February 6, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Somali President arrives in Cairo, Egypt
06 Feb – Source: Radio Mogadishu/ Shabelle/Hiiraan Online/ Radio Kulmiye/Jowhar Online – 88 words
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived Tuesday night in the Egyptian capital Cairo on his first visit since taking the presidency of Somalia last September.
Somali President is in Cairo to attend a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which starts on Wednesday.
During the summit, the leaders will discuss the latest developments in the Islamic world, including the issue of Mali, and developments in Somalia. Somali president is expected to meet on the sidelines of the summit of some heads of Islamic countries.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Fowzia Yussuf met with her Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Omar in Cairo.
The meeting discussed the bilateral ties between the two countries Egypt and Somalia and how it could be strengthen further. The minister of foreign affairs of Egypt, has said that Egypt is ready to continue assisting the government of Somalia.
Key Headlines
- Somali President arrives in Cairo Egypt (Radio Mogadishu/ Shabelle/Hiiraan Online/ Radio Kulmiye)
- Concern about Somalia rape case verdict (State.gov)
- Somali PM Shirdon visits Beledweyne (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
- Somali lawmaker arrested in Gabiley (Qaran news/Hadhwanaag News)
- Somalia PM appoints panel to investigate rape and other violations (Radio Risaala)
- Somaliland President Siilaanyo to visit UK (Somalilandpress)
- UN warns of Somalia health crisis (Daily Nation)
- Back on Twitter Somalia’s al Shabaab rebels declare “Jihadnalism” (Al- Akhabr)
- U.S. urges lifting of U.N. arms embargo on Somalia: envoys (Reuters)
- Foreign Secretary meets President of Somalia (gov.uk)
- Turkey extends the period of operation of Somalia anti piracy forces (Hurriyet Daily News)
PRESS STATEMENT
Concern about Somalia rape case verdict
05 Feb – Source: State.gov – 189 words
We are deeply concerned by a Mogadishu court’s decision to convict and sentence to one year in prison a 27-year-old alleged rape victim and the journalist who interviewed her. We are also concerned by reports of procedural irregularities and witness intimidation during the court proceedings.
Respect for women’s rights and media freedom are fundamental to ensuring the development of a strong, stable, and vibrant democracy in Somalia. Women should be able to seek justice for rape and other gender-based violence without fear of retribution, and journalists in Somalia must be free to work without being subjected to violence and harassment.
These prosecutions run counter to protections contained in Somalia’s provisional constitution, and send the wrong message to perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence. We have raised our concerns directly with the Somali Government and have urged it to uphold its constitution, including with respect to media freedom, women’s rights, and due process of law.
Prime Minister Shirdon has announced that Somalia’s new Independent Human Rights Commission will investigate this case. We call on the Somali Government to act quickly to protect human rights and strengthen the rule of law.
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali President arrives in Cairo, Egypt
06 Feb – Source: Radio Mogadishu/ Shabelle/Hiiraan Online/ Radio Kulmiye/Jowhar Online – 88 words
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived Tuesday night in the Egyptian capital Cairo on his first visit since taking the presidency of Somalia last September.
Somali President is in Cairo to attend a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which starts on Wednesday.
During the summit, the leaders will discuss the latest developments in the Islamic world, including the issue of Mali, and developments in Somalia. Somali president is expected to meet on the sidelines of the summit of some heads of Islamic countries.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Fowzia Yussuf met with her Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Omar in Cairo.
The meeting discussed the bilateral ties between the two countries Egypt and Somalia and how it could be strengthen further. The minister of foreign affairs of Egypt, has said that Egypt is ready to continue assisting the government of Somalia.
Somali PM Shirdon visits Beledweyne
06 Feb – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Hiiraan Online/Shabelle/Jowhar Online – 114 words
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Wednesday morning visited central Somali town of Beledweyne, where he held talks with local leaders and AMISOM officials in the region. Accompanying the PM are ministers for defence, interior and natural resources and top government and AMISOM military officials.
During the meeting, the PM praised AMISOM troops of Djiboutian contingent for securing the region and restoring law and order with the help of government forces.
Shortly after meeting, the Prime Minister Shirdon was taken for a walk on the streets of the town to see for himself how security improved in Beledweyne town. It is not clear how long the PM and his team will stay in the area.
