January 7, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Mortar Shells Attack Near Somali Presidential Palace
07 January – Source: Shabelle News – 93 Words
A barrage of mortar fire from unknown location pummeled parts of the Somali capital, killing at least two people, a witness has said. At least two people were confirmed dead in a mortar shelling around Somalia’s presidential palace in Mogadishu on Thursday. Some of the mortar shells landed around the administrative headquarters of Wardhigley district. The witness, who asked not to be identified, said two civilians, including an elderly woman were killed in the attack, which rattled a residential village near the State House. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Key Headlines
- Mortar Shells Attack Near Somali Presidential Palace (Shabelle News)
- Somalia Denies Reports Of Iranian Diplomats’ Possible Expulsion (Hiiraan Online)
- Ahmed Madobe Of Jubbaland in Adaado Town For The First Time (Radio Dalsan)
- Police Officers Should Be Trained In Somalia Says Former PM (Shabelle News)
- WFP Denies Allegations It Undermines Somalia’s Agriculture Industry (Hiiraan Online)
- New Contingent Of Nigerian Police Arrive In Somalia (AMISOM)
- Death Of Teen In Fall From Capitol Hill Building Ruled An Accident (The Seattle Times)
- Hadraawi The Great African Poet We Should Know (The Star)
- ‘You Are An American — Find Your Dream’ (Post Bulletin)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Denies Reports Of Iranian Diplomats’ Possible Expulsion
07 January – Source: Hiiraan Online – 345 Words
Somalia’s government has denied reports that it plans to expel Iranian diplomats in the country in response to the diplomatic fallout between Saudi Arabia and Iran which continues to spread to other countries after Saudi embassy attack in Tehran. The development comes one day after the Somali government condemned the embassy attack, calling it as a ‘flagrant’ violation of international laws after Saudi Arabia cut all diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday. However, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdisalam Hadliye said that Somalia still maintains a ‘warm’ relationship with Iran, denying reports that his government aims to expel Iranian diplomats in Mogadishu by siding with the Saudi government.
“Those reports are baseless, our mutual relationship remains the same despite the fact that Somali intelligence arrested Iranians for visiting a wrong place.” He told BBC Somali Service in an interview Wednesday. The minister’s remarks come following an outrage by Somalis who took to the social media in response to the possible expulsion of Iranian diplomats by the Mogadishu-based government, calling the government not to join a war which is not hers. “We should not take a blind decision by madly following Saudi Arabia which continues to expel and abuse our fellow citizens in their country.” Tweeted Mohamed Nur, a Somali Belgian in Athens.
“Iran has done no mistake to receive an unfair decision from us. Please look before you do it.” He said. Meanwhile, more countries in Middle East have followed Saudi Arabia and severed ties with Iran. UAE, Bahrain and Sudan are the latest countries that sided with Saudi Arabia in its diplomatic row with Iran. In the meantime, there have been reports that the tiny horn of Africa nation of Djibouti has also cut ties with Iran, according to the Saudi-funded Al Arabiya TV, however, the Djibouti government hasn’t yet confirmed the report. Saudi Arabia said it has taken the action after Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran, ransacking and setting fire to the building in retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric and 46 others on Saturday,” Business Insider reported.
Ahmed Madobe Of Jubbaland in Adaado Town For The First Time
07 January – Source: Radio Dalsan – 171 Words
The President of Jubbaland Ahmed Madoobe has on Wednesday for the first time visited Adaado town the current headquarters Galamudug in central Somalia after having received official invitation from his counterpart in Galmudug state Abdikarim Hussein Gulled. President Madoobe was accompanied by officials from his government including Ministers.
President Madoobe was warmly welcomed at Adaado airport by a group of Galmudug officials spearheaded by the President of Galmudug Mr. Gulled. During his visit the president of Jubbaland will be having meetings with his counterpart and some other officials in the Galmudug state.
President Madobe is scheduled to take off to Bosaso where he will be attending the opening ceremony of the newly refurbished Bosaso airport. On the 10th of this month the officials of the Federal Government of Somalia and regional governments will be meeting in Kismayo where a national conference to discuss the future of Somalia will be opening.
Police Officers Should Be Trained In Somalia, Says Former PM
07 January – Source: Shabelle News – 133 Words
Former Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has recommended that the federal government should train the country’s police officers in Armo, a historic town in Puntland State. Speaking at a welcoming event, Mr Ahmed said: “Armo is the right place for the training center of the Somali police officers instead of taking them to a foreign country.”
Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed said Somalia has a role model police officers to lead in the efforts to restore law and order of the country which has been plagued by two decades of conflict. Mr Ahmed and other officials who served the nation have been in Puntland towns, north east of Somalia for the past few days, a move that is part of their political campaign inside the country before the upcoming election in August.
