January 13, 2015 | Morning Headlines.
Puntland court sentences 3 alleged traitors to life in prison
13 Jan – Source: Garowe Online – 166 Words
A court in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, handed out life sentences to three alleged traitors on Tuesday, Garowe Online reports. The three – Abdiweli Muse Shire, Abdirasaq Ismael Hassan Darwish and Abdisalam Abdulkadir Sheikhdon – allegedly participated in a conference on the formation of a federal state in central Somalia. Puntland’s Deputy Attorney General, Mohamed Hared Farah, named the three, declaring them ‘traitors’ who are a threat to the existence of the state. Shortly after the criminal hearings, First Degree Court of Nugal chairman, Ahmed Salad Mohamed, announced that the three alleged traitors were sentenced to life in prison while 11 others, who voiced support for the agenda, each received a 10-year jail sentence. Shire, Darwish and Sheikhdon reportedly travelled to Adado town, in Galgadud region, as representatives of North Mudug. Puntland protested the inclusion of North Mudug in proposed central state map in July 2013, following a trilateral meeting including Galmudug, Himan and Heeb regions, and the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’a militia in Mogadishu.
Key Headlines
- Puntland court sentences 3 alleged traitors to life in prison (Garowe Online)
- Anti-deforestation campaign set to kick off in Talex (Radio Bar-Kulan)
- US travel advisory urges citizens to avoid port of Mogadishu (Radio Dalsan)
- Somali president welcomes new cabinet (Radio Bar-Kulan/Radio Goobjoog)
- Puntland police arrest terror suspects in Bossaso security sweep (Radio Garowe)
- Somali diaspora gather in Rwanda for policy development (AMISOM News)
- Timeline: recent attacks on Somali media (BBC)
- Learning exchanges strengthen local administrations (UNDP)
- Somalia’s rural literacy campaign (BBC)
SOMALI MEDIA
Puntland court sentences 3 alleged traitors to life in prison
13 Jan – Source: Garowe Online – 166 Words
A court in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, handed out life sentences to three alleged traitors on Tuesday, Garowe Online reports. The three – Abdiweli Muse Shire, Abdirasaq Ismael Hassan Darwish and Abdisalam Abdulkadir Sheikhdon – allegedly participated in a conference on the formation of a federal state in central Somalia. Puntland’s Deputy Attorney General Mohamed Hared Farah named the three, declaring them ‘traitors’ who are a threat to the existence of the state. Shortly after the criminal hearings, First Degree Court of Nugal chairman, Ahmed Salad Mohamed, announced that the three alleged traitors were sentenced to life in prison while 11 others, who voiced support for the agenda, each received a 10-year jail sentence. Shire, Darwish and Sheikhdon reportedly travelled to Adado town, in Galgadud region, as representatives of North Mudug. Puntland protested the inclusion of North Mudug in proposed central state map in July 2013, following a trilateral meeting including Galmudug, Himan and Heeb regions, and the Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’a militia in Mogadishu.
Anti-deforestation campaign set to kick off in Talex
13 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 98 Words
A campaign against deforestation is set to start in Talex town, in Sol region of Somalia, within the week. Aqil Abdi Ali, a resident in the area, has told Bar-Kulan that the campaign is meant to challenge the growing deforestation in the area.He said deforestation in the area has had a profound effect on the livestock which depend on pasture. He urged those involved in the deforestation process to cease, saying a local initiative is ready to provide another alternative for employment. More than two decades of civil war in Somalia also adversely affected forestry in the country.
US travel advisory urges citizens to avoid port of Mogadishu
13 Jan – Source: Radio Dalsan – 231 Words
U.S. government maritime authorities have advised mariners in Somalia to avoid the port of Mogadishu and to remain at least 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. “U.S. citizens considering travel by sea near the Horn of Africa, the Gulf of Guinea, or in the southern Red Sea should exercise extreme caution, as there have been armed attacks, robberies, and kidnappings for ransom by pirates,” said the advisory statement. “The threat of hijacking to merchant vessels continues to exist in Somali territorial waters and as far as 1,000 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, Yemen, and Kenya in international waters. There has also been a recent rise in piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea, including hijackings,” it added.
