February 8, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
SNA And AMISOM Soldiers Retake Marka Town
08 February – Source: Goobjoog News – 80 Words
The Somali National Army troops supported by African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) regained control of the southern seaside town of Marko after Al-Shabaab pulled out of the town last night. The allied forces entered the town, without countering a resistance from Al-Shabaab fighters who have been in control of the town for last two days. AMISOM yesterday refuted reports that its troops in Marko left their defensive bases and allowed Al-Sshabaab to recapture the town.
Key Headlines
- SNA And AMISOM Soldiers Retake Marka Town (Goobjoog News)
- Federal Government To Leave No Stone Unturned In Daallo Airline Suicide Bombing (Wacaal Media)
- President Calls For the Formation Of A Constitutional Court (Radio Bar-Kulan)
- Speaker Lauds Role of UN in Somalia (Wacaal Media)
- Somali Man Sentenced To 15-Years For Stabbing Woman In Britain And Fleeing To Ethiopia (Zegabi)
- Somali FA Donates Office Equipment To Puntland State Branch (Soko25East)
- Amareswara Rao UNSOS Chief Human Resource Services Section (UNSOS)
- Reborn Maine Milling City Offers Lessons Amid Refugee Crisis (Associated Press)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Federal Government To Leave No Stone Unturned In Daallo Airline Suicide Bombing
08 February – Source: Wacaal Media – 70 Words
The Federal Government of Somalia has said investigations were underway to ascertain how last week’s suicide bombing targeting Daallo airlines was planned and executed. Speaking after appearing before parliament on Monday, the President said no stone will be left unturned. He said the government will ensure all the culprits were brought to justice. The president added his government will soon unveil a national security plan.
President Calls For the Formation Of A Constitutional Court
08 February – Source: Radio Bar Kulan – 101 Words
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has stressed the need to form a constitutional court in Somalia. In address to the Somali parliament, the President urged MPs to speed up the enactment of laws necessary for the formation of the judicial service commission. The President noted that the formation of the constitutional court is key as it can solve the wrangles within government . The president also urged parliamentarians to fastrack the formation of an independent human right’s commission. He said it is important to have an independent body that can safeguard human rights in the country.
Speaker Lauds Role of UN in Somalia
08 February – Source: Wacaal Media – 91 Words
Speaker of the federal parliament of Somalia Prof. Osman Jawari lauded the contribution of the United Nations in Somalia. Speaking after hosting a UN delegation led by the Secretary General’s advisor of IDP affairs. Dr. Walter Kaelin, Jawari said the UN has been at the forefront helping Somali refugees Worldwide as well as the IDPs in local camps. The two sides discussed how to foster relations between the World body and Somalia in the areas of refugee and IDP assistance, creation of employment and other opportunities for the youth among others.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Man Sentenced To 15-Years For Stabbing Woman In Britain And Fleeing To Ethiopia
08 February – Source: Zegabi – 387 Words
A Somali man, who fled to Ethiopia after stabbing a young woman in Britain, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.Mahad Aden, 33, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to wounding with intent. The incident reportedly happened on September 16, 2013 near Torcastle Close, Paradise Coventry. Aden and the victim, now 23, were reportedly in a “close, but not loving, relationship.”The victim had agreed to meet Aden in her car after pressing charges against him for punching her face and smothering her with a pillow. However, the meeting turned violent after she refused Aden’s plea for the charges to be dropped.
Aden reportedly punched her face, pulled a knife from his sock and stabbed her repeatedly. He also kicked her repeatedly after she struggled out of the car. The carnage only stopped after two people showed up.The victim, who was eventually rushed to a hospital, sustained stab wounds to the face, neck, chest and hands. She also suffered a collapsed lung.
After the fatal attack, Aden fled to Ethiopia where he stayed until 2015 when he arrived back in the UK. He was arrested at Heathrow Airport after two years of evading justice.Reports indicate that following his arrest, Aden faced several charges including perverting the course of justice, witness intimidation, possessing a knife or bladed article in a public place and wounding with intent.
Somali FA Donates Office Equipment To Puntland State Branch
08 February – Source: Soka 25 East – 246 Words
Somali Football Federation [SFF] has donated complete office equipment to the football association in the regional Somali state of Puntland, which moved to a new headquarters over the weekend. The renovation of the headquarters comes weeks after newly-recruited secretariat members for the office took part in a sports administration course in the capital Mogadishu as part of the regional development strategy announced earlier by the by the Somali Football Federation president, Abdiqani Said Arab.
Government officials and SFF members attended a colorful ceremony which marked on the launching of the refurbished office. Director General of the Puntland ministry of sport, Ahmed Abdalla, who first addressed at the ceremony, said that the fully equipped headquarters implemented by the Somali Football Federation will speed up the development of the game in the region.
