October 22, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Armed Gunmen Kill Imam In Abudwaak Town
21 October – Source: Wacaal Media – 75 Words
Unknown gunmen on Wednesday night killed a well-known Imam of a local mosque in Abudwaak town. The slain cleric was identified as Farhan Mohamed Jama and was reportedly gunned down near Imaamu Shafee mosque as he left after prayers. Local clerics and residents condemned the killing with a section of them pointing an accusing finger at the leadership of Ahlusunna in Guri’el and Dhuusamareeb. The paramilitary group is however yet to comment on the issue.
Key Headlines
- Armed Gunmen Kill Imam In Abudwaak Town (Wacaal Media)
- South-West State In Final Stage To Announce Its Parliament – Spokesman (Shabelle News)
- UN Report Blasts Puntland Leader For Security Failures Corruption (Garowe Online)
- Jubbaland Launches Operation To Liberate Bu’aale And Middle Jubba Region At Large (Wacaal Media)
- UN Assistant Secretary-General and the Controller Commend Positive Partnerships And Progress In Somalia. (AMISOM)
- Police arrest Two Terror Suspects In Mombasa (Daily Nation)
- Wrangling Over Impeachment Motion Unabated (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
South-West State In Final Stage To Announce Its Parliament – Spokesman
22 October – Source: Shabelle News – 117 Words
The spokesman of the South-West elders council Malaq Derow has detailed the process of the selection of the administration’s local parliament.“We are in final process to declare the MPs of the parliament of South-west state administration. The traditional elders are working hard on this mission,” said Malaq Derow while speaking told Radio Shabelle.The selection procedure of south-west state took a long-time due to an argument among the local clans in Bakol region, where federal MPs proclaimed that three districts of that region will not be part of the process due to what they termed as unequal power-sharing.Recently, Somali president Hassan Sheikh has reached Baidoa to defuse the deadlock over the south-west state parliament selection.
UN Report Blasts Puntland Leader For Security Failures, Corruption
22 October – Source: Garowe Online- 744 Words
United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea has blamed the President of Puntland Government, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali for failing to go after Al Shabaab militants and curb illicit sale of fishing licenses to foreign clients, Garowe Online reports.The UN investigators said, they are concerned about the exodus of militants fleeing onslaught in central and southern Somalia northwards towards the relatively stable Puntland.Al Shabaab militants grip on hideouts along Golis Mountain Ranges is unlikely to wane, with fresh migrants planning to keep communication line open to impoverished Yemen and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.UN monitors disclosed the increasing presence of terror elements and unprecedented upsurge in pre-planned operations, largely in the Gulf of Aden port city of Bossaso in its previous report.“The monitoring group expects the intensity of the Galgala insurgency to increase as fleeing militants head north,” read the report dated, October 19, 2015.
The deterioration of security environment has in partly been fuelled by continually delayed pays or lack of salaries for security forces, UN report said.Puntland Defence Forces (PDFs) are now in control of agriculture-rich village of Galgala, not surrounding villages.“In particular the sacking in February 2015 by the President of Puntland, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, of two senior security forces officials, including the head of the Puntland Intelligence Service, has created an alarming rift between the President and his security forces”. Supported by aerial reconnaissance and US military personnel, Puntland Defence Forces pressed ahead with renewed military offensives to take back new areas from militants in early October, 2014. Despite military gains on the ground, the anti-militant push remains stalled in the rugged terrain of Galgala. UN monitors learned that senior Al Shabaab official, Fuad Mohamed Khalaf (Shongole) arrived in Galgala in mid-March this year to coordinate terror operations inside Puntland via a new base.The killing of four staffers with United Nations Children’s Fund on April 20, 2015 highlighted how Al Shabaab skillfully seized ‘rising internal tensions’ in Puntland according to UN report.
Experts pointed to the influx of arms and ammunition being smuggled from Yemen to Somalia-with the possibility that armed groups could be in possession of surface to air missiles among other destructive weapons.
Puntland leadership is deeply mired in illicit sales of fishing licenses like officials at federal level. UN investigators have found evidence of the sale of fishing licenses to foreign fleet in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Officials within President Ali’s administration are believed to have conducted illicit negotiations outside the revenue-gathering apparatuses for political greed.With the help of Dubai licensing network, trawlers benefited from large stock of valuable fish. A ‘point man’ identified as ‘Abdinor, and based in Bossaso supplied fishing licenses to Korean vessels.Meanwhile, Iranians continue to buy Puntland licenses through Dubai Network whose broker’s name, UN monitors learned as ‘Abdulkadir’.Between August and September, Puntland officials declined to respond to questions-over fishing licenses issued for foreign fleet-and-lodged by the 7-member panel of UN experts.
