December 24, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

National ID cards production center set up in Mogadishu

23 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/SNTV- 116 words

The administration of Banadir region has on Monday set up a new center for citizenship and national identity cards production in Mogadishu. Banadir Governor who is also the mayor of Mogadishu Mohamud Ahmed Nur Tarsan said that those who want to apply for the national identity cards will have to pay a fee of 15 dollars and get their biometric data recorded. He added that the new biometric system will help the government fight fraudulent production of national identity cards and passports.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has on Sunday launched a new biometric system in Mogadishu and urged Somali people to obtain genuine documents from relevant authorities.

Key Headlines

New Somali PM receives congratulation message from Turkish counterpart New Somali PM receives congratulation message from Turkish counterpart (Radio Mogadishu)
Foreign medics leave Mogadishu (Radio Ergo)
Final eradication of al Shabaab fighters begins in Gedo region (Radio Shabelle)
Somaliland: At least one die in Buroa protests (Somaliland Informer)
The Emirate based Al Arabiya Airline set to begin flights in Somaliland (Somaliland Informer)
Muslim youth extremism out of hand warn leaders (Standard Media)
European Union to lead international counter piracy efforts in 2014 (Europa.eu)

SOMALI MEDIA

National ID cards production center set up in Mogadishu

23 Dec- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/SNTV- 116 words

Final eradication of al Shabaab fighters begins in Gedo region

23 Dec- Source: Radio Shabelle- 129 words

News reports from Tulow Barwaqo , in Gedo region of Somalia confirm that Government troops aided by Ethiopian troops conducted a thorough security operations in some districts of the southern Somali region. The operations were conducted in divisions that fall under Beled hawo and Garbaharey districts early Monday morning. A witness who followed up the security operations told Shabelle radio that a large military brigade composed of Somali military army and Ethiopian troops conducted the operations in the major divisions of the two districts in efforts to eradicate al Shabaab fighters who often conduct attacks in areas manned by Government troops. This is one of the largest security operations conducted by Government troops in Gedo region as some few districts are still in the control of al Shabaab fighters.

Somaliland: At least one die in Buroa protests

23 Dec- Source: Somaliland.org/Somaliland Informer/widhwidh Online/Shabelle- 119 words

At least two die in Buroa protests following reports that residents took to the streets to voice their concern over the sacking of Togdheer’s police chief on Sunday. Reports said that two others sustained injuries and it is reported by local reporters that the protest intensified. The protests broke out on Sunday after residents heard that the city’s police chief has been removed and Salal police chief was nominated to replace his predecessor. There are reports that the protests spread to other parts of the city and further added that at least one person killed and three others wounded. Residents in the West of the city allegedly instigated the riots over the sacking of the police chief.

New Somali PM receives congratulation message from Turkish counterpart

23 Dec- Source: Radio Mogadishu/ OPM- 121 words

The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan sent congratulation cable to Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed on his appointment as the Prime Minister of the federal republic of Somalia. In a letter to Dr. Abdiweli Sh. Ahmed, the Prime Minster extended his warm congratulation and hoped the two countries will further strengthen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood. The Turkish premier H.E. ErdoÄŸan wished his counterpart success in forming a government that is committed to work in solidarity with international community to provide peace and stability for Somalia. His Excellency Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan reaffirmed that Turkey will continue to support the reconstruction efforts of Somalia and work with the state and the government of Somalia in the period ahead.

