June 2, 2015 | Morning Headlines
Somalia League: Heegan Break Banadir/Elman Dominance To Be Crowned Somalia Premier League Champions
01 June – Source: Soka25East.com – 263 Words
Heegan FC was crowned Somalia Premier League 2014/2015 champions without playing a match on Monday with two matches to spare. Heegan made history as it was the first time in more than 10 years that a team apart from Elman or Banadir won the league title therefore managing to break the domination by the two big clubs in the country. Earlier on Jeenyo United lost hopes of winning the league title, after they were defeated 2-1 by Banadir Sports Club during Monday’s league match. Striker Dadir Amin Ali, who fought hard, scored the two goals for his team in both halves of the match. This was the first time Banadir Sports Club beat Jeenyo United in three seasons. The result lead the police club, Heegan FC, to be Somalia’s 2014/15 champions without playing a match today and and still having two matches to spare. On Thursday, Heegan FC will face Sahafi FC, while the champions will play their last match of the league against Banadir Sports Club on 9th of June. Both Jeenyo United and Banadir Sports Club are now vying for the second place of the league. Both teams need a victory in their last match to confirm a second place. Heegan now has 36 points from 16 matches and has already booked their place in the upcoming CECAFA Club Cup to be staged in Tanzania.
Key Headlines
- Somalia League: Heegan Break Banadir/Elman Dominance To Be Crowned Somalia Premier League Champions (Soka25East.com)
- Somalia President To Attend Sudan’s Presidential Inauguration (Somali Current)
- It’s Unfortunate That Ethiopia’s Liyu Police Troops Killed Somali Civilians Says Somali Interior Minister(Goobjoog News)
- New Bari Governor Takes Office (Garowe Online)
- Puntland Ministry Of Agriculture Commends Farmers For Productivity (RBC Radio)
- Puntland Traditional Leader Assassinated (Somaliland Sun)
- No Confidence Motion Against Jubbaland Assembly Postponed (Somali Current)
- 50 Killed in Somali-Ethiopian Border Clashes (The New Indian Express)
- Kenya Pushes For Closure Of Dadaab (Daily Nation)
- Police Probe Garissa ‘Brutality’ Images Warn Of Action (The Star)
- Shining: The Story Of A Lucky Man (Perth Now)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia President To Attend Sudan’s Presidential Inauguration
01 June – Source: Somali Current – 105 Words
Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has today arrived Sudan capital, Khartoum to attend President Omar Al Bashir’s inauguration. The President is set to join other African and world head of states who are scheduled to attend the inauguration ceremony. The President was accompanied by Somali Foreign Minister and other government officials. During his stay, the head of state is set to meet President Omar Al Bashir. On Friday, the President attended Nigeria President Buhari’s inauguration ceremony in Abuja. Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir won the last general election with his ruling party gaining 94% of the votes.
It’s Unfortunate That Ethiopia’s Liyu Police Troops Killed Somali Civilians, Says Somali Interior Minister
01 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 217 Words
Somali Interior Minister, Abdirahman Mohamed Odawaa called upon the Somali clan militia and members of the Liyu police, an Ethiopian paramilitary unit operating in Ethiopia’s ethnic Somali region to cease fire without any conditions. He stated that they have put more efforts to intervene in the fighting and to bring truce in the region which has been experienced a week of clashes in villages near Somalia’s border with Ethiopia that have so far cost the lives of more than 52 people, most of them civilians. “I want to share with you the information of the ongoing clashes in villages near Somalia’s border with Ethiopia, we tried to talk to the sides but unfortunately those who are behind the killing of civilians are the Ethiopian Liyu police troops” the Interior Minister said. The minister also stated that these are recurrent clashes which need to be stopped immediately without condition and measures need to be taken to halt the shedding of the civilian blood. He highlighted that they sent message to both sides to stop the escalating clashes and the killing of the innocent pastoralists who live in the villages near somalia’s border with Ethiopia. It was not apparently clear what sparked the latest clashes, which are separate from ongoing battles between African Union troops and Al-Shabaab fighters in the far south of the country.
