July 25, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Somalia’s National Constituent Assembly opens in Mogadishu

25 Jul – Source: Shabelle/Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/RBC – 375 words

The Somali National Constituent Assembly, which is composed of 825 Somali traditional elders, was officially opened in Mogadishu. A reporter with Radio Shabelle and TV, Abdirazzaq Adan Qoslaye, said the conference, which has been postponed for several times in the past, has kicked off in. He said most of the delegates who will approve the draft constitution are in attendance. Interim Somali government ministers are also present at the conference. The reporter said top government officials are expected to deliver speeches at the conference.

The conference is being held at the Scol policio (the Police Academy) in Mogadishu and the reporter said security is tight on all roads leading in and out of the venue. Government leaders have previously warned against the (continued) delay of the conference as they promised tight security in Mogadishu, particularly for the traditional clan elders meeting in the capital.

The meeting will be attended by 825 elders from the 18 regions across the country. The elders were issued with special badges to differentiate them from other participants including facilitators and other monitors. Somalia’s Constitution and Federal Affairs Minister Abdirahman Hosh Jibril was earlier quoted as saying that almost all delegates are ready in Mogadishu to participate the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine P. Mahiga welcomed the meeting, calling it a step forward in ending the current transitional period in the country. Mahiga who gave an exclusive interview to Bar-kulan Wednesday morning urged participants of the meeting to be clear enough and desist from any biasness to safeguard the integrity of the meeting.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia however thanked the Somali elders who selected the delegates representing Somalis of all walks of life in order to vote for the new constitution. Somalia is scheduled to end the transition period by August 20 and the new government is expected to set out its priorities in a work plan within 60 days of its formation, as agreed at the recent ICG meeting in Rome.

Key Headlines

Somalia’s National Constituent Assembly opens in Mogadishu ( Shabelle/Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/RBC)
SRSG Mahiga expresses shock and sadness at sudden passing of Ghana President John Atta Mills (UNPOS)
Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia Meets in New York (Hiiraan Online/Somaliweyn)
Somali pirates attack Puntland region forces (Daily Nation)
High level delegation arrives in Puntland over conference dispute (Garowe Online/Hiiraan Online)
Somali Prime Minister Ali hosts Iftar Dinner for Somali Media practitioners (Bar-kulan)
Drone operations over Somalia pose danger to air traffic U.N. report says (Washington Post)
Heavy fighting erupts in southwestern Somali town (Midnimo Online)
UN envoy welcomes progress towards adoption of new constitution (UN News Center)

PRESS STATEMENT

SRSG Mahiga expresses shock and sadness at sudden passing of Ghana President John Atta Mills

25 Jul – Source: UNPOS – 175 words

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga tonight expressed his shock and sadness at the sudden passing of Ghana’s President John Atta Mills. “I am deeply saddened to hear this news,” SRSG Mahiga said.

“President Atta Mills was a leader who came to lead through a democratic process in a peaceful transition of power. The President implemented enlightened political, economic and social reforms, which have seen Ghana become an example of political stability and economic prosperity in the region.”

“On behalf of the United Nations, I extend my deepest condolences to his bereaved family and friends, to his colleagues, and to the people of Ghana. I also extend my condolences to former President Jerry Rawlings, who is the African Union High Representative for Somalia with whom I am working very closely with to advance the Somalia Peace Process.

The late President Atta Mills who belonged to the same political party as former President Rawlings was a great supporter of the Somali peace process generously offering President Rawlings to work on that cause.

SOMALI MEDIA

Somalia’s National Constituent Assembly opens in Mogadishu

25 Jul – Source: Shabelle/Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/RBC – 375 words

The elders were issued with special badges to differentiate them from other participants including facilitators and other monitors. Somalia’s Constitution and Federal Affairs Minister Abdirahman Hosh Jibril was earlier quoted as saying that almost all delegates are ready in Mogadishu to participate the meeting. Meanwhile, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine P. Mahiga welcomed the meeting, calling it a step forward in ending the current transitional period in the country.

Mahiga who gave an exclusive interview to Bar-kulan Wednesday morning urged participants of the meeting to be clear enough and desist from any biasness to safeguard the integrity of the meeting. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia however thanked the Somali elders who selected the delegates representing Somalis of all walks of life in order to vote for the new constitution. Somalia is scheduled to end the transition period by August 20 and the new government is expected to set out its priorities in a work plan within 60 days of its formation, as agreed at the recent ICG meeting in Rome.

Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia Meets in New York

25 Jul- Source: Hiiraan Online/Somaliweyn – 282 words

The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia will have a plenary meeting on the 25th of July at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The group which includes the United States along with 70 other counties, international organizations and members of the private sector will meet to discuss ways on tackling piracy in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.

The plenary, who is hosted by Spain, will be meeting for the twelfth time since its inception in January 2009. Since then the contact group has nearly tripled in size from its original membership. Proof that the world agrees piracy poses a communal security challenge to maritime safety and that the solution must be through a greater global consensus.

Since the organization was founded, it has coordinated international naval patrols of over 30 countries working together to protect vessels. This has been done by the US working alongside with multilateral coalitions such as NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield and the EU’s Operation ATALANTA.

High level delegation arrives in Puntland over conference dispute

24 Jul – Source: Garowe Online/Hiiraan Online – 195 words

A delegation from the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia led by the TFG Deputy Prime Minister arrived in Garowe to settle the Puntland leaders’ strong reservations regarding the management and conduct of the constitutional adoption conference in Mogadishu, Garowe Online reports. The TFG delegation consists of Deputy Prime Minister Abdiwahab Ugaas Hussan Ugaas Khalif, Minister of Planning Abdillahi Godah Barre, Deputy Minister of Public Works Hareed Mohamed Ali, the Prime Minister’s political advisor Kenadid Khawi, arrived at Garowe international airport on Tuesday afternoon.

The delegation was welcomed by Puntland officials including Finance Minister Farah Ali Shire, Minister of Internal Affairs Gen. Abdillahi Ahmed Jama, Minister of Transportation and Public Affairs Dahir Haji Khalif, Puntland Police Commissioner Mohamed Said Jaqanaf, and officials from Puntland President’s office.

The delegation arrived to meet with Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole to discuss the management of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) conference which was delayed for the third time this week in Mogadishu. TFG Deputy Prime Minister Abdiwahab said in a brief statement to press at Garowe airport that the TFG and Puntland remain committed to forwarding the Roadmap process to successfully end the transition by 20 August 2012.

Somali Prime Minister Ali hosts Iftar Dinner for Somali Media practitioners

25 Jul – Source: Bar-kulan – 172 words

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali on Tuesday evening hosted an Iftar dinner for Directors of TV and Radio Stations in Mogadishu. Iftar is the meal that breaks the day of fasting, when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset to break their day long fasting.

The Iftar dinner was attended by several TV and Radio Stations directors, State Minister for Information Post and Telecommunications, Abdullahi Bille Noor, Director General of the Information Ministry, Abdirizack Yussuf Bahlawi and other top Somali government officials. Prime Minister Ali used the occasion to send condolences to Somali media fraternities still moaning the loss and injuries of several journalists in the country while in line of duty since the beginning of this year.

He praised the role the media has been playing in preaching peace and tolerance in the country after more than two decades of political instability. The PM acknowledged the harsh and hostile environment Somali journalists and media houses operates in the country, saying the role is still vital in rebuilding the country.

Galmudug President names 11 member Electoral Commission

25 Jul – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 357 words

Galmudug president Mohamed Ahmed Alin on Tuesday named the region’s electoral commission to cool down souring political temperature in the region following recent appointment by his vice president which sparked controversies. In a statement from his office, Mr. Alin said the move is aimed to end the current political stalemate and infighting among the regional leaders and safe the regional government from collapsing.

President Alin also disbanded the recently appointed commission, saying he is the only person mandated to appoint any commission in the region. The appointment of the Galmudug’s Electoral Commission comes amid souring political temperature in the region following the recent appointment of the disbanded electoral body by vice president Abdisamed Noor Gulleid.

Gulleid’s appointment sparked controversy within the regional leaders, with some calling it unconstitutional and vowed to rally against the appointment. Apart from some leaders’ protest against the appointment, the area regional Supreme Court quashed Gulleid’s decision, saying it was unprocedural, making it null and void. The court stated that differences over the exact date of the election could have been resolves before the commission is appointed.

The court also noted that it was in the interest of the Galmudug State for the court to quash the appointment, fearing that the appointment might add fuel to the already souring political differences in the region. The ruling received a thump-up from locals and some politicians in the region saying it was in favour of an effort to cool down souring political temperature and possible disputes that may have jeopardized the regional presidential election.

