May 9, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somalia Calls On UN To End Arms Embargo
08 May – Source: Halbeeg News – 232 Words
The Somali government is seeking to end the arms embargo that was imposed by the United Nations decades ago. The country’s Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre on Tuesday received delegates from UN Security Council (UNSC) at his office in Mogadishu. Mr. Khayre held lengthy discussions with the officials on wide ranging issues including the improvements achieved in recent years. “Today, I received officials from the UN Security Council, I briefed them about the current situation of the country and the progress we have so far made,” said Mr. Khayre .
The Prime Minister urged the officials to review and lift the arms embargo to give the government the opportunity to buy weapons for its army. “Our appeal for lifting the arms embargo has been submitted. The country ought to be enabled to take control of its territories,” he pointed out. Kiarat Umarow, the UN Special Envoy to Kazakhstan who was leading the delegation said the officials came to Somalia for an assessment. “We came here to carry out an assessment on several areas including security, improvement of infrastructure in the country as well as the imposed arms embargo,” said Umarow.
He pointed out that they would work on means to support Somalia in its efforts to restore law and order in the country. The UN imposed weapons sanction on Somalia in the 1990s when the country descended into civil war following the fall of the central government led by late Mohamed Siad Barre.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Calls On UN To End Arms Embargo (Halbeeg News)
- Conflict Mounts Among Galmudug’s Top Leadership (Marka News)
- Deputy PM Boards Warship To Meet EU Delegates Over Piracy (Shabelle Media)
- Police Issue Terrorist Attacks Warning Ahead of Ramadhan (Daily Nation)
- Somaliland: Prosecutions Threaten Free Expression (Human Rights Watch)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Conflict Mounts Among Galmudug’s Top Leadership
08 May- Source: Marka News – 166 Words
Reports from Galmudug administration indicate the emergence of intense conflict among the top leadership of Galmudug. Owing to the conflict, the administration is now being run from two different cities, Dhusemareeb and Adado. Reports indicate that the State’s President Ahmed Duale Gele (Haaf) and the Head of the Government Sheikh Mohamed Shakir are now based in Dhusemareeb, while the Parliament Speaker Ali Gacal Asir and the Vice President Mohamed Hashi Abdi are operating from Adado town, the previous states’ interim capital.
The basis of the conflict is believed to be the recent agreement between the ASWJ religious group and the Galmudug administration. Parliament Speaker Ali Gacal Asir plans to nullify the Djibouti agreement, which he claims is contrary to the state’s constitution. There are also fears that Galmudug parliamentarians, who currently number 89, may unseat the President.
Deputy PM Boards Warship To Meet EU Delegates Over Piracy
09 May – Source: Shabelle Media – 144 Words
Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mahdi Mohamed Guled, boarded an Italian warship off the Somalia coast, where he held talks with members of the European Union Naval Force operating under the name of Operation Atalanta. Guled met with a delegation from the European Union and the Naval Force commander and discussed the EU-Somalia relations and the anti-piracy operation off the country’s coast.
The Deputy Prime Minister commended the EU mission for its commitment in rooting out the piracy menace and for its support eradicating illegal fishing: “I met with delegates from the EU accompanied by the General Commander of the Operation Atalanta anti-piracy task force on a warship near the coast of Somalia and discussed piracy and means of safeguarding Somalia’s waters,” said Guled. EU NAVFOR Somalia, also known as Operation Atalanta, is currently conducting a counter-piracy operation aimed at eradicating piracy and illegal fishing in Somalia’s waters.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Police Issue Terrorist Attacks Warning Ahead of Ramadan
08 May – Source: Daily Nation – 523 Words
The Kenyan Police has issued a security alert over possible attacks in the country by Somalia based terror group, Al-Shabaab, during the Ramadan season. In a statement, director of communications for the Nation Police Service Charles Owino, on Tuesday said security agencies have obtained credible intelligence suggesting that Al-Shabaab are planning to carry out attacks in various parts of the country during the holy month set to begin May 15.
Police asked Kenyans to be extra vigilant especially in populated public places such as hotels, churches, bus stops and schools: “Though the capability of Al-Shabaab has been greatly downgraded over time, we have credible intelligence suggesting that the militia group is planning to carry out further attacks in the country,” said Mr Owino.
“The group has in the past planned to carry out attacks during Ramadan especially along the coastal and eastern regions and in major towns across the country. We are therefore urging members of the public to remain on high alert and be extra vigilant,” he added. He said, Al-Shabaab and other terror groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have all issued ‘fatwas’ calling for increased attacks during the holy month of Ramadan.
