February 5, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
AU Special Representative To Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira Makes Inaugral Visit To Kismaayo
05 January – Source: AMISOM – 452 Words
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia Ambassador Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira on Thursday visited Kismaayo to meet with Interim Jubbaland Administration (IJA) President Ahmed Mohamed Islam. The SRCC was part of a delegation of members of the international community, comprising the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) United Nations, Mr Michael Keating, Swedish and Italian ambassadors to Somalia as well as delegates from the European Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Addressing a town hall meeting at the Kismaayo Reinsurance hall, Ambassador Madeira praised the Jubbaland leaders and its people for accepting to support the 4.5 electoral model in the interest of peace, stability, unity and progress in Somalia. “Peace in Somalia is peace in East Africa and peace in the world. African Union’s agenda for peace in Africa will be compromised if there’s no peace in Somalia. That is why leaders of African Union Members States had asked countries in the region to contribute troops and police to AMISOM”, the SRCC added.
Ambassador Madeira said AMISOM was willing to suffer and die with the Somali people to restore peace in the country reiterating that the peacekeeping force will remain in Somalia as long as their continued presence is required. Speaking at the same meeting, IJA president thanked AMISOM and the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) for their huge sacrifices in Somalia and condoled fallen AMISOM soldiers, notably the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) troops following the Al Shabaab attack in El-Adde in January.
Key Headlines
- AU Special Representative To Somalia Ambassador Francisco Madeira Makes Inaugral Visit To Kismaayo (AMISOM)
- At Least One Killed In A Car Explosion (Goobjoog News)
- Mystery Deepens As Investigation Into Blast In Plane Widens (Hiiraan Online)
- President Of Puntland Government Sends Stern Warning To Those Bent On Destabilizing The State(Wacaal Media)
- Puntland President In Qardo (Garowe Online)
- Somalia Daallo Airlines Explosion: Dead Wheelchair Passenger May Have Been Failed Suicide Bomber(IBTimes)
- Four Somali Nationals Fined Sh5.5m Each Over Illegal Travel Documents (Daily Nation)
- SRSG Keating Welcomes Jubbaland’s Reaction To The Federal Government’s Decision On The Electoral Model (UNSOM)
- Breast Cancer: The Number One Killer In Somalia (AMISOM)
- Letter to my daughter: what is it like to be a girl in 2016? (The Guardian)
NATIONAL MEDIA
At Least One Killed In A Car Explosion
05 February – Source: Goobjoog News – 104 Words
At least one was killed and another of Somalia’s National Intelligence Agency injured in car explosion in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district on Friday. Confirming the incident. Wadajir District Commissioner Ahmed abdulle Afrah said a bomb fitted to the car exploded killing one person and leaving another injured. A witness confirmed the name of civilian killed in the attack as Hassan Adde, while Abdiwali Mohamed, who was identified as the NISA officer sustained slight injuries in the explosion. Security forces have arrived at the scene and probing into the incident. So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mystery Deepens As Investigation Into Blast In Plane Widens
05 February – Source: Hiiraan Online – 317 Words
As Somali authorities continue an investigation into the cause of a blast that opened a gaping on a plane’s sideon Tuesday, mystery deepened as the airline company’s executives and Somali authorities try to control the information related to the incident. Mohamed Ibrahim Yasin, the executive director of Daallo Airlines said his company was expecting a comprehensive result from the on-going investigation in two days’ time, declining to give further details.“The investigation is progressing, and no conclusion has so far been made.” He said in an interview with the BBC Somali Service Thursday.
He said that the airline company has suspended all its regular flights to Mogadishu after the incident; however, He declined to specify the date the company would resume its Mogadishu flights.As the investigation entered its second day, foreign technical experts joined the investigation into the cause of the explosion in Daallo Airlines plane which was heading to Djibouti when the mysterious blast went off inside the aircraft. The blast has killed one person who the government identified as Abdulaahi Abdisalam Borle. Lack of information and contradicting accounts by Somali and western officials who spoke to the media outlets seem to be the main confusion at this point.
A western diplomat who asked not to be named told Wall Street Journal that investigators believe a passenger who boarded a commercial plane in a wheelchair may have been a suicide bomber responsible for an explosion that tore a hole in the side of the jet as it took off from Somalia’s capital. However, Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arteh asserted that the ongoing investigation produced a ‘suspicious’ result which required a further inquiry to establish the real cause of the blast. Most of the flights bound for Mogadishu were cancelled on Wednesday following the incident, as Somali government vowed it would beef up security for the Mogadishu international airport to prevent security threats.
President Of Puntland Government Sends Stern Warning To Those Bent On Destabilizing The State
05 February – Source: Wacaal Media – 143 Words
The security of Puntland is not negotiable and anybody found guilty of creating disturbances will be dealt with accordingly, Puntland President Dr. Abdiweli Ali Gas has said. Speaking on returning to Garowe, the president urged the people of Puntland to distance themselves from people with vested political interests and hired goons whom he said were out to sabotage the development strides state was making.
