August 28, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali president creates National Security Council

27 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan – 125 words

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has created a new council dubbed “National Security Council” which becomes the highest body tasked with policy and strategy in the national security. According to the spokesman of the Somali president, the council has taken its first meeting in the Somali capital Mogadishu, which was chaired by the Somali head of state. Explaining the task of this new council, the Somali president stated that the new council is the highest body tasked with will protect and promote the rights of Somali citizens and particularly women and children. The council is headed by president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Members include Prime Minister Shirdon as well as the Defense, Interior, Foreign, and Finance ministers.

Key Headlines

Prime Minister declared August 27 as the National Day of Human Rights (Prime Ministers Media Office)
Speaker Jawari says nothing has been amended from the federal constitution of Somalia (Raxanreeb)
Increasing scarcity of water in Gedo region as aid groups fail to reach (Shabelle)
Mudug judiciary releases pirates after receiving bribes from pirates kingpins
(Radio Dalsan)
Somali Refugees in Kenya to Elect New Local Leaders (VOA)
Former Presidential candidate favours Somaliland independence (Africa Report)

PRESS STATEMENT

Prime Minister declared August 27 as the National Day of Human Rights

27 Aug – Source: Prime Ministers Media Office – 512 words

His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon announces August 27 as the National Day of Human Rights for Somalia. This momentous day came after the Council of Ministers extraordinary session formally adopted the post transition Human Rights Road Map for Somalia. The process was born following comprehensive and inclusive interaction between executive, human rights committee of the parliament and civil society groups.

Prime Minister said the government is laying the foundation for improving the protection and promotion of human rights in Somalia. He stated that the process defines the responsibilities of the government and sets the goals to be achieved in a short period of time.

“Today marks the national day of human rights. My government will institutionalize the protection and promotion of human rights throughout the country. We initiated this process and we will not go back, we are committed to full-filling our duties on protecting the human rights of our citizens,” Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister spoke about the many steps the Somali Federal Government has already taken towards enhancing the rights of its citizens such as the increased political participation of women and minorities. The Prime Minister acknowledged that there is still a long way to go but the efforts made so far demonstrate the will, commitment and determination of his Government.

Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia, Dr. Shamsul Bari, speaking at the event acknowledged the major improvement on the human rights situation in Somalia. He appreciated the government’s commitment to the rights of its people and their aspirations.

“I see more hope today than during the past five years, in Somalia. My hope is that you will be setting an example to other parts of the world, not really that you are only coming out of ashes but you are building a responsible nation,” Dr. Bari said. He also stated that the current Somali Government has demonstrated dedication to good governance and promotion of rule of law.

Minister of Justice H.E. Abdullahi Nur Abyan said that the government is mandated to protect and promote the rights of all its citizens. He explained how Islam and the Somali culture both protect human rights. He reaffirmed wide government reform plans and processes that are based on international human rights norms and standards that will promote and respect the independence of the judiciary and of other institutions.

Prime Minister awarded prominent people for their advocacy for the enhancement of the capacity of the Somali institutions improved role on human rights. Among those awarded were: Dr. Shamsul Bari, the Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia; Dr. Miranda Ruth Brown, Chief of Eastern and Southern Africa, Section One of the Africa Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Al Hajj Mr. Idrissa Oumar Kane, Director (at interim) of the Eastern Africa Regional Office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and H.E. Mr. Yusuf Mohamed Ismail “Bari-Bari”, Somali Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other specialized institutions in Switzerland.

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali president creates National Security Council

27 Aug – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan – 125 words

Speaker Jawari says nothing has been amended from the federal constitution of Somalia

27 Aug – Source: Raxanreeb – 130 words

The Speaker of Somalia Federal Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari has said there was nothing amended from the country’s provisional federal constitution. A statement issued by the Speaker on Tuesday said that the provisional constitution was currently in review and that the federal parliament will continue to consider all consultations needed to review it. “On June 16th of this year, this constitutional review process was launched officially by the Constitutional Review and Implementation Oversight Committee within the Federal Parliament and all Somalis (…) are invited to participate in the process of review” the statement stated. The Speaker’s statement also highlighted the fact that, despite its weakness, the provisional constitution was the only document providing a legitimate legal basis of governance for Somalia., adding:“its legitimacy therefore must not be questioned”.

Increasing scarcity of water in Gedo region as aid groups fail to reach

27 Aug – Source: Shabelle – 79 words

The situation of Gerilye area in Gedo region is worsening following the absence of seasonal rains. Water prices in the area have escalated to an all time high after water dams dried in the area. Humanitarian crises are reported in the area which lies at the Ethiopian border with Somalia. Locals are calling for international aid groups to come to their rescue as the situation gets worse. Pastoralists have migrated to other areas in search of water for their animals.