New Bari Governor Takes Office
01 June – Source: Garowe Online – 146 Words
New Bari Governor Yusuf Mohamed Waeys Dhedo has taken office at a ceremony in the Gulf of Aden Port city of Bosaaso on Sunday, Garowe Online reports. Outgoing Bari Governor Abdisamad Mohamed Galan has pledged that he would closely work with his successor whom the Puntland President named by decree last Wednesday. In attendance were Puntland Interior Minister Ahmed Elmi Osman, traditional leaders and civil society members. Galan said in his farewell speech that much has been achieved under his watch and more tasks are ahead for the newly appointed Governor. On his side, Dhedo thanked for the handover of oath, saying he will lend efforts to his promises. On May 27, President Ali announced administrative shakeup that was anticipated for a week. Many challenges including terror campaign by Al-Shabaab militants are waiting for the new Governor of Puntland’s most populous region.
Puntland Ministry Of Agriculture Commends Farmers For Productivity
01 June – Source: RBC Radio – 254 Words
Puntland agriculture sector has made headway since 1998 when the state was formed.. In an interview with Raxanreeb.com, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Sa’ido Hussein Ali, commended farmers for the progress they made in agricultural productivity in Puntland. “Major progress in the agricultural sector has been made since 1992. Displaced people have introduced the growing of vegetable and fruits, such as papaya, salad, carrots, tomato , lemon, and cucumber consumed in Puntland grow in local farms. There are crops we have in common the rest of Somalia , and crops such as coffee and garlic that grow in Puntland,” the Deputy Minister said. Saido also stated that her Ministry has conducted a feasibility study through which it found out perceptions about Puntland agriculture.
“Some people thought Puntland depends only on livestock. We changed this perception . What was missing is help for farmers. We have devised an action plan to assess needs of farmers . We found out farmers need training in modern methods of farming. Some farmers went to farming for financial reasons without the proper skills. We bought materials such as tractors and lorries for farmers to distribute their produce.” The Deputy Minister said one of the ministry’s plans is to increase production of dates to build on the modern method of growing dates which produces 80 kg of dates from one tree and in lesser time compared to dates from old method of growing dates, which produced 5 kg from one tree and took longer time to grow.
No Confidence Motion Against Jubbaland Assembly Postponed – UPDATE
01 June – Source: Somali Current – 135 Words
Somalia’s Parliament has said on Monday that it had postponed a session scheduled for the day on proposed motion against recently established Jubbaland Parliament. The speaker announced the decision after enough members of Parliament failed to show up for the session. For vote of no confidence to take place, two third of the MPs must be present. It is the second time the Somalia Federal government is postponing the motion. Last week, the parliament postponed the motion after explosive device was found inside the parliament on the eve of session. Postponing discussion on the motion is expected to anger MPS who were advocating for the no–confidence motion against Jubbaland administration. Last week, Jubbaland State President Ahmed Islam threatened to cut ties with Somalia Federal government should the parliament go ahead and vote against his parliament administration.
Puntland Traditional Leader Assassinated
01 June – Source: Somaliland Sun – 114 Words
A well known traditional leader from Bari region has been assassinated. According to Galgala News report Mohamed Dib Gurhan ‘Salim’ was gunned down in the Afu’urur village a few kilometers from Bosaso. Masked persons alleged to be government security agents were said to be responsible. The late Gurhan who hails from the Galgala area is a brother to the former governor of Bari region Ali Diib Gurhan.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
50 Killed In Somali-Ethiopian Border Clashes – UPDATE
01 June – Source: The New Indian Express – 149 Words
At least 50 people were killed and scores injured in week-long border clashes between Somali clan militia and an Ethiopian paramilitary unit, Somali authorities said on Monday. Most of the victims were civilians caught in the week-long fighting between the Somali militia and the Ethiopian force known as “Liyu police”, Xinhua quoted Somalia’s Galgadud region Governor Hussein Weheliye Cirfo as saying. “The Liyu police unit attacked the Somali nomad community, killing 50 people, among them 11 women,” said Cirfo, adding that hundreds of families fled the villages as fighting escalated on Monday. Somali Interior Minister Abdirahman Odowaa said his government was working with Ethiopian authorities to resolve the issue. “We are talking with our counterparts in Ethiopia so that we can find an amicable solution to this problem,” Odowaa said. Liyu police is an Ethiopian paramilitary unit operating in Ethiopia’s ethnic Somali region.
