May 28, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

UN and international partners call for resolution of Somali political crisis

27 May – Source: UN News Centre – 364 words

The United Nations, the European Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) today issued a joint appeal for a resolution of the political crisis in Somalia, adding that they stand ready to hold to account anyone who poses an obstacle to progress in the Horn of Africa nation. “Ongoing political instability does not serve the interests of Somalia or its people. Somalia cannot afford a return to the cycle of deadlock and infighting between political actors that paralysed governments since 2000,” said a joint statement issued by the three partners. They noted that the development of a federal system, the constitutional review process and preparation for 2016 elections are behind schedule.

Key Headlines

UN and international partners call for resolution of Somali political crisis (UN News Center)
Somalia: Fighting in southern region kills at least 30 (BBC Somali Service)
MP says: lack of security department collaboration widened instability (Al Shahid)
Turkish Airlines chief shot dead in Somalia (World Bulletin)
Heavy rains damage police station in Awdal region (Radio Bar-kulan)
Al Shabaab claims responsibility for Djibouti suicide attack (Reuters)
Federal government investigates migration of 17 under age from Southern Somalia (Radio Mogadishu)
Yemen Somalia discuss fisheries cooperation (Yemen News Agency)
Delegation from Puntland administration left for Djibouti (Radio Bar-kulan)

PRESS STATEMENT

Joint statement by the UN, IGAD and EU Envoys to Somalia, International partners call for resolution of the political crisis in Somalia

27 May – Source: UNSOM – 288 words

“The Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the European Union and the United Nations reiterate their strong condemnation for the attack of 24th May on the Somali Federal Parliament by al Shabaab. We commend the response of Somali security forces and AMISOM. We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We remain committed to supporting Somalia’s people break out of decades of conflict and insecurity in accordance with our respective mandates.

This attack shows the need to redouble all our efforts towards peace and state building in Somalia. We stand united with the people of Somalia to support progress, peace and stability within the framework of Somalia’s Provisional Federal Constitution. Ongoing political instability does not serve the interests of Somalia or its people. Somalia cannot afford a return to the cycle of deadlock and infighting between political actors that paralysed governments since 2000.

The development of a federal system, the constitutional review process and preparation for 2016 elections are behind schedule. The Constitution sets out clear roles and tasks for all Federal institutions, including Parliament, the Executive and the Presidency. Somalia needs continuity and stability. But it also needs faster and greater delivery by all.

Federal institutions should work together in strict accordance with the responsibilities set out for them in the Constitution. We welcome the President’s commitment to reforms after the attack on Parliament. We call on the Executive, led by the Prime Minister, to take timely and decisive action to create greater national unity, improve security and expedite progress on federalism, the constitution and elections. International partners stand ready to support all moves that will enhance peace building and state building and to hold to account anyone who poses an obstacle to such progress.”

SOMALI MEDIA

Somalia: Fighting in southern region kills at least 30

27 May – Source: BBC Somali Service/Radio RBC – 179 words

At least 30 people were killed when fighting erupted between Somalia government forces and fighters of the militant group al Shabaab in Bakol region, southern Somalia. The governor of Bakol region Mohamed Abdi said the battle started after fighters of Al Shabaab ambushed the security forces in Ato area of the Ethiopian-Somalia border on Tuesday morning. “The extremist groups tried to attack the town but our forces repulsed them. They were defeated and took heavy loses,” the governor told local media this afternoon. Pro-al Shabaab website citing senior al Shabaab commander claimed that the fighters of the militants attacked the town on the Ethiopian border. Al Shabaab claimed they have confronted Ethiopian army in the town. Locals in the area confirmed that heavy gun battle occurred the town on Tuesday morning as the both sides suffered heavy losses of lives.

Turkish National slain in Mogadishu

27 May – Source: Hiiraan Online/Radio Dalsan/Risaala – 137 words

Unidentified assailants have shot and killed a Turkish construction engineer in Somali capital Mogadishu on Tuesday according to eye witnesses. The slain man, whose name was not yet revealed, was killed by gunmen traveling on a Toyota Noah car who were chasing him away. “They shot the man through the car window and they escaped,” a witness who demanded anonymity told local media. Neither the Turkish embassy in Somalia nor the federal government of Somalia were yet available for comment on the latest assassination of the Turkish national. No group has yet claimed for the responsibility of the killing which comes as the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants in Somalia several times announced that Turkish workers in the country were target for them accusing the Turkish government of siding with Somalia’s federal government.

Heavy rains damage police station in Awdal region

27 May – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 122 words

Stormy weather accompanied by heavy rains has reportedly damaged a police station in Abdulkadir locality near the historic town of Sayl’a in Awdal region according to district officials. Sayla’ Deputy Commissioner, Sa’ad Dahir Ige told Bar-kulan that the stormy rains have also damaged over 20 residential houses in the area. He added that the heavy rains did not cause losses of life as he urged Somaliland officials to immediately assist the affected families in the region who lost their houses to the heavy rains. Sayla’ town and its surrounding areas have been one of the most affected areas by the severe water shortages that left several people and their livestock dead in recent weeks.

Federal government investigates migration of 17 under age from Southern Somalia

27 May – Source: Radio Mogadishu/SNTV/Goobjoog – 120 words

Earlier this week the security forces of Himan & Heb regional state in Central Somalia have arrested a woman who was illegally migrating 17 under age children stolen from Southern regions of Somalia. Himan & Heb handed over the children to federal Government, the ministers for women affairs and human right Khadija Mohamed Diriye and minister for aviation and transport Said Mohamed Qorsheel welcomed the children in the airport. The returned children comprise of 16 girls and one boy who landed in Mogadishu save. The minister for women affairs thanked the administration of Himan & Heb that saved the lives of the children, she added that the federal government of Somalia will investigate in details the reason behind the migration of the children.

