July 6, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Journalist Detained Over Critical Post Against Puntland President
05 July – Source: Somali Update – 300 Words
An online journalist in Somalia’s Puntland State is detained for the second week in Garowe after allegedly publishing critical article against the region’s President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali on a local news site and social media, journalists and media watchdog said. The Galkayo-based journalist Ahmed Ali Kilwe was detained by Puntland security forces led by General Muhyadin Ahmed Muse last week as he was traveling to Garowe. According to local sources, General Muhyadin, known for his brutal actions against media and journalists in Puntland, has been operating under instructions from President Abdiweli’s office who ordered the arrest of the journalist.
The security forces confiscated the journalist’s mobile phone before they took him into custody. According to a Kilwe’s colleague, the journalist is currently detained in a military prison located at the west of the capital of Puntland, Garowe, where suspected Al-Shabaab members are detained and interrogated. “It is really dangerous that my friend Ahmed Kilwe is in a cell where Al-Shabaab members are held” said the colleague who sought anonymity due to safety concern.
Following the arrest of Journalist Kilwe, local authorities blocked the news site where the critical article that led to journalist Kilwe’s arrest was published. As of today July 5th, the website Puntlandone.com remains suspended to readers inside Puntland and the journalist’s latest Facebook posting was on June 23, according to his timeline. In the posting that featured Puntland President’s photos, questioned if the President was transparent of the millions of dollars of donations by the United Arab Emirates for the reconstruction of Bosaso Port facility. Since his arrest, there are no official charges presented against the journalist, a violation of the country’s Federal Provisional Constitution and Puntland State Constitution which states the right to be brought before a competent court within 48 hours after the arrest.
Key Headlines
- Journalist Detained Over Critical Post Against Puntland President (Somali Update)
- Elections of Lower Government In Southwest State Ready Says Local Civil Societies (Goobjoog News)
- A Police Officer Killed In Mogadishu (Dhacdo.com)
- Somali Military Forces Heading To Areas Under Al-Shabaab Control (Goobjoog News)
- China Donates 1 Million USD To Assist Displaced Somalis (Xinhua)
- Somalia’s ‘Climate Refugees’ Can’t Wait for Global Action Much Longer (News Deeply)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Elections of Lower Government In Southwest State Ready Says Local Civil Societies
05 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 131 Words
Voting for officials representing the local Government of Southwest State is expected soon following the recent approval of laws for local government elections in the region. Speaking to Goobjoog News, the chairperson for the civil societies SOSWENSA in Southwest Abdi Adow Ahmed mentioned the inception of their awareness campaign regarding the elections of the local government officials. “They [residents] need a second awareness campaign since it was in the year 2007 when it was last time they encountered such an exercise” said chairperson Abdi. On 11th May 2017 the Parliament of Southwest State suspended this Law and passed on the June 6, 2017 after amendments were done to it paving the way for the local residents to elect their own officials where earlier were handpicked by the local Ministry of Interior.
A Police Officer Killed In Mogadishu
05 July – Source: Dhacdo.com – 115 Words
A Somali police officer was killed early evening last night after a IED explosives planted in his car went off. The explosion that killed Abdiweli Sabriye occurred near the main entrance road to Adan Cadde airport. Reporters in Mogadishu were informed that Abdiweli Sabriye died in Medina hospital from injuries he sustained from the explosion. Police arrived at the scene and closed off the roads to start their investigation and arrested a suspect. Reports indicate there are many privately owned cars that are mostly used to implant IED for organized killings in the city of Mogadishu. While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, the terrorist group Al-Shabaab often carries out assassinations involving government officials.
