July 24, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Explosion targets Somali lawmakers in Mogadishu
24 Jul – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Risaala/Mustaqbal/
An explosive device planted in a car belonging to a Somali lawmaker has exploded in Mogadishu’s Hamar Weyne district, resulting in the death of one person and injury of a number of people. According to witnesses, the car exploded moments after its occupants; reportedly two lawmakers disembarked from it and entered a shop nearby.
“I heard loud bang and saw thick smoke going up. The explosion was huge and it happened near a former shopping complex in Hamar Weyne. The car belonged to an MP named Sheikh Adan Maddeer, who survived the explosion,” said a witness.
Hamar Weyne district commissioner Abdullahi Sahal Gardhub confirmed the death of a civilian while 7 others were wounded. The scene of explosion was immediately cordoned off by Somali soldiers. No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far.
Key Headlines
- Somali president meets with Some of Somali elders and legislators in Mogadishu (Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu/Dalsan)
- Explosion targets Somali lawmakers in Mogadishu (Radio Mogadishu/Risaala/Bar-kulan/
Mustaqbal/Hiiraan Online/Kulmiye) - Somali Defence Minister jets back after Ethiopia visit (Radio Mogadishu/BBC Somali Service/SNTV/al Shahid)
- Somali legislator speaks about tension in Lower Shabelle region (Radio Mustaqbal)
- Norway rejects U.N. experts claims on Somalia assistance (Reuters)
- Explosives seized in a Coast-bound bus (Standard/Daily Nation)
- Somali government troops arrest over 100 people in Beledweyne (Radio Mustaqbal/Raxanreeb)
- Al Shabaab fighters attack military bases near Ballidoogle (Radio Dalsan/ Radio Al Furqaan/Bar-kulan/Horseed Media)
- Puntland MPs debate selection of new Parliament (Horseed Media/Somali Channel TV)
- UNHCR Somalia hosts movie premiere (Star News)
- Al Shabaab claims ‘wounded CIA official dies’ (Pj Media)
SOMALI MEDIA
Explosion targets Somali lawmakers in Mogadishu
24 Jul – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Risaala/Bar-kulan/
An explosive device planted in a car belonging to a Somali lawmaker has exploded in Mogadishu’s Hamar Weyne district, resulting in the death of one person and injury of a number of people. According to witnesses, the car exploded moments after its occupants; reportedly two lawmakers disembarked from it and entered a shop nearby.
“I heard loud bang and saw thick smoke going up. The explosion was huge and it happened near a former shopping complex in Hamar Weyne. The car belonged to an MP named Sheikh Adan Maddeer, who survived the explosion,” said a witness.
Hamar Weyne district commissioner Abdullahi Sahal Gardhub confirmed the death of a civilian while 7 others were wounded. The scene of explosion was immediately cordoned off by Somali soldiers. No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far.
Somali president meets with Some of Somali elders and legislators in Mogadishu
24 Jul – Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu/Dalsan – 232 words
The President of Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Mohamud has met with Some of elders in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The president came across and made for them breakfast food with some of Mogadishu elders, legislators, the governor of Banadir region and Interior Minister of Somali government.
The aim of the meeting was one in which the president of Somalia was listening consultative speech on the situation of the State from the elders and other government officials. The governor and Mayor of Banadir region Mohamud Ahmed Nor Tarsan who spoke at meeting said that that meeting was so important and told it was needed to enlarge like that meeting as to forward the process of the future for the State.
The Interior Minister of the State Excellency to Abdikarim Husein Guleid who also spoke at the session, has praised the meeting and confirmed that like that meeting is wanted to be permanent and had talked about several issues including the security of the country particularly the security of Mogadishu.
The president of Somalia Excellency to Hassan Sheik has thanked for the participants of the breakfast of Holy Ramadan Month and stressed that his government did many things on the security of Mogadishu and other sides of the State, but added that there were obstacles in his government.
