August 10, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
AMISON Slams Attack On Mogadishu Mosque By Al-Shabab
10 August – Source: Xinhua – 256 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Thursday condemned the recent attack on a mosque in Mogadishu’s Hamar Jajab district in which one person was killed. Francisco Caetano Madeira, the AU Special Representative for Somalia, noted that the killings targeting defenseless children and youth, had all the hallmarks of the terror group.
“They (al-Shabab) have descended to the lowest point. They are desperate and are seeking to make headlines by such despicable acts,” Madeira said in a statement issued in Mogadishu. The al-Qaida allied terrorist group on the evening of Aug. 4 attacked worshippers during “Maqrib” prayers and shot one person before escaping with his gun.
“I am dismayed at this sacrilegious act. The attack confirms that al-Shabab have neither respect for Islam, whose teachings abhor the shedding of innocent blood, nor for holy places of worship,” said Madeira, who is also head of AMISOM. He reiterated the AU mission’s commitment to work with the Somali security forces and other partners, to put an end to the indiscriminate killings; and the wanton attacks on mosques, hotels and other social places.
Madeira, who criticized the abhorrent acts of cowardice, visited on the country’s vulnerable groups, denounced wanton killings and abductions of young children by the terror group. He expressed concerns over the increase of drive-by shootings on innocent hard working youth. “Somalia is losing some of its most resourceful people through these killings,” he stated. The increased attacks take place across Somalia despite increased joint military operations by the allied forces in the areas Mogadishu and its environs.
Key Headlines
- AMISON Slams Attack On Mogadishu Mosque By Al-Shabab (Xinhua)
- President Farmajo Announces Judiciary Shuffle (Hiiraan Online)
- Minister Of Internal Affairs Meets With Federal Parliament’s Joint Constitutional Review Commission (Radio Muqdisho)
- More Than 13000 Internally Displaced Persons Benefit From Environmental Clean-up Campaign In Somalia (IOM)
- Conference Examines Charcoal Smuggling And Terrorism (Defence Web)
NATIONAL MEDIA
President Farmajo Announces Judiciary Shuffle
10 August – Source: Hiiraan Online – 115 Words
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, following the recommendations of the recently appointed Chairman of the Supreme Court, Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, has made a series of changes to the Supreme Court judges. The president has appointed new lawyers to the High Court of Justice and they are: Salah Sheikh Ibrahim Dhiblawe, Mohamed Omar Ahmed, Abdulkadir Moalin Mohamed, Haydar Barqash Abukor and Ahmed Ali Muse.
The president also relieved the following from their duties: Sheikh Abukar Osman Isse Dahir, Mohamed Mohamud Mohamed, Mohamud Ahmed Farah and Sheikh Omar Adan Mohamed. One of the president’s main tasks in his presidency is to revive and reform Somalia’s pre-civil war judicial structure, in order to be applicable to Somalia’s federal government system.
Minister Of Internal Affairs Meets With Federal Parliament’s Joint Constitutional Review Commission
10 August – Source: Radio Muqdisho – 132 Words
A meeting between between Federal Minister of Internal and Federal Affairs, Abdi Mohamed Sabriye and members of the Federal Parliament’s Joint Constitutional Review Commission was held recently in Mogadishu. The two sides discussed a range of issues mainly centred on the constitutional review process, the status of Mogadishu, elections, power sharing among other issues.
At the end of the meeting, Minister Sabriye, briefed the committee on the ministry’s activities and how to improve cooperation in a bid to finalize the constitutional review process in due time. Senator Abdi Hassan Awale “Qaybdiid”, the chairman of the Federal Parliament’s Joint Constitutional Review Commission, hailed the meeting and called for closer cooperation between the two sides. In the past weeks, the committee has been holding meetings with government agencies and various sections of the society.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
More Than 13,000 Internally Displaced Persons Benefit From Environmental Clean-up Campaign In Somalia
10 August – Source: IOM – 236 Words
On Saturday (04/08) more than 13,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) participated in an environmental clean-up campaign organized by IOM, the UN Migration Agency, in coordination with the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) outreach team in Baidoa, Somalia.
As part of efforts to bridge divisions and unite the diverse community groups to work toward the common goals of peace, development and reconciliation, the clean-up exercise focused on voluntarism among the IDPs and the host community.
“Heaps of garbage covered the few available roads in the IDP sites. The lack of accessible roads greatly undermined social development and recovery efforts; however, with today’s clean up, accessibility to our sites will be easier,” said Adan Ahmed, an IDP leader in Baidoa.
