March 18, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report.

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Skirmishes Break Out Between Locals And Al-Shabaab In Bakol

18 March – Source: Goobjoog News – 104 Words

Reports from Tiyeglow district of Bakol indicate that locals have taken up arms against Al-Shabaab fighters after the insurgents attacked villages in an attempt to collect livestock. The residents fought back fiercely according to mayor of Tiyeglow district, the fighting resulted in the death of at least one person and wounded others. Mohamed Abdullahi, the mayor of Tiyeglow told Goobjoog News that the insurgents wanted to forcefully collect taxes from the impoverished community, but were met with resistance when the community members decided to defend their possessions. The mayor pledged to support the locals in resisting Al-Shabaab aggression.

Key Headlines

Skirmishes Break Out Between Locals And Al-Shabaab In Bakol (Goobjoog News)
Conference To Discuss Regional Development Concludes in Mogadishu (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Fishermen Protest Against Illegal Fishing (Horseed Media)
Politicians Lobby For The Formation Of Hiran State (Goobjoog News)
Security Operation Starts In Mogadishu (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Mogadishu Mayor Met UN Special Envoy Nicholas Kay (Midnimo.com)
Somalia Premier Arrives (Peninsula)
Kerrow Alleges State House Link In Attacks (Mediamax Network)
Somali Islamists Kill Four In Cross-Border Attack On Kenyan Town (Reuter)
Nine Killed In Mogadishu Road Crash (Turkish Weekly)
March 16 1993: Edmonton Paratrooper Guilty In Beating Death Of Somali Teenager (Edmonton Journal)
Somaliland: Our Peaceful Country and Backbone of Democracy and Good Governance (Somaliland Sun)

SOMALI MEDIA

Conference To Discuss Regional Development To Be Concludes in Mogadishu

18 March – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 76 Words

A conference to discuss ways of developing the various regions in Somalia that has been going in Mogadishu is set to conclude today. The conference which started yesterday is being attended by representatives from the two arms of governments and the Benadir regional administration representatives. The meeting was organized by the NGO Soydan and is expected to come up with ways of bringing about regional development.

Fishermen Protest Against Illegal Fishing

18 March – Source: Horseed Media – 281 Words

Local fishermen staged a rally in Mogadishu on Tuesday to protest against illegal fishing off the coast of Somalia by foreign vessels. The fishermen called for an end to the illegal business, urging the government to take steps to impose sanctions on the trawlers exploiting the sea. “Our daily bread is in jeopardy and safety in the sea is no longer granted….These thieves are doing very harmful things and can’t let them to continue with it,” said one of the fishermen protesting. The local fishermen, whose boats are only a few metres long and open to the weather, struggle to make a living because their catches have been declining dramatically over recent years. As the number of large, foreign tuna fishing vessels have increased, the local fishermen have seen their catches decline as a result.

Meanwhile, the fishermen also demonstrated against the Italian energy firm ‘’ENI’’ for exploration in Somalia sea, calling it an ‘’illegal business’’. The company was authorised by the Somali government to assess potential for hydrocarbon in the sea. Last week, Somalia’s ministry of Fisheries and Marine resources revealed that new laws to fight against the illegal fishing are under progress. For decades, foreign trawlers from Europe and other parts of the world have traveled to Somalia waters to take what they can without permission or licenses. They use efficient mechanical equipment, taking massive numbers of fish stocks. It is estimated that Somalia loses more than $200 million per year because of these foreign trawlers.

Politicians Lobby For The Formation Of Hiiraan State

18 March – Source: Goobjoog News – 176 Words

Some Somali politicians have started lobbying for the formation of one region state, contrary to the constitutional requirement of two or more regions. Politician Mohamed Burale has told Goobjoog that they are holding meetings in Mogadishu and Baladweyne in a bid to pave the way for the formation of a state that comprises Hiiraan region only. “We don’t have plans to incorporate Middle Shabelle into the state, we would like to have a state for Hiran region only” said Mohamed.

When asked about the constitutional requirement that says two or more regions can form a state, Mr. Burale drew a parallel example from Mudug region which is split into two to form the emerging Central State “If One and half regions can be a state, then why can’t one region be a state?” asked the politician. This lobby group believes that since Hiiraan is the one of the biggest regions in size, it can comfortably form a state, but the federal government has already indicated that Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle would a form a new state.

