December 11, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Over six people died after drinking water from a new well
11 Dec – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Puntlandis.net/
Over six people died and many others were hospitalized after drinking water from a new well in Junle village of Yaqshid district. Abdullahi, one of the villagers whose relatives were affected told Goobjoog FM that most of the people were rushed to Arafat hospital for treatment . He stated that the death toll might increase due to the effects of the water.The cause of the death is not clearly known.
Key Headlines
- Flydubai the first emirate airline to Hargeisa (Geeska Africa)
- Armed forces arrests director of the ministry of women affairs and human right (Radio Goobjoog/Harar24.com/Dhacdo.
org) - Over six people died after drinking water from a new well (Radio Goobjoog/Puntlandis.net/
Dhacdo.org) - CAF praises Somali FA media officer for hardworking (Al-Shahid.net)
- Tyeglow administration in hot pursuit of perpetrators who killed women in the district (Radio Goobjoog)
- Wajir traders cry foul over Mandera killings (Source: Star Kenya)
- Somalia vows to fight human rights violations (Star Africa)
- US Senate report on CIA torture reveals Kenya role (Daily Nation)
- Corruption rife in Somalia auditor general says (Sabahi Online)
- Al-Shabab in Kenya’s slums (BBC Africa)
- Somali al Shabaab militants behead two policewomen (Reuters/BBC News)
PRESS STATEMENT
Security Council Press Statement on Somalia
10 Dec – Source: United Nation- 417 Words
The members of the Security Council have taken note of Saturday’s parliamentary vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, and recent political instability in the country. The members of the Security Council recalled their visit to Somalia, and that of the Secretary-General, during which both underlined the vital importance of a united political leadership in Somalia. The members of the Security Council expressed their concern at the recent political instability in Somalia, and its impact on peace and stability.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the resolution of the current political crisis through the proper Parliamentary channels. They commended the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia for his acceptance of the result, and recognised the positive contribution he and his Government had made to peace, security and development in Somalia.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their support for fast implementation of “Vision 2016”. In that context they underlined the importance of the President swiftly appointing a new Prime Minister, and the subsequent rapid establishment of an inclusive and representative government. The members of the Security Council stressed that swift and sustained restoration of political stability is vital, at a time when operations against Al-Shabaab continue, and when political progress, in line with “Vision 2016”, must accelerate.
The members of the Security Council underlined their concern that further political instability in Somalia could jeopardize progress made so far towards peace and security. The members of the Security Council underlined the importance of the new political leadership in Somalia focusing on priority areas, including resuming the implementation and review of the Provisional Constitution and the passage of key legislation to establish electoral institutions. In this context they also emphasised the importance of Somalia’s leaders, including the new Government, developing effective mechanisms to prevent prolonged political crises in the future.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to both the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Nicholas Kay and United Nations Assistance Mission to Somalia (UNSOM), as well as to the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Maman Sidikou and African Union Assistance Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) as they continue to deliver their respective mandates.
The members of the Security Council underlined their resolute support for the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia. The members of the Security Council recalled their significant support to the people and Federal Government of Somalia, including through UNSOM and through the United Nations support to AMISOM.
SOMALI MEDIA
Flydubai, the first emirate Airline to Hargeisa
11 Dec – Source: Geeska Africa – 258 Words
Dubai-based flydubai announced the addition of three new routes to its growing network. Flights to Hargeisa (Somaliland), Chennai (India), and Nejran (Saudi Arabia) will commence in the first quarter of 2015, further expanding the carrier’s footprint to 89 destinations in 46 countries. The new announced routes underline flydubai’s commitment to connecting the UAE to previously underserved markets. The carrier has linked Dubai to 56 underserved destinations since it started its operations in 2009. Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President Commercial (GCC, Subcontinent, Africa) for flydubai, said: “We are committed to bringing flydubai’s high quality and reliable services to underserved markets like Hargeisa and giving passengers more options to travel to the UAE and beyond through Dubai’s aviation hub.
