NATIONAL MEDIA
1 August – Source: Goobjoog – 170 Words
Unknown gunmen on Wednesday evening shot and killed a prominent traditional elder in the interim administrative capital of Jubaland, Kismayo. The traditional elder, who was identified as Sultan Rashid Duure Omar, was shot while leaving a mosque where he had just performed the evening prayers.
Condemning the murder, Jubaland Interior Minister, Mohamed Warsame Darwish said that assailants armed with pistols were behind the killing of the elder. Two more persons were also injured in the incident. Jubaland leader, Ahmed Mohamed Islan ‘Ahmed Madobe’ directed the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the killing and bring them to justice. He also conveyed his condolences to the family, relatives and the Jubaland people over the death of Sultan Rashid.
So far no group has yet claimed the responsibility for the murder of Sultan Rashid Duure Omar and ongoing security operations are yet to arrest any suspects. The incident comes as more security forces were deployed to strengthen the security situation of the town ahead of the poll election in late August.
1 August – Source: Halbeeg – 170 Words
Somalia’s National Independent Electoral Commission has temporarily registered four new political parties on Wednesday. The parties issued with the registration certificates are Rajo, Talo Wadaag , Gurmad and Han iyo Hannaan Qaran. The event was presided over by the chairperson of the Electoral Body, Halima Ismail Ibrahim, members of the electoral commission and heads of the parties registration offices.
The number of temporarily registered political parties now stands at 54, according to the chairperson of the registration office of the Independent Electoral Commission, Mohamed Omar Haydara. Speaking during the event, Halima Ismail Ibrahim called upon the new political parties to execute their responsibilities in a professional manner in a bid to become fully registered political parties and work towards the advancement of democracy in the country.
On their side, the leadership of the registered parties promised to expedite their work and cooperate with the electoral commission. Interested political leaders are required to register their parties before 2020 elections as the country is gearing up to conduct one person one vote polls.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM, Somali Police Force Mark World Day Against Trafficking In Persons
1 August – Source: AMISOM – 568 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) today marked the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with an event to raise awareness on promoting and protecting the rights of victims of trafficking. The symposium, held in collaboration with the Somali Police Force (SPF), was attended by over 100 AMISOM police and SPF officers. Acting AMISOM Police Commissioner, Rex Dundun, told participants that equipping law enforcement officers with knowledge was critical in the fight against trafficking in persons, which in some cases has led to vulnerable people being held in slavery or murdered. “If people do not have the background information, if communities and law enforcement agencies are not sensitized on how to tackle and combat the scourge, then definitely society will be at risk,” Mr. Dundun said. Defined as the trade of women, men and children for the purposes of exploitation, Dundun said human trafficking had forced many people into becoming slaves, led to servitude and others to lose their lives.
Mohamed Mohamoud Garaar, the Deputy Director-in-Charge of Planning and Training in the SPF, said the trafficking of persons was a vice that needed to be tackled. “Admitting and acknowledging that the problem exists is the first step in finding a solution,” Mr. Garaar noted and thanked AMISOM and other stakeholders for organizing the training, which he said was important and timely. Fridah Kibuko, who represented GIZ Better Migration Management, told the gathering that trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants is a transnational, cross-border crime which could be stopped by a multi-national effort involving governments and international stakeholders. “Stopping the issue of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants requires international cooperation. It cannot be dealt with by only one country. It is not an issue for Somalia only but is an issue all over the world,” Ms. Kibuko explained.
The Chief Executive of Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART), Radoslaw Malinowski, noted that combating the vice of trafficking in persons—which he called modern day slavery—had severe detriments on the lives of victims, families and communities. “We call it modern slavery because it resembles the old traditional slavery. It has negative effects on victims, on individuals and it destroys people’s lives,” Mr. Malinowski said. Ms. Margaret Cheptile, who represented the International Peace Support Centre (IPSTC), reiterated her organization’s commitment to imparting knowledge and skills to personnel serving in peace support operations such as AMISOM and urged the peacekeepers to become advocates and catalysts for change.
“Let us vow as individuals and organizations to protect the most vulnerable populations against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, including women and children. Let us also vow to be catalysts of change in the society by passing the knowledge we have gained to other people,” Ms. Cheptile stated. In 2013, United Nations member states adopted a resolution that designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons. The day aims to “raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights”. Armed conflict, displacement, climate change, natural disasters and poverty are often cited as as factors that enable trafficking to flourish. Smuggling of migrants involves the facilitation of illegal entry of a person into a state of which that person is not a national or resident, for financial or other material benefit. The symposium was organized with the support of GIZ, the British Council, CIVIPOL, IPSTC and HAART, among others.
31 July – Source: Air Force Times – 303 Words
The Air Force has already carried out as many airstrikes in Somalia in the first seven months of 2019 as it did in all of 2018. In an email Monday, Col. Chris Karns, a spokesman for United States Africa Command, said that a July 27 airstrike in Somalia brought the total number of airstrikes in the African nation to 47, the same as 2018′s total. “The 47 for 2019 are all in support of the Federal Government of Somalia,” Karns said. “It is imperative that pressure is maintained on violent extremist organizations to create conditions for further political and economic development in Africa.”