Somali Defence Minister jets back after Ethiopia visit
24 Jul – Source: Radio Mogadishu/BBC Somali Service/SNTV/al Shahid – 254 words
Somali Defense Minister Abdihakim Haji Mahmoud Fiqi said in a press conference held on Tuesday in Mogadishu that his visit to Ethiopia was aimed at strengthening relations with Ethiopia and cooperation between the two countries and with regard to the security and the war on al Shabaab militia.
Somali minister said that he met Ethiopian government officials, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, pointing out that he relied a message from Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
Fiqi praised the role of the Ethiopian government in support of the Somali government in its fight against al Shabaab, stressing that the two sides continue to cooperate on security issues and the fight against terrorism. He added that the Ethiopian forces withdrawal from Baidoa in southwestern Somalia came after the completion of preparations for the African Union forces AMISOM and Somali forces to fill the security vacuum in the town.
Search operation in Afgoye after grenade attack
24 Jul – Source: Radio Dalsan – 104 words
Somali government Security forces have begun search operation in Afgooye district, some 30-kms south from the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday following grenade attack a day before.
Dalsan Radio correspondent reports that the security forces apprehended dozens of suspect individuals- mostly teenagers in connection with hand grenade which targeted a checkpoint belonging to Somali militaryon Tuesday.
The dozens arrested were taken to the police station for further probing to find the masterminded individuals of latest insecurity incidents in the area. Security officials alleged al Shabaab fighters were behind the attack but the group did not publicly claim the responsibility if the attack.
Somali government troops arrest over 100 people in Beledweyne
24 Jul – Source: Radio Mustaqbal – 103 Words
Reports from Beledweyne town, the headquarter of Hiran region in central of Somalia say that Somali government troops have arrested over 100 people after operation was conducted by the government forces.
A Journalist in Beledweyne, Osman Aden Areys told Mustaqbal radio that government troops have seized people from the town. The seized people were suspected in the involvement of insecurity issues which happened inside the town.
The people were reportedly taken to police stations in Beledweyne where they are questioned. The seizure of these people came as armed men links to al Shabaab killed the deputy chairman of Beledweyne court.
PDRC officer killed in Galkayo, Puntland
24 Jul – Source: Horseed Media/Garowe Online – 73 words
On Tuesday night two Gunmen have shot and killed Abdinasir Mohamed Elmi an officer working for the Puntland Development Research Center in Galkayo, Puntland.
Abdinasir was on his way home, when he was attacked by two men armed with pistols. He left the Imam Shafici mosque in Garsoor neighbourhood after the evening prayers, according to eyewitnesses. He is the second officer working for the PDRC assassinated by armed assailants in Galkayo.
Somali legislator speaks about tension in Lower Shabelle region
24 Jul – Source: Radio Mustaqbal – 192 words
A Somali legislators has spoken about clashes which took place in parts of Lower Shabelle region in the Southern of Somalia amid simmering tension among government troops.
Abdullahi Omar Abshir who was among the parliamentarians from the region who met in Mogadishu told reporters that they have discussed the security of Lower Shabelle region where clashes happened.
Mr. Abdullahi said the troops that clashed in the region were not part of Somali government forces, since he said their intention was to destabilize the region. He said the meeting agreed among other things the transfer of the alleged troops that masterminded the clashes.
Al Shabaab fighters attack military bases near Ballidoogle
24 Jul- Source: Radio Dalsan/ Radio Al Furqaan/Bar-kulan/Horseed Media – 101 words
Al Shabaab fighters have reportedly attacked government military bases near Ballidoogle airstrip in Lower Shabelle region. According to military officials at least two fighters were killed and several others wounded in the attack.
The attack occurred in mid Tuesday night but the military officials said that they have repelled the attackers from al Shabaab militia. Al Shabaab-run websites reported on Wednesday morning that the fighters attacked the military bases, killing dozens of soldiers. There were no independent sources to confirm the casualties of the two sides.
Puntland MPs debate selection of new Parliament
24 Jul- Source: Horseed Media/Somali Channel TV – 136 words
On Tuesday, the members of Puntland Parliament had their first debate on the selection process for the new MPs; the current Parliament is to be dissolved in October.
