June 24, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somali Police In Baidoa Ordered To Stop Chewing Khat
24 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 273 Words
Somali police officers in Baidoa have been told to stop chewing khat while on duty to maintain law and order. Somalia Police Force Commander-in-Chief, Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud who reached Baidoa, the capital administrative of South-west State, said that that it is important to form national cohesive force to improve the security of the region. Hamud pointed out that when Somali police officers stop chewing the stimulant, Khat, it would be an important step towards restoring discipline to the police force and Somalia would get capable soldiers. “The ban of the stimulant drug will improve the image and performance of the law and order maintaining agency which is recovering from decades of civil war” he said.
He added “Our next step will be touring other regions to oversee the conditions of Somali police soldiers and to pass the message to ban police officers from chewing Khat” He highlighted that Baidoa has grown and was urbanized therefore it would need more police posts, he also commended the police officers operating in the town. On 18th may this year, Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud said at a police academy in Mogadishu that the green leaves, traditionally chewed in the East African country are detrimental to the discipline of officers on tour of duty. “Any police officer whom [we] find Khat in his pockets will be warned initially, secondly he would face punishment and for the third time he will be charged at military court,” Hamud told Police.
Key Headlines
- Somali Police In Baidoa Ordered To Stop Chewing Khat (Goobjoog News)
- President Meets UN Humanitarian Coordinator To Say Farewell (Dalsan Radio)
- Selection Of MPs For South West Assembly Postponed (Goobjoog News)
- Farmers Reap Rewards Of Best Practices Training (Radio Ergo)
- Sheikh Noor Barud Gurhan Says Aden Consular Derailing Evacuation Efforts (Goobjoog News)
- Gunmen Killed An Elder In Mogadishu 3rd Assassination In The Capital In A Day (Wacaal Media)
- Money Remittance Firms Linked To Terrorism In Drive To Spruce Up Image (Standard Digital)
- Ellison Emmer Form Somalia Caucus At US Capitol (MPR News)
- Regional Bloc Lauds Kenya For Lifting Ban On Somali Remittance Firms (Xinhua)
- Somalia’s Looming Constitutional Crisis pt. 2: the Mudug Crisis (Hiiraan Online)
- Dadaab Refugees – A Plea For Dignity (MSF)
NATIONAL MEDIA
President Meets UN Humanitarian Coordinator To Say Farewell
24 June – Source: Radio Dalsan – 188 Words
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia , Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has meet in his office the outgoing UN Humanitarian Coordinator , Phillippe Lazzarini whose tenure in Somalia has come to an end. The President thanked Mr Lazzarini for the good work he has done during his tour. “I would like to thank you very much for using your experience to serve in Somalia. We have made good progress we are now calling on the international community to help us develop our economic infrastructure, such kind of help will ensure that the people achieve self reliance, and therefore they will not need aid.” Mr. Lazzarini, thanked the government for closely working with him during his tour. “It is an honour to have served in Somalia, I have seen close collaboration. I hereby affirm that Somalia has made progress towards development, while hoping for the same progress to continue. I urge the international community to take an active role for the country to stand on it feets again.” Other issues discussed in the meeting include the political future of the country, developments in the state formation process, vision 2016, and security.
Selection Of MPs For South West Assembly Postponed
24 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 99 Words
The selection process of MPs for South West State of Somalia has been postponed due to the month of Ramadan which people fast from dawn to dusk. Malaq Ali Abdirahman Shine, one of the elders involved in the selection process has declared that the process could be stopped during the month of Ramadan. However, he denied media reports that suggested that the process has been postponed for four months. Though South West state was formed months ago, it has yet to have the assembly, and this is despite significant progress made in Central regions where the assembly has been formed.
Farmers Reap Rewards Of Best Practices Training
24 June – Source: Radio Ergo – 249 Words
Lower Shabelle farmers have been celebrating increased production of grain and vegetables as a result of adopting better farming practices. The farmers were trained last year by local NGO, Somali Agriculture Technical Group (SATG). SATG also gave farmers treated seeds and fertilizers. Idiris Abukar Yussuf, one of the farmers, told Radio Ergo’s local reporter he previously used to harvest only one sack of maize from his farm but now gets four sacks. Yussuf said he learnt methods of planting and irrigation and selection and use of fertilizers. The new seeds were a great advantage, as seeds in the past had been poor quality and scarce.
