December 6, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Jubba administration commissioned special forces for Kismayo security
06 Dec- Kismaayo Media/widhwidh Online/Dhanaan Online/al Shahid- 103 words
Juba administration announced formation of special forces to maintain the security and peace of Kismayo city, the capital of the province of Lower Juba, southern Somalia.
Head of the interim administration of Jubba, Ahmed Madobe,in a decree issued by his office on Thursday commissioned special troops to handle security of Kismayo. Madobe ordered all the forces deployed in the city to return to their military bases outside the city.
He also called on the Special Forces, which have been tasked to handle the security of the city of Kismayo, to deal with the population in the city in a better manner.
Key Headlines
- Jubba administration commissioned special forces for Kismayo security (Kismaayo Media/widhwidh Online/Dhanaan Online/al Shahid)
- Puntland army general discusses security during 2014 elections (Radio Garowe)
- Iranian nationals arrested in Somaliland (Somaliland Informer)
- Somaliland: 5th Journalist Detained as Crack Down on Media by the State Escalates-SOLJA (Somaliland Informer)
- Kenya: Police net 18 radical Muslim youth in Mombasa (Standard/Star)
- Africa’s militant Islamist groups (BBC)
- Warrior turns soldier gears up for Somali war front (China Daily/Xinhua)
PRESS STATEMENT
Somali President sends condolences to the people of South Africa
06 Dec- Source: Office of the President- 109 words
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E. Hassan Sh. Mohamud sends condolences to the people of South Africa following the death of H.E Nelson Mandela a true World hero and former South African President.
” Nelson Mandela impacted the lives of people in every corner of the world. All of Africa will mourn the loss of a true African hero, statesman, and elder.
“He was an inspiration and beacon of hope to people across the globe who are fighting for justice and peace in the world.
“The people and Government of Somalia’s prayers and thoughts are with the Mandela family and the people of South Africa.”
SOMALI MEDIA
Jubba administration commissioned special forces for Kismayo security
06 Dec- Kismaayo Media/widhwidh Online/Dhanaan Online/al Shahid- 103 words
Juba administration announced formation of special forces to maintain the security and peace of Kismayo city, the capital of the province of Lower Juba, southern Somalia.
Head of the interim administration of Jubba, Ahmed Madobe,in a decree issued by his office on Thursday commissioned special troops to handle security of Kismayo. Madobe ordered all the forces deployed in the city to return to their military bases outside the city.
He also called on the Special Forces, which have been tasked to handle the security of the city of Kismayo, to deal with the population in the city in a better manner.
Puntland army general discusses security during 2014 elections
06 Dec- Source: Radio Garowe- 224 words
The top army general in Puntland government in northern Somalia Gen. Said Mohamed Hersi (Gen. Said Dheere) told a Thursday press conference that Puntland government forces will be in charge of security, Garowe Online reports.
Gen. Said Dheere said: “I have held this press conference to brief the Puntland public about the security plan. I wish to address four key issues: security forces during the elections process; the presidential candidates and their role; the public’s role; and good conduct during the elections process”.
Gen. Said Dheere is the top commander of the Puntland Defense Force. Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole nominated Gen. Said Dheere as head of operations for security during the 2014 Puntland elections, a move welcomed by rival presidential candidates.
“As we do our task, we pray to Allah to help us and guide us on the right path, and to ease our duty. The Puntland people want a satisfactory election process and we all want a smooth election process and we must be patience in our endeavor,” said Gen. Said Dheere.
Speaking about Puntland security forces, Gen. Said Dheere said Puntland troops are in charge of security at the election hall, the capital city of Garowe and its surroundings, and the whole of Puntland.
Puntland’s top army commander encouraged all election candidates and the public to cooperate with government forces at all times.