Somali Military Forces Heading To Areas Under Al-Shabaab Control
06 July – Source: Goobjoog News – 106 Words
The Somali National Army who are currently in Lower Shabelle region are ready to carry out operations to dislodge Al-Shabaab from the areas they control. SNA official, Mohamed Isse Mohamed has said they are ready to remove Al-Shabaab from the region. He said the morale of the soldiers is high as they have received their salaries and are confident that they will out liberate more areas under Al-Shabaab control. “The military forces are carrying out these operations to remove the enemy Al-Shabaab from the entire region.” said Mohamed Isse. He called upon the residents of Lower Shabelle region to cooperate with military and help identify Al-Shabaab elements.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
China Donates 1 Million USD To Assist Displaced Somalis
06 July – Source: Xinhuanet – 257 Words
China on Wednesday donated 1 million U.S. dollars through the UN migration agency to aid the displaced and vulnerable communities and returnees in Somalia. The money, which was channeled to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), will help the agency fix migration crisis and shelter the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia. “This assistance is for internally displaced people, vulnerable communities and returnees in Somalia,” IOM Chief Mission in Somalia Gerard Waite told journalists in Mogadishu. “The impact of drought in Somalia still remains. This is a life-saving support and we are working with the Somali government and international partners to find long-term solution to this crisis,” he said.
The Somali government officials thanked the Chinese government for providing assistance which they said came at very critical condition. “China is one of the leading countries that assist Somalia,” Mohamed Moalim, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, said, adding that this assistance will target 2,500 families. He added that half a million IDPs are in Mogadishu alone, mainly due to floods, droughts and conflicts.
Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Qin Jian said that the Chinese government is committed to supporting Somalia as the two nations enjoy long-term friendship. He said that they are considering rebuilding the National Theater, the Benadir Hospital and the Mogadishu Stadium and promised to discuss these projects further with the Somali government. “Chinese have carried out 89 projects before and would increase its support to Somalia,” he added. China offered 10 million dollars to Somalia through WFP in April.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“In the meantime, the drought in Somalia is gradually intensifying. Somalis are watching their indigenous ways of living disappear due to the impacts of climate change. They do not have the luxury of waiting,”
Somalia’s ‘Climate Refugees’ Can’t Wait for Global Action Much Longer
06 July – Source: News Deeply – 1074 Words
At the age of seven, Hodo inherited a duty that is sacred to her community tending her family’s goats. A year later, she still goes out everyday in Habas Weyn, western Somaliland to look after the few goats that have survived the severe drought gripping her community since last year. Her duties have transformed from a way of life to a matter of survival. While Hodo has never been in a classroom, she would like to attend school. That is even less of an option now, as her family has been made destitute and is frequently on the move due to the devastating drought in Somalia.
Due to dwindling resources, children like Hodo the most vulnerable among the displaced take on onerous responsibilities to ensure the survival of their families, their livestock and themselves. The drought is affecting people across the region, like Ahmed, a pastoralist in neighboring Puntland. They know little about each other’s plight or about better coping mechanisms due to scarce means of sharing information. Climate related events are a rising cause of migration globally. Climate change not only drives people from their homes, but also stokes other drivers of displacement.
Social and political strife can be exacerbated by environmental destruction, as it changes the trajectories of entire communities. Slow-onset climate disasters like long-term drought make reintegrating people who have been displaced even more challenging. Yet responses to them are often neglected until they turn into vicious disasters that destroy the local ecosystem such as the last famine in Somalia in 2011.
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: #Somalia: Ministry of Internal Security orders all private security firms to register with the govt within 30 dayseffective July 2.
@HarunMaruf: Harun Maruf Retweeted Mohamed Ibrahim
Somali journalist launch a campaign to promote culture of forgiveness among Somalis. For updates follow @moibrahimi
Garowe Online @radiogarowe: #LATEST: #Alshabaab claims responsibility for a mortar attack near #Somali Presidential Palace in #Mogadishu, killing at least two soldiers.
@GaroweBookFair: Shaafi is one of the many young authors speaking at#GIBF2017. Attend the annual book fair event on the 17th of Julyhttp://bit.ly/2rT1KO8
@Marawayne: Ali Omar Retweeted Paul D Williams – SOMA should not cover firms that are for profit in nature. Also employment for these firms should prioritize Somalis over foreigners.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
His Excellency President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo chairs the National Security Council in Mogadishu.
Photo: Radio Muqdisho