Heavy fighting erupts in southwestern Somali town

25 Jul – Source: Midnimo Online – 121 words

Fierce fighting between Somali government forces backed by Kenyan troops and al Shabaab fighters has erupted in Baardheere in Gedo Region, southwestern Somalia. Residents said they heard the sounds of artillery and gunfire with reports of casualties on both sides coming through. The warring sides are using both heavy and light weapons with their sounds being heard across the town.

An AMISOM[African Union Mission in Somalia] spokesman said Tuesday they mounted massive operations in the Toog area and killed four al Shabaab fighters and seized weapons and combat vehicles. There has not been any word from al Shabaab yet. The fighting follows al Shabaab’s announcement that it had changed its fighting tact and withdrew from towns in Gedo Region, and will instead carrying out hit-and-run attacks.

government announces drop in explosions in Mogadishu

24 Jul – Source: Radio Risaala – 124 words

The Minister for Local Government and Internal Security Dr. Abdi Ali Hassan who talked to Radio Risaala said explosions in the capital Mogadishu have reduced. The minister said they are aware that al Shabaab is always plotting terror attacks but the recent days they failed to succeed because the government forces are always on high alert and they work hard to maintain security.

Dr. Abdi Ali Hassan said many security checks points have been erected in several place and the venues such as Constitution meeting have been secured by government troops. He said over 1500 security officers have been deployed in the capital to maintain security.

First presidential candidate campaigns outside Mogadishu

25 Jul – Source: Somaliland Press – 161 words

Somalia’s presidential hopeful and People’s Party of Somalia (PPS) chairman, Dr. Saeed Issa Mohamud officially kicked-off his campaign on Friday appealing to elders to replace President Sharif in August. The US-educated professor of chemistry was in the agricultural town of Afgoye to build a momentum for his presidential bid in the war-torn nation. He was welcomed to the town, some 30 km north-west of Mogadishu, by the Governor of Lower Shabelle region and the Mayor of Afgoye as well as large jubilant supporters.

While out on his first public campaign trail, he urged locals to support him saying despite Somalia’s current turmoil, hope and change were still possible under his leadership. Dr. Mohamud stressed that while the task of rebuilding Somalia might seem unthinkable, he was optimistic the transition can be achieved with real change in the country. Being the only presidential candidate who rallied outside the capital Mogadishu, Dr. Mohamud toured the town and its surroundings by feet.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Somali pirates attack Puntland region forces

25 Jul – Source: Daily Nation – 88 words

Armed men alleged to belong to the notorious Somali pirates waged to successive attacks on the forces of the Puntland state of Somalia on Monday. The incident occurred in Galkayo, an inland town 750 killomitters north of Mogadishu. Mr Mohamed Yusuf Jama alias Tigey, the Puntland authority governor of Mudug said “The pirates first ambushed some of our forces retuning from a patrol in the northern portion of Galkayo town”. He added that the second attack occurred a few hours later when armed pirates assaulted an army camp.

Army chiefs plot attack on Kismayu

25 Jul – Source: Daily Nation – 350 words

Top commanders of the reshaped African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have been meeting in Nairobi to approve war plans for a massive air, land and sea assault on Kismayu, the last stronghold of Somali terrorist group, al Shabaab. The Nairobi meeting at the weekend was followed by another of regional army chiefs on Monday in Addis Ababa.

But as war plans were being made, the United Nations issued a report warning that an al Shabaab support network based in Nairobi “has continued to operate from Kenya with relative freedom” as it plans terror attacks inside Kenya.

Field commanders from the Kenya, Uganda and Burundi contingents presented to the AMISOM central command on Saturday at the Department of Defence in Nairobi the final plans to capture Kismayu from al Qaeda backed Somali militants.

Military sources told the Nation that the plan later presented to all regional army chiefs — of Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Djbouti in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa on Monday — includes use of air and naval strikes to back up the ground troops. The commanders are due for a series of meeting in Nairobi this week to finalise the plans, military sources told the Nation on Tuesday.

UPDF Somalia budget up by 78%

24 Jul – Source: Observer – 613 words

The UPDF is to spend Shs 672m every day on its operations in Somalia this financial year, The Observer can reveal. Available documents indicate that the money Uganda will pay for the presence of 6,700 UPDF troops in the chaos-marred county will increase by 78 per cent. The operations previously cost Shs 376m per day.

