May 13, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali PM calls on police to redouble efforts to stabilize Somalia

12 May- Source: Raxanreeb/Jowhar Online/Universal TV/SNTV- 301 words

Somalia Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and Interior Minister Abdikarin Hussein Gulled on Sunday welcome the new Somali Police Chief Commissioner Brigadier General Abdihakim Dahir Said well-known as Gen. Saacid. Prime Minister speaking at the handover ceremony pointed out that the appointment of the new police and intelligence top leaders is part of the government’s effort to improve security. The council of ministers this week appointed top country security officers to Brigadier General Abdihakim Dahir Said as the new Police Chief Commissioner and Major General Bashir Mohamed Jama as the new Director of National Intelligence and Security Agency.

Key Headlines

Grenade attack on Mosque in Somali capital wounds two (Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Dalsan)
Somali PM calls on police to redouble efforts to stabilize Somalia (Raxanreeb/Jowhar Online/Universal TV)
AMISOM troops remove some illegal road blocks in lower Shabelle region (Shabelle)
African Union Gov’t forces continue search operation in Mogadishu (Raxanreeb)
New Somali police chief takes office (Radio Bar-kulan/Universal TV/ SNTV)
High Hopes raised by London Conference (Radio Ergo)
Joint troops in final push to capture Jilib town (Radio Bar-kulan)
Sudan Donates One Million Euros for Development in Somalia (Sudan Vision Daily/SUNA)
Alarm over illegal workers in Somalia (Africa Review)
Rapes on rise in Somaliland say medical officials (AP)
Carter Arrives in Djibouti for Meetings (defense.gov)
Briefing: The UN’s integrated mission in Somalia (Irin News)

SOMALI MEDIA

Grenade attack on Mosque in Somali capital wounds two

12 May- Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Dalsan- 175 words

Unidentified men hurled grenades into a Mosque in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu on Sunday night, Mustaqbal radio reported. The attack happened at a Mosque located in El-gaab junction in Hamar Jajab district. The deputy chairman of Security for Banadir regional administration Warsame Mohamed Hassan “Jodah” told Mustaqbal radio that two people were wounded in the attack. The attackers escaped after the incident.

Somali PM calls on police to redouble efforts to stabilize Somalia

12 May- Source: Raxanreeb/Jowhar Online/Universal TV/SNTV- 301 words

AMISOM troops remove some illegal road blocks in lower Shabelle region

12 May- Source: Shabelle- 112 words

AMISOM troops removed some of the illegal road blocks that operated in the lower Shabelle region of Somalia. The residents of Shabelle region complained of rising insecurity and increased number of illegal road blocks that terrorized motorists who operated along the region. The AMISOM troops accompanied by officials from the lower Shabelle region managed to remove the road blocks along the road that connects Marka and Afgoye town.

African Union, Gov’t forces continue search operation in Mogadishu

12 May- Source: Raxanreeb- 176 words

Somalia Police Forces together with the African Union Mission troops continue search operation in Somalia capital, Mogadishu arresting more than hundred of suspected al Shabaab members, RBC Radio reports. The operation started at around 9.00 pm local time on Saturday night continued until in the morning after the police intelligence received information claiming that some al Shabaab members were hiding in Mogadishu’s Wadajir neighborhood. More than hundred teenagers were arrested, and according to police spokesman the arrested people included some al Shabaab suspects.

Around 50 people arrested in Afgoye town

11 May- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 90 words

The security forces of Somalia’s Federal Government have conducted security operations in Afgoye district of Lower Shabelle region in the Southern of Somalia on Friday. At least 50 people were reported arrested in the town as they were accused of involving the insecurity cases occurring in the district. Speaking to Bar-kulan, the commander of the Somali security forces in Afgoye said that the forces conducted operations confirming the stability of the district, he added that some of the detained suspects have been released while others are still under further interrogations.

New Somali police chief takes office

10 May- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Universal TV/Horn Cable TV/ SNTV- 98 words

The new Somali police chief Abdihakin Dahir Said who has been appointed last week has officially taken office in a handing over occasion that has been held in Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Abdihakin Dahir Said, the new Somali police boss was the former deputy Somali police chief after he was promoted to the position which was left vacant after the resignation of General Sharif Shekhuna Maye. The minister of interior and security of the Somali Federal government Abdikarin Hussein Gulled who attended the handing over ceremony has thanked the former police chief for serving the country.

High Hopes raised by London Conference

10 May- Source: Radio Ergo- 190 words

The Somalia conference held in London on Tuesday has revived hope for Somali people, from all walks of life, as the conference succeeded in raising pledges of more than $300 million to rebuild Somalia. Radio Ergo reporters in Kismayo, Mogadishu and Garowe interviewed 15 people to survey their views. All described the conference as the most promising meeting in the past 22 years of destruction. Among educated Somalis, Dr. Ahmed Alim Mohamed, former economics lecturer at the Somali National University, said: “This was a conference held for Somalia, following decades of civil strife, clan-based anarchy and disorder. The Somali people failed to restore stability over all those years; lawlessness took over, new vices were born and Somali society acquired new miseries it had never known before – suicide bombings, sea piracy, refugee exodus, blind migrations and precarious mass flights…it is as if the world understood now that bolstering political stability in Somalia was the only way to ensure a safer world.”