Somali lawmaker arrested in Gabiley
06 Feb- Source: Qaran news/Hadhwanaag News- 94 words
Jama Ahmed a member of the Somali Parliament has been arrested in Gabiley and taken to Galshire, the Gabiley Prison.
Jama Ahmed, had been in Gabiley for quite sometime and the Somaliland Security forces arrested him in the city centre and subsequently took him into custody.
Members of the provisional administration and the constituent assembly in Somalia are not allowed to travel to Somaliland without the permission of the administration of President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud “Silaanyo” and the knowledge of his erstwhile Home Affairs minister, Mohamed Nur Araale “Duur”.
Somalia PM appoints panel to investigate rape and other violations
06 Feb – Source: Radio Risaala – 159 words
An independent panel has being set up to look into pressing issues like the recent escalation of rape cases and execution of journalists among other atrocities. Prime Minister, Abdi Farah Shirdoon appointed the 13 member committee that will be chaired by Dr. Maryan Yusuf Sheikh Ali. The members were selected from different sections of the community and include Women representatives, students, police, lawyers and religious leaders.
Mr. Shirdoon expressed a lot of sorrow in the recent escalation of vices like rape and executions especially those targeting journalists and other media personnel. He said that his administration will take concrete steps to curb such crimes and also bring the perpetrators of such crimes to book.
On the other hand, Dr. Maryan revealed how vulnerable women have become yet they are supposedly to be the backbone of any progressive society. The committee is mandated to investigate and compile a report and come up with recommendations within the next 3 months.
Somaliland President Siilaanyo to visit UK
05 Feb – Source: Somaliland Press/Bar-kulan – 149 words
Reliable sources close to the presidency have confirmed to Somalilandpress that president Silanyo is due to leave for Britain, where president Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud of Somalia is currently being hosted. Mr. Siilanyo’s expected visit to Britain comes after British foreign office and Commonwealth Officially unveiled the agenda for the upcoming International Conference on Somalia which will be held in London.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud of Somalia arrived in London on last Thursday accompanied his Senior Cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Fowsia Hajji Aden. This comes after the British government has granted 3 million pound aid boost to Somalia.
It is unclear if President Siilaanyo will meet his Somali counterpart or whether he wants to discuss with British officials about UK’s threat alert on Somaliland security. Recently president Silanyo confirmed, during State of Union address that his government will participate every conference which serves the interest of the nation.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UN warns of Somalia health crisis
06 Feb – Source: Daily Nation – 222 words
More than 200,000 children in Somalia are in urgent need of health care, a United Nations agency has said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday said Sh7.8 billion was urgently required for emergency health services in Somalia.
“Access to health care is still a challenge for a majority of the population. Making health services available across Somalia, especially in under-served areas of central and southern regions, is crucial to provide people with timely life-saving health assistance,” said WHO’s Dr Omar Saleh during a press briefing in Nairobi.
He said for the first time in four years, vaccinations were conducted in 14 districts of south and central Somalia. Somalia, he added, still among had the highest cases of malnutrition in the world.
Back on Twitter, Al Shabaab rebels declare “Jihadnalism”
05 Feb – Source: Al-Akhbar – 234 words
Somalia’s Islamist al Shabaab militants, who have used Twitter to announce assassinations and bombings, are back on the microblog service two weeks after their account was suspended.
“[Our new account] will function like the one they closed,” a spokesman who declined to be named said on Tuesday. Their first post Sunday on their newly re-activated Twitter page, which attracted over 1,100 followers within two days, read, “In the name of God, the the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Al-Shabaab’s previous official Twitter account was suspended around January 24, days after the group used the social media site to threaten to kill two Kenyan hostages.
The group tweeted a link to a video of the abducted civil servants and threatened to kill them unless the Kenyan government released all Muslim prisoners in its jails.
The site declined at the time to comment on why al Shabaab’s account, which had thousands of followers, had been suspended.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
With increased security, healthcare improves in Somalia
06 Feb- Source: Reliefweb/IRIN News- 471 words
With security improved following the retreat of al Shabaab insurgents from urban areas of south and central Somalia, aid agencies have increased health services and expanded emergency healthcare, reaching previously inaccessible areas.
“Somalia has experienced a relatively increased humanitarian space, and this has helped aid agencies to increasingly [provide] health services to the population who were earlier inaccessible,” Omar Saleh, UN World Health Organization (WHO) emergency coordinator for Somalia, told IRIN.