3 people killed in clan-related raid

27 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan/Garowe Online – 80 words

At least 3 people were killed and two others wounded after armed militias raided Qandarre, an area located about 90 kilometers North of Galkayo on Monday. The wounded were rushed to Galkayo general hospital for treatment. Reports from the area indicate that the raid was due to clan-related revenge. Mudug region governor of Galmudug authority Aweys Ali Said has called on clan militias to halt the violence and to solve the matter through dialogue.

Puntland VP tours landmarks in Taleh district

27 Aug – Source: Garowe Online – 109 words

The Vice President of Somalia’s Puntland government Gen. Abdisamad Ali Shire has toured several landmarks including Taleh Health center and Dervish Fort in Taleh district of Sool region on Tuesday. Vice President Shire also laid a foundation rock for a new water project which is funded by the Kuwaiti Red Crescent and consisting of the construction of a building intended to house hydraulic machines and drilling wells. During his tour, the Vice President listened to information regarding the district’s health status from a Sool regional health officer who indicated that the Puntland Ministry of Health provides medical equipment and drugs to Taleh Health center and new TB building nears completion.

Mudug judiciary releases pirates after receiving bribes from pirates kingpins

27 Aug – Source: Radio Dalsan – 105 words

Mudug governor of Puntland section has said that senior regional judiciary officials released pirates from prison after having been paid bribes. Mohamed Jaamac Tigey who was speaking with local media in Galkacyo linked the insecurity in Mudug region and in the region’s capital of Galkayo to the growing number of pirates entering the town recently. The governor mentioned that Galkayo court officials recently released several pirates who were released from jail before robbing a car from the north of Galkacyo. He has accused the court officials of corruption and taking bribes from the pirate kingpins living in the region.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Former Presidential candidate favours Somaliland independence

27 Aug – Source: Africa Report – 157 words

A leading Somali scholar and politician has backed Somaliland’s push for independence, arguing that there was political stagnation in Mogadishu. Ahmed Ismail Samatar, a dean at Macalester College in the American city of Saint Paul, is adamant that a united Somalia is still ideal for the troubled region. But following a recent trip to his native Somaliland, the academic conceded that Somaliland had a right to break away from Mogadishu. “Corruption and internal civil wars have become associated with the union and bad leadership,” Samatar said. “Unless there is a new cohort of leaders and ideas that will promote and exemplify the opposite of corruption and tribalism and incompetence, then the fate of the union is sealed for the time being. Samatar, who ran unsuccessfully for the Somali premiership in 2012 with the nationalist Hiil Qaran party, says Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud’s Somali government has failed to control the country, allowing corruption and terror to overrun its legitimacy.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali Refugees in Kenya to Elect New Local Leaders

27 Aug – Source: VOA News – 136 words

Somali refugees at the Dadaab camps in northeast Kenya are voting in elections for local leaders this week. The voting is being held as Kenya’s government pushes for the refugees to return to their homeland. More than 160,000 Somali refugees in the refugee camps head to the polls this week to elect just over 1,000 local leaders who will represent them in their respective camps. The election is expected to end Thursday. The candidates are competing for the positions of camp leaders, section leaders and block leaders in the five camps. The voters will elect one male and one female volunteer in each position. The election is organized by Kenya’s department of refugee affairs, with the U.N. refugee agency and other humanitarian organizations providing assistance to ensure a smooth running of the process.

Google looks to boost Translate in Africa with Somali, Zulu and other languages

27 Aug – Source: Engadget News – 100 words

Google Africa is asking volunteers to judge the quality of beta translations for African languages Hausa, Igbo, Somali, Yoruba and Zulu. That means it’s likely only a matter of time before they’re added to the 71 current Google Translate lingos. Users on a Google+ page who speak one of the languages were asked to rate the translation of passages to and from English on a scale of ‘poor’ to ‘excellent.’ While it still seems a bit buggy, it looks to be a great start — though users in isolated areas might need to wait for Facebook’s internet.orginitiative.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“So for now everyone’s stuck in a wary standoff, with the Midgaan and Ethiopians eyeing each other from down the street. And in this fractious struggle, which creates a perverse market competition, the majority consumers win. No one’s sure, though, what will happen to the losers. They just don’t want to be the ones who lose”.

Minorities and Ethiopians are fighting for last place in Somaliland

27 Aug – Source: Vice.com – 566 words
The Jaylaani barbershop in the center of Hargeisa, Somaliland, does good business. It’s nothing special as far as barbershops go—actually it’s a little raggedy. The counters are littered with tufts of hair and discarded khat leaves, broken and mismatched trimmers and razors, and creams and ointments with crusty containers and labels in languages no one in the shop can read. But it’s an institution. It’s the kind of place where people come just to sit outside and chat. The Jaylaani barbershop has developed enough of a following that it’s one of the few businesses in Hargeisa that stays open in the afternoon, when everyone’s off chewing khat.