January 8, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Ethiopian troops withdrew from parts of Galgadud region
08 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 148 Words
Reports from Galgadud region in central Somalia state that Ethiopian troops under AMISOM pulled out from some areas in the region. People in the region confirm that the forces withdrew from Eel Garas and Eel la Helay localitiesin the late hours of the night.
The forces advanced towards Dusa Mareb district, the headquarters of the region, according to sources in the area. A senior security official from federal government who will remain anonymous confirmed the pull out of Ethiopian troops from the area, but the reason behind their withdrawal is not clearly known. It’s not known whether other Ethiopian troops will be sent to replace the withdrawn forces in the area. Eel Garas and Eel La Helay are among the areas seized by the joint forces after the offensive military operations against Al-Shabab began earlier last year.
Key Headlines
- Vehicles ferrying food aid were set ablaze (Radio Danan)
- Ethiopian troops withdrew from parts of Galgadud region (Radio Goobjoog)
- New Turkish consul General Ramis Sen visits Somali community in Minnesota (Global Somali Diaspora/Hiiraan Online)
- Somali forces close parts of Maka Al-Mukarama road (Radio Goobjoog)
- Pests attack farms in Bay and Bakool (Radio Danan)
- Displaced farmers trained to resume production (Radio Ergo)
- AU Commissioner of Peace and Security visits Somalia (AMISOM)
- Al-Shabaab executes 4 in Gedo accused of spying (Sabahi Online)
- Roundup: Somalia peace process needs paradigm shift to address realities: experts (Xinhua News)
- AU calls for more humanitarian aid to Somalia (Press TV)
SOMALI MEDIA
Vehicles ferrying food aid were set ablaze
08 Jan – Source: Radio Danan – 94 Words
The commissioner of Goof Gaduud District in Bay Region, Ahmed Adan Mohamed, said vehicles which were transporting food to his district were burned by Al-Shabaab. Speaking to Danan Radio, the commissioner of Goof Gaduud said the vehicles which carrying bagaash, meaning smaller food items, were waylaid before they were set ablaze. The commissioner added that those vehicles were bringing food aid from Baidoa to his district. The reason of the attack is not clear, however the commissioner of Goof Gaduud, Ahmed Adan said Al-Shabaab masterminded the attack.
Ethiopian troops withdrew from parts of Galgadud region
08 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 148 Words
Reports from Galgadud region in central Somalia state that Ethiopian troops under AMISOM pulled out from some areas in the region. People in the region confirm that the forces withdrew from Eel Garas and Eel la Helay localitiesin the late hours of the night.
The forces advanced towards Dusa Mareb district, the headquarters of the region, according to sources in the area. A senior security official from federal government who will remain anonymous confirmed the pull out of Ethiopian troops from the area, but the reason behind their withdrawal is not clearly known. It’s not known whether other Ethiopian troops will be sent to replace the withdrawn forces in the area. Eel Garas and Eel La Helay are among the areas seized by the joint forces after the offensive military operations against Al-Shabab began earlier last year.
New Turkish consul General Ramis Sen visits Somali community in Minnesota
08 Jan – Source: Global Somali Diaspora/Hiiraan Online – 220 Words
Consul General of the Republic of Turkey, Ramis Sen visited the Minnesota Somali Community at Global Somali Diaspora’s North American office in Minneapolis on Tuesday. The Somali-American Community thanked the Consul General for his visit and discussed with him the unique relationship between the two countries. “Turkey has led the way on every level, Turks have drilled wells, built schools, and hospitals, offered scholarships to Somali youth, and conducted additional activities with a far reaching impact on the life of the average Somalis” said Sadik Warfa, Deputy Director of Global Somali Diaspora. The Consul General and the Somali-American Community discussed ways in which both the Turkish and Somali Americans can work together in collaborative ways. “The Turkish government is committed to work with Somali Diaspora, and facilitate in ways in which Turkish Diaspora and Somali Diaspora can work area of commonality and strengthen the bond that already exist in both communities” said Consul General Ramis Sen. The Consul General thanked the warm welcome he received and promised in his side that he will do whatever he can to continue to build on the relationship. The meeting ended with recognition and gratitude that the visit will be the beginning of lasting relationship between peoples and governments on every level.
Somali forces close parts of Maka Al-Mukarama road
08 Jan – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 133 Words
Some parts of Maka Al-Mukarama road in the heart of Mogadishu remain closed since Wednesday evening. Security forces patrol most of the junctions of the busy road, and the closure of the road has affected the area between the junctions of national theatre and Dabka where the public and private vehicles have been forced onto small roads in the villages. The reason behind the closure of the road is not clearly known, but security officials say its one of the government’s efforts to beef up the security of the capital that has suffered series of attacks in recent weeks. A heavy presence of security forces is apparent on all the roads leading to Somali presidential palace and the federal parliament.
