December 22, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Mudug deputy commissioner sustains injuries after explosion

21 Dec – Source: Radio RBC/Radio Goobjoog/Garowe Online – 107 Words

Mudug deputy commissioner Farhan Ali Haad sustained injuries after his convoy was targeted with landmine explosion in Galkayo earlier on Sunday. The officer was immediately rushed to hospital where is now being treated. His driver and the bodyguards survived unharmed during the explosion. Local people around the scene confirm that the bodyguards opened fire to all directions after the incident though no casualties reported. The security forces immediately reached the scene and launched operations to pursue the attackers but no one was arrested so far. Mudug administration is yet to comment on the incident.

Key Headlines

Mudug deputy commissioner sustains injuries after explosion (Radio RBC/Radio Goobjoog/Garowe Online)
Football league kicks off in Somalia sponsored by Nationlink Telecom (Diplomat)
Somali parliament passes Boundaries and Federalism Commission Bill (Radio Goobjoog)
Talks between Somali Federal government and Somaliland administration enters second day (RBC Radio)
Federal government Somaliland agree to resume dialogue (Garowe Online)
Court rejects former Amisom boss’ pleas (Daily Monitor)
Sierra Leone to withdraw Somalia troops over Ebola (Al Jazeera English)
UN removes former Somali warlord from sanctions list (AFP/Yahoo News)

SOMALI MEDIA

Mudug deputy commissioner sustains injuries after explosion

21 Dec – Source: Radio RBC/Radio Goobjoog/Garowe Online – 107 Words

Football league kicks off in Somalia, sponsored by Nationlink Telecom

21 Dec – Source: Diplomat – 303 Words

Somalia realizes its dreams to have a broadened football league, as the country’s NationLink Telecom championship, has now grown from eight to ten clubs. The Somali Football Federation has inaugurated the expanded football league with Elman FC defeating their Horseed FC rivals by 3-2 in the opening match on Friday, December 19. The expansion of the country’s most popular sporting event is a further sign of the implementation of the pledges made by the Somali Football Federation President Abdiqani Said Arab in the aftermath of his election as president just three months ago. Ahmed Abdi Dini, managing director of NationLink Telecom whose company is in partnership with Somali Football Federation said it was a great publicity for his company to have a greater involvement in football. “The cooperation between Somali Football federation and NationLink Telecom dates back to 2007 and since then Nation Link Telecom has been joining hands with the SFF in the promotion of football in our country” Mr. Dini explained.Somali Football Federation president Abdiqani Said Arab urged other business companies in Somalia to follow NationLink’s footsteps by joining hands with the Federation in the promotion of football for peace in the country. “On the behalf of SFF, I would like to invite all Somali-owned companies to come and display their businesses here without any preconditions, because we want them to feel how football is stronger to promote their businesses” the president added before announcing the competition was open.

Somali parliament passes Boundaries and Federalism Commission Bill

21 Dec – Source: Goobjoog – 217 Words

The federal parliament of Somalia resumed parliamentry sessions on Sunday in Mogadishu. The session chaired by the second deputy of federal parliament Mahad Abdalla Awad was attended by 145 members of parliament. At the starting of the session the deputy chairman of parliamentary committee of boundaries and federalism Dahir Amiin Jesow addressing the parliament underlined important amendments made to the bill. 129 MPs voted in favor of the bill, 13 opposed while one member abstained, therefore the bill was unanimously passed. The outgoing minister of interior and federalism Abdullahi Godah Barre highly praised the parliament for endorsing the law. The bill will be sent to the president of the Republic of Somalia to sign it into law. On the other hand the Somalia spy Chief Gen. Abdirahman Turyare who appeared before the parliament on Sundaysaid the security agencies dismantled Al-Shabab networks that were planning to carry out attacks and planned assassinations in Mogadishu. He noted that they arrested 8 individuals out of 11 operating in the dismantled networks adding that the security forces are in hot pursuit of three men who escaped during the operations. This is the first time NISA head to appear before the parliament since appointed couple of months ago.

