January 31, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Fighting breaks out in Mogadishu’s Jazeera area
31 Jan – Source: Radio Kulmiye, Risaala – 107 words
Heavy fighting broke out in Jazeera district, west of Mogadishu after hundreds of al Shabaab militia raided in a military bases for the government troops and African Union peacekeepers.
At least three people were reportedly wounded in the fighting. Al Shabaab fighters carried out surprise attacks on military compounds outside of the capital. The officials in Wadajir district said the attack was carried out in stealth but later they were countered.
Key Headlines
- President Sharif jets back into the country (Bar-kulan Kulmiye Radio Mogadishu)
- Somalia: Journalist killing highlights need for international action on impunity (Amnesty International )
- Delegation from Denmark arrives in Mogadishu (Mareeg Online)
- Somalia: UK call to tackle root causes of problems (BBC)
- Somali Islamist leader abducted for being “disloyal to the jihad” ( Somalia Report/ Radio Muqdisho)
- Saudi Arabia UK to work on Somalia problem (Arab News)
- VOA Interview with UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon (VOA)
PRESS STATEMENT
Somalia: Journalist killing highlights need for international action on impunity
31 Jan – Source: Amnesty International – 516 words
Amnesty International has urged the international community to call on the Somali authorities to bring to justice those responsible for attacks on journalists after the latest killing of a Mogadishu reporter. Hassan Osman Abdi, director of the Shabelle Media Network, was shot by unidentified men outside his home in the city’s Wadajir district on Saturday evening. He reportedly died on his way to hospital.
The reporter, also known as ‘Hassan Fantastic’, is the second journalist to be killed in the last six weeks in Somalia. The Somali authorities say they are investigating his killing. “The numerous attacks on journalists in Somalia have been part of an attempt to silence reporting about human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict in the country,” said Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty International’s Director for Africa.
“Despite Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government’s promises to investigate these killings, no one has ever been brought to justice for such acts. It’s time that the international community takes concrete measures to tackle impunity for the killings of journalists in the country and other human rights abuses.
“Anyone found responsible for committing or ordering the killings must be brought to justice, in fair trials and without the application of the death penalty” he added. A major international conference on Somalia will take place in London on 23 February with the aim of delivering a new international approach to the country.
“The international community must use this opportunity to discuss ways to address impunity for human rights abuses and ask the United Nations to establish an independent and international mechanism to document and investigate human rights violations and abuses in Somalia,” said Erwin van der Borght.
“This should include the threats and targeted attacks against journalists by all parties to the conflict,” he added. At least 24 journalists have been killed in Somalia since 2007, and many others injured, yet no one has been brought to justice for these attacks. All parties to the conflict have threatened and attacked journalists and restricted press freedom.
On 18 December last year, Abdisalan Sheikh Hassan, a freelance journalist for the Horn Cable TV station and Hamar radio, was shot in the head by a man wearing a government military uniform in the Hamar Jajab district in Mogadishu. He died shortly afterwards.
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) promised to investigate Abdisalan Sheikh Hassan’s killing and reportedly arrested suspects as part of the investigation. However, as far as Amnesty International is aware, no one has yet been brought to justice for the killing of Abdisalan Sheikh Hassan.
SOMALI MEDIA
President Sharif jets back into the country
31 Jan – Source: Bar-kulan, Kulmiye, Radio Mogadishu – 101 words
The President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has jetted back into the country from Addis Ababab, Ethiopia where he attended the heads of states of the African countries meeting. On arrival, the president was received by members of the cabinet and parliament. Sheikh Sharif proceeded to the state house, Villa Somalia without giving a word to the media which was eagerly waiting for his statement on the meeting in Addis Ababa. While in Addis Ababab, the President held talks with some international leaders attending the African Union Summit.
Delegation from Denmark arrives in Mogadishu
30 Jan – Source: Mareeg Online – 101 words
Denmark Minister of Planning & International Co-operation arrived Monday morning at Adan Adde international airport in Mogadishu. Minister Christian faris Bach and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Defence Hussein Arab Issa.
