February 28, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
PM Shirdon declares Mogadishu-Baidoa highway safe
28 Feb – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu – 106 words
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon has declared the road linking Mogadishu with Baidoa as safe after the fall of rebel-held Bur-hakaba town on Wednesday. He said the fall of the rebel-held town has opened up a strategic route between Mogadishu and Baidoa which has been impassable due to security threats posed by the militant group.
The PM congratulated national army and the African Union forces for liberating more regions in the country, adding the capture of Bur-hakaba is a victory for the entire citizens. He said the next move will be clearing the road between Jowhar and Beledweyne to open up all roads in the region.
Key Headlines
- PM Shirdon declares Mogadishu-Baidoa highway safe (Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
- Somali telecom industry under global radar (Ministry of Information)
- Jubaland conference kicks off in Kismayo (Bar-kulan)
- UN set to ease Somalia arms embargo (Global Post/AFP/Reuters)
- Somalia must strengthen the rule of law and investigate sexual violence (UNPOS)
- Puntland court sentences al Shabaab chief Godane and 11 others to death (Garowe Online)
- EU to relocate part of Somali soldiers trainings to Mogadishu (Radio Kulmiye)
- Local flights resume in Somalia’s major cities (Al Shahid)
- Government official killed in Baidoa grenade attack (Radio Kulmiye)
PRESS RELEASE
Somali telecom industry under global radar
28 Feb – Source: Ministry of Information – 260 words
The Somali Minister of Information, Posts, Telecommunication and Transport, Abdullahi E Hersi (Elmog) attended the Mobile World Congress summit in Barcelona on the 25 to 27th of Feb 2013. At this conference, he met many global telecom and ICT Industry leaders, including many Ministers and heads of International Organizations such as the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), ATU (African Telecommunication Union) and GSMA.
The Minister, Abdullahi E Hersi accompanied by his advisor Mohamed Ibrahim had an informative discussion with the ITU Sec General and members of his staff where they spoke at length about the recent developments of the Somali telecommunication sector.
They talked about how this it would greatly impact the rebuilding of Somalia and also of the legal implications it may have in this sector with regards to inter-connectivity, the Somali gateway, access to the Fibre networks, a national number plan, spectrum usage and provision of universal service for the whole Somali community in Somalia and not just major cities.
This was a follow-up meeting from the December WCIT 2012 event in Dubai where Somali has signed in the International Regulatory Treaty, which means as a signatory; the Somali government has both rights and obligations under the rules that govern international telecommunication.
A subsequent meeting is scheduled next month in Geneva where the ITU and representatives from the Somali government will finalize and start implementing the action plans discussed in Dubai. The Somali Telecom Industry is now under the radar of the global telecom industry, as well as international laws and regulations that govern this industry.
Somalia must strengthen the rule of law and investigate sexual violence
28 Feb – Source: UNPOS – 327 words
By Dr Augustine P Mahiga – the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia.
On February 5, 2013, a court in Mogadishu handed down a one year imprisonment sentence to a Somali journalist and a woman he had interviewed who claimed she had been raped by members of the Somali security forces.
The case itself is most troubling on many levels. Human rights and women’s groups, international legal organisations, media outlets and the donor community at large pointed to a number of irregularities including lengthy pretrial detention without charge, gaps in access to legal assistance even during interrogation and reliance on Sharia law for sentencing but not for charging the suspects.
Monitoring groups also suggested that the trial judge rejected hearing the evidence of three witnesses who were due to testify for the defence of the journalist. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said the trial was an attack on press freedom in the country and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay issued a statement stating that the sentence risked seriously undermining the fight against sexual violence.
The UN Secretary-General was among the first leaders of the international community to express his deep disappointment over the one-year sentences handed down in Mogadishu. He also expressed the organisation’s alarm over reports of pervasive sexual violence in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps in and around Mogadishu, saying “These crimes are under reported because of risks to victims, witnesses and family members, as well as of intense stigmatisation. It takes extraordinary courage for survivors to come forward.”