WFP Denies Allegations It Undermines Somalia’s Agriculture Industry
07 January – Source: Hiiraan Online – 285 Words
The World Food Programme has denied allegations by Somalia’s government that its Somalia operation continues to undermine the country’s agriculture by starting its food aid distributions at the country’s harvest period; a scenario which the government says discourages farmers from producing crops and degrades local crops’ value. Somalia’s deputy minister of agriculture said that WFP’s current operation setting continues to undercut Somalia’s farming industry and ‘depressed’ farmers.
However, WFP has denied the allegations, reiterating that it empowers Somali farmers to boost the local production. “Strengthening livelihoods is a core objective of WFP’s programmes in Somalia. WFP and its partners are working with Somali farmers, providing technical training and support to boost their production capacity and linking them to international markets.” The statement sent to Hiiraan Online said Thursday.
“WFP has purchased maize from Somali farmers on a number of occasions, and is currently in the process of buying more than 1000 metric tons of maize from a cooperative of farmers in Afgoye and Awdheegle.” It added. Agriculture is the most important economic sector for Somalia as it accounts for about 65% of the GDP and employs 65% of the workforce while livestock contributes about 40% to GDP and more than 50% of
The development comes despite a recent report by, the World Food Programme that the situation in Somalia has improved since the crisis of 2011, when four million people experienced extreme food insecurity and famine occurred in some regions of the south. However, the gradual recovery and gains made are being threatened as below average rains, conflict and trade disruptions combined with limited humanitarian access and resources have left thousands of people in need of lifesaving food and nutrition assistance, according to the agency.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
New Contingent Of Nigerian Police Arrive In Somalia
07 January – Source: AMISOM – 287 Words
A new contingent of 140 Nigerian police officers have been deployed in Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to support ongoing pacification efforts. The newly deployed personnel replace their colleagues who completed a one year tour of duty in Somalia in December 2016. The police officers attached to the Formed Police Unit arrived at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday 6 January 2016, where they were welcomed by AMISOM Deputy Police Commissioner, Christine Alalo.
“Specifically, they are coming to support the Somali police with operational duties. That is, escort duties, cordon and search operations, they will be doing day and night patrols like what the rest have been doing, to ensure that there is security within Mogadishu,” said the Deputy Police Commissioner.
The newly deployed personnel will undergo induction training before they commence their duties. The induction training is intended to introduce the personnel to the purpose of the mission in Somalia, and enable them adapt better to life in Somalia, before embarking on their one-year assignment. Nigeria is one of the Police Contributing Countries (PCCs) under AMISOM, alongside Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Alalo hailed Nigerian police personnel for the professional conduct while serving under AMISOM.
Death Of Teen In Fall From Capitol Hill Building Ruled An Accident
06 January – Source: The Seattle Times – 476 Words
Medical examiners have determined the death of 16-year-old Hamza Warsame in a fall from a Capitol Hill building last month was an accident. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office announced Wednesday that the teen died from “blunt-force injury” caused by an “unintentional fall.” The announcement was made on the medical examiner’s recorded line. The promising Rainier Beach High School student fell from the balcony of a six-story apartment building on the afternoon of Dec. 5.
Police had met with Warsame’s family Tuesday night to discuss the investigation. “They gave us a lot of information,” said the teen’s sister, Ikram Warsame, an 18-year-old University of Washington student. “There are some things we wish could have been explained more. We’re hoping in time we’ll come to understand.” The family didn’t want to say more until they have a meeting Wednesday night. Warsame’s death, which occurred just three days after the San Bernardino, Calif., terrorist shootings, touched off widespread speculation that the Muslim teen may have been the victim of a hate crime.
Seattle police initially released little information on the death of the Somali-American teen as detectives investigated. Early on, police said there were no indications Warsame’s death was the result of foul play, but that did little to quell mounting rumors of a hate crime. Assistant Police Chief Robert Merner personally supervised the investigation.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Call him a thinker, a philosopher, an intellectual, a revolutionary, a critic, a teacher, at every turn in the checkered history of his homeland, Hadraawi has delighted his people with his striking poetry, and his clarity of vision, speaking truth to power when the occasion demanded, joining the guerrilla movement to fight in the trenches, fleeing into exile in the UK, where he became so depressed and would turn down persistent requests to seek political asylum. Hadraawi returned home instead.”
