20 Dec 2011 – Daily Monitoring Report
Key Headlines:
- Somali president orders police to assure the security (Source: Shabelle)
- Somali Chief Commander: We will investigate the murder of local journalist (Source: Radio Mogadishu)
- Kenyan police arrest two Somalis in Dadaab northern Kenya (Source: Radio Bar-kulan)
- Roadside bomb kills three in Somali capital(Source: Shabelle Radio Kulmiye Radio Mogadishu)
- Somali MPs planning to form committee to organize election of new Speaker(Source: Jowhar Online)
- Overnight clash rocks Somali capital(Source: Mareeg Online Shabelle Bar-Kulan and Hiiraan Online)
- AMISOM forces uncover buried explosives(Source: Daily Monitor)
- Turkey can play vital role in humanitarian affairs – UN official(Source: UN News Centre )
- Press Statement on the current situation in the country (Source: The Somali Islamic Scholars Body Radio Mogadishu)
- UAE’s humanitarian role in Somalia hailed (Source: Khaleej Times WAM)
PRESS STATEMENT
Press Statement on the current situation in the country
20 Dec – Source: The Somali Islamic Scholars Body, Radio Mogadishu – 457 words
In view of the serious events experienced by the nation and of the increasing interventions regarding the political and military aspects which drive the country towards a bleak future; and the duty upon the Somali Scholars to give advice and statements of the truth and protect the interests of the nation, the Somali Scholars issued the following statement: –
1 – The Scholars strongly rejects the political and military interventions against the nation which is intensifying day by day. They see it as a real threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the Somali people. The threat has already paralyzed the institutions of the government, reducing the chance of finding a solution to the Somali crisis.
2 – Appeals to the government and urge it to be strict on its assigned duties which is the protection of the interests of the Somali people and the religion. The scholars accuse the government of negligence of duties which has become rampant in all state institutions. The Messenger peace be upon him: “Whoever is given authority over the affairs of Muslims and doesn’t fulfill his duties shall not enter paradise”. (Narrated by Muslim).
3 – Confirms that al Shabaab are the sole reason to the political pressure and military interventions taking place in the country, which is religiously impermissible; Therefore, the scholars asks al Shabaab to repent to God and return to the consensus of the nation and participate in efforts to make Somalia get out of the crisis and renounce foreign agenda which does not serve the interest of the Somali people.
4 – Asks the people to be cautious and not be dragged into this reckless group of al Shabaab and not to participate in activities contrary to Islamic law.
5 – The Commission considers that the draft constitution, which is being prepared, does not meet the aspirations and hopes of the Somali people, and that it includes many irregularities and contains many gaps, therefore the scholars find it relevant for the formation of a committee of experts and specialists to provide a detailed report on this project.
6 – The Commission believes that the solution lies in empowering the Somali people to solve their own problems and to develop their own project and help to create effective state institutions.
7 – Directed its appeal to the Arab and Islamic countries to take a leading role in finding a solution to the Somali crisis.
8 – Commends the efforts of relief activities to the victims of drought, particularly those carried out by the agencies of Islamic countries, and the board also urges everyone to turn to development and resettlement of the displaced person and to take necessary measures to prevent further crisis.
http://radiomuqdisho.net/
SOMALI MEDIA
Roadside bomb kills three in Somali capital
20 Dec – Source: Shabelle, Radio Kulmiye, and Radio Mogadishu – 124 words
At least three people were confirmed to have been killed and many others wounded some of them seriously, in a roadside bomb explosion in the volatile Somali capital Mogadishu, witnesses said on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred early hours on Tuesday morning in Mogadishu’s Dharkenlay district, near a police station. Witnesses said two women were among the dead, while the other one has not been identified.