Iranian nationals arrested in Somaliland
06 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer- 75 words
Iranian nationals have been arrested at Criminal Investigation Department after row break out between Somaliland traders in which they partnered with the Iranian nationals over a fishing trade. They agreed to venture fishing projects in Somaliland’s coasts and it is said that their agreement caused fallout and this subsequently resulted the arrest of the Iranian nationals to be detained at the CID. Somaliland government has not so far spoken over arrest made by the government.
Somalia: Police will not arrest rape claimants
05 Dec- Source: Somalicurrent- 207 words
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has assured on Wednesday that police will not arrest rape claimants before investigation is done.
Many rape cases are allegedly reported to the country’s police and instead of arresting the culprits, victims are arrested, according to the women activists.
Somali police have allegedly arrested a female journalist in November, who claimed colleagues raped her, along with a reporter who interviewed her.
Earlier this year, a similar incident, police have arrested a woman who said government soldiers raped her. The police accused her of lying, and arrested Abdiaziz Abdinor, the journalist who interviewed the victim.
Somaliland: 5th Journalist Detained as Crack Down on Media by the State Escalates-SOLJA
06 Dec- Source: Somaliland Informer- 268 words
Several members of the press corps were today beaten and arrested outside the Hargeisa regional courts as they tried to cover and attend a court involving Four independent journalist who were arrested a day before for covering a peaceful protest by fellow journalist in the capital city Hargeisa protesting against the government decision to release the Policeman who attacked HUBAAL Newspaper its office in Hargeisa in April 2013 without any trial were today arraigned in a Hargeisa court.
The arrested journalist are said to be held in horrible conditions at the Hargeisa central prison where they are expected to be held during the duration of their remand, relatives of the detained journalist have been denied access to the journalist.
The judge who is handling the case is said to have ordered the police officers to present to the court the evidence in a week time.
Reliable sources have told us that the journalists have not been fed for the last three days.
Police officers stationed outside the Hargeisa law courts beat and confiscated materials belonging to the chief editor of FOORE newspaper a Somali language daily and finally hauling him in to the boot of Police car to transport him to the CID headquarters where he is being currently held for questioning.
A fifth journalist was arrested in another incident involving Mr. Ali Ismail Aare, a reporter with WAHEEN Newspaper based in Borama was arrested and detained after the Mayor of Borame ordered police officers to do so after he covered an incident involving disenchanted Borame residents who were complaining about the poor services the municipality council provides.
Shirdon calls on Somalis to support the coming government
05 Dec- Source: Somalicurrent- 261 words
The outgoing Prime Minister of Somalia Abdi Farah Shirdon called on Somali people to lend support to the coming Prime Minister and his government.
Shirdon lost confidence vote in Parliament on 2 December, after lawmakers accused him of failing to do his duties properly.
In a press statement, the outgoing PM accepted the historic decision of the parliament, although he claimed he was not given the chance to respond the allegations.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Kenya: Police net 18 radical Muslim youth in Mombasa
06 Dec- Source: Standard/Star- 374 words
Police in Mombasa have arrested 18 radical Muslim youths following a wave of unrest targeting mosques.
They were detained after chaos broke out at the troubled Sakina Mosque on Wednesday evening. The youth seized the mosque last Friday and threw out its imam, Sheikh Mohamed Idris and his ally Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa. The culprits were brought to court last evening but were not charged after police sought for time to complete investigation. Security officials claimed that among the detainees were “militants trained in Somalia” and indicated that many could have secretly brought arms into Mombasa.
Hargeisa milk industry gets boost from EU grant
05 Dec- Source: Sabahi online- 908 words
Milk traders and local officials in Hargeisa have welcomed a grant worth 4 million euros ($5.4 million) from the European Union and partner agencies to improve food security and increase milk production in the Somaliland region.
