November 17, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somalia Begins Consultations On Electoral Process
17 November – Source: Shabelle News – 224 Words
Somali authorities on Monday kicked off regional consultations to discuss the 2016 electoral process across the Horn of Africa nation. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the forums are being held in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Kismayo, Garowe and Adado, and will each be attended by up to 150 people from the region. “Today is a very exciting day in the development of Somalia as a democratic nation as people from all over Somalia will gather to consider and discuss the best way for Somalia to support a peaceful transition of political power in September 2016,” Mohamud said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
The regional forums are being convened in order to identify and document the different perspectives that exist. The president said the consultative process will not be an easy task as it will take time and commitment. The output of the consultations will be a document that reflects the perspectives gathered in each of the consultations. The results of the consultative process will be presented by the National Consultation Forum, before the end of year. The Provisional Federal Constitution states that the original four-year term of the current federal legislative branch (the Federal Parliament) of the Federal Government of Somalia ends in August 2016 while the federal executive term ends in September 2016.
Key Headlines
- Somalia Begins Consultations On Electoral Process (Shabelle News)
- Former BBC Somali Service Journalist Dies In Jigjiga (Goobjoog News)
- Terror Group Al-Shabaab Arrested Pro ISIL Members (Mareeg Media)
- Cholera Hits Central Somali Town (Garowe Online)
- U.S. Marines In Uganda (U.S. Africa Command)
- Ongoing Rivalry In Belet-Weyne Somalia Is Undermining Efforts Of Stability (CCTV)
- Men In The Arena (27/28 Pictures)
- Somali Family Planning Darwin Reunion Party After Son Is Granted Long-Awaited Visa (ABC News)
PRESS STATEMENT
AMISOM Condemns The Killing Of UNMAS Employee In Belet-Weyne
16 November – Source: AMISOM – 95 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) condemns the killing of a United Nations Mine Action Services (UNMAS) employee and Community Liaison Officer (CLO), who was linked to AMISOM Stabilization activities, Mr. Mahdi Hussein Macow, who was killed by gunmen in Beletweyne. AMISOM said, “the killing of Mr. Mahdi Hussein Macow is an indication of the remaining pockets of anti-peace elements that the nation and its partners must deal with as we forge ahead towards a stable and peaceful Somalia.” AMISOM extends its deepest condolences to UNMAS, as well as family and friends of Mr. Mahdi Hussein Macow.
NATIONAL MEDIA
Former BBC Somali Service Journalist Dies In Jigjiga
17 November – Source: Goobjoog News – 111 Words
Former BBC Somali service and former Siyad Barre press service journalist has died from an asthma attack last night in Jigjiga, the capital administrative of Zone-five Ethiopia, family confirms. A family member said he had suffered the attack last night and was taken to a hospital where died. “After we have seen his condition was continuing to deteriorate we took him hospital where he died” his sister Anab Hassan Owke said. He has been BBC Somali service Newscaster for more than a decade before he moved to VOA Somali service as a journalist, he was credited to be a responsible and professional journalist. He has been in the media for over 20 years.
Terror Group Al-Shabaab Arrested Pro ISIL Members
17 November – Source: Mareeg Media – 143 Words
Reliable sources in Bu’ale town confirmed to somali radio shabelle that Al-Shabaab have arrested five senior commanders who reportedly supported to the join the group in ISIL. The detained pro-ISIL commanders have been on mission to convince the members of Al-Shabaab to declare allegiance to Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi, the leader of Daesh, sources revealed.
Reports say Al-Shabaab stepped up crackdown and detention of pro-ISIL commanders in its ranks, after Galgala-based Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin, a senior influential leader with at least 50 loyalist fighters announced allegiance to ISIL early this month. The spokesman of Al-Shabaab Sheikh Ali Dhere vowed to punish the members trying to break up the unity of the group, which joined Al Qaeda in 2012 during the rule of the slain leader Ahmed Godane who was killed in U.S. airstrike in September last year.
Cholera Hits Central Somali Town
16 November – Source: Garowe Online – 104 Words
At least 60 people, mostly children under the age of five have been affected by cholera outbreak according to Somali officials. Somalia Federal Government and Galmudug officials toured conflict-battered Abudwak General Hospital to assess the magnitude of the infection. The cholera cases caused diarrhea, vomiting and severe dehydration in a country for long plagued by malnutrition. Health officials say, they are coordinating efforts with International partners to contain the spread of the disease. Though, no deaths have been reported so far, many communities, especially families living in overcrowded camps are very vulnerable to such outbreaks in the war-ravaged East African country.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
U.S. Marines In Uganda
17 November – Source: United States Africa Command – 321 Words
U.S. Marines and sailors are helping build the engineering and logistical capabilities of the Uganda People’s Defense Force at Camp Singo, Uganda in November. This is the second mission to Uganda for these Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa Marines and sailors’ deployment. The first mission began in late August. “This is a new mission for us to specifically do [mine-resistant, ambush protected vehicle] maintenance,” said Marine 1st Lt. Christopher Leisring, the task force’s logistics team leader. “The first iteration focused heavily on MRAP maintenance and heavy equipment operations.”