Local residents confirmed to media that the landmine blast was targeted at women taking part voluntary cleaning campaigns in the area, the injured were rushed to the hospitals. No one has far claimed the responsibility for the attack, but this is the second landmine explosion targeted at women cleaning up Mogadishu streets in less than two months.
http://www.shabelle.net/
Kenyan police arrest two Somalis in Dadaab, northern Kenya
20 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 183 words
Kenyan police in Dadaab refugee complex, the world’s largest refugee camp, last night arrested two Somali men in connection with yesterday’s blast that killed a policeman and injured two others in Hagardera camp.
The explosion hit Police vehicle in Hagardera refugee camp of Dadaab, killing the policeman and injuring two others and destroyed the vehicle. The blast was said to be a roadside bomb.
Dadaab refugee camp is home to more than 450,000 people, mainly Somalis who fled famine and conflict in their country. A Kenyan official was quoted as saying that he suspects Somali militants of carrying out the explosion. Acting Dadaab District Commissioner Bernard Ole Kipury said he suspects al Shabaab was behind the blast, BBC reports.
Somali Chief Commander: We will investigate the murder of local journalist
20 Dec – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 115 words
Genaral Abdikarim Yusuf Dhega-badan, Chief Commander of Somali National Army has on Tuesday said they would investigate the killing of local Somali journalist, Abdisalan Hiis who was killed in Mogadishu a day before, state media said. The National Army Chief Commander, Gen said they are investigating the case and condemned guards of Mogadishu hotels adding that the military dress could be worn by everybody.
The journalist was killed by a man in uniform of government soldiers in Hamar-Jajab district in the capital Mogadishu.
Somali president orders police to assure the security
20 Dec – Source: Shabelle – 154 words
The president of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government TFG, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, on Tuesday ordered the police force to tighten and maintain the overall security in Mogadishu.
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed also called on police to be on high alert and step up measures to prevent possible car bombs and suicide attacks by the al Qaeda inspired al Shabaab militants during the 68th anniversary of Somali police force to begin in the lawless capital, Mogadishu.
“I urge the police forces to put in place security measures and give first priority securing public gatherings in the capital Mogadishu to avoid any attack by al Shabaab fighters.” said Somali president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
http://www.shabelle.net/
Burial of veteran TV reporter held in Mogadishu
20 Dec – Source: Radio Mogadishu, Somalia Report, Jowhar Online – 85 words
Reporter Abdisalam Hiis, who was killed by an armed group in Mogadishu on Sunday, was buried in Mogadishu on Monday. The burial ceremony of the reporter was attended by the senior TFG officials, Somali intellects, journalists, women, children and different part of the community. The entire participants were worried by the killing. On the other hand, TFG official who spoke on the killing stated that the criminal who are behind the killing of Hiis will face the justice.
Somali MPs planning to form committee to organize election of new Speaker
19 Dec – Source: Jowhar Online – 253 words
Somali MPs that dismissed the Speaker, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, on the 13th of this month have today held a meeting in Mogadishu in which they issued a statement on a number of things regarding the work of the parliament. The interim Speaker of the Somali Parliament, Madobe Nunow Muhammad, has said they will soon appoint a committee that is to organize the elections of the Speaker of the Federal Somali Parliament.
“The work of the parliament will go on as planned and we will in the coming days appoint a committee that is to organize elections of the Speaker of Parliament,” said Madobe Nunow. He said this committee will be expected to organize the elections of the new Speaker which is to be held in the coming weeks as well as registration of candidates vying for the role.
Although Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan continues to insist that he is still the legitimate Speaker of Parliament, the dispute among the MPs is still escalating threatening to shake the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia’s [TFG] politics to the core.
MPs have meanwhile asked the government to table the political road map plan before parliament for debate. It was just yesterday that an international delegation held a meeting with MPs that dismissed Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan as the Speaker in an attempt to resolve the issue through mediation, a preposition that these MPs are said to have found difficult to accept.
