November 22, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Businessman defrauds AMISOM soldier’s family of sh120m
22 Nov – Source: New Vision – 374 words
The family of a soldier, who died while serving in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), has been defrauded of sh120m by a businessman in Masindi.
Apparently, AMISOM paid sh124m to the family of David Kyaligonza alias Muswahili as compensation for the loss of Ashraf Ntegeka, a UPDF soldier, who was killed in Mogadishu in February last year. Ntegeka was part of the UPDF contingent in Somalia.
Masindi resident district commissioner David Matovu yesterday said Kyaligonza connived with Oliver Babisisa, a sister of the deceased, to fraudulently receive the money on behalf of the family.
Key Headlines
- Somali Gov’t vows further push against Al Shabaab (Shabelle)
- Businessman defrauds AMISOM soldier’s family of sh120m (New Vision)
- Somaliland: Press Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Somaliland Press)
- Somali facing massive displacement because of rebuilding plan (Press TV)
- Suspected al Shabaab fighters attack top security official’s residence in Kismayo (Shabelle/Radio Kulmiye)
- Kenya Ethiopia agree to co-operate on regional security (Sabahi Online)
- Puntland Government meets with UN delegation to discuss strategy (Garowe Online)
- EU Naval Force Apprehends Nine Suspected Somali Pirates (Somaliland Sun)
PRESS STATEMENT
Somaliland: Press Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
21 Nov – Source: Somaliland Press – 249 words
On 20 November 2012, the government of (self declared republic) of Somaliland had the honour of welcoming to Hargeisa a high-level delegation from the United Nations that is conducting a system-wide strategic review of its presence in the country.
This delegation included representatives from the UN’s offices in the region as well as from the UN’s headquarters in New York. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Mohamed Abdillahi Omar, briefed the delegation on Somaliland’s views regarding the objectives, priorities and structure of a UN presence in the country.
He called for a UN to acknowledge Somaliland’s 20-year history of peace and stability, and its independent and unique status. He also requested that the UN deal with Somaliland directly and not through its offices in the region. The Minister highlighted the constructive role that Somaliland plays on issues such as counter-piracy, anti-terrorism, regional peace and security as well as its democratic credentials as proof of the Somaliland government’s credibility as a cooperative and independent international actor.
Dr. Omar encouraged the UN to play a more active role in facilitating the dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia based on the framework previously agreed upon by both countries at the first round of talks at Chevening House in the UK in June of this year.
Dr. Omar and the UN delegation also discussed areas of future collaboration and assistance based on the priorities of Somaliland, including security sector reform, improving environment, health and education services, youth employment and the private sector development.
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali Gov’t vows further push against Al Shabaab
22 Nov – Source: Shabelle – 110 words
An Official in the Federal Government of Somalia says they will double attacks against the militants in the country. Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, the governor of Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, told Shabelle Media Network on Wednesday that government is planning to recapture all al Shabaab strongholds in the region and restore peace and order in the conflict ravaged horn of Africa country.
“Our troops and AU troops will go everywhere in the province to gain control of all militant-controlled towns and locations and that is part of our plan,” he said, calling upon the locals to work closely and support Somali and AMISOM troops.
Civilian killed in Beledweyne
22 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 80 words
A man was on Thursday morning killed at central Somali town of Beledweyne by unknown gunmen, reports say. The gunmen armed with pistols attacked Omar Sheikh Ali at Heliwa market of Howlwadag neighbourhood and fled the crime scene immediately, according to Bar-kulan correspondent in Beledweyne.
It is not yet known the motive and the identity of the gunmen behind the killing and the area authorities have not yet commented on the issue. No group has claimed responsibility of the killing.
Suspected al Shabaab fighters attack top security official’s residence in Kismayo
22 Nov – Source: Shabelle/Radio Kulmiye – 153 words
Suspected al Shabaab fighters have on Wednesday night attacked the house of a senior Somali security official in the southern port city of Kismayo, some 500 Km (310 Miles) south of Mogadishu, reports said.
Abdullahi Qaldan, the official was at home at the time of the attack and has reportedly escaped unhurt. Soldiers guarding the home of the officials engaged in heavy gun battle with attacking militants and fended them off from the area, locals reported. At least one combatant was killed and four others injured during the fighting.
Puntland Government meets with UN delegation to discuss strategy
21 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 147 words
Puntland President, Vice President and Cabinet Ministers have met UN Officials from UN agencies working in Somalia to discuss and review the UN’s mandate in Somalia, Garowe Online reports.
On Wednesday, Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole and Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire and 15 Cabinet Ministers met with 19 officials representing different UN agencies that work in Puntland to review the UN’s mandate in Somalia, that could lead to a possible amendment of the mandate of the UN in Somalia.