Armed forces arrests director of the ministry of women affairs and human right
11 Dec – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Harar24.com/Dhacdo.
The director of the ministry of women affairs Mohamed Omar Noor was forcefully arrested from his house in Waaberi district in Mogadishu. Officials of the ministry told Goobjoog FM that the incident occurred late hours of the night as most people were asleep. His relatives say heavily armed forces entered the house and finally went with the officer without knowing his where about.The ministry said in a statement that they investigating the matter deeply to know where the director was taken to.
Over six people died after drinking water from a new well
11 Dec – Source: Radio Goobjoog/Puntlandis.net/
Over six people died and many others were hospitalized after drinking water from a new well in Junle village of Yaqshid district. Abdullahi, one of the villagers whose relatives were affected told Goobjoog FM that most of the people were rushed to Arafat hospital for treatment . He stated that the death toll might increase due to the effects of the water.The cause of the death is not clearly known.
CAF praises Somali FA media officer for hardworking
11 Dec – Source: Al-Shahid.net – 320 Words
With the first CAF seminar for African soccer media officers under way in Cameroon, Somali FA media officer has attracted CAF praise for hard working and commitment to his role within the federation. Mr. Gerard Dreyfus of CAF Media said in his address at the seminar on Wednesday that football’s governing body of Africa was appreciating and fully pleased with the activeness and hardworking of Somali Football Federation Media officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin. “I congratulate you on the fantastic work you have been doing in Somalia, because you work in a very difficult situation and you always keep us updated on a daily basis—CAF really appreciates your work” Mr. Dreyfus said directing his speech to SFF media officer. “Everyone at CAF knows what is happening in Somalia and how football is promoting in your country and CAF officials believe that you are the most hardworking media officer” Mr. Dreyfus explained during his address on Wednesday.
Mr. Gerard Dreyfus, insisted that he decided to talk more about Somalia, because he knows about the positive images CAF always received from Somalia despite hard circumstances Somali FA has been experiencing adding that CAF was more than enough happy with the Somali FA media officer’s work. “I have been working for CAF for a long time and according to my experience at CAF the Somali FA media officer deserves to be praised for his commitment and dedication” he continued.
In the first day of the seminar, which entered in its 3rd day on Wednesday, director of CAF Media Mr. Junior Binyam said in his address that Somali FA Media department was praiseworthy for keeping the continental body updated on the developments under way in Somalia.
Tyeglow administration in hot pursuit of perpetrators who killed women in the district
11 Dec – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 100 Words
The administration of Tyeglow district in Bakol region vowed to bring to justice the people behind the murder of at least five women in the district. Tyeglow district commissioner Mohamed Abdille Hassan said the security forces are in hot pursuit of the of the murderers adding that the forces apprehended two suspects among government forces. The commissioner stated that the murder of the five women in the district is connected with the death of two other women killed earlier in the outskirts of the district.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Wajir traders cry foul over Mandera killings
11 Dec – Source: Star Kenya – 159 Words
Business people in Wajir have complained of poor sales due to insecurity.The traders’ chair Bashir Salat said the recent killing of more than 60 people and grenade attacks have raised fears among residents.He said the flow of goods and services from Somalia has been affected, leading to shortage of commodities in the market. “Businesses now close earlier than usual as some traders operate from the military camp. But the main problem is not insecurity but the fear of the unknown,” Bishar said. He said even banks have been operating in fear of possible attacks.
“Business cannot thrive in isolation. It can only flourish in multi-racial society and where social amenities such as banking, health and education services are available and well secured,” Bashir said. He said most professionals especially teachers and nurses who worked in Wajir fled after the killings. “This will affect the education sector and has already affected services in the health sector,” Bashir said.
Somalia vows to fight human rights violations
11 Dec – Souce: Star Africa – 132 Words
Somalia’s Ministry of Women and Human Rights has have drafted new human rights bill aimed at preventing human rights violation, top government official said on Wednesday in an event celebrating world human rights day. Mohamed Omar, the Director General of the ministry of Women and human rights said that the Somali government will not watch as the rights of women being violated; urging Somali people to unite for the preserving of the basic principles and right of humanity.
US Senate report on CIA torture reveals Kenya role
10 Dec – Source: Daily Nation – 478 Words
Kenyan authorities were involved in renditioning terror suspects to Somalia from where a torture interrogation programme ran by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was secretly conducted. A US Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture carried out by the CIA during interrogations revealed that some of the terror suspects arrested in Kenya for involvement in bombings had been “disappeared” only to be taken to Somalia by plane.