Talks between Somali Federal government and Somaliland administration enters second day

21 Dec – Source: RBC Radio – 106

Talks between the President of Somali Federal government and Somaliland Administration President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud Silaanyo has entered second day. Djibouti President Ismael Omar Gelle hosted face-to-face closed door talks between Somali Federal government President Hassan Shiekh Mohamiud and Somaliland president Silanyo. Sources close to the talks indicates that the two sides have engaged in friendly and serious talks yesterday and have begun the second day of talks on Sunday December 21. The outcomes of these talks are not yet clear but the two sides are expected to brief the press after the talks conclude.

Federal Government and Somaliland agree to resume dialogue

21 Dec – Source: Garowe Online – 266 Words

Delegations representing Mogadishu-based central government and Somaliland’s separatist administration agreed to another round of dialogue at the beginning of 2015 on Sunday. According to a 6-point agreement jointly signed by Federal Government of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Somaliland leader Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Siilaanyo), the two parties agreed on the resumption of Turkey-brokered bilateral talks on February 26, 27 2015. On the implementation of previous deals, talks agreed refraining from comments inconsistent with the bilateral talks, everything that could affect the confidence of the negotiating committees and stressed the need for honor for co-management of national airspace. “We agreed, the two parties not to politicize humanitarian assistance, and to collectively encourage reconstruction projects, “read the deal. “The two sides agreed on Human rights protection, security co-operation, and to unite against terrorism, piracy and organized crimes”. Djibouti which hosted the direct talks between Mogadishu-based central government and breakaway Somaliland will participate in the future talks if needed, the third point of the agreement stated. Meanwhile, the chairman of Somaliland’s Justice and Welfare party Faisal Ali Warabe blamed Ruling Kulmiye Party for sidelining opposition parties in issues pertaining to the nation. “Somalia-Somaliland dialogue is national issue, bilateral talks had since been inclusive and I was among those who participated in the previous rounds,” said Warabe, adding that they have a right to learn of the agendas in advance of the meeting.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Court rejects former Amisom boss’ pleas

21 Dec – Source: Daily Monitor – 329 Words

The General Court martial on Thursday dismissed an application by former UPDF commander in Somalia, Col Hassan Kimbowa in which he was seeking one of the investigators to be his defence witness. Col Kimbowa contended that Maj Fredrick Kangwamu, who investigated the case, should appear before the court as a defence witness. But the court chairman, MajGen Levy Karuhanga, rejected his request, saying doing so would disqualify Kangwamu from prosecuting the case. “The application is accordingly not only belated but contravenes the rules of procedure and regulations of the Uganda peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF),” Maj Gen Karuhanga said. Col Kimbowa also sought to summon a UN coordinator in Somalia claiming there was need for him to guide court on the allegation that the accused issued and used fuel without his (UN coordinator) permission.“A UN coordinator being an employee of an international organisation is a diplomatic agent under the international law. He cannot give evidence in the courts of the receiving state,” Gen Karuhanga ruled.Meanwhile, the army court set January 6 next year for hearing of Col Kimbowa’s defence.

UAE Ambassador meets new Somali PM

21 Dec – Source: Emirates News Agency – 84 Words

Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi, UAE Ambassador to Somalia, has met with Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Somali Prime Minister, at the UAE Embassy in Mogadishu. During the meeting, the Somali Prime Minister spoke of the importance of boosting bilateral relations and cooperation between the UAE and Somalia in various fields of common interest to serve the interests of both countries. The UAE Ambassador hosted a dinner banquet at the embassy in honour of the Prime Minister of Somalia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Sierra Leone to withdraw Somalia troops over Ebola

21 Dec – Source: Al Jazeera English – 347 Words

Sierra Leone is withdrawing its troops from Somalia after the African Union blocked the West African country from rotating its soldiers over fears for the Ebola virus. Sierra Leone sent 850 troops to Somalia for a 12-month deployment to fight the al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, al-Shabab, in Somalia in 2013. Their rotation was delayed after a group of 800 soldiers, who were waiting to replace their comrades in Somalia, were quarantined after one of the soldiers was tested positive for Ebola. “They have to go. We wish they could have stayed but they have been here long. And there is no rotation possible because of the nature of the situation,” Maman Sidou, the AU’s special representative for Somalia said during a farewell event for the troops held in the port city of Kismayo on Friday. In August, Somali’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said no new troops from Sierra Leone will be deployed to his country after calls by activists and a campaign on social media by Somalis calling for a halt to the deployment.

