March 3, 2015 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Severe Humanitarian Crisis Looms In Galgaduud

02 March – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 90 Words

A severe humanitarian crisis is looming in parts of Galgadud after recent skirmishes displaced many families from their homes, says the regional administration of Galgadud. The Galgadud Governor, Hussein Ali Wehliye, appealed to the Federal Government of Somalia, aid agencies and the Somali diaspora for immediate assistance for the families. Since the beginning of February intermittent clashes in the town of Guriel have left many dead and others displaced.

Key Headlines

Severe Humanitarian Crisis Looms In Galgaduud (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Puntland Democratization Minister Hands Over Office (Garowe Online)
Hundreds Of Baidoa Residents Strike Over Alleged Food Theft (Radio Goobjoog)
Defense Minister Visits Dhusamareb (Radio Bar-Kulan)
One Person Dies In Konis Stadium Amid Commotion (Radio Danan)
Bulla Burte: Residents Call For Roads To Open (Radio Bar-Kulan)
Police Deployed To Parliament Over Possible Terror Attack (Star kenya)
AMISOM Police Engage Somali Youth Through Football Matches (AMISOM News)
The Great Wall Of Kenya (Daily Maverick)
Somalia Should Declare War On Two Enemies (Radio RBC)

SOMALI MEDIA

Puntland Democratization Minister Hands Over Office

02 March – Source: Garowe Online – 170 Words

As Somalia’s north eastern state of Puntland is preparing for a transition into multiparty elections, Democratization and Federal Affairs Minister Sahra Saed Nur handed over office to a deputy minister, Garowe Online reports. Nur who resigned over alleged meddling by President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali in clan affairs onJanuary 24, officially left her post on Sunday, conferring interim responsibilities to Deputy Democratization Minister Abdirahman Abdi Ismail. “I resigned for personal issues, I really didn’t vacate the post due to other reasons. I am a Puntland native, I am Somali and you can’t help the community only through the government,” she told reporters when asked about the matters besetting her resignation. The Puntland Democratization Minister said that much more needs to be done in the coming four years. In late January, Garowe Online learned that Nur stepped down after President Ali allegedly sidelined her clan’s titled elder. On December 9, 2014, Puntland parliament unanimously endorsed a 24-clause Electoral Commission bill following intense debate that saw the role of Democratization Ministry ministry voted out.

Hundreds Of Baidoa Residents Strike Over Alleged Food Theft

02 March – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 121 Words

Hundreds of strikers marched on the roads of Baidoa town accusing the national police of looting food aid on Sunday which was intended for displaced people in Baidoa, the administrative capital of the Interim South-West Administration. Reports state that the food, which was brought by Huneyn Foundation, a local NGO operating in southern Somalia, was plundered. One of the IDPs in the area who couldn’t be named for fear of reprisal told Goobjoog News that the food was loaded into pickup trucks owned by the national police in Baidoa town. “We were expecting to get food but we witnessed government soldiers loading the food aid brought by Huneyn into their pickup trucks as we watched them helplessly,” she said.

Defense Minister Visits Dhusamareb

02 March – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 120 Words

A delegation led by Minister for Defense, Abdiqadir Sheikh Ali Dini, arrived in the town of Dhusmareeb, the headquarters of Galgadud region. The minister was welcomed at Ugas Nur Airport by members of parliament, the local administration and civil society organizations. Amongst the officials accompanying the Minister on his visit are senior commanders of the Somali National Army (SNA) who have moved to the town of Guriel. Security has been tightened in Guriel after heavy fighting between Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa fighters and forces loyal to the Somali government gripped the town over the past month. The Minister and his delegation are expected to meet representatives of the warring factions.

One Person Dies In Konis Stadium Amid Commotion

02 March – Source: Radio Danan – 86 Words

At least one person was killed after the security forces guarding Konis Stadium in Mogadishu opened fire following fighting between Banadir FC and Jeenyo FC supporters. The Banadir FC fans started the commotion when Jeenyo FC was leading 2-1. They attacked the supporters of Jeenyo FC, and the police subsequently fired live bullets. Other reports on the incident say that two people died.

