May 19, 2015 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somalia Bans Police Officers From Chewing Khat

18 May – Source: Garowe Online – 133 Words

Federal Government of Somalia for the first time banned police officers from chewing mild stimulant, khat in a step towards tight discipline, Garowe Online reports.
Somalia Police Force Commander-in-Chief Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud said at a police academy in Mogadishu that the green leaves, traditionally chewed in the East African country are detrimental to the discipline of officers on tour of duty. “Any police officer whom we find Khat in his pockets will be warned initially, secondly he would face punishment and for the third time he will be charged at military court,” Hamud told Police. Khat traders in neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia are dependent on millions of dollars from Somalia sales. Somalia’s battered army is known for narcotic leaves, with many users chewing for increased attention.

Key Headlines

Somalia Bans Police Officers From Chewing Khat (Garowe Online)
First Batch Of Somalis And Yemenis Evacuated by Air Touches Down Somalia’s Soil (Goobjoog News)
Denmark Forcibly Deports Somali Asylum-Seekers (Horseed Media)
Somaliland President Warns Against Rebuilding Somali Army (Radio Dalsan)
Somali Intelligence Detain Dozens In Mogadishu Hotel (Radio Dalsan)
Deadly Protest In Lasaanod As Somaliland Celebrates 24 Years Of Independence (Garowe Online)
Paramilitary Group Shuts Down Radio Station (Garowe Online)
Minnesota Experts Seek New Approach Against Terrorism (Star Tribune)
‘White Widow’ Samantha Lewthwaite Is Now Right Hand Of Al Shabaab Leader In Somalia: Report(International Business Times)
An American Company Like No Other Operating in Mogadishu (Wardheer News)

NATIONAL MEDIA

First Batch Of Somalis And Yemenis Evacuated by Air Touches Down Somalia’s Soil

18 May – Source: Goobjoog News – 261 Words

A plane carrying Somali returnees and Yemen refugees has touched down at Aden Abdulle International Airport on Monday. At least 50 returnees including Somali people have flown from a Yemeni airport and it will be the first batch of Somali and Yemen refugees who were airlifted. This comes when a boat packed with Somalis which set out from Mukalla Port on Sunday, is expected to dock at one of Somalia’s port in the forthcoming hours. Somali refugees have been resting under the shade of Yemen since the government of late Mohamed Siyad Barre deposed by rebellions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fleeing civil war in Somalia crossed to Yemen over the past twenty five years.

13th May this year, a boat carrying over 1700 Somali refugees from Yemen has docked at Bosaaso port of Semi-autonomous regional state of Puntland. Yemen became home for ferocious fighting between the internationally recognized government and the Houthis, who have taken control of large swaths of Yemen. The conflict claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands including Yemeni and Somali refugees who escaped the conflict and hardships in their country before civil war eruption in Yemen. Since 1st April, 5,523 of Somali refugees started to return home by themselves with small boats. They accused the government of “failing” to intervene the situation of the trapped citizens. Life went from bad to worse for the Somalis living in Yemen after the federal government revealed that it is supporting the on-going Saudi-led military offensive against the Houthi rebels who are fighting to take over internationally recognized government.

Denmark Forcibly Deports Somali Asylum-Seekers

18 May – Source: Horseed Media – 200 Words

Denmark has forcibly deported back to Mogadishu four Somali refugees who were seeking asylum, Horseed Media reports. According to Somalia’s federal government officials, the four were forced to return after their asylum applications failed to be accepted by the Danish authorities. One of the deportees, Abdullahi Abdi Omar who spoke to reporters in Mogadishu airport said that he had been in jail for eight months prior to his deportation.‘’I went to Denmark in September and applied for asylum…. But I ended up in a jail for eight months and after that directly we were forced to return to Somalia,’’ he said.

Last year, Somalia officials refused to accept any forced deportees from the European countries, urging authorities to respect the rights of the asylum seekers. Human rights and advocacy groups have voiced their concerns on deportation of Somalis seeking for asylum, saying that it represents a clear violation of international refugee conventions. Tens of thousands of Somalis fled the country after the Central Government was overthrown in 1991 and civil war emerged. Most went to neighbouring countries but large numbers sought sanctuary in Europe and North America.

