June 8, 2015 | Morning Headlines

Main Story

Moderate Islamist Rebels Seize Control Of Central Town

07 June – Source: Horseed Media – 185 Words

Somali moderate Islamist rebels have taken over the control of a town located in the Central region of the country on Sunday morning, Horseed Media reports. Dhusamareb, the capital of Galgadud region was under the control of forces loyal to the Federal government of Somalia. According to local residents, the Ahlu Sunnah Waljama’a militia launched attacks from the outskirts of the town and managed to capture strategic bases after few hours from the government forces. Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a is a paramilitary group consisting of moderate Sufis opposed to the radical Islamist groups such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia. It became prominent in 2008, when it took up arms against Al-Shabaab after the radical group began destroying the tombs of the country’s Sufi saints. The number of casualties of the battle is yet unclear as the town returned to calm. Over the years, the group has been famous for supporting the Somali government but it has recently accused the government for marginalizing it. The latest development comes as efforts are underway to form a Regional Federal State, which Ahlu Sunnah has criticized.

Key Headlines

State Freezes Flights To And From Somalia (The Star)
Moderate Islamist Rebels Seize Control Of Central Town (Horseed Media)
Jubaland Breaks Off Ties With Federal Government (Garowe Online)
Puntland Backs Jubbaland’s Decision To Cut Ties With Somali Federal Government (Goobjoog News)
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Arrives In Somalia (Mareeg)
Jubbaland MPs Lash Out At Their Federal Counterparts Saying Passed Motion Is Illegal (Wacaal Media)
A Ship Sent To Evacuate Somalis Is Close to Dock At Mukala Port (Goobjoog News)
Petrol Bomb Hits Somali Tuck Shop (Independant Online)
Three Killed In Suspected Al-Shabaab Attack In Northeast Kenya: Officials (The Daily Star Lebanon)
New Districts Opened In Somalia For Voluntary Refugee Return (Xinhua)
Kenya Claims US UK Funding ‘Terror” NGOs (The Star)
Federal Register Announces TPS Extended For Somalia – I-9 Update Temporary Protected Status (The National Law Review)
As Radical Recruiters Again Zero In On Minnesota’s East African Community Leaders Search For Answers (Star Tribune)
Kenya Must Respect The Human Rights Of Somali Refugees (Al Jazeera)
Misconceptions Of Somalia – Nuruddin Farah (BBC)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Puntland Backs Jubbaland’s Decision To Cut Ties With Somali Federal Government

07 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 201 Words

The administration of Semi-autonomous regional state of Puntland has backed the decision of Interim Jubba Administration to cut off all relations with Somali Federal Government over the passing of controversial no-confidence motion in newly formed IJA regional assembly. Statement from Puntland president’s office has condemned what it described as an unconstitutional move by national assembly parliament to dissolve Juba regional parliament. It underlined that the motion was against the constitution and will damage the implementation of the federal system which will be a stumbling block to vision 2016. It also highlights that Somali federal parliament in Mogadishu has bypassed article 50 of the federal constitution and thus pushing it to another year of political crisis. The move comes after Somali Federal parliament voted out Jubbaland Assembly assembly which they term as illegal and unconstitutional. Yesterday the Deputy President of Interim Jubba Administration, Abdullahi Sheik Ismael also known as, Fartag in a hastily convened news conference said “from now on…we have stopped all collaborations with the Federal Government and severed all ties. We would not accept any delegation from Federal governments”.

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Arrives In Somalia

07 June – Source: Mareeg – 184 Words

United Arab Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdallah Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, visited the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Sunday, During his one day visit he met with the President of Somalia as well as the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Health, Education, Internal Security, and land & Air Transportation of the Federal government. In joint press, Minister Al Nahayan said that his government is determined to continue to support Somalia in any way it can and urged the Gulf countries to increase their role towards the recovery process of Somalia.