Overnight clash rocks Somali capital
20 Dec – Source: Mareeg Online, Shabelle, Bar-Kulan and Hiiraan Online – 99 words
Heavy fighting between Somali transitional federal government backed by the African Union peacekeeping forces and the rebel group of al Shabaab occurred in the capital Mogadishu last night, reports said.
The battle happened at Abagedo village in Dharkenlay district in the Somali capital Mogadishu between al Shabaab and T.F.G soldiers backed the AU forces, reports said. No one knows the exact casualties of the war between warring sides last night.
District commissioner of Dharkenlay, Mo’allim Abdule said that there were injuries on civilians saying that they also killed and wounded al Shabaab fighters whom he said launched the attack from Elasha-biyaha.
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
Iran claims delivering a shipload of food aid to Mogadishu
19 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan, Somalia Report – 140 words
Iranian government has announced today that a ship loaded with food aid is expected to reach Mogadishu. The Aid is for the people of Somalia who are vulnerable. The head of humanitarian and operations of the Red Cross Mohamud Mozaffar said that the forth ship is carrying 540 ton of food, which the people of Iran assisted to their brothers in Somalia.
The Aid consists of 500,000 ton of fish, 180 ton of oil, 120 ton of rice 35 ton of maize, 77 ton of chocolate 18 ton of Drinks, and there are other food like sugar, milk and others.
Iran is one of the Governments that took parts heavily on assisting the vulnerable people in Somalia that were affected by the latest drought and war. In the month of October, Iran sent to Somalia the largest food aid of 5000 ton.
Galmudug parliament: We fired president, Alin
20 Dec – Source; Mareeg Online – 90 words
Parliamentarians from the Regional State of Galmudug reiterated that they withheld their confidence from President Mohamud Ahmed Alin saying he is corrupt and used excessive power, reports said. Galmudug parliament speaker, Hassan Mahmud said they fired President Ali from the post in a meeting they held in the southern village of Galkayo, their administration. Mr. Hassan said that Mr. Ali was accused of corruption and using excess power. The fired president said yesterday that he dismissed Galmudug parliament, saying that it could not carry out its duties effectively
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.
Al Shabaab receiving weapons from Somali clan
20 Dec – Radio Al Furqaan, Somalia Report – 53 words
The clan of Yusuf Galmaah which is among the clans in Somalia have pledged their allegiance and their weapons to al Shabaab, sending 300 fighters among them 100 elders. The support also includes 100 guns and more other weapons to show their allegiance to the mujahideen in Their Holy War against the Crusaders.
Puntland’s peace committee says Karkar Peace talks were successful
20 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 153 words
A committee of elders and clerics involved in mediating two warring clans in Puntland’s Karkar region say talks were successful. In a meeting held in Bosaso, the peace committee said the two clans accepted to permanently put on hold the animosity between them and promised to fully implement what was agreed during the talks.
The clans clashed in Rako-raho area, where over 53 people were killed and 70 others injured during a two months conflict, according to the committee.
The spokesman of Bari Peace Committee, Abdikadir Harago, told Bar-kulan that the two clans agreed to pay blood compensation of all those killed, return all properties robbed during the conflict to the owners and wait for Islamic Sharia law rulings for all those sustained injuries.
He said the two clans are set to meet February 28, next year to fully implement the agreed agendas aimed at ending the animosity between them.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UAE’s humanitarian role in Somalia hailed
20 Dec – Source: Khaleej Times, WAM – 292 words
Senior UAE Foreign Ministry officials, members of diplomatic corps and resident representatives of UN agencies accredited to the UAE gathered here on Monday to discuss an emergency plan to address the painful humanitarian situation in Somalia.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, told the expanded meeting, which was hosted by the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) in coordination with the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Foreign and Humanitarian Assistance, that he was confident of the distinguished and humanitarian role the UAE is playing at the regional and international levels and its ability to shoulder responsibilities and support any efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of any people enduring an ordeal like the one the Somali people is experiencing now.