“The people of Puntland are peace loving and it is the responsibility of the government to safeguard their interests. We will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands and anyone found guilty will face the full force of the law” said Dr. Gas adding that his administration will not negotiate over the security of Puntland. Dr. Abdiweli Gas urged local residents to collaborate with government agencies to ensure peace and stability prevails.
Puntland President In Qardo
05 February – Source: Garowe Online – 194 Words
The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has arrived in northeastern Gardo townon Thursday. Karkaar governor, Qardo mayor, traditional leaders and flag-waving crowds welcomed Ali to Qardo in first stopover before being headed for the capital, Garowe. Puntland leader conferred with political and community leaders on security situation, and development projects executed under the support of the government. Qardo officials said, Karkaar region is generally in good condition. Ali was hosted a luncheon for clan elders at new presidential palace in Qardo.
He is expected to be in Garowe by Thursday ahead of the arrival of a large delegation composed of Somalia Federal Government officials and international community members following Puntland’s disdain for new election proposal. Puntland gave cold shoulders to the model supported by international donors including the United Nations on grounds of any return to controversial 4.5 power sharing formula.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Daallo Airlines Explosion: Dead Wheelchair Passenger May Have Been Failed Suicide Bomber
05 February – Source:IBTimes – 358 Words
A suicide bomber may have detonated a bomb inside the wheelchair he was travelling on before he was ripped out of a commercial jet in Somalia. On Tuesday 2 February a hole was blown in the side of a Djibouti-bound Airbus A321 forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing just minutes after taking off from Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport.
The blast ejected the alleged bomber from the plane’s cabin landing on the ground below. The body of a 55-year-old man was later found near the district of Balad, about 20 miles from the capital.Police in Mogadishu believe the suspect, by travelling in a wheelchair, may have fooled airport staff into not checking him. Daallo Airlines said that there were two minor casualties in the explosion and the plane was carrying 74 passengers.
Somali officials had identified the man as Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh, from Somaliland but did not reveal if the man was the alleged suicide bomber. A spokesperson from Somlia’s Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement: “Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte indicated that as soon as the investigation is concluded, he promised the government will step up airport security against any potential threat.”
Four Somali Nationals Fined Sh5.5m Each Over Illegal Travel Documents
05 February – Source: Daily Nation – 526 Words
Four Somali nationals who were arrested at Mandera Airstrip boarding a flight to Nairobi have been fined Sh5.5 million each or serve 10 years in prison.Sakarie Abdullah Ahmed, Abdikadir Sharrif Abdinur, Ubah Abdirahman Hassan and Fadumo Anshur Mohamed were arrested last Sunday.Police were granted custodial orders on Tuesday to enable them complete investigations.
The four were charged with being found in possession of Kenyan travel visas, which they could not account for.They also faced a second count of being in Kenya unlawfully.State counsel Kennedy Amwayi said the four were intercepted while about to fly to Nairobi using passport numbers belonging to Somalia but had Kenyan visa numbers attached to the documents.“The accused persons had Kenyan visa numbers on their passports which they could not explain how they acquired them,” said Mr. Amwayi.
On interrogation, none of the accused person could tell how they got the documents.“We further established that they were unlawfully in Kenya after they produced Somalia national identity cards without any documents showing they were allowed in Kenya,” Mr Amwayi told the court.The four pleaded guilty to the charges against them and in mitigation, told the court that they were cheated by whoever brought them the documents that they would get to Nairobi.“I was cheated by the person who brought me the documents that I would get to Nairobi safely. I pray for forgiveness and referred back to my country,” said Ms Hassan, sentiments that were repeated by the other three accused persons.
SRSG Keating Welcomes Jubbaland’s Reaction To The Federal Government’s Decision On The Electoral Model
04 February – Source: UNSOM – 304 Words
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating, welcomes the reaction of Jubbaland leaders to the Federal Government’s decision on an electoral model for 2016. Ambassadors and representatives from the international community – the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the European Union (EU), Ethiopia, Italy and Sweden – led by SRSG Keating, visited Kismaayo on 4 February. The Office of the Prime Minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary.
They were invited to listen to views on the Federal Government’s decision on an electoral model for 2016, its implementation, and proposals for a Road Map to 2020 which will lead to ‘one person one vote’ elections. The ambassadorial party met with President Sheikh Ahmed Islam “Madobe”, members of his cabinet and of the Jubba Regional Assembly including the Speaker of the Regional Parliament, leaders from civil society, women’s and youth groups, traditional elders and the business community.
Jubbaland representatives voiced their concerns regarding the electoral model that will be used later this year, especially retention of the ‘4.5’ formula for the Lower House. They asked for guarantees that the model will not be used again in 2020.
