June 11, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Security institutions issue plans to maintain overall security of the country

10 Jun – Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV – 112 words

Somalia Security Institutions issued new plans to maintain the security of country particularly Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Speaking to the media, Police spokesman Qasim Mohamed stated that the security institutions continue getting information about attacks and explosions al Shabaab is intending to carry out during the holy month of Ramadan. The spokesman reiterated that the security institution backed by African Union peacekeeping troops are alert to thwart the planned plots of al Shabaab against government bases. The prime minister of Somalia Mr. Abdiweli Sheikh opened the meeting of joint operation centre committee which finally issued plans to maintain the overall security especially the capital Mogadishu that has witnessed series of attacks by al Shabaab.

Key Headlines

UNSOM corrections sector visits Mogadishu central prison (UNSOM)
Security institutions issue plans to maintain overall security of the country (Radio Mogadishu/SNTV)
US Praises Federal Government of Somalia’s Response to Fighting in Lower Shabelle (US Embassy)
Somalis in London pledge support for Mogadishu fire services (Hiiraan Online)
Govt urged to resolve insecurity issues (Daily Nation)
Three journalists briefly detained by IJA security forces in Kismayo (Bar-kulan)
EU boosts the Somali fishing industry (Relief Web)
Measles threatens children in Somalia (News 24)
Armed men gun down well-known businessman in Baidoa (Radio Goobjoog)

PRESS STATEMENT

Somali Government welcomes UK’s leadership on Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict and given particular attention to Somalia

10 Jun – Source: Ministry of Information – 302 words

H.E. Mustafa Duhulow, the Minister of Information thanked UK’s leadership in hosting the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, which will take place at ExCel London on 10 to 13 June 2014. Foreign Secretary William Hague will co-chair the summit with Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Minister of Information said “Our Minister of Women & Human Rights will attend this important Summit for Somalia in order to highlight the plight of Somali women and the progress that has been made regarding sexual violence towards women. Over 100 countries will attend this conference and particular priority has been given to Somalia at this important event. Our aim is to stop all human rights violations in Somalia and, in particular, violence against women.

“The UK Foreign Minister is co-chairing a dedicated session on Somalia at the summit for the Federal Government of Somalia to showcase the National Action Plan on tackling sexual violence. This is an opportunity for the international community to herald the progress Somalia has made in developing a national plan, in consultation with civil society and the regions, and for the Federal Government of Somalia to seek donor support for its implementation.

Representatives from regions such as Puntland, Jubba and Galmudug are also attending as part of the Somalia delegation, as well as Somali Civil Society Groups.

“The Federal Government of Somalia is committed to ensure that we fully implement the outcome of the Summit which will include practical steps to reduce all kinds of violence in conflict zones, training needs for soldiers, as well as stopping the culture of impunity in the society, while providing the necessary support to victims and their families. We also hope that the International Community will provide the necessary resources for us to implement all recommendations. ”

UNSOM corrections sector visits Mogadishu central prison

10 Jun – Source: UNSOM – 318 words

Officials from the corrections department of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) visited the Mogadishu central prison today to monitor ongoing renovation projects and to discuss with the custodial management ways to support their needs and priorities. The prison is being renovated at the moment with the support of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) including fencing and building of septic tanks.

UNSOM corrections officer Francis Benon highlighted the need for an in-depth assessment on the prisons infrastructure and its human resources’ capacity. “We would like to conduct a participatory needs assessment and develop a strategic plan together. We understand your priorities and with the right resources you can improve not only Mogadishu central prison but also all prisons across south central Somalia,” He said.

We are also organizing a management training course for the custodial managers in this month which we also plan to repeat in Garowe,” He added. The custodial commissioner, Colonel Hussein Hassan Osman welcomed UNSOM’s efforts in supporting the national corrections sector stressing that the sector lack proper attention in the national agenda.

“We cannot carry out some of our duties effectively due to lack of resources. We don’t have enough vehicles and the infrastructure of our prisons is very poor,” “Other security sectors are far much ahead of us in terms of receiving support and resources such as police and military. It seems we are forgotten despite the fact that we are doing equal service for the country,” He said.

Stephen Cox, UNSOM corrections officer expressed the same concern and re-affirmed that the corrections department has put a lot of effort in pleading donors’ support for Somalia’s prison sector. “We are confident that some resources will be coming for the corrections sector. We have asked for donor funding in the areas of infrastructure, training, and construction of new prisons facilities and provision of vehicles for all those prisons.”

SOMALI MEDIA

Security institutions issue plans to maintain overall security of the country

10 Jun – Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV – 112 words

Somalis in London pledge support for Mogadishu fire services

10 Jun – Source: Hiiraan Online – 125 words

Members from the Somali community in London have for the first time announced their plans to help develop Mogadishu Fire Service which currently has only three firefighter trucks. The community leaders made the pledge during a lengthy meeting with the director of Mogadishu Fire and emergency services Abdullahi Mohamed Saney in Edmonton Green, north of London on Sunday evening. The participants started exchange of ideas and suggestions on how to support and equip Mogadishu Fire and emergency service. “We have been aware of the good job you are doing and we can say that you (Mr Saney) and your group are doing an unprecedented service for the Somali people—we will draw programs relating to what role we can play” Mahmoud Ismail Dabayare told the meeting.

