June 6, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Kenya, Somalia to work for eliminating al Shabaab threats
06 Jun- Source: Xinhua-628 words
Kenyan and Somali leaders on Wednesday declared that they would direct their respective security forces to work closely in eliminating al Shabaab threats, who is blamed for sporadic attacks and killings in both countries.
“We have called for the support of IGAD, UNHCR and the international community to ensure the success of this exercise,” President Kenyatta said in a statement issued after the meeting with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which was held in Nyeri in central Kenya.
The two neighbouring countries blame the insurgents for a string of attacks especially in northern Kenya and the Horn of Africa nation including kidnapping of foreigners in the East African nation.
Key Headlines
- Djibouti national forces anniversary marked in Beled-weyne town (Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu)
- Somali Government Holds Security Meeting in Gedo (Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Bar-kulan)
- Farmers in Burdubo lose valuable crops to insects (Radio Ergo)
- Prof. Samatar Visit Borama Awdal Region (Qurbejoog Online)
- Somalia leaders to meet in Nairobi (Shabelle)
- President Kenyatta Hold Talks with Somalia President (Citizen news)
- Somaliland celebrates World Environment Day (Qurbejoog Online)
- Kenya Somalia to work for eliminating al Shabaab threats (Xinhua)
- Taskforce set up to repatriate refugees (Daily Nation)
- AMISOM Trains Somali Police (K24TV)
- Police probe for anti-Muslim motive in fire at London Somali center (CNN)
SOMALI MEDIA
Djibouti national forces anniversary marked in Beled-weyne town
06 Jun- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Hiiraan Online/Shabelle/Universal TV/Horn Cable-150 words
The 36th anniversary of the Djibouti national armed forces has been marked in Somalia’s central town of Beled-weyne, capital of Hiiraan region, where a colorful ceremony was held at El-Jalle military base in Beled-weyne.
The ceremony was attended by the Hiiraan region administration officials, Ethiopian security officials in Hiiraan and different parts of Hiiraan population.
Speaking at the occasion, commander of AMISOM troops in Hiiraan Gen. Osman Subagle urged Djiboutian troops under AMISOM command to double their efforts of restoring peace and stability to the troubled horn of Africa nation.
Osman Dubbad, senior AMISOM official in Hiiraan who was speaking at the ceremony stated that the Djiboutian troops under AMISOM have played a great role in liberating many parts of the central region of Somalia, adding that AU peacekeeping forces also aided victims hit by the floods.
Somali Government Holds Security Meeting in Gedo
06 Jun- Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Bar-kulan- 121 words
The Somali federal government administration in Gedo held a security meeting in Luq to forge relations between local leaders and security officials.
Luq District Commissioner Ahmed Bulle Mohamed said security has improved in the region, while senior security official Diyad Abdi Kalil called on area residents to work with officials to maintain security improvements.
Also on Tuesday, spokesman for Somali forces in Gedo Nur Seyla Hareed said government troops waged a battle against al Shabaab near Fahfah Dhun that broke out when the militants fired mortar shells on a government base.
Somali forces in Gedo will continue fighting al Shabaab until they are defeated, Hareed told Radio Mustaqbal.
Farmers in Burdubo lose valuable crops to insects
06 Jun- Source: Radio Ergo- 202 words
Swarms of insects have been plaguing farmland in Burdubo, Gedo region, causing widespread damage to crops in the area.
A local farmer, Abdullahi Aden, told Radio Ergo the invading insects included grasshoppers, caterpillars and maggots. Birds feeding on the insects were also causing damage to the crops. He said worst affected crops were onions, tomatoes, oranges, pumpkins, maize, sesame, and beans.
Abdullahi said this year’s gu’ season would remain in people’s memories for a long time, as the losses to crops had been so great. He said the farmers in the area lacked pesticides to protect their harvests.
Dirham Sheikh Ali, an official in the Burdubo farmers’ association, said farm inputs such as pesticides were not available anywhere in the area, even for those with money to buy them. He said this was one of the biggest challenges facing farmers and affecting food security. He urged agricultural agencies and the local business community to supply farmers with pesticides.
Radio Ergo’s correspondent in the region said it was difficult to estimate the extent of the crops destroyed by the insects, noting that there were some farms in the district that had not been adversely affected.
Prof. Samatar Visit Borama, Awdal Region
05 Jun- Source: Qurbejoog- 207 words
One of the most famous educators and politician, Prof. Ahmed Samatar received a very high warm welcoming from the government and communities of Awdal region collectively. Prof. Samatar has been welcomed excitedly, by thousand of Awdal community with hundreds of vehicles, and waving and slogans with the picture of the Prof. Samatar and Somaliland flag.
