23 Nov 2011 – Morning headlines
Key Headlines:
- IGAD calls meeting on Somalia (Source: Africa Review)
- TFG’S PM Dr. Abdiweli pays supervisory visit to the Police Stations (Source: Office of the Prime Minister)
- US official warns Ethiopia not to invade Somalia but it’s too late (Source: Miami Herald)
- Kenyan warplanes raid villages controlled by al Shabaab in southwest Somalia (Source: Radio shabelle Kulmiye)
- Major blast hits Wadajir district south of the capital (Source: Bariga Afrika)
- It is illegal for Ethiopia to invade Somalia” Dr. Abdi Kasim (Source: Shabelle)
- Polio vaccination kicks-off in Sool (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
- Warplane hits rebel-held village in south Somalia (Source: Reuters)
- Somali famine victims scared to return home ( Source: AP)
PRESS STATEMENT
TFG’S PM Dr. Abdiweli pays supervisory visit to the Police Stations
22 Nov- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 330 words
Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the Prime Minister of the TFG has today paid a supervisory visit to the police stations in different parts of the capital. The Prime minister also supervised the salary payment of the Somali police force in the former police academy of Gen. Kaahiye. The PM was accompanied by his deputy and minister for defence Hussein Arab Ise, Minister for Planning Abdullahi Godax Barre and other police officials. They first started their supervision in Hodan region. The area was devastated and houses were riddled with bullets from the intense fighting that took place in Hodan in the latest offensive the TFG had with Shabaab. The prime minister scrutinised the methods used by the police to record statements and investigate crimes. He was astonished to find that the police were using outdated machines and methods. He assured the police that his office received pledge of supply of machines and equipments for the police from the United Nations. He hoped the supply would ease the work and supplement the lack of police equipments. The Prime Minister assured the police that they will receive their unpaid salary in order for them to maintain security, law and order.
“I am grateful for the tireless work of the police in their security maintenance operations. I urge them to continue with their work and my government will make sure they will get their dues of salary and equipment”, the PM said while speaking to the police. The PM also supervised the Hawl wadaag police station. He lastly spoke to hundreds of police officers in the police academy of Gen. Kaahiye where he checked the documents and files used by UNDP to pay the police salary while payment of salary was in process. “We are undertaking plans to renovate and reconstruct all police stations for smooth work relationships between the police and the public” the PM said urging the public to work with the police in order to bring culprits and perpetrators to book.
Somali Prime Minister visits al Birri children orphanage centre
22 Nov- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 245 words
The Prime Minister of the TFG Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has today paid a visit to Al-Birri orphanage centre in Hodan which is home for some 700 children. The children are mostly orphans while others are from families who cannot afford their children’s education and upkeep. The children receive Quranic teachings and other subjects.
The centre which was initiated and funded by Somali Diaspora is home to 700 orphan children with the age of 4 to 15. The children’s administration asked the public to help them raise and educate the children. This, they said, will help them shape the children’s future and development so they won’t fall victims to ongoing conflict and migration to overseas.
“I am happy to see this number of children being educated and care for. Although the situation is bad in this centre, it’s the responsibility of the government and all the public to be aware of these children. They are the future of this country. I am disheartened to see children who have no families and no one to care for. I pledge to offer any support from the government towards these children” the Prime Minister said calling upon the businessmen, Somali Diaspora and relief agencies to help these children, who he said have no basic necessities.
The Prime Minister asked help for these children, particularly from the aid agencies, adding that it’s imperative to give first priority to these children since their families were caught in the conflict.
SOMALI MEDIA
Kenyan warplanes raid villages controlled by al Shabaab in southwest Somalia
22 Nov- Source: Radio shabelle, Kulmiye, Risaalaa-119 words
Kenyan warplanes yesterday fired almost 10 missiles at villages in Gedo Region , southwestern Somalia where al Shabaab is based. Reports from Gedo say the Kenyan warplanes raided Yaaqle village in Gedo. The warplanes fired seven missiles at this village, whose deafening sounds could be heard in several parts of the region, which lies between Baladhawo and Ceel Cade towns.
Village leader killed in Galkayo, Mudug region
22 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 130 words
A gang of bandits yesterday killed a village chairman in his office in Galkayo, the capital of the North-central Mudug region of Somalia. Some eyewitnesses confirmed to Bar-kulan that the chairperson of Horumar village, Musa Abdirahman Ahmed was today killed at noon in his office.