Minister Christian held meeting with the Defence Minister Hussein Arab Issa and some other ministers. They discussed a wide range of issues, including National security, Humanitarian activities, education, Health and diplomatic relations between their countries. The Minister stated that his visit to Mogadishu is to assess the situation on the ground and how Denmark is planning to support the government’s achievement in terms of security and the reconciliation process.
Fighting breaks out in Mogadishu’s Jazeera area
31 Jan – Source: Radio Kulmiye, Risaala – 107 words
Heavy fighting broke out in Jazeera district, west of Mogadishu after hundreds of al Shabaab militia raided in a military bases for the government troops and African Union peacekeepers.
At least three people were reportedly wounded in the fighting. Al Shabaab fighters carried out surprise attacks on military compounds outside of the capital. The officials in Wadajir district said the attack was carried out in stealth but later they were countered.
Somali Islamist leader abducted for being “disloyal to the jihad”
31 Jan – Source: Somalia Report/ Radio Muqdisho – 255 words
Reports filtering into Somalia Report tonight indicate that senior al Shabaab official, Sheikh Hasan Dahir Aweys, was kidnapped with complicity of his own guards. He is being accused by al Shabaab of being “disloyal to the jihad”.
Al Shabaab abducted the moderate Islamist Sheikh Hasan Dahir Aweys when a militia of al Shabaab gunmen charged Ali Mahdi Muhammad garden, where senior al Shabaab leaders were meeting, and took away Aweys.
The attackers peacefully disarmed Awey’s guards then abducted Sheikh Hasan and his close allies as well as some Abu Mansur supporters. ” They surrounded the place and disarmed the guards, then they went inside and took Sheikh Hasan and his close friends.” witnesses told Somalia Report
The attackers were sent from Sheikh Abdirahman Abu Zubeyr, al Shabaab senior officials, and its believed Sheikh Hasan was taken to Marka. There was no gunfire at the time of abduction, though later some gunfire were heard. Apparently Aweys supporters reached the place and started firing into the sky in anger. The incident comes days after Transitional Federal Government sent their condolence to the death of Aweys’ father who passed away at the age of 95. Al Shabaab has charged Aweys with providing details that led to the drone attack that killed al Qaeda member Bilaal Barjawi.
Oddly enough there was an emergency meeting convened late on 22 January in which, Ali Muhammad Rage, Hasan Dahir Aweys, and Mukhtar Robow accused other al Shabaab leaders, including Ahmad Godane, of being involved in a conspiracy to kill Barjawi. Now it appears that Godane has turned the tables on Aweys.
Somali medics in Nairobi urged to help refugees in Dadaab
30 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 175 words
Somali medical practitioners in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, have been urged to help fellow Somalis in Dadaab refugee Complex, the world’s larges refugee camp in northern Kenya.
Somali ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Ali Noor (Americo) appealed to the medics to extend their service delivery to these refugees since their services are desperately needed in the refugee camp. The ambassador made the remarks while meeting the Union of Somali medical practitioners in Kenya at his Nairobi office on Sunday.
He said Somali refugees in Dadaab are currently facing appalling conditions since medical staffs that used to operate in these camps have already left the area due to security concerns. Americo promised the medics that their expenses will be catered for by the Somali embassy in Nairobi if they will deliver their services to these refugees, urging them to stand up and safe the lives of fellow Somalis in these camps.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Saudi Arabia, UK to work on Somalia problem
31 Jan – Source: Arab News – 730 words
The United Kingdom, a major donor to African nations, has pledged to work closely with Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to solve a plethora of problems facing African countries, especially Somalia and Sudan. The pledge was made by Henry Bellingham, British undersecretary for Africa, here Saturday evening after holding talks with senior Saudi officials including Nizar Obaid Madani, minister of state for foreign affairs.
Bellingham, whose areas of responsibilities include Britain’s overseas territories, Africa and the United Nations, said the Kingdom has assured participation and support to a major donor conference for Somalia to be hosted by London on Feb 23. Bellingham’s visit to Saudi Arabia, which coincides with the summit of African Union leaders in Addis Ababa, was aimed at holding consultations with the Kingdom and other Gulf states on issues affecting the African continent as a whole.