Bulla Burte: Residents Call For Roads To Open

02 March – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 113 Words

The administration of Bulla Burte, elders, religious elders, women and youth convened a meeting to discuss sanctions imposed on the town by Al Shabaab. The radical group has blocked all roads leading to the town. The acting district commissioner who is also vice commissioner in charge of finance, Liban Abdi Bursow, told Radio Bar-Kulan that there is acute shortage of food which could result in a severe humanitarian situation. He said area residents are also in dire need of medical supplies. The road linking Bulle Burte to Beled Weyne has been closed for almost a year following an Al Shabaab blockade on roads.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Police Deployed To Parliament Over Possible Terror Attack

02 March – Source: Star kenya – 213 Words

Police are on high alert following reports of a possible terror attack on Parliament.
Security has been heightened at all key government installations, said acting IG Samuel Arachi. We have deployed both static and mobile teams,” he said. “The teams are backed up by more than 100 security staff attached to Parliament.”

Intelligence reports state that at least 12 terror suspects are behind the plot, Daily Nation said in an article on Monday. Six of them are in Nairobi while the locations of the other six are unknown, the article said. The attack was allegedly planned by Mohammed Mohamud, believed to head one of the arms of the al Shabaab militia group in Somalia.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi confirmed that anti-terror measures have been taken.
“You see those dogs which security officers are moving around with? We brought them because of such threats. There is much more which we plan to do,” he said. The reports come amid a request by the Embassy of Egypt for more security at all of its installations.
The request was made on February 20, the article said. “The embassy kindly requests the relevant Kenyan authorities to take what it deems appropriate to upgrade and tighten security measures around Egyptian installations in Kenya,” the letter reportedly says.

AMISOM Police Engage Somali Youth Through Football Matches

02 March – Source: AMISOM News – 358 Words

The Police component of the African Union Mission in Somalia has started an aggressive community engagement exercise that will see them forge closer ties with communities, youth and local administration across the country. AMISOM Police led by Deputy Operations Coordinator SP Enos Kalulu joined the District Commissioner of Warta Nabadda in Banaadir region Yasin Noor Isse on Sunday for a football event that brought together youth teams in the district. Two local teams, Waaxda 5 (Xamar Bille) and Waaxda 1 (Janaraal Daauud) played a match in an indoor football pitch before a massive gathering of other youths.
The District Commissioner thanked AMISOM Police for supporting the event saying, “An event like this will contribute to the peace process in Mogadishu, you can also feel the people were happy, and there was no enmity among the participants and spectators. I believe holding of the event came too late but I hope it will continue and reach all districts in Banaadir region”.

AMISOM Police has been using football matches, as one way of engaging youths who are prone to crime.
At the end of the match, the youths were awarded footballs donated by AMISOM Police.
District Commissioner Isse added, “It should not be only us but to all districts and we being among the lucky pioneers. We also hope the other 17 districts of the region will benefit from such event. I really thank the AMISOM Police; they have done an excellent job. They brought 24 footballs as a donation to the district which we distributed to all the teams that have attended today’s event” Speaking at the event, SP Kalulu said “We are very happy that the youth in Somalia can now gather together and play football to enjoy themselves because of the relative peace that is existing in Somalia today. Our expectation is that, we need to put the youth closer to the security forces so that they work with us in fighting crime in Somalia and finally pacifying Somalia. That’s why the African Union is putting much effort in bringing the youth together and closer to the security forces”.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali Jailed For Attempted Break-In

02 March – Source: Malta Today – 190 Words

A 26-year-old Somali man has been jailed for 12 months and fined €466 after he pleaded guilty to attempting to break into a house in Marsa last night. Mustafa Mohamud Mohamed, who lives in Gozo, admitted to charges of attempted burglary, recidivism and breach of probation during his arraignment before Magistrate Gabriella Vella this morning. Police Inspector Edel Camilleri told the court that the accused had been spotted trying to force his way into a house belonging to an elderly lady, who is currently being cared for at St. Vincent De Paule residence, by traffic police. Upon realising this, Mohamed jumped on to a bus in an attempt to escape, but was arrested shortly afterwards. The inspector told the court that the accused had been conditionally discharged twice last year, once last August for criminal damage to property and again last October for Cannabis Possession. The court sentenced Mohamed to six months incarceration for the attempted break-in, another six months for breaching the conditions of his criminal damage discharge and fined him €466 for breaching the conditions of the other conditional discharge for cannabis possession.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“Historically, walls are never a long term fix – and their effectiveness has always been dubious. The Great Wall of China, impressive as it was, became irrelevant when China’s ruling elite, confronted with a peasant rebellion, invited the Mongols in. The Berlin Wall couldn’t isolate East Germans from the lure of a better life, and eventually in was torn down, brick by brick. The barrier established by America is so porous that one documentary-maker repeatedly crossed it illegally, once dressed as Osama bin Laden. “

