April 2, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Al Shabaab Attack Kenyan University, 15 Dead, Over 60 Wounded
02 April – Source: Standard Media – 285 Words
Fifteen people have been killed and 60 others injured in the ongoing gun attack in Garissa University College. Unknown gunmen posing as worshippers attacked the institution earlyThursday morning. Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet confirmed the attack and said efforts to restore the situation were ongoing. “Garissa University was attacked early this morning. Elite units from Police and KDF have responded. Updates to follow,” said Boinnet on his Twitter handle. Boinnet said in a statement the gunmen forced their way into the university by shooting at the guards manning the main gate at around 5.30a.m. “The attackers shot indiscriminately while inside the university compound.
Police officers who were at the time guarding the students’ hostels heard the gunshots and responded swiftly and engaged the gunmen in a fierce shootout. However, the attackers retreated and gained entry into the hostels,” he said. He added that officers were summoned for reinforcement immediately and a joint force composed of the police and military started engaging the gang. Witnesses say the gunmen went into the university as students were going for morning prayers. Those calling from inside the university say there are many casualties. Students who escaped the attack said there were at least five gunmen. Many other students and teachers were by 8 am still being held hostage. According to local security bosses, there has been terror threats on institutions in the area from unknown group. “We had the threats earlier on and alerted the institutions in this area,” said a security official who asked not to be named. In Nairobi, security officials were put on alert over fears of a similar attack. Security bosses were mobilised for a crisis meeting to monitor the situation.
Key Headlines
- Security Forces In Kismayu Thwart Mine Attack (Wacaal Media)
- UAE Ambassador Somalia’s Minister For Higher Education Discuss Cooperation Relations (Al Shahid/Radio Muqdisho)
- Security Forces Blockade Key Roads In Mogadishu (Mareeg Media)
- Fewer Executions Carried Out In Somalia – Amnesty (Horseed Media)
- Somalia Among The Most Dangerous Countries In The World (Somali Current)
- Al Shabaab Attack Kenyan University 15 Dead Over 60 Wounded (Standard Media)
- Boy 13 Rescued From Suspected Al Shabaab Abductors (Citizen News)
- Ex-Shabab Official Claims Al-Qaida Ties Dissolved (VOA)
- Mom’s Push To Help Poor Kids With Autism Brings New Federal Benefits (Star Tribune)
- Somali Journal Launches Without any Somali Voices Highlighting Another Case of White Privilege in Academia (VICE)
SOMALI MEDIA
Security Forces In Kismayu Thwart Mine Attack
02 April – Source: Wacaal Media – 65 Words
Reports reaching our Kismayu newsroom indicate that security forces in the area thwarted an attack last night after they discovered a mine that was planted along a major road in the city’s Farjano estate. Officials said they received reports from members of the public, and acted quickly to remove the mine. Al-Shabaab was reportedly targeting senior government officials in the planned attack.
UAE Ambassador, Somalia’s Minister For Higher Education, Discuss Cooperation Relations
02 April – Source: Al Shahid/Radio Muqdisho – 118 Words
Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi, the UAE Ambassador to Somalia, and Somalia’s Minister for Higher Education, Khadra Bashir Ali, have discussed ways to boost cooperation relations between the UAE and Somalia in various fields. During the meeting, which was held at the UAE embassy in Mogadishu, the Minister of Education of Somalia expressed her thanks and appreciation to the UAE for its prominent role in various developmental and humanitarian efforts in Somalia. She commended the UAE’s efforts in supporting the education sector through the construction of schools and educational institutions in various regions across Somalia. Al Hammadi reciprocated his thanks and appreciation to the Somali Minister for her efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries in the field of education.
Security Forces Blockade Key Roads In Mogadishu
01 April – Source: Mareeg Media – 144 Words
Somali security forces on Wednesday blocked key roads in Mogadishu in a bid to thwart Al Shabaab fighters’ attempts, according to officials and residents. A resident confirmed to Mareeg Media in Mogadishu that government security details had closed a factory road, and over 30 venues in the capital for security reasons, adding that hundreds of police troops were visible on the streets. He said that officers were stopping private and public vehicles, and searches were being conducted by the soldiers, adding that people many were walking on foot. Meanwhile, the soldiers also blocked a key road that goes to Mogadishu seaport in Hamar-Jabab district, according a local resident who spoke to Shabelle Media by phone. However, police and security officials declined to comment on the closure of key roads in Mogadishu and the motive behind the blockages.
Fewer Executions Carried Out In Somalia – Amnesty
01 April – Source: Horseed Media – 242 Words
At least 607 executions were carried out across the world in 2014 – a decrease from at least 778 in 2013 – according to a report released by the Amnesty International. The report documents executions in 22 countries in 2014, with the total declining compared to the previous year when executions were recorded in the same number of countries. The number of death sentences handed out increased by a quarter however. With China being excluded, the report says: “At least 607 executions were carried out worldwide, a decrease of almost 22% compared to the figures recorded for 2013. At least 2,466 people in 55 countries are known to have been sentenced to death in 2014. This represents an increase of 28% compared with 2013, when 1,925 death sentences were recorded in 57 countries.