Yussuf has been farming for 43 years. He said his family of 15 was now fully dependent on the farm production. Maryan Abukar Idow said her family also relies on her four acre farm. She too harvests four sacks of maize compared to a previous single sack before she applied new practices. The profit from her increased yield has enabled her to build a house for her family. SATG administrator Khadijo Ahmed Abuukar said the group had carried out research into the main problems affecting local farmers and designed the training course to focus on soil preparation, drip and other irrigation methods, pest control, and use of fertilizers. Around 1,700 farmers from 16 settlements in Afgoye, seven in Aw-dheegle, and six in Balad in Middle Shabelle region benefited from the SATG training course in March 2014.
Sheikh Noor Barud Gurhan Says Aden Consular Derailing Evacuation Efforts
24 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 200 Words
The chairman of Somali refugee rescue committee Sheikh Noor Barud Gurhan has complained of meddling by Somalia’s Aden Consular General Ahmed Sudani. He accused the consular of derailing the evacuation process and the Sheik has urged the federal government to act against him so as to ensure the smooth running of the process. ‘They are spreading lies, they called Somalis in Yemen and told them not to board the chartered ship because the previous journey the ship has capsized and people have perished, which is simply a fat lie’ said the Sheik.
Reporters on board of the ship have also confirmed that there were efforts by some individuals to charge the stranded people against the wishes of the businessman who chartered the ship, the crew and the committee. The committee has said that they wrote to Yemen and Puntland authorities to clarify the safety standard of the ship which has successfully evacuated more than two thousand refugees and again docked at the Mukalla port to do the same. The consular general has been bragging on State run broadcaster taking the credit of the evacuation efforts despite the contrary.
Gunmen Killed An Elder in Mogadishu, 3rd Assassination In The Capital In A Day
23 June – Source: Wacaal Media – 128 Words
Suspected Al-Shabaab assassins have gunned down an Elder in Mogadishu on Tuesday evening, the 3rd assassination in the capital in one day. The Elder, Abdullah Hussein Wardhere known as (Dhega-Adde) was shot dead by unidentified men at Sinaay Junction in Mogadishu, according to An Eyewitness who spoke to Wacaal Media by phone. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assassination of Dhega-adde. The killers have reportedly fled the site before police arrived. The killing of the elder becomes the 3rd murder in one day in the capital. Two Somali Soldiers were killed early Today in Mogadishu by unknown Gunmen as the such killings have been on increase in Mogadishu since the start of Ramadan. Al-shabaab vowed to double its attacks in the city during this month.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Money Remittance Firms Linked To Terrorism In Drive To Spruce Up Image
24 June – Source: Standard Digital – 508 Words
The money remittance firms that had been shut down over alleged terrorism links have unveiled a major drive to undo possible damage on their brand names and win back the confidence of their current and potential clients. Speaking Wednesday morning, a day after the government allowed them back to business, the firms said that they are keen to clean up their public image that had been soiled by being unfairly linked to terrorism financing. The 13 firms were closed down in April after the horrific attack on Garissa University College in which 148 people were killed, mostly unarmed students. “We are rolling out a number of strategies including raising public awareness that our business are legitimate entities with no links whatsoever to any form of criminality. We have always operated above board and will continue to do so,” said Anthony Wachira, CEO of Kenya Forex and Remittance Association, the umbrella body of the remittance firms.
He added: “There is no doubt that the closure of our businesses and the alleged link with terrorism has negatively affected how the public views us. But we are confident that we will overcome this and quickly recover our good reputation and credibility.” On his part, Mr Abdirashid Duale, CEO of Dahabshiil, one of the largest money transfer firms that had been suspended, said in a statement that comprehensive investigations into their operations gave them a clean bill of health. See also: CBK lifts suspension of 13 money remittance firms “The authorities gave us back our licenses after being satisfied that the company complies fully with the law, and operates strict anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing practices. We are delighted that the investigations have revealed that we operate above board ,” he said.