Three journalists briefly detained by IJA security forces in Kismayo

10 Jun – Source: Bar-kulan – 113 words

Interim Jubba Administration security forces have briefly detained three Somali journalists including Bar-kulan correspondent in Kismayo, the provincial capital of Lower Jubba region. Bar-kulan reporter in Jubba regions, Khadar Mohamud Hared said that security officials had summoned the journalists to the police station and briefly detained them without giving any clarifications. He added that after five hours in custody, the three journalists were finally released.The two other journalists, Masud Abdullahi Aden and Abdirahman Habi work for UK based Somali Channel Television and Radio Kismayo, a local radio station in the city respectively. Bar-kulan made attempts to contact Kismayo administration officials over the brief detention of the journalists but our calls went unanswered.

Armed men gun down well-known businessman in Baidoa

10 Jun – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 71 words

Armed men gunned down a famous businessman, Sadaq Abdullahi in Baidoa the headquarters of Bay region. Witness confirmed to Radio Goobjoog that three men armed with pistols killed the businessman and wounded two other people including a government soldier. The security forces in a massive operations apprehended many suspected of behind the murder from the village where the murder occurred. No one has immediately claimed the responsibility of the murder.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Govt urged to resolve insecurity issues

10 Jun – Source: Daily Nation – 134 words

Cord leader Raila Odinga has condemned the killing of Muslim cleric Sheikh Mohammed Idris who was shot dead on Tuesday morning. Mr Raila said the security situation in country is in a bad state yet the greatest role of the government is to protect and safeguard the lives and property of its citizens. “Sheikh Idris is among 21 clerics who have mysteriously been killed in this country without anyone been apprehended. Who is responsible for these killings? “We have the best intelligence unit, police service, and the criminal investigation department but it beats logic that we are unable to get to the root cause of these killings,” he said. The former Prime Minister was speaking at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa on Tuesday, when he arrived for the burial of the slain cleric.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

EU boosts the Somali fishing industry

10 Jun – Source: Relief Web – 186 words

Today, the European Union and Oxfam launch a new 3 year program to enhance and sustain Somali artisanal fisheries production, including processing and trade, and the related coastal management. The project launched today is part of a 5 million EUR programme that will be implemented in Somaliland and Puntland and will be expanded to other Somali regions if successful. Somali waters are home to some of the richest fishing grounds in Africa, with vast potential for fisheries and coastal area development. However the sector remains under developed due to lack of skills among fishermen to go deep into seawater, lack of tools (boats and fishing gears) and lack of regulatory frameworks. The specific component for Somaliland, launched today, will be implemented by Oxfam and the local agency Havoyoco in partnership with the Somaliland Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

US Praises Federal Government of Somalia’s Response to Fighting in Lower Shabelle

10 Jun Source: US Embassy – 121 words

United States Special Representative for Somalia James P McAnulty commends Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari and other officials of the Administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for their response to and condemnation of the inter-clan fighting in Lower Shabelle. “The United States praises the Federal Government of Somalia for its quick and decisive action to address the violence in Lower Shabelle. We echo their call to end the conflict immediately and for all sides to resolve their issues peacefully,” said Mr. McAnulty. The United States has provided 517 million in assistance to Somalia since 2007 and continued to support measures to improve peace and stability in Somalia as well as improved government accountability and inclusiveness.

Measles threatens children in Somalia

10 Jun – Source: News24 – 100 words

Thousands of children in war-torn Somalia are facing death or disability due to an outbreak of highly contagious measles, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Recent rates of infection are four times higher than the same time last year, and a vaccination campaign must be “urgently conducted to prevent thousands of avoidable deaths”, the UN children’s agency Unicef and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned in a joint statement. The outbreak comes amid renewed warnings impoverished Somalia risks sliding back into acute crisis less than three years since a devastating famine, amid poor rains, escalating conflict and aid funding shortfalls.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Most Somalis that make the decision to flee the country due to the chaos and make it to the shores of the developed world like Malta, have no idea of the culture shock they are about to find themselves in. The war in Somalia over the years has moved from tribal to religious extremist, with groups like the al Shabaab that are affiliated to the terrorist al Qaeda quickly amassing power. This has led to a whole generation that is uneducated and sees fighting as the only means to conflict resolution.”

Integration removes the barrier

10 Jun – Source: Malta Today – 1195 words

How would you cope if you were thrust into an environment where chaos and injustice re the order of the day? Have you ever asked yourself how someone who has never seen a society with a justice system is supposed to adapt to that all over sudden? Africa tends to be stereotyped as a landmass that is home to ‘savages’. Over the years, the media has painted a picture of war, hunger, natural calamities like floods and drought, and disease among many other negatives. And while to some extent this is the case, the fact that Africa has a developed face to it is more often than not tends to be overlooked. I can attest to the social divide in the continent where slums and skyscrapers coexist next to each other. I grew up in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, a city famous for being the only capital in the world next to a natural wildlife reserve that draws millions of tourists to the city and the country in general annually. The interesting fact though is that Nairobi is a clear portrait of the gap between the rich and the poor in Africa. You go to one area in the city and all you see is affluence, while in Kibera, the biggest slum in the continent found in Nairobi, people live on less than a dollar a day. Sadly, this is the picture shown more often than not in international media. I felt the profiling first-hand when I arrived in Malta, because people would ask me questions like ‘How come you are from Somalia and you speak perfect English?’ or ‘How come you are from Somalia and you are educated?’, and ‘How come you are from Africa and you know all these things?’