August 26, 2015 | Morning Headlines
Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jama’a Warns Galmudug State Against Army Deployment
25 August – Source: Goobjoog News – 214 Words
The moderate Islamist group Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jama’a has warned Galmudug State against deployment of troops in Ahlu Sunna controlled areas. The group’s Chairman Mahudin Jama’a Jakula accused Galmudug of stationing troops in several areas including Godinlabe and Marergur localities to attack Ahlu Sunna controlled areas. “We call upon Galmudug to stop the deployment of the troops. We are aware of the ongoing military movements and if you do not stop, you will admit at your own risk the consequences from your action,” said Jakula. The group had earlier accused the Somali Federal Government of fueling the already hostile situation in the central regions.
Hundreds of heavily armed fighters from both Ahlu Sunna and Galmudug have been seen in several villages in Galgaduud region. Earlier this month, forces loyal to armed group Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a entered the town of Abudwak, Galgudud region and took control, a move calculated as pre-emptive against newly formed administration of Galmudug. The group said it had nominated their own president for areas under its rule when the Galmudug State formation conference was ongoing in Adado. Speaking to Goobjoog News, its leader Sheikh Ibrahim Gurre, who was among the signatories to Somali central state formation conference blamed the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdirahman Odawaa for meddling in with the state formation process before Ahlu Sunna decided to withdraw from the Adado conference.
Key Headlines
- Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jama’a Warns Galmudug State Against Army Deployment (Goobjoog News)
- Galmudug’s Galkayo Administrator Accuses Puntland Of Fueling Chaos In The Area (Wacaal Media)
- Somali Members of Parliament Hopeful As Visiting Kenyan Members of Parliament Pledge To Address Travel Visas To Somalis (Somali Current)
- Arab Ambassadors Meet Somali President Over Political Crisis (Mareeg Media)
- Africa Leadership Dialogues Interview With Dr. Maman Sidikou (Africa Leadership Dialogues)
- Kenyan Police Probe Briton Over Terror Links (Xinhua)
- German Navy Helps Deliver Somali Migrant’s Baby After Rescue (Reuters)
- 8th Circuit Upholds Convictions Sentences Of Minnesota Women Who Raised Funds For Al-Shabaab(Star Tribune)
- Somali Teenager Who Saw Dad and Grandfather Killed Admits Robbery In Gloucester Street (Gloucester Citizen)
- Somalia: Does It Look Like A Dog-Eat-Dog World? (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Galmudug’s Galkayo Administrator Accuses Puntland Of Fueling Chaos In The Area
25 August – Source: Wacaal Media – 117 Words
Galmugud State’s Administrator of Galkayo has accused their neighbours Puntland State of fueling chaos in the town. Speaking to the media in a press conference, Bille Dini Ali said that Puntland has demolished a market in the Galmudug side of the city and termed the move provocative. He said Galmudug will not however sit back and will in due course respond accordingly to the provocative moves of Puntland. This comes as Puntland has embarked on what it termed a clean-up exercise to demolish illegal structures in the northern parts of Galkayo. Galmudug however opposes the move. The two administrations who share a border have a rocky relationship with Puntland accusing the later of expanding on its territories.
Somali Members of Parliament Hopeful As Visiting Kenyan Members of Parliament Pledge To Address Travel Visas To Somalis
25 Words – Source: Somali Current – 183 Words
While addressing the media, Mohamed Omar Dalha, the vice chairman of the Somali Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs underscored the significance of the visit, saying it would open doors for Somalis to easily travel to Kenya. Kenya reviewed its travel cooperation with Somalia following the fall of the central government in the early 90’s, but has since eased the issuance of entry visa to Somalis seeking entry into the country since 2012 when the current Somali government headed by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was elected. MP Dalha added that their Kenyan counterpart promised to take up the matter and present it before the Kenyan parliament.