UN removes former Somali warlord from sanctions list

20 Dec – Source: AFP/Yahoo News – 142 Words

A former Somali warlord who allied to the Islamist Al-Shabaab group but severed links this summer has been removed from a UN sanctions list. Mohamed Said Atom, a powerful arms dealer, was targeted with UN travel and financial sanctions for “kidnapping, piracy and terrorism.” In June, Atom announced he had laid down his arms and would now only work through “peaceful means and understanding.” He accused Al-Shabaab, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, of being manipulated by a foreign agenda and of killing Muslims. Shebab controls areas of Somalia and has staged a number of brazen assassinations and killings in Mogadishu as well as in neighboring Kenya. The United Nations Security Council committee dealing with Somalia announced Atom’s removal from the sanctions list on Friday. He however remains on the US Treasury’s financial sanctions list.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Terrorism belongs to no community; neither does it have a sense of community. Therefore, attributing it to a certain community is absurd.”

Do not label the Somali community as terrorists

20 Dec – Source: Daily Monitor – 611 Words

The Somalia based militant group al-Shabaab may claim to be fighting for Somali people or even Islam. If I am not mistaken, they also claim to be Somali citizens. However, what annoys me the most about these al-Shabaab (youths) is that they act in a manner that clearly shows that they are the number one enemy of the Somali state and its people. To make it very clear, they are also a disgrace to Somalia. Their cowardly attacks on peace loving people show us all that they do not care about Somalia or the Somali people. Unfortunately, there are reports of our peace loving brothers and sisters from Somalia being referred to as al-Shabaab simply because of their Somali background. In countries such as Kenya, I understand the authorities there are conducting security operations in which they indiscriminately round off people of Somali origin and take them to some sort of concentration camps from where they are forcefully deported to Somalia. If such reports are true, I can openly state that such extreme measures undermine the struggle against extremism in our region. It is high time for us to differentiate between al-Shabaab and Somalis. The fact that the group is based in Somalia does not make it a movement for Somali people. On the contrary, it is a movement against Somali people and it has clearly demonstrated so by killing and maiming Somali people in its terrorist attacks especially in the Somali Capital of Mogadishu. Here in Uganda, we should desist from tendencies of discriminating our Somali brothers and sisters. The Somali community in Uganda has been part of us since the 1920s, and during this long period, we have co-existed peacefully. “Unless the continent takes everyone on board in the growth, [inclusive economic development] will remain an illusionary narrative if people cannot move freely within the continent and trade with each other even across borders because visa requirements are so stringent and doing business so difficult and expensive due to kick backs expected.”

“Unless the continent takes everyone on board in the growth, [inclusive economic development] will remain an illusionary narrative if people cannot move freely within the continent and trade with each other even across borders because visa requirements are so stringent and doing business so difficult and expensive due to kick backs expected.”

For how long will African migrants continue to die at sea?

20 Dec – Source: The Star – 991 Words

Last week, Spanish authorities rescued yet another migrant full boat off the Mediterranean coast. It has almost stopped being big news since the Lampedusa tragedy of 2013 in which more than 360 migrants mostly of Eritrean, Somali and Ghanaian origin who originated from Libya, lost their lives as their ill-equipped boat caught fire and capsized. The account is that the occupants of the ill-fated boat were trying to catch the attention of nearby boats when the entire boat was engulfed by fire from a lit blanket. As commotion ensued, the boat sank as others jumped overboard to escape the fire.

The obvious reaction to this is that Somalia continues to produce migrants in search of economic opportunities, those fleeing from the chaos caused by al Shabaab (its proper to note there is no open conflict in Somalia and those who flee are running away from terrorist activities), others flee from drought and famine.Eritrea? Well, migration is mostly pushed by a government that is heavily sanctioned hence crippling growth and the economy for purported support to terrorist activities in the Horn, coupled by forced conscription into the Eritrean army. But wait a minute – Ghana? The beacon of democracy in the continent? Have we missed something as we celebrated this success.