Breast Cancer: The Number One Killer In Somalia
05 February – Source: AMISOM – 1,104 Words
Worldwide, the month of October is set aside every year to promote breast cancer awareness and although general knowledge about this deadly disease is rising steadily, it provides little solace to communities with no health infrastructure. In Somalia, data on breast cancer prevalence is anecdotal. The country’s fledgling health ministry has not documented cases of breast cancer, but the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics of May 2014 indicate that cancer kills at least 3,200 women in the country every year. Of these deaths, breast cancer is the single leading cause, accounting for 19-percent of the deaths, followed cervical cancer and cancer of the oesophagus.
Although cancer is mainly a genetic disease, a health practitioner based in Mogadishu Dr. Asha Omar Ahmed says it is difficult to trace the genetic risk in Somali families, because most of them never know what has killed a family member. Breast cancer is a silent killer in many households in the horn of Africa country. Culturally, it is a disease treated in shame because it attacks the vital but extremely private parts of the female body. Most victims shy away from seeking medical help to avoid intrusion into their privacy.
“Traditionally Somali women are shy and there many things they cannot discuss with doctors. Even when they feel pain in their breasts, they shy away and keep the clothes on. If they are asked to explain, they cannot mention the word breast and would be unable to get treatment. They are shy to display breast swellings or wounds,” says Ms. Hamdi Abdullahi, a resident of Mogadishu who went through a breast cancer scare a few years ago.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Feyrus, I want you and other girls all around the world to thrive in 2016. We need to invest in you 100%. No more token actions. We want a better and safer world for our girls.”
Letter to my daughter: what is it like to be a girl in 2016?
04 February – Source: The Guardian – 1,142 Words
My dearest Feyrus, I hope my words find you kicking ass as always. As you are now 13 I thought I’d write you a letter to explain how I see the world in 2016, and my fears for you and other girls. Most of all I want to celebrate the young women you are becoming. In 2016, my saga of the angry feminist continues. I’m happy and privileged to carry that torch, though many may wonder why, including yourself. The answer is very simple: I express my anger and use my position to speak for those who can’t.
I don’t expect you to take up the mantle, but I’m impressed by the way you challenge sexism. Like the time you asked a teacher why he moved a couple of girls to the front of the class because they were being harassed by some boys. You expressed how unfair it was to move the girls, who hadn’t done anything wrong. Even though you were angry and upset, as a parent it was a proud moment to see that you saw the injustice.
I see the world through your eyes, my London-born African Muslim girl. I see the challenges based on your skin colour, gender and faith. One of the hardest things I’ve seen was you asking Muslim girls to accept you without wearing a hijab. I’ve always said I will always support the path you choose as long as you are not harming others. You are a girl who is free from FGM, as you know by now, this is something all the women in our family have endured, but we celebrate that we broke that cycle.
You are free from FGM, as you know this is something all the women in our family have endured, but we broke that cycle. You are now experimenting with your own voice and I’ve noticed you are extremely aware of your self-worth. I know at times your confidence is not well received by others just because you were born a girl. Sadly, I feel you still face challenges I faced as a young girl. You are still expected to sit quietly, look pretty and accept daily sexist comments while the boys play football and do as they please. I want to make the world safe for you and to give you the opportunity to be the person you want to be. I made sure you were protected from one of the worst crimes committed against women.
TOP TWEETS
@Bogorad_Olga : #Somalia #NISA officer survived assassination attempt after bomb planted to his car exploded in#Mogadishu‘s Wadajir district via @Omaar_nor
@PuntlandvisionM : a medical supply donated by the Federal Government of #Somalia has reached #Puntland, the minister of Health confirms
@Mohamedkeynan : My home state of #Jubbaland‘s tough but prudent decision to accept the 2016 electoral plan is great for#Somalia
@ADucaale : BREAKING: #Somalia security forces raid a well-known mosque in #Mogadishu (Sheikh Ali Sufi) at KPP area to arrest #Shebaab suspects- Witness
@Cidilibaax : The firm who manages #Mogadishu airport should be terminated the contract after security laps #Somalia#Puntland
@Sh_Garjeex : #SFG #Galmudug #KoonfurGalbeed and now#Jubbaland agree to reimplement 4.5 system #Somalia.#Puntland rightfully rejects the proposal
@TerrorFreeSomal: #DaalloAirlines Explosion: AP interview well Know #Somalia #MuslimBrotherhood operative listen at 9.25 Big coverup http://youtu.be/ITyWVrsPkgo
IMAGE OF THE DAY
A Somali man helps dock a smaller boat in Mogadishu’s port while a much larger container ship gets off-loaded in the background. In the last three years, Somalia has seen a large increase in trade.
Photo: AMISOM