In Somalia, there was a decrease in the number of executions carried out compared to the previous year. As stated in Amnesty’s figures, 14 people were executed in Somalia compared to the 34 in 2013. The report further said that at least 52 people were sentenced to death. Despite the Somali government’s vote in favour of the UN General Assembly resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in 2012 and 2014, the death penalty remains legal in Somalia. Last year, the European Union urged Somali authorities to place a moratorium on the death penalty.
Somalia Among The Most Dangerous Countries In The World
01 April – Source: Somali Current – 108 Words
A study carried by the Washington-based International Centre listed Somalia as the third most dangerous country in the world with Iraq and Nigeria taking the first two positions. The study was based on terrorist and rebel activities, and number of casualties in those activities around the world. Afghanistan placed fourth, Yemen fifth, with Syria and Libya occupying 6th and 7th positions. Pakistan was declared 8th followed by Egypt and Kenya. The ranking is generated from events that happened in the last 30 days. Over the last three years, Somalia dominated the first position, as Al Shabaab and government forces were battled for the control of the country.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Boy, 13 Rescued From Suspected Al Shabaab Abductors
31 March – Source: Citizen News – 150 Words
A standard five pupil from Stare Academy in Wajir has been rescued from suspected Al Shabaab insurgents. The 13-year-old boy was reportedly abducted and held by suspected militia for more than five hours in a location within Wajir County. The boy, who was evidently in shock after his rescue, said he was abducted by five people, among them two women, at around 7am Monday morning on his way to the shop from home.
The abductors, who had covered their faces, were in a Probox which was parked in the area.Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) Deputy Commanding officer Mohamed Sheikh, who heads police operations in Wajir, said they have launched a crackdown to arrest the abductors. The officer also asked area residents to inform security agents of any suspicious activities in the area. Village elders on their part called for tightened security in the area to deal with threats from insurgents.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Ex-Shabab Official Claims Al-Qaida Ties Dissolved
01 April – Source: VOA – 462 Words
A former al-Shabab intelligence official, claiming the Somali militant group “basically” no longer has relations with long-time ally al-Qaida, has raised the possibility it could align itself with the Islamic State group. Zakariya Hersi told VOA’s Somali service that if al-Shabab militants “feel they need foreign relations, since the other ties were cut, then they may seek something to replace that, something that gives them a legitimacy.” Al-Shabab has not confirmed whether it has broken ties or remains allied with al-Qaida. A switch in allegiance would depend on the circumstances, Hersi said, adding that he does not believe any IS alliance was imminent but could occur in the next year or two. Hersi said the death of Ahmed Abdi Godane, the al-Shabab leader killed in a U.S. drone strike late last year, exposed the lack of relations between the two groups. “Even when Godane was killed, they did not send condolences, they did not make comments,” he said of al-Qaida officers.
The United States in June 2012 had offered $3 million for information leading to Hersi’s arrest. He surrendered to the Somali government last December, and the reward was withdrawn. Concerns that al-Shabab could join the Islamic State mounted after another sub-Saharan Islamist group, Boko Haram, pledged loyalty to the self-styled caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi earlier in March. That move coincided with the initial release of an official al-Shabab video by an Islamic State file-sharing site. Other ties sanctioned A prominent al-Shabab supporter also recently gave approval for members to join IS. Kenyan cleric Sheikh Hassan Hussein, also known as Abu Salman, said in mid-March there were no religious grounds preventing fealty to al-Baghdadi.
Mom’s Push To Help Poor Kids With Autism Brings New Federal Benefits
01 April – Source: Star Tribune – 951 Words
A Somali immigrant mother’s relentless campaign to expand care for poor children with autism has achieved a major triumph, as Minnesota becomes one of the first states in the nation to subsidize a broad range of intensive therapies for the developmental disorder. The federal government has approved Minnesota’s request to pay for expensive one-on-one therapies designed to improve language and social skills in children and young adults with autism. As a result, hundreds of low-income families on Medical Assistance, Minnesota’s health plan for 1 million poor and disabled Minnesotans, will benefit from treatment that previously been available only to wealthier people. The approval by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) marks a major victory for Idil Abdull, whose 12-year-old son has autism and who fought a relentless, five-year battle to gain coverage of intensive early interventions for young children with the disorder. Abdull made so many trips to the State Capitol in her distinctive red and blue hijabs that she became known as the “Autism Lady” and was on a first-name basis with state commissioners and influential legislators.