Hadraawi, The Great African Poet We Should Know
07 January – Source: The Star – 546 Words
“Whenever the legendary Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame ‘Hadraawi’ described as the greatest living Somali poet, walked from the conference hall, he was mobbed by the crowd.” That’s how I annotated my essay when I first met Hadraawi in Djibouti in 2012. I would sue for an interview. But it was difficult to get Hadraawi that day, as the frenzied mob threw a cauldron around him, taking ‘selfies’ with the legend, when the phenomenon was not so much in vogue.
A student at the University of Djibouti who knew me as one of a handful of literary journalists covering the conference on the 40th anniversary of Somali Language Script, scrapped me through to Hadraawi, who stopped to hear my plea; it was drowned in the cacophony! However, Hadraawi took my notebook, and in there, using his pen, left a squiggle, a symbol, an image, or was it an autograph? And that was Hadraawi, instructive!
Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame, ‘Hadraawi’ was born in 1943 into a nomadic, camel-herding family in Burao District in Somaliland. He attended his Koranic lessons, madrassa, in the famous port city of Aden. It was here that the future great poet showed his prowess as an entrancing storyteller, to be admired.
Young “Hadraawi would seize any opportunity availed to him by his teacher’s short absence and gather his classmates around him, entertaining them with his recitations of traditional Somali folk tales which he had amassed in his childhood, sometimes with the addition of his own stories for extra flavour.” His Koranic teacher took notice, and nicknamed him, “Hadraawi,” – the big talker. Thus, the legend was born. Hadraawi went ahead to study at St Anthony High School for his secondary education, and thereafter proceeded to Lafole Teachers Education College, near Mogadishu.
“I want my students to understand they can help make Rochester a safer place by having open communication and dialogue with those who are different, Ahmed said. If we as adults come together, the kids will see and will follow. I tell them if they don’t know what Christians believe, ask one instead of just believing what they see on TV. I go to all different kinds of places and meet people with all religions. It makes us better.”
‘You Are An American — Find Your Dream’
06 January – Source: Post Bulletin – 767 Words
It started when Rochester Math and Science Academy teacher Deq Ahmed asked his eighth grade class a simple question: “Are you an American?” “Their responses were, ‘No, I’m a Somali,'” he said. “I found this amazing, since all but three were born in the United States. “I told them, ‘You can make changes here. Don’t cut yourself short,'” he said. “‘You are an American. Find your dream and go live it! The color of your skin, religion or gender shouldn’t matter here.”
From that classroom question came the idea for 30 eighth graders to travel to Washington, D.C., from April 4-8. “The class will visit the White House, congressional offices, go to the steps where Martin Luther King Jr. did his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech — places where history comes to life and they can see where and how laws are made, and hopefully meet the president,” Ahmed said. “I want to create better citizens who can become taxpayers and take care of their parents. America is a melting pot with many opportunities. If I lived in Somalia, I would never have had this chance.”
Through the trip, Ahmed wants to instill a sense of citizenship. “I want to open their eyes,” he said. “Most have never been out of Rochester or on an airplane. These students are from low-income families, but I want to give them this chance. The whole idea is it’s good to learn in the classroom, but it’s good to learn outside of the classroom, too. We need that balance.
“There is a lot of negativity now in the news,” Ahmed said. “Daily I ask my students how events like San Bernadino are affecting them. I teach them how to respond and to calm down. My own family had a bad experience leaving Apache Mall a month ago. A car full of high school students called my wife and child ‘rug heads’ and yelled to ‘go back to Saudi Arabia.’ My wife is not even from there. She was scared for her safety and our child.
TOP TWEETS
@US2SOMALIA : #Kenya Anti-Terror Police Unit holding 8 suspected #alShabaab militants for interrogation after they were intercepted en route to #Somalia
@imanmali : #Puntland‘s New international airport is opening &#Somalia‘s leaders are flocking to it. Are you?
@HussienM12 : #SOMALIA: New contingent of Nigerian Police arrive in Somalia
@_DarkPeace_ : In 2015, #Somalia‘s journalists faced terrorist attacks, repressive media legislation – IFEXhttps://www.ifex.org/somalia/
@OCHASom : In #Somalia, malnutrition still affect 1 in 7 children 5yrs after famine via @unicefsomaliahttp://bit.ly/1VLrqoQ
@DrumChronicles : #Somalia #Mogadishu four youth activists shot and injured by govt security forces
@MahadWasuge : Reliable sources confirmed that the National Consultative Forum conference in #Kismayo was postponed to20th of January. #Somalia
@xogtawararka : #AlShabaab take over GoofGaduud Shabellow in wilayat Bay& Bakool after heavy fighting erupts this morning casualties reported #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Panoramic aerial view shot from over the Indian Ocean of the seaport of the southern Somali city of Kismayo.
Photo: UNSOS