Puntland administration granted Somali Security Services Ltd. (SSS Ltd.), a company owned by Abdiweli Ali Taar-former taxi driver and sales clerk who comes from the same clan as Puntland President- a license to patrol territorial waters against illegal fishing vessels in March 2015.UN report implicated Taar, also the former head of now defunct Somali-Canadian Coast Guard (SomCan) in 2000s in corrupt activities including the selling of licenses to private companies. “SomCan’s practices led to conflicts with fishermen, contributing over time to the emergence of Somali Piracy.SomCan’s first Coast Guard stint come to an end when the company’s own marines hijacked a fishing vessel they had been tasked with guarding, the Sirichainava 12, and demanded a USD 800,000 ransom,” unveiled the report.
Monitors predict that SSS Ltd. may succumb to the temptation of selling illicit licenses to international clients, fuelling the cycle of corruption and conflict with local fishermen-something attributed to the explosion of Somali piracy in 2007.On bureaucratic impediments, Puntland is at the forefront along with Somaliland in demanding registration fees payment from humanitarian organizations: “In Puntland the range of obstructive practices continued to be experienced, including layers of registration at district level”.
The UN report shed light on possible re-ignition of conflict by territorial dispute between arch rivals, Puntland and Interim Galmudug administration as well as oil deals with western commercial oil exploration companies in the absence of constitutional agreement on resource-sharing framework, in a country racked by bloody internal strife for over two decades.
Jubbaland Launches Operation To Liberate Bu’aale And Middle Jubba Region At Large
22 October – Source : Wacaal Media – 208 Words
The Jubbaland administration is in heightened military activity that has seen recently trained troops amassed in one place. Sourced confirmed to Wacaal that up to 300 well-armed personnel have been dispatched to Kudhaa and Buur-gaabo islands ready to for expected offensives against the militants.
Another 900 officers concluded their training in Kismayu and are expected to join their colleagues in the frontline. The move is seen by analysts an attempt by the Jubbaland administration to wrestle the Middle Jubba region from the militants who now fully control it. Bu’aale is the regional headquarters of Middle Jubba region and headquarters of the Jubbaland administration according to the State’s constitution. AMISOM’s Kenyan troops are also said to be on high alert and ready to compliment efforts by their Jubbaland counterparts. Heavy rains currently pounding the area are however expected to disrupt the expected offensives as roads will be rendered impassable. However, the highway that connects Jilib to Kismayu is tarmacked and reports indicate the first phase of the offensive will concentrate on the areas between the two cities. The militants on their side have retreated to this region after losing control of most of the other areas they controlled to the joint forces of AMISOM and the Somali National Army.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UN Assistant Secretary-General And The Controller Commend Positive Partnerships And Progress In Somalia.
22 October – Source: AMISOM – 642 Words
The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Field Support Mr. Anthony Banbury and Ms. Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas, the UN Assistant Secretary-General, Controller have completed a three-day working visit to Somalia, commending the tremendous progress the country is making on its journey to recovery.During the Visit, Mr. Banbury and Ms. Bartsiotas interacted with officials from the Federal Government of Somalia including the Prime Minister Mr. Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, the Finance Minister Mr. Mohamed Adan Ibrahim, and the Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Abdisalam Hadliye Omar. They also held meetings with officials from the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA), United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the African Union Mission in Somalia, (AMISOM).
Speaking during the visit, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Field Support Mr. Anthony Banbury applauded the notable progress being made in the country on the political, economic and social fronts. “It is so great to come back and see the tremendous progress that has been made by the Somali government, the Somali people, with the support of their partners. The United Nations is playing an invaluable role, an absolutely critical role and you can see that clearly. Today the National Consultative Forum of all the Somali stakeholders involved in the political process was able to take place with great support by UNSOM and UNSOA working very well in support of UNSOM, as well as our partners from the African Union, AMISOM,” said Mr. Banbury.He further acknowledged the tremendous contribution by the various agencies of the United Nations towards the re-construction of Somalia, pledging the continued support of the UN to Somalia as the country continues on a political journey, with general elections expected in 2016.