“I wore them down,” an ebullient Abdull said in an interview after the CMS announced approval last week. “This wasn’t a case of ‘Minnesota Nice.’ I let my emotions for my son and for the thousands of other poor kids with autism drive what I was doing.” One of the more controversial therapies that will now be covered by public insurance is applied behavior analysis, which emphasizes simple tasks and repetition as a way to control impulsive behavior common among autistic children. The therapy, which costs up to $100,000 a year, has been offered to some middle-class and wealthy families who petitioned for state coverage, but not to many poor children on Medical Assistance whose families lacked the legal tools to pursue coverage. Minnesota is now just the third state to cover applied behavior analysis in its public insurance program, according to the CMS. Under the plan approved by the federal government, children who are covered by Medical Assistance with autism spectrum disorder or a related condition may be eligible for the new benefit, depending on a detailed examination of the severity of the child’s disorder.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“I completely disagree with Markus Hoehne’s remarks. Not only they are disrespectful to all Somali academics in Somalia and Somaliland… they were unnecessary and needlessly provocative,” said Vaz on whether Hoehne’s comments were reflective of the journal. “SJAS doesn’t subscribe to statements made by its advisory board members, whose responsibility and accountability for what they say or do starts and ends with them.”
Somali Journal Launches Without any Somali Voices, Highlighting Another Case of White Privilege in Academia
01 April – Source: VICE – 1, 225 Words
On the evening of March 25, the hashtag #CadaanStudies (“cadaan” meaning “white” in Somali) emerged amongst Twitter timelines as a small collective of Somali academics and writers spoke out, 140 characters (or less) at a time. Initiated by Safia Aidid, a Canadian Harvard PhD candidate, the hashtag gradually became a commentary on the whiteness and privileges prominent within academia. More specifically, the online conversation served as a direct response to the launch of the Somaliland Journal of African Studies (SJAS), a peer-reviewed scholarly journal that claims a particular focus on East Africa—the absence of a single Somali editor, advisory board member, or contributor left many pointing out that the only thing Somali about this journal is its title. Founded by Rodrigo Vaz, a white male MSc candidate for The School of Oriental and African Studies at London School of Economics, the journal was made in collaboration with University of Hargeysa’s Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies. Yet somehow, it lacks any Somali involvement. This fundamental error is one often repeated in academia or any platforms that narrate the black or African experience.
“The content of [our] first issue had, unfortunately, no papers on Somalia…or by Somalis for a simple reason: we received none,” says Vaz on the public criticism SJAS has received. “I take the blame for that. This happened likely because the call for papers didn’t reach as many students and scholars as we would like to. That is something we are working on.” The content featured in SJAS’s first issue involves no representation or inclusion of Somalia and its people, but rather material regarding the ECOWAS mission in Sierre Leone, migrant domestic work in South Africa, and the relationship between ethnicity and violence in Kenya elections. (They are currently in the midst of preparing the second issue.) But its description stating that SJAS is dedicated to “covering an academic research area in clear expansion” led many to wonder if this journal was simply created by an aspiring young, white academic hoping to attain credit in an area with growing scholarship that’s still garnering little attention. “The Horn of Africa and the Somali diaspora are ‘hot’ topics of academic and policy interest, and concern to many states, institutions and organizations for a number of reasons: states and their collapse, civil war and post-conflict society and restructuring, religion, radicalism and terrorism, gender, migration/diaspora, assimilation,” said Aidid, a few days after #CadaanStudies attracted the attention of Somali academics and activists globally.
Top tweets
@WFP #Somalia becomes 2nd country in the world to have WFP e-transfer cards for managing assistancehttp://www.wfp.org/stories/
@jjwaziri: The attackers didnt come from #Somalia this mng. someone somewhere was housing n facilitating them #GarissaAttack
@AmbAmerico: Congratulations Radio Dalson on your 3rd anniversary, keep up the good job #RadioDalsan3Anniv#Somalia
@UNGeneva: HC Zeid and Human Rights Council delegates hold a minute of silence in memory of #Somalia Ambassador Yusuf Bari Bari
@DeeqAfrika: You can now follow H.E. Hawa Hassan Mohamed on @HawaHMohamed Minister of Health of the Federal Government of #Somalia
@SalahOsman0: #Mogadishu welcomed bk 17 PhD and Master’s degree holders They returned 2 their homeland 2 be part of rebuilding #Somalia
@Daudoo: For over 2 decades, #Yemen hosted Somali refugees & continues doing so, now Yemeni refugees come to#Somalia, I hope we can be good hosts.
Image of the day
The acting Force Commander Major Gen. Jonathan Rono on Tuesday met with Minister of Defence for the Federal Government of Somalia, Gen. Abdulkadir Sheik Ali Dini, where they discussed matters of mutual concern to both AMISOM and the Federal Government of Somalia. Photo: AMISOM