July 30, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

Former Somaliland official tried for piracy

29 Jul – Source: AP – 257 words

A former Somaliland official is being tried for piracy charges and has been confined to his home while the government is pursuing an appeal. According to Frederic J. Frommer an AP reporter, who broke the story, he reported that Ali Mohamed Ali’s trial had been adjourned after prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence in the pretrial hearing. The US District Judge Ellen Huvelle, scolded prosecutors who had indicted Mr. Ali on four charges and failed to provide what Judge Huvelle called a “smoking gun”.

Instead of holding Mr. Ali in jail while prosecutors came up with evidence, the Judge ordered Mr. Ali to house arrest who will wear a monitoring bracelet. “Why should I keep him locked up for another year so you can litigate a principle?” said Judge Huvelle according to the AP report. Mr. Ali a former Director of Somaliland’s Ministry of Education had been charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit piracy; piracy under the law of nations; conspiracy to commit hostage taking; and hostage taking, for what prosecutors are saying was his involvement in negotiating a ransom for a Danish vessel captured by Somali pirates in 2008.

At last week’s trial Judge Huvelle indicated that her decision would be to release Mr. Ali until the prosecutors had come up with a solid case, even advising prosecutors to not pursue a case that is not winnable. “That’s not what a criminal case is about. You should not be prosecuting a case that you cannot win. It is an outrage,” said Judge Huvelle.

Key Headlines

Flights resume at Galkayo airport after negotiations (Radio Kulimye)
Somalia’s Islamic Clerics Oppose Certain Provisions in the Draft Constitution (Radio Risaala)
Senior al Shabaab commander killed in Bay region (Mareeg Online)
Somali Government Forces Advance on Jowhar town (Radio Risaala)
Al Shabaab kill Safaricom driver in Mandera (Standard)
UPDF loses key Somalia AU jobs to Kenyan officers (Daily Monitor)
Former Somaliland official tried for piracy (AP)

SOMALI MEDIA

Flights resume at Galkayo airport after negotiations

30 Jul – Source: Radio Kulimye – 103 words

Daily flights have been resumed at Galkayo airport after it was shelled by a group oppose to the regional authorities, our reporter says “the situation in Galkayo is rather calm and the airport is working properly.”

The airport has been shelled by the armed group until last night but situation returned in to normal after negotiation between the fighters and the authorities from Galmudug and Puntland, which shares the control of the city of Galkayo. This is not the first time for the airport to halt its operations because of stand off. Last year gunmen attacked near the airport twice wounding civilian people.

Somalia’s Islamic Clerics Oppose Certain Provisions in the Draft Constitution

30 Jul – Source: Radio Risaala – 92 words

Somali Muslim Scholars Umbrella Group expressed its displeasure at certain principles contained in the draft constitution. The chairman of the organization, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salaad told the press that some of the content in the draft constitution contradicts the Islamic principles and values.
Sheikh Bashir highlighted the provisions contained in the draft constitution on female circumcision, age of puberty and the boundaries of the country are unacceptable. His deputy, Sheikh Nur Baruud Gurxan noted that the government had earlier promised to run state affairs in line with the Islamic Sharia.

Senior al Shabaab commander killed in Bay region

29 Jul – Source: Mareeg Online – 129 words

Unidentified armed men have reportedly shot dead a senior al Shabaab commander in Ufurow area of Bay region, southern Somalia. Witnesses said two masked men armed with pistols carried out the assassination against the al Shabaab agent as he was coming out of a mosque in Ufurow village after performing the dawn prayer at about 5:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. Sources indicated that the agent, whose has only been identified as Abu Salim was one of the top militant leaders in Bay region of southern Somalia and his death is a big blow to the al Shabaab insurgents-affiliated with al Qaeda. The exact motive of his killing is unclear and the assailants were reported to have escaped from scene of the shooting.

Somali Government Forces Advance on Jowhar town

29 Jul – Source: Radio Risaala – 81 words

Somali government forces backed by AMISOM set off from Bal’ad to al Shabaab-controlled areas in the Shabelle regions. Government spokesman in the Middle Shabelle Province, Daud Haji Iire told Risaala Radio that TFG forces have arrived in Qalimow village where they set up positions. He also affirmed hat their main target was Jowhar, headquarters of the province. He noted that they were only 20 KMs away from Jowhar town. So far, al Shabaab has not commented on these latest setbacks.

Allied forces overran illegal checkpoint in Hiiraan region

29 Jul – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 154 words

Somali and Ethiopian forces have reportedly gunned down two gangs manning an illegal checkpoint between Kala-beyr and Dira’le areas of Hiiraan region on Sunday. Reports say the allied forces were escorting government officials heading to Mataban town when they came across an illegal checkpoint mounted by armed gangs. A gunman was captured and another one was seriously injured during the incident.

