August 29, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali Government Acquires Net Control Software For Social Media Security
28 August – Source: Radio Dalsan – 178 Words
Federal Government of Somalia is in the final process of securing software equipment meant to control or limit social media for security purpose. Exclusive source has told Radio Dalsan that the equipment was tested on the early days of Monday and it has proved its efficiency. The source who requested not to be disclosed because of the sensitivity of the subject has confirmed that there was 20 minutes internet blackout in the country as the result of the trial process.
The move comes days after Prime Minister Kheyre government experienced harsh comments from Somali social media users mainly on twitter and Facebook following civilians casualties in Barire after military operations. Somali net services is largely under control of the private sector since the collapse of the central government in early 1990s.
Internet has returned to Somalia after an outage of more than three weeks early last month that cost the nation an estimated amount of $10m a day. Internet outage was caused by a ship severing an undersea fiber optic cable connecting the country to global data networks.
Key Headlines
- Somali Government Acquires Net Control Software For Social Media Security (Radio Dalsan)
- Commerce Minister Nullifies Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Says New One Will Be Set Up (Somali Update)
- Govt Says Will Welcome Somali Refugees Returning Home (Shabelle News)
- PM Visits Mogadishu Port In Anti-Corruption Campaign Move (Radio Dalsan)
- Not Time Yet To Exit Somalia US Officials Caution (Capital FM Kenya)
- How My Refugee Childhood Made Me Determined To Defeat Disease ( Dews Deeply)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Commerce Minister Nullifies Chamber Of Commerce And Industry, Says New One Will Be Set Up
28 August – Source: Somali Update – 315 Words
The Minister of Commerce and Industrialization of the Federal Government of Somalia Khadra Dualeh has invalidated the current management of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry over serious disputes which affected the work of the chamber. In an official circular issued on Monday, Minister Khadra Dualeh noted the need for setting up an inclusive chamber through election and end the culture of monopolizing public offices.
“Having seen the huge dispute and differences arising from the legality of the current administration of the Chamber of Commerce, and noted the complaints raised by numerous key business people and taxpayers, I have ruled that there isn’t any legitimate administration for the Chamber until a legitimate elected officials take office.” Read part of the circular from the minister which Somali Update Online saw.
It adds “Starting from the date the circular is signed, all communications and engagement to the members of former administration on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce are thereof suspended.” The letter which is copied to Offices of the President and the Prime Minister stated that any communication toward the Chamber of the Commerce, including engagement with the Chambers of the Federal Member States, be addressed at the Ministry itself.
In the letter, Minister Khadra proposed to hold a conference for the concerned stakeholders to consult on setting up a new chamber which all Somali regions can participate. On their side, members of the current administration of the chamber have denounced the minister’s decree saying that the chamber is an independent institution from the government. “We are so surprised to hear that the minister of Commerce issued such a decision, while we have recognition letter from the Prime Minister.”
Abdi Abshir Dhore, the Director General of the outlawed chamber said in a press conference in Mogadishu today. He said, his group attempted to meet the minister but while still in the process, the minister’s decision came.
Govt Says Will Welcome Somali Refugees Returning Home
29 August – Source: Shabelle News – 107 Words
The deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, Mahdi Mohamed Guled has announced that the Federal government will welcome the Somali refugees returning home from neighbouring countries. Speaking at a refugee meeting in Mogadishu, Guled said the government will send a delegation to the East African countries hosting the Somali refugees, to assess their situation.
The deputy PM’s comments come as a UNHCR-organised three-day conference on Somali refugees is ongoing in the capital, Mogadishu, with attendance of high-ranking officials. Somalia, Kenya and UNHCR have reached an agreement on the repatriation of Somali refugees at Dadaab to their home country in 2014, but so far a small number returned home.
PM Visits Mogadishu Port In Anti-Corruption Campaign Move
28 August – Source: Radio Dalsan – 148 Words
The Prime Minister of The Federal Republic of Somali has on Monday toured the port of Mogadishu in what is seen as anti-corruption surveillance move. Mr. Hassan Ali Kheyre accompanied by Finance Minister Abdulrahman Duale Beyle toured the main economic hub of the country and met the staff and management. Mr. Beyle who spoke to the media after the visit expressed satisfaction of the working environment in the port. “The visit was part of the PM continuous engagement with various government agencies to enhance performance,”, said the Minister.
Adding that they were excited about the organizational skills of the port security and tax department. President Farmajo government has promised to fight corruption in various government agencies and heighten accountability in public sectors to increase economic income. Somalia is listed as one of the most corrupt countries in the world attributed to lack of lawlessness for the past two decades.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Not Time Yet To Exit Somalia, US Officials Caution
29 August – Source: Capital FM, Kenya – 660 Words
Any withdrawal from war torn Somalia by the African Mission Union in Somalia (AMISOM) must be gradual and tactical, senior security officials at the United States African Command based in Germany have advised. The officials say the Somalia security situation remains fragile and any withdrawal could hamper negatively the major gains achieved so far in the Horn of Africa country. “The baby (Somalia) is still young and needs company,” a senior AFRICOM security official who did not want to be identified said.
