August 31, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Somali Parliament endorses presidential election commission
31 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online/Jowhar Online – 73 words
The Somali new federal parliament on Thursday endorsed an electoral commission that is expected to mange presidential elections in Mogadishu. The endorsement process which was chaired by Somali parliament speaker Mohamed Jawari saw 15 members form the electoral committee chaired by General Musa Hasan.
Key Headlines
- Somali Parliament endorses presidential election committee (Bar-kulan)
- AMISOM clashes with al Shabaab fighters (Daily Nation)
- Two killed in central Somalia attack on civilian bus (Wehel Media)
- ASWJ in Central Somalia transforms into autonomous regional administration (Bar-kulan)
- Man held over grenade attacks in Mombasa (Daily Nation)
- Norway congratulates Somalia’s new Speaker of Parliament (Star Africa)
- Somalia Food Crisis Seen Easing After `Exceptional’ Crop (Bloomberg)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali Parliament endorses presidential election committee
31 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online/Jowhar Online – 73 words
The Somali new federal parliament on Thursday endorsed an electoral commission that is expected to mange presidential elections in Mogadishu. The endorsement process which was chaired by Somali parliament speaker Mohamed Jawari saw 15 members form the electoral committee chaired by General Musa Hasan.
ASWJ in Central Somalia transforms into autonomous regional administration
30 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan – 103 words
Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama’a in central Somali regions have transformed into an autonomous regional administration after its top-brass held a consultative meeting in Galgadud for a period of four nights. The meeting which saw the new move was pioneered by the three influential committees of Ahlu-Sunna which convinced the group to transform into an autonomous administration.
The group’s Consultative Committee Chairman Omar Abdulkadir told Bar-kulan that the new move is in line with political changes that are taking place in the war-torn Somalia. The chair of the three influential committees of Ahlu-Sunna, Sheikh Ibrahim Sheikh Hassan said they will contact administrations in Mudug, Hiiraan and Galgadud in a bid to influence them adopt ASWJ’as style.
Two killed in central Somalia attack on civilian bus
31 Aug – Source: Wehel Media – 110 Words
Armed gunmen have shot and killed Two people in Somalia’s central town of Gelin-Soor controlled by the pro-government Ahlu Sunna Walma’a (ASWJ) fighters, reports said. The killing took place at a village in the vicinity of Gelin-sor in Galgadud region, after unknown gunmen opened fire on a civilian bus carrying dozens of passengers en route to Galka’yo, just some 750 Kilometres (465 miles) north of Mogadishu, Somali capital.
ASWJ fighters have reached the area and began conducting search operations on the incident, but no arrests were reported. The motive and identity of the assailants are yet to be established by ASWJ who are now in control of Galgadud region, central Somalia.
Local businessman gunned down in Marka town
30 Aug – Source: Raxanreeb/Radio Dalsan – 203 words
Unknown gunmen shot dead a local businessman on Thursday in the city centre of Marka town, the regional capital of lower Shabelle region of Somalia, RBC Radio reports. The gunmen sprayed bullets on the businessman, killing him on the spot as they immediately escaped from the scene, local residents told RBC Radio. The deceased businessman, who was only identified as Ali had water-wells and used to distribute water to the city at the time when al Shabaab militia was in control.
Government forces reached the scene immediately, searching the are but no suspect was reportedly arrested for the crime. On Tuesday Somali government forces with the backing of AMISOM seized Marka from al Shabaab who had been administering the port city for the last four years. On the other hand, the situation is stable after Wednesday’s twin explosions that left many casualties.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Man held over grenade attacks in Mombasa
30 Aug – Source: Daily Nation – 160 words
Police have arrested a man they believe is behind two grenade attacks on security agents during this week’s Mombasa riots. A court also issued a warrant of arrest for another man said to have incited the chaos. Both were described as trained members of the Somali militant group al Shabaab.
Three security officers were killed in the separate attacks and 20 wounded.
The suspect in custody is claimed to be among Kenyans trained by al Shabaab in Somalia and sneaked back into the country. Coast deputy provincial police officer Robert Kitur said the man was arrested hours after the Wednesday night attacks.
Investigators are questioning the suspect, he said. “We are trying to establish when and where he trained,” he added. Separately, a Mombasa magistrate’s court issued a warrant of arrest for a man police suspect to have instigated the violence. Mombasa senior resident magistrate Elvis Michieka issued the warrant against Mr Abubakar Shariff alias Makaburi following an application by the prosecution.
AMISOM clashes with al Shabaab fighters
30 Aug – Source: Daily Nation – 160 words
African Union forces fought fighters allied to al Shabaab between Afmadow and Kismayo, army officials in Somalia’s Juba region have confirmed.
The exchange of fire on Thursday was a continuation of the attacks by African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and allied forces on positions held by fighters loyal to al Shabaab.
Brigadier General Ismael Sahardeed, the commander of government forces in Jubaland, said Kenya Defence Forces, which are serving under AMISOM, and the pro-government forces killed nearly 60 al Shabaab militants. He said the allied troops also destroyed a number of vehicles belonging to the fighters during the attacks.
“We are going to employ carefully crafted strategy to seize Kismayo,” said Brigadier Gen Sahardeed. “We are employing military tactics to capture the town within a week.”Al Shabaab has not issued a statement regarding the recent developments in Jubaland. Reports from Lower Juba last week indicated that confrontations around Aag-Libah were particularly heavy before the allied forces overwhelmed the rag tag Islamists.
