January 6, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Special security forces for the Puntland election
06 Jan- Source: Radio Dalsan- 141 words
Special security forces will be responsible for the ongoing Puntland election in Garowe, the region’s capital city. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) has donated on Sunday a cargo of special uniform for the security forces of the Puntland’s elections.
UNSOM head Nicholas Kay who reached Garowe on Sunday has officially handed over the uniforms for security forces to Gen Said Dheere, the officer in charge of security for the electionsin Garowe.
Puntland which is a semi-autonomous state of Somalia’s Federal Government is holding presidential election on wednesday whereby more than 10 candidates, including President Farole whose term in office recently ended. As usual, the new leader of the state will be elected by members of 66 MPs in the region’s local parliament which was selected by clan elders from their respective clans.
Key Headlines
- Somali soldier executed for killing student (Radio Moagdsihu/Dalsan/Kulmiye/RBC/
Jowhar Online/Hiiraan Online - Government troops launch security operations days after suicide bombing (Radio Shabelle)
- Djiboutian military supplies arrive in Beledweyne (Radio Bar-kulan)
- Special security forces for the Puntland election (Radio Dalsan)
- Two presidential candidates in Puntland pull out ahead of Wednesday’s election (Radio RBC/Hiiraan Online)
- Former Togdheer regional deputy governor released from jail (Somaliland Informer)
- New Somali faces appear amongst FIFA int’l referees list (Al Shahid)
- Firm tackling Somali piracy expecting £12m turnover (manchestereveningnews)
PRESS RELEASE
EU Special Envoy to Somalia condemns brutal attacks in Mogadishu
03 Jan- Source: EU Mission on Somalia-98 Words
The EU Special Envoy to Somalia, Michele Cervone d’Urso, condemns unequivocally the brutal attacks that killed 11 people and injured many others outside the Jazeera Hotel in Mogadishu on 1 January. The EU Special Envoy offers his deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved and underscores that the EU stands by the Somali people and its institutions.
“These attacks will not hamper the collective efforts of international community in supporting the Federal Government of Somalia to restore peace and security, he said. It will only strengthen our resolve to work jointly for a peaceful and stable Somalia.”
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali soldier executed for killing student
06 Jan- Source: Radio Moagdsihu/Dalsan/Kulmiye/RBC/
A military court in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu has ordered execution of a soldier of the Federal Government National Army in Mogadishu on Monday after finding him guilty for the killing of a high school student last year, RBC Radio reports. A firing squad consisting of five men from the military and the police forces executed the soldier named Maslah Isse at an open ground near the Police Academy in Harjajab district of Mogadishu.
The execution happened early on Monday as Military Court officials, members of the executed soldier, family of the murdered student and crowd of people gathered at the scene early morning. The Military Court officials said after long investigations on the case, the court ruled a death penalty against the soldier.
Government troops launch security operations days after suicide bombing
06 Jan- Source: Radio Shabelle/Dalsan- 107 words
The Somali police has launched a massive security operations days after two vehicles exploded outside the prestigious Jazira hotel, Shabelle radio reports. The heavily armed Somali police were led by deputy director of Banadir’s security affairs commissioner Warsame Hassan ‘Jothah’.
“We have arrested suspects and after thorough investigations we shall release some and continue questioning others,” said Warsame.
Mr. Warsame, during a press conference in Mogadishu, stated the suspects were closely observed by the Somali intelligence. He vowed that security will be tighten in the seaside city. The operations come days after several blasts occurred inside Mogadishu which led to loss of life, injuries and damage of large amount of property.
Djiboutian military supplies arrive in Beledweyne
06 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 77 words
Eight trucks carrying military supplies for the Djiboutian contingent of the AMISOM forces have on Mondayarrived in Beledweyne town, Hiran region.
AMISOM forces commander in Hiran region, Col. Osman Dubbad said that the military supplies were initially transferred from Mogadishu and were stranded in the central regions for a period of time.
AMISOM and Somali forces have on Sunday headed to Mataban town in Hiran region to escort the trucks to their bases in Beledweyne town.