The U.S. military announced at the beginning of the year they would send refurbished vehicles from the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa to Uganda. With the delivery comes an importance on the training and understanding of these vehicles. They will help support the African Union mission in Somalia, or AMISOM, against terrorist group, Al-Shabaab. Keeping these mine-resistant vehicles up and running throughout their AMISOM mission in Somalia is vital to mitigating one of the largest threats — improvised explosive devices.
Ongoing Rivalry In Belet-Weyne, Somalia, Is Undermining Efforts Of Stability
17 November – Source: CCTV – Video: 1:52 Minutes
Deadly clan rivalry continues to hamper recovery in Somalia. Just this past weekend, a United Nations employee was shot dead in the central town of Beledweyne. Locals claim the killing was clan-related and that the ongoing rivalry is undermining efforts to stabilise the region. Shops are being reopened as a sign that Belet-Weyne is slowly coming back to life three years after the armed group Al-Shabaab was dislodged from the country. Major development in Belet-Weyne remains on hold and the infrastructure scarce. The violence has forced some schools and hospitals to close. Residents blame clan rivalry and persistent frequent deadly clashes over land. According to the governor many people own illegal weapons and they must be disarmed. Even three years after Al-Shabaab was driven away, Belet-Weyne still needs peacekeepers to ensure security in the region.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
Men In The Arena
17 November – Source: 27/28 Pictures – Video: 1:19 Minutes
The unforgettable story of two Somali National Football Team friends chasing their dreams in the face of impossible odds.
Somali Family Planning Darwin Reunion Party After Son Is Granted Long-Awaited Visa
17 November – Source: ABC News – 616 Words
A Somali mother at the centre of a public campaign to the Department of Immigration is planning an “Aussie-style” barbecue reunion party to welcome her long-lost son to Darwin. “I want to make a barbecue because I’m Aussie, and Aussies are always doing barbecues,” Fatuma Ahmed Ali said. “That day we will be dancing.” Fatuma and her husband, Abdi Yousef Elmi, were separated from two of their sons — Saacid and Abshir — after civil war broke out in their Somali port city Kismayo in 1991.
Fatuma said the shock of losing two children consumed her mind and body and left her questioning: “Are they alive or are they dead?” The couple and their two remaining children spent the next 13 years in a Kenyan refugee camp before arriving in Australia as refugees in 2004. Once resettled in Darwin, the family could finally start searching for their missing sons. The family was reunited with Abshir on Christmas Eve 2004, after learning he had already made it to Australia on his own.
In 2007 they located Saacid in a Kenyan refugee camp with help from two Red Cross tracing workers — Jane Black and Joan Washington. But bringing Saacid to Australia proved difficult, with a long wait list for a last remaining relative visa. Last year, Fatuma and her family publicly pleaded with then-immigration minister Scott Morrison to grant Saacid a temporary visa so he could be reunited with his terminally ill father in Darwin after 23 years apart. Abdi passed away in a Darwin hospice before the visa eventuated. “He held my hand and he said: ‘Please, please, reunite my family’,” Ms Black said of Abdi’s last words.
TOP TWEETS
@UNSomalia: Regional consultations in #Kismayo on 2016 electoral process in #Somalia #Soomaaliya2016http://on.fb.me/1H5O9tb
@TBYupdates: “80% of the #investment in #Somalia comes from Somalis returning to their country.”-Pres. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaking at #AGBF2015
@lasoco: Somalia native, St. Peter resident obtains US citizenship, encourages daughter -… http://j.mp/1SUWReU #Somalia
@asmali77: A Somali legend has passed away. He truly transformed media reportage from #Somalia.#RememberingCawke
@Cidilibaax: 2016 electoral process must be driven by the people not Govent & donors,we need a process for all#Somalia #Puntland @UNSomalia @US2SOMALIA
@doapam: There’s been coming great innovation out of East Africa. How will #Rwanda and #Somalia support young people in creating business? #AGBF2015
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Delegates attend the closing session of the regional consultation in Baidoa, Somalia on November 16, 2015.
Photo: UNSOM