March 19, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali President strongly condemns Monday’s suicide attack

18 Mar – Source: Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu/Bar-kulan – 104 words

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has condemned a suicide attack which killed at least 10 people in Mogadishu on Monday, calling victims of the attack as martyrs. “I am sending condolence to the families and friends of those who were martyred in today’s attack,’’ said the president in a statement he released after attack. “We can estimate that such horror attacks are planned and executed by al Shabaab. After they were defeated militarily, they are desperate and are giving all their time to terrorize and mercilessly kill innocent civilians so we have to fight with them,” continued President Mohamud in his press release.

Key Headlines

No distractions to the government’s mission as business continues says Prime Minister(Prime Minister’s Media Office)
AMISOM Condemns Car Bomb Attack in Mogadishu(AMISOM(HQ)
UN Special Representative on bomb attack in Mogadishu(UNPOS)
AMISOM disposes unexploded ordnance from Kismayo Hospital(Radio Bar-kulan)
Somalia car bomb leaves 10 dead(The Guardian / Fox News)
Journalist killed three others wounded in Mogadishu suicide attack(Raxanreeb)
UN sends committee to assess Somalia’s arms situation: minister(Radio Kulmiye)
First fight-back by al Qaeda in Somalia: Hudur under control of al Shabaab again(Middle East News)
Japan contest honors Iranian photojournalist for Somali civil war collection(Tehran Times)
Rescued Sailor: Somalis were hell Indian govt didn’t help(Oneindia News)

PRESS STATEMENT

No distractions to the government’s mission as business continues, says Prime Minister

18 Mar – Source: Prime Minister’s Media Office – 201 words

Somalia’s recovery was too far advanced for it to be derailed, Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon said, sending his condolences to the victims of a terrorist attack in Mogadishu.

The suicide attack took place close to the National Theatre in the Hamarweyne district of the capital when a car bomber drove into a passenger bus. At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded. “Somalis will join me in sending my condolences to those who were killed or wounded in this futile attack.

The truth is that daily life is more peaceful and Mogadishu is more secure than it has been for over 20 years,” the Prime Minister said. “New Somali businesses are opening almost daily as our brothers and sisters from the diaspora vote with their feet and return to Mogadishu.”

The Prime Minister noted that the enemies of peace had been driven out of the capital, were being pushed back across Somalia and were on their way out. “These misguided attempts to derail us will have no effect,” the Prime Minister said. “We have made far too much progress to regress to the bad old days. Peace, stability and business are the order of the day.”

AMISOM Condemns Car Bomb Attack in Mogadishu

18 Mar – Source AMISOM(HQ) – 290 words

Mogadishu 18th March 2013: The African Union Mission in Somalia strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu that killed eight civilians and left scores injured.

A car bomb, planted by suspected al Qaeda affiliated al Shabaab terrorists, was detonated near the Somali National Theatre as a public service vehicle went by, killing several passengers as well as others in a nearby tea shop. The explosion also damaged nearby buildings.

“This was a callous attack on innocent Somali civilians and is aimed at derailing the efforts of the Somali people to recover from the years of lawlessness,” said The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif.

He noted that Mogadishu has been experiencing its longest period of relative peace in two decades and that this had given ordinary people the opportunity to begin to rebuild their lives. “AMISOM is committed to assisting Somalia to safeguard the security of its citizens and we will continue to support the efforts to build up the capacity of the Somali National Security Forces and to rid the country of the al Shabaab threat,” he said.

Ambassador Annadif sent his condolences to the family and friends of the victims of those killed in the attack as well as his prayers for a swift recovery for the wounded.

Over the last two years, Somali National Security Forces, with the support of AMISOM, have forced the al Shabaab out of most urban centers across south and central Somalia, enabling the country to inaugurate a new and representative political order. As thousands who had fled the years of anarchy return, Mogadishu is experiencing resurgence in commercial activity as well as a real estate and construction boom.

UN Special Representative on bomb attack in Mogadishu

18 Mar – Source: UNPOS – 128 words

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, is shocked and saddened by today’s car bombing which occurred near Villa Somalia in the vicinity of the National Theatre in Mogadishu.

Initial reports indicate that at least seven people were killed and many more wounded by a vehicle borne improvised explosive device. There are also reports that a senior Somali security official may have been targeted in the attack.

“Today’s assault was entirely unacceptable”, said SRSG Mahiga, “Somalia has made great strides forward on the path of progress and stabilization and these cowardly terrorist attacks will only reinforce the determination of the Somali people to persevere. At this sad moment, our thoughts are with family and friends of those injured and killed,” the SRSG said.

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali President strongly condemns Monday’s suicide attack

18 Mar – Source: Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu/Bar-kulan – 104 words

AMISOM disposes unexploded ordnance from Kismayo Hospital

18 Mar – Source:Radio Bar-kulan – 90 words

African Union troops in the port city of Kismayo in conjunction with the loyal interim administration on Monday conducted demining activities in the area main hospital. Reports say the forces removed two land mines planted inside the hospital compound and several hand grenades. A doctor who sought anonymity for his own security told Bar-kulan that the explosives were retrieved from former top militants’ residential houses-com in the hospital. Officials with the local interim administration said Monday’s operation was aimed at removing unexploded ordnance ahead of tomorrow’s reopening of the hospital.

Journalist killed, three others wounded in Mogadishu suicide attack

18 Mar – Source: Raxanreeb – 133 words

A famous Somali journalist Mohamed Ali Nuxurkey was killed while three other journalists were wounded in a car bombing that hit near Villa Somalia in the centre of Mogadishu Monday, RBC reports. The journalist who was working with Radio Mustaqbal, a private owned radio in Mogadishu was one of several people sitting at a cafeteria near the National Theatre in Mogadishu where the suicide car hit, killing at least eight other people mostly civilians and government soldiers. The journalist died from serious wounds after he was taken to the hospital.