Mogadishu Mayor Meets UN Special Envoy Nicholas Kay

17 March – Source: Midnimo.com – 179 Words

The Chairman of the Banadir region and the mayor of Mogadishu Hassan Mohamed Hussein today met with Special Envoy of the United Nations in Somalia Nicholas Kayy. Ambassador Kay visited the office of Mogadishu mayor in Kaaraan district north east of Mogadishu. The two have discussed several issues in their meeting such as election of local Government in Banadir region.

He thanked the chairman of Banadir Region and Mogadishu Mayor for his work on development projects implemented by Banadir region and local government of Mogadishu. The Chairman of the Banadir region and the mayor of Mogadishu Hassan Mohamed Hussein also thanked UN Ambassador Nicholas Kay for his regular visits to Banadir region administration’s office. Mogadishu local government has been carrying various development projects in the capital, ranging from tarmac king roads and sanitations to installing street lights across the city which have significantly improved the security situation in Mogadishu.

Security Operation Starts In Mogadishu

17 March – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 106 Words

The security forces in Mogadishu have started an operation aimed at boosting security in the capital. A spokesman for security ministry, Mohamed Yusuf Osman said the operation is meant to improve the security and avert Al-Shabaab attacks. He said the operation will be carried out even in the smaller streets in Mogadishu. The spokesman visited some of the roads where the operation is being carried out such as factory road, Soddonka, Wadnaha, Maka Al Mukarama road, 21 October road and Hawo Tako among others. He did not mention if the police made any arrest during the ongoing operation.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somalia Premier Arrives In Doha

18 March – Source: Peninsula – 89 Words

Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke yesterday arrived in Doha on a several days visit. Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi and Somalia Charge d’Affaires Mokhtar Ali Youssef welcomed Sharmarke at Hamad International Airport.

Kerrow Alleges State House Link In Attacks

17 March – Source: Mediamax Network – 418 Words

Senator Billow Kerrow has sensationally claimed those fuelling Mandera insecurity are linked to State House even as Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett confirmed the arrest of a suspect over the attack on Mandera Governor Ali Roba’s convoy last week. Addressing the media at Parliament Buildings yesterday, Kerrow claimed it had become impossible to conduct any effective security operation in the area because of some Somali tycoons, who are colluding with powers that be. But a quick rejoinder, State House director of communications Munyori Buku denied the allegations and expressed shock that a leader of Kerrow’s status “could stoop that low and make such wild allegations”

“Those are serious allegations that Kerrow ought to have reported to the police with evidence instead of in the media. He should know that the government is fully committed to the security of all Kenyans, and has been determined to finish the al Shabaab menace. How can the very government turn around to be sympathetic to the very menace it is fighting to destroy?” quipped Buku. Kerrow claimed foreigners who have invested hugely in the area are fuelling the attacks and are using their State House links to frustrate any effort to deal with the attackers.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali Islamists Kill Four In Cross-Border Attack On Kenyan Town

18 March – Source: Reuters – 211 Word

Somali Islamist militants killed at least four people during a raid on a Kenyan town near the border with Somalia, police said on Wednesday.Hooded gunmen attacked a shop in the northeastern town of Wajir, about 100 km (60 miles) from the Somali border, firing guns and setting off explosions, witnesses said late on Tuesday. “They locked (people) inside the shop, set it on fire and left. Three died inside while one (died) while being ferried to hospital,” said Mohamed Siyat, a county government official. The Islamist group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the raid.

The militants last week also killed several people when they attacked a convoy carrying a regional Kenyan governor, Ali Roba, near the Mandera area bordering Somalia. The northeastern region stretching from Wajir to the border town of Mandera has often been targeted by al Shabaab, which has vowed to punish Kenya for sending troops into Somalia where they are fighting alongside other African peacekeepers. Many residents and regional politicians have vented frustration with the government for failing to improve security in a crime-ridden region awash with bandits and gunmen. Analysts say the long and porous border with Somalia has made the northeastern region a soft target for al Shabaab, who often retreat into Somalia after raids.

