July 2, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali Government Plans To Resume The Talks With Somaliland
01 July – Source: Halbeeg News – 266 Words
The Federal Government has announced that it will resume talks with the northern breakaway state of Somaliland. Speaking to hundreds of people at Banadir football stadium during the commemoration of Somalia’s Independence Day on 1st July, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo said the government was ready to resume the talks with Somaliland: “Somaliland is the land of our brothers and sisters, and despite hardships that may have prompted our division, this government is ready to resume true and genuine talks with Somaliland. The Somali people are brothers” he declared.
However, President Farmajo did not disclose the exact date when the talks will take place. The sides have in the past held talks abroad despite lack of comprehensive agreement arrived at on the thorny issues. Somaliland raised hopes of a breakthrough in the talks in February this year after its Foreign Minister, Sa’ad Ali Shire, said Somalia and Somaliland leaders would hold a meeting in Djibouti to pave way for further discussions. Despite the announcement, the meeting is yet to take place.
In 2015, the Turkish-sponsored talks between the Somali government and the breakaway Somaliland collapsed with no tangible progress reached following hard conditions tabled by Somaliland. Then the authorities of Somaliland accused Somali government of sending members who hail from the breakaway region to represent it at the talks. Among the issues the sides flatly disagreed on was control of country’s airspace, then under the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Federal Government wanted the air traffic to be controlled in Mogadishu while Somaliland demanded to be given full authority to control their own airspace.
Key Headlines
- Somali Government Plans To Resume The Talks With Somaliland (Halbeeg News)
- Eleven Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In The Outskirts Of Baar Sanguun (Jowhar.com)
- Measles Outbreak Kills Children In Lower Shebelle Somalia (Goobjoog News)
- Somalia Condemns Mortar Attack That Left 5 Dead In Mogadishu (China.org.cn)
- Qatar Charity Launches Dispensary In Mogadishu (Gulf Times)
- Journey Remains Unfinished (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Eleven Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In The Outskirts Of Baar Sanguun
02 July – Source: Jowhar.com – 145 Words
Reports from BarSanguuni area of Lower Juba region indicate that several Al-shabaab fighters were killed following a joint operation conducted by the Somali National Army (SNA) and supported by the American forces.
According to army officials of the 43rd battalion, 11 Al-Shabaab fighters were killed by government forces in Muuse Haji village following heavy fighting between government forces and the militia group. Army commanders from the 43rd battalion of the SNA has reported that they conducted a well organized operation against the Al-Shabaab in the area, which was fruitful.
Meanwhile, commander of the 58th Division announced that the Al-Shabaab commander of Muuse Haji Village known as Ali Abdullahi Sadaq surrendered to the government forces and was paraded in Barsaguuni location. Allied forces have been conducting operations in recent weeks in Barsanguuni area, and have received aerial support from friendly forces.
Measles Outbreak Kills Children In Lower Shebelle Somalia
02 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 97 Words
At least three children have died in a measles outbreak in Raage-ceyle District in the Lower Shebelle region. According to reports, more than 30 children are currently hospitalized after contracting the disease.
Omar Ali, a District Commissioner told Goobjoog News that over the last few days, several children have fallen ill and lack of proper health services and centres to treat the affected children in the area has exacerbated the situation. Omar urged the Somali Federal Government and the international organizations to immediately intervene with a view to rescue victims of the measles outbreak in the region.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Condemns Mortar Attack That Left 5 Dead In Mogadishu
02 July – Source: China.org.cn – 213 Words
The Somali government on Monday condemned a mortar attack on Sunday in Mogadishu that reportedly left at least five people dead and more than ten others injured. The Ministry of Information also lauded quick response by the Somali security forces and the African Union Mission (AMISOM) troops for their swift response to the incident in Wadajir district. “The Federal Government of Somalia reiterates that acts of terrorism will not deter Somalia from its path of peace and state building, and emphasizes its commitment to building a safe and prosperous future for the Somali people,” the ministry said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
“The Federal Government of Somalia expresses its condolences to the families of those victims who lost their lives and wishes the injured speedy recovery,” the ministry added. Suspected Al-Shabaab militants fired three rounds of mortar shells targeting the heavily guarded airport but struck a residential neighborhood leaving five family members dead.
Witnesses said the mortar shells targeted the AMISOM military command camp in Halane which is located near the airport but the shells did not land in the compound. “The Federal Government of Somalia expresses regret that this evil and cowardly attack was perpetrated on Somalia’s Independence Day, a day of celebration for our nation and people,” said the ministry.
