional administration to take active role of protecting the lives and the properties of the businessmen and businesswomen in the market. One of the business people in the market who remained anonymous told Goobjoog FM that their plea to the regional administration followed looting of business premises by unknown armed men on Tuesday night. He stated that the armed men robbed properties of immense value from the shop adding that they left nothing inside the shop. The businessman said they reported the incident to Howl Wadag police station around the market but no response received so far. He noted that the issue of robbery in Bakara market has become rampant and nothing much has been done by the federal government of Somalia to the increasing number of the threats against the business people.

Supporters of Sharif Hassan hold an event in Mogadishu

19 Nov – Source: Dalsan Radio – 125 Words

An event in support of Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan who was elected president a couple of days ago for the south-west state of Somalia was today held in Mogadishu. The event was attended by his supporters most of whom hail from south-west Somalia especially the three regions of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle. They included politicians, intellectuals, religious leaders, women groups and youths. Many of them delivered speeches in expression of how they are very happy and excited about the presidency of Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan. President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan attended the forum there at the event through teleconference and said he was elected because of the will of the people and that he is committed to working for the people.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Egypt commends efforts to build prosperous Somalia

19 Nov – Source: Daily News Egypt – 280 Words

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry expressed Egypt’s commitment to work closely with all partners to alleviate suffering of the Somali people, addressing Egypt’s “very long history of cooperation” with the country. He added that the ongoing “humanitarian crisis in southern, central and north-eastern” Somalia is “alarming” and “requires an immediate response”. Delivering a speech in a ministerial forum on Somalia in Copenhagen, Shoukry said Egypt was an active participant in mediation efforts in the Horn of Africa country, in collaboration with other partners, according to a statement by the foreign ministry. Shoukry said there is need for a “greater focus” to combat “extremism” and “terrorism”, adding that these trends are not confined to Somalia and that they “cross the borders everywhere”. The foreign minister commended efforts exerted to “achieve peace, stability” and to help build a “prosperous Somalia after more than two decades of suffering and despair”.

Ugandan-Somalis win case against Somali Ambassador

19 Nov – Source: New Vision – 355 Words

Somali Ambassador to Uganda, Sayid Ahmed Sheikh Dahir has agreed to stop interfering with matters of Ugandan-Somalis and Somali refugees in Uganda, save dealing with Somali citizens, who are neither Ugandans nor refugees. In consent judgment signed with the Ugandan-Somali nationals living in Uganda before Mengo Chief Magistrate Boniface Wamala, it was agreed that the ambassador may deal with Somali citizens in Uganda, who are non-Ugandans and non-refugees as they are his responsibility. The consent order was witnessed by lawyers Hassan Kamba, who represented the Ugandan-Somalis and Somali refugees in Uganda and Richard Kiboneka, who represented the Ambassador. This followed an application in which the Ugandan-Somalis had applied to the court to commit Ambassador Dahir to the civil prison as a contemnor for allegedly refusing to come to court as he had earlier been summoned. The Ugandan-Somalis had earlier sued the ambassador on allegations that he had interfered into the affairs of their association by allegedly creating another association that divided them on tribal basis at home.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan police arrest 109 at mosques, seize explosives

19 Nov – Source: Reuters – 339 Words

Kenyan police found explosives at three mosques in Mombasa on Wednesday and arrested 109 people on suspicion they were undergoing militant training, in the latest in a series of raids in the port city. Kenya is looking to break up Islamist militant networks it blames for a series of attacks in the capital Nairobi as well as along its Indian Ocean coastline, saying many of the recruits are inspired by al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked Somali group. “These operations have started and will go on until all places of worship especially mosques in Mombasa are set free from terrorist and criminal elements,” Robert Kitur, Mombasa County police commander, told Reuters. “We have been gathering intelligence for a long period, and it was time to act.” Police raided two mosques on Monday, seizing weapons and literature that they said was evidence of militant activity. Richard Ngatia, a local police chief, said investigators on Wednesday found three machetes at Mombasa’s Mina mosque and a grenade, while two 10-litre petrol bombs and a bomb detonator were uncovered at Swafaa mosque. “The mosques have been radicalizing youth, training and encouraging them in jihadism. We also recovered a booster used to accelerate explosions … and literature about jihadism,” Ngatia said.