He added: “The Dahabshiil network operates in 126 countries, including Kenya, the UK and the USA, and we respect and comply with all the laws of each and every country.” Wachira also said that they are keen to work with the Central Bank of Kenya and other relevant bodies to ensure that the regulations governing the operations of the money remittance providers are fully implemented. “We emphasize that the association will continue being committed to ensuring that the business conducted by our members continues to be both professional and within the legal framework,” he said. The firms were also included in the blacklist of 89 entities that the government accused of financing terrorism, a charge with the money remittance firms strongly deny. According to KFRA, the 13 remittance firms that had been closed down controlled at least 30 per cent of all the money remittances from the diaspora into the country. Last year, Kenyans abroad sent more than Sh100 billion home.
Regional Bloc Lauds Kenya For Lifting Ban On Somali Remittance Firms
24 June- Source:Xinhua – 340 Words
East Africa’s bloc on Tuesday commanded the Kenyan government for lifting ban on Somali remittance firms that was imposed in April, and urged Western countries to follow suit.The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim said the unlocking of the ban will help to avert poverty and build resilient communities in the Horn of Africa nation. “This is a bold move by the president who has in mind the interest of not only Kenyans but the wider region at large,” Maalim said in a statement released in Nairobi. Kenya’s central bank (CBK) lifted the suspension on 13 Somali remittance companies on Monday, enabling the firms to resume their operations.The Horn of Africa nation has no formal banking system, and money transfer operators provide the services people in foreign countries would expect from a bank.
About 40 percent of Somali families depend on remittances to meet their most basic needs, including food, health care and education, and 80 percent of the capital for start-up businesses comes from the Diaspora. Maalim stated that the Kenyan government had been very consistent in its protection of flow of remittances to those who need it most, including refugee population on its soil.The Executive Secretary also appealed to Western governments and banks to continue providing services to Money Transfer Operators (MTOs) with a view to helping the region alleviate poverty, and by extension, reduce insecurity. In February, principal banks facilitating money transfers to Somalia from the U.S., Britain and Australia broke ties with the Somali remittance companies over terrorism fears.
Ellison, Emmer Form Somalia Caucus At US Capitol
23 June – Source: MPR News – 153 Words
Two Minnesota members of congress from opposite sides of the aisle have formed the Somalia Caucus at the U.S. Capitol. Fifth District Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison and Sixth District Republican Rep. Tom Emmer said the caucus will advocate for peace and stability in Somalia, which will include efforts to defeat the terrorist network Al-Shabaab. Minnesota is home to a large Somali-American community, which is concentrated in the Twin Cities and the metro area. “Together, we represent some of the largest Somali-American communities in the United States,” wrote Ellison and Emmer in a joint statement. “For us and the constituents we represent, Somalia is not a far off foreign policy issue, it’s a matter of domestic policy and national security.” The caucus will also help create good governance standards for the country and to bring “Somalia’s informal economy into the formal 21st century global marketplace.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The last conflict resolution mechanism that is needed is the “Gaalkacyo Act.” It is no secret that the city of Gaalkacyo is split in two, with Puntland only administratively controlling the north. The Gaalkacyo Act would stipulate that the city of Gaalkacyo would be administratively divided between Puntland and Galmudug.”
Somalia’s Looming Constitutional Crisis pt. 2: the Mudug Crisis
23 June – Source: Hiiraan Online – 950 Words
Somalia’s looming constitutional crisis is heating up due to the newly emerging Galmudug State. In the first short essay, I warned that Somali Federalism has now confronted its greatest quagmire due to the choice of either having clan federalism or provincial federalism as its guiding star. The Galmudug State Charter is rumored to have stipulated that its jurisdiction will encompass the provinces of Galguduud and Mudug, both in its entirety. Puntland State is not pleased with Galmudug’s jurisdictional claim of northern Mudug, in which Puntland lays claim to three of its five districts: Galdogob, Galkayo, and Jariban (see: Constitution of the Regional Puntland State of Somalia, Article 6. Section 1.). Puntland authorities have gone so far as to warn of potential civil war if its claims to northern Mudug are threatened. In this critical juncture of Somalia’s history, peaceful dialogue and conflict resolution mechanisms based on the rule of law is needed. In this second short essay, I will provide legal analysis concerning Mudug province and humbly propose a peaceful route that can reduce potential hostilities.