The report released on Tuesday says America’s CIA officials covertly ran a torture centre within the premises of Somalia’s National Security Agency headquarters in Mogadishu. This was where suspects captured in Kenya who the CIA thought had contacts with either Al-Shabaab or al-Qaeda were housed. “The prison is staffed by Somali guards, but CIA officials pay the salaries of the officials and ‘directly interrogate’ detainees, who include individuals rendered from Kenya to Mogadishu by the CIA,” the document states.
One of the alleged inmates of the “prison” was Ahmed Abdullahi Hassan, a Kenyan who authorities had suspected of having a strong association with global terror organisation al-Qaeda. He was arrested in 2009 in Nairobi but disappeared shortly after. Two years later, a former fellow inmate of Hassan would recount how Hassan had reported being tied up and flown to Mogadishu from where he was “interrogated by Somalis and ‘white men’ constantly after his arrival”. The Kenyan government had earlier indicated it was not aware of his whereabouts.
Corruption rife in Somalia, auditor general says
10 Dec – Source: Sabahi Online – 211 Words
Somalia’s Auditor General Nur Jumale Farah announced a plan Tuesday (December 9th) to tackle widespread corruption in all government institutions, Somalia’s Radio Goobjoog reported. Speaking at an International Anti-Corruption Day event in Mogadishu, Farah said he intends to fight corruption through awareness campaigns that highlight the harmful effects of corruption on education, health, management, justice and all aspects of life in Somalia.
Somalia, tied with North Korea, ranked lowest in Transparency International’s global Corruption Perceptions Index 2014, which was released last week. The Corruption Perceptions Index is based on expert opinions of public sector corruption. A poor score is a sign of prevalent bribery, lack of punishment for corruption and public institutions that do not respond to citizens’ needs, the independent monitoring group said.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Al-Shabab in Kenya’s slums
11 Dec – Source: BBC Africa – 901 Words
As Kenyan troops fight al-Shabab militants in Somalia, the extremist group’s propaganda machine is targeting disillusioned young men back home in Kenya’s poorest neighbourhoods.He was recruited by al-Shabab but if you were to see him in his Spanish football shirt and a baseball cap emblazoned “New York”, he would look like any other young Kenyan. What is also unremarkable about this young man is that he says he only joined the Islamist militant group in Somalia, where he was based for two years, because they offered him money.
Three women we met whose relatives all went to fight with al-Shabab in Somalia told us their relatives had gone to fight in Somalia for the same reason. The 24-year-old former recruit we met, whose identity we are protecting, says he was paid more than $1,000 (£637) to join the group. When he was 18 he was recruited by al-Shabab while he was living in Nairobi’s Majengo slum. The conditions there are cramped and squalid. The metal box-like corrugated iron shacks can hardly be called homes. Kids play around the stagnant mess inside the neighbourhood’s open sewers. These dusty litter-laden streets are fertile ground for recruiters.
The young man we met described al-Shabab as a “business”. He says he was trained in religious schools in Somalia and the one-off payment he received was akin to a “salary”. He insists he did not travel to Somalia because of ideological beliefs or jihad but simply because of the money. “If I had had a job, I would not have gone there,” he says. The young man we met claims he never killed anyone and when he realised that he would be expected to kill he wanted to leave al-Shabab.
Somali al Shabaab militants behead two policewomen
10 Dec – Source: Reuters/BBC News – 187 Words
Al Shabaab militants have beheaded two Somali police women, prompting a policeman to kill five women linked to the group who were being held for a possible swap of captives, an official said on Wednesday. The policeman killed the women – all wives of rebels from the Somali Islamist group – after discovering the dead bodies of his policewoman wife and her colleague, Tayeglow district commissioner Mohamed Abdallah told Reuters. “We wanted to negotiate the release of the Somali police women but unfortunately they were beheaded,” he said.
The policewomen’s bodies were found in the morning after they were abducted from their houses by rebels overnight. The government side wanted to exchange the five captive women for the two policewomen, said the district commissioner. Neither the rebels nor the police were immediately available for comment. Tayeglow, which is controlled by the Somali government, is located in the southern region of Bakool.