Qatari embassy receptionist ‘called a black slave’ at work seeks £100,000 damages

19 Nov – Source: London Evening Standard – 499 Words

A receptionist who was allegedly called a “black slave” and hit by a senior official at the Qatari embassy in Mayfair in a campaign of racial bullying says he is seeking £100,000 in damages because he fears he may never work again. The Standard reported in June how Mohamoud Ahmed, 74, had lodged a claim for unfair dismissal and race and age discrimination against the Gulf state’s embassy, where he had been employed for almost 20 years. Somali-born Mr Ahmed, who has lived in the UK for more than 40 years and is a British citizen, claims he was referred to in Arabic as a “donkey” and a “dog” by Abdullah Al-Ansari, the head of the embassy’s medical department. All his claims are denied by the Qatari embassy and Mr Al–Ansari. Mr Ahmed, who claims he was assaulted on two occasions by Mr Al-Ansari, told the Standard he has had eight months of physiotherapy and may need surgery on his left shoulder, but is still looking for work.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“I want the international community to know that we are in a dangerous situation now. We need food which we can grow ourselves, but we need help. I am appealing to you to support us to be sustainable. We need fishing tools, farming tools, health instruments for the hospital, medicine, equipment. Whatever the international community can give us, to save thousands of lives from suffering.”

Stability and sustainability: interview with Dr Hawa Abdi

18 Nov – Patheos.com/Somaliland Press – 1, 537 Words

It is a calm and cool afternoon in Nairobi, Kenya, when I catch up with Dr Hawa Abdi over Skype. After working hard in Mogadishu’s difficult circumstances with her two physician daughters Deqo and Amina Mohamed, she sometimes comes to Nairobi to rest and relax. Speaking over a passable internet connection, our conversation is peppered with silences, as our words travel between Kenya and Singapore. 68 year-old Dr Abdi, affectionately known by Somalis as Mama Hawa, is more than Somalia’s first gynaecologist. From 1964 to 1971, Dr Abdi specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology in Kiev, and later came back to work in one of the biggest hospitals in Somalia. It was during this period that she saw too many women from prison, who were handcuffed or chained to the hospital beds as they waited for treatment. This sight spurred her to continue her education in Somalia, this time earning a law degree in 1979. To help provide maternal care to rural women, Dr Abdi started a free rural clinic in 1983 on some family-owned land, which quickly grew into a 400-bed two-storey hospital. When Somalia broke out into civil war in 1991, her hospital started to take in refugees. The surrounding land quickly expanded into a refugee camp that housed 90,000 internally displaced people. This haven however, became the target for several attacks by militants over the last few years. Today, the camp houses 5,000 internally displaced people in six sections, each with their own committee, water tank and farmland. The camp’s primary school, Waqaf-Dhiblawe, teaches an equal ratio of boys and girls. As of 2012, the hospital has a capacity of 400 beds, maternal mortality rates of 1 per cent, and infant mortality rates of 4.3 per cent, well below national averages.

“Turkey will remain committed to fully supporting the African Union in achieving its goals, which will further consolidate African ownership of African issues.”

Turkey is privileged to be strategic partner of Africa

19 Nov – Source: Business Day Live – 767 Words

In August 2011, under the blazing African sun, a plane carrying the then prime minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his family and a large delegation composed of the different segments of the Turkish state and society landed in Mogadishu. It was one of the first international flights destined for Somalia after a very long interval. The flight turned the course of events in Somalia, which had been suffering from chronic instability and prolonged social strife, creating a serious humanitarian crisis, coinciding with severe drought and famine. That day a new partnership was born out of the ashes of civil war and humanitarian disaster, but it was only one example of Turkey’s commitment to Africa’s rejuvenation. Turkey has never held a colonial position or relationship on the continent. To the contrary, African nations looked for help from the Ottomans in their struggle against colonial oppressors. Furthermore, it is known that our war of independence, which we fought close to a century ago under the leadership of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, has had a strong influence on Africans in their struggle for liberation and independence.