August 8, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Wednesday marks end of elder’s submission, says TSC

08 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan – 92 words

The Technical Selection Committee (TSC) has revealed that Wednesday marked the end of the submission of the selected list of MPs and promised to announce soon the list of the proposed new parliamentarians. In a press briefing held in Mogadishu, TSC’s co-chairs said elders tasked with the selection process should submit their list by Wednesday, August 08, 2012 to meet the deadline. Co-chairman Prof. Abdullahi Hirey noted the sensitivity and toughness of the issues the committee is dealing with, as compared to the remaining time to meet the set deadline.

Key Headlines

The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia signs an Action Plan to end the Killing and Maiming of Children in Contravention of International Law (UNPOS)
Fighting rocks Lower Shabelle region (Radio Mustaqbal)
MSF Swiss delivers medical supply to Beledweyne Hospital (Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online/Jowhar Online)
Former Defense Minister warns of corruption in parliament selection process (Radio Kulmiye)
Somalia signs stock market deal with Kenya (East African/Capital News)
Somalia: African Union to boost security during elections (Garowe Online)
Wednesday marks end of elder’s submission says TSC (Radio Bar-kulan)
Kenya jails seven Somalis to 20 years for piracy (Reuters)

PRESS RELEASE

The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia signs an Action Plan to end the Killing and Maiming of Children in Contravention of International Law

08 Aug – Source: UNPOS – 515 words

An Action Plan on ending the killing and maiming children was signed earlier today in Mogadishu by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) during the 14th Joint Security Committee (JSC) meeting. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Hussein Arab Isse signed on behalf of the TFG, while Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Peter de Clercq signed on behalf of the United Nations.

“The children of Somalia continue to be the victims and survivors of this decades-old conflict and have grown up in war. The Government is firmly committed to put in place measures that protect children from the effects of the conflict in compliance with international law. The Government further commits to the implementation of the Action Plan signed today. These are our children and the future of Somalia, their protection is our priority and duty” said Minister Isse.

The Action Plan commits the Somali National Armed Forces, allied militia and military groups under its control to ending the killing and maiming of children in contravention of international law. “We are calling on donors to support the Somali Government and its armed forces towards bringing about and enforcing the changes that will put these terrible practices to an end” DSRSG de Clercq stated.

This is the second Action Plan signed between the TFG and UN that introduced the measure to halt and prevent the grave violation of children rights. The First Action Plan to end the recruitment and use of children by the Somali National Armed Forces, was signed by the TFG at the meeting of the International Contact Group in Rome on 3 July 2012. Full compliance with the Action Plan will result in the Government of Somalia being removed from the UN Secretary-General’s list of parties who recruit, use, kill and maim children.

In the Action Plan, the Government of Somalia committed:

1) To halt immediately the killing and maiming of children, in contravention of international law, committed by members of the Somali National Armed Forces, allied militia/ military groups under its control.

2) To issue and disseminate political executive directives and military orders to all military commanders, officers and all military and non-military personnel prohibiting the killing and maiming of children; to detail the sanctions for any breaches; and to ensure the execution of such orders and directives.

3) To promptly investigate allegations of killing and/or maiming of children in contravention of international law and to ensure the accountability of perpetrators.

4) To implement an agreed preventive strategy, in partnership with the UN, to address the killing and maiming of children by the Somali National Armed Forces, including, by training and advocacy with all commanders and military personnel on child rights and child protection.

Since 2010, the Transitional Federal Government has been listed on the United Nations Secretary-General’s list of parties to conflict who kill and maim children. The Action Plan responds to the UN Security Council’s call in resolution 1612 (2005), for concrete and time-bound action to halt the killing and maiming of children by parties listed in the Secretary-General’s annual reports on Children and Armed Conflict.

SOMALI MEDIA

Fighting rocks Lower Shabelle region

08 Aug- Source: Radio Mustaqbal- 101 words

Reports from Lower Shabelle region in Southern Somalia say fighting pitted Somali government forces against al Shabaab. Residents told Radio Mustaqbal that the battle happened in area named El-Salid outskirts of No. 50 where government forces and AMISOM recently took control. The governor of Lower Shabelle region Abdikadir Mohamed Noor said that al Shabaab attacked Somali forces but were repelled, killing several fighters. No comment still from al Shabaab on the latest clashes.