Kenya Pushes For Closure Of Dadaab
01 June – Source: Daily Nation – 320 Words
The government says “footprints” of terrorism found in Dadaab boost its case for the quicker closure of the refugee camp. Mr Haron Komen, Commissioner for Refugee Affairs, told the Nation on Sunday the government would “remind” partners of the need to close the camp as soon as possible after evidence emerged the recent attack was planned in the camp. “We have footprints that show the attack originated from the camp. So, it is either refugees, terrorist sympathisers or terrorists themselves hiding there who did it,” he said. “This strengthens our case to hasten closure of the camp. In fact we are headed to Mogadishu on Tuesday to remind them of the need to close the camp. We are also consulting with UNHCR,” he added.
Mr Komen was referring to last week’s ambush on a police convoy at Yumbis, five kilometres from Dadaab. One officer was killed, his colleagues injured and five vehicles burnt. The Nation learnt security agents in Garissa were briefed on the location of the attackers and the landmines planted on the Fafi-Hagadera road, an intelligence report shows. Ms. Kadra Mohammed, a registered refugee at Hagadera, hosted the terrorists on the eve of the Yumbis attack, says the report. The report also names Abdirahman Abu Hurey, Kafi Iltria and a Sheikh Yusuf, all from the refugee sub-camp, as suspects. They are also believed to have played a key role in last year’s attacks in Mandera, where 58 people were killed.
Police Probe Garissa ‘Brutality’ Images, Warn Of Action
01 June – Source: The Star – 410 Words
Police have launched investigations after images of alleged officer brutality in Garissa county surfaced online. The photos, showing young men lying on their bellies and being whipped, were allegedly taken and posted by a senior police officer from Garissa. Last week, police officers on a security mission were attacked in the area and at least one officer was killed and others injured. Garissa county commissioner James Kianda denied any knowledge of the police brutality. “The officers who posted the photos and others involved will face disciplinary action, of course subject to validation,” he said. “This is not how we want to fight terrorism.” Inspector General Joseph Boinett confirmed that investigations are underway. “We will act,” he replied to a short message sent to him.
The victims are said to have been rounded up in Yumbis and neighbouring villages in Fafi subcounty.
In the background, officers are seen laughing as an armed plain clothes officer beats up the youth and another one steps on them. A police car and white Toyota Lancruiser are also seen at the scene. It is not yet clear what prompted the actions by the police and where the victims were later taken. The photos are likely dent the already battered public image of the police in the wake of the war on terror. Macharia Njeru, the chair of the Independent Police Oversight Authority, said investigations will be carried out upon verification of the photos. “We are very clear on issues of police misconduct. If at all misdeeds are proved, law will take its course,” Njeru said.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“I stumble and crash to the ground, but I am up and running again in a split second. It is only when I have covered as much ground as my strength can manage that I veer off the track into the scrub and sit down to regain my breath. I have a terrible stitch in my side from running. I wait for the stitch to ease, then immediately get back on the track and start running again, and I keep running, kilometre after kilometre.”
Shining: The Story Of A Lucky Man
01 June – Source: Perth Now – 3, 253 Words
ABDI Aden was a happy-go-lucky, soccer-playing 15-year-old when Somalia’s civil war hit Mogadishu and his world fell apart. Effectively an orphan, he fled to Kenya facing violence, the death squad and starvation.Upon arriving at a refugee camp he knew that it would lead to death. Abandoned by UNHCR due to dangerous conditions, thousands of starving people waited to die at the camp. With nowhere to turn, Abdi took the dangerous journey back to Mogadishu. Alone, with no money in his pockets, he went to Romania, then Germany….He was 17 by the time he arrived in Melbourne, with no English, no family, friends, money or a place to call home. news.com.au has obtained an extract from the book Shining, the story of Abdi Aden’s incredible journey.
The soldiers are predators on two legs, but we also have to worry about the predators on four legs — the hyenas, the lions, the wild dogs. What these animals make of the war I don’t know, but they probably can’t believe their luck. Why spend the day hunting creatures in the fierce heat when humans, dead ones, others almost dead, can be found just by sniffing about? The female lions, I am told, are the hunters of their tribe; the male lions, larger still than the females, sit at home in the shade of a big rock and wait for their wives to bring them something fresh to eat. The lions will only eat what is fresh — a rotting body disgusts them. But people die every day from disease and starvation, or sometimes simply because they want to die, so there is no shortage of fresh meat.