May 28, 2015 | Morning Headlines
Somalia Military Retake Area From Al-Shabaab In Hiran Region
27 May – Source: Horseed Media – 138 Words
Somalia military forces have managed to liberate remote districts from the grip of Al-Shabaab militants in Central Somalia, an army official has said. In a major military operation launched on Tuesday, Somalia forces captured small districts close to the Bulo-burte district, which is some 200 km north of the capital Mogadishu. “ We kicked out the enemies of peace from Mubarak, El-Ba’ad and Jameo districts and killed eleven of them…. The operations will continue until we take control all over the region,’’ he said. A Somali army official, Abdullahi Barre Ismael told local media that they killed 11 militants during the operation and liberated three districts controlled by the insurgents. Al-Shabaab was pushed out from Bulo-burte last year by AMISOM and Somalia troops, but it had put the town under siege for more than six months.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Military Retake Area From Al-Shabaab In Hiran Region (Horseed Media)
- We Shall Continue With The Motion Even If Premier Reaches Agreement With Jubbaland Says Dahir Amiin Jeesow (Goobjoog)
- Puntland Rejects Somali Govt’s Population Estimate Survey (Garowe Online)
- Middle Shabelle Governor Calls Upon Somali People To Help River Shabelle Flood Victims (Goobjoog News)
- At Least 11 Al-Shabaab Militants Killed In Somalia (Xinhua)
- Kenyan Court Denies Bail To 4 Women Linked To Terrorism (Xinhua)
- Somali Regional State Of Ethiopia: The Corrosive Impact Of Internalized Oppression
NATIONAL MEDIA
We Shall Continue With The Motion Even Premier Reaches Agreement With Jubbaland Says Dahir Amiin Jeesow
27 May – Source: Goobjoog News- 135 Words
Dahir Amiin Jeesow who is one the federal MPs that tabled a motion against the newly-formed Jubaland regional assembly said that the next meeting of the Federal Parliament, the voting of the motion will take place Speaking about the prime minister’s visit to Interim Jubba Administration, Jeesow noted that they will continue with their motion even if the premier reaches agreement with IJA as far as IJA parliament works. “The prime minister has his own business and parliament has its own, the vote of the motion will take place immediately the parliament’s meeting starts” he said. He has accused the leader of Jubbaland of insulting the federal Parliament and he has scoffed on the function of the federal parliament. There was a delay in the vote would be taken on the motion filed against IJA parliament as political tensions arise between the government and Jubba administration due to this motion. Somali prime minister has on Tuesday paid visit to Kismaayo as to iron out any differences with the regional administration.
Puntland Rejects Somali Govt’s Population Estimate Survey
27 May – Source: Garowe Online – 199 words
One day after Somalia’s government has unveiled a new population data made in the horn of Africa nations in more than four decades, the semi-autonomous Puntland government has rejected the finding, calling into questions the accuracy of the estimation. The survey which said it collected information from 250,000 households in urban, rural, nomadic settings and camps for the internally displaced people concluded that the country’s overall population is 12.3 millions. However, Puntland which has some of its regions included into the survey dismissed it as ‘false’, citing lack of consultations to make a comprehensive population data.
Speaking to the reporters on Wednesday, Ali Ahmed Fatah, Puntland’s international planning and corporation minister showed Puntland’s own population data which indicates discrepancies involving the two data estimates. According to Somali government’s survey, unprecedented estimate indicates that about three-quarters of Somalis are below 30 years, and around 46 percent of the population is below the age of 15. Somalia’s first national census was taken in February 1975, and as of mid-1992 no further census had been conducted. The United Nations (UN) estimated Somalia’s population in mid-1991 at nearly 7.7 million. Not included were numerous refugees who had fled from country.
Middle Shabelle Governor Calls Upon Somali People To Help River Shabelle Flood Victims
27 May – Source: Goobjoog News – 177 Words
Middle Shabelle governor , Ali Guudlaawe who has paid visit to areas affected by the recent floods from River Shabelle has commented on the situation of displaced residents who were living along side River Shabelle. The governor pointed out that, recent floods of River Shabelle in many areas under Middle Shabelle region has affected hundreds of people raising fears of livelihood damage. Guudlaawe noted that they will try ways help these affected people as he called upon the federal government, humanitarian agencies and International community for immediate help.