MSF Swiss delivers medical supply to Beledweyne Hospital

08 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan/Hiiraan Online/Jowhar Online – 93 words

A plane carrying a consignment of medical aid donated by MSF Swiss landed at Beledweyne’s Ugas Khalif Airport, according to the head of the area Provincial General Hospital Ahmed Mohamed Khalif. Khalif said the aid is the first of its kind for aid agencies to deliver directly to the hospital for the last four years. He said the aid consist of Antibiotics, pain killers and other supplements for malnourished children and women. The officer welcomed the donation saying it was timely as the hospital was in need of such medical supplies.

Former Defense Minister warns of corruption in parliament selection process

08 Aug- Source: Radio Kulmiye- 82 words

Former Somali defense minister Abdulhakiim Haji Fiqi expressed concerns about alleged misconduct in selection of the new Parliament. Fiqi warned that the former warlords and the other war criminals will bribe they way into the new parliament.

Somalia: African Union to boost security during elections

08 Aug – Source: Garowe Online – 161 words

African Union forces announced on Wednesday that they will provide air support during the August elections which will take place in Mogadishu, Garowe Online reports.Commanders of AMISOM forces said on Wednesday that they would increase security in the city as elections edged closer adding that the forces would be equipped with AMISOM aircraft to provide support for ground troops.“The air force contingent which consists of 12 men will provide security in the capital until the end of elections,” said Chief of Ugandan Defense Forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima.This is the first air force contingent sent to Somalia by African Union forces who have beefed up security in the capital as elections draw close.

Wednesday marks end of elder’s submission, says TSC

08 Aug – Source: Bar-kulan – 92 words

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somalia signs stock market deal with Kenya

08 Aug- Source: the East African/Capital News- 202 words

Somalia on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to set up a stock market, signalling Mogadishu’s preparation for a post-war economy. The move will see the NSE give expertise and technical advice to the Somalia Stock Exchange (SSE) Investment Corporation, which wants to establish a securities exchange business involving the trading, settlement, delivery and other stockbrokerage activities.

Kenya marks 14 years since US embassy blast

08 Aug – Source: Capital News – 127 words

Kenya on Tuesday commemorated the 14th anniversary of the 1998 US embassy bomb attack in Nairobi, with some of the victims saying they still waited for compensation from the government. The blast killed 257 people, brought down the then US embassy in Nairobi and destroyed several nearby city buildings. Speaking at the August 7th Memorial Park in Nairobi, friends and relatives recounted the suffering they underwent since that time. “I was going home in a number 126 bus when we stopped at a traffic junction. After a few minutes, we had a blast and the bus was lifted off the ground. What I remember when we came down was waking up at the Kenyatta National Hospital,” Linda Njeri who lost the use of both her legs stated.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenya jails seven Somalis to 20 years for piracy

08 Aug – Source: Reuters – 153 words

A Kenyan court sentenced seven Somalis to 20 years in jail for piracy on Wednesday, a boost to international efforts to drive out pirates from the waters off the Horn of Africa nation.Despite the presence of several foreign navies off the coast of Somalia, pirates have continued to seize vessels and to rake in millions of dollars in ransom payments, driving up the cost of shipping insurance. The seven were captured by Danish naval forces after they attempted to hijack a Sri Lankan fishing trawler off the Gulf of Aden. They were handed over to Kenyan authorities, who have held them since October 2009.
In her ruling, Magistrate Joyce Gandani said piracy had been on the increase, and the long jail sentence should serve as a deterrent to others. “The acts of piracy have adversely affected the security and the trade of not only our country, but the entire region,” she said.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“What this means is that most local communities in Somalia are, or will soon be, on their own when it comes to basic services associated with the state, including security, law and order, market regulation and other basic common goods. For Somalis under the age of 30, which means 73 percent of the total population, informal, local self-governance is about the only political order they have ever known.”

Somalia’s 20-Year Experiment in Hybrid Governance

08 Aug- Source: World Politics Review-2869 Words

Later this month, Somalia’s eight-year political transition is scheduled to end with the declaration of a “post-transition” government. Casual observers will be forgiven for assuming such a step signals that, after 21 years of complete state collapse, a functional central government in Somalia is now in place.