“We will do the same here since it’s a step that is significantly milestone for our people,” he said. He continued, “We’ve also talked about the rights of Somali nationals currently in Kenya and their welfare, and the MP’s promised that they would address it.” Nine Kenyan members of parliament last week visited Mogadishu and met their Somali counterparts in an unprecedented meeting that was billed as a good gesture that Mogadishu was now a safe place to go.
Arab Ambassadors Meet Somali President Over Political Crisis
25 August – Source: Mareeg Media – 146 Words
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has met with several ambassadors from different Arab countries in Mogadishu. The meeting focused on the looming political crisis over vote of no confidence against the president in the parliament, security and economic progress in the country. Arab envoys reiterated that the country has no room for political setback at the moment in a press statement sent to newsrooms from the president’s office. Arab league representative in Somalia Mohamed Abdalla Idris has said Arab league will double the support it provides to Somalia in helping to achieve vision 2016 and possible general elections next year. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has thanked the Arab league for the role it plays in Somalia in development and humanitarian provision projects. More than 100 members of parliament have submitted motion of no confidence against the president last week which is yet to be debated in the house.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Africa Leadership Dialogues Interview With Dr. Maman Sidikou
25 August – Source: Africa Leadership Dialogues – Video: 34:54 Minutes
Julie Gichuru of Africa Leadership Dialogues speaks to Dr.Maman Sidikou, Special Representative and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia about his perspectives on stability, peace and development in the country.
Kenyan Police Probe Briton Over Terror Links
25 August – Source: Xinhua – 259 Words
Kenyan police said Monday they were questioning a Briton and two Kenyans in connection to terrorism links in the coastal town of Kilifi. The trio, Ali Abubakar Ahmed, Moses Tedi Mbigi and Michael Koech Koskey, were arrested in private car travelling to Nairobi from coastal city of Mombasa. Local police commander David Kerina said the Briton is of Somali origin and hold a British passport. He has traveled to different countries including Somalia, Tanzania and Yemen. The police commander added that the Kenyan authorities have contacted the British government to assist in his profiling. Kerina said the suspects are being interrogated by team of anti terrorism to establish their motive in the country, but the authorities believe they could have been planning a series of terror activities in the region.
“We have launched investigation to establish if they have any links to terrorism. The suspects are being profiled and interrogated by detectives,” Kerina told Xinhua. Kenya has in the past arrested and deported British citizens in the country, who later turn up to be terrorists, including slain British jihadist Thomas Evans that was killed in a military raid in Lamu County in June this year. Other British suspects arrested in the country include Jermaine Grant, fugitive Samantha Lewthwaite and jailed terrorist Michael Adebolajo. Kenya has been on high alert following increased threats from terror groups. In April this year, at least 148 people were killed and scores injured after terrorists from the Al-Shabaab militant group. Al-Shabaab attacked the Garissa University College in the country’s northeast region that borders Somalia.
German Navy Helps Deliver Somali Migrant’s Baby After Rescue
25 August – Source: Reuters – 157 Words
German navy staff helped deliver a Somali migrant’s baby hours after the mother was rescued from the Mediterranean sea, the German armed forces said on Tuesday. Rahma, 33, from Mogadishu, gave birth to a baby girl, Sophia, on board the German rescue boat ‘Schleswig Holstein’ as it headed for the Italian coast. She was traveling alone at the end of a five-month journey, the Bundeswehr said. Officers said Sophia, who weighed 3 kg (about 7 pounds) at birth, was doing well. She is thought to be the first baby ever born on a German naval vessel. Her mother was one of 4,000 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean over the weekend. She was picked up first by the British navy before being transferred to the German vessel and taken to a hospital for checks after the ship docked in Taranto, southern Italy. The European Union is struggling to manage the tide of migrants fleeing war and poverty
8th Circuit Upholds Convictions, Sentences Of Minnesota Women Who Raised Funds For Al-Shabaab
25 August – Source: Star Tribune – 124 Words
A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions and sentences of two Minnesota women who were found guilty of conspiring to funnel money to a terror group in Somalia. Thirty-nine-year-old Amina Farah Ali and 68-year-old Hawo Mohamed Hassan were convicted in 2011 on multiple counts. The women claimed they were helping the poor, but prosecutors said they were part of a “deadly pipeline” that sent money and fighters to al-Shabab. Ali was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Hassan received a 10-year-sentence. Their attorneys appealed on many grounds. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed both the convictions and sentences, saying there were no plain errors in the case and the sentences are not unreasonable.