He said that such humanitarian situations were not alien to the UAE which had always been in the forefront of giving a helping hand to disaster-stricken people, refugees and countries hit by humanitarian catastrophes.
UNHCR representatives and a number of experts gave elaborate presentations on the dimension of the Somali humanitarian, social and economic crisis and adequate mechanisms to tackle it as soon as possible. Speaking at the meeting, Director General of ECSSR Dr Jamal Al Suwaidi expressed the ECSSR’s willing and readiness to put all its research resources at the UN disposal to help in chalking out appropriate strategic crisis management plans for Somalia.
AMISOM forces uncover buried explosives
19 Dec – Source: Daily Monitor – 230 words
African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) troops has seized explosive devices buried in parts of Mogadishu, officials have said.
Major General Fred Mugisha, the force commander of the AMISOM, said last week that the peacekeepers have recently uncovered up to 15 landmines buried in parts of Mogadishu. He cited al Shabaab, the radical Islamist group opposing the Transitional Federal Government, as being behind the explosives.
“The devices were meant to harm the public,” said Maj. Gen. Mugisha. He urged the public to continue working with the armed forces.
“We don’t want to know the name of who is reporting or the person planting the bomb,” said the commander. “What is important is the position, where the bomb is,” he added, hinting that anonymity is the most cooperative method of communication on the sensitive subject.
He also advised the ordinary citizens to stay away from areas suspected to containing explosives. Gen. Mugisha rejected the notion that the militants deserting al Shabaab and joining the government were responsible for recent wave of bombings in Mogadishu. He stated that al Shabaab operatives from Lower Shabelle region, south of Mogadishu, were responsible for the bombings.
“AMISOM is determined to strive to abort the different tactics used by al Shabaab,” said the commander who lamented the deadly suicide bombing around Km4 Area, targeting ministries and students in October and the landmine explosions that killed women cleaners in South Mogadishu.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali government should probe journalist’s murder
19 Dec – Source: CPJ – 319 words
Somali authorities must pursue all leads in investigating the murder on Sunday of a broadcast journalist who had reported receiving several recent threats. A gunman in a military uniform shot freelance reporter Abdisalan Sheikh Hassan, according to local and international reports.
Hassan, 38, was driving from the offices of Horn Cable TV to a press conference when the uniformed gunman intercepted the vehicle and shot the journalist in the head, according to the station’s director, Abdulle Haj Ali. A colleague in the car was not injured.
The shooting took place about 4 p.m. in Mogadishu’s central district of Hamar Jajab. Hassan died after being taken to a local hospital, according to local journalists. Somalia’s Information Ministry issued a statement on Sunday saying that authorities were investigating.
“We condemn the heinous assassination of Abdisalan Sheikh Hassan,” CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes said. “The Somali government must lead a thorough and transparent investigation and break a pattern of impunity for killers of journalists.”
Hassan, who also contributed to Hamar Radio and the Voice of Democracy radio station, told colleagues that he had received recent death threats via cell phone. A soldier also threatened Hassan in person on Saturday and Friday, according to one colleague who spoke with the victim on Sunday.
Hassan had covered a tense session of the Transitional Federal Parliament on Wednesday during which violence broke out between supporters and opponents of Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, local journalists told CPJ. The United Nations and African Union have expressed concern at the ongoing standoff in the chamber, according to news reports.
http://www.cpj.org/2011/12/
Turkey can play vital role in humanitarian affairs – UN official
19 Dec – Source: UN News Centre – 307 words
Turkey’s role in humanitarian affairs is rapidly growing and has become vital for the international community, the United Nations relief chief said today, calling for stronger partnerships between the country and international organizations to provide assistance to people who have been affected by emergencies around the world.
“The Government and people of Turkey play an important role in international humanitarian affairs,” said Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos during her one-day mission to Turkey. “In addition to contributing generously to crises in Somalia, Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere around the world, Turkey also engages actively in other key humanitarian response mechanisms such as the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG),” she said.
