November 13, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Somali parliament endorses new cabinet
13 Nov – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Risaala/Kulmiye/
Somali parliament has overwhelming approved the newly formed cabinet of Premier Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid after holding extra-ordinary meeting in Mogadishu.
According to Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman “Jawari,” 219 lawmakers out of the 225 present at the session voted in favor of the cabinet while 3 voted against it and 3 abstained, said. The session was attended by both President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Shirdon.
Key Headlines
- Somali parliament endorses new cabinet (Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Risaala/Kulmiye/
Shabelle/Bar-kulan/Mareeg Online/Raxanreeb) - Al Shabaab demands logistic support from Galgadud traders (Radio Bar-kulan)
- UN betrayed Uganda says minister Oryem (New Vision)
- Somali forces kill alleged restaurant bomber in Mogadishu (Radio Bar-kulan)
- OIC Foreign Ministers To Hold Meeting In Djibouti (Saudi Press Agency)
- Gunmen killed civilian in Daynile district (Radio Dalsan/Jowhar Online/Radio Mogadishu)
- Somalia: Mobile phones help tackle cholera in inaccessible parts of Somalia (Relief Web)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali parliament endorses new cabinet
13 Nov – Source: Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Risaala/Kulmiye/
Somali parliament has overwhelming approved the newly formed cabinet of Premier Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid after holding extra-ordinary meeting in Mogadishu.
According to Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman “Jawari,” 219 lawmakers out of the 225 present at the session voted in favor of the cabinet while 3 voted against it and 3 abstained, said. The session was attended by both President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Shirdon.
Two civilians killed in Bosasso
13 Nov – Source: Shabelle/Mareeg Online/RBC – 126 words
Assailants in Somalia’s northern port and commercial city of Bosasso have shot dead at least two local civilians in an overnight attack, reports said.
Witnesses told Shabelle Radio by phone from the city on Tuesday that two civilians were killed by unknown men armed with pistols who managed to escape from the scene after the murder.
Puntland security forces reached the area where the incident happened and arrested un-specified number of suspects who were taken to custody for investigations into the killing.
Al Shabaab demands logistic support from Galgadud traders
13 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 95 words
Al Shabaab militant group in parts of central Somali region of Galgadud have reportedly demanded logistical support from local traders in El-Nur, El-lahelay and El-Garas settlements.
Locals who spoke to Bar-kulan on condition of anonymity said militants asked for Somsh 25 million and 50 sacks of sugar and rice in support of militant fighters in the area.
Al Shabaab’s Galgadud leader Hassan Ya’kub reportedly called on local traders in these areas to provide sustenance for their militant fighters. A section of the traders however told Bar-kulan they could not pay such huge amount to the militant group.
Gunmen killed civilian in Daynile district
13 Nov – Source: Radio Dalsan/Jowhar Online/Radio Mogadishu – 104 words
A youngster was last night killed in Gubta village of Daynile district in Banadir region, witness reported. The district commissioner of Daynile Dahir Hassan Farah said the youth was killed inside his house in the area, adding that the gunmen escaped after the killing. The reason behind the killing of youngster is unknown.
Somali forces kill alleged restaurant bomber in Mogadishu
13 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 120 words
Security forces in Mogadishu have shot dead a man accused of throwing a hand grenade into a restaurant in Karan district on Monday, an official has told Bar-kulan. Kaaran District Commissioner Ali Alasow Hassan said officers shot dead the attacker after he tried to escape the scene of the crime.
He said local residents have helped them identify the attacker who was later gunned down after trying to escape arrest, adding that such shooting will serve a warning for those terrorizing locals in the area.
Hassan however revealed the motive of the attacker saying that he wanted to blew up a police vehicle passing near the restaurant but the grenade slammed into the restaurant, killing one person and injuring several others.
MP accuses Kenyan army and Ras Kamboni fighters of harassing people in Kismayo
13 Nov – Source: Mareeg Online/Shabelle/Jowhar Online – 99 words
A lawmaker in Somali parliament has accused Kenyan military serving under AMISOM and Ras Kamboni fighters of committing crimes against humanity in Kismayo city.
Abdullahi Husein Ali said Ras Kamboni Brigade led by Sheikh Ahmed Madobe and backed by Kenyan troops are responsible the ongoing robbery and insecurity in Kismayo.
Hussein urged Somali government officials, including president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to act swiftly to intervene in the current uncertain situation and prevent the allied forces from harassing residents in Kismayo.
Puntland MPs amend electoral law
12 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 113 words
Members of Puntland State Parliament amended the Electoral Law, in the capital, Garowe on Monday, Garowe Online reports. Speaker of Parliament Abdirashid Mohamed Hersi convened the parliamentary meeting in Garowe on Monday.
The MPs changed three laws in the Puntland electoral law lowering the amount of votes in every region to 300 from 500 votes.
The previous legislation made it mandatory for every political party to have 500 votes in every region. The new law, which 43 MPs passed, states that the political association must have offices in all 8 regions of Puntland. The Puntland government will facilitate voting polls in districts across Puntland and a local council in where possible.
Kenyan forces clash with al Shabaab in south Somalia
12 Nov – Source: Shabelle – 104 words
The Kenyan army serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) engaged in fierce clashes on Monday with al Shabaab fighters in south west Somalia, reports said.