Bellingham was speaking about his talks with Saudi officials with special reference to the London donor conference. He said the UK had been working with African countries, particularly Somalia and Sudan, to restore peace and security. “We know that young British jihadis are also being trained in Somalia,” admitted the British undersecretary, while referring to the problems posed by the al Shabaab extremist group in the country. “A large number of vessels were also captured by Somali pirates at sea for ransom … but we know that the figures are declining,” said Bellingham.
He called for Saudi and international support for Somalia, adding the Kingdom is a key regional player and a very important partner for Britain.
Italian FM, Somali PM discuss political process in African country
30 Jan – Source: Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) – 163 words
Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi held talks with Somali Prime Minister Abdulwali Mohammad Ali on the progress of the transitional phase, the security situation in the African country and how to rebuild the war-torn country.
Terzi and Ali discussed the situation in general in Somalia and the provinces in specific, as well as political developments over the past six months. Terzi, at a joint news conference with Ali, said they expressed keenness to support the political process. Italy is committed to helping Somalia towards stability, he said.
Development in Somalia and eliminating poverty will always be a crucial issue for Italy, added Terzi.
Ali said he briefed Terzi about the roadmap that would pave way for formation of a government by next August and writing a permanent constitution. He thanked Italy for its support of Somalia.
Terzi, meanwhile, said al Shabaab rebels were facing growing difficulties at the military level and diminishing backing. Means of countering piracy were also discussed by the two officials.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
VOA Interview with UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon
30 Jan – Source: VOA – 989 words
Pete Heinlein: “What’s happening, and why is there such a delay [in opening the U.N. Political Office in Somalia]?”
Ban Ki-moon: “First, the deployment of United Nations Political Office in Somalia [UNPOS] is a historic one, demonstrating our strong, determined will, to help transition the federal government of Somalia. This is the first time in 17 years that the U.N. Political Office is deployed permanently. I hope this will bring other international partners to Mogadishu.”
“The African Union Peace and Security Council has authorized the increase of strength of AMISOM [African peace-keeping force in Somalia] to 17,731. I welcome it. I’m going to make a report to the Security Council very soon. I sincerely hope the Security Council will have a favorable consideration on this increase of the strength of AMISOM before we meet in London for the International Conference on Somalia. I need to see that whole international community address a comprehensive approach on Somalia, so that Somalia will maintain to gain this hard-fought stability at this time.”
“I met President Sheikh Sharif and also during my visit last December to Somalia, I urged that this is a very small window of opportunity for Somalia, to fully utilize this stability, fighting back al Shabaab, they should establish this administration in the liberated areas. They should also provide the social economic opportunities to their people.”
Pete Heinlein: “Can you give us a little bit of a timeline? When do you think more money is forthcoming? Where is it coming from?”
Ban Ki-moon: “The first TFG, Transitional Federal Government, should implement a roadmap by the end of August. Further extension is not acceptable. That was my strong message. That is the message of the international community. Therefore, that this one good benchmark by which the international community will be ready to provide support.”
“With the strengthened AMISOM forces, I believe the TFG will be able to gain and maintain this momentum to support. The U.N. will work hard to provide the necessary livelihood, opportunities to the people, so that there will be less of a motivation of the young people to go out to sea for piracy. This is our comprehensive strategy.”
Somalia: UK call to tackle root causes of problems
31 Jan – Source: BBC – 2:28 min
Britain has called for a stronger international approach to tackle the root causes of the problems in Somalia.
The country has been without a central government for more than 20 years, has suffered from lengthy conflict and more recently famine.The British Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, made the call during a visit to the Somali region of Puntland.
Iranian, Ethiopian foreign ministers urge boosting ties
29 Jan – Source: Iranian official government news agency IRNA – 75 words
The foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran has met his Ethiopian counterpart during his visit to Ethiopia to attend the 18th summit meeting of the African Union.