Epidemiological surveillance, too, has increased. “This has helped in detecting and dealing with possible disease outbreaks and putting adequate measures to control any outbreaks that might occur,” he added.
In 2012, a total of eight hospitals were built in Bakool, Lower Juba, Gedo and Galgaduud regions, offering, among other things, emergency surgery and cesarean sections. The newly established health facilities serve about one million people.
WHO says 215,000 children in Somalia in urgent need of healthcare
05 Feb -Source: Xinhua Date: February 05, 2013
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday that about 215,000 children in Somalia are in urgent need of health care due to increased vulnerability to health complications related to malnourishment.
WHO Emergency Coordinator for Somalia Omar Saleh told journalists in Nairobi that there is need to ensure that more people especially those in rural areas can receive health and other humanitarian services.
“Malnutrition rates in Somalia are still among the highest in the world with one in seven children acutely malnourished, and one in 33 severely malnourished,” Saleh said.
He said humanitarian agencies have increased health services and expanded emergency healthcare due to improved security following the crackdown on the Al-Shabaab militants by the African Union forces in Mogadishu and southern Somalia.
“Insecurity has been one of the main obstacles to health service delivery in most areas of southern and central Somalia as well as some rural areas of Somaliland and Puntland,” Saleh said.
U.S. urges lifting of U.N. arms embargo on Somalia: envoys
05 Feb – Source: Reuters – 744 words
The United States is urging fellow members of the U.N. Security Council to agree to demands by the government in Mogadishu to lift the arms embargo on Somalia, which has been in place for the past 21 years, U.N. diplomats said on Tuesday.
The U.S. push comes after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last week that the 15-nation council should consider lifting the arms embargo to help rebuild Somalia’s security forces and consolidate military gains against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.
The Security Council imposed the embargo in 1992 to cut the flow of arms to feuding warlords, who a year earlier ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged Somalia into civil war.
Foreign Secretary meets President of Somalia
05 Feb – Source: gov.uk- 280 words
The Foreign Secretary welcomed the progress made in Somalia, and promised UK support, particularly on the President’s immediate priorities of security, justice and public financial management, which will be the focus of the Somalia Conference.
The President and the Foreign Secretary discussed the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and plans to develop the Somali security forces as well as the contribution diaspora groups might play in the reconstruction of the country and the importance of finding a political settlement with armed groups.
They agreed to work together on preventing sexual violence, in the context of the FCO’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative. The Foreign Secretary raised the UK’s particular concern about the current case of a woman who alleged to a journalist that she had been raped by security forces, and the legal proceedings against them both. The Foreign Secretary emphasised the importance of victims of rape or sexual violence feel able to report such crimes, and of due process being followed in this case.
Somalia’s president wants Mo Farah to return to help country
05 Feb – Source: Telegraph – 125 words
Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, who has been president since a surprise victory in presidential elections in August, said he wanted British government help to bring back Somalis living in Britain. The former professor compared the situation in his country to that of Europe in 1945 but said there was an opportunity to restore a functioning government after 22 years of civil war.
Describing exiles as his country’s greatest asset, Mr Mahmoud said he would use a London conference jointly organised by Britain and the Somali government to establish ambitious programmes to rebuild health, education and government services.
He said he intended to approach the double Olympic gold medallist who was born in Somalia but sent to school in Britain to come home to help promote reconciliation.
Turkey extends the period of operation of Somalia anti piracy forces
05 Feb – Source: Hurriyet Daily News – 94 words
Turkish Parliament has approved a resolution that extends the period of operation for the Turkish Naval Forces fighting piracy off the Somali coast. With this new resolution the government will now have the opportunity to extend operations until Feb. 10, 2014.
Naval Forces operate as part of the counter-piracy international task force CTF 151 established in January 2009 to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean after a wave of hijackings occurred in the region. It was launched by the United States as an international effort specifically for counter-piracy operations.
Ban deeply disappointed after alleged Somali rape victim, reporter receive jail sentences
05 Feb- Source: UN News Centre- 345 words
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced his deep disappointment over the one-year sentences handed down today in Mogadishu against a woman who alleged she was raped by members of the Somali security forces and a journalist who interviewed her.
“The Secretary-General urges the Government of Somalia to ensure that all allegations of sexual violence are investigated fully and perpetrators are brought to justice,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
“Above all, it is essential that the rights of the alleged victim and the journalist to a fair and transparent judicial process, including the right of appeal, are fully respected,” he added.