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud welcomed the UAE’s role towards the reconstruction and stability of Somalia. “The government and people of Somalia are pleased with the significant projects the UAE has implemented in this country which inspires the efforts towards Somalia’s recovery in areas of security, politics and economy,’’ said the President. Both countries signed an air transport agreement in the past few years. UAE has established several humanitarian and development projects in the country. It has also provided military aid to the federal government and regional administrations.

Jubbaland MPs Lash Out At Their Federal Counterparts Saying Passed Motion Is Illegal

07 June – Source: Wacaal Media – 101 Words

The newly constituted assembly of Jubbaland has come out with guns blazing after a vote of no confidence against it was passed by their Federal counterparts. Speaking in a heated debate yesterday afternoon, speaker of the assembly Sheikh Abdi termed the motion as unconstitutional piece of legislation filled with blackmail. His sentiments were echoed by members who most of them referred to their federal colleagues as a bunch of corrupt officials out to make money by arm-twisting others. The Jubbaland house which was constituted in April has also announced a similar move against the Federal Parliament.

A Ship Sent To Evacuate Somalis Is Close to Dock Att Mukala Port

07 June – Source: Goobjoog News – 397 Words

The first ship sent by the Somali businessman Abdi Ali Farah which sailed from Mogadishu Port 4 days ago is closed to reaching Yemen’s waters. The vessel is expected to evacuate Somalis who are stranded in Yemen which has been mired in ferocious fighting between the internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels who have taken control of large swaths of Yemen. Goobjoog Reporters, Mohamed Salad and Aweys Noor are on board the ship are reporting that the vessel is expected to dock at Mukala Port of Yemen in forthcoming hours. Last month, Abdi Ali Farah, a well-known Somali businessman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Jubba General Trading Company has pledged to dispatch a cargo ship intended to ferry Somalis from Yemen. Speaking to Goobjoog News, Farah said that he decided to help brotherly Somalis who were affected by the violence in Yemen which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands including Yemenis and Somali refugees. Since 1 April, 6, 789 of Somali refugees returned home by themselves with small boats. They accused the government of “failing’’ to intervene in the situation of the trapped citizens.

Somali government promised to dispatch ships and planes for the evacuation of Somalis caught in Yemen’s conflict. On 27 April the Director of the Parliament Mohamed Iyow told Goobjoog that the parliament had approved to send two ships to evacuate Somalis in Yemen. While other foreign nationals have been evacuated from the impoverished gulf nation, the federal government has not yet moved to evacuate its citizens despite announcing plans to bring back them home. Radio Goobjoog has launched a campaign “Gurmad and Gargaar” on 23 April, which is community events and intended to encourage Somali people to help Somali refugees in Yemen and Kenya. The campaign will run for 90 consecutive days. The administration of Goobjoog News has voluntarily undertaken initiatives to create awareness on the situation of Somali refugees in both Yemen and Kenya.

Jubaland Breaks Off Ties With Federal Government

06 June – Source: Garowe Online – 228 Words

Jubaland administration in southern Somalia has cut off all relations with Mogadishu-based Federal Government over the passing of controversial no-confidence motion in the regional parliament on Saturday, Garowe Online reports. In a statement Jubaland said it was suspending support for the UN-backed central government trying to stave off Al-Shabaab threats in its backyard for sliding back the country into yesterday’s chaos and disregarding the agreed upon national principles . “After parliament whose quorum was not present, falsely voted Jubaland regional assembly illegal,” read the statement from presidency.” Today, on 6th of June, [Jubaland hereby] ceases cooperation with the central government”.