Various African countries contribute to the more than 20,000-strong force in Somalia, where they continue to engage the Al-Shabaab militia for a decade now under AMISOM.Kenya, a key partner in the force and a victim of the Al-Shabaab insurgency has contributed soldiers but a section of political leaders have been calling for their withdrawal. This is after tens of Kenyan soldiers were killed in several attacks inside Somalia by the terrorists who continue to pose a serious security challenge in the East African region.
Uganda may also withdraw its soldiers, a move official at AFRICOM believe may weaken the AMISOM force. “Resurgence for Al-Shabaab is not good for the region security…” one of the senior advisors at the military camp said. “Al-Shabaab does not want stability in the region. The pressure must continue to be piled on them.” Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta recently affirmed his commitment to the continued stay of his soldiers there despite resistance from a section of Opposition leaders. Kenya has paid the ‘price’ through wanton killings by the militia who lately been targeting security officers through ‘small’ attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“When I look back at my childhood I categorize all of my memories into two parts: before America and after. I have done this in order to put all of my most painful memories into a box that is only opened when I need to reach back and remember. Even though I was only five when I arrived in Kenya, I no longer considered myself a child. I was forced to grow up too soon by the atrocities I had seen and the trauma of running away from the only home I had ever known.”
How My Refugee Childhood Made Me Determined To Defeat Disease
28 August – Source: Dews Deeply – 819 Words
I Knew from a very young age that I wanted to understand what made people sick and use that understanding to save them. Growing up in a refugee camp in Kenya, I noticed how more people passed away from sickness than any of the violence I had witnessed fleeing war. I was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, where my earliest memories are filled with sunshine, family and lots of love.
Then, when I was five years old, my family was split apart. Violence was growing in Somalia, so my father and two older brothers went to America, while the rest of us planned to follow shortly after. But fighting broke out before we could leave, and my mother, younger brother and I had to flee for Kenya. I spent many nights walking and many days hiding until we reached a refugee camp in Nairobi.
When I look back at my childhood I categorize all of my memories into two parts: before America and after. I have done this in order to put all of my most painful memories into a box that is only opened when I need to reach back and remember. Even though I was only five when I arrived in Kenya, I no longer considered myself a child. I was forced to grow up too soon by the atrocities I had seen and the trauma of running away from the only home I had ever known.
Like many others in the camp, my mother fell ill. She continued to be ill with various sicknesses for the majority of the time we were in Nairobi. I became the caregiver for both her and my younger brother. My daily schedule over the next two years went like clockwork. I would wake up as early as I could and stand guard for my mother and younger brother. Refugee camps can be dangerous places for women alone with young children, so in order to protect us I kept close watch and if anyone came near I screamed and made as much noise as possible to keep them away from my family.
Those were the worst moments of my life, standing in the heat all day praying that this day would not be my last on Earth. The happiest moment in the camp was the day I heard from a worker that my father had been in contact with them, and we would all get to leave very soon. My father had spent two years searching for us. He called all the camps in the area trying to find out where we had ended up, or if we had made it out of Somalia at all. By this time, Somalia was in chaos, and many people were fleeing to nearby countries, making it incredibly difficult to locate three people among the masses.
Once we received our visas and plane tickets my mother, younger brother and I flew for the first time and landed in New York City. We then moved to Arizona because I had developed asthma in the camp, and doctors said I should relocate to a warmer climate. I spent my first few years growing accustomed to American culture and trying to move on from my old life and begin a new one.
TOP TWEETS
@UNdeClercq: Visited Madbacada IDP settlement with Dep Mayor Salah and @wakaelin. Addressing protracted displacement in #Mogadishu urgent priority.
@AbdirahmanCumar: Somali Government Acquires Net Control Software for Social Media Security @DalsanFMhttp://radiodalsan.com/en/
@Vatescorp: #Somalia: Senior leader of Ogaden National Liberation Front handed over to #Ethiopia by Somalia govt#ONLF http://ow.ly/lvOc30eKm3Q
@AbdirahmanCumar: Not time yet to exit Somalia, US officials caution https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/
@RadioErgo: #Somalia:Marauding monkeys prey on drought-stricken herders and farmers in Gedo http://bit.ly/2xtyVLx
@HassanIstiila: #BREAKING: Outgoing Hirshabeelle president Ali Osoble arrives in Beledweyne town, he recently refused to step down. #Somalia
@ICRC_Africa: For communities living in remote & isolated places in#Somalia, mobile clinics are sometimes their only access to health services.
@NoThiefs: #SOMALIA #AlShabaab Accuses #US Forces Of Killing 10 Farmers Near Bariri Town In The SW Of #Mogadishu.…https://twitter.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guleid officially opened the National Forum for Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Mogadishu
Photo: Radio Muqdisho