The insurgents have been losing major Somali strongholds this year because of a military offensive by African Union and Somali troops, but have continued to stage hit-and-run bombings and shootings in Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“America Here I Come’ With the Somali population increasing in Minnesota and states across the country, Warfa often contemplated ways he could promote cultural understanding between Somali immigrants and their American neighbors.”
Book explores Somali immigrant experience
10 Dec – Source: Minnpost – 1021 Words
The story of Hamse Warfa begins in a place not unfamiliar to many immigrants in Minnesota: Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. But where that story culminates (at least for now), is quite unique: with a memoir Warfa released last month: “America Here I Come: A Somali Refugees Quest for Hope.” Growing up, Warfa was financially better off than the boys he played soccer within Mogadishu: His father, Mohamed, was a livestock trader, and his mother, Hindisa, ran a clothing retail business. Together, they had a private driver who took care of their needs and those of their 14 children, including Warfa, the 12th born — a luxury many Somali families didn’t have at the time. “My family lived quite comfortably in an affluent part of Mogadishu,” he said. “I had anything I needed as a child.” When the civil war erupted in 1991, however, the Warfa family’s luxurious lifestyle disappeared. After armed groups ousted the military government of President Mohamed Siad Barre, the country collapsed into anarchy. Killing, looting and rape came to define Mogadishu.
Warfa and his family escaped to a Kenyan refugee camp, where they faced series of tribulations for three years. Food was scarce. So was clean water. Warfa spent days and nights under a small tent. There were also violent crimes and armed robberies. Organized gang members, taking advantage of the lack of security, roamed the camp. “We felt like our dignity was taken away,” said Warfa of life in the camp. “We were proud in our country, working and getting quality education.” Road to the United States after three years in the camps, Warfa and his family eventually arrived in Denver, Colorado, in 1994, thanks to the Church World Services, which arranged the departure through the Family Reunification Process.
“As we speak today, there is no single framework by the government on how they intend to deal with the security challenges,” he told Sabahi. “Therefore developing a strategy should now be a priority.”
Kenya’s security needs more than leadership change: analysts
10 Dec – Source: Sabahi Online – 1046 Words
With the departure of Kenya’s top security leaders, security consultants are calling for a complete overhaul of the country’s security strategy. A protester is briefly detained by police during a November 25th demonstration in Nairobi to demand greater security. A week later, Kenya’s two top security chiefs were swept out of office. Kenyatta nominated retired Kenyan army Major General Joseph Ole Nkaissery, who currently represents Kajiado Central Constituency in the National Assembly, to replace Lenku, while Kimaiyo will remain in office until the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) selects an interim replacement.
Kimaiyo and Lenku have been accused of failing to stem growing insecurity in the country and have been the target of harsh criticism for their inability to contain al-Shabaab.It is not yet clear when the NPSC plans to replace Kimaiyo, but High Court Justice Isaac Lenaola told Sabahi an application filed by activists to stop the NPSC from recruiting a successor is still under review.
Top tweets
@amisomsomalia The recent installation of the country’s first ATM is another symbolic indicator that #Somalia is now open for business. #MogadishuRising
@FCONeilWigan United Nations Security Council has issued a statement on the political situation in #Somaliaun.org/press/en/2014/s
@jeremyscahill @thenation just re-published my expose from Somalia in 2011 revealing Obama continued rendition & secret prisons httpthenation.com/article/
@ActForSomalia Hawala system is vital for the poor people in#Somalia and the rebuilding of its institutions says@ActForSomalia‘s @Hakiimov on @RT_com
@Inspire_Somalia Shooting episode 3 today. Another chance for young Somali entrepreneurs to share their amazing ideas.#Somalia #Mogadishu #InspireSomalia
@razshirwa1 My Nation, #Somalia, has risen frm the ashes, first intl bank, opnd its drs in #Mogadishu @robynleekriel @AmbAmerico
@UN_News_Centre ·#Somalia: #UN Security Council calls for unity amid political crisis http://bit.ly/167vaNc http://ow.ly/i/7TFWQ
Image of the day
boys and men are proud to support 16 Days of activism against gender based violence. Photo: UNSOM