Pests attack farms in Bay and Bakool
08 Jan – Source: Radio Danan – 90 Words
Farmers in Bay and Bakool regions said pests attack their crops more frequently and persistently these days. They added that they don’t have equipments or pest control drugs. “The biggest problem is that the pests eat our crops,” one of the farmers said. Farmers in those regions have called on the Interim Southwest Administration, and the federal Ministry of Agriculture to provide them equipment and pest control drugs so that they can combat the pests which eat up their crops.
Displaced farmers trained to resume production
07 Jan – Source: Radio Ergo – 277 Words
30 displaced farmers who have been living in Baidoa IDP camps for the past six years have received training to help them resume their livelihoods. The training is focused on promoting farmers’ skills and encouraging them to take advantage of their resources, according to Abdikadir Nur Abu, head of Baidoa Agricultural University, the training organizers. Abdinor Ibrahim Mohamed, 50, was displaced from his farm on the outskirts of Wajid in Bakol region four years ago. He said he was confident the new skills he learnt on the course would help him. “I appreciate the lecturers who taught us voluntarily, and sacrificed their time for us. We are willing to return back to our drought-affected villages if we receive farming equipment to improve our production,” he said.
Maryan Hassan Ali, another farmer, said she and her family used to depend on crops harvested from their farm in Goof-Gadud village, 20 km south of Baidoa. She told Radio Ergo she was willing to go back to her village after six years in an IDP camp. “We lived a good life before we were displaced by drought and conflicts. Life in Baidoa camps is really appalling. So we are willing to go back if we are provided with farming equipment,” she said. Fatuma Issack Yussuf said aid agencies and the Somali government had not reached out enough support to poor farmers, saying that returning farmers like herself needed tools to renovate and their farms after being left so long uncultivated. “We are appealing for support including pesticides and improved irrigation systems, then we can return and end the hard life in the camp,” Fatuma said.
REGIONAL MEDIA
AU Commissioner of Peace and Security visits Somalia
07 Jan – Source: AMISOM – 385 Words
The African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui has today led a high-level delegation to Somalia, in a show of solidarity, following the recent terrorist attack, at the main AMISOM Halane base camp in Mogadishu. He was accompanied by representatives of the Chiefs of Defence Forces of AMISOM troop contributing countries. Ambassador Chergui and his delegation were accompanied by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Maman S.Sidikou.
Ambassador Chergui paid a courtesy call on Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia Presidential Palace. The two held closed door consultations. Speaking after the meeting, the President said the discussions were fruitful and tackled means of improving security in Somalia, among other aspects. “We spoke about the AMISOM support to the Somali government, especially on security and the fight against the enemy. They were a big delegation who discussed with us important issues like the support to the Somali security forces in order to prepare them to be able to ultimately take over from AMISOM,” the President said.
Al-Shabaab executes 4 in Gedo accused of spying
07 Jan – Source: Sabahi Online – 222 Words
Hooded al-Shabaab gunmen executed four blindfolded men in Bardhere in Gedo region Tuesday (January 6th), accusing them of spying for Somali and foreign governments, AFP reported. The four were executed by firing squad in a public square as hundreds looked on, according to eyewitness Ali Ronow. “The men were blindfolded and shot from the back by a team of hooded gunmen,” he said.
“All of them had their hands tied behind their backs when brought on a pickup truck and they were also hooded,” said Muktarey, another witness. “They were shot indiscriminately with machine guns.” An al-Shabaab judge accused the men of aiding US government intelligence operations in Barawe, facilitating the killing of an al-Shabaab commander, and working for Ethiopian intelligence and Somalia’s security agency.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, a bomb attached to the car of a university lecturer in Mogadishu seriously wounded him, Somalia’s Goobjoob news reported. No other casualties were reported. Police officer Awil Mohamed told AFP the victim’s leg was ripped off in the blast. “I saw his leg in a shoe left inside the car,” said Farah Abdi, who was nearby the busy KM-4 junction when the bomb exploded. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but al-Shabaab has carried out similar bombings and targeted killings of Somalia’s intellectuals in Mogadishu.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Roundup: Somalia peace process needs paradigm shift to address realities: experts
08 Jan – Source: Xinhua News – 785 Words
While the African Union (AU) peacekeeping operation in Somalia has been lauded for creating relative peace in parts of Somalia, experts meeting here are now warning of a backlash. Top army generals of troop contributing countries, diplomats and the African Union Commission officials are meeting here in a two-day retreat to discuss how to address new challenges facing Somalia. According to the office of the AU Special Representative of Somalia, the prevailing political and security realities in Somalia are likely to undermine the success achieved in stabilizing the country.
