August 12, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report

Somalia Marks One Year Without Recorded Polio Case

12 August – Source: Hiiraan Online – 279 Words

Somalia has marked its first year without a single recorded polio case on Tuesday, raising hope of the deadly disease’s eradication in the horn of Africa nation which came off the list of countries plagued by the acute viral disease. Somalia’s health minister Hawa Hassan described the milestone as ‘remarkable’ as compared to the previous year in which health workers recorded 198 polio cases across the country.“We shall continue the vaccination campaign to eradicate the disease.” she said at an event held in Mogadishu.

Despite achieving polio-free status, the World Health Organization (WHO) says Somalia has had sustained circulation of vaccine-derived polioviruses since 2009 due to low routine immunization coverage rates and lack of supplementary immunization activities in insecure areas.Speaking at the event, Dr Ghulam Rabani Popal, WHO Representative for Somalia urged Somalia to keep momentum so that the disease wouldn’t counterstrike in the country. In addition to that, Peter de Clercq Deputy Special Representative for Somalia sent a message to the Somali parent that vaccination is the most important life-saving method to prevent the infectious disease which has no treatment to deal with.

Since the fall of the government in 1991, Somalia has been without an effective central-level Expanded Programme on Immunization, however, WHO and UNICEF have since conducted numerous immunization campaigns and initiatives to provide an integrated package of health services, including immunizations from fixed-post sites, have been conducted twice annually in Somalia. WHO says that Polio vaccination is also given as part of the package of services delivered during Child Health Days. However, coverage is limited due to insecurity; less than half of all eligible children are reached nationally via national immunization days and Child Health Days.

Key Headlines

Somalia Marks One Year Without Recorded Polio Case( Hiiraan Online)
Mudug Regional Judge Quits Office( Goobjoog News)
Conflict In Hiran Pushes More Displaced To Beledweyne (Radio Ergo)
Key Al-Shabaab Gedo Region Point man Surrenders To Jubbaland Security(Goobjoog News)
Somali MPs Question Top AU Envoy Over AMISOM Mass killings (Somali Current)
Man Seeks Release Of Shabaab Returnee Brother (The Star Kenya)
Written Food Safety Test Is Hurdle For Somali Businesses (MPR News )
Somalia’s Lone Female Presidential Candidate Mulls Finland’s “Failed Integration Policies” (YLE News )
Written Food Safety Test Is Hurdle For Somali Businesses (MPR News )
Why It’s Difficult To Effect Political Change In Somalia (RBC Radio)

CORRECTION

In this morning AMISOM Media Monitoring Report, we posted a story published by Radio Dalsan which claimed that the Kismayo airport was attacked by Al-Shabaab fighters. It has come to our attention that this story is false. We apologize for any confusion resulting from our posting this story.

NATIONAL MEDIA

Mudug Regional Judge Quits Office

12 August – Source: Goobjoog News – 113 Words

Mudug regional judge has publically announced his resignation from the office yesterday, Goobjoog News reports. Speaking at a press conference in Galka’ayo town, Sheikh Ahmed Yussuf said, he has resigned from the office and from now onwards he will not be considered as the regional judge for Mudug.“I, Ahmed Sheikh Yussuf who was serving as Mudug regional Judge, have reached decision to quit the office. As new regional government has been formed I decided to vacate the position so that new energetic person could be appointed to serve the public” he said.Mr Ahmed has not mentioned whether his resignation was accepted and the newly regional government is yet to comment on his resignation.

Conflict In Hiran Pushes More Displaced To Beledweyne

12 August – Source: Radio Ergo – 293 Words

Some 2,700 families displaced by conflict in parts of Hiran region have reached Beledweyne and joined IDP camps in the town.Khadija Moallim Hussein, a mother from El-dher settlement, 60km west of Beledweyne, said they were forced to run away to escape conflict between Somali federal government forces backed by AMISOM, and Al-Shabaab militants in parts of the region.“We are 45 families who fled from El-dher after clashes between the forces of Somali federal government and AMISOM and Al-Shabaab erupted in the area which resulted in the burning down of 15 houses and death of several people. We trekked to Beledweyne as vehicles could not enter the areas affected by the ongoing fighting. We left behind those who were unable to walk,” she told Radio Ergo.Adan Moallim Madeer, a father of six, from Buq-aqable village west of Beledweyne, said the fighting forced them to leave behind their animals and properties to find safety, making them become IDPs in Bundaweyne and Howlwadag camps.He said they were living in conditions of great hardship and lacked essentials such as food and shelter.