Unauthorised gun owners arrested in parts of Galgadud

18 Mar – Source: Bar-kulan – 87 words

Nine people were Monday arrested and several guns seized in an operation at Marer-gur, Ina-mad and Gadon villages of Galgadud region. The nine were arrested for illegally being in possession of unlicensed firearms, according Dusamareb security boss Farhan Moalim Ali. e said the men will soon be arraigned in court to answer charges of breaching arms regulation policies adopted in the region. Ali promised to continue their crackdown on people with illegal guns in defiance of their order banning unauthorised guns in all towns in the region.

UN sends committee to assess Somalia’s arms situation: minister

18 Mar – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 120 words

Somalia’s Minister of the Information Abdullahi Ilmoge Hersi has said that a delegates from the United Nations is in the country to look into the country’s weapons situation. The delegates will meet top government officials, added the the minister. Hersi said the delegation will visit major cities such as Hargeisa, Beledweyne, Galkayo, and many other towns in the country.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Japan contest honors Iranian photojournalist for Somali civil war collection

18 Mar – Source: Tehran Times – 144 words

The Iranian photographer Hossein Fatemi has been honored for his collection on the Somali civil war at the 9th Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards in Tokyo. He was presented one of the three prizes awarded for third place for his collection entitled “Somalia – 3 Decades of Civil War”, the contest website announced on March 9. The Japanese photographers Noriko Hayashi and Kohtaro Miyata won the two other awards for third place. The Serbian photographer Goran Tomasevic won the first prize for his photo collection on Syria. Fatemi is the representative of Panos Pictures, a photo agency specializing in the global social issues, driven by the vision and commitment of its photographers and staff.

First fight-back by al Qaeda in Somalia: Hudur under control of al Shabaab again

18 Mar – Source: Middle East News – 116 words

Somalia’s Islamist fighters retook the key southern town of Hudur on Sunday, residents and the militants said, in the first territorial fight-back by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab for several months. Heavily armed Shebab fighters swept into the regional capital of the Bakool region early on Sunday, taking the town peacefully just hours after Ethiopian troops who had held it since late 2011 left, said resident Hussein Madker. “Hudur is now under the control of the Shebab fighters again after the Ethiopian soldiers moved out late last night,” Madker said. The Ethiopian troops left the town late Saturday with their heavy weaponry, alongside allied Somali forces and residents who feared what would happen after their pull-out, locals said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia car bomb leaves 10 dead

18 Mar – Source:The Guardian / Fox News – 140 words

A car bomb has exploded near the presidential palace in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people in a blast that appeared to target senior government officials, police say. The suicide attacker detonated explosives while driving along a boulevard that runs between the palace and the national theatre, a route lined by tea rooms which were engulfed in fire moments after the blast on Monday, the senior police officer Abdiqadir Muhammad said. A public minibus driving along the road burst into flames. “The suicide car bomber targeted a senior national security officer whose car was passing near the theatre,”. “Most of the people who died were on board the minibus – civilians. This public vehicle coincidentally came between the government car and the car bomb when it was hit. Littered in the scene are human hands and flesh.”

Rescued Sailor: Somalis were hell, Indian govt didn’t help

18 Mar – Source: Oneindia News – 167 words

Several Indian sailors were rescued from the clutches of Somali pirates on Monday. The sailors had an emotional homecoming after enduring torture at the hands of pirates. Recalling the horror, one rescued sailor Saurabh Kumar said, “We suffered too much. There was physical torture. The somalis were hell on us and no one should go back.” The rescued sailor also blamed Indian government’s apathy towards their plight. Kumar further said, “The Indian government didn’t help. Leader of the ship told us this, he said that they were letting us go for free.”Seventeen Indian seafarers on board the MT Royal Grace have been in captivity of pirates since March 2, 2012 and 11 Indian seafarers on board MT Smyrni were in captivity since May 10, 2012. Out of the 28 abducted sailors, 13 were rescued on Monday. According to official sources:

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Overall the government, however slow, is moving in the right direction. The Prime Minister’s ‘listening tour’ is commendable. The formation of the Policy Unit at Villa Somalia is encouraging, and the diplomatic successes in recognition and easing of the UN arms embargo are timely. However, there are disturbing signs of an imbalance between foreign policy priorities and domestic achievements. Equally worrying is the perception that disparity has emerged between the two highest offices.”

Reviewing the Somali Government’s First 100 Days: a Scorecard

18 Mar- Source: Heritage Institute for Policy Studies-2194 Words

On 3 March 2013 Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon stood before parliament and presented his government’s accomplishments of its first hundred days. Such a proactive strategy in itself is commendable. It shows an appreciation for institutional checks and balances, acknowledges

Parliament’s oversight role, and contributes to the establishment of an open and accountable governance system in Somalia. Furthermore, this preliminary exercise demonstrates that Somalia’s political leaders realize that citizens – through their representatives – expect rapid and tangible results. One hundred days, however, is too short to fully assess the Somali government’s performance let alone carry out a proper appraisal of programs.

Nonetheless, since the government presented an overview of its achievements, it is worth reflecting on its claims while shedding some light on the direction of such developments. Needless to say, any evaluation must be contextualized within the prevailing circumstances, as the new government operates under a difficult and uniquely challenging political, economic and security environment – a situation that all stakeholders readily acknowledge.