January 4, 2018 | Morning Headlines
Banadir Appeal Court Bans Abdishakur From Travelling Abroad
03 January – Source: Goobjoog News – 273 Words
Banadir Regional Appeal Court has today ruled in absentia that Abdirahman Abdishakur, the beleaguered politician banned from travelling outside the country until his case is completed. The Banadir Regional Appeal Court has overruled the decision of its Regional Court decision which freed politician Abdishakur Abdirahman on 21st December 2017. In its ruling, the Appeal Court has stated its right of hearing the case and also gave the green light to the office of the Attorney General to carry out further investigations on the case.
On the other hand, the Appeal Court has also imposed fines on 8 lawyers who refused to represent him and at the same time ordered 5 of them to halt offering legal services for up to 2 consecutive months while the other remaining 3 were fined each in Somali Shillings an amount equivalent to US$ 2,000 as confirmed to Goobjoog News by Salah Sheikh Ibrahim, the chairperson of Banadir Regional Appeal Court.
Speaking to Goobjoog News, politician Abdirahman Abdishakur noted that he will address the media later the day, a move seen as a response to the latest verdict from the Court of Appeal. On 21st December 2017, Banadir Regional Court released Abdishakur on grounds of insufficient evidences by the office of the attorney general and further directed that its verdict is final and the case cannot be appealed. The next day the attorney general appealed through the Banadir Regional Appeal Court and the court ordered Abdishakur to appear before it on the 27th December 2017 but was postponed to 3rd January 2018 after the defendant withdrew his legal services from his 3 lawyers on the same day.
Key Headlines
- Banadir Appeal Court Bans Abdishakur From Travelling Abroad (Goobjoog News)
- Somalia Minister’s Tour Of Sanaag & Sool Triggers Crisis With Somaliland (Radio Dalsan)
- Abdishakur: I Don’t Accept Today’s Court’s Verdict (Goobjoog News)
- Somali Upper House Discuss Border Dispute At Beled-Hawa Before Going For Recess (Radio Dalsan)
- US Says Two Terrorists Killed In Somalia Airstrike (CNN)
- Somali Returnees Worry About Amenities (Daily Nation)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Minister’s Tour Of Sanaag & Sool Triggers Crisis With Somaliland
03 January – Source: Radio Dalsan -179 Words
A tour of the disputed regions of Sool and Sanaag by Somalia Minister for National Planning and Development has drawn sharp reaction from the breakaway state of Somaliland. Minister Jamal Mohamed Hassan on Wednesday visited towns in Sool and Sanag region which were once under Khatumo state but chose to join Somaliland.
Somaliland’s Minister of Defense Isse Ahmed issued a statement saying the breakaway region remained committed to its stability while keeping their borders open. Mr Ahmed downplayed the minister’s visit saying it had no major political significance and that the towns visited were small towns.
Somalia Information Minister, Abdrahman Osman was quick to note his colleagues tour of the disputed regions.“Somalia makes huge progress everyday minister of planning today is in Sanaag and Bari regions while Minister of interior is in Gedo and Chairperson of Election Commission is in Middle Shabelle, federalism and working together is in action” Osman tweeted. Minister Hassan later told journalists that his tour of Sool and Sanaag was highly welcomed by the public and heard their views on education, health and security.
Abdishakur: I Don’t Accept Today’s Court’s Verdict
03 January – Source: Goobjoog News – 206 Words
Somali politician Abdirahman Abdishakur brushed aside today’s decision by the Banadir Regional Appeal Court on his case. Speaking to the media today in Wadajir Party office in Mogadishu, Abdishakur emphasized on his refusal of acceptance by the decision of the court. Politician Abdishakur termed the court’s decision a politically motivated one to smear on his reputation, to restrict his movements and his political ambitions among others.
In the same venue, he also condemned the court’s verdict on the eight lawyers saying it amounted to mass punishment when they refused to represent him in the court. He expressed his amazement on the top leaders of the country and the judiciary how they ignored the illegal attack carried on his house and the subsequent killings of his security staff.
Referring to the verdict reached by the court, he mentioned as an indication on the darkness wrapped upon the supremacy of the constitution accusing the top leaders of the government of mobilizing pre-planned assassinations and arraigning political opponents in the courts. He appealed to his supporters to be calm and commended the traditional elders and other stakeholders who helped him in his case. Abdishakur represented Wadajir Party as a candidate in the last presidential election in Somalia in 2017.