Jubaland noted that Somalia’s Federal Government is in breach of agreement to resolve differences through dialogue in line with the article 50 of Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC). “Having learned of the failure to curb the illegal motion by Somalia President and guardian of the rule of law,” Jubaland said in the statement, adding it wants that inclusive central government be formed when all federal states are completed. The suspension of cooperation with Mogadishu-based Federal Government has come after 132 MPs of the 275-seat-chamber of federal parliament have endorsed a no-confidence motion against the make-up of Jubaland parliament in a vote marred by delays. Jubaland gained recognition from the Federal Government in August 2013 following IGAD-brokered bilateral talks in Addis Ababa,

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Petrol Bomb Hits Somali Tuck Shop

07 June – Source: Independent Online – 334 Words

Three Somalis narrowly escaped death when their tuck shop in Cato Crest was petrol bombed and gunshots were fired in what police have called competition between traders. But store owner Sithembiso Shangase blamed the traders for attacking the migrant shopkeepers and requested police to intensify the investigation. He said none of the shops was destroyed, proving the attacks were directed at foreigners. “I have been getting threats from them and look what has happened. Not so long ago mystery letters were circulated warning foreigners to leave or face the wrath.” When the Sunday Tribune arrived at the shop which had been cordoned off by police, Osman Mahamud and his friend Jacob Chume were busy pointing out damage to police. The roof had been blown away and walls blackened by the smoke. Both men pointed to grains of rice and other items strewn on the floor. Two refrigerators containing soft drinks had melted in the heat. Mahamud said the stock worth more than R80 000 had been lost during the blast. He said three shopkeepers, Yaya Ali, 25, Ali Mohamed, 29, and Abdul Ilmi, 30, were sleeping inside when they heard a commotion outside, followed by gunshots and an explosion.

Three Killed In Suspected Al-Shabaab Attack In Northeast Kenya: Officials

07 June – Source: The Daily Star, Lebanon – 269 Words

Three people have died in an attack by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Kenya’s northeastern Wajir county that borders Somalia, officials said Sunday. Wajir county police commander, Samuel Mukindia, said a group of gunmen opened fire in a residential area late on Saturday, killing two men and a women before escaping. Officials and residents said the attackers were believed to have been seeking to kill a local administrator, who lives close to the scene of the attack and is known to be on an Al-Shabaab “wanted” list for speaking out against the Islamists’ activities in the region. “The attackers were possibly heading to the chief’s residence, but since they were not familiar with the house, they started shooting people indiscriminately,” said Ahmed Muhamed, an elder in Wajir.

Wajir, situated 490 kilometres (310 miles) northeast of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, is part of a vast border area — including Mandera county to the north and Garissa county to the south — to have been hit by an upsurge of attacks by the Somali-led and Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab rebels. Last year, Al-Shabaab carried out a string of massacres in Mandera, and in April attacked a university in Garissa, killing 148 people — most of them students. The Islamists have vowed to continue attacks until Kenya pulls its soldiers out of Somalia, where they are part of an African Union mission trying to rout the insurgents and protect the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu. However there are increasing fears that al-Shabab are steadily building their support network in the lawless, impoverished and Muslim-majority border region, and shifting the bulk of their activities from Somalia to Kenya.

State Freezes Flights To And From Somalia

06 June – Source: The Star – 188 Words

A plane from Somalia’s capital Mogadishu has landed at the JKIA Saturday afternoon despite a reported suspension of flights between the two capitals. Among the affected carriers are Jubba Airways that operates out of South Sudan, East Africa Airways based at Wilson Airport and Africa Safaris, a charter carrier based in Mombasa. A source who spoke on condition of anonymity from Jubba Airways said they are still operating regularly between the two destinations. Neither of the other two carriers were reachable for comment. Also unreachable was the Cabinet Secretary for the Interior Joseph Nkaissery. The Kenya Airports Authority that manages JKIA was also not reachable for a response on the suspension. An official at the East African Express Airways who did not wish to be named said they were forced to cancel all flights scheduled for the weekend. “KAA issued the notice late Thursday evening, but it wasn’t until Friday that the directive was enforced. Passengers were forced to look for accommodation after the cancellation of their flights,” the official said. The source further said that flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu will continue subject to clearance from KAA.

