July 2, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somalia Petroleum Minister “Kenya Cannot Do Oil Exploration Inside Our Maritime Borders”
02 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 173 Words
The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mohamed Mokhtar who gave an exclusive interview to Goobjoog has talked tough about Somali-Kenya maritime dispute. He said Somalia would not allow Kenya to do oil exploration or drilling in Somalia’s maritime border and would do everything to stop any activity there. He also insisted that Somalia would press ahead with its case at the International Justice Court in Hague despite claims by Kenya about out of court settlement with Somalia. On the other hand the minister has addressed some oil companies that operate illegally in parts of Somalia without the consent of federal government, saying they successfully deterred some of them and forcing them to withdraw, however there are new ones coming to fill the gap. He warned the oil companies of harsh response from the federal government if they go against the wishes of the government. However the minister has said they formed a task team drawn from regional administrations to discuss resources sharing mechanism between the federal government and the regional administration.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Petroleum Minister “Kenya Cannot Do Oil Exploration Inside Our Maritime Borders” (Goobjoog News)
- Puntland President Makes First Public Comments On Adado conference (Garowe Online)
- Somaliland: President To Visit Saudi Arabia (Somaliland Sun)
- Mogadishu Mayor Receives Presidential Accolade (Goobjoog news)
- Queen Elizabeth Awards Abdikadir From Garissa As Somalis Celebrate His Achievement (Somali Current)
- Somalia Grenade Attack Injures Two soldiers (Radio Danaan)
- Somalia Debates On Banning Burqas (CCTV)
- How I was De-radicalised (BBC)
- Somalia: Teenage University Student Gang Raped (Sudan Tribune)
- Al-Shabaab Attacks Expose AMISOM Weaknesses (VoA)
- Letter From A Concerned Norwegian To Somali Government Globetrotters (Sahan Journal)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Puntland President Makes First Public Comments On Adado Conference
02 July – Source: Garowe Online – 261 Words
The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has made his first public comment on ongoing Adado convention, calling the endeavor a ‘plot’ aiming to destabilize peaceful regions, Garowe Online reports. In anniversary celebrations address at Puntland State House where hundreds flocked to mark Somalia’s 55th Independence Day, President Ali said that Galmudug administration is a phantom aimed at disrupting peace and progress in Puntland. “Ongoing Adado conference doesn’t look like a push to form a federal state, but in turn it is a plot orchestrated from Mogadishu to undermine existing peaceful state,” he told a crowd that included government ministers, parliamentarians, traditional leaders and Islamic scholars. Puntland leader noted, although Puntland has both domestic and external enemies, it lays confidence in a united society and army capable of deterring threats. Responding to remarks by federal parliament speaker Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari, the President took a swipe, and indicated that Puntland is not in need of recognition since it existed before UN-backed national government. Similar celebrations marking the 55th anniversary of Independence Day were held across Puntland, with Somalia’s President calling on the public to imbibe patriotism during a separate event staged at his heavily fortified compound in Mogadishu. Puntland’s President lambaste is the first to be unleashed on Mogadishu-based Federal Government following state-wide protests against its federalism policy. Last month, Adado conference delegates claimed Mudug in a tentative map in breach of agreement splitting the region into North and South.
Somaliland: President To Visit Saudi Arabia
02 July – Source: Somaliland Sun – 203 Words
A high powered delegation from Somaliland led by President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo is expected to departure shortly for an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The head of state who has received an official invitation from authorities in Riyadh is expected to be accompanied by the first lady Amina Mohamed Jirdeh ‘Amina Weris’, his private secretary and a number of government ministers. No statement has yet been released by the president’s office on the motive of the visit, though it comes at a time when Saudi Arabia has indicated need of utilizing the country’s airspace and ports during its on-going war against rebels in Yemen. Worthy of mentioning is the state of the nation address in 2015 by President Silanyo in which he indicated his government’s support of the Saudi Led coalition war in Yemen as well as the Somaliland support to the stance taken by the Arab league on the Yemeni conflict. In addition, the president and his administration is on an accelerated diplomatic drive to enhance bi-lateral relations with the Gulf countries as can be ascertained by this visit to Saudi Arabia and his recent eight day visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Mogadishu Mayor Receives Presidential Accolade
02 July- Source: Goobjoog News – 119 Words
Mogadishu Mayor, Hassan Mohamed Hussein (Mungab) has received a certificate of appreciation from the Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamud, for his role of organizing Somalia’s Independence Days of 26th June and 1st July respectively. In a well attended Iftar ceremony in the presidential palace, the president has praised the mayor and the whole organizing team for putting together of what he termed as fabulous and memorable national events “that would have never been possible” without them.The president has also appreciated the venue , City Hall , which has been refurbished after long years in ruins, thanks to the current Mogadishu administration. The president has also awarded several other organising committee members including the Intelligence Chief, Information Minister and others.