After the cancellation of the failed council elections in Puntland, the new parliament of Puntland will be selected by the clan elders in Puntland, this Parliament will then elect the President and the vice President. However the MPs were reportedly still at loggerheads over the question of the arbitration commission. This commission deals with any disputes regarding the selections process by the clan elders.
Some MPs are proposing that the current Puntland election commission should have this role; but other MPs are calling for the President to name a new arbitration commission. The parliamentary debate will recommence on Wednesday.
Wadajir district commissioner pledges collaboration with residents
24 Jul – Source: Radio Dalsan – 103 words
Wadajir district commissioner Ahmed Hassan Addow has called for a full collaboration between the security forces and the residents following insecurity accidents in his district.
Mr Addow condemned Tuesday’s foiled suicide attempt in Wadajir district where at least three people and wounding several others after a bomb detonated inside a house. He said that collaborations and neighborhood watch can help protect the lives of many civilians if the extremists try to attack.
Battle occurs near Jowhar, Federal Govt discusses security
23 Jul – Source: Garowe Online – 129 words
Fighting erupted at the airport of Jowhar which situates 10 KM away from the town between Somali government forces aided by AMISOM troops and al Shabaab militants overnight, Garowe Online reports.
Local reports say that al Shabaab fighters attacked the airport of Middle Shabelle regional capital of Jowhar 90 KMs northwest of Mogadishu and in response to militants attacked the airport, the Somali government and AMISOM forces repulsed Al Shabaab attack on Jowhar airport.
Reliable sources in Jowhar confirmed to Garowe Online that the dead included four people from the opposing sides. Gen. Mohamed Mohamud Saney, the commander of Somali army’s second division stationed in Middle Shabelle region told the media that they killed members of al Shabaab militants in the battle and some others were wounded.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Explosives seized in a Coast-bound bus
24 Jul – Source: Standard/Daily Nation – 55 words
Kenya police in Nairobi Wednesday seized 400 pieces of explosive devices on a bus headed to Mombasa. The explosives sent by a man Wednesday had been loaded into a bus as a parcel disguised as books.
Central OCPD Patrick Oduma said the man who sent them is at large and the explosives were seized before the bus could take off. Oduma added that the parcel had originated from Tanzania and that the motive of transporting them had not yet established. Police are holding the bus driver for questioning.
UNHCR Somalia hosts movie premiere
24 Jul – Source: The Star – 161 Words
The much-anticipated movie, A hijacking premiered on Friday at the Planet Cinema in Westgate, Westlands, Nairobi. It was meant to be screened earlier on June 19 to commemorate the World Refugee Day but an attack by al Shabaab militants on the UN embassy in Mogadishu on the same day saw it postponed to the later date.
Based on a true story, the movie follows the story of seven crew members of a Danish Cargo Ship MV Rozen that was hijacked in 2007 in the Indian Ocean. They went through four months of terror waiting for the negotiators to strike a deal with the pirates.
Andy Needham, from UNHCR said the movie is intended to show the plight of hostages and how everything can change for a family in under one minute. He pointed out that the Somali pirates are just young boys who are looking for their daily bread but are pushed by lack of education and property to become pirates.
Malala Yousefzai inspires girls’ education activists in Somalia
23 Jul – Source: Sabahi Online – 929 words
The speech of 16-year-old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai at the United Nations this month has served as an inspiration for the fight for women’s rights and girls’ education in Somalia. Last October, Yousafzai nearly died when Pakistani Taliban gunmen shot her in the head for advocating girls’ rights to education. Instead of retreating in fear, Yousafzai increased her activism after the attack.
“Malala Yousafzai is a symbol for girls around the world,” said Somali Women’s Association for Development activist Ayan Abdirahman. “Malala Yousafzai has proven, through her determination and courage, that we can overcome social hurdles, terrorists and anything that can stand in the way of our campaign to protect girls’ rights to education.”