New Districts Opened In Somalia For Voluntary Refugee Return

06 June – Source: Xinhua – 335 Words

Six new districts have been opened in southern Somalia to help enhance voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees in Kenya, a tripartite commission formed to oversee the return said on Saturday. Representatives of Kenya, Somalia and UNHCR said in a joint communique that they have also decided to extend the provision of return and reintegration assistance to Somali refugees to six additional districts in Somalia. “The newly announced districts are Mogadishu, Afgoye, Balad, Belet Weyne, Jowhar, and Wanle Weyne. This is in addition to the existing areas of return Kismayo, Baidoa and Luuq,” says the communique released in Nairobi.

The tripartite meeting noted that as a result of the efforts made by AMISOM and Somalia government forces, additional areas are being made accessible to humanitarian and development assistance. According to the communique, the refugees voluntarily returning to other parts of Somalia will also be provided with return assistance in Kenya and upon arrival in Somalia. This means that voluntary return support is available to all the 332,749 registered Somali nationals in Dadaab refugee camps. Kenyan and Somali governments, including UNHCR, agreed in April to form a tripartite commission that will be charged with overseeing the repatriation of Somali refugees at the Dadaab camp.

Kenya Claims US, UK Funding ‘Terror” NGOs

06 June – Source: The Star – 501 Words

The government has accused the United States, the UK and several European countries of funding organizations allegedly linked to al Shabaab terrorists. Through the Ministry of Foreign affairs, the government has sent a protest note verbale to the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany and Finland, requesting that they stop funding Haki Africa and Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri), both activist rights organisations. A diplomatic note verbale is an unsigned communication in the third person. It is less formal than a note, also called a letter of protest, but more formal than an aide-memoire. The government has de-registered the two organisations, saying they are working with terror groups, charges denied by both groups.

“The government has communicated to these Governments informing them of the status of these two CSOs and how they have been directly and or indirectly furthering al Shaabab activities in particular at the Kenyan Coast,” says a government intelligence brief seen yesterday by the Star. “This has however not gone well with the four countries which maintain that the two organisations are involved in Counter Violent Extremists (CVE) activities.” The British High Commission dismissed the claims, saying no evidence has been produced. “We have seen nothing to be concerned about regarding these two organisations. We have also asked for evidence but nothing has been given to us,” British High Commission spokesman Stephen Burns yesterday told the Star. US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec, in an opinion article published elsewhere in this newspaper, defended his government’s relationship with civil society groups in Kenya.

Federal Register Announces TPS Extended For Somalia – I-9 Update Temporary Protected Status

06 June – Source: The National Law Review – 375 Words

As published in the Federal Register on June 1, 2015, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation was extended for Somali nationals currently living in the United States. Somalia’s TPS extension and redesignation is for an additional 18 months, from September 15, 2015 through March 17, 2017. This action was taken after the Secretary of Homeland Security determined the ongoing armed conflict in Somalia posed a substantial threat to living conditions in the country. Employers should alert all company representatives responsible for the completion of I-9 forms about this development. A country can be designated for TPS due to temporary conditions in the country that prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. Individuals granted TPS benefits are not removable from the United States, can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD) to work in the United States, and may be granted travel authorization to travel outside the United States. The granting of TPS does not, however, result in or lead to permanent resident status. Somalia was initially designated under the TPS provisions in 1991, with re-designation in 2001 and 2012. The announced extension of TPS designation for Somalia for an additional 18 months, from September 15, 2015 through March 17, 2017, allows current TPS beneficiaries from Somalia to retain TPS through March 17, 2017, so long as they otherwise continue to meet the eligibility requirements for TPS.

OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE

“Of the 44 people charged after alleged attempts to join or back Syrian militants, 10 came from Minnesota, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The remainder were scattered across the country, a mix of converts to Islam, young college grads, U.S. military vets and middle-aged professionals. Some states with sizable East African immigrant communities, such as Washington, have not produced any defendants.”