Queen Elizabeth Awards Abdikadir From Garissa As Somalis Celebrate His Achievement
01 July – Source: Somali Current – 409 Words
Abdikadir Adan Hassan has been vetted by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth at the Buckingham Palace for his campaign to plant one million trees in the arid North Eastern region of Kenya. The 21 year old, alongside other three Kenyan youths, were part of a program that honoured 60 young people in the Commonwealth countries who did exemplary work in their communities. In the case of Abdikadir, for instance, he has been advocating for programs to abate the effects of climate change in his hometown of Garissa. Abdikadir said he wants to plant a million trees in the region to fight the perennial droughts that strike the area after every five years. “Abdikadir works with young people to educate and engage them on the issue of climate change. His green initiatives have had a positive effect on his community, creating job opportunities in areas such as environmental protection and conservation,” read an introductory statement on the award’s website read in part. The award program discovers, celebrates and supports exceptional young people from across the commonwealth, leaving a lasting legacy for Her Majesty the Queen.
While in the United Kingdom, Abdikadir and his fellow award winners visited the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron and the headquarters of social media giant Twitter and the BBC World Service headquarters in London. Garissa Township Member of Parliament, Aden Barre Duale congratulated Abdikadir, saying he made the country and the county of Garissa. “We are very proud of you for the leadership credentials and (for) being a role model for the young people in Northern Kenya,” the leader of Majority in the National assembly, said. Somalis on social media, particularly on Facebook, positively reacted to the news. “I am proud of the hardwork, keep going bro, u will make more than that. I know u can make it. Congrats!!!” wrote Abdisamad Abdullahi, a Londoner, on his Facebook timeline. Halima Saida, a Mogadishu resident said she was inspired by Abdikadir’s story and would take up an initiative she stopped two years ago. “If the world could recognize Abdikadir for the planting of trees, then the same world should celebrate other young people like him for leading a water conservation program in their communities.” From Wajir, Amal Abdullahi connected his achievement to peace and security saying“This is what a community with peace and security achieves: good environment and international accolades.”
Somalia Grenade Attack Injures Two Soldiers
01 July – Source: Radio Danaan- 149 Words
Two Somali soldiers were wounded in a grenade attack at their base in the central Somali town of Beledweyne, officials said on Wednesday evening.The attack happened as soldiers were dining at their base to break their day-long fasting as parts of the holy month of Ramadan which requires every mature Muslim to fast from sunrise to dusk. The assailants have escaped from the scene after the attack which left one of the two soldiers seriously wounded. No group has immediately claimed the responsibility for the attack, however the Al – Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab group often carries out such attacks targeting the government and the African Union forces in Somalia.The group has stepped up attacks during the month of Ramadan, attacking soldiers and government institutions. Al-Shabaab fighters have launched a surprise attack on an AU army base two days ago, killing dozens of soldiers and looting the base.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Debates On Banning Burqas
02 July – Source: CCTV Africa – Video – 2:24 Minutes
The Islamic world experiences a rise in the number of Muslim women wearing the burqa, a traditional outer garment, some African countries have banned it. Their reasoning is that suspected terrorist have disguised themselves in this attire to commit acts of terror. But let’s consider the case of Somalia, where the face veil is very popular, and terror attacks are constant but still it may prove really hard to turn the tide against the veil.