During her visit, Ms. Amos met with various Turkish officials to discuss ways of strengthening the country’s collaboration with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Turkish organizations, as well as the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa.
“OCHA values the role Turkey has played this year in response to the needs of people escaping violence in Syria and Libya,” Ms. Amos said. “I thank the people and the Government of Turkey for their generosity and solidarity with those in need of assistance in the region and across the world.”
http://www.un.org/apps/news/
Bomb just misses Kenyan policeman in refugee camp
20 Dec – Source: AP – 126 words
A district commissioner says a bomb that exploded in a refugee camp in northern Kenya narrowly missed a car carrying a senior police officer.
Albert Kimathi says no one was injured in Tuesday’s blast in Dadaab refugee camp. It is the second explosion there in as many days and the fifth bomb to be planted in Dadaab in two months. Three police officers in Dadaab have been killed.
The attacks have severely curtailed the movements of aid workers, meaning many refugees cannot access important services.
Aid workers rely on Kenyan police for escorts after Somali gunmen kidnapped a Kenyan and two Spanish aid workers from Dadaab. Kenya has had more than a dozen bomb and grenade attacks since sending troops across the Somali border in October.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
UN staff’s performance in Somalia constitute a crime against humanity
20 Dec – Source: Africa Review, Daily Nation – 311 words
One of the most frequent complaints I heard during my recent visit to Mogadishu was the lack of physical presence of United Nations staff in this war-torn city.
This sounded very odd to me considering that the UN declared a famine of “biblical proportions” in Somalia in July this year, and has been raising millions of dollars to save Somalis from starvation since.
In fact, the UN has claimed to have successfully distributed food aid in Mogadishu. So why is there so little UN presence there?
I certainly didn’t see any, and I was in the heart of Mogadishu during my four-day stay there. I hardly saw any UN cars in the city, and very few foreign aid workers.
The only foreigners whose presence could be seen and felt was that of Turks, whose government is actively engaged in rebuilding Mogadishu, and the African Union soldiers who are helping rid the city of the dreaded Al-Shabaab.
I had heard from various sources that most of the food aid that comes through Mogadishu’s port ends up in private hands because there is no effective monitoring of how and where it is distributed.
The mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamoud Nur, complained that there was no control over the aid that comes through the port because the local NGOs that collect and distribute it are not accountable to anyone. This had led to theft of food and other aid.
So I went to the port to see for myself, and sure enough, I saw Unicef bags being offloaded onto a ramshackle truck that had no UN logo on it and no UN staff was present to oversee the operation.
I checked to see if there was a WFP office at the port (you’d think there would be, considering that millions of dollars of food aid that comes through the port) but could not find any.
http://www.africareview.com/
Somali President receives a warm welcome in Puntland, PICS
some of the English comments accompanied by photos on the thread include “Mogadishu + Garowe= Somalia heading towards the right direction.”
The Problems of the Somali family in the UK
“All participants talked about the effects of family break up as a result of enforced exile. All talked at length about absent fathers and single mothers.
Consistent with previous research (Heitritter, 1999), interviewees emphasised the traditional highly segregated roles of mothers and fathers in Somalia and how these cannot be sustained in London. Men used to ‘bring money to the wife and was not involved in the running of the household in any other way’ and the wife had the support of family and community. Problems arise because men are not able to find employment – their qualifications are not recognised, their skills are not needed and/ or they are too old.
Men are not able to provide financially for their families and income support has enabled women to be independent from men (parent 2). This has caused a major change in roles…it is almost as if the men have been castrated…
The role of the fathers as financial providers has been replaced by the DSS. Once I heard a story of a woman who dropped her benefit book on the ground and a Somali man behind her shouted “Oi! You dropped your husband!” This change in roles has made men feel useless, not wanted by their families and consequently get very depressed (parent 2).”