This appears to contradict the widely held view that any major costs of the Somalia operations are borne by the United Nations and the African Union. The figures are contained in the budgetary estimates for the ministry of Defence policy statement for the year 2012/2013.

Dated June 30, the statement was recently presented to Parliament for approval by Defence minister Chrispus Kiyonga. It shows that the UPDF will increase its budget for the United Nations-backed African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) from Shs 137bn last financial year to Shs 245bn in 2012/2013.

This means a Shs 107 billion increase which translates to 78% rise in the Amisom funding. The figure particularly excludes the wages paid to UPDF soldiers in Somalia. The ministerial statement attributes the sudden rise in funding, “to increment in forces and equipment taken to Somalia for the Amison mission.” At 6,700 troops, Uganda currently has the largest contingent of troops in Somalia. The overall Amisom strength in Somalia currently standards at 17,730 troops. Other countries with forces in Somalia are Kenya, Djibouti and Sierra Leone.

Kenyan terror case put off after suspects allege kidnap bid

24 Jul – Source: Capital News – 635 words

The case against two Kenyan terror suspects was postponed on Tuesday after they told the court that they were traumatised following an attempt to kidnap them at dawn.

Through their lawyer Mbugua Mureithi, they claimed that they were accosted by about 10 armed men who tried to force them into a vehicle but they raised alarm before members of the public rushed to their rescue.

Mureithi asked the court to suspend the case since the suspects were mentally disturbed by the incident. The suspects, Sheikh Aboud Rogo and his co-accused Abubakar Sharif are out on bond and had travelled from Mombasa to Nairobi for the case.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Drone operations over Somalia pose danger to air traffic, U.N. report says

25 Jul – Source: Washington Post – 508 words

The skies over Somalia have become so congested with drones that the unmanned aircraft pose a danger to air traffic and potentially violate a long-standing arms embargo against the war-torn country, according to United Nations officials. In a recently completed report, U.N. officials describe several narrowly averted disasters in which drones crashed into a refugee camp, flew dangerously close to a fuel dump and almost collided with a large passenger plane over Mogadishu, the capital.

Although U.N. investigators did not directly pin the blame for the mishaps on the United States, the report noted that at least two of the unmanned aircraft appeared to be U.S.-manufactured and suggested that Washington had been less than forthcoming about its drone operations in Somalia. The U.S. military has conducted clandestine drone flights over Somalia for years as part of a broader counterterrorism campaign against al Shabaab, a group of Islamist fighters that controls much of the country and is affiliated with al Qaeda.

Although the drone missions have long been an open secret, the Obama administration acknowledged last month for the first time that it “is engaged in a robust range of operations to target al Qaeda and associated forces, including in Somalia.” The number of military drone flights over Somalia has increased substantially since the Air Force opened a new base last year in next-door Ethiopia.

The military opened a similar base in late 2009 in the Seychelles, an Indian Ocean archipelago off the eastern coast of Somalia. Both of those operations complement a much bigger U.S. military drone base in Djibouti, a small country on Somalia’s northwestern border on the Horn of Africa. Somalia, a failed state stricken by famine and decades of civil war, has been largely off-limits to U.S. ground troops since 1993, when Somali fighters shot down two military helicopters and killed 18 Americans in the “Black Hawk Down” debacle.

UN envoy welcomes progress towards adoption of new constitution

24 Jul – Source: UN News Centre – 340 words

The United Nations envoy for Somalia has welcomed the progress made in the selection of the 825 members of the national body that will convene this week to discuss, vote on and adopt a new provisional constitution for the Horn of Africa nation.

“It is encouraging to see that progress is being made,” the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), Augustine Mahiga, said yesterday. “I urge Somalia’s traditional and political leaders to do all that is necessary to complete in a timely manner the tasks that have been entrusted to them by their people to carry Somalia forward to a new political future,” he added.

The members of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), drawn from all Somali clans, will meet for nine days beginning tomorrow on the new provisional constitution, which will provide the legal framework governing the workings of the new Somali Federal Institutions after August 2012, when the current transition period is due to end.