Abdi Abdulle Waasuge, one of the local elders, who stood up to receive the displaced families, told Radio Ergo the affected people came from El-dher, Buq-aqable, Aad-hog, El-Ali, Buq-kosar among other settlements in Hiran.He said these people needed emergency aid as they were uprooted from their homes where they depended on livestock and farming. He particularly called on the local businesspeople to come to the aid of these families. Beledweyne district commissioner Mohamed Moallim confirmed that about 2,700 displaced families had arrived in the town, and that dozens more were on the way fleeing the renewed conflict in their areas.He said they needed food, shelter and medicine.

Key Al-Shabaab Gedo Region Point man Surrenders To Jubbaland Security

12 August – Source: Goobjoog News – 165 Words

One of the local Al-Shabaab leaders has surrendered to Jubbaland forces, officials say. Speaking to the local media, a Jubbaland official Farah Abdi Asharo said that militant surrendered to the regional state’s security officials in Baardhere town. Issa Abdi Hersi alias Ilka Ase surrendered himself on Tuesday afternoon after making contacts with the security officials. He also surrendered his AK 47 rifle and several rounds of ammunition. “Ilka Ase was Al-Shabaab’s point man responsible for the collection of Zakkah (a muslim levy on wealth).He decided to ditch the terror group and turn himself in and leave peacefully with his people and we welcome him. His currently in Baardheere” confirmed Asharo. The militant who surrendered is famous in Gedo region as he used to interact with the locals on daily basis in the process of collection the levies for the militants. He returned to the district after the combined forces of government and AMISOM took over the key town from Al-shabaab in a recent offensive.

Somali MPs Question Top AU Envoy Over AMISOM Mass killings

11 August – Source: Somali Current – 201 Words

AU special envoy to Somalia, Mamman Sidoku and other top AMISOM officials had experienced rough ride at Villa Hargeisa in Mogadishu today, as they were grilled by Somali Parliament Defence Committee over AMISOM mass killings.Some members of the Defence Committee questioned the ambassador and AMISOM commanders on the recent killings and atrocities committed by the forces in Marka and other part of the country.

The ambassador told the Committee that his office is investigating the matter and is working with Somali government in the investigation. During the session, the two sides agreed to form a committee that will conduct inquires into the incidents.The ambassador and the commanders promised to work together with committee in the future to enhance collaboration between the two sides.The commanders also assured the committee that their forces will continue to take precaution in their fight against Al Shabaab to prevent civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the ambassador has appealed public to support AMISOM operation by exposing militants that are masquerading as civilians in community so that soldiers can avoid civilian casualties.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Man Seeks Release Of Shabaab Returnee Brother

12 August – Source: The Star, Kenya – 239 Words

The Family of a man who had joined al Shabaab in Somalia and later surrendered to Kenyan authorities wants the state compelled to release him. Under a certificate of urgency, Yakub Mahat says his brother Issack Adan disappeared from home and joined al Shabaab but voluntarily returned and surrendered to Kenyan authorities, following an appeal by the government. According to court documents, the family believes Adan is under the custody of Kenyan security agencies. Mahat says Adan was picked up by security officers in a Toyota Land Cruiser at his home in Mandera, following his surrender and return to his home.

“We have since been trying to find out what the security officials did to him or where they took him but all our attempts have been in vain,” he says. Mahat argues that under the constitution, the state is charged with protecting all citizens and ensuring the security of his brother, which it has failed to do. He says the National Security Council and the Inspector General of Police have failed, refused and neglected to protect his family, leading to the abduction and disappearance of his brother. Mahat wants state officials – the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Criminal Investigations and the Director of Public Prosecutions – to appear before court to show cause why his brother should not be released. The case will be heard on August 17.

Written Food Safety Test Is Hurdle For Somali Businesses

11 August – Source: MPR News – Audio – 4:27 Minutes

Abderazak Ali is a manager at Flavor Bee, a restaurant in Minneapolis known for hot Jamaican wings, burgers, and falafel sandwiches. He moved from Somalia to Minnesota three years ago, and while he’s comfortable serving up a meal, he is not as comfortable taking a food safety exam in English. The state requires most businesses to have at least one manager certified in food safety. In Minneapolis, there are nearly 200 Somali-owned restaurants and day-care centers. For Somali entrepreneurs, the hurdles to passing that exam include language, Western standardized testing and costs. “Most Somali business owners, they don’t speak good English,” Ali said.

The food safety test is available in Spanish, Korean and other languages, but not in Somali. To help Ali and other Somali food managers pass the exam, the city of Minneapolis approved funding to hold Somali food safety training classes as well. Most people who take the test get a book, in English, a month in advance, and then spend half a day with an instructor, then take the exam. But Farhiya Farah doesn’t even give a book out to her Somali students. Farah, who owns GlobeGlow Consulting, a company that works with what she calls the “limited-English population,” helped lead the training. “Some students, even writing their name is a challenge, forget about doing an exam,” Farah said. “And yet they’re cooks at restaurants, and they’re very much in the food business.” She took three full days to teach bacteria names like Salmonellosis, and jargon like “highly-susceptible population,” terms that aren’t easy to translate into Somali.