In addition, the new advisory has strongly recommended that vessels travel in convoys and maintain good communications at all times. It has advised U.S. citizens traveling on commercial passenger vessels to consult with the shipping or cruise ship company regarding precautions that will be taken to avoid hijacking incidents. “Commercial vessels should review the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s Horn of Africa Piracy page for information on maritime advisories, self-protection measures, and naval forces in the region,” it said. “Al-Shabaab retains its demonstrated capability to carry out attacks in government-controlled territory in Somalia and in neighboring countries such as Kenya and Djibouti,” it added.
Somali president welcomes new cabinet
13 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan/Radio Goobjoog – 106 Words
President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, welcomed the new cabinet announced by Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke on Monday. President Mohamud has urged the national assembly to approve the new cabinet without delay. A press statement from the president’s office has said the new cabinet is crucial to the implementation of a federal system in the country and the realization of vision 2016. President Mohamud called upon the new government to prioritize peace, stability, and the fight against Al Shabaab.
Puntland police arrest terror suspects in Bossaso security sweep
13 Jan – Source: Radio Garowe – 184 Words
Puntland police forces arrested an undisclosed number of terror suspects in a security sweep in the port city of Bossaso on Tuesday. Bari Regional Police Commander, Abdihakim Yusuf Hassan, told reporters that the suspects were captured in connection with a hand grenade attack that left three people wounded on Saturdayevening. Hassan said that police have launched investigations into the incident, and would brief the public after interrogations. “The security situation is relatively good in Bossaso, it is a populous city and you can understand the magnitude of enemy infiltration,” Hassan said.
“We have arrested suspects in connection with the hand grenade hurdled into the Bossaso police compound. Investigations and operations are underway, and we will release the results at a later time.” Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the grenade explosion, boasting that they wounded four soldiers. Security officials confirmed to Garowe Online that two soldiers and a civilian bystander sustained minor injuries. Puntland army troops are battling Islamist insurgents in the rugged terrain of Galgala, as well as hideouts in the Golis mountains.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Somali diaspora gather in Rwanda for policy development
13 Jan – Source: AMISOM News – 523 Words
A conference that brings together representatives of Somalia’s diverse and influential Diaspora to discuss key elements of a policy that will streamline their contribution to their country’s rebirth, has entered its second day in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Dubbed the ‘Diaspora Policy Consultation Conference for Development in Somalia’, the event is the brainchild of the Office for Diaspora Affairs (ODA), a department within Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion. The conference is being supported by AMISOM, the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) and Rwanda’s government.
The Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia (SRCC) and Head of AMISOM, Amb. Maman Sidikou attended the opening ceremony yesterday along with Omar Ali, Chief of Staff for The Somali Presidency, Amb. Welile Nhlapo of ACCORD and the Guest of Honor, Parfait Gahamanyi, the Director General the Multilateral Cooperation unit in Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
“Your country needs you now more than ever before, and you owe it to the millions of Somalis who didn’t have the privilege and opportunity to leave Somalia and have been holding the fort, recognise them and make your contribution,” Amb. Maman Sidikou told almost 100 participants who had flown into the Rwandan capital from countries like Malaysia, Canada, USA and other parts of the world. Rwanda, fondly known as the land of a thousand hills, was selected by the ODA as the venue for this significant meeting because of the country’s exemplary track record, in engaging it’s extensive and dynamic diaspora network to support homegrown efforts to recover from internal conflict.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Timeline: recent attacks on Somali media
13 Jan – Source: BBC – 823 Words
The trial of four journalists from the closed broadcaster, Shabeelle Media Network, failed to take off last week. They were arrested at the time the media house was being closed, and accused of incitement. Their trial could not continue after their lawyer failed to turn up in the court in the capital, Mogadishu, on 5 January. Somalia is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, with the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranking the country at position 176 out of the 180 countries it surveyed for its 2014 Press Freedom Index. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in December 2014 that four Somali journalists were among the 60 killed globally that year.
Click on the the headline for a timeline of key media freedom events in Somalia since August 2014.
Learning exchanges strengthen local administrations
13 Jan – Source: UNDP – 585 Words
Like most Somali institutions, local administrations face a myriad of challenges. There is an urgent need to increase the capacity of institutions to enable them to deliver basic and necessary services to their people. As part of an innovative project through the UN Joint Programme on Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (JPLG), UNDP is facilitating peer-to-peer learning exchanges between local governments in the Baidoa and Garowe districts of Somalia. These learning exchanges help administrators share knowledge and adapt solutions to improve public service, delivery, local financial management, and public participation in their communities.