Foreign medics leave Mogadishu

23 Dec- Source: Radio Ergo- 233 words

Foreign doctors and university medicine lecturers in Mogadishu have started leaving the city following the killing of three Syrian doctors and a Ugandan lecturer last week. Syrian doctor Mahir Hussein, who has been working in Mogadishu’s Fiqi Hospital for the past three months, was travelling with his fellow doctors when unidentified gunmen ambushed their car heading towards the clinic last Wednesday. Four of his colleagues – a Somali and three Syrians – were killed in the attack, while he survived with minor injuries. Hussein spoke to Radio Ergo’s local reporter at Mogadishu airport, where he was waiting for a flight to Nairobi. “The murder of these doctors was big disaster to both to us and to Somali people,” he said. “But we can’t stay here any longer…we will see if there are any other ways we can help the Somali people,” he added. Hussein was the only doctor specializing in ear, nose and throat surgery in the city. He also lectured at Banadir University, the country’s largest medical school. A week earlier, a Ugandan woman teaching economics at the University of Somalia was killed in Mogadishu by unknown gunmen. These killings of foreigners has caused fear among other expatriates working in the city. Another Syrian doctor Ismail Mohamed, who has also been working at Fiqi hospital, said he wished to stay in Somalia to help the people but was now leaving for security reasons.

The Emirate based Al Arabiya Airline set to begin flights in Somaliland

23 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer- 156 words

Somaliland government is reported to have initiated talks with the Emirate based Al Arabiya Airline to start flights at country’s international airports according to reports. The government of Somaliland and officials of AL Arabiya Airline met on several occasions and is believed that the talks are on their final stages. They put a plan that is expected to be put into operation soon. Al Arabiya representatives from Somaliland that particulay hail from Togdheer is reported to be heavily investing in the country’s big airports where new roads as well as hotels are be repaired or built and are in a position to improve airport services and in return Somaliland will allow that Al Arabiya will use her airports to link routes in the Middle east and West Africa. The Al Arabiya Airline is owned by one of the princes of the United Arab Emirates.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Muslim youth extremism out of hand, warn leaders

23 Dec- Source: Standard Media-447 Words

Muslim leaders in Mombasa have conceded that youths are becoming militant islamists but blamed this on poverty and alleged marginalisation of the region. They said all Kenyans should participate in holistic efforts to combat radicalisation. Several mosques in Mombasa have been taken over by militant youths who swept away moderate imams accusing them of apostasy and links with the Government. The targeted moderates blame the radicalisation on the followers of slain radical islamist Sheikh Aboud Rogo and jihadist returnees from Somalia. The Secretary General of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya Sheikh Mohamed Dor declined to discuss this matter. Going to extremes Mombasa County Senator Hassan Omar said yesterday there is need to take responsibility as a society. “This problem is more of a social and security problem and no amount of force can help bring it to an end,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

European Union to lead international counter piracy efforts in 2014

23 Dec- Source: Europa.eu- 294 words

From the 1st of January 2014 the European Union will assume for one year the chairmanship of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) with Maciej Popowski, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) as EU chairperson. The chairmanship of the Contact Group is a joint endeavour of the EEAS and the European Commission and will continue the work carried out in 2013 under the chairmanship of the United States. While the number of hostages has gone down from more than 700 in 2011 to around 50 today, the European Union is strongly committed to bringing this number down to zero: zero ships and zero seafarers in the hands of Somali pirates.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“May be it is about time we undertake an unbiased case study of al Shabaab and Miraa/Khat distributors on how to establish a state and an efficient distribution network of economic and public goods- the key prerequisite of a state.”

Al Shabaab and Miraa distributors could hold key to resolving Somalia’s crisis.

23 Dec- Source: Sakunian’s Blog-779 Words
Last week Jamal Osman of British Channel 4 had exclusive access to al Shabaab, the Islamist militant group based in Somalia, including access to a training and graduation ceremony. Al Shabaab emerged not as a rag tag semi-informed group, but a group with sophisticated understanding of the duality of the state; brutal efficiency in employing force and in the second order the ability to undertake state’s benign function- collecting garbage and ensuring pharmacies stock unexpired drugs. In popular state formation theories what distinguishes or indeed make a state a state is its ability to project the use of force. By being the prominent purveyor of violence the state increases the cost of anyone who wants to challenge the state violently, and also provide incentive for a group(s) to accept to be part of the state. Since its collapse, Somalia’s ability to function as a state and project the use of force has been outsourced to external actors. As a result – nature abhors vacuum, al Shabaab or previously warlords filled in.