The water of the river increases day after day hence affecting new homes and farmlands in that region. One of the mothers affected by the floods has told the governor that her Somali traditional house was swept away by the floods.The recent floods of River Shabelle in Middle Shabelle region destroyed large hectares of farmland and displaced hundreds of families whose houses turned into pools after the river burst its banks.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
At Least 11 Al-Shabaab Militants Killed In Somalia
27 May – Source: Xinhua- 229 Words
A joint security operation conducted by Africa Union troops and Somali military killed at least 11 Al-Shabaab fighters, and recovered explosive devices in Bulobarde town of the Hiran Region, central Somalia. According to Somali security officer Colonel Cabdullahi Barre Cimi, both the AU and Somali troops conducted the operation on Tuesday night to liberate areas around Bulobarde town and also captured new bases which Al-Shabaab had already controlled.
“The Somali military forces and AMISOM troops conducted joint operations to liberate areas under Bulobarde town from Al-Shabaab who are the threat to the peace and security of the whole nation,” Barre told Xinhua on Wednesday. “We killed 11 members of Al-Shabaab and captured three new villages: Ceelbacad Jammeco and Mubarak. Those places used to be Al-Shabaab hideouts. We found weapons and explosive equipment which they used as roadside landmines,” Barre said.
Kenyan Court Denies Bail To 4 Women Linked To Terrorism
27 May – Source: Xinhua -262 Words
A Kenyan court on Wednesday denied bail to four women who were arrested as they tried to cross into Somalia on suspicion of trying to join the Al-Shabaab terror group. Mombasa Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo said the accused could jump bail considering the gravity of the offense they are facing. The suspects, Khadija Abdulkadir, Maryam Aboud, Umulkhayr Abdulla and Halima Ali, have however denied being members of Al- Shabaab.
While making the ruling, Odenyo said the prosecution is determined to deal with the case expeditiously to avoid delay, adding that the accused might proceed with the offenses if out on bond.
The four were charged on May 6 with being members of the Somali militant group, following 30 days of investigations.Their lawyers, however, urged the court to release their clients on bail, pending the hearing of the case. The court has set the mention of the case on June 12.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“A political barometer was set where only those that kill or spy on their brethren can qualify to access government resources. An economic system which impoverishes those who show signs of dissent and rewards those who collaborate was imposed. Vicarious liability was introduced in this 21st century where one is killed or arrested for the assumed political wrongdoings of his brother, uncle, sister or even a distant relative.”
Somali Regional State Of Ethiopia: The Corrosive Impact Of Internalized Oppression
24 May – Source: Wardheere News – 2,189 Words
THERE have always been two histories about the Somali people in Ethiopia. The history of the center and that of the periphery. The history of the conqueror and that of the conquered. The history of the oppressor and that of the oppressed. The existence of these conflicting histories is hardly surprising for anyone familiar with Keith Jenkins’s distinction between the past and history. According to Jenkins, history is not the past; it is about the past. History is thus nothing but a mere version or reconstruction of the past. It is never innocent or impartial. It is always ideological. It is about power. Every past has more than one history. There are histories; there is no one history.
Just like the two aforesaid histories, we also have two conflicting present narratives about the political situation in Somali region. The ‘dhaanto’ (dance) narrative and the ‘death’ narrative; the‘development’ narrative and ‘atrocity’ narrative’. I take the liberty of extending Jenkin’s distinction of history and the past to the present. The present is different from the narratives about the present. The present is about current time, space, and events. Narratives about the present are opinions informed by political and ideological positions. Like history, narratives always belong to someone. They are not detached interpretations.
There is no objective history or social narrative. This is not to imply that every narrator always has overt political bias. This is to recognize that every narrator has social, cultural, epistemological, ideological, and moral biases. Sometimes consciously. Sometimes unconsciously. The divergent historical and contemporary storylines in the Somali Region fit into this frame of analysis. This trite conclusion is not the focus of this article. The attempt is to understand why the narrative of the oppressor has flourished in the last decade or so while the narrative of the oppressed has faded. A number of explanations come to mind.