According to an IRNA correspondent, during the meeting [Iranian Foreign Minister] Ali Akbar Salehi and [Ethiopian Foreign Minister] Hailemariam Desalegn stressed the need to boost bilateral relations in various fields of politics and economy. The Ethiopian foreign minister is also a deputy prime minister of this country.
Somalia: Journalist killing highlights need for international action on impunity
30 Jan – Source: Amnesty International/Aljazeera – 517 words
Amnesty International has urged the international community to call on the Somali authorities to bring to justice those responsible for attacks on journalists after the latest killing of a Mogadishu reporter.
Hassan Osman Abdi, director of the Shabelle Media Network, was shot by unidentified men outside his home in the city’s Wadajir district on Saturday evening. He reportedly died on his way to hospital. The reporter, also known as ‘Hassan Fantastic’, is the second journalist to be killed in the last six weeks in Somalia. The Somali authorities say they are investigating his killing.
“The numerous attacks on journalists in Somalia have been part of an attempt to silence reporting about human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict in the country,” said Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty International’s Director for Africa. “Despite Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government’s promises to investigate these killings, no one has ever been brought to justice for such acts. It’s time that the international community takes concrete measures to tackle impunity for the killings of journalists in the country and other human rights abuses.
“Anyone found responsible for committing or ordering the killings must be brought to justice, in fair trials and without the application of the death penalty” he added. A major international conference on Somalia will take place in London on 23 February with the aim of delivering a new international approach to the country.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
The power of sports
31 Jan – Soomaalo Blog
If there is anything that unites us all as Somali youth is sport especially football. I decided to find out how we can use sports to provide a platform for youths to mingle and freely discuss their problems and the way forward. Check out the response of youths in Mogadishu, Burco, Hargeisa and Garowe and Bosasso
Hussein Ali, 21 years, old from Mogadishu.
“If it were not for Allah and somehow due to my love for football I think I would have been dead long time ago. The only thing that stops me from training or playing football is the fighting that sometimes breaks out in the streets of Mogadishu. The games give us hope and help us to forget our problems. I have lost so many friends and family members to the war. If it were not for football I would have either joined al Shabaab or the government like many of my friends. Football is my life and I love every minute of it,”
“What Harper is trying to do is to resurrect a basic level of respect in discussions about Somalia. From its portrayal as a lawless place, riven with fundamentalist Islam, and latterly suffering the effects of a terrible famine, she argues that these aren’t the only things that happen in the country. Her real interest, I think, was in profiling modern-day Somalia where ‘more than two decades of conflict and crisis have forced Somalis to invent alternative political and economic systems.”
Getting Somalia Wrong: faith, war and hope in a shattered state
30 Jan – Source: African Arguments – 869 Words
The next book in the African Arguments series is Getting Somalia Wrong by BBC journalist Mary Harper. It is a complex account of a country too often stereotyped by one or two of its most notorious characteristics – recently these being the Islamist insurgency of al Shabaab, piracy off its Indian Ocean coast and terrible famine.
Harper’s book has grown out of 20 years working on and in the country, and functions not as a conventional history of Somalia, but rather as a discussion of several key themes central to its present state. Pleasantly surprising was the thread of black humour that runs throughout, created by the description of several historical events that exemplify an admirable, and slightly crazed, Somali independence of spirit. First is the story of the ‘Mad Mullah’ – warrior poet Seyyid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan – who fought the British to a standstill in the early 20th century and described himself as ‘a stubborn he-camel’ from whom the British would get ‘war and nothing else.’ When his troops killed a British commander sent to pursue him, he penned ‘a brutal celebratory poem’ detailing how his dead body would be ‘left to the carrion eaters.’
“A negative outcome for either of the principle protagonists particularly and Somaliland, also presents the great risk of inadvertently escalating and widening the risk of regional instability, in a way not imagined by the international community. As hard as it is to believe for outsiders, the nightmare of South Central can actually get worse. Anticipation of the outcomes of the London conference has already raised the temperature in the Somali polity, both in country and across the various international Diasporas.”