The Prof. has been welcomed at Dilla by community of Dilla district. At last Prof.Ahmed Samatar, arrived at the independence center of Borama which thousands of youth, women, children and students of Amoud and Eelo universities gather for his reception. Prof. Samatar spoke to the emotionally excited, and expressed gratitudes for the warm welcome.
Silatech, ARC, Dahabshiil Join to Support Somali Youth Enterprise
05 Jun- Source: Somaliland Press- 1010 words
Silatech has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dahabshiil, the largest international payments firm in Africa, and the American Refugee Committee (ARC), an international NGO fighting poverty and unemployment, to promote Somali youth enterprise development and provide employment solutions in the Somali territories.
In keeping with its mission to create jobs and expand economic opportunities for young people throughout the Arab world, Silatech will collaborate with Dahabshiil and ARC to explore initiatives to promote youth entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities as a means of alleviating poverty. As a Somali-founded business, Dahabshiil remains the primary remittance service for the global Somali diaspora, with thousands of outlets in more than 150 countries. Dahabshiil’s portfolio includes Dahabshil Bank International, a full service bank headquartered in Djibouti with branches across the Somali territories, and a leading telecommunication services provider, Somtel. As such, the initiative between Silatech, Dahabshiil and ARC is the first of its kind in the Somali territories and will leverage Dahabshiil Group’s full suite of services as part of an exclusive joint venture.
Somalia leaders to meet in Nairobi
05 Jun- Source: Radio Shabelle/BBC Somali- 181 words
Abdirahman Sheikh Mohamed Farole the president of Puntland state talking to BBC Somali service said that he expects to meet Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Nairobi Kenya. Mr. Farole said that the meeting was scheduled to address Somalia’s politics and the political saga surrounding the Jubaland regions.
Mr. Farole said that he met the president a week ago as and agreed on a scheduled meeting to address political issues in the region. “I will push for reconciliation talks between the federal’s president and the new Jubaland president,’’ said Farole.
The Puntland president thanked the president of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenyan troops for the role they played in the peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
Somaliland celebrates World Environment Day
05 Jun- Source: Qurbejoog- 194 words
Somaliland joins the countries around the globe to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5th with a well-organized ceremony today in Ambassador Hotel, Hargeisa. Hundreds of participants from all walks of life, including ministers, local leaders, UN agencies and university students, attended the ceremony. The director general of Somaliland’s ministry of environment Mohamed Farah Hirsi who spoke at the ceremony pointed out that manmade environmental problems affect the lives of Somaliland people and world. Commemorated each year on June 5, World Environment Day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. Minister of environment and rural development Mohamed Saed Muhumed who also spoke at the ceremony said that Somaliland witnessed significant reduction of charcoal production since he came to office three years ago. It has been estimated that that each household in Somaliland consumes an average of ten trees a month. The problem of deforestation throughout the country has exacerbated soil erosion and soil degradation. Climate experts indicate that unless a concerted strategy is put in place desertification will take place.
REGIONAL MEDIA
President Kenyatta Hold Talks with Somalia President
06 Jun- Source: Citizen News- 02:19 min
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalia counterpart Sheikh Mahamud have agreed to form a joint task force to prepare for the coming conference on refugees to be held in August this year in Nairobi. The two presidents said the conference will work out on modalities for early repatriation and resettlement of refugees to their country.
Taskforce set up to repatriate refugees
06 Jun- Source: Daily Nation- 220 words
Kenya and the Somali governments have set up a taskforce to work out the modalities of repatriating and settling thousands of Somali refugees. The formula agreed upon will form the basis of a conference on refugees to be held in Nairobi in August and will be expected to announce the timetable for the return. President Kenyatta, who hosted his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, called on the international community to assist the two nations create conditions that will ensure the safe return of the refugees to their country.
AMISOM Trains Somali Police
04 Jun- Source: K24TV- 1:58 min
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) with the support of the federal government of Somalia has formally closed a two-week re-training course in specialized public order management facilitated by AMISOM at General Kahiye academy in the country’s capital. The training is meant to improve security in Somalia and equip the forces with necessary skills and knowledge that will enhance service delivery.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenya, Somalia to work for eliminating al Shabaab threats
06 Jun- Source: Xinhua-628 words
Kenyan and Somali leaders on Wednesday declared that they would direct their respective security forces to work closely in eliminating al Shabaab threats, who is blamed for sporadic attacks and killings in both countries.
“We have called for the support of IGAD, UNHCR and the international community to ensure the success of this exercise,” President Kenyatta said in a statement issued after the meeting with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which was held in Nyeri in central Kenya.