Over the last few decades, insecurity in Baidoa District in south-western Somalia put extreme restrictions on local administrators working in the area. A recent wave of stability in Baidoa opened access for local authorities. This presents opportunities to establish systems for governance, rule of law, and basic services urgently needed by the local community. However, many challenges remain and Baidoa’s authorities largely lack the technical skills and experience needed to set up public services. To help them gain the experience they need, the mayor of Garowe (the administrative capital of Somalia’s Puntland region) invited representatives from Baidoa on a peer-to-peer learning exchange to take part in the 2015 district planning workshop. “The peer-to-peer workshop between local governments is a big opportunity,” said Hasan Moalin Ali, Baidoa’s Deputy Secretary to the Mayor. “The knowledge and sharing information help us benefit from Garowe’s local government, because Baidoa doesn’t have much experience on the public expenditure management system.”
Somalia’s rural literacy campaign
12 Jan – Source: BBC – Audio – 9.00 Minutes
Only a fraction of Somalia’s population could read or write in the early 1970s. So the military government launched a hugely ambitious literacy campaign. What was unusual was that many of the teachers were schoolchildren – sent into the countryside to teach adults. Hear from one of those teachers – Abdirahman Abtidon – who was 14 at the time.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“I salute them all and hope they will keep up the good job of protecting the country and its citizens, from the small and the big, the poor and the rich alike without fear or favour.”
Vote of confidence for Somalia security forces
12 Jan – Source: Blog – 479 Words
I have reported on Somalia since 2005 covering fighting, elections and peaceful spells, but I must admit I have never been impressed by the zeal and genuine patriotism of the Somalia police, military and intelligence officers like their recent display during the IGAD ministerial summit in Mogadishu. Understandably, Mogadishu was closed down for this important meeting because it was the first such high level meeting by IGAD in 28 years. Ordinary people were somehow affected but many of those I met in the streets on the day were generally happy saying such important conferences are a sign of good things to come.
My crew and I were kept at a checkpoint for 2 hours a few meters from the SYL hotel, where the conference took place, despite having all relevant documentation and our press badges. They told us they were ordered never to let anyone through and politely asked us to call their superiors. After hours of calling and begging, we were finally allowed in after a Somalia paramilitary police captain clad in black uniforms, never seen before, and an AMISOM captain were dispatched by the office of the President to fetch us.We had to weave through several checkpoints, which we also had to introduce ourselves even though we were accompanied by senior officers from Somalia and AMISOM. Finally we were allowed into the premises one hour and a half after the conference had started and we went ahead to cover the historic meeting which will go into history books as a major milestone for Somalia.
“Somalia prior to the civil war, corruption prevailed, public funds were directed for personal gains, political opponents eliminated, entire villages bombarded, nepotism and tribalism replaced good governance, rule of law, justice, and human rights.”
Somalis against corruption
13 Jan – Source: Hiiraan Online – 659 Words
Somalis are paying bribes to clear their merchandize from the Mogadishu port. The country’s national assets “wireless spectrum” is in the hands of a few telecom companies. Government contracts are awarded in non-transparent ways. Even the Hajj, a religious obligation for all able-bodied muslims, are in the whims of private firm rather than Ministry of Religious Affairs. Government information is not available to the Somali people and the media, despite their constitutional right. Why does this worry me? In any attempt to explain the causes of something as complex as civil war in Somalia, one must take into consideration the many internal and external causes, but there is a significant body of research that indicates the chief causes of civil wars and state failures is that corruption is allowed to flourish and prevail prior to state collapse.
Any study of the causes of the Somali civil war must take into account the role corruption in all its forms – extrajudicial killing, bribery, tribalism, criminality, nepotism, extortion, and petty crimes – played in the collapse of Somalia, and the following two decades of civil war. “States fail when they are perceived as illegitimate or cannot deliver essential services to citizens, and corruption thrives in failed states, where elites or government officials seize control of public funds and withhold benefits from the public or demand bribes in order for citizens to receive benefits,” writes Eric Ma in “Corruption as an Indicator of a Failed State.”