“Somalia is emerging from a long and difficult period of instability, with representative institutions and a new government that has made a commendable commitment to uphold human right and the rule of law for all. This journey must begin with a solid foundation based on respect for human rights, freedom of expression and fair judicial process,” said the UN Secretary-General in his statement on the trial and sentencing.
SOMALI MEDIA
PM Shirdon declares Mogadishu-Baidoa highway safe
28 Feb – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu – 106 words
Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon has declared the road linking Mogadishu with Baidoa as safe after the fall of rebel-held Bur-hakaba town on Wednesday.
He said the fall of the rebel-held town has opened up a strategic route between Mogadishu and Baidoa which has been impassable due to security threats posed by the militant group.
The PM congratulated national army and the African Union forces for liberating more regions in the country, adding the capture of Bur-hakaba is a victory for the entire citizens. He said the next move will be clearing the road between Jowhar and Beledweyne to open up all roads in the region.
Government official killed in Baidoa grenade attack
28 Feb – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 113 words
A Somali government official has been killed in a grenade attack in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region, reports say. The official was attacked with hand grenade as he was inside his own house, two of his children got injured. The killers escaped before the government troops reached the area to investigate, arresting some individuals.
Jubaland conference kicks off in Kismayo
28 Feb – Source: Bar-kulan – 168 words
Delegates from three regions of Somalia are today meeting in the port city of Kismayo on a key conference aimed at crafting a regional administration for the three regions. The meeting dubbed Jubaland conference brings together local leaders from Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba regions as they seek to form a new regional government in accordance with the provisional federal constitution.
The conference which was earlier slated for February 23 was pushed back three days for what organizers say was a “technical hitch”. It kicked off Thursday morning at University of Kismayo compound located outside the port city, according a spokesman for the seating interim administration, Abdinasir Serar.
Serar said security in and around the city has been beefed up with their forces backed by Kenyan troops serving the AU mission in Somalia patrolling along the main roads. It is not clear whether government delegations will attend the conference in Kismayo. Government and the current administration in the city have been divided over the formation of Jubaland.
Puntland court sentences al Shabaab chief Godane and 11 others to death
27 Feb – Source: Garowe Online – 169 words
Twelve people charged with the murder of Sheikh Ahmed Haji Abdirahman including al Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane, were sentenced to death after a court found them guilty in Bossaso on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports. Puntland’s North Eastern regional Military Courts Judge, Abdifatah Haji Adan, sentenced the 12 people including al Shabaab Chief Ahmed Abdi Godane to death by firing squad.
Only 6 of the 12 were captured while the other 6 people are being actively pursued. The 6 people including 1 female had their hearing at a military court where they were found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad. According to Puntland law, all terrorism cases are held at military courts.
The 6 people were caught 14 months ago, however a 6 month investigation was carried out. Following that, the Puntland government formed an independent investigative committee to assess the information retrieved from the investigation by Puntland authorities. Some of the 6 detained people admitted their participation in Sheikh Abdirahman’s assassination on video, which immediately went viral.
EU to relocate part of Somali soldiers trainings to Mogadishu
28 Feb – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 127 words
While talking to the journalists the chief of the European Union Military forces, General Gerald Ahern has said that they are planning that some of the trainings be exercised in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.
The commander has also said that whenever the trainers start their operation in Mogadishu they will also give out some security advice to the ministry of defence.
“The situation in Mogadishu is improving, and currently we are looking at our soldiers in a special way, our officials arriving over the Somali soil should get the best places suitable for health services which is important for us” General Gerald Ahern, said.
Somaliland govt confirms al Shabaab suspects arrested in Sanaag & Hargeisa
27 Feb – Source: Qaran News – 127 words
The Somaliland government has confirmed that an unknown number of people with suspected links to the al Shabaab group from Somalia have been arrested at recent operations conducted by the Somaliland Defence Forces in the eastern parts of Sanaag and Sool region.
The government has also confirmed that a few suspects had been arrested in Hargeisa through extensive operations conducted by the Somaliland Security Forces. This is the first time that the government of Somaliland has officially clarified the extent of Al-Shabaab’s penetration into to the country.