At the retreat which started in Kampala on Wednesday, Maman Sidikou Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission said the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) needs a new paradigm shift in its operations if it is to remain relevant in helping to stabilize the Horn of African country. “There is the critical challenge of how effective we have been in supporting the government in meeting the needs of the populations in those places we have recovered from Al Shabaab,” he said in a statement read by his deputy Lydia Wanyoto.
“We run the risk of turning the populations against us if we do not now turn our full attention to the population in the recovered areas. Today’s liberation army could become an occupation force tomorrow if the people cannot benefit from tangible peace dividends,” he added. The new realities in Somalia are lack of political cohesion, lack of international consensus on how to solve the decades long crisis and the delayed relief support to populations in areas that have been captured from the Al Shabaab, the militant group fighting government.
AU calls for more humanitarian aid to Somalia
07 Jan – Source: Press TV – Video – 2:13 Minutes
Fighting between the Al-Shabaab militants and allied forces of the African Union and Somalia has left many killed, and caused disruption and displacement to the local population. Despite allied forces’ Operation Eagle leading to key territorial gains against the Al-Shabaab militants, the humanitarian situation within the liberated districts is reportedly dire.
According to Somali government officials, ground access is limited in more than 70% of districts in South and Central region due to insecurity. Meeting in the Ugandan Capital Kampala, the African Union Special Representative urged the AU forces on the ground in Mogadishu to adapt to new challenges if Al-shabaab militants are to be contained. Though strategic areas are liberated, there are concerns that the flexibility and fluency needed to fight the militants is not there due to the rigidity of the chain of command. Joint military offensive by the Somali National Army and the African Union Mission in 2014 saw over twenty towns recovered from Al-shabaab.
Uganda calls for bolstering Somali army
07 Jan – World Bulletin/Anadolu Agency – 748 Words
Ugandan Defense Minister Crispus Kiyonga has asserted the urgent need to bolster Somalia’s national army, calling on the international community and donor nations to help towards this end. “A Somali National Army must be built yesterday,” Kiyonga said at a retreat in Kampala for representatives of countries that have contributed troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
“The young people are there – we’ve seen them and we’ve trained them [in order] to ensure that the Somali National Army is built quickly,” he added. Kiyonga insisted that the key to stabilizing Somalia was the establishment of its own national army, so that the lives of African troops killed in the long-troubled Horn of Africa nation would not have been lost in vain. “There have definitely been costs. We have lost a lot of troops, as on Dec. 25, when four AMISOM soldiers, including one Ugandan military officer, were killed,” he said. “And many [others] have been maimed.”
Kiyonga lamented, however, that some donor countries had insisted on the “partial sponsorship” of AMISOM troops, which, he said, had made work difficult. He added: “You find some of our partners saying, for the army, I will support 4,000. No, if the army is 10,000, what happens to the balance? This partial support does not work, at least not in Africa.” Somalia has remained in the grip of on-again, off-again violence since the outbreak of civil war in 1991. The fractious country recently appeared to inch closer to stability after government troops and African Union forces drove Al-Shabaab militants from most of their strongholds.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“When completed, The National Library will have collections in Somali, Arabic, English and Italian languages. In addition to being The National Library, a wing of the building will be dedicated to the National Archives and it will provide other services, including Mobile library, Resource center and Digital library that provide electronic access to significant digitized collections of literary, artistic, cultural, historic and scientific materials.”
Reviving the National Library: A great opportunity for Somali youth
07 Jan – Source: Somali Current – 526 Words
After the overthrow of the former military regime in Somalia in 1991, all government institutions were destroyed. The country was engulfed by what a Somali architect described as ‘a man made earthquake.’ All public buildings were ruined by the prolonged civil war and the educational institutions such as The National Library were among the hardest hit.
The National Library (TNL), a three-story building, was established in 1986 and is located at Hamar Weyne district at the center of Mogadishu, opposite of the National Museum and the National Theatre. The building has sustained major damages during the war, and all of its resources were looted; in the later years the building became a shelter for internally displaced people (IDPs) and squatters. However, currently, the building has been cleared and is ready for rehabilitation.
After years of lawlessness, displacement, and chaos, radiometry educational institutions were re-established by non-governmental organizations and private individuals who set out to revive this country’s education sector in order to fill the educational gap, make money (as all forms of education was privatized) as well as to create opportunities for the young generation.
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Image of the day
AU Commissioner of Peace and Security Visits Somalia. Photo: AMISOM