14 Dec 2011 – Daily Monitoring Report
Key Headlines:
- UN Chief: More Troops May Be Necessary for Somalia (Source: VOA)
- Al Shabaab confiscate livestock in central Shabelle (Source: Radio Mogadishu)
- Somaliland Minister of Justice opens Meeting of Children Rights (Source:Hadhwanaag Press)
- Somali parliament in distress after speaker dismissed (Source: Radio Kulmiye)
- (Source: KBC)
- Security Council urges comprehensive strategy to tackle Somalia’s crises (Source: UN News Center)
SOMALI MEDIA
Al Shabaab confiscate livestock in central Shabelle
14 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu – 99 words
The al Qaeda linked group of al Shabaab insurgents based in areas situated in central Shabelle region of Somalia is ordering area residents to surrender their livestock.
The al Shabaab claim the livestock will be used in the jihad against the Transitional government and Kenyan troops who have invaded pats of Somalia.
The al Qaeda linked group later took the livestock by force and warned the area residents not to raise any complaints or else they will face severe consequences. Several livestock were taken from the area residents, majority of them are poor and the livestock was their only livelihood.
Al Shabaab vowed to continue its fight against Kenya
14 Dec – Source: Radio Al Furqaan, Shabelle, Somalia Report, Somali Memo, Somali Midnimo – 90 words
The military spokesman of al Shabaab, Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Mus’ab, stated that they will continue their fight against the invaders and vowed to force Kenya to withdraw their troops. “The joining of Kenyan infidels to AMISOM will not change the agenda of al Shabaab. We will fight against the infidels and force them to leave our country,” he said in a press conference in Mogadishu.
It is also reported that the Kenyan troops are retreating from their military bases and they have fully withdrawn their troops from Qoqani district in Lower Juba.
Independent sources in Taabta have confirmed that there has been loss of life on both sides but the extent of the losses sustained remains unclear for now. Communication lines in the area are off air and have had a major effect on the residents. The reason communication lines have been cut off is so far not known.
Tension is said to be high in the areas where the fighting broke out and there are reports of military operations being conducted in the area. Senior TFG commanders have said Kenyan forces are still in control of the area. Both sides involved in the fighting have so far not commented on last night’s battle.
Tensions are high in central Somalia due to imminent fighting between al Shabaab and ASWJ
13 Dec – Source: Radio Shabelle, Somalia Report – 56 words
Tensions are very high in Galgadud region of central Somalia after the rival groups of al Shabaab and ASWJ started military movements in the region. Locals reported that both sides were preparing to fight in and around Dhusamareb, the central town of Galgudud region. Eyewitnesses stated al Shabaab forces tried to attack bases of ASWJ in the town.
Somaliland Minister of Justice opens Meeting of Children Rights
13 Dec – Source: Hadhwanaag Press – 148 words
The Minister of Justice of Somaliland Hussein Ahmed Aidid on Tuesday opened a meeting in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland to discuss the rights of children. The meeting was organized by the ministry of justice with the help of Havoyoco and Save the Children.
The convergence, which was very important, was attended by the mayor of Hargeisa, Eng. Hussein Mahmud Ji’ir. At first, Hussein Ahmed Aidid, the ministry of justice spoke at the occasion and talked about the overall conditions Somaliland children.
He said the government is doing everything it can to give welfare to the street children who are facing the most difficult time in their life.
Speaking at the meeting, the director of Havoyoco Ismail Mohamed Ahmed said their organization plays a key role in helping the children. He added that their organization has managed to give rehabilitation to at least 70 street children.
Somaliland: Foreign Minister addresses Council of Elders at Parliament
13 Dec – Source: Somaliland Press – 843 words
Somaliland Foreign Affairs minister Dr. Mohamed Abdilahi Omar made lengthy speech on country’s foreign policy triumphs in front of Council of Elders that held an unusual session today at parliament premises.
Dr. Mohamed Abdilahi kicked off his speech and said, “It is great honor and pleasure for me to come before the prestigious Council of elders that deserves respect and admiration from the nation. The world acknowledges the key role that you played in rebuilding this nation of Somaliland.
I have initiated the meeting in order to brief you when it comes to the tremendous responsibility that this nation bestowed upon us. The foreign minister spoke about the tenets that Somaliland foreign policy is based.
He continued, “The main aim that this nation has set his foreign policy guidelines are of two prongs. The first is to gain recognition as an independent country and nation and being member of the world. The second is to have close cooperation with the world on economy, politics, and peace.
Airstrikes Destroy al Shabaab Bases in Afmadow
13 Dec – Source: Somalia Report – 126 words
Reports from the Afmadow district in Somalia’s Lower Juba region indicate that unknown warplanes attacked al Shabaab bases in town on Tuesday, resulting in massive destruction in the targeted compounds as well as surrounding buildings. Locals confirmed that two planes attacked the two bases in Afmadow, with at least two missiles fired.