Somaliland President Warns Against Rebuilding Somali Army

18 May – Source: Radio Dalsan – 108 Words

The President of the self-declared state of Somaliland Ahmed Mohamud Silanyo has warned the international community against rebuilding of Somali National Army. Speaking during the 24th anniversary of self-declared independence, Silanyo said the international community led efforts to rebuild and equip Somali National army will led to destabilization in the region. He said the strengthening of Somali army will precipitate long lasting violence and insecurity in the horn of the African region.The Federal Government of Somalia did not commented on his claims. Silanyo speech also touched on the political crisis in the self-declared state concerning the recent extension of his term by the popular house elders committee.

Somali Intelligence Detain Dozens In Mogadishu Hotel

18 May – Source: Radio Dalsan – 129 Words

Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency officers have detained dozens of people in Mogadishu hotel during raid on Monday morning. The hotel was hosting an event to mark the 24th anniversary of the self-declared state of Somaliland which is set on 18th May. It is not clear the number of people arrested in the operation by Somali security agencies. There is ongoing celebrations across Somaliland today to commemorate when it declared self-independence from entire Somalia.

President Ahmed Mohamed Silaanyo who is facing political pressure for term extension is among the leaders who addressed the people in Hargeisa. Somaliland boycotted Turkish driven union talks in Istanbul on March citing its citizens among the delegates from Mogadishu. Despite its self-independence ambitions Somaliland is internationally recognized as only autonomous region in Somalia.

Deadly Protest In Lasaanod As Somaliland Celebrates 24 Years Of Independence

18 May – Source: Garowe Online: 255 Words

At least two unarmed civilians have been reported killed in Lasaanod protests as Somaliland is celebrating 24 years of independence from the rest of the country on Monday, Garowe Online reports. The deaths have come after angry crowds clashed with Somaliland police forces in downtown Lasaanod according to local journalists. Three people who sustained injuries in the violent protests are also being treated at local medical facility. Conversely in Sool regional capital of Laasanod, pro-Somaliland residents held celebrations marking the day on which Somaliland declared independence.

Speaking to a large crowd in Somaliland capital of Hargeisa, Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Siilaanyo) strongly contested plans to set up united national army, warning of spillover of new conflicts across East Africa. “As we know, schemes to build national army for Somalia have been underway. Henceforth, we warn of the grim consequences of such steps since it could stoke fresh hostilities in the Horn,” said Siilaanyo in reaction at a joint communiqué at a conference in the capital of Somaliland’s archrival to the west, Puntland on May 2. Siilaanyo urged international community partners to reconsider their standpoint on the matter. 24 years ago today, Somaliland declared its independence from the rest of the country as de facto sovereign state but it has not been recognized internationally yet. Puntland and Somaliland, both located in northern Somalia have clashed in sporadic battles in the strongly contested regions of Sool and Sanaag since 2000. Somaliland forces militarily seized strategic Laasanod city from Puntland in October 2007.

Paramilitary Group Shuts Down Radio Station

18 May – Source: Garowe Online – 146 Words

Somalia’s Paramilitary group of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamea has shut down FM station in Galgadud regional district of Guri’el of central Somalia on Monday, Garowe Online reports. Radio Galgadud Director-General Abdifatah Hassan Farah said on VOA Somali Service that Ahlu Sunna militias arrested FM journalist, Abdulkadir Gure, and took the station off air for refusing to comply with orders. He said, Ahlu Sunna presented three orders including station not to broadcast Adado convention, limited coverage to the reports on Somalia Federal Government and not to let Somali Services of BBC and VOA air programmes on station with Radio Galgadud. National Union of Somali Journalists condemned the closure of the station, calling it violation of free speech. The media fraternity asked Ahlu Sunna to set journalist Gure free. The paramilitary group co-signed state formation blueprint with the local administration of Himan and Heeb and Galmudug in July.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Minnesota Experts Seek New Approach Against Terrorism

18 May -Source: Star Tribune – 869

The federal government has committed more than $200,000 to Minnesota law enforcement and community groups in a counterterrorism effort officials hope halts young men and women in the United States from being recruited to fight with Islamic extremist groups.President Obama has asked Congress for an additional $15 million to expand such efforts nationally in his budget this year. But the “countering violent extremism” program, which will likely pay for youth mentorships and cultural programs, already is coming under fire before it has doled out any cash in Minnesota.