Qatar Charity Launches Dispensary In Mogadishu
02 July – Source: Gulf Times – 394 Words
Qatar Charity’s office in Somalia, in cooperation with the Benadir Regional Administration, opened a dispensary in Wadajir, an impoverished neighbourhood in Mogadishu. Nearly 93,000 needy people are expected to benefit from the health services. Most residents of the area are poor and suffer from the lack of basic health services, as they are not able to afford the costs of private hospitals, QC said in a statement. The 300 square meter dispensary is expected to provide the required health services, mostly for children, women and elderly.
The opening ceremony was attended by a number of Somali ministers and local figures, including Abdirahman Omar Osman, governor and mayor of Mogadishu, who lauded the Qatari donations that contribute to helping the needy. The ceremony was also attended by Osman Mohamed Abdi, deputy minister of ports and marine resources, who noted the importance of the development and relief projects implemented by QC for the benefit of the Somali people.
In February, QC’s office in Somalia handed over three ambulances to hospitals in Mogadishu to support the country’s health services. The ambulance donation came at a time when many hospitals in Somalia were suffering from a severe shortage in the patient transport services, especially for urgent cases, as many vehicles were not designed to provide first aid, which had maximised the risk to the lives of many patients. In March, QC interacted with the operation of mobile health clinics in Somalia, especially in the southern provinces, which are still ongoing in the field. Medical convoys provide primary health services to the displaced and the poor, especially mothers and children under the age of five. So far, around 27,300 people have benefited from this project.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“It remains a constant struggle for many of us to maintain a romantic view of life whilst surrounded by violence and uncertainty. Furthermore, the poverty which has afflicted our beloved people back home in Somalia has made us even more vulnerable.”
Journey Remains Unfinished
30 June – Source: Hiiraan Online – 627 Words
The current state of our Somalia nation has been severely hampered by the quality of its office holders. We are displeased with it and have even relinquished the possibility of good government. On the contrary, we would sincerely like to have decent and fulfilling lives. Government is an institution that should work for the betterment of its citizen; serving in the government is a means not an end.
Therefore, the nature of the government comes from the character of its people. It is not something that you can borrow, copy, and paste. Since independence in 1960, we have been following unseen pathways which led us down the road to destruction and destitution. Despite our high expectations about the romantic view of the independence and the promise of great future, we have become incapable of administering an institution that behaves like a corporation.
However, we cannot simply blame the government without reflecting upon our role as individuals. We have devoted all of our attention to repairing the external while neglecting the internal and the spiritual components. Therefore, we cannot produce a mature and successful system that has native characteristics. Instead we entertained foreign and cosmetic entity that has failed to fulfill our social expectations.
I can’t argue with our primitive taste of egalitarian society. This taste might have some negative ingredients about the vertical and horizontal hierarchy in which modern societies have to thrive and prosper. Moreover, it has become a plausible notion for our deep rooted, uncontested self-rightness that has surfaced as individuals promote their own personal interests, which is good for oneself; but detrimental to the overall well being of a cohesive society.
TOP TWEETS
@DrBeileh: Welcomed @WorldBank experts on Water & Agriculture to @MofSomalia today. We discussed improving Water Security in Somalia through empowering current & future investment. I wish @WorldBank team success in their meetings with other relevant Ministries in #Somalia
@Halbeeg_News: Al-Shabab Administrator Defects to Somali Army in Southern Somalia
@AbdulBillowAli: Glad to report that my good friend & brother@jamakaluun is safe & sound. He survived an attempt on his life in #Somaliland after armed police attacked his family home in#Hargeysa. Jaama will in the coming hours or days issue an official statement re z ordeal. #Somalia
@Bistandsdebatt: Coming from a context in extreme #Violence, young people are the voices that must come forward in order to overcome the conflict in #Somalia – @IlwadElman #utvpol#sverigeivarlden
@FBAFolke
@Magdashi3: BREAKING: A govt soldier shot dead Rick-Show (#bajaj) driver between Seybiyano and #Banadir junction in#Mogadishu over unknown reason. #Somalia
@OCHASom: Abdiqani: Driven by a vocation to answer calls of distress in Mogadishu @reliefweb
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo addressing the public during celebrations to mark the 58th National Independence Day.
Photo: @TheVillaSomalia