Somali FA senior vice president, Ali Abdi Mohamed, commended Puntland’s minster for youth and sport for his commitment to the beautiful game. “Mr. Abdirahman is the first ever football-loving minister in this state and with his cooperation we hope that we can develop more” SFF senior vice president, noted before welcoming Mr. Abdirahman Sheik Ahmed to the platform.
Amareswara Rao, UNSOS Chief Human Resource Services Section
08 February – Source: UNSOS – Video: 2:43 Minutes
The decision to move United Nations Support Office (UNSOS) to Somalia as its main operation base will result in more positions being created. As a result, the Organization has adopted the principle of attrition and relocation to fill these positions. The chief, Human Resource Services Section at the United Nations Economic Commission, Amareswara Rao, says when a position becomes vacant it will be moved to the new location and advertised. However, staff who are unable to move will be given six months to find employment within the United Nations offices in Nairobi and Mombasa. As Rao explains, UNSOS will establish support structures to guide staff during this period.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Today, the smell of deep-fried samboosa fills a store in Lisbon Street, and the aroma of basmati rice and goat meat emanates from another. Shops feature colorful clothing and African staples like fufu flour,”
Reborn Maine Milling City Offers Lessons Amid Refugee Crisis
08 February – Source: Associated Press – 991 Words
The arrival of thousands of Somali refugees in this former mill city in the nation’s whitest state sparked a backlash at first, complete with a rally of white supremacists and a pig’s head rolled into the local mosque.Fifteen years later, the Somali newcomers are solid members of the community, as evidenced by its proliferation of shops, restaurants and mosques — and a championship-winning high school soccer team featuring players from Somalia and other African countries.
Shukri Abasheikh, owner of Mogadishu Store, a general store that caters to the African community, said she and her fellow newcomers have won respect from residents through hard work.”When Somalis came in, Lewiston people, Maine people, they think we need welfare, but we don’t need welfare. We need jobs. We need peace. We need education,” said Abasheikh, who worked as a janitor before achieving her dream of running her own business.
As the U.S. prepares to accept thousands of refugees from war-torn Syria in coming months and years, this riverside community illuminates the challenges such newcomers can face — and shows that integration can be slow and painful, but ultimately successful.Since February 2001, more than 5,000 Africans have come to Lewiston, a city of 36,500 on the Androscoggin River, in a prime example of what scholars call “rapid ethnic diversification.”
The first Somalis found Lewiston after a refugee resettlement program was established in Portland, Maine’s largest city.Because of a housing shortage in Portland, they looked 30 miles to the north, where aging apartments that once housed Lewiston’s mill workers provided plenty of low-cost homes. Despite the bitter winters, Somalis saw a safe place with good schools that was walkable and not too big.There was no formal plan. It just happened.
At first, Lewiston residents didn’t know what to make of these newcomers who spoke no English, providing a challenge for schools. Many knew little of Somalia beyond news coverage of a soldier from a nearby town who was killed in a Somali firefight that became the basis for the movie “Black Hawk Down.” Some locals resented so many black Muslims moving to a Roman Catholic community where the twin spires of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul dominate the skyline. Rumors spread that the newcomers were getting perks like better housing and even free cars.
TOP TWEETS
@MoPIC_Somalia: Day 2 of the National Development Plan Consultations – Phase 1 in #Kismayo has commenced.#Jubbaland #Somalia
@dailynewsdns: #Airport workers seen with #laptop used in#Somalia in-#flight jet #blast http://goo.gl/fb/02d2v9 #europe#topnews
@Daudoo : #AMISOM & #Somalia troops can be seen in center of #Marka town & police station, #AlShabaab fighters in Ruzia neighborhood.Residents indoors
@NominalAnalyst : #Somalia: #AMISOM has retaken #Markaport town on the morning of 8th Feb, EAT.This follows a predawn withdrawal of #AlShabaab from the town
@SalahOsman0 : Good Morning from #Mogadishu Lido terror attack never changed our determination 2 enjoy the beautiful beach #Somalia
@TRACterrorism : #Somalia jet suspect ‘checked in on Turkish Airlines’ – Turkey flight actual target.
@aysanei: Fact: there is a secessionist Somaliland. There is not a country called Somaliland. There is only one #Somalia.http://globalriskinsights.com/
@TVCconnect : Roadside landmine injures top government official in #Somalia https://shar.es/1429H9 #TVCNewsAfrica
IMAGE OF THE DAY
100 new police officers graduated in Mogadishu, Sat Feb 6.
Photo: Radio Muqdisho