“I saw the planes. The missiles hit rapidly and there was a lot of smoke and dust, but I cannot confirm if there are any casualties yet,” a local resident of Afmadow, who gave his name only as Nahar, told Somalia Report. The buildings hit were used as recruitment centers by al Shabaab.
The locals said that militants have been using public transportation lately, fearing drone strikes because their vehicles can be easily identified and targeted.
Somali parliament in distress after speaker dismissed
14 Dec – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 93 words
Somali parliament still in distress after the speaker Sharif Hassan was ousted by large number of parliamentarians in Mogadishu on Tuesday.
Even though Somali parliament members have largely opposed the parliament speaker, there is still many Somali lawmakers who want to maintain the parliament speaker.
The parliament has been in fighting since the fall of former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdulah Farmajo who resigned in earlier this year during waves of conflicts between the government leadership followed by the increasing number of government officials barely accusing the government for not doing enough.
REGIONAL MEDIA
al Shabaab: Security tight in Wajir, Mandera towns
14 Dec – Source: Kenya Broadcast Cooperation – 133 words
Security remains tight in Wajir and Mandera towns following series of attacks over the weekend in which a Provincial Administration police was killed and several military officers injured.
However, Wajir East District Commissioner Kennedy Nyaiyo is calling on members of the public to be on the look out and report any suspicious people in their midst.
The District Commissioner says the fight against criminals and militia groups requires concerted efforts from both security agents and members of the public.
On Monday an intelligent officer in Wajir was injured after the vehicle he was traveling in ran over an improvised explosive device shortly after leaving the Jamhuri day celebrations venue.
In two other separate incidents vehicles ferrying security officers run over similar explosive devices believed to have been planted by the al Shabaab militia.
http://www.kbc.co.ke/news.asp?
Kenya troops to drive deeper into Somali rebel territory
14 Dec – Source: Capital FM, AFP – 200 words
Kenyan forces and their Somali allies battling Islamist al Shabaab insurgents said Tuesday they plan to advance deeper into rebel-held regions.
Two months after Kenya sent troops to fight the al Qaeda-linked rebels, the fores have made little progress due to bad weather, while the insurgents have multiplied grenade and landmine attacks in areas along the Kenya-Somalia border.
“The target is still Kismayo,” Kenyan army official Captain Thomas Mwanga told reporters in the southern Somali region of Ras Kamboni.
However, Kenya Defence Minister Yusuf Haji said this month that they were not necessarily targeting Kismayo, a key port town controlled by the al Shabaab.
“What the minister said was, we will not own Kismayo. We will just pacify it and give it back to the (Somali) transitional federal government,” Mwanga said.
Mohamed Ibrahim Farrah, a Somali government spokesman, said the authorities were making assessments after rains subsided recently. “The problem is the rain. There’s a lot of water. The rain stopped only 10 days ago. We should wait another 10 days.”
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/
Kenya to host refugees for longer
13 Dec – Source: Africa Review – 217 words
Kenya might continue to carry the burden of hosting Somali refugees next year even though the Dadaab camp is crowded.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) says it is still difficult to work in Somalia because of security fears for aid workers.
“Humanitarian operations in Somalia remain difficult. We appeal to the parties to the conflict to respect humanitarian principles,” said the agency in its situational report on the Somalia conflict. Although Ocha would not clearly say that aid agencies had failed to penetrate Somalia, it gave an impression that it is still far from safe to operate in the Horn of Africa country.
Last month, the UN asked the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and the rebel al Shabaab not to target civilians and allow relief workers to provide aid.
Kenya, which hosts more than 600,000 refugees from Somalia, had earlier this year suggested that the UN open refugee camps inside Somalia to ease pressure on Dadaab.
Somalia MPs replace Speaker
13 Dec – Source: Daily Nation – 489 words
Somalia Transitional Federal Parliament has replaced its Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden after passing a vote of no confidence in him. Two hundred and eighty MPs voted for the removal of the Speaker in Mogadishu while two supported him. One MP abstained.
MP Awad Ahmed Ashareh told the Nation by phone that MP Madobe Nunow was appointed interim Speaker for 30 days until a substantive Speaker is elected as per the Transitional Federal Government charter and parliamentary rules.
The MPs accused Sheik Aden of making unilateral decisions, failing to recognise separation of powers, failing to develop plan for Parliament’s work and lack of transparency and accountability. However, critics questioned the legality of a meeting that was not chaired by the Speaker or his deputies and had the presence of 283 MPs out of a total 550 legislators.
The move could see the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia thrown into another constitutional crisis. A power struggle hampered the activities of the TFG recently. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon advised Somali leaders to work harmoniously during the remaining TFG’s shelf-life that will expire in August 2012.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/
UN chief sees his visit to Somalia as ‘sign of improved security’
13 Dec – Source: Coastweek, Xinhua – 506 words
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday said that his recent visit to Somalia, the first by the UN secretary-general over the past 18 years, “is a sign of improved security and the investment that the United Nations has made in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia.”