How I was De-Radicalised
02 July – Source: BBC – 1,486 Words
It’s become known as the Aarhus Model, a programme designed in Denmark’s second city to dissuade young people from going to fight for al-Qaeda or Islamic State. Thirty travelled to Syria in 2013 but only two so far this year – and only one in 2014. Ahmed is one young man who was convinced, a few years ago, to draw back from the first step on a path that could have ended in jihad. We meet in a large, loud, busy Turkish restaurant on the edge of the city, but we don’t stay long. There are two of them – we’ll call them Ahmed and Mahmoud – and what we have to talk about demands a measure of privacy. Mahmoud drives us to a large hotel, where we sit down in a quiet room. Ahmed is 25, he says, born in Somalia, although he’s lived in Denmark since he was six. Ahmed then tells his story, describing an unexceptional childhood – he was a “normal kid” growing up in the Aarhus suburbs, who liked playing football, doing well in school, learning Danish fast. “Everything was good for me at that time,” he says. Then, when he was in his teens, his father announced that he was taking him on the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. They call me a terrorist? I will give them a terrorist if they want that “It was important for my father to get me more religious,” he says. “I didn’t know much about my religion. It was like I had left it in Somalia. But my father said, you are a Muslim, you have a Muslim name. You have to know your history, your background and your religion.”
So the family went to Mecca and Ahmed remembered returning to Denmark with a sense of relief. “When we came back I was happy and I was a new person with a religious identity. I saw the world differently. I saw that it was important for a person to have a connection with his god, I saw that there was an afterlife.” But Ahmed’s new faith got him into trouble at school. He abandoned jeans and T-shirts and took to wearing traditional Islamic dress. He became defensive and argumentative when the subject of religion came up. He acknowledges today that he could have handled things better, but at the time, he said, he responded aggressively because he felt he had a duty to defend his religion when he was being baited by his Danish classmates. “They would say things like, ‘You stone your women, you lash people who speak freely,’ and I felt I had to defend my religion, but I didn’t know how to debate properly and it went out not correctly.” Ahmed was shortly to discover exactly how “not correctly” it had come out. He was out one evening when his father rang. “Where are you?” he demanded. “What have you done?” His father said the police had just knocked on the door and were looking for him. “When I got home, he was shocked and angry. He told me that I had to go straight to the police station the following morning, and ask them what they wanted.” So Ahmed went to see the police and was amazed to discover that he’d been turned in by the principal of the school.
Somalia: Teenage University Student Gang Raped
01 July – Source: Sudan Tribune – 427 Words
A 15-year old girl was gang-raped in the war-torn Somalia last week by two unidentified armed attackers, according to civil society organizations in Somalia. Iqra Osman Mohamed was raped after the attackers forced her off a minibus taxi as she was returning to her residence after visiting her sick sister at a hospital in Mogadishu. The rapists who are said to be the taxi driver and his assistant threatened her with a knife not to scream shortly after the car started moving.“If you try to scream, we will stab you – come with us” the assistant warned her and was then taken to a nearby abandoned building where she was raped by both men, according to Somali Women Development Centre (SWDC) where Iqra is currently receiving psychosocial support.
After the incident, SWDC which is a member agency of Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) took the case to a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) via its paralegal, but the police officer in charge of the police station undermined the case and has allegedly refused to file the complaint. According to SWDC the police officer accused the civil society organizations (SWDC and SIHA) of making money out of fabricated allegations.“After an argument between the police officer and the paralegal, who was accompanied by Iqra and her mother, the police ordered the arrest of both SWDC staff as well as the mother of the victim”
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Analysts say the attack exposed weaknesses in AMISOM as well as Somalia’s national army, which often works with the AU force in operations against Al-Shabaab. Foremost among the problems are a shortage of helicopters and personnel and a lack of coordination among AMISOM contingents.”
Al-Shabaab Attacks Expose AMISOM Weaknesses
02 July – Source: VOA – 878 Words
Since 2011, the African Union force in Somalia, AMISOM, has delivered blow after blow to Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, pushing the group out of nearly every major town and city it controlled. On June 26, Al-Shabaab delivered some payback. In a coordinated attack, Al-Shabaab units from three regions converged on an AMISOM base in the small town of Leego. Just before 5 a.m., a suicide bomber detonated a car filled with explosives at the gate. Hundreds of Al-Shabaab fighters then stormed the base, quickly overpowering the AU force of 120 Burundian troops.“I would estimate that they were up to 1,500 men,” said Abukar Abdullahi Ishaq, Leego’s district commissioner. Others put the number of attackers at 500 – still too many for the AU soldiers to handle.