It will also be the basis for further constitutional refinements before it is finally adopted by a referendum, UNPOS stated in a news release issued in the capital, Mogadishu. “The provisional constitution will be a pillar upon which the new parliament will build the new Somalia,” said Mr. Mahiga, stressing that the process must continue to be “legitimate, accountable, transparent, participatory, inclusive and, most importantly, Somali-led.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Expecting a positive outcome from this transitional period without stopping the clear meddling of both the president and the deposed speaker is like squeezing blood out of a turnip.”

Somalia: Squeezing Blood out of a Turnip

25 Jul – Source: Hiiraan Online – 990 Words

Somalia is a mess with little or no hope for a positive change in the near future. As a close observer of the Somali politics, it is apparent that the difficulties in the implementation of the roadmap has to do with the lack of transparency, the unwillingness to move beyond “what is in it for me” and monopolization of the process. One major problem in Somalia is the existence of one single industry that provides job, money and power and this industry is the government.

A majority of the public whether educated or uneducated are fixated on running for an office at any cost. This in turn led many ambitious, but incompetent individuals to fight for the power. Indeed, there is wide spread of a psychological syndrome which many term it as”Mar lee Madaxweyne I Dheh”, literally meaning “just call me one time a president” that has affected many individuals in our society.

“If the fight against al Shabaab is to be won, it is imperative that the international community leans on the TFG to be more responsive to Somali needs. Equally as important a closer interface is required between the military strategy and the political vision post-Kismayo.”

Endgame in Somalia?

24 Jul – Source: News24 – 420 Words

Are we witnessing the end of al Shabaab which has so terrorised large swathes of Somalia for so long? Conventional wisdom suggests that this is indeed happening. The turning point seems to have occurred in August 2011 when African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops together with the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces pushed al Shabaab fighters out of the capital Mogadishu.

In recent months AMISOM has remained on the offensive against al Shabaab fighters and AMISOM’s numbers were augmented by troops from Djibouti and Kenya. In addition, Ethiopia, which is not part of AMISOM, has joined the fray against al Shabaab.

“We reflect on how to make Somalia a better place to live. We think about how to restore its lost dignity. We think about ways to find new leaders who could lead their fellow Somalis out of the hunger, famine and wars. We don’t know what the future holds for Somalia but we know it is in transition now. Ramadan coincided a time when hundreds of our traditional elders are assembled to select our future leaders.”

Ramadan Reflections: Somalia and its suffering

24 Jul – Source: Hiiraan Online – 990 Words

We observe Ramadan by abstaining food and drink during the day. We fast to fight the urge to eat and drink. We feel hunger and thirst. By fasting we gain self-restraint but we also gain patience and empathy. We feel what hunger and thirst is like. We become aware of what those who are less fortunate than us go through. We think about the poor mother and child who have no food , no water, no shelter and are displaced or in a refugee camp.

Thus, we want to give and send money to them. This giving or Sadaqa becomes a key element in our observing the fasting during this holy month of Ramadan. We go to the mosques and take part of the fund raise. We visit the Hawala more often to send fifty or hundred dollars to some desperate relative.

Ramadan is indeed a month of reflection too. We show our appreciation for Allah’s blessings. We thank God for all the unmerited gifts we got but we think why not he does the same for those less fortunate than us. The scholars say there is wisdom behind this. They say it is a test for us who are blessed to reciprocate God’s grace on earth. By doing that, they tell us, we save ourselves.

Top tweets

@Keishamaza “Planning on sending drones” – right >> Drone operations over #Somalia pose danger to air traffic, U.N. report says: http://wapo.st/N0LWwy.

‏@matzschmale Encouraging developments #Somalia @HOA_News: Turkish #RedCrescent set up the first playground in Mogadishu after 21 years.

@ferigom69 The Somali Crisis and the EU: Moving Onshore and Committing to Somalia. Pdf report. http://goo.gl/l0RLR #somalia #esINT #piracy.

@evolvingprimate #British #Troops embedded with #AMISOM Troops in #Afgoi #Somalia http://pic.twitter.com/nBJqV3RS.

‏@wanderluster1 This might be the first time I have seen a Somali reporting on Somalia. Good to see! http://dai.ly/NVWfnm #Somalia #drought #mogadishu.

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Image of the day

Image of the day Somali Prime Minister Abdweli Mohammed Ali poses for a joint photo with journalists after hosting them a Ramadhan Iftar dinner. Photo: Radio Bar-Kulan.