IOM provided sanitation materials to 270 IDP sites for the clean-up exercise. The volunteers began their clean-up activities in the IDP sites, swarming over the narrow dirt lanes to remove large volumes of refuse that lay in front of residents’ shelters.
“I never had such a proud moment as when we cleaned our own houses and street,” said Habibo, one of the participants. “Today the streets are clean, our environment welcoming and our morale high.” The environmental clean-up campaign in Baidoa is funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). To date, over 19,600 IDPs have benefited from the programme which IOM hopes to expand across the different sites in Baidoa.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“While CMF, EU NAVFOR and other international partners’ efforts have suppressed piracy from Somalia, further economic hardship would increase the incentives for Somali piracy to resurface.”
Conference Examines Charcoal Smuggling And Terrorism
09 August – Source: Defence Web – 415 Words
The inaugural conference on combating the illicit smuggling of charcoal was held at the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) headquarters in Bahrain on 23 July 2018. The conference was attended by representatives from GCC countries, as well as CMF members.
With the majority of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries being present, the aim of the conference was to identify potential methods to disrupt the illicit trade in charcoal emanating from Somalia. It is estimated that terrorist organisations such as Al-Shabaab earn in the region of US$10 million per year by smuggling charcoal from Somalia, which is often marketed as legitimate charcoal to buyers in GCC countries, CMF said.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) placed a total ban on the export of charcoal from Somalia in 2012. In 2014, the UNSC gave authorisation for Member States to inspect vessels suspected to be carrying charcoal from Somalia in violation of the ban, to seize and dispose of the illicit cargo and to divert the vessels to a port for such disposal. There are multiple nuances in enforcing any UNSCR, and for Charcoal this includes considerations such as safe disposal, avoiding environmental damage.
Dr Charles Cater, the Natural Resources expert from the United Nations Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group (UNSEMG) explained that a further issue with the scale of charcoal smuggling is that, on current usage and smuggling, it is estimated that there will be no trees left in Somalia by the year 2060.
This will leave the country prone to drought and famine, leading to both an environmental and humanitarian disaster. While CMF, EU NAVFOR and other international partners’ efforts have suppressed piracy from Somalia, further economic hardship would increase the incentives for Somali piracy to resurface. Attendees at the conference agreed that CMF and attendant nations would forge stronger links with the UNSEMG and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in order to facilitate information sharing and training.
Dr Cater said: “”The Monitoring Group looks forward to further cooperation with CMF toward improved implementation of the charcoal ban in order to diminish and disrupt Al-Shabaab financing.” Captain Abullah Alabuder, the Commander of Combined Task Force 152 said: “We are ready to provide support to all countries to find ways in which we can work to stop the illegal charcoal trade.” He added: “We must all work together, with the UNSEMG, to identify solutions to prevent terrorists from being able to leverage the funds they make from the illicit trade of charcoal.”
TOP TWEETS
Fatuma @Fatumaabdulahi: Hormuud is suddenly getting a bit sensitive when some hard truths are told. This is the same company that avoids paying taxes by bribing officials. If they are serious about “providing excellent service” then register SIM cards to ensure phones are not used to detonate bombs!
@HarunMaruf: Video: Three Govt soldiers convicted for armed robbery of a telecom company have been sentenced to five years in jail, and dishonourable discharge from the army; one is sentenced in absentia. The trio robbed $11,354 from Hormud telecom back in June, according to the court.
@Tuuryare_Africa: Live From Somalia Retweeted Live From Somalia #CORRECTION: Two local Red Crescent workers were kidnapped near #Baidoa town, some 250km SW of #Mogadishu – Police #Somalia.
@Mogadishu_News: BREAKING: Somali military protest against latest article which was ‘titled Somalia Is a Country Without an Army’ published by FP magazine https://foreignpolicy.com/
@HarunMaruf: BREAKING: @M_Farmaajo appointed five judges to the Supreme Court: They are: Salah Sheikh Ibrahim Dhiblawe, Mohamed Omar Ahmed, Abdalla Moallim Mohamed, Haydar Barqash Abukar and Ahmed Ali Muse. Judge Dhiblaawe was sacked by the Pres just last month from the Banadir appeals court.
@Mogadishu_News: #UPDATE: Up to 700 people in suspecion of #AlShabaab were arrested in security swoop in #Mogadishuhttps://radiorisaala.com/
@Goobjoognews: DEPUTY MINISTER suspended days after Ministry rubbished graft allegations.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Mogadishu citizens participating in a clean-up campaign organized by Banadir regional administration.
Photo: @engyarisow