Ishaq and other regional officials escaped. Others were not so lucky. Ishaq’s deputy was captured by the militants and beheaded. In all, more than 50 Burundian soldiers were killed. Analysts say the attack exposed weaknesses in AMISOM as well as Somalia’s national army, which often works with the AU force in operations against Al-Shabaab. Foremost among the problems are a shortage of helicopters and personnel and a lack of coordination among AMISOM contingents. Paul D. Williams is an associate professor of international affairs at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., currently writing a history of the African Union Mission in Somalia. “AMISOM is stretched,” he said. “22,000 troops is not adequate to control the whole of south-central Somalia. But importantly, it is not just a question of numbers; it is often a question of mobility and the ability to project firepower rapidly to specific areas.” He said AMISOM is crucially lacking the military aviation units and rapid reaction forces that are available in other multinational forces. It took AU soldiers more than 48 hours to reach Leego after the attack, although that was partly because Al-Shabaab fighters were believed to be waiting on the roads, ready to ambush any incoming troops.
“Do the people in responsible positions – ministers, lawmakers, religious leaders – lose any sleep over the plight of the thousands, the millions who have been steadily pouring out of Somalia for decades and continue to do so, forming what’s become known as the Diaspora? Many of you government officials have lived abroad, have foreign citizenship, your families probably still live there, it is not your children who risk their lives in search of a better life abroad. You may belong to the privileged group who have made it in the outside world; you are even privileged in your own country.”
Letter From A Concerned Norwegian To Somali Government Globetrotters
01 July – Source: Sahan Journal – 867 Words
While Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and his men travel extensively to foreign countries, spending time and money for which they might have found better use, thousands of their fellow Somalis are forced to go on a very different kind of journey. Thousands embark on travel taking months, even years, risking their lives, sometimes losing them in the scorching desert and the open sea. Old and young die on the way, some are born during the flight. There is a constant flow of people running away from a country that has been in turmoil for more than two decades. A country that was once considered an African success, a country with many resources, not least human. Unlike the government representatives, most of whom travel on passports from foreign countries, these unfortunate tahriib travelers have no such documents – not that Somali passports would be of much use anywhere in the world now. Somalia’s main export article is people, young people who should be the future of the country, old people who would rather stay where they belong. Parents who see no other way for their children to have a reasonable life, if one at all, embark on treacherous journeys in order to get away from the conditions in Somalia. Some are lucky, able to avail themselves of the chances they get an education and employment, others, and there are many, never fit in in countries very different from their own.
A large proportion of the Somalis arriving in the West now are ill prepared for what is required to integrate successfully, many are illiterate, having had little or no schooling, no relevant work experience, there are language challenges, among other challenges. After nearly three decades working with, and getting to know, Somalis in Norway, and frequent travel to the northern parts of Somalia, I am concerned about the future of the people, even the “lucky” ones, who have managed to get away from the mayhem that rules most of Somalia. Do the people in responsible positions – ministers, lawmakers, religious leaders – lose any sleep over the plight of the thousands, the millions who have been steadily pouring out of Somalia for decades and continue to do so, forming what’s become known as the Diaspora? Many of you government officials have lived abroad, have foreign citizenship, your families probably still live there, it is not your children who risk their lives in search of a better life abroad. You may belong to the privileged group who have made it in the outside world; you are even privileged in your own country. In addition, if the going gets tough, you can leave again. Spare some thought for the many who struggle to adjust, who are unemployed, ill adjusted, unhappy, homesick, traumatized. After two and a half decades in this country (Norway), Somalis are still among the lowest as regards employment, education and social status. The second and third generation are doing better, but are losing their connection to Somalia, they are part of a brain drain, and building their future here, not in Somalia, while still identifying themselves as Somalis, the loyalty which their parents felt is no longer there, many lose their language and their culture.
TOP TWEETS
@UNSomalia : We congratulate #Somalia as the country celebrates 55 years of Independence. #HorumarkaanGaarney
@cctvnewsafrica : #Somalia debates on banning #Burqashttp://buff.ly/1LJqcbD
@tres_hoa:#Somalia‘s President, UNSOM’s Nick Kay, and others believe the country won’t hold democratic elections in 2016 http://somalianewsroom.com/
4DialogSK: Patriotism isn’t luv of fabric, colors, or design, it’s a sociopolitical mindset & principles that bond people 4 the common good! #Somalia
@samirasawlani: Happy Independence Day #Somalia! May the beautiful Country & its amazing people enjoy peace,prosperity & equality.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
AMISOM Force Commander, Lt Gen Jonathan Rono, recently attended the 13th Conference of Force Commanders and Heads of Military Components of Peacekeeping Operations held at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, USA.
Photo: AMISOM