The police, however, assured Kenyans of security saying that they are closely monitoring activities across Kenya border with Somalia in order to thwart any attempted terror attack: “We assure the public that security agencies continue to remain on high alert during this period and closely monitoring activities across Kenya border with Somalia,” said Mr Owino.
He said terror incidents in the country by Al Shabaab have gone down due to concerted efforts by multi agency security operations and support from the public: “We further wish to specifically thank members of the public, especially those in Wajir, Mandera and Boni for their unwavering resolve to kick out and report terror elements living among them,” he said.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“Somaliland’s parliament should move urgently to repeal all laws that criminalize the free expression of political opinions, including criticism of state authorities or national symbols, Human Rights Watch said. In the meantime, prosecutors should refrain from bringing criminal charges under these laws.”
Somaliland: Prosecutions Threaten Free Expression
08 May – Source: Human Rights Watch – 881 Words
A string of recent prosecutions in Somaliland targeting people who spoke out on controversial issues is a dangerous attack of free expression, Human Rights Watch said today. In the latest such case, a prominent traditional elder was charged, tried, and sentenced to five years in prison on April 26, 2018, in proceedings that lasted less than an hour.
Over the course of the last month, the government has prosecuted three people under vague and overly broad provisions that restrict free expression. These laws are being used to criminalize disagreements with key state policies, as well as criticism of, or perceived insults to, public officials. “Public space for criticism of the government on contentious issues is shrinking in Somaliland, as the authorities bring criminal charges to silence critics,” said Laetitia Bader, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “This heavy-handed response is an assault on key human rights protections, and risks badly tarnishing the government’s image.”
The harm caused by the abusive prosecutions is not limited to the defendants. These cases also send a collective message that state authorities will not tolerate certain forms of dissent, which creates a chilling environment that may fuel self-censorship. Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received international recognition. It shares a border with Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland state. Since January, tensions between Somaliland and Puntland have increased in the contested border Sool region with Somaliland deploying forces and taking over Puntland bases in the town of Tukaraq.
On April 19, police arrested traditional elder Boqor Osman Aw-Mohamud, known as “Buur Madow” – Black Mountain in Somali – after he called on Somaliland and Puntland to withdraw their troops from Sool at an elder’s inauguration event in Puntland. On April 26, a Somaliland prosecutor charged him with bringing the state into contempt and with the circulation of false information. He was tried that day and sentenced to five years in prison. His appeal hearing was set for May 8 but has been delayed.
On April 15, Naima Ahmed Ibrahim, a popular poet, was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of bringing the country into contempt for commentary promoting unity of Somaliland with Somalia. Naima Ahmed was released on May 7, on a presidential pardon, after over three months in detention.
TOP TWEETS
@Sheekeyejnr: @SC_Somalia has handed over two boat ambulances to the Ministry of Health in Puntland to support the Ministry’s efforts in increasing access to health facilities for communities in coastal towns of Bari region particularly pregnant women and children
@RadioErgo: Dadaab refugees want to stay in Kenya to educate their children #Somalia #humanitarianhttp://www.radioergo.org/2018/
@HarunMaruf: U.N. official says contractors may be invoking exemptions to evade the payment of taxes and other obligations to Somali authorities on goods and services they provide to other non-U.N. clients, but say that is not envisioned or encouraged under the terms of SOMA agreement.
@WHOEMRO: WHO calls for redoubled efforts to assist#Somali communities affected by the #floods Urgent needs of the afflicted communities include shelter, food, health, nutritional supplies, access to water and sanitation, latrines, mosquito nets and tents. https://bit.ly/2ros6J0 #
@abdiCD: #Somalia is facing another rise of #IS attacks, lately#IS was posting Video Recorded assassinations on their pages, So far in 2018, the Islamic State has conducted at least 13 attacks inside Somalia. That number is set to outpace both last year and 2016.
@ntvuganda: The long running conflict in Somalia has left many in unemployment, biting poverty and poor living conditions in the Somali population.The Indian Ocean remains as one of the major sources of employment for poor Somalis #NTVNewshttps://bit.ly/2vKTDcY?utm_
@UNFPA_SOMALIA: The President of #Puntland State of#Somalia Abdiweli Mohamed Ali “Gaas” told our @UNFPA_ArabRegional Director @ShabanehLuay today that rape cases are on the rise in the region & there’s need to strengthen the criminal law as we coordinate efforts to fight gender based violence
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre met with a delegation from the UN security council led by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Nations.
Photo: Jowhar.com