Solutions: London Somali Conference & Somalia and Somaliland
30 Jan – Mareeg Online Opinion – 1715 Words
The British Prime Minster, David Cameron announced that his government will be holding a conference on Somalia in London on 23rd February 2012 which will discuss a wide range of issues including:
Enhancing Security and Stability.Tackling Islamic Extremism and Piracy.Addressing the root causes of the Somali conflict.Agreeing on coordinated international package of support for Somalia’s regions.
Whilst, there have been a number of conferences held to revive the Somali state and install a working government in Somalia this is the first of its kind to bring all Somali stakeholders as well as important world leaders and Non-Governmental Organisations together, outside of the region. Moreover, the London conference proposes a substantially broader and arguably more focussed agenda, as set out above.
“Mogadishu seems to have turned into a hunting ground for journalist, many of who are already working under deplorable conditions and very low pay compared to their comrades in other hot spots of the world like Iraq and Afghanistan.”“We should stop killing our best brains and above all desist from harming or eliminating the messengers who dodge bullets and bombs to keep us informed of the situation in Somalia and Mogadishu.”
Stop killing messengers!
30 Jan – Soomaalo Blog – 354
Shabelle radio/TV editor Hassan Osman Abdi better known as “Hassan Fantastic” is no longer with us, reason? He was cold bloodedly murdered near his house in Mogadishu by two-pistol-totting unknown “young” assailants who later disappeared after firing 5 shots into his head and body leaving him for dead.
Fantastic, is the third Shabele editor to have been murdered since 2007. The late Hirabe was also a close friend and of wonderful personality just like Mohamed and the latest fallen hero and a fantastic chap.
I was lucky to have met and seen the late Fantastic doing what he does best…Report about the unceasing violence in Mogadishu whose biggest casualties still remains to date as the poor women, children and men who are too poor to even flee.
“Given the potential lurking dangers in the dark, employing a strategy splitting up Somaliland into clannish cantons as a vehicle for re-establishing unity of Somalia has a lot of contradictions in itself and manifests ideological and political bankruptcy which cannot be an option for any true unionist. Historically, tribalism proved a very dividing and devastating factor in the social and political relations among Somalis.”
Somaliland: consequences of possible disintegration into tribal fiefdoms
30 Jan – Wardheer Opinion – 2337 Words
Many Somalis were greatly shocked by recent escalation of armed conflict between Somaliland government and tribal militia in Buhoodleh district. The conflict is probably a precursor to unpredictable security and political developments to unfold for the coming months and years. It indicates that peace is to wane in regions formerly defined as relatively stable areas in the North of Somalia.
The parties involved in the ongoing hostilities have actually lost their sanity to be at each other’s throat to destroy nothing else but their very bones and souls. Arguably, each side claims to have a noble cause to defend and even to die for; for Somaliland leaders it is a question of sovereignty and independence which cannot be subjected to any compromised deal, while it is for the opposing clan a liberation movement for self-determination to establish a system for self-governance on their own choice and will; it is an exercise of God given human freedom and dignity which cannot be taken away by any existing authority from its owners. Albeit such positions taken by parties of the recent fratricide in Buhoodleh, it does not amount to more than an inter-clan struggle for power and prestige; at its stake is the lives of innocent children, mothers, elderly and youth who generally bear the brunt of armed conflicts being waged by blood mongers on sacred Somali soil.
Top tweets
@RoyalAfricanSoc Getting Somalia Wrong: faith, war and hope in a shattered state – new book by BBC’s Mary Harper bit.ly/zoDkAp – launch at SOAS on 7th
@amal_leila Watch BBC video: #Somalia: UK call to tackle root causes of problems bbc.in/yHhF5L
@challiss After famine, Somalis ponder their future bit.ly/wgOMa1
@masaafur We have those already RT @SelfMadeAbdi My love for Somalia is untouchable.. I’d become a Hitler for it!
@klock4 There are much more pressing problems in Somalia than the over-reported problem of piracy: mcgilldaily.com/2011/
Image of the day
Construction is underway to renovate the former Somali Defence ministry building (Gashandiga) in Mogadishu.