The Great Wall Of Kenya

02 March – Source: Daily Maverick – 927 Words

Kenya is going to build a wall. Not just any wall, but a separation barrier, to employ the euphemism coined by Israel to describe the towering, snaking monstrosity that now separates it from Palestine’s West Bank. Kenya’s version will be on sections of its notoriously porous border with Somalia, a physical rendering in bricks, mortar and barbed wire of that line on the map. “Construction works will begin soon. We expect to have finished the project before the end of the year,” said Lamu County governor Issa Timamy, as reported in the Daily Nation. As yet, more details on the project are not forthcoming, and Lamu County did not respond to requests for comment. All we know is that the wall will be erected along the sections of border near the coast, and that it’s intended to keep out illegal immigrants from Somalia as well as dangerous Al-Shabaab militants. “This is where immigrants have been arrested trying to cross into the country or having already entered through the border in Lamu. This is a good idea and we support it because we believe it will go a long way to secure this region and indeed, the country as a whole,” said Timamy.

Walls are a comforting proposition, as South Africans, with our gated communities and electric fences, well know. There is something reassuring about shutting the rest of the world out, and pretending as you go to sleep at night that their problems are not yours; that the bad guys can’t get you, even if it means that the good guys must build and inhabit their own prisons. But how does this theory translate on to the international stage? Can countries really shut themselves off from their neighbours? Can cartographical borders become man-made barriers? They can. The most famous ancient example, of many, was the Great Wall of China, an unparalleled feat of engineering designed to keep the Mongol hordes at bay. Then there was Hadrian’s Wall, a line of bricks across northern England meant to protect the Romans from the barbarian Scots. More recently, the Berlin Wall divided a city, keeping the evil capitalists of West Germany from poisoning East Germany’s communist revolution.

Instead of depending on clan-propelled force for public labor, the government should build a web of dependable, committed and educated workforce. The values which should govern hiring policies must be publicly defensible. The logic that says Somalia lacks resources to build on is just a myth. The country is tired of back-door hiring practices. The case is even truer when international NGOs contribute the hiring process.

Somalia Should Declare War On Two Enemies

02 March – Source: Radio RBC – 893 Words

I used to think that what keeps a rank-and-file officer motivated to behave in a certain way is highly different from what layman’s attitude of thinking toward the world around could dictate. I realized that the idea of civic irresponsibility is grown within societies, and when younger generation is put to work, a mentality of pedestrianism and of recklessness comes into play. This incident shaped my thinking toward political irresponsibility this week. A man left his 2-year-old child sleeping in a car with the engine running on a cold night for a happy-hour in Montevideo, MN, USA. According to the media report, Christopher Jasperson’s blood alcohol content ran at 0.23 percent. Not only did this father behave insanely by leaving his child in a locked car but endangered other lives on the road as well.

If you examine this incident closely, you will realize that this story resembles Somalia’s status quo. Because when recklessness is created at the bottom it can do more harm at the top. My thesis here is that Somalia’s broken system is not about bad leadership, nor is it about foreign intervention. It is about bad, irresponsible civil service system. When you have innocent- and tribe-fueled employees in public institutions, personal and group interests are almost always put before the interest of the nation. And when that happens, policies and developmental agendas get stuck because the mainstream channel that is supposed to transport and execute public policies is in incredible dysfunctional.

I am persuaded to believe that even if you put the sharpest minds in the executive branches of the government, this country will never get far until you fix the civil servant issue. Right now, the country is like beautifully laid-out and electronically engineered sports car without fuel. No matter how hard you try to accelerate it, the situation is not going to get any better. Needless to say, political responsibility starts with recruiting qualified personnel to public institutions. This is so because the current name-carrying bureaucracy won’t change dime in the face of a flat world where assertion and courageous seeking of interests are staged.