Special security forces for the Puntland election
06 Jan- Source: Radio Dalsan- 141 words
Special security forces will be responsible for the ongoing Puntland election in Garowe, the region’s capital city. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) has donated on Sunday a cargo of special uniform for the security forces of the Puntland’s elections.
UNSOM head Nicholas Kay who reached Garowe on Sunday has officially handed over the dress for security forces to Gen Said Dheere, the leading officer of the election security in Garowe.
Puntland which is a semi-autonomous state of Somalia’s Federal Government is holding presidential electionon wednesday whereby more than 10 candidates, including President Farole whose term in office recently ended. As usual, the new leader of the state will be elected by members of 66 MPs in the region’s local parliament which was selected by clan elders from their respective clans.
Grenade attack injures one in Jowhar town
06 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 66 words
At least one person has been injured when a hand grenade hurled at a Khat kiosk on Sunday night in Jowhar, the provincial capital of Middle Shabelle region. Witnesses told Bar-kulan that all businesses in the area came into a complete stop after the grenade attack in Hanti-Wadag neighborhood. Security forces have reportedly conducted investigations into the incident; however, no arrests have been made so far.
Two presidential candidates in Puntland pull out ahead of Wednesday’s election
06 Jan- Source: Radio RBC/Hiiraan Online- 238 words
At least two of the Presidential Candidates in Somalia’s Semi-autonomous State of Puntland have officially relinquished the bid from Wednesday’s presidential election in Garowe, RBC Radio. Abdirisaq Nur Calula and Yasin Farah Cartan both from Bari region of Puntland have criticized the election process which they have said that it was not free and fair.
“I have decided to stop running for the Presidential Election in the coming Wednesday after having seen that the election is not free and fair,” Yain Farah Cartan said. He added that he won’t participate such elections in the region where he openly said that the freedom of candidates and the freedom of the people were banned. “We can not run for the election unless there is a full democracy and freedom,” he added.
Another presidential candidate Abdirisaq Nur Calula also announced that he has quit the election alleging that the election committee was not independent. Both candidates condemned the selection of the new parliament members of the region which they claim was nor transparency.
On Sunday, the Interim Election Committee of the Puntland Parliament announced the time frame of Wednesday’s presidential election as the committee also set number of Prerequisites for the presidential candidates. Each Presidential runner has to pay $10,000 for registration before the election day while the runner of the Vice President has to pay $5,000 for registration.
Former Somali PM hails Puntland as an example for Somalia’s federal system
06 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 126 words
Former Prime Minister of Somalia, Prof. Ali Mohamed Gedi has on Sunday hailed Puntland as a leading example for the federal system in Somalia. Gedi commended the election process of Puntland Parliament Speaker, Saeed Hassan Shire and his new Deputy Speakers, Abdihamid Sheikh Abdisalam and Hussein Yasin Dirie on Saturday in Garowe.
He told Bar-kulan that the election on Saturday was conducted in a fair and transparent manner. Gedi added that the newly elected Puntland Parliament Speaker, Saeed Farah Shire has previously held a ministerial post in his former government and has the leadership qualities to lead Puntland Parliament in the next five years. The former prime minister said that he was optimistic over fair and democratic presidential elections to take place in Puntland on Wednesday.
Former Togdheer regional deputy governor released from jail
06 Jan- Source: Somaliland Informer- 126 words
Former regional deputy governor of Togdheer region in Somaliland, Mr. Gulied Dahir Samatar, who spent three nights captivity at the port city Berbera after he was apprehended by UK funded RRU. According to conflicting reports say that he refused to leave the station and demanded that the police must prove the crime he committed and the law that allowed them to arrest without warrant.
Sultans and traditional chiefs have put the issue to rest after the former deputy governor was convinced that the issue will be reviewed later on but now has to accept and leave the station. Mr. Gulied is said to be in Hargeisa and expressed thanks to the free press and anyone who spoke about his unlawful apprehension. He added that his family was badly treated.