Internal security ministry accused of failing to tackle insecurity in lower Shabelle region

12 May- Source: Shabelle- 122 words

Some members of the Somalia parliament say that the internal affairs and Security ministry has failed to tackle the rising insecurity in the lower Shabelle region of Somalia. Soyaal Abdullahi Sabriye who is a member of the Somalia parliament pointed out that there has been an increase in the number of illegal road blocks that exist in the region. He said that the government should be held responsible for the alarming rate of crimes in the region.

Joint troops in final push to capture Jilib town

10 May- Source: Radio Bar-kulan- 117 words

The joint troops of Somali government troops and AU Peacekeeping forces in the Lower Jubba region are in their final push to drive al Shabaab insurgents away from Jilib district of Middle Jubba region, Mohamud Qalib, a senior Somali government official said. Speaking to Bar-kulan, Qalib said that the joint forces that left Goobweyne area, located 15kms north of Kismayo are now in Bulo-Gudud aiming to capture Jilib town which is a stronghold of the al Qaeda-affiliated terror group. Qalib added that the Somali forces backed by AU troops are determined to liberate the districts and villages from al Shabaab militant. The al Qaeda-linked group is still in full control of all districts in the Middle Jubba region.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Sudan Donates One Million Euros for Development in Somalia

12 May- Source: Sudan Vision Daily/SUNA- 120 words

The Foreign Minister, Ali Karti announced Sudan donation of one million Euros for boosting implementation of development projects in Somalia. This came in his address at the International Conference on Somalia. He said that the Somali government is in need of support from the international community to realize peace int its territories, calling for addressing to the real causes of the Somali problem. Karti said that Sudan remained extending support to Somalia and provided more than 10,000 free of charge academic scholarships to Somali students as well as providing training opportunities of training for the Somali police and Armed Forces and assistance in the field of health and other fields.

Air Uganda to start flights to Mogadishu

12 May- Source: New Vision- 296 words

Air Uganda is set to start flights to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, signaling yet another vote of confidence in the economic turnaround of the war-torn county. “We are working with the United Nations, the Government in Mogadishu and our embassies to make sure that security arrangements are adequate. Already, some scheduled carriers have been flying to Mogadishu with no security challenges,” Cornwell Muleya, Air Uganda’s chief executive officer, said.

Alarm over illegal workers in Somalia

10 May- Source: Africa Review- 306 words

An estimated 924 people of different nationalities were currently working in Mogadishu illegally, officials said. A Cabinet meeting chaired by Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon in Mogadishu on Thursday received a report on the illegal migrants. A memo at the end of the meeting stated: “Illegal aliens numbering 924 are working in the capital without authorisation from the Ministry of Commerce or from the immigration section of the ministry of Interior Affairs.” According to the document, foreigners needed approval from the ministry of Commerce or Immigration before settling in the country.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Rapes on rise in Somaliland, say medical officials

12 May- Source: AP- 733 words

An upsurge of gang rapes has hit the breakaway region of Somaliland – a normally peaceful enclave considered by many to be a sanctuary from Somalia’s decades of violence. Knife-wielding young men follow women along the dusty streets of Hargeisa, the capital of the region, dragging them inside buildings to rape and rob them. Children are among the victims. At least 84 women have been raped since the beginning of this year, according to rights activists and medical officials.

Carter Arrives in Djibouti for Meetings

11 May- Source: defense.gov-204 words

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived here today for meetings with senior Djiboutian and U.S. officials. The deputy secretary will meet with Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s foreign minister, to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the two countries’ relationship and to thank Djibouti for its partnership. “We really appreciate [Djibouti’s] contributions to the African Union Mission in Somalia … the Djiboutians are on the frontlines and really committing to this regional mission,” said Alice Friend, principal director for African affairs, office of the secretary of defense.

Briefing: The UN’s integrated mission in Somalia

10 May- Source: Irin News- 1637 words

Following the unanimous adoption of a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution setting up an integrated mission in Somalia, the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) will be set up for an initial one-year period beginning on 3 June; it will be based in the capital Mogadishu. The UN defines an integrated mission as one in which there is a shared vision among all the UN actors at country level.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“The refugees are Kenya’s best asset for its goals in Somalia. And these bright young people are ready to work with the Somali and Kenyan governments to contribute to that end. Is Kenya ready to work with them?’’

Why this indecent – and illegal – haste to move refugees out of Dadaab and back into Somalia?

12 May- Source: East African- 591 words

At last week’s Somalia Conference in London, President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud talked about the speedy return of refugees and called on the international community to set deadlines for return. Has anyone asked what the refugees think? It goes without saying that no refugee representatives were invited to the conference. And it is common knowledge that Kenya’s refugee act and international law make it very plain that return must be voluntary, when circumstances permit. What are the two leaders playing at?

“Competition of civilizations can be healthy so long as the key actors cooperate, collaborate and negotiate ways that would not take away from each other and the others.”

Somalia Conference and Rivalry of Civilizations

10 May- Source: Foreign Policy Blog-1002 Words

A few days before the “Somalia Conference 2013” held in London on May 7, a foreign journalist friend of mine sent me an e-mail asking what my thoughts were regarding the upcoming conference hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron. I replied: “My heart’s belief in miracles outweighed my mind’s interest in the pursuit of objective analysis.” I am as optimistic as I was then, but hardly quixotic.