In a Sunday release, AFRICOM said the July 27 airstrike targeted suspected Islamic State militants in the Golis Mountain region of Somalia, which the command said is known for terrorist activity. AFRICOM said one suspected ISIS member who played a key role in the group was killed, but that no civilians were believed to have been injured or killed. Karns said the airstrikes are helping create opportunity for the Somali government’s efforts to reach citizens and develop the country’s economy.
The strikes create organizational confusion in terror groups such as Al Shabab and remind its members that “they will be persistently and relentlessly pursued and where necessary, permanently stopped,” he said. Karns also said airstrikes are just one part of the strategy to fight terrorists. The U.S. military and other international partners are working with Somalis to strengthen the nation’s defense capabilities and institutions, and create opportunities for economic development, to undercut terrorist groups’ ability to disrupt Somalia.
“The old narratives of the past aren’t indicative of Somalia’s future or where it stands today,” Karns said. “Education and economic opportunities are key to ultimately defeating and eroding the influence of groups like Al Shabaab. However, effective security underpins both.”
1 August – Source: Xinhua – 233 Words
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Wednesday met with the family of one of the two Cuban doctors abducted along the Kenyan border with Somalia in April and expressed his support. “We met and had a fond talk with the family of doctor Landy Rodriguez. We expressed our encouragement and affection in such a difficult situation. It’s a hardworking and humble family that we should all support,” the Cuban leader tweeted.
Diaz-Canel last week also met with the family of Assel Herrera, the other Cuban doctor kidnapped in Kenya and taken over to Somalia by suspected Al-Shabaab militants. In that meeting he said Havana “works tirelessly” to bring the two kidnapped doctors back home safe.
Effort to secure the release of Rodriguez and Herrera are continuing, said the Cuban Ministry of Public Health earlier this month, calling it “a complex process that requires time and discretion.”
Diaz-Canel recently spoke by phone with his counterparts in Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Somalia, Abdullahi Mohamed, to coordinate efforts to recover the doctors, who appear to have been kidnapped by the extremist group Al-Shabaab, which operates in the border area. The two doctors, who were treating patients in Mandera county on the Kenyan border with Somalia, were ambushed on April 12 by armed men in an attack. Cuba began its medical cooperation with Kenya in June 2018, with a brigade of 101 doctors working throughout the African nation.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Despite efforts by the quarry association and the county government to convince the security team led by the then County Commissioner Kutswa Olaka to reopen the quarry fields, the government has remained adamant that they are not safe for workers.”
1 August – Source: Daily Nation – 689 Words
The sounds of mallets crushing stones once dominated quarry sites in Mandera County. The lure of money had sent many jobless and youthful men, especially from central Kenya, to casual jobs in at least 60 quarries despite threats of Al-Shabaab terror attacks. But now silence engulfs the quarries after all mining activities were banned last year and it appears that there are no plans to reopen them any time soon. In effect, jobs have shrank and construction projects in the northern Kenya town which borders Somalia and Ethiopia have somewhat stalled. The Nation has learnt that that quarrying activities will remain suspended for longer until a security audit is done and better security measures put in place. “Until we do a complete audit on the security situation in Mandera, we shall not be able to re-open the quarries,” County Commissioner Onesmus Kathya told the Nation in an exclusive interview.
Quarry owners now find themselves in a dilemma after the national government declared the business closed citing insecurity posed by Al-Shabaab militants. The militants targeted quarry workers in more than 60 sites in the vast county, mostly killing the non-locals who worked in the mines. Quarrying in Mandera has been in a limbo since May 4, 2018, forcing most miners to leave the county for lack of jobs. This is after four miners were killed by suspected Al Shabaab militants at Shimbir Fatuma quarry in Mandera South. Earlier in 2014, 36 miners were killed at night by suspected Al-Shabaab militants at Koromey quarry, a new form of brutality that shook the town. But quarrying in some areas has continued under unclear circumstances.
Local security organs have on several occasions raided the quarries and arrested the miners found working. Despite efforts by the quarry association and the county government to convince the security team led by the then County Commissioner Kutswa Olaka to reopen the quarry fields, the government has remained adamant that they are not safe for workers. The association sued the government over the matter and the High Court lifted the ban on May 4, 2019, but the quarries remain shut.
“We obtained orders from a court of law to re-open the quarries but the security agencies have ignored it and continued to harass and arrest our workers,” said Mr Mohamed Abdullahi Bore, chairman of Mandera East Quarry Owners Association.
Mr Kathya admitted having seen the court order but said the security situation could not allow the re-opening of the mines. “Continued sighting of militants within is reported on daily bases making it difficult to re-open the mines but once we have our plans and systems in place, we shall open them,” said Mr Kathya.
The latest police harassment was reported last Thursday. It is alleged that more than 20 security officers raided Jirma quarries, beat up miners, burnt their foodstuffs and destroyed their tools and utensils. “All our workers on site were affected because their clothes were burnt by police officers who came in three vehicles at the quarries,” said Mr Bore. |