In a speech before the UN Youth Assembly in New York on July 12th — her 16th birthday — Yousafzai called on her peers to stand up for universal education in the face of extremism and for governments worldwide to ensure free compulsory schooling for all children.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Norway rejects U.N. experts claims on Somalia assistance
23 Jul – Source: Reuters – 169 words
Norway has complained to the U.N. Security Council that accusations by U.N. experts that Oslo’s assistance to Somalia was a cover to promote the commercial interests of Norwegian oil companies were “completely unfounded and simply wrong.”
The U.N. Monitoring Group’s annual report to the Security Council’s sanctions committee on Somalia and Eritrea suggested Norway’s development assistance to Somalia could be used “as a cover for its commercial interests there.” In a letter to the Security Council, dated Monday, Charge d’Affaires of Norway’s U.N. mission Knut Langeland rejected those allegations.
“Let me reassure you that these allegations are completely unfounded and simply wrong,” he wrote. “To imply that the Norwegian government’s assistance to Somalia may be ‘a cover for commercial interests’ is therefore totally unfounded.”
Al Shabaab claims ‘wounded CIA official dies’
23 Jul – Source: Pj Media – 632 words
Al Shabaab is claiming that it killed a veteran CIA official who oversaw the agency’s September 2001 plunge into Afghanistan as well as another CIA operative as U.S. officials accompanied an African Union convoy from the airport in Mogadishu.
And the claim comes as a United Nations monitor points a finger at the Obama administration for surreptitiously increasing intelligence aid in a country where the terror group’s recent activity works against the narrative of Islamic terrorists being on the run.
The July 12 suicide bomb targeting the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) convoy killed at least three, according to Somali police. One witness told Horn of Africa news outlet Sabahi that he saw two bodies in a burning car and another laying on the ground, with additional injured quickly whisked away by ambulance.
AMISOM, which didn’t even issue a press release on the attack, though it did for a July 17 IED attack in which troops and civilians were injured, said a car “attempted to hit” an armored troop transport vehicle but no soldiers were killed in the explosion that leveled neighboring shanties. The AU did say there were “minor injuries” in other parts of the convoy.
Renewal of Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group
23 Jul – Source: Whats in Blue – 890 words
The UN Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group until 25 November 2014. After initial negotiations last week and further revisions on Monday, the draft resolution was put under silence procedure until 9:30 Tuesday morning and is now in blue following a final change to one of the more controversial paragraphs.
The draft resolution includes language on the arms embargo, charcoal ban, humanitarian issues, public financial management, the petroleum sector, the mandate of the monitoring group, and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The Federal Government of Somalia is reminded of its reporting obligations related to the partial lifting of the arms embargo, while new exemptions to the arms embargo have been added for the supply of weapons or military equipment intended for use by the UN Mission in Somalia and the European Union Training Mission in Somalia.
The draft resolution also reiterates that the charcoal export ban applies to all charcoal regardless of country of origin (presumably because al Shabaab could also financially benefit from taxing foreign charcoal en route to Somalia’s ports) and reminds all member states, including troop contributors to AMISOM, of their obligations to abide by the export ban. As requested by the Emergency Relief Coordinator in her report transmitted to the Council on 12 July (S/2013/415), this resolution also includes language renewing the humanitarian exemption until 25 October 2014.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“We believe that even though Somalia is busily rising out of the ashes, to the majority of the world it will remain, for a long while, the land of starving children, AK47-wielding rebels and greedy big-stomach-small-brain politicians. It takes a long time to change a bad image … but we can do it, one photograph at a time.”
Showcasing a different Somalia
23 Jul – Source: Voices of Africa – 576 Words
Birthed out of the frustration of the mostly negative and one-dimensional depictions of their country, and armed with the “responsibility of building a better Somalia”, the curators behind the blog Discover Somalia make use of imagery and other sourced information in an attempt to “change the negative perceptions and stereotypes” about their country.
Dynamic Africa spoke to them about this new project aimed at showcasing the diversity of life in Somalia. Can you tell us a little bit about who the people behind the “Discover Somalia” initiative are?