Major blast hits Wadajir district, south of the capital
22 Nov – Source: Bariga Afrika, Shabelle and Hiiraan Online – 101 words
At least eight people were reported to have been deceased and more than 12 others injured after a heavy explosion hit Wadajir district in the Banadir region. The blast occurred half a kilometer near the Aden Adde International airport, killing at least eight innocent civilians as well as injuring 12 more others.
http://www.barigaafrika.com/
“It is illegal for Ethiopia to invade Somalia” Dr. Abdi Kasim
22 Nov – Source: Shabelle – 163 words
The former presidents of Somalia Dr.A/kasim Salad Hassan said yesterday that it is illegal for Ethiopia to invade a sovereign country amid tensions in central Somalia. Dr.A/kassim talked more about the Ethiopian troops, who crossed the border into Somalia on Sunday, saying it would make matters worse.
http://www.shabelle.net/
Polio vaccination kicks-off in Sool
22 Nov- Source: Radio Bar-kulan-102 words
Polio vaccination campaigns have today started in various districts of Sool region where medical practioneers have started vaccinating children below five years in large numbers. Early this morning, vehicles attached with microphones were reverberating and calling Lasa’anood residents to bring their children for polio vaccinations.
REGIONAL MEDIA
IGAD calls meeting on Somalia
22 Nov- Source: Africa Review- 197 words
Eastern Africa security and development bloc IGAD has called an emergency meeting to discuss Ethiopia’s military intervention in Somalia. The IGAD’s public relations head, Mr Abdulahi Busari, said the meeting will be in Addis Ababa and will discuss regional security concerns. An Ethiopian Foreign ministry spokesman, Mr Dina Mufti, said a decision on whether or not to join the assault against Al-Shabaab in some form, would be taken at the Friday meeting.
http://www.africareview.com/
Man charged over Somali passports
22 Nov- Source: the Standard- 261 words
A businessman has been charged with importing Somali diplomatic passports and making false declaration of the goods imported. Sanjiv Sunikumar Mukherjee appeared before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate, Mr James Omburah. The accused denied that on November 11 he imported restricted 248 Somali diplomatic passports, 250 Somali Government travel documents, 250 Somali Service Passport, Somali Government Identity Cards, 246 Ordinary Somali Passports and 14,000 blank Somali Identity Cards.
http://www.standardmedia.co.
Kemnac, Muhuri oppose Israel intervention in Somalia
23 Nov – Source: The Star – 120 words
Two lobby groups in Mombasa have supported the call by Muslims to oppose Israel’s intervention in the Somalia war. Kenya National Muslim Advisory Council and Muslims for Human Rights have said the intervention will complicate Kenya’s involvement in the war-torn country.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
US official warns Ethiopia not to invade Somalia, but it’s too late
23 Nov – Source: Miami Herald (US) – 846 words
The State Department’s top Africa policymaker on Tuesday warned Ethiopia not to invade Somalia, but the warning came too late, with Somalis claiming that Ethiopian troops were already rolling through their villages in trucks.
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Fighter jet strikes rebel-held village in Southern Somalia
22 Nov – Source: VOA – 157 words
Residents in southern Somalia say an unidentified fighter jet has bombed a rebel-held village, killing at least one person. The warplane hit the al Shabaab-controlled village of Yaqle yesterday. It is located in Somalia’s Gedo region near the Kenya border.
Warplane hits rebel-held village in south Somalia
22 Nov – Source: Reuters – 184 words
An unidentified fighter jet bombed the outskirts of a Somali rebel-controlled village in the south of the Horn of Africa country on Tuesday, residents and a commander from the al Shabaab militant group said. “A warplane struck the village of Yaqle. We don’t know if there were any al Shabaab casualties, but the body of an elderly nomadic woman lay on the ground, separated into pieces,” Amina Ali, a nearby resident who rushed to the blast site, told Reuters.
http://af.reuters.com/article/
Somali famine victims scared to return home
22 Nov- Source: AP- 897 words
Lush patches of green dot this once-barren land, allowing goats and camels to graze. A nearby field is full of large, purple onions thanks to a U.N.-funded project. Four months after the U.N. declared famine in much of Somalia, some regions are beginning a slow recovery from a disaster that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Security Council urges comprehensive global response to maritime piracy
22 Nov- Source: UN- 422 words
The Security Council today reiterated its condemnation of maritime piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, noting that the crimes continue to pose a threat to peace and security in the region, and called for a comprehensive international response to the scourge.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/