Somali Upper House Discuss Border Dispute At Beled-Hawa Before Going For Recess
03 January – Source: Radio Dalsan -161 Words
The Somali Upper House has today discussed the Beled-Hawa border dispute after Kenya started the construction of the wall at the border once again. Senator Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail who is also known as Faratag has briefed the house on the issue. “This border issue was set by the Italy and British governments in 1935. Surely we were accompanied by land experts who know more about the issue and they told us that the wall is several kilometres within the Somali territory. 790 Somali households are on the other side of the wall fence,” said the Senator.
Speaker of the house Mr Abdi Hashi Abdullahi told members that there is the need for Somalia to defend its land in unity. After the debate, the Speaker adjourned the last sitting of the second season of the house and members left for two months recess. A colourful closing ceremony attended by senior government officials was held to mark the official closure of the house.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
US Says Two Terrorists Killed In Somalia Airstrike
03 January – Source: CNN – 190 Words
US forces conducted an airstrike on Tuesday targeting Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, US Africa Command said, the latest military action against the terror group in the country. The strike killed two terrorists and destroyed “one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu,” the statement said. The early morning strike occurred approximately 50 kilometers west of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. US Africa Command assesses that no civilians were killed in the strike. “US forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups,” the statement continued.
There have been over 30 strikes in Somalia since President Donald Trump took office. A Christmas Eve airstrike against Al-Shabaab killed 13 terrorists, US Africa Command said. In December, a State Department official told CNN the US is cutting some military aid to Somalia due to allegations of misuse, a move that comes even though the US has become more involved in Somalia, fighting Al-Shabaab and ISIS with airstrikes and having some 500 US troops in the country to advise local forces.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“We appeal to the international community not to give up on Dadaab. We have also held discussions with the Kenyan government to help rehabilitate the infrastructure which is shared with the local community,”
Somali Returnees Worry About Amenities
03 January – Source: Daily Nation – 665 Words
Aden Abdiraman Warsama, a Somali refugee who has been living at the Dadaab camp in Garissa County in northeastern Kenya since 2008, is optimistic about returning home. We met him on December 19 at the county airstrip with his wife and three children waiting to be flown to the port city of Kismayu under a voluntary repatriation programme.
The media had accompanied the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi to the Dadaab refugee complex. Mr Warsama was among some 20 families and 80 individuals being airlifted to Somalia. Voluntary repatriation “I need my country,” he said of Somalia, which has suffered two decades of civil war that has brought the country to its knees. While Mr Warsama felt Somalia was stable enough for him to return, he still appealed to the international community to help the government to provide basic amenities such as security and shelter as well as a source of income.
The voluntary repatriation programme was launched in December 2014 after the Kenyan government threatened to close the Dadaab camp that has been in existence for 26 years. Since then some 71,792 of 369,656 Somali refugees have returned to their homes. This year alone, 32,478 returned to their homes mainly in Kismayu, Mogadishu and Baidoa, that are considered safe. Another 4,949 non-Somalis have been relocated to Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County that mainly houses South Sudanese refugees. The Kambioos camp in Dadaab that used to hold over 19,000 refugees has been closed. It was one of five camps that made up the Daadab refugee complex. The remaining are Dagahaley, Hagadera, Ifo and Ifo II.
However, not all the remaining refugees are enthusiastic about returning home, citing insecurity, lack of infrastructure, health and educational facilities. About 400 Somalia refugees, who had signed up for voluntary repatriation have returned to Dadaab, posing a challenge to the UNHCR on how to help them because they had surrendered their refugee status and are not entitled to ratios.
Particularly, those who were born in Kenya are not even considering the option of returning, because they have no links with Somalia. Among them is 23-year-old Ayan Abdullahi Osman who is now married with four children. Ms Osman, a housewife, stays with her family at Ifo 1 camp. “If the camp is closed, it is up to the UNHCR to transfer me to another country because I have no links with Somalia, and it is not safe,” she said. Sirat Mohammed, a 51-year-old mother of two from Afmadow, whose son Anas Hassan Abdullahi is disabled, rules out any possibility of returning to Somalia, and would rather the government and UNHCR relocate her to another camp.
Equally Osman Noor Hussein, an 18-year old orphan, who sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education national exams in November at Ali Hulheab Academy in Garissa Township, is instead looking for sponsorship to enable him join secondary school. He has been living with an aunt ever since his parents died in 2002.
Donor support; Those who opt to return receive counselling and briefing for two weeks to ascertain that their return is voluntary. “We also allow them to consult with family and relatives in case they want to change their minds,” said James Taban, the repatriation officer. Once cleared, the returnees receive a cash grant of $200 and a World Food Programme card lasting six months. The package also includes $25 per month for education for the same duration, while those with special needs receive additional $30.