As Radical Recruiters Again Zero In On Minnesota’s East African Community, Leaders Search For Answers

07 June – Source: Star Tribune – 1291 Words

Nationwide, more than 40 people have been charged with providing support to terrorist groups in Syria. Almost a quarter of them are from one place: Minnesota. Local Somali leaders and others who study radicalization are questioning why the state again finds itself the focus of recruitment efforts and federal prosecutions — years after more than two dozen Minnesotans left to join the Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabaab. “There’s not a definite answer,” said Abdisalam Adam, a Somali leader and educator. “Everybody’s struggling with the question.” In all, law enforcement officials estimate that at least 40 Twin Cities residents have joined the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, got intercepted on their way, or are the focus of active investigations that could yield additional arrests. Most, though not all, have been young men of East African descent. Minnesota was even singled out in a recent slickly produced ISIL recruitment video.

Community leaders are debating what might make young Somali-Americans vulnerable to the lure of recruiters — even as they caution against painting the nation’s largest East African immigrant community with too broad a brush. Adam says community discussion has touched on a variety of factors — “a sense of heavy-handedness” in U.S. foreign policy, the lack of appreciation among youths of the violence their parents fled, their inability to see through ISIL propaganda. Others are drawn by the allure of living in a strict Islamic state, perhaps explaining why U.S.-led airstrikes on ISIL have done little to stop the flow of foreign fighters to the area. But some who have studied the issue believe ISIL’s recruiting success is tied up in connecting with the social networks of idealistic and often disaffected young men. “ISIL is shaping its message to appeal to these groups of young men,” said Bruce Hoffman, director of Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies. “They appeal to young people’s desire to belong to something larger than themselves.” Six Minneapolis men were charged in late April with trying to join ISIL, in what officials describe as a long-simmering plot involving nearly a dozen suspects. The men have pleaded not guilty, their attorneys and their families vigorously disputing the charges.

“Today, many radical groups like al-Shabab, ISIL, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and others are indoctrinating youths by providing something to believe in. They offer what many of us sorely needed: an identity.”

Kenya Must Respect The Human Rights Of Somali Refugees

06 June – Source: AlJazeera – 960 Words

In the wake of the Garissa University College shootings that left nearly 150 people dead, the Kenyan government has threatened to close the world’s largest refugee camp. In response, US Secretary of State John Kerry promised an extra $45m to the United Nations to cope with their refugee crisis, presenting an opportunity for Kenya to support over 600,000 refugees from Somalia and South Sudan in a way that not only empowers those refugees, but also enhances its own security and prosperity. Lately, the Kenyan government has not proven itself to be a paragon of a host country for displaced people. Its treatment of Somali refugees after the Garissa shooting has shown the government to be an understandably nervous one, looking for a scapegoat for increasingly common terrorist attacks. With the threat to shut down the Dadaab camp, they risk further displacing an already traumatised group of people.

They can – and must – do better. As a refugee and as someone who has worked with refugees for over 16 years, I know that not only can Kenya do better, but it can also create a model for how other countries can deal with a constant influx of displaced people from various conflicts. After escaping unrest in Sierra Leone in March 1991, I learned that when you start to run at a young age, one of the things you lose is your identity. National identity is something most people take for granted, yet to this day, I still have a difficult time knowing how to tell people where I’m from. My family was displaced for so long that some of my siblings were born while we were refugees in Guinea and have never seen Sierra Leone. It remains difficult for my family to make sense of who we are. I am not “Guinean” or “Sierra Leonean” or “American” but “a refugee”. When we lose this sense of statehood, we try to find other places to belong. We can lose our self-worth and sense of social responsibility.

Misconceptions of Somalia – Nuruddin Farah

03 June – Source: BBC – Audio – 11:00 Mins

The author Nuruddin Farah was born in Baidoa, Somalia, and has been in self-imposed exile since the 1970s. He lives in Cape Town, South Africa, and is also Distinguished Professor of Literature at Bard College, New York. Here he talks about his new novel, Hiding in Plain Sight, and his feelings for Somalia.