Discover Somalia was created by a group made up of Somali diasporas, mostly college students in United States and the United Kingdom who are very much up to date on current affairs in Somalia and/or are involved with Somalia in their respective studies.
After seeing how Somalia is portrayed in the mainstream media, we wanted to take ownership. We … as free Somalis at this historic moment in our country wanted to help define and shape the country we want. We never got to experience [what] a stable Somalia looks like, but we want to take responsibility of building a better Somalia that can live up to the promise of all its peoples.
“….the UIC’s legal procedures combined certain characteristics of both Islamic law and xeer, with local courts often resorting to “mediation” – masalaxo. It was these reconciliatory mechanisms of Somali customary law, decisive for the creation of “win-win” solutions, which marked the limits of the UIC’s memorable successes and their social inclusiveness.”
Not Just Islam: How Somalia’s Union of Islamic Courts Used Local Customs
22 Jul – Source: Think Africa Press – 1085 Words
In July 2006, Ethiopian armed forces crossed the border into western Somalia’s Gedo region, seeking to curb an alleged terrorist threat posed by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). According to Ethiopian and US intelligence, the UIC was a uniform, militant Islamist movement posing an imminent risk to regional and international security.
The Union had developed from a judicial system that once concentrated on petty crime into a loosely Islam-based counter-administration to the pro-Western Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that was established in Somalia in September 2004. After gaining considerable ground against the warlords of the pro-Ethiopian proxy force Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT), the Courts eventually seized control over the capital Mogadishu and the Middle Shabelle region in June 2006.
Despite being little more than an amalgam of various Islamic factions, local clan elders and financially supportive businessmen, the Islamic Courts were portrayed as the hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism in the region – a perception curiously shaped by two diametrically-opposed groups.
“For me, celebrating these achievements is not about being naively optimistic, but about giving credit where it’s due. I can appreciate that many Somalia old-hands feel that they have witnessed false dawns before. I agree that we’re likely to see more setbacks in the future. Without our help, instability in Somalia could yet return the country to its darkest days and increase the threat to Somalis, their neighbors and the West.”
A New Dawn for Somalia?
22 Jul – Source: Africa Up Close Blog – 1123 Words
Recently my former boss Nicholas Kay, who is currently the new UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for Somalia, tweeted that Somalia was “on a roll.” I have heard some question his use of that term. Was it just the optimism of someone who has only been in the job a few weeks or are things really getting better in Somalia?
“Getting better” and “Somalia” are three little words that we have been reluctant to put together in the last two decades. When I was in Juba in the run-up to South Sudan’s independence I remember the pessimists warning that the country couldn’t survive on its own. It would be like Somalia. Nobody wanted to be like Somalia. We all knew the story of the world’s “Most Failed State.” Somalia and its people were too dysfunctional. It was a place of terrorists, pirates and other miscellaneous bad guys. It was a place where optimism went to die.
But that story was never the truth. Those who knew Somalia well, and of course Somalis themselves, understood that the country was much more than its negative image. Half my family is from Yemen – we know a thing or two about bad images. It is hard work to change them. Over the last couple of years Somalia has been putting in that hard work to an impressive degree. And the international community is now coming together to support them in that effort in a more coordinated way than we have seen for years.
Top tweets
@AbukarArman #Somalia We must think better, act better & hope 4better. If we must focus on least common denominator, let it be 4 #justice #peace & #unity.
@NomadBoii Informed debate regarding #Somaliland &#Somalia with Prof Ahmed I. Samatar: touches on his thoughts & experiences https://www.youtube.com/embed/
@Rooble2009 #Somaliland: Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF) will take place from 16th to 21st August 2013 in Hargeisa, #hibf #Somali #bookfair.
@DiscoverSomalia #Somali nomadic people can move easily and quickly- See photos: http://tmblr.co/ZyXEZsqO1sVf #Somalia.
Image of the day
Firefighters standby after extinguishing a fire from a ruined car belonging to a lawmaker after an explosion in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on July 24, 2013. Photo: Muqdisho News.