Somalia’s Lone Female Presidential Candidate Mulls Finland’s “Failed Integration Policies”

11 August – Source : YLE News – 904 Words

Somalia’s lone female presidential candidate mulls Finland’s “failed integration policies”
Somali-Finn Fadumo Dayib is looking to make history by becoming Somalia’s first female president. Dayib, who holds masters’ degrees in health care, public health and public administration, is currently a PhD researcher at the University of Helsinki. She recently spoke with Yle News about the heated debate arising from anti-multicultural statements by Finns Party MP Olli Immonen, what she calls Finland’s failed integration policies and its flawed discourse about migrants.

The recent rumblings over comments by Finns Party MP Olli Immonen calling for a fight against multiculturalism weren’t lost on researcher Fadumo Dayib, a candidate in Somalia’s presidential election. Dayib told Yle News that xenophobic rhetoric is part and parcel of the nationalist party’s stock in trade.”If migrants were to leave, Immonen and the True Finns would have no traction in Finnish politics. They came into office on xenophobic rhetoric. This is their business. It puts bread on their table. Their affiliation with hate forums, Nazi groups and bigotry is common knowledge and highly alarming,” she said.

The mother of four added that the recent riot in Jyväskylä that led to a violent assault was the direct result of Immonen’s incitement. She cautioned that additional incidents could occur if the government doesn’t take a strong stand against similar provocative discourse.”I believe that the fact Immonen is an MP and that he’s making such irresponsible statements have legitimately opened the doors for hate crimes. I believe that if the government does not take a strong stance on this, that the peaceful Finland we know will be but a distant memory,” she remarked.

OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE

“It is not only the dictatorial regime’s record that should be taken into account to answer questions about state building; the brazen attempt by former opposition groups, under different guises, to impose mono-clan rule on other clans should be factored in as well. And perhaps, this is the main reason why it is difficult to effect nationwide political change in Somalia.”

Why It’s Difficult To Effect Political Change In Somalia

12 August – Source: RBC Radio – 625 Words

Almost a quarter century ago, Somalia experienced a nationwide political change that turned out to be a false dawn. It is was not an anomaly either in terms of political outcome or continuity compared to the other two major political changes in Somalia: the 1960 union of the North and the South that made Somalia a parliamentary democracy for nine years, and the military coup in October 1969.Civilian leaders replaced foreign colonial rulers but undermined the nascent parliamentary democracy and unwittingly paved the way for a coup d’etat led by the then-Commander of the Somali Army Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, who later reneged on the promise to return to barracks and introduced a brutal, 21-year military dictatorship.

Opposition groups overthrew the military regime in 1991, but did not establish a unity government, permitting state collapse to fill the void. Unlike Somalia’s founding fathers from the North and South in 1960 or the group of military officers who took advantage of public disillusionment with squabbling parliamentarians to overthrow an elected civilian, armed rebel groups did not share unity and governance objectives, beyond toppling the military dictatorship. If Somali political elites do not begin to share common political goals for state-building, the country will continue to disintegrate into clan-ruled fiefdoms But the situation is not as hopeless as it sounds. The debate in Somalia is less about who should be president in Somalia; it is about which political system suits this country best. The history of Somali state for the first three decades of the nation-state (1960-1991) suggests leaders concentrated socio-economic development in Mogadishu and some surrounding southern regions near the capital. Regions on the periphery did not only experience underdevelopment under the civilian and military regimes but people in those regions were at the receiving end of political repression by the military regime through the army and the dreaded security services (nabadsugidda and hangash). This is why the former United Somali Congress (USC) leaders in Mogadishu disbanded the Somali army in 1991 to rely on clan militias to expand its writ in southern Somalia. In addition, this is why Somalia has armed militias for major clans who could defy badly planned integration efforts due to the Somali political elites’ conflicting political goals.

TOP TWEETS

@UNSomalia:#Somalia is 1-yr polio-free! UN RC/ HC Peter De Clercq @UNdeClercq marks anniversary with polio vaccination campaign.

@cctvnewsafrica :#Somalia marks a year without #Polio http://buff.ly/1P5PezR

@MosheikHz:Abdi Dini, who was paralyzed by a bullet in#Somalia, now stars for Canada wheelchair basketball team#ParapanAmGames

@SalahOsman0 :As we r celebrating today International Youth Day, Let’s all hope better, bright future 4 #Somalia youth#Mogadishu

@Abdikarim_Abdi3: Later this month, #Mogadishu will be hosting its first ever literary festival – the Mogadishu International Book Fair @MogBF #Soma lia

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

The Uganda Contingent Commander Brig. Sam Kavuma, makes a point during a meeting with Somalia’s Parliamentary Defence Committee.

Photo: AMISOM.