The fighting erupted in the small town of Buusar in Gedo region, involving Kenyan troops and Al Shabaab, which Nairobi blames string of attacks and kidnappings against foreign aid workers in its soil. The situation is reported to be calm on Monday afternoon after the skirmish subsided and the area is under the control of Somali and Kenyan forces.
REGIONAL MEDIA
UN betrayed Uganda, says minister Oryem
13 Nov – Source: New Vision – 273 words
Uganda feels “gutted” and “betrayed” by a UN panel of experts’ leaked report which alleges that the country supports M23 rebels fighting the Democratic Republic of Congo government, foreign affairs state minister Okello Oryem has said.
He also reiterated that the UPDF will withdraw from the peacekeeping mission in Somalia if the UN Security Council adopts the report with the allegations in a Monday session.
“If the UN upholds the report and condemns Uganda, we shall withdraw. If they don’t adopt the report and exonerate Uganda, we shall stay,” Oryem said on Sunday. He observed that Uganda had not softened its stance as articulated by the Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi, in his address to Parliament a fortnight ago.
OIC Foreign Ministers To Hold Meeting In Djibouti
12 Nov – Source: Saudi Press Agency – 52 words
The Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold their 39th meeting in Djibouti on Thursday. The OIC Secretariat General said in a press statement today that the Ministers will discuss during the three-day meeting the situations in Syria, Somalia, Palestinian issue, Myanmar, Mali, and the African Sahel region.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia: Mobile phones help tackle cholera in inaccessible parts of Somalia
13 Nov – Source: Relief Web – 582 words
In Somalia, one of the most difficult and dangerous places for aid agencies to work, the conflict has left many communities hard to reach. Mobile phones offer an innovative way of educating such communities with life-saving information.
Oxfam and our partner Hijra started a pilot project to provide public health information to people’s mobile phones, timed to coincide with the peak cholera season, when many displaced families living in crowded camps in Mogadishu are particularly at risk. Despite the many challenges in Somalia, there is good network coverage and phones are cheap and available. Many Somalis use phones to receive remittances from relatives overseas.
A messaging centre was set up in Hijra’s office, capable of sending 10,000 messages an hour – as long as there is power. The messages can be received on any ordinary phone. 10,000 people took part and received five “sessions” of messages explaining cholera prevention and control.
Police work to bring peace to Mogadishu
12 Nov – Source: IOL News – 2:31 min
A year after the armed group al Shabaab was driven out of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, life is returning to normal in the city.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Somalia arrived in Kampala, the hosts of this year’s tournament, two weeks early and train every day at Namboole in the morning and evening.”
Somalia line up friendlies
13 Nov – Source: SuperSport Blog – 150 Words
Somali intend to play a host of friendlies with local teams in Kampala as they build up to the upcoming Tusker Cecafa Cup. The Ocean Stars, as the national football team are called, have lined up three friendly matches to that effect.
According to the Somali assistant communications officer, Ssemugenyi Abdu Sulaiman, the first friendly is against Big League side Baza Holdings on Friday at the Namboole outside pitch. They will then twice face SC Villa on Sunday and Monday at the outer Namboole pitch and Nakivubo Stadium respectively.
“Somaliland had one of the most peaceful elections in 1st July, 2010 which gave the whole world an indication that Somaliland deserves its recognition. Somaliland has established itself as a beacon of peace in the whole of Africa, much of the western world has said many countries need to take example from Somaliland, a country that isn’t even recognised.”
Somaliland: A country that does not exist
12 Nov – Source: Indepth Africa – 1003 Words
From as far back as the 1960’s, the people of Northern Somalia (Somaliland) have always felt marginalised by the rest of Somalia, preferably South-Central Somalia. Some would say it’s because South-Central Somalia had the more dominant tribe of Somalia, Hawiye for example. But that’s not completely true.
Back in the 1960’s tribes were not as influential and important as they are in the 1980s-present. Them days, Somali people respected one another and used tribe in a more positive light, looking back at the past clan leaders and relating with one another, not competing.
Under the rule of Aden Abdulle Osman Daar, people of Somalia, even Northern Somalia were relatively happy and didn’t have much to complain about. He, the first president of Somalia Republic, somehow persuaded the British Protectorate, Somaliland to join in with the rest of Somalia in becoming one republic, and they did join.
Top tweets
@unicefsomalia In Somalia, Pneumonia is the leading cause of child deaths. It accounts for 24 percent of deaths compared to diarrhoea-19 per cent.
@EmmanuelBesnier Somali diaspora coming back to Hargeysa to start a new life and help developing the country http://youtu.be/Y-SQJCfZDlk via @youtube.
@shephardm #Somalia must engage the youth & make them part of the process @Oxfam‘s Shukri Gesod tells the #GSS_2012 forum http://twitpic.com/bcncxo.
@Gyllensporre #AU concern over #AMISOM. If #EU funding stops mid -13 the #UN should provide support package or replace the AU mission. http://bit.ly/X0e1PA.
@JamesGadin @amisomsomalia-Seminar on Comprehensive approach to #piracy in #Horn of Africa #Somalia #Indian Ocean- http://bit.ly/Sib7Oz.
Image of the day
A Ugandan police officer serving as part of a Formed Police Unit (FPU) with the AMISOM shakes hands with a young Somali boy during a foot patrol in Kaaraan district of Somali capital Mogadishu. Photo: AMISOM.