July 25, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Government To Sponsor 1,000 Students To Pursue Higher Education, President Farmaajo
24 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 224 Words
The government has announced scholarships for 1,000 students to pursue higher education as it starts the renovation of the National University campus which was occupied by Amisom forces before. Speaking during visiting the Gaheyr campus of Somali National University in the outskirts of Mogadishu, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo said his government would provide scholarship to 1,000 students from all overall the country. “We need to build a self-reliant society by investing in education for our children so that we can produce a generation that is free from tribalism and any other ailments,” the President said. President Farmaajo added that his administration will increase its budget for the National University in order to expand public university access and to provide quality education.
Amisom handed over the university campus to the Federal Government last week. Somali National University re-opened its doors in 2013 with the first batch of students enrolling at the Hamar Weyne campus after several years of dormancy following the collapse of government in 1991. More than 1,500 students now receive free education in the university which is made up of 10 faculties. The government allocated US$ 3,941,697 to the ministry of education in the 2017 national budget up from $ 3,238,557 in 2016. House Speaker Professor Mohamed Osman Jawaari is among several of the alumni of the National University
Key Headlines
- Government To Sponsor 1000 Students To Pursue Higher Education, President Farmaajo (Goobjoog News)
- Somali Parliament Dismisses Anti-corruption Bill Urges Further Review (Horn Observer)
- Several Prisoners Shot Dead In Southern Somalia (Garowe Online)
- 4 Al-Shabaab Militants Surrender To Somali Army (Xinhua Net)
- Churches Provide Refuge to Kenyans Fleeing Al-Shabaab Attacks (The Tablet)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Parliament Dismisses Anti-corruption Bill, Urges Further Review
24 July – Source: Horn Observer – 152 Words
Members of the Somali Federal Parliament have on Monday dismissed to approve the anti corruption submitted by the country’s Ministry of Justice. Somalia Minister of Justice Hassan Hussein Haji read the bill, which was also form an independent anti-corruption committee in front of the parliament, emphasizing the importance of fighting corruption in the country. However, the legislators raised number of points during the session and called for the ministry to review before it is approved.
The first Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Abdiweli Ibrahim Sheikh Mudey further suggests that the bill needs some important articles to be added that is currently missing and returned the bill back to ministry for adjustment that was proposed to be further reviewed. During today’s session, the members of the parliament discussed over the recent armed tribal conflicts in some parts of the country calling on the warring sides to end the war and endorse a peace.
Several Prisoners Shot Dead In Southern Somalia
24 July – Source: Garowe Online – 190 Words
Four detainees were said to be shot dead at a location near the Central Police Station in Beled-Hawa District in Gedo region on Sunday, according to reports. The detainees who are accused to be linked to the terrorist group Al-Shabaab were arrested by the security forces in Beled-Hawa and transferred to the police station for further investigation. Reports from that Gedo region revealed that government forces took the detainees out of the central Police station on Sunday night and shot them dead at an open square in the town.
However, there is no statement released from the district officials regarding the execution of these four detainees by government forces. There was no court trials or verdicts made against the suspects. Residents told reporters that suspects were involved in the killing of government forces and were captured at the outskirts of the town during security operations that was carried out against the militant group Al-Shabaab. Extrajudicial killings were reported to occur frequently in the past period particularly in Juba and Gedo regions, as government forces managed to push away Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab group from many areas and arrested dozen fighters.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
4 Al-Shabaab Militants Surrender To Somali Army
24 July – Source: Xinhua Net – 124 Words
Four Al-Shabaab militants surrendered to the Somali National Army at Gof-gudud Burey near Baidoa town, the administrative capital of Southwest State, officials said on Monday. Chief of Gof-gudud Burey, Sidow Ali told reporters that the militants had prior communications with Somali National Army’s 60 Division in the area before laying down the arms.
“Four Al-Shabaab militants including senior member who is in charge of finance in some areas near Baidoa town surrendered to Somali National Army’s 60 division on Sunday afternoon, they made contacts with the army,” Ali said. He added their administration is committed to welcoming any member of Al-Shabaab militant who denounces terror activities. Al-Shabaab militants did not comment on the latest defection of one of its senior fighters to Somali National Army.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“In mid-July, a senior government official was rescued after being abducted by the militants as she traveled to meet the displaced people. Four people who were traveling with her died during the ordeal. On 7 July, the militants beheaded nine men in Lima village in Lamu.”
Churches Provide Refuge to Kenyans Fleeing Al-Shabaab Attacks
24 July – Source: The Tablet – 455 Words
About 2,000 Kenyans along the coast near Somalia have taken refuge in two churches and a school, fleeing increased attacks from suspected Al-Shabab militants. Father Peter Kariuki, a priest at the Catholic parish in Hindi, in Kenya’s Lamu County, said many of those seeking shelter are Christians. “The militants have been asking the people to say their faith. Those found to be Christians are being killed,” Father Kariuki told Catholic News Service in late July. Church sources said the villagers are camped at the Catholic church in Witu, an evangelical African Inland Church and a local school compound. The moving populations had been living near the dense Boni Forest, which the militants have allegedly been using as a cover to terrorize villages and attack security forces and travelers. Reports indicate that the militants have quietly crossed into Kenya and established bases in the forest, where they now launch attacks.
On 20 July, suspected militants killed two people in Marerani town, near the border with Somalia. In mid-July, a senior government official was rescued after being abducted by the militants as she traveled to meet the displaced people. Four people who were traveling with her died during the ordeal. On 7 July, the militants beheaded nine men in Lima village in Lamu. The previous week, the militants killed three police officers in Pandanguo village. Father Kariuki said despite tensions being high in the area, church officials and other authorities were urging people to not move from their homes. He said police and military had increased security patrols. “Mass movement would mean a victory for the militants. We are urging the people to stay put,” said Father Kariuki. “Many also want to stay to protect their crops and farms from herders.”
In mid-July, Catholic bishops said they were convinced “that these attacks, though masquerading as terrorists or banditry, may actually be orchestrated criminally, aimed at displacing populations so that they don’t participate in the 2017 general elections,” scheduled for 8 August. Msgr. Wilybard Lagho, vicar general of the Mombasa Archdiocese, said although the church is neutral, the attackers and some of those providing the people with camping material might have ulterior motives. “I think they want them to vote in a particular way so that votes are not lost,” said Father Lagho. He said he would not be surprised if “these people are forgotten after the elections, just like those displaced in the past.” Based in southern Somalia, Al-Shabaab is an Islamist militant group that has been trying to overthrow the government and replace it with one led guided by a strict form of Shariah, Islamic law. Al-Shabaab has been carrying out public executions, flogging women in public and carrying out limb amputations for petty crimes.