“That my visit was even possible is a sign of improved security and the investment that the United Nations has made in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia,” Ban said in his briefing to the UN Security Council on his Dec. 9 visit to the African nation.
Ban said that despite frequent security setbacks and a growing humanitarian crisis in Southern Somalia, the Somali capital city of Mogadishu is stabilizing under African Union peacekeeping forces, known as AMISOM.
“All city districts are now effectively under the control of the Transitional Federal Government with the support of AMISOM,” Ban said.
On Dec. 9, Ban made an unannounced visit to Somalia, together with Nasser A. Al-Nasser, president of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly.
http://www.coastweek.com/3449_
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
China considers Seychelles port offer, denies base plan
14 Dec – Source: The News – 510 words
China will consider turning to the Seychelles as a resupply port for navy ships taking part in anti-piracy operations off Africa, official media said, rejecting suggestions this would amount to a military base that could unsettle the region.
Chinese ships participating in a multi-nation campaign against pirates striking out from Somalia have already used ports in Djibouti, Oman, and Yemen to repair and to take aboard supplies, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. A resupply port in the Seychelles, an island country in the western Indian Ocean 1,600- km off the African coast, could raise concerns in India, which has been wary of China’s growing military reach.
The Chinese Ministry of Defence, however, said the Seychelles proposal was still just under consideration. “According to escort needs and the needs of other long-range missions, China will consider seeking supply facilities at appropriate harbours in the Seychelles or other countries,” the ministry said on Monday, according to the China Daily.
“This approach is transparent, and there’s no cause for worry,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters, referring to those discussions.
“China has no plans for establishing military bases abroad,” said Liu, adding that he had not heard of any ideas of stationing personnel or aircraft on the Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands. Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie visited the Seychelles earlier this month.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/
UN Chief: More Troops May Be Necessary for Somalia
13 Dec – Source: VOA – 367 words
Just back from a visit to Somalia’s capital, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the retreat of militant groups such as al Shabaab from Mogadishu presents an opportunity to stabilize the country. Ban also told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that additional troops might be required to secure these military gains.
On Friday, Ban paid a lightning visit to Mogadishu – the first time a U.N. chief has visited the war-torn country in more than 18 years.
“That my visit was even possible is a sign of improved security and the investment that the United Nations has made in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia,” he said.
He said that all districts in the city are effectively under the control of the Transitional Federal Government, with the assistance of some 9,000 African Union troops from Uganda and Burundi which make up the force known as AMISOM.
He also emphasized the pullout from the capital of Islamist insurgents, particularly al Shabaab, which he said are retreating under growing pressure from government forces and their militia allies, which are backed by troops from Kenya and Ethiopia. The secretary-general said the gains made by these forces must be secured beyond the capital.
“That requires AMISOM to deploy at its full strength of 12,000 troops,” said Ban. “It also demands the necessary force enablers, including air assets, like helicopters, and military engineering capabilities.”
Security Council urges comprehensive strategy to tackle Somalia’s crises
13 Dec – Source: UN News Centre – 863 words
The Security Council yesterday welcomed last week’s landmark visit to Somalia by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy to address the political, security and humanitarian challenges in the country through collaborative efforts.
After hearing from Mr. Ban, who visited the Horn of Africa country on Friday, the Council pointed out in a press statement that the consequences of the problems in Somalia include terrorism, piracy and hostage-taking.
Members of the Council reiterated their full support of Mr. Ban’s efforts and those of his Special Representative Augustine P. Mahiga, in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and other international and regional partners, to address Somalia’s challenges, including through the upcoming conference on Somalia in London early next year.
The Council, in the statement read by Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds the Council’s presidency for this month, also welcomed Secretary General’s announcement that the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) will relocate to Mogadishu next month.
It called for faster implementation of the roadmap of key tasks and priorities to be completed by Somalia’s Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) before the current transitional arrangement ends in August next year, while recognizing the need for international support to facilitate the process.
Members of the Council said the future support to the TFIs will be contingent on the completion of tasks stipulated in the roadmap and took note of the Secretary General’s view that further extension of the roadmap would be untenable.
The Council commended the efforts of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali security forces in their military campaign against insurgents of the Al Shabaab group, and recognized their significant sacrifices.
The UN body reiterated its grave concern over the food crisis in Somalia and welcomed the international response and the tireless efforts of the relief workers. It urged Member States to contribute to the UN consolidated appeal for Somalia, and appealed to all parties and armed groups to ensure full, safe and unhindered access for the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Earlier, Mr. Ban told the Council that the withdrawal of insurgents from Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and their retreat from other areas under pressure from the national armed forces supported by Kenyan and Ethiopian troops presents an opportunity for the international community help stabilize the country.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/