Speaking to the local media, the Somaliland Defence minister, Ahmed Haji Ali Addami stated that Somaliland and the United Kingdom have been co-operating in order to resolve the issue of the travel ban imposed on British nationals to Somaliland and Somalia.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Local flights resume in Somalia’s major cities
28 Feb – Source: Al Shahid – 160 words
As the security situation improves in major Somali cities, private airline companies have started offering domestic flights to areas captured from the local fighter group al Shabaab. Several airline companies have already begun flights to the towns of Baidoa, Beledweyn and Kismayo. The flights resumed in December 2012 after government forces asserted their control in the south and central regions –once served as al Shabaab’s major strongholds.
However, AU forces remain responsible for airport security, until Somali forces can take over the security of the country. Government ministers, lawmakers and security forces also use these flights to visit the newly liberated areas, as allied forces push back the al Shabaab from south and central Somalia.
The local flights have eased the flow of people from rural to urban areas as many families either move to Mogadishu or other cities. The airliners have highly assisted in airlifting emergency cases to the capital as it offers the best medical care compared to the other cities.
KDF Somalia Invasion Pays Off On Counterfeits-KAM
27 Feb – Source: The Star – 56 Words
The invasion of KDF soldiers into Somalia has significantly helped in reducing the amount of counterfeited goods into the country significantly. Kenya Association of Manufacturers Operations manager Mercy Ocholla says Somalia was one of the most notorious entry roots of counterfeit goods into Kenya. It is estimated that KRA loses 6 billion shillings annually to counterfeits.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UN set to ease Somalia arms embargo
27 Feb – Source: Global Post/AFP/Reuters – 401 Words
The UN Security Council is set to ease a two decade old arms embargo against Somalia to help the new government in its battle against Islamist militants, diplomats said Wednesday. The United States has been supporting a campaign by the Somali government for the embargo to be ended, while Britain and France have been more reluctant to let more arms into a country already awash with guns, diplomats said.
The measure is likely to be part of a council resolution renewing the mandate of the African Union military force in Somalia which should be passed on Wednesday next week. The Security Council imposed a total arms embargo in 1992 as feuding warlords battled for control of the country after ousting dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.
A UN diplomat said Britain is drafting the resolution which set out the new measures, but that negotiations are still being held. The council could decide to ease the embargo against government purchases of arms for a year but exclude certain types of weaponry such as air defense systems, the diplomat said.
Somali rebels threaten “long” war with Kenya before election
27 Feb – Source: Reuters – 350 words
Somali militants linked to al Qaeda warned Kenya on Wednesday it faced a “long, gruesome” war, five days before Kenyans vote for a new president and legislature. The al Shabaab rebel group, which is battling Kenyan troops deployed in southern Somalia under an African peacekeeping mandate, said Kenya was at a crossroads to decide whether it wanted further violence, or peace.
“If you continue upon the path of war, then bear in mind that we are strong-willed men who fight upon the command of Allah,” al Shabaab said in an emailed statement. Kenyans vote on Monday, but none of the eight presidential candidates contesting the close-fought March 4 poll have said they would pull troops out of neighbouring Somalia.
Al Shabaab did not mention the elections in the statement but referred to “the changing political climate” as the key to “a future that involves less bloodshed”. Kenya, east Africa’s biggest economy, has been rocked by a surge in bomb blasts, grenade attacks and shootings since Nairobi sent its forces into Somalia in October 2011, blaming some on al Shabaab and its local sympathisers.
3 foreigners to depose in Somali pirates trial
27 Feb – Source: IBN Live – 169 words
Three countries have agreed to send their nationals to depose as witnesses before a sessions court trying 120 Somali pirates arrested by Indian Navy and Coast Guard from high seas in several operations.
The court had sent summons to 91 foreigners, belonging to Pakistan, Mozambique, Thailand, Iran, Myanmar and Indonesia, and rescued by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard between January and April 2011, to depose before it as witnesses around six months back.