Federal Parliament applauds election of new Puntland Parliament Speaker
05 Jan- Source: Radio RBC- 322 words
During the conclusion of their third session, the Federal Parliament of Somalia praised the election of the Parliament Speaker in the Semi-autonomous State of Puntland on the Northeast of Somali, RBC Radio reports. The session attended by more than 160 MPs, the Speaker of the Federal Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari said that they were very excited and satisfied by the transparency and fair election in Garowe where the 66 Members of Puntland’s House of Representatives elected MP Said Hassan Shire as the new Speaker.
“The transparency, free and fair process which the election of Puntland region’s parliament took place is not only pride for the people of Puntland but also for the whole Somali people,” the Speaker of the Federal Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari said. He has called on Puntland’s new parliament to continue conducting its tasks ahead of the presidential election and maintain the peaceful process seen in the region. “I also call on other parts of the Somali Republic to work on forming their local administrations in a democratic way,” Speaker Jawari added.
Members of the Parliament in Somalia’s Semi-autonomous State of Puntland are preparing to elect new president on Wednesday (January 8th) after electing the Parliament Speaker and two Deputies in hot electionon Saturday, RBC Radio reports.
Saudi authorities deport 200 Somalis
04 Jan- Source: Radio Dalsan-101 Words
More than 200 Somalis deported from Saudi Arabia have reached Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle Airport on Friday. The people deported mostly young men and women were members of Somali immigrants who have travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to seek better life and work following the civil wars in their homeland. Some of those deported back to Mogadishu have said they were tortured and mistreated by the Saudi police while some of the people were detained for more than one month. The country’s civil aviation authorities said that more than two thousands Somalis were deported back to the country since September.
Somaliland to assist the youth start fishing businesses
04 Jan- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 111 words
Somaliland Ministry of Fishing has urged the youth to make good use of the rich natural resources in the country. Somaliland Minister of Fishing, Ali Jama Bure has called on the Somaliland youth who are struggling to cope with the high unemployment rates to take advantage of the natural marine resources.
He said that his ministry will facilitate and assist the youth to get the skills and the equipments necessary for starting small, profitable fishing businesses in the country. The minister said that such measures are aimed at preventing the youth from embarking dangerous journeys to Europe is search for a better life.
REGIONAL MEDIA
New Somali faces appear amongst FIFA int’l referees list
05 Jan- Source: Al Shahid- 362 words
The International Football Federation (FIFA) has announced the list of 2014 International referees and assistant referees, the list which shows young Somali faces who are the seemingly new to the international platform, but had so far served as referees in the country’s National league.
Some of the new faces who appeared in the international list include: Mohamed Hagi Hassan, Mohamed Musa Abdullahi, Aweys Abdullahi Sheikh and Ali Mohamud Mahad and as shown in the list their international standard starts from 2014 and will serve until they will have retired.
Bashir Olad Arab who formerly served as an international assistant referee now changed into a ‘centre’ referee after he was out for a period of one year in a bid to change position, as the law allows.
Some other key former international referees and assistant referees were removed from the FIFA list due to different reasons, according to Somali Football Federation referees development officer Chief Abdi Abdulle Ahmed, himself a former international centre referee.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Firm tackling Somali piracy expecting £12m turnover
06 Jan- Source: manchestereveningnews-537 words
A security firm which works to tackle Somali piracy on ships is expecting a turnover of more than £12million – two years after it was founded. Port2Port Maritime Ltd is headquartered in Manchester but also has offices in Singapore, Korea, Nigeria and Ghana.
The company specialises in the global shipping and offshore oil and gas industries and works ‘tirelessly’ for the security of seafarers, vessels, platforms and cargoes. Managing Director Andrew Varney said Port2Port employs 30 full time staff globally, with the majority based in Manchester.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The South Sudanese Government and the rebels should really learn a great lesson from Somalia from which I originally hails. As a Somali, I know the pains and the sorrows of a civil war. I know how war sends people to their graves no matter their guilt or innocence.”