Delegation from Puntland administration left for Djibouti

27 May – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 140 words

A Puntland delegation led by the State Minister for Security, Mohamud Beldaje Farah and accompanied by senior Puntland police officials has left for Djibouti on Tuesday. The State Minister for Security, Mohamud Beldaje Farah who spoke to Bar-kulan before his departure said that the reason for their trip to Djibouti is to attend a ceremony to honor the conclusion of a training course for some of Puntland’s marine forces which will be held in Djibouti tomorrow. He added the marine forces that are due to complete the training course in Djibouti are the first batch of many marine forces that Puntland hopes to train in order to tackle crimes of piracy and human trafficking in the regional administration’s territorial waters. The training course lasted 45 days and was funded by the European Union.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Floods devastate villages in southern Somalia

27 May – Source: Al Shahid – 181 words

Members of a community living in Kismayo are fed up with the impact of heavy rain that flooded parts of the town. Much damage has been reported as many homes were damaged by flooding. Rain in forty eight hours led devastating floods which destructed at least fifty buildings in coastal town of Kismayo in southern Somalia’s lower Jubba region as governor confirmed after rain stopped. Ibrahim Mohamed Yusuf, Kismayo district governor who spoke on telephone to BBC Somali service said, “It rained forty eight hours consecutively. There is no system which can lead the flood water to flow from Kismayo when it rains. The city is like river. The floods destroyed buildings. Some of the people fled to high lands. Many IDP camps have been totally abandoned. The governor has not told if there is injury or death caused by the floods.

Yemen, Somalia discuss fisheries cooperation

27 May – Source: Yemen News Agency – 90 words

Fisheries Wealth Minister Awadh al-Socatri met here on Tuesday with Somali chargé d’affaires in Yemen. At the meeting, the Minister and the Somali chargé d’affaires discussed areas of mutual cooperation in the fisheries fields. Al-Socatri stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between Yemen and Somalia, regulating fishing and studying fish stocks in accordance with a memorandum of understanding to be signed. For his part, the Somali diplomat said that the two neighboring countries are having an enormous fish wealth, so they should work together to maintain and exploit it perfectly.

MP says: lack of security department collaboration widened instability

27 May – Source: Al Shahid – 243 words

An MP, Abdisamad Ma’alim, and also Somali former security and interior minister who spoke to local mediaon Tuesday criticized commanders of failing uniting their efforts towards anti-terrorist attacks. “Resigning of security minister is senseless if other security department is not changed. There is no chain command which works collectively”, Abdisamad said. He added, “Change only is not leading the country for developing stability but the important thing is only collaboration of the security service. For example, last attack on Somali parliamentary building, many unarmed policemen have been killed and longtime later the first convoy of troops reached and AMISOM comes one hour later. If there could be chain command, that delay would not happen”. Somali former security and interior minister consulted to establish combining command which can operate as one so to defend civilians from what he called “Terrorist attacks”.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Al Shabaab claims responsibility for Djibouti suicide attack

27 May – Source: Reuters – 288 words

Somali rebel group al Shabaab was behind the restaurant attack in Djibouti by two suicide bombers over the weekend that killed a Turkish national and wounded several Western soldiers, the militants said on Tuesday. In the first attack of its kind in the tiny Horn-of-Africa state, a man and a woman blew themselves up at the restaurant on Saturday evening when it was filled with Western military personnel. Djibouti, which hosts military bases for France and the United States, contributes troops to the African Union mission (AMISOM) trying to stabilise neighbouring Somalia to the south.

Turkish Airlines chief shot dead in Somalia

27 May – Source: World Bulletin – 206 words

A Turkish man was shot dead on Tuesday in Mogadishu when gunmen attacked the car he was travelling in with a senior manager from Turkish Airlines , a spokeswoman for the national carrier said. Saadettin Dogan, security chief at a company providing services to Turkish Airlines, died after suffering a head wound, the spokeswoman said. An official at Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed the death of a Turkish national in what was the second attack targeting Turks in Mogadishu in less than a year. In July 2013, a car loaded with explosives rammed into an office housing Turkish embassy staff in the Somali capital, killing three people. The attack was claimed by al Shabaab rebels.

UN and international partners call for resolution of Somali political crisis

27 May – Source: UN News Centre – 364 words

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“The imperative to get Somalia back on track is hindered by many barriers. The FGS functions in an extremely difficult operational environment, with perpetual insecurity, limited resources, a divided nation and foreign exploitation.”

Off-track in Somalia: parliament attack exemplifies lost momentum, weak leadership & deepening crises

27 May – Source: African Arguments – 1183 Words

Somalia is off-track on its journey towards improved security, an agreed federal constitution, and credible national elections by 2016. On May 24th, in another attack that exemplifies rising insecurity, the insurgent group Al Shabaab stormed the Federal Parliament building in Mogadishu. In August 2012, when the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) emerged at the completion of the Roadmap Process, it was accorded unwarranted optimism by the international community and hailed as the country’s “best hope” after decades of conflict and statelessness. Political newcomer Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was heralded as a peace activist, who could reunite the fragmented nation and given red carpet treatment at world capitals. The new Government received diplomatic recognition for the first time since 1991. These significant, yet hasty actions took place before Hassan Sheikh could prove his credibility and capacity for national leadership as President of Somalia. Regrettably, he misinterpreted the quick international endorsement as validation to implement a highly divisive and partisan political agenda.