The initial phase of the project is limited to Hargeisa, Somaliland Minister of Livestock and Development Abdi Aw Dahir Ali said at the project’s opening event on November 25th, attended by representatives from the EU and implementing organisations.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will provide an additional $400,000, and is implementing the project with Nairobi-based partner organisation International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), he said.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Africa’s militant Islamist groups
06 Dec- Source: BBC- 377 words
The Somali jihadist group al-Shabab emerged from the ashes of another Islamist grouping, the Union of Islamic Courts, in 2006. Its leader, Ahmad Abdi Godane, maintains a tight grip over the group and has formalised its alliance with al-Qaeda.
It used to control much of southern and central Somalia, meting out harsh punishments based on Islamic law, such as stoning for adulterers and amputating the hands of thieves. It also banned radio stations from playing music and stopped local video halls from showing foreign football matches.
In the past two years, it has been forced out of most of the major towns and cities, such as Mogadishu and Kismayo. But it still carries out suicide attacks there, as well as in neighbouring countries, such as Uganda, where 76 people were killed in 2010 and the October 2013 attack on a shopping mall in Kenya, in which at least 67 people died.
Warrior turns soldier, gears up for Somali war front
05 Dec – Source: China Daily/Xinhua- 316 words
It is graduation day, 22- year-old Mohamad Osman Farah readies himself for battle back in volatile Somalia where al Shabaab militants backed with foreign fighters are fighting the Somali government.
From a warrior to a professional soldier, it has been a three- month journey for Farah here at Bihanga Training School, a military facility owned by the Ugandan military.
Braving the scorching sun and undergoing intensive military drills simulating the precarious situation back home, Farah is ready for one of the toughest and probably the most dangerous mission in the world.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Can the counter-piracy strategies employed off the coast of Somalia be applied in the Gulf of Guinea?.”
Piracy: In the Same Boat? Contrasting Piracy in West and East Africa
06 Dec- Source: 1589 words
When the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) releases its annual report on global piracy in mid-January, it will mark somewhat of a watershed. Figures from 2013 will reveal that, for the first time in six years, the number of registered attacks in the waters off West Africa now exceed those off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
Put simply, the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa has returned as the dominant arena for continental piracy and, together with the seas around Indonesia, is again the most dangerous stretch of water worldwide. With the Gulf of Guinea being the primary shipping route to and from Angola and Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa’s largest oil producers, commercial interests are now coming under increasing pressure. Yet, as the President of the UN Security-Council made clear in August, it threatens“the security and economic development of States in the region”. Piracy in the Gulf, as elsewhere, has ramifications well beyond maritime insecurity.
When the IMB annual report breaks, there will no doubt be a flurry of comparisons between piracy off western and eastern Africa. Prior to this year, incidents off Somalia were at unprecedented levels and the drastic reduction in incidences must be lauded. There are innumerable lessons-learnt which should now be used to inform policy and practice in mitigating attacks off West Africa. However, there is a danger that harnessing quick fix solutions for West Africa based on what appears to have been relatively successful in East Africa will be overly crude. Piracy in the waters off the littoral states of West Africa remains qualitatively and quantitatively distinct from that seen off the Horn of Africa. Grasping these dichotomies is as important as understanding the parallels between the two sub-regions.
Top tweets
@BBCAfrica “Nelson Mandela impacted the lives of people in every corner of the world,” says Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. #Madiba
@amisomsomalia “I dream of an #Africa which is in peace with itself,” Mandela once said. ‘I dream of the realisation of the unity…http://on.fb.me/QqTSeN
@Somalia111#Mandela mourned by all in #UN #Somalia. His dedication to peace & reconciliation, his courage and humanity shine light on our path.
@amisomsomalia The AU Special Representative for #SomaliaAmb. Mahamat Annadif expresses his grief on the passing of a world icon President Nelson #Mandela
@SavingMaandeeq To completely eradicate clan-based hate & in certain cases apartheid, #Somalia needs its own #Mandela
Image of the day
Somalia Ambassador to UK, Abdullahi Mohamed Ali present his Credentials to Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace. Photo: @VillaSomalia