December 13, 2012 | Morning Headlines.
Social Development minister meets officials from UNPOS
12 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 109 words
Social Development Affairs Minister Maryam Qassim on Tuesday held a meeting with the UN Deputy Special Representative for Somalia Peter de Clercq and other officials from the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS). The meeting was aimed at discussing ways forward in supporting the ministry and delivering public services in areas recently liberated from al Shabaab. Speaking at the meeting, the UN Deputy Special Representative to Somalia Peter de Clercq promised to support the ministry.
Key Headlines
- Djiboutian parliament speaker arrives in Mogadishu (SONNA)
- Lawmakers interrogate two ministers of the Somali Government (Radio Mogadishu)
- Suspect confesses killing Hiran elders’ chairman (Bar-Kulan)
- Puntland prepares to rout militants out of Galgala mountains (Shabelle)
- “Tarsan” welcomes diaspora investments in Mogadishu (Bar-Kulan)
- Radio and electronic media edge out newspapers in Somalia (Sabahi Online)
SOMALI MEDIA
Djiboutian parliament speaker arrives in Mogadishu
12 Dec – Source: Radio Mogadishu/SONNA/SNTV/Universal TV/Radio Mustaqbal – 128 words
High level delegation headed by Speaker of the Djiboutian parliament, Hon. Idiris Ali arrived in Mogadishu becoming the first parliament leader from an African state to pay a visit since Somalia ended its transition. Speaker of the Somali federal parliament, Hon. Mohamed Osman Jawari welcomed the Djiboutian delegation at Mogadishu international airport and spoke to reporters saying that Djiboutian parliament chairperson’s arrival in Somalia strengthens ties between the two countries.
Al Shabaab leader releases audio tape, calls for resistance against the “invaders”
11 Dec – Source: Radio Risaala/Somali Midnimo Online – 183 words
Al Shabab leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane alias Abu Zubeyr has released yet another recorded audio message to the Somali public and to the neighboring states. Ahmed Godane first attacked Kenya and Ethiopia for invading Somalia, as he put it. He claimed that his al Shabaab fighters were able to carry out direct attacks inside Kenya.
Lawmakers interrogate two ministers of the Somali Government
12 Dec – Source: Radio Mogadishu/SONNA/Universal TV – 164 words
Members of the Somali Federal Parliament on Tuesday interrogated two ministers of the Somali government over the arrest of BBC’s correspondent in Mogadishu and why Somalia’s embassy in Italy is rented. Defense minister of the Somali Federal Government, Abdulhakim Haji Fiki who was questioned about the arrest of Mohamed Ibrahim Adam, BBC Somali service’s correspondent in Mogadishu said, “The journalist released a report on military court that it had killed a man without a lawyer; that was untrue”.
Suspect confesses killing Hiran elders’ chairman
12 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Universal TV – 114 words
A suspect who is in police custody over the killing of Hiran regional elders’ Chairman Mohamed Moalim Hussein (Marya Adde) has confessed all charges against him, police say. Beledweyne police boss Col. Issack Ali Abdulle told Bar-kulan that the accused Mukhtar Hassan Mohamed has confessed before AMISOM and Somali military officials that he killed the elder under the orders of al Shabaab group. He said following the confession, the suspect was handed over to them for further questioning.
Mohamed was arrested shortly after the killing of the elder in Beledweyne late last month.
Social Development minister meets officials from UNPOS
12 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 109 words
Social Development Affairs Minister Maryam Qassim on Tuesday held a meeting with the UN Deputy Special Representative for Somalia Peter de Clercq and other officials from the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS). The meeting was aimed at discussing ways forward in supporting the ministry and delivering public services in areas recently liberated from al Shabaab. Speaking at the meeting, the UN Deputy Special Representative to Somalia Peter de Clercq promised to support the ministry.
Puntland prepares to rout militants out of Galgala mountains
11 Dec – Source: Shabelle – 133 words
The semi autonomous region of Puntland in north-east Somalia is planning to launch military raids against a militant hideout in the rugged mountains of Galgala, according to Colonel Jama Said Warsame, the regional army commander in north east Somalia. Col. Warsame said that the authorities in Puntland have prepared special forces who will conduct security operations to rout the militant fighters out of Galgala and boost security in Puntland in general.
http://shabelle.net/puntland-
“Tarsan” welcomes diaspora investments in Mogadishu
11 Dec – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 114 words
Mogadishu mayor Mohamud Ahmed Tarsan has hailed efforts by the Somali diaspora community to invest in Mogadishu, at a time the city is losing the dreaded “world’s most dangerous city” tag following the recent political changes in the country. Speaking at the official opening of the Oriental hotel in Shibis district, Tarsan said such investments will take part in rebuilding the country and improve development and security in the chaotic nation. He urged the diaspora community to come back home and relocate their businesses from abroad to their home country.