Civil liberties groups have argued from the start that the efforts targeted at the Somali community paint too broad a brush and stigmatize their community. They also say there should not be a forced federally funded relationship between law enforcement, religious leaders and schools. Nearly 50 Minnesota Muslim groups recently signed a petition expressing concerns over countering violent extremism, or CVE, efforts. “It is our recommendation that the government stop investing in programs that will only stigmatize, divide and marginalize our communities further,” the petition said.

‘White Widow’ Samantha Lewthwaite Is Now Right Hand Of Al Shabaab Leader In Somalia: Report

18 May – Source: International Business Times – 456 Word

Samantha Lewthwaite, the so-called “White Widow,” is now the right hand of al Shabaab leader Ahmad Umar and has allegedly orchestrated the deaths of more than 400 people in the region, a Somalia security chief told the Daily Mirror. Lewthwaite, a British-born Muslim accused of terrorism, is suspected of masterminding last month’s terror attack on a Kenyan university which killed 148 students. “She is one of the most important figures in the terror group,” a top officer at Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency told the London tabloid on Sunday night. “We think this lady is sitting at the right hand of the leader directing attacks.”

The “White Widow” has quickly risen through the ranks of the Somali-based terror group after many al Shabaab leaders were killed in drone attacks, the security chief alleged. She has also used bribes to successfully recruit teenagers and women as suicide bombers in the Somali capital Mogadishu. “She does not carry out attacks herself as she is too important but is responsible for many, many deaths – hundreds,” the Somali security chief, who asked not to be named, told the Daily Mirror. “She uses children to kill for her after giving money to their families.”

Somali security officials suspect Lewthwaite is hiding out near the town of Haaway in southern Somalia, an al Shabaab stronghold. Last year, she reportedly married an al Shabaab warlord known as Hassan Maalim Ibrahim or Sheikh Hassan, the Daily Mirror said.

OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE

One particular company that was bold and avant-garde in its move in investing in Somalia is Bancroft Global Development, a company with “roots going back more than a century, to relief efforts during World War I and to a team of financiers who helped dozens of countries to prosper in the decades following the war.”
Bancroft, among other investments in Somalia, is keen on luring the international community back to Somalia. In April 2013, Bancroft opened its newest property called ‘International Campus’, within close proximity to Mogadishu International Airport. Sitting on 11 acres of a former rubbish dump, the International Campus is a stepping stone, to help major international organizations reopen a Somali base for their programs rather than remaining in foreign capitals like Nairobi.

An American Company Like No Other Operating in Mogadishu

16 May – Source : Wardheer News – 859 Words

Private sector investment is paramount to development programs in fragile countries and is essential to stimulate economic growth and to create employment opportunities. Nevertheless, these fragile countries such as Somalia face major challenges in accessing finances and investments due to political instability, mass corruption, poor infrastructure, weak institutions, and poor governance. Thus, attracting private investment has been problematic. Yet Somalia offers a unique business opportunity to private and public institutions alike. Somalia’s pristine coast (the longest in Africa), coupled with its strategic location situated between the Arabian peninsula and land locked Ethiopia, lie some of Somalia’s exceptional business opportunities open to investors with a high risk tolerance.

Al Shabaab controlled most parts of Mogadishu in 2007 and the city was dubbed the ‘most dangerous city on the planet’. It was long before the daily Turkish Airlines flights, long before the UN relocated to Mogadishu, and even long before Turkish involvement. Not too many business minded individuals, let alone an American owned business, would have considered it a good idea to invest in Mogadishu, at that particular juncture in time. From a western business stand point whereby stability is often a prerequisite for business investments, this idea would be considered completely far-fetched and even outright outrageous. It is; however, important to note that one man’s challenge is another man’s opportunity and hence Kofi Annan’s belief that Africa’s profitability is one of the best kept secrets in today’s world economy.