The incident occurred three months after the regional administration was formed to address insecurity in the region and provide public services to locals. Separately, Somali and African Union forces who took control of Qalimow area, some 30 kilometers from Jowhar town earlier on Sunday morning have retreated from the area.

The allied forces returned back to their bases in Bal’ad under unknown circumstances after seizing control of the area early in the morning without facing any resistance. Locals told Bar-kulan that militant fighters fled the area after realizing that they were under attack.

Somali military officers to be tried by Ethiopia: Govt official

29 Jul – Source: Hadhwanaag Times – 117 words

Somali government says that some of its military officers will be put on trial by Ethiopia. Abdifatah Ibrahim Gesey, the governor of Somalia’s Bay region, made the comments four days after the Ethiopian forces inside Somalia arrested some military officers, accusing of wrongdoing. Aden Doodisho, the police chief of Baidoa town and Aden Biid, the military commander of Bay region were arrested by Ethiopian troops in the town of Baidoa.

Puntland assists in Somali migrants rescue mission

28 Jul – Source: Garowe Online/BBC Somali Service – 223 words

Puntland residents played a crucial role in coordinating rescue efforts to save over ninety Somali migrants stranded in the Mediterranean Sea , Garowe Online reports. The rescue efforts began on Thursday, after a distress call was received by a Garowe resident whose brother and 90 other Somali migrants said that they were stranded on a boat in the Mediterranean Sea.

“I received a phone call from my brother by satellite phone, explaining that the boat was floating for days and that they had minimal supplies,” said Ahmed Jama a Garowe resident. Mr. Jama and a group of his friends began desperately contacting Libyan and Italian officials to inform them about the Somali migrants’ distress call.

“We contacted Libyan and Italian naval ships patrolling the Mediterranean Sea. They had asked for their location, so we gave them their last known coordinates,” said Mr. Jama. The group also contacted Puntland officials who in turn notified Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole who lobbied Italian and Libyan officials to assist the Somali migrants.

Kenya deploys counter-terrorism officers along borders

28 Jul – Source: Radio Shabelle – 130 words

Senior Kenyan police officers have said special trained anti-terrorism forces as well as intelligence officers have been deployed in towns along Kenyan’s border with Somalia.

A commander for this force named Orkwayo has said they will be ensuring security in towns along Kenya’s border with Somalia in order to avert attacks being carried by Somali terrorist groups. He said the forces will be conducting 24 hour patrols during which they will arrest anyone suspected of criminal activity particularly in areas near Kitale where al Shabaab was suspected to be active

Kenyan troops have in recent weeks been investigating reports of terrorist groups with close links to the al Shabaab Movement who are said to have crossed the border into their country and particularly into towns along the border between Kenya and Somalia.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Al Shabaab kill Safaricom driver in Mandera

30 Jul – Source: Standard – 461 words

One driver was shot dead in an attack by suspected al Shabaab militants on a car belonging to a mobile phone dealer in Mandera. The attackers later escaped with the Safaricom Landcruiser after overpowering four police officers who were escorting the vehicle on Sunday night. Police said the driver succumbed to injuries minutes after the attack in Arabia area by about 50 heavily armed gunmen. There were police officers and a technician who were also on board the vehicle at the time of the attack.

New livestock facility offer new hope to Somali herders

29 Jul – Source: Africa Review – 209 words

Somalia’s President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has launched a facility meant to serve as one of the country’s quality assurance centre for export meat. The Saturday inauguration took place at Jazeera settlement on the edge of the Indian Ocean, south of Mogadishu.

Iman Mohamed Ali, the Chairperson of Ancaam Company that built the facility at a cost of $3.3 million, noted that the centre will assist livestock exporters in Southern Somalia to meet international requirements. So far, it has been recognised by a number of countries who import meat from the Horn of Africa country.

At the launch, the Mayor of Mogadishu city urged Somali business communities abroad to invest at home. “We are keen to give land to investors willing to establish sound businesses,” said Mr Nur.

UMI trains Somali’s civil servants

29 Jul – Source: the Observer – 254 words

At least 20 Somali civil servants have undergone training at the Uganda Management Institute on how to run public institutions. The African Development Bank funded the training which took two weeks. Those trained included Somalia’s director generals who gained skills in public finance management and accountability. They received certificates of attendance and participation. According to Dr James Nkata, the director general at UMI, this training has offered an opportunity for UMI and Uganda to build stronger relationships with Somalia.