Police arrest Two Terror Suspects In Mombasa
22 October – Source: Daily Nation – 164 Words
Police in Kenya’s city of Mombasa have arrested two young men who they say are among the most wanted terror suspects in the county. Luqman Khatib and his colleague were arrested in Makupa by plain-clothe police officers Wednesday night. The officers from Makupa Police Station raided the hideout of Khatib, who is believably linked to the Al-Shabaab militant group, and shot in the air.“He was escaping our dragnet when we pounced on him. He had a panga, which he tried to use but we overpowered him. “One of the officers was slightly injured by the panga during the 7pm fracas,” said a police source. According to the county security committee, Khatib is one of the leaders of notorious youth gangs in Majengo who have been stubbing innocent wananchi. He is the younger brother of Kayuni Khatib, who is now being held at the Shimo la Tewa prison on terror charges and in connection with the shooting of former Mombasa DCIO Victor Ndumba Thangalani.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The subject matter of the Impeachment motion should have been a serious concern for all Somalis because it questions the legitimacy of the president to remain in office.”
Wrangling Over Impeachment Motion Unabated
22 October – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1,180 Words
The wrangling over the legal process of the impeachment motion against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for treason, constitutional violations, abuse of power, and other crimes continues and took another bizarre twist on October 13, 2015. With great surprise, the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari, and Prime Minister (PM) Omar Abdirashid as a “Kangaroo Court” issued formal ten page disposition judgement of the motion. Whatever the motivations and intentions are, the two leaders’ action falls outside the constitution, good governance principles, and rule of law. The disposition judgement changes the impeachment motion into Auditor General investigative report on government wrongdoing, incompetence, corruption, and general failure and orders to go back to the drawing board for reinventing the federal government. The change and judgement defeats the purpose of the motion which is to prevent abuse of power, corruption, impunity, and to advance good governance. The motion is applicable solely against the President.
As defined in the dictionary, the “Kangaroo Court” disregards the principles of law, perverts justice, follows irresponsible procedure and gives judgment outside of legal procedures. The duo didn’t need legal advice, legal charges, prosecutor and defendant arguments, witnesses and reference to applicable laws for making their decision. They probably received the evidences collected by the sponsors of the motion intended to be presented to a court trial from individuals involved in the preparation of the motion.
The presumption is that the political leaders are above the law, while many powerless citizens are languishing years in the federal government prisons without access to judicial system. But, the Constitution prohibits unfair, biased, and inconsistent enforcement of the law.From August 12, 2015, the impeachment motion in compliance with article 92 of the Provisional Constitution remained under the prerogative power of Speaker Jawari. That provoked bitter recrimination between the Speaker who issued conflicting instructions to circumvent the constitutional process and the parliamentarians, sponsors of the motion, who responded with harshly critical press releases and media talks to express their objections and make their case. The exchange of accusations for corruption, deception, and politically motivated objectives has degraded the reputation of the parliament, Somali politics, and demoralized the public. The parliament which functioned with less than 180 members and few weeks of work in each session enters the closedown and farewell phase. Furthermore, the incessant campaign and proclamations of the head of the UN Mission for Somalia (UNSOM), Ambassador Nicholas Kay on the immediate suspension of the motion has bolstered the perception that Somalia is under the administration of foreign powers and that foreign driven agenda overrides all other matters, including the vital importance of respecting the rule of law, protecting human rights, and holding political leaders accountable for their actions or no actions.
TOP TWEETS
@unicefsomalia :BREAKING: #Polio outbreak in #Somaliaofficially over! w/ @WHO #endpolio
@SomaliaNewsroom:After #Somalia/#Eritrea reports are released, the Monitoring Group’s mandate is set to be renewed til December 2016 http://www.whatsinblue.org/
@Eye_on_Somalia :#goobjoog Donors pledge $105 million short of UNHCR’s expected $500m for Somalia: International donor… http://bit.ly/1MFPZ0f #somalia
@saymamaa:#AfricanUnion & #EuropeanUnion seals agreement, #EU pledges to fund #AU Mission in #Somalia with £16.5 million ..
@mfaethiopia :@PHammondMP lauded #Ethiopia‘s role in pacifying the region particularly with regard to conflict in#SouthSudan & #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
A man helps dock a smaller boat in Mogadishu’s port. Photo: AMISOM.