The two neighbouring countries blame the insurgents for a string of attacks especially in northern Kenya and the Horn of Africa nation including kidnapping of foreigners in the East African nation.
Police probe for anti-Muslim motive in fire at London Somali center
06 Jun- Source: CNN- 352 words
Police are investigating whether anti-Muslim sentiments were behind a fire early Wednesday that caused extensive damage to a Somali community center in north London. The fire, in the Muswell Hill neighborhood, is being treated as suspicious, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Police told CNN that investigators will probe whether the attack may have been directed against Muslims. The letters “EDL” — a possible reference to the English Defence League, a far-right group — were found on the building, the statement said. “Police are investigating any potential connection between the graffiti and the fire.”
The force “will work closely with the Somali and Islamic communities to provide support and reassurance,” the statement said. The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command is leading the inquiry.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“If power and wealth are some of the factors driving the long-conflict in Somalia, then it is no longer productive. Somalis have already won Eastern Africa.”
Somalia Doesn’t Have To Fight To Conquer: Somalis Are Already Africa’s Small Kings And Queens
06 June- Source: Naked Chief Blog-1100 Words
We are told that the 20-year madness and bloodletting in Somalia has been fuelled by clan turf wars, criminality, Islamic Jihad, piracy, and even national resistance against foreign powers (the USA, Ethiopia, African Union Peace Mission, and lately Kenya).
A less talked-about driver for the conflict, is the desire to create a Greater Somalia; the rebirth of pre-colonial Somalia that includes the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, Djibouti, and northeastern Kenya. The five-pointed “star of unity” in the Somalia flag represents this idea – the Somali ethnic groups in Djibouti, Ogaden, Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya, and Somalia itself.
For this reason, like the Jewish nation that is bigger than the Israeli state, the Somali nation too is much bigger than the Somali state (Somalia). That is why, for Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya, the rise of a Greater Somalia is an existential threat. The irony about this is that Somalis are already one of Africa’s most successful people. They certainly are its most enterprising.
“We had many names in mind for our blog, but at the end we decided with “Discover Somalia”, because we wanted people to discover the other side of Somalia through photography ,showing Somalia’s progress and the resilient of it’s people.”
Discover Somalia bloggers collective
05 June- Source: Dynamic Africa Blog-631Words
Birthed out of the frustration of the mostly negative and one-dimensional depictions of their country, and armed with the ‘responsibility of building a better Somalia’, the curators behind the blog Discover Somalia make use of imagery and other sourced information in an attempt to “change the negative perceptions and stereotypes of Somalia”, and create a platform that showcases the diversity of life in Somalia.
In about five sentences or less, can you tell us a little bit about who the people behind the ‘Discover Somalia’ initiative are?
Discover Somalia was created by a group made of Somali diaspora, mostly college students in United Sates and the United Kingdom who are very much up to date on current affairs in Somalia and/or are involved with Somalia in their respective studies. After seeing how Somalia is portrayed in the mainstream media, we wanted to take ownership. We ourselves relevant as free Somalis at this historic moment in our country wanted to help define and shape the country we want. We never got to experience how a stable Somalia looks like, but we want to take responsibility of building a better Somalia that can live up to the promise of all its peoples.
What are the main objectives of your blog? What led or inspired you to create it?
Discover Somalia is an online photography blog that attempts to change the negative perceptions and stereotypes of Somalia. Somalia is not a place of war and famine and destruction and all these horrible things, we so often hear in the mainstream media, but it’s a place where normal people do normal things all the time, just like we do. We wanted to start a project that could be more all-encompassing, we wanted a collection of images that showcases Somalia’s progress and normalcy. We have many present and future objectives, but for now we want display images progress and history of Somalia, so that people understand that there is to Somalia.
Top tweets
@al_loya Checkout this amazing photo album by Gwaga titled ‘Humans of #Somalia’, http://tmblr.co/Z3KQrwmiWwfK
@JamalMOsman Following the brutal killing of a #Somaliman, 100s of protesters r expected at SA embassy London on Fri/Sat pic.twitter.com/IOK8dtPnEd
@amisomsomalia #Somali boys pose for a photo at a roadside tea shop at Fagah Junction in #Yaaqshiid Districthttp://on.fb.me/YJ6HUd pic.twitter.com/3wwtxAd4n3
@halaq #someonetellSouthAfrica #Somalia helped towards their #Freedom fighting but now they’re paying back by killing #Somali refugees.. #why??
@dcj_wall #Somalia may be moving from catastrophe to mess. But I don’t think the market is ready for a country fund | http://info-codexa.com/4uzf
Image of the day
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, left, in talks with Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud at State Lodge, Sagana. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta Facebook