Puntland forces kill 3 pirates in hostage rescue attempt
11 Dec – Source: Garowe Online – 288 words
At least 3 pirates were killed after they clashed with Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) near a coastal town in Puntland after a hostage rescue attempt of the pirate-held MV Iceberg 1, on Tuesday. The pirates clashed with the Puntland forces near the town of Gar’aad on the border of the Mudug and Nugal regions following a failed rescue attempt on Monday by PMPF of the MV Iceberg 1 vessel, being held hostage by Somali pirates for almost 3 years.
Somaliland Government and EU launch a new project aimed at improving education standards
11 Dec – Source: Somaliland Press – 180 words
President of the Republic of Somaliland HE Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Silanyo)accompanied by the Minister of Education Hon Zam Zam Abdi Adan, Cabinet ministers and officials from the Ministry of Education & Higher Studies, University Heads and Regional Education Officials representatives of the European Union has presided over the launching of a new educational project called “Horumarinta Cilmiga” (Education for Empowerment through Cohesive and Harmonized System) in a ceremony held in Mansoor Hotel, Hargeisa and called “Horumarinta Cilmiga” (Education for Empowerment through Cohesive and Harmonized System).
REGIONAL MEDIA
Suspects nabbed with grenades, pistols in Amuma
12 Dec – Source: Capital News – 453 words
Six suspected terrorists were on Tuesday arrested and three hand grenades and two pistols with 84 bullets recovered from them in the Amuma area of the Kenya-Somalia border.The six, who included two women, were riding in a Toyota Landcruiser when officers from Lagdera police station stopped them for a regular check. Four others managed to escape after jumping off the moving vehicle in the 1 pm drama, police said. The group was reportedly headed to Hagadera Refugee Camp when the recovery was made.
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/
Increased terror threats dog Kibaki last years in office
12 Dec – Source: Standard – 302 words
Increased terror threats are one of the critical insecurity issues that President Kibaki had to deal with.
And it is these threats that aroused the President to deploy the military to Somalia, a big gamble that has since paid off. Police statistics show at least 45 separate explosions have occurred in the country since the 2010 referendum one that took place at Uhuru Park in Nairobi. And of the explosions, which have left more than 100 people dead and dozens injured, police have been able to solve less than five.
http://www.standardmedia.co.
Radio and electronic media edge out newspapers in Somalia
11 Dec – Source: Sabahi Online – 563 words
“Print media is declining day after day,” Abdullahi Mohamed told Sabahi. “A few years ago, there were more than 50 daily, weekly and monthly newspapers published in Mogadishu alone, but now there are only three daily newspapers in the city.” Mohamed, former editor at the Ayaamaha newspaper, which folded five years ago, said print media outlets in Somalia are at their weakest point in decades. The three remaining newspapers in Mogadishu are political publications Xog Doon and Xog Ogaal, and Horyaal Sports.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UK piracy taskforce: Make sure Somali pirates don’t get paid ransoms; $300M paid since 2008
12 Dec – Source: Washington Post/AP – 236 words
A U.K.-led Piracy Ransom Task Force says the shipping industry must adopt additional measure to ensure that payments aren’t made to pirates after a successful attack against ships. The task force’s final recommendations noted that more than $300 million has been paid to Somali pirates in ransom since 2008.
Somali woman gets prison for supporting terrorist organization
11 Dec – Source: Fox News/AP – 332 words
A Somali-born woman was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison for routing money to a terrorist organization in her native country. Nima Ali Yusuf, who pleaded guilty last December to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, is one of several people linked to al-Shabab in a federal investigation centered in Minnesota. Yusuf, 26, acknowledged sending $1,450 to four people she knew were affiliated with al-Shabab in 2009 and 2010 and lying to FBI and Homeland Security investigators about the payments.
New hope for Somalia, says scholar MP
11 Dec – Source: CNN – 718 words
War-torn Somalia moved a step closer to stability this September after picking its first president elected on home soil in decades. Political newcomer Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, an academic and activist who has also worked for the United Nations and other organizations, was sworn in the capital Mogadishu after defeating incumbent president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The milestone vote was hailed by the international community as a sign of improving security in a nation plunged into chaos after years of vicious civil hostilities.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Clearly Kenya will have to do more to address the problem. On Dec. 6 and 7, Nairobi experienced two more attacks thought to be terrorist-driven”.
After Somalia Intervention, Kenya Faces War Within
12 Dec – Source: World Politics Review – 941 words
Widely thought to possess the best military hardware in East Africa but little experience in conventional warfare, the Kenyan military had its moment in the sun after ejecting the al-Shabab terrorist group from neighboring southern Somalia. Now a backlash is in the works, as the region’s biggest economy contemplates a homegrown terrorist threat from sympathizers of the al-Qaida-linked group. After a string of kidnappings along their shared border, Kenyan forces crossed into Somalia in October 2011 as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a military grouping of five African states. By late-September 2012, the joint force had pushed al-Shabab from its stronghold in the port city of Kismayo. In a region wracked by putsches and intra-ethnic violence, the Kenyan armed forces’ successful advance was unexpectedly rapid.