Norway congratulates Somalia’s new Speaker of Parliament
30 Aug – Source: Star Africa – 222 Words
“I congratulate Somalia on the inauguration of a new federal parliament and the well-conducted election of a new Speaker of Parliament. Somalia has a parliament for the first time in more than 20 years. The election of a Speaker of Parliament brings hope of stabilisation and cooperation,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre.
“Somalia now needs to be able to develop and create improved living conditions for its population, in a situation free of war, famine and corruption. Political developments in recent weeks give hope that this may now be possible,” said Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås.
Mohamed Osman Jawari was elected Speaker of Parliament in Somalia on 28 August by an overwhelming majority. Mr. Jawari has close links to Norway and particularly to Trondheim, where he lived for a number of years.
“This is an important step forward for Somalia, and we look forward to cooperating closely with the country’s new authorities. The fact that the Parliament is to be led by a Somali with strong ties to Norway bodes well for cooperation between our two countries,” Mr. Holmås said.
“The inauguration of the Parliament and election of the Speaker give grounds for optimism. We expect the planned presidential election to be held promptly and to be carried out in a fair and open manner,” said Mr. Støre.
Somali parliament forms Presidential Election Committee
30 Aug – Source: Sabahi Online – 149 Words
Somalia’s new parliament announced on Thursday (August 30th) the formation of the Presidential Election Committee charged with co-ordinating the selection of Somalia’s next president.
The committee, comprised of 16 lawmakers including five women, will be chaired by Muse Hassan Abdullahi, who served as interim speaker of parliament until Tuesday, when Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari was elected to the parliament’s top post.
Parliamentarian Osman Libah Ibrahim, a member of the committee, told Sabahi that members will meet in the coming days to announce the official date when the presidential election will be held.
“The presidential election date will be announced as soon as we hold our first meeting,” he said. “[At that time], we will also announce the submission deadline of the application for all presidential candidates.” Thursday’s session was the first since parliament elected its new speaker and two deputies. The body is expected to convene again on Saturday.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Food Crisis Seen Easing After `Exceptional’ Crop
30 Aug – Source: Bloomberg – 208 words
Somalia’s food crisis is easing after an “exceptional” harvest in the past season, while humanitarian assistance is still needed to stave off hunger in the region, the Famine Early Warning Systems network reported.
About 2.12 million people will experience “acute food security crisis” from August to December, 16 percent less than at the beginning of 2012, the U.S.-funded provider of food- security warnings wrote in a statement on its website dated Aug. 29. Food stockpiles after the country’s secondary, or so-called Deyr, harvest in January will help offset “significantly below average” output in the main harvest currently under way. Total production for 2012 will be “average,” FEWS said.
“The improved situation is attributed to sustained humanitarian interventions over the last 12 months, improved food stocks at the household and market levels following an exceptional January 2012 Deyr harvest, and improved milk availability and higher livestock prices in most pastoral areas of Somalia,” FEWS said. “Despite these improvements, lifesaving humanitarian assistance remains necessary.”
The number of children requiring nutrition treatment has dropped 27 percent since January, in part because of improved availability of milk, FEWS said. About 236,000 children are “severely malnourished,” with 70 percent of those in the south of the country, FEWS said.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“If Shell gets its way, survivors of human rights abuses will lose one of their few means of seeking justice. And the U.S. will become a safe haven for human rights abusers. No person or entity present in the U.S. should be given a free pass for murder, torture, or crimes against humanity.”
Will $21 Million Somalia Judgment Be the Last of Its Kind?
30 Aug – Source: Huffington Post – 490 Words
This week, a group of Somalians subjected to torture and other human rights abuses by the Somali regime received a measure of justice before a U.S. federal district court. This year, will the U.S. Supreme Court allow such cases to continue?
In the historic case decided Tuesday, Samantar v. Yousuf, a judge awarded $21 million in compensatory and punitive damages against former Somali General Mohamed Ali Samantar for committing torture, extrajudicial killing, war crimes and other human rights abuses against the civilian population of Somalia. For those who suffered his abuses, this judgment is long overdue. Nevertheless, it marks the first time that a former Somali government official has been held accountable for gross human rights violations committed under the brutal Siad Barre regime, the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1969 to 1991.
Represented by the Center for Justice & Accountability, the seven Somali plaintiffs sued under two U.S. laws: the 200-year-old American Alien Tort Statute (ATS), and the Torture Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 1991. These laws are in place to protect individuals from the worst-of-the-worst human rights abuses. From a young Somali businessman abducted and subjected to electroshock treatment to a goat herder whose two brothers were ruthlessly executed, the Somali plaintiffs viewed our legal system, and the ATS, as a beacon of hope. After all, Samantar is living here, in Virginia, enjoying the benefits of residency in the U.S. Why should he — or anyone, for that matter — be able to avoid legal liability for murder?
Top tweets
@SavingMaandeeq #Somalia:Time 2 foster programs that lead 2 societal reform politically, economically, socially & religiously. Diaspora can spearhead this!
@GeoMmm Report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in #Somalia, Shamsul Bari (A/HRC/21/61) http://bit.ly/PvXomk.
@rebeccagomperts #Somalia: #FGM banned under new constitution: http://bit.ly/TBAH1i Does that mean it will stop? need to work from the ground up! #community.
@somalianalyst The #Shabab get their biggest boost in years: the respected Makkah-based Salafi Somali Sheikh Sharif Abdinur supports the #Somali Jihad.
@SongaStone UG denies reports spreading inside Somalia that UPDF is to withdraw if ctry fails to choose president. Cc: @cathkemi #AMISOM.
Image of the day
AMISOM’s Head of Political Department Amb. Basile Gateretse makes a presentation at a media conference in Kigali. Photo: New Times.