Last month, Somali authorities arrested the woman – who claimed she was raped in September by armed men in government uniforms while living in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) – and the journalist who interviewed her, as well as the person who introduced them. Two other individuals have also been charged in connection with the case.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The Somalia model teaches us that with the support of African troops, and technical expertise from Western nations, the institutions of a functioning state will begin to reappear.”
The Somalia Model: The Future of Intervention
05 Feb – Source: Albany Associates – 710 Words
The President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has been in the UK this week to impress upon the government, the wider business community, and the large population of diaspora that the dark days are over, and that the country has turned a corner and is open for business, heading in the direction of stability and peace. Although there is far to go before this becomes reality there is optimism that Somalia can build on security gains already made.
The enormity of the challenges that face Somalia cannot be understated, most notably the continued security threat still posed by al Shabaab in some areas of the South. ‘Security, security, security’ is the mantra of its government. It is understandable. Ensuring a conducive environment for investment and tourism will boost the Somali economy. In doing so – in conjunction with foreign aid and FDI – the government will be able to pay for development projects in the vital areas of health, education and water security.
While security – and its resulting gains – is a priority, it is but one issue. Building the legitimacy of the state, enhancing the role of the regions, and bolstering the rule of law, whilst acknowledging the importance of the inclusion of all citizens in the political process, are the foundations by which to grow the state.
“It is an affront that the alleged rape victim was publicly named, let alone forced to take part in a press conference. Actions like this do nothing to strengthen women’s rights, much needed in post-conflict countries such as Somalia.”
The jailing of a Somali woman who says she was raped is an affront to justice
05 Feb – Source: The Guardian – 771 Words
After more than 20 years in the political wilderness, a Somali government has been recognised by the US government and a host of other countries, long weary of the plethora of troubles coming from this small country nestled in the horn of Africa: civil war, religious extremism, terrorism, piracy and famine. You name it, and Somalia has probably gone through it.
Following a successful trip to the US, the Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is touring Europe, basking in the triumph of recognition, the weakening of the Islamist group al-Shabaab and peddling hope to donor countries to encourage further funding.
And indeed there is much to hope for; earlier this year I was in Mogadishu and I reported for the Guardian about the booming business opportunities and the massive inflow of capital from the diaspora community that has relocated back to Somalia.
But I also wrote about the insecurity faced by women living in the internally displaced persons camps (IDPs) in Mogadishu. Often widowed and separated from their clan – the traditional source of protection – these women are the weakest members of Somali society.
“Their second twitter account could be a sign that the group, which has been forced out of the Horn of Africa country’s main towns over the past 18 months, is still very interested in communicating to the world its thoughts and ideas.”
Al Shabaab: Tweets on terror and fairness
05 Feb – Source: Africa Report – 388 Words
Extreme Islamist group, al Shabaab has created a twitter account in English, and it appears the group is using its new account to share its thoughts on Somalia and world affairs. The last time the group used its twitter account to make threats or claim responsibility for an attack, it was shut down. Twitter terms of service, disallow threats of violence.
However, with sweeping changes occurring in Somalia, the group has created a new account to express their thoughts on the emerging new Somalia. Most recently, the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, hailed the endorsement of Somalia’s new constitution as an historic achievement.
Although the two week-old account operated by al Shabaab is yet to tweet their thoughts, a recent tweet on the new account offers an interesting insight into al Shabaab’s mindset.
Top tweets
@StateDept Respect for women’s rights, media freedom are fundamental to development of strong, stable democracy in #Somalia. http://go.usa.gov/4y5A.
@WilliamJHague Raised current rape case of concern in #Somalia with the President, including importance of victims feeling able to speak out.
@UN_Spokesperson #UNSG deeply disappointed over 1-year sentences handed down today against a woman and a Somali journalist in #Somalia http://bit.ly/14Cd2VU.
@EdPomfret .@ASAD_film Short film about Somali refugees nominated for an oscar http://www.asadfilm.com/ASAD/
@BBCAfrica VIDEO: #Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says the country is on the right path and urges patience. http://bbc.in/TFEJux.
Image of the day
Mogadishu court chairman Ahmed Aden Farah reads a verdict inside a court in Mogadishu on February 5, 2013 in a case involving a woman who said she was raped by security forces and journalist Abdiaziz Abdinuur, who interviewed her. Photo: Getty Images.