Who Has Constitutional Claim Over Mudug? In order for us to discern whether Puntland or Galmudug have constitutional claim over Mudug province, we must analyze the highest law of the land: Somalia’s Provisional Constitution. The Constitutional requisite for establishing a federal member state is: “Based on a voluntary decision, two or more regions may merge to form a Federal Member State.” Provisional Fed. Const. June 12, 2012, art. 49, §6 (Som.). We must use the legal technique known as “statutory interpretation” to properly analyze and understand this statute. “Plain Meaning” is one of the cannons of construction, which are vital legal tools used for analyzing statutes. It stipulates that the words used in the statute should be understood how a “reasonable and ordinary” person would interpret them.
In addition, it holds that if the words in the statute are “clear and unambiguous,” no further interpretation or inquiry should be sought. Another cannon of construction we need for our analysis is “Noscitur a Sociis” (it is known from its associates), which provides guidance to ambiguous terms by reference to words associated with the rest of the statute.If we properly interpret the term “more” (two or “more” regions . . . .), we will be able to answer who has constitutional claim over Mudug. When one uses the plain meaning of “more” and references it with the words associated in the statute, it is evident that “more” is interpreted to mean region(s). In essence, “two or more regions” is interpreted to mean two or more whole region(s). To interpret the statute to mean anything else would be intellectually dishonest.
“In reality, very few refugees in Dadaab apply for voluntary repatriation, because of ongoing war in Somalia. Many of the camps’ residents were born in Dadaab and have children who have little, if any, attachment to Somalia. Out of all those who apply for relocation to a third country, just a few dozen each month receive permission to do so. As for settling permanently in Kenya, for the refugees, the only option on the table is to remain inside the camps.”
Dadaab Refugees – A Plea For Dignity
23 June – Source: MSF – 815 Words
It is almost 25 years since the first people fleeing war in Somalia settled in Ifo refugee camp, in Kenya’s northeastern province, marking the beginning of what was to become the Dadaab refugee complex. Today, it is the largest in the world. Options are limited for the thousands who call Dadaab home. Only a few months ago, one of the patients in the mental health programme run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) committed suicide after his request to be resettled in a third country was rejected. This tragic story is symptomatic of a place where hundreds of thousands of people are trapped, and where they live with little hope for a better tomorrow.Some 350,000 refugees are today stuck in these camps in the semi-arid land bordering Somalia. They need travel authorisations to go anywhere else in the country, including to receive emergency medical care.
People in Dadaab remain nearly 100 percent dependent on humanitarian aid. A lucky few receive financial support from relatives living elsewhere, but for the majority, self-reliance is a pipe dream.Living on emergency humanitarian aid generally means surviving on, if you are lucky, just 20 litres of water per day. It means living in a shelter made of plastic sheeting. It also means receiving a monthly food ration which may be cut without warning because of problems with funding or supply – both of which are subject to the “generosity” of the international community and to other humanitarian crises around the world, which absorb a portion of the aid budget and stocks available globally. On 11 June, the World Food Programme announced – for the second time in seven months – that food rations for the refugee camps in Kenya would be reduced by at least 30 percent until September unless additional funding was secured. For a refugee, what are the possible ways out? In theory they have three choices: to return voluntarily to their country of origin; to be relocated to a third country; or to be allowed to settle in the country where they first found asylum.
TOP TWEETS
@MogadishuNews #BREAKING Suicide attack reported near#Turkish Embassy in #Mogadishu . More updates soon.#Somalia
@Omaar_nor SOURCE: #US military sets up secret bases in#Kismayo airport, former #Alshabaab stronghold in south#Somalia.
@AbdihakimAinte More #SaudiCables on Somali: Ethiopia & Kenya had plan 2 split Somalia into four region & bring under their domain
@HYMire Hawa Y. Mire retweeted UNICEF No conversations on rape in Somalia before @UNICEF? https://twitter.com/unicef/
@Fatumaabdulahi Fatuma retweeted Salah Osman Free medical check-up? Bizarre images and poor attempt at PR!#Somalia security forces need to focus on SECURITY.
@Bacdadhuuqso Somalia’s ever green and prosperious land and resources- #
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Abdulkadir Mohamed Sidi, the Lower Shabelle governor dancing with Tortorow residents, Somalia after the town was captured from Al-Shabaab.