Nine Killed In Mogadishu Road Crash

17 March – Source: Turkish Weekly – 87 Words

Nine people were killed and ten others injured on Tuesday in a road accident in Somali capital Mogadishu, eyewitnesses have said. A public transport bus collided into a truck in the Hawa Abdi district, leading to the death of nine passengers and the injury of ten others, some seriously, witnesses told The Anadolu Agency. Ambulances were seen rushing to the scene to take the injured to nearby hospitals, they added. The accident is Mogadishu’s worst in months in a city notorious for speeding cars and poor roads.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“International community is not willing to listen the freedom voice of the people of Somaliland…Regional countries and international community are directly dealing [with] Somaliland government but still unwilling to grant diplomatic recognition. In many occasions the world is pressuring Somaliland into another union with the failed state of Somalia.”

Somaliland: Peaceful Country and Backbone of Democracy and Good Governance

17 March – Source: Somaliland Sun – 489 Words

It is a beacon of stability in the Horn of Africa, with a constitution, free elections and economic growth. After a brutal war of secession and the fall of the dictator Siad Barre, when Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, it hoped to win official international recognition. The Republic of Somaliland is a sovereign state in the Horn of Africa sharing its borders with Republic of Djibouti, Federal Republic of Ethiopia and Somalia to the east. The country is known of its mountain ranges rising up to seven thousand feet and the Laas Geel Cave Paintings which are the earliest human artifacts, dating from before 3000 BC.
Somaliland is located north of the Equator, thus the sun passes vertically overhead twice a year and it has a coastline to the north extending 460 miles along the Red Sea. The former British Somaliland Protectorate achieved its full independence from the United Kingdom in 1960, it has a population of about 3.5 million people and it is about the size of England and Wales. The main language spoken is Somali, English and Arabic are also prominent. The country has one of the most thriving economies in Africa, agriculture being the backbone especially livestock, the production of cereals and horticulture. It also has a hugely diverse quantities of mineral deposits across the country. The main currency used is the Somaliland shilling (SlSh) which is regulated by the Bank of Somaliland.

“Blindfolded, and bound hand and foot, he was kept in a shallow, sandbagged weapons bunker and was to have been turned over to Somali police the next day.The court martial heard Arone was repeatedly beaten over three hours with fists, boots, a heavy wooden riot baton and a metal pipe.Brown admitted he punched Arone in the jaw and kicked him five or six times in the thighs and ribs early on because he “despised thieves.”

March 16, 1993: Edmonton Paratrooper Guilty In Beating Death Of Somali Teenager

16 March – Source: Edmonton Journal – 379 Words – Correction

Elvin Kyle Brown of Edmonton was convicted of manslaughter and torture in the beating death of a Somali teenager in Canadian custody in Somalia.His conviction for torture was the first in Canadian history and capped a sensational six-week trial that tarnished Canada’s international peacekeeping reputation. Two days later, a court martial at CFB Petawawa, Ont., imposed a five-year prison term on the 25-year-old soldier with the elite Canadian Airborne Regiment.The five-officer panel also ordered Brown be dismissed “with disgrace” from the forces.Brown nodded approvingly and smiled slightly after the sentence was announced.

The stocky soldier said nothing to reporters as he left court, stripped of the distinctive paratrooper maroon beret.“He’s definitely relieved,” said defence lawyer Patrick McCann. He added the sentence was fair and recognized the “minor” role Brown played in the death of Shidane-Abukar Arone on March 16, 1993, in the Canadian compound near Belet Huen during a UN famine relief mission. Friends and former colleagues in Edmonton said they were shocked and relieved to hear of Brown’s sentence, but some were also upset he was going to jail, saying he’d been made a “scapegoat.”The short, slight, 16-year-old Arone, who told soldiers he was looking for a lost child, was arrested by a Canadian patrol as he crawled through the barbed wire of an adjacent abandoned U.S. military compound.

Top tweets

@MoIS_SomaliaWe are working tirelessly to heighten security procedures to secure the safety of pedestrians and cars on the main

@Hamza_Africa Hundreds of students took to Mogadishu streets today calling for Italy & drilling company ENI to get out

@Mogadishuevents #EU support #Somalia Coast Guard and to strengthen its maritime security capabilities PHOTOS by @

@aia_24 Qatar Airways is soon to announce that they’ll begin direct flights to

@SpeakerMJawari I had a very productive meeting with rep from the int community @Somalia111& Amb from UK,Sweden,Switzerland,

@UNSomalia ·.@Somalia111, Nick Kay spends day in#Mogadishu, meets with #Somali president & mayor of#Mogadishu @ new premises.

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Image of the day

A Somali National Army (SNA) soldier takes up a defensive position during a live-fire exercise.

Photo:AMISOM