This, Nkata believes, has gone a long way in raising the profile of UMI as a centre of excellence. UMI has in the past instructed government officials of different ranks from Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Somalia is considered one of the most volatile African countries. The opportunity comes at a time when UMI’s programmes and enrolment have increased; the institute now offers eight more programmes in addition to the one Masters programme they offered earlier.

UPDF loses key Somalia AU jobs to Kenyan officers

29 Jul – Source: Daily Monitor – 328 words

With the new African Union structure in Somalia to integrate Kenya, Djibouti and Sierra Leon, Ugandan soldiers have lost juicy jobs to the Kenyans at the mission headquarter. Sources say Kenya has been able to dominate the mission because of influence by its highly placed diplomats at the AU secretariat in Addis Ababa.

Djibouti are doing civil-military relations, Burundians are in charge of communication and planning while Sierra Leone will be in charge of training. Uganda will remain with only two dockets of military operations and engineering.

The army spokesperson, Col. Felix Kulayigye, confirmed that most of the force headquarter jobs have been taken by Kenyans. “Fighting remains a preserve of Ugandans and Burundians as Kenyans takeover top jobs at the headquarters,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Former Somaliland official tried for piracy

29 Jul – Source: AP – 257 words

President Obama declares situation in Somalia a “national security threat”

28 Jul – Source: Examiner – 636 words

President Obama sent a letter, dated 20, 2012 to Congress declaring the situation in Somalia poses “an unusual and extraordinary national security threat to the United States.”

The President cited “piracy, escalating violence, and the deterioration of the security situation in Somalia” as reasons for his actions. “I found that that the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, and acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 733 of January 23, 1992, and elaborated upon and amended by subsequent resolutions, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

To address that threat, E.O. 13536 blocks the property and interests in property of persons listed in the Annex to E.O. 13536 or determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to meet criteria specified in E.O. 13536. The letter was delivered to Congress on July 23, 2012 and read into the Congressional Record and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“History is capricious and has a cynical sense of humour. If the constitution, referendum and subsequent election are pulled off, Somalia might have a freer election than either Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, or Djibouti have ever had under Pierre Nkurunziza, Museveni, Zenawi, or Ismail Omar Guelleh”.

Watch out for Somalia, the region’s next success story

28 Jul – Source: East African – 474 words

On Wednesday, something happened in the Somali capital Mogadishu that did not attract big international headlines. Somalia’s National Constitution Assembly convened for the first time.

The NCA, composed of 825 delegates representing nearly all of Somalia’s clans, will adopt a new draft constitution that will then be put to a referendum before August 20. If it all comes together, Somalia could create its first legitimate and democratic government in more than 40 years.

This has been made possible in large part because of the African Union’s peacekeeping project in Somalia, Amisom, which has been ongoing for five years.

“In order to further assure sustainable stability and durable peace, the Somali government should argue youth to join in the process of consolidating Somali’s peace process for the aim of undermining the growing influence of extremists and improving inclusive consultation process.”

Somalia: Nation Building and the Role of the Youth

28 Jul – Source: Raxanreeb – 519 Words

So much has been said and written about the Somali turmoil, famine, and long lasted civil unrest, thus did we think about the root cause of the state failure, the agents of the civil unrest and the influential players on the ground?, of course it is obvious that the Somali youth have been the main players of the Somali civil unrest and it might not became possible to avert such serious incidents.

What the youngsters smoothly took to these incidents is almost known and it is poverty. This poverty generated from the drought which has decimated across vast vicinity and finally transformed to famine and starvation. Somalis suffered from the drought fled nearby refugee camps including Dhadhaab which once marked as the world’s largest refugee camp and Kenya has been serving as our real lifeline.

It is quite correct to emphasize that Somali refugee problem became a major driver of several international conferences and our anticipation downgraded and to some extent darkened.

Top tweets

@KTNKenya Suspected #AlShabaab militants kill #Safaricom driver in Mandera before escaping with vehicle to Somalia.

@Hamza_Africa An old man in #Mogadishu to me: a bullet costs $1.50. If this war was been financed by #Somalis we will’ve gone broke long time ago#Somalia.

@alykhansatchu #Somalia the cost over four years has been less than $700m a tenth of what the military spends #Afghanistan in a month.

@UNPOSomalia What does Provisional #Constitution say on fundamental duties of#Somali citizens? Somali http://bit.ly/NI8KCY English.

@PoetNation Zamzam the #Somali Olympian sings an emotional song. #Somalia #TeamSomalia #Olympics #London2012 http://youtu.be/9H2L3uIwPQA.

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Image of the day

Image of the day Somali female athlete Zamzam Mohammed carries Somali flag at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. Photo: Radio Mogadishu.