Somali Teenager Who Saw Dad and Grandfather Killed Admits Robbery In Gloucester Street
25 August – Source: Gloucester Citizen – 308 Words
A Somali teenager whose father and grandfather were killed in front of him in his African homeland admitted robbing a schoolboy in a Gloucester street. Mohammed Bashe, 18, who was brought to the UK by his mum when he was six, was to have stood trial at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday on charges of robbing Matthew Beard of his mobile phone. However, at the last moment Bashe, of Burns Avenue, Podsmead, pleaded guilty to robbing Mr Beard on October 3 last year. The judge told the jury, who had already been sworn in: “The defendant is an unusual young man. He is a Somali who came to this country aged six having endured the most hideous life in Somalia – seeing his father and grandfather killed in front of him. He has done fantastically well over here.
“I believe he has passed a number of GCSEs and A-levels and has a place waiting for him at the University of Gloucestershire. “He knows that knifepoint robberies mean you have to go to prison. But no knife was found and the prosecution is now not proceeding on that basis. It seems he was probably holding a set of keys pretending he had a knife.” He asked for pre-sentence reports to be prepared on Bashe. Prosecutor Nick O’Brien read out Mr Beard’s victim impact statement telling of his shock at being mugged in broad daylight. He stated: “The whole incident has scared me. I have never been in such a situation before. I hope he is stopped from doing it again in the near future.” Defence barrister Robert Duvall said Bashe was under no illusion about his possible fate but he asked for an adjournment to allow him to gather testimonials and other evidence to help him argue against immediate jail. Judge Jamie Tabor QC bailed Bashe until September 29.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“There is a perception that the Somali President is not looking to the road of governance, but rather looking at his inner circle that are believed, by lots of Somalis, to have background as thieves, liars, looters and murderers. They see the President as a man of sweet words but hiding daggers under his armpit.”
Somalia: Does It Look Like A Dog-Eat-Dog World?
25 August – Source: Hiiraan Online – 2,190 Words
So far Somalia’s negotiations appear pointless, probably because of our clannish thinking of not trusting each other. Scientists proclaim that our brain determines how we live, think, feel, and who we are. They encourage that keeping our brain healthy with positive thinking is the most important undertaking we have to do. We know that some people perceive the notion of talking about their mistakes as an embarrassment and a liability. On the other hand, no one should want to push people to believe in their vision, but to inspire them to participate in the process of moving forward and creating the vision. In this era, there is great awareness and expectation that people be informed, and engaged in the decisions that affect their lives and see themselves represented in the decisions made. It is said that being heard is a starting point but that is not enough. People want to see practices, policies, programs and services that reflect their values.
Nevertheless, there is one thing that we need to ponder about. Although the Somali people are connected to one another because of their unique values, religion and culture, there are two main relationships that such a unique people need to have. These two are shared interest and a way to communicate. Unfortunately none of them is visible to be in place for today’s Somalis.Since 2012, when Hassan Shiekh Mohamud was elected President, Somalis were anxious about the standoff between their top leaders, top institutions, a series of sacking of Prime Ministers, impeachment the president (no matter if they were treated unkindly or as deserved), and how it disrupted and affected Somalis life both materially and morally. While leadership maturity is described as considering others before ourselves, Somali leaders have become synonymous with power abuse, corruption, favoritism, lack of transparency and accountability. History has taught us that when solidarity vanishes in any authority, the whole ruling body disappears.