South Sudan Should Learn from Somalia
06 Jan- Source: Scoop-532 Words
A fierce fighting has erupted in South Sudan. It has been in the news for a while now: but there is one thing the war has already achieved: both sides in the conflict are fighting a losing battle. No one will win it. People are getting displaced and this will create refugee crisis. It will send refugee oxidus to neighboring countries. And it will be very difficulty to help countless numbers of war runaways fleeing from the bloodshed.
War and famine are like twins and it is for sure that the violent mayhem in South Sudan will cause severe famine if not prevented before it is too late. And this will be widespread with a lot of famine victims who will be needing relief during the man made hunger.
According to news reports, what started as a squabble, between President Salva Kiir and his former vice president Riek Machar, gave birth to a civil war in South Sudan with ethnic overtones. The two men belong to the largest tribes in South Sudan: Kiir hails from Dinka and Machar is Neur. If you talk to the two men, each of them tells you a different story as to the spark of the war: president Kiir claims after he had sacked him, Mr. Machar tried a failed coup: on the other hand, Machar claims the president engaged in a political endeavor to marginalize him and the rest of the opposition.
“It was only few months ago when much of the world’s community regarded Mogadishu as the most dangerous city in the world, today the city is slowly rediscovering its steps to get to the right direction replaced by resilience and optimism.”
Mogadishu’s Miami: Lido Beach brings fresh perspective of a rediscovered Somalia
05 Jan- Source: Somali Current-786 Words
The international public as well as people who have even stayed in Somalia for a while especially non Somalis like UN/AU, NGOs, and Embassy staffs all those who work under strict security rules may have quite a different narrative of the real life in Somalia. One would say reading from a borrowed script in movie production jargons.
Despite the long list of challenges with incessant sensational media headlines of “breaking news” of devastation and disasters, thrilling stories of development and recovery lie underneath. Some journalists either out of sheer prejudice or other motives don’t go beyond stories of Explosions, Fighting, and Famine and recently the NGO sponsored sensationalized Human rights abuse yarns that have come into spotlight.
As a matter of fact there are great stories behind those alarming headlines; however I must contend that Journalists especially foreign journalist who “dictate” the international news frames about Somalia are always not lucky enough to move around beyond or even all over Mogadishu and see real life in Somalia.
Why is it necessary to complete the federalisation of Somalia?
05 Jan- Source: Somali Current-531 Words
Whenever a country goes into a deep conflict (civil war leaving deep scars in the society, mistrust and rivalry for obtaining their “fair share of power and resources”), it’s usual that the segments of the society run at odds against each other. A prescription is required to cure and overcome those difficulties and normally such prescription includes the changes you see in the bullet points affecting the governance structure and the constitution.
The changes introduce Federalism and moving away from unitary style of governance. In attempting to do that, governance in Somalia is restructured and completely overhauled. The changes needed are already realised and some of them need to come into the new Constitution, however they lay a strong foundation for the future of Somalia:
· Devolution: Have their fair share of power and resources through creating their Federal Member States (FMS) that unites with similar FMS of the other segments to form the Federal Republic of Somalia. Each FMS will retain certain powers and other powers will be left exclusively for the Federal Government. There are powers that the Federal Government and FMS share. Government offices and headquarters will not only be placed in Mogadishu but should be dispersed throughout the country.
Top tweets
@harunmaruf A big week in politics ahead: Cabinet announcement expected on Sun/Mon; #Somalia–#Somalilandtalks on Tue; #Puntland Pres election on Wed.
@Rooble2009 Book Review: Churchill and the Mad Mullah of Somaliland http://www.medeshivalley.com/
@keithellison Mayor of Minneapolis Betsy Hodges and I at observance for Prime Minister of Somalia Abdulweli Sheikh Ahmed pic.twitter.com/mKXTYRprpn
@lhammondsoas Somali community remittances named #1 campaign of 2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.
@SomaliPM 100s of new troops join SNA, “swear in name of Allah that I will defend the religion, people & country of#Somalia“ http://bit.ly/19LWWQq
Image of the day
New recruits take oath of loyalty to God, country and duty after successfully completing months-long training sessions at the 21st military training base in the city of Dhusamareeb, the provincial capital of Somalia’s central Galgadud region on Saturday. Photo: @harunmaruf