However, only Mozambique, Iran and Indonesia have complied with the summons but with a rider. “They (three countries) have placed a condition that India will have to bear the expenses of travelling, boarding and lodging”, said special public prosecutor Ranjeet Sangle. A total of 120 sea brigands were apprehended between January and March 2011 and charged under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. The first batch of 15 pirates, holding 20 Thai and Myanmarese nationals as hostages on their mother vessel ‘Prantalay 14’, was intercepted by Indian Navy on January 28, 2011.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“If a clear policy is made which can provide an opportunity for property ownership among IDPs, while current land/housing owners will need to make a decision among reclaiming property, then people will jump to the opportunity. The right to ownership should not be reserved for only the diaspora. Public policy needs to be made for the interest of everyone, not just those who have power, and more than anywhere else, Mogadishu’s leadership needs the vision to pursue the right path.”
A Simple Solution to Mogadishu’s IDP Problem
28 Feb – Source: Humanitarian Space Blog – 1088 Words
After every war, cities are burdened by many of the same problems. The infrastructure is destroyed, there is a lack of money, a culture of violence, and a fear that war will return. But another major obstacle is the heavy numbers of internally displaced persons who left their homeland elsewhere in the country and sought refugee in the city. They sought safety, employment, and a chance at a better life. They also frequently have little to offer, having abandoned everything with the move, and frequently coming from rural villages, lack the skills necessary to compete in the urban marketplace.
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are typically seen as a burden, and city officials want them to go home. With no money, IDPs frequently seek shelter in abandoned buildings or in impoverished, make-shift camps. The UNHCR also encourages they return to their place of origin as UNHCR tends to advocate return as the only durable solution. But at other times UNHCR will recognize that many IDPs cannot return home, as their homes have been destroyed and all that was abandoned is now completely lost. In these instances, UNHCR and UN-Habitat will construct IDP displacement camps.
In Mogadishu, IDP camps are scattered throughout the city. They are renown for being dangerous and unhygienic. Murder, rape, and disease are common. IDPs also inhabit many buildings throughout the city with no right to ownership. When the original owners return to reclaim their property, conflicts frequently ensue. As the city has no surviving property records from before the war, arguments over property rights are common and the courts get clogged as people fight for rightful ownership rights. This problem is expensive and slow. To make the changes in Somalia sustainable, it is necessary that change also takes place quickly. I wrote about this before in a previous article on the importance of speed for land use rights in post-war reconstruction.
“It is a tragedy that people can be killed out at sea, but the reality is that this is a fight which the shipping industry did not want, which seafarers desperately want to avoid – but pirates should be left under no illusion that they will be dealt with in a robust manner if they dare to try and hijack our ships.”
Sending Out the Big Guns
27 Feb – Source: ShipTalk/Neptune Maritime Security – 476 Words
Belgium has reportedly put the security “cat” amongst the pirate “pigeons” by deciding not just to permit its owners to use private maritime security companies, but that they may use heavy firearms up to 0.5-in calibre.
For those of you who don’t know your RPG from your elbow, this is some serious firepower – and could, shock horror, kill pirates if they are foolish enough to attack armed vessels.
That is not to say that smaller calibre weapons just tickle and leave a bruise, but the shift to heavier weapons has generated debate in the industry over whether this constitutes appropriate use of force for deterring pirates.
Top tweets
@foreignoffice Read about the #Somalia conf on 7 May in the #UK, including, the conference aims, why now? & how to join the debate: http://ow.ly/i5EiC.
@SomaliaNewsroom [PHOTOS] 549 cows being exported to Oman from Mogadishu port, 1st time in 2 decades: http://radiomuqdisho.net/
@ActForSomalia The Somali Goverment should set up a investment agency to promote and facilitate foreign and domestic investment in #Somalia @SomaliPM.
@JamalMOsman Al-Shabab in #Somalia release a statement trying to influence the #Kenyan election. http://www.twitlonger.com/
@WHOsom I hope that these students will lay the foundations of a new era in the medical profession in #Somalia, Dr Everard http://bit.ly/ZIQ2p7.
Image of the day
Cattle suspended by using ropes hanging around their waist as they were unloaded onto a ship at the port of Mogadishu, Somalia. Photo: Radio Mogadishu.