January 25, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

AU starts military training for over 500 Somali clan militiamen

24 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 147 words
African Union Mission in Somalia [Amisom] started to give a 45-day military training to over 500 clan militiamen at Lama-Galay military camp in the central town of Beled Weyne.
Governor of Hiiran Abdifatah Hasan Afrax and Amisom commander in the region Col Usman Dubad Sugule attended the opening ceremony of the event.
Sugule said they support the rebuilding of the Somali army so as to replace foreign military assistance to the Somali government.
The militiamen will join the national army once they complete the training. Amisom previously trained hundreds of militiamen in Hiiraan.

Key Headlines

IGAD urge Somalia to draft detailed security political stabilization plan for deliberations (Bar-kulan)
Somali elders said oppose IGAD Kenya “interference” in southern regions (Shabeelle Media )
Security in Baioda 100 days after Al-Shabaab exit ( Radio Bar-kulan)
We will not bargain with al Shabaab over hostages: Kenya (Reuters)

SOMALI MEDIA

IGAD urge Somalia to draft detailed security, political stabilization plan for deliberations

24 Jan – Source: Bar-kulan – 87 words

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Thursday called on the Somali government to prepare a detailed proposal of its security and political stabilization plan and a similar one on its request for the lifting of the UN arms embargo. The regional body said the proposals will be deliberated by its Council meeting to be convened in the next six weeks. IGAD acknowledge the security and political stabilization plan of Somalia and reiterated its commitments to ensure all other efforts that are complementary to the Somalia plan.

AU starts military training for over 500 Somali clan militiamen

Somaliland:UAE-owned ship carrying unwanted cargo sails Away

24 Jan – Source: Somaliland Press – 112 words
Berbera port authority has confirmed that it has taken the bold decision of sending a oil tanker with the petroleum products that have been deemed as sub-standard away after not meeting requirements.
This comes in the wake of last week’s reports that the petroleum product waiting for discharge at the Berbera port fuel terminal was blocked when it was established that the product was outside the specifications required by Somaliland Bureau of Standards.

Somali elders say they oppose IGAD, Kenya “interference” in southern regions

24 Jan – Source: Shabeelle Media – 133 words
Chairman of the Hawiye clan elders Muhammad Hasan Haad says he is opposed to the creation of a administration for Jubba Region aside from the Somali government administration, While addressing journalists during a news conference, the traditional elder added that Somali people will not accept plans for the Lower Jubba regions in southern Somalia.
He spoke of interference by the Kenyan government and IGAD in the process of establishing an administration for the region and called on IGAD and Kenya to pull out of this process.

Security in Baioda 100 days after al Shabaab exit

24 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 103 words

It exactly 100 days after about 50 vehicles, including some 20 tanks and hundreds of Ethiopian and Somali troops rambled into Baidoa, a strategic stronghold of Islamist militants in south-western Somalia, taking control of the city without facing resistance from the militant fighters. Since the capture of the city on February 2012, security has been getting better and normal life returning to the city day by day. Area regional governor Abdifatah Gesey said locals can now enjoy positive changes in the city, adding that his administration has already formed a special unit of the forces to strengthen security in the city.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somalia takes steps to combat forgery business

24 Jan – Source: Sabahi Online – 111 words

Hassan Mohamed Jama, 53, has made a living as a counterfeiter in Bosaso and Garowe for the past 20 years. He makes the old green passports used under the previous regime, red diplomatic passports, university diplomas, birth certificates and property deeds. Jama, who still works in the trade, said that without the forged documents life would have been difficult for many Somalis.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

We will not bargain with al Shabaab over hostages: Kenya

24 Jan – Source: Reuters – 114 words

Kenyan officials said on Thursday they would not negotiate with al Qaeda-allied Somali militants who have threatened to kill their Kenyan hostages unless Nairobi frees Muslims held on terrorism charges.
On Wednesday al Shabaab released a video of two Kenyan hostages seized a year ago and told Kenya to meet its demands. Days earlier, the group said it had killed French hostage Denis Allex to avenge France’s persecution of Muslims and its military operations against Islamists, including in Mali. Colonel Cyrus Oguna, spokesman for the Kenyan military which has been battling al Shabaab in Somalia since October 2011, said the hostages shown in the video were not prisoners of war because they were non-combatants.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Amidst all the destruction, there was so much vibrancy, life and hope … no one would have believed that this would have been possible a year ago in a city/country which had become the quintessential “failed state”. It was a place where hope was the last thing on people’s minds and yet, there it was hope being materialised right in front of our eyes.”

Renewed Hope in Somalia

24 Jan – Source: UNPOS Blog – 479 Words

No amount of hearing and reading about the “paradigm shift” in Somalia, could have prepared me for the incredible reality of the change that unfolded in front of my eyes as we were driven last week from southern to northern Mogadishu to witness the transformation of the city. These were my first sightings of life outside the “UN wire”. The skeleton symbols of the past war were everywhere, standing next to the newly rising constructions of residential houses, shopping centres, small businesses, restaurants and cafes, new streets being built and old ones cleared of debris.