Some of the UN officials who met with the Puntland President were, Harmut Hesse Special Representative of the Secretary General for Maritime Security and Anti piracy, Gen. Maritz du Toit Chief Standing Police Capacity and Ms. Hasmik Egian UNPOS Chief of Staff. A report by UN Secretary General on Somalia issued In August, discussed the need for an inter-agency review of the UN presence in Somalia.
EU Naval Force Apprehends Nine Suspected Somali Pirates
21 Nov – Source: Somaliland Sun – 502 words
EU Naval Force and Combined Task Force 151 Together to Ensure No Safe Haven for Pirates In Indian Ocean. Earlier today, Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand, under command of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) worked in close cooperation with Turkish warship TCG Gemlik of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) to apprehended nine suspected pirates at sea off the coast of Somalia.
In the early hours of the morning, Swedish EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft located the suspicious skiff at sea 420 nautical miles east of Mogadishu.
Counter piracy forces in the area were quickly alerted, and being the two closest warships, both TCG Gemlik and ROS Regele Ferdinand made haste to the area to investigate, as the Luxembourg EU NAVFOR patrol aircraft maintained visual coverage from the air.
Somali Teacher Day celebrated in Galkayo
22 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan – 138 words
Locals in Galmudug State of Somalia on Wednesday joined the rest of the country to mark the Somali Teacher Day in southern Galkayo town, reports say. The day, marked every year on November 21 is aimed at recognizing the significance of teachers to the society as they work on shaping the future of the population.
Several teachers and officials from Regional Education Ministry gathered at Abdullahi Isse Primary School, where they discussed problems facing Somalis teachers following the two decades old conflict in the country.
Speaker after the other, all elaborated on the need to support and recognize the work of a teacher in the society. Teachers used the occasion to appeal to Somali youths to keep away from violence and lay down guns and instead resort to shaping their future by joining learning institution in the country.
Sanaag governor hosts security meeting in Badhan
21 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 131 words
Residents and government officials including Governor of Sanaag region in northern Somalia’s Puntland autonomous region hosted a security a meeting in Badhan district discussing the recent security achievements, Garowe Online reports.
The security meeting was held on Tuesday, and was attended by government officials, traditional elders, religious leaders, women leaders and other members of the community.
Governor of Sanaag region Mohamed Ismail Eyon, who convened the meeting, discussed recent arrests of 9 alleged al Shabaab agents who were caught near the foothills of Golis Mountains where the militants are believed to have created mountain hideouts and fought a war against Puntland forces in 2010. “Security in the region is our main goal and anyone involved in disrupting security will be arrested and tried,” said Governor Eyon.
Truck drivers complain of robbery along Marka-Afgoye road
21 Nov – Source: Radio Bar-kulan – 124 words
Truck and other public service vehicle drivers plying the route between Afgoye and Marka town are complaining of robbery meted against them and other passengers by people dressed in government military uniforms. One of the drivers who sought anonymity told Bar-kulan that him and his passengers were last night robbed of valuables by gunmen in military uniform.
He said in between Shalambod and Number 50 area alone vehicles plying the rout encounter at least four roadblocks mounted by gunmen dressed in military fatigue who rob passengers of their valuables. Although government forces in the region have on several occasions conducted operations aimed at stamping out gunmen manning illegal roadblocks meant to rob passenger vehicles plying the route, robbery along the route is still reported.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Businessman defrauds AMISOM soldier’s family of sh120m
22 Nov – Source: New Vision – 374 words
The family of a soldier, who died while serving in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), has been defrauded of sh120m by a businessman in Masindi.
Apparently, AMISOM paid sh124m to the family of David Kyaligonza alias Muswahili as compensation for the loss of Ashraf Ntegeka, a UPDF soldier, who was killed in Mogadishu in February last year. Ntegeka was part of the UPDF contingent in Somalia.
Masindi resident district commissioner David Matovu yesterday said Kyaligonza connived with Oliver Babisisa, a sister of the deceased, to fraudulently receive the money on behalf of the family.
Kenya, Ethiopia agree to cooperate on regional security
22 Nov – Source: Sabahi Online – 162 words
Kenya and Ethiopia have agreed to work together to promote peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Ethiopian government said in a press release Tuesday (November 20th). The agreement was announced during the technical meeting of the 34th Kenya-Ethiopia Joint Ministerial Commission held in Nairobi. During the two-day meeting, participants discussed strengthening bilateral ties in politics, socio-economics, security and foreign affairs.
“Kenya and Ethiopia have agreed to accelerate efforts aimed at searching for peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, including consolidation of the gains in Somalia,” said Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi.
Wondimu Asaminew, director general of the African Directorate of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Ethiopia attaches great importance to its relations with Kenya. “A second meeting of senior officials in less than six months underlines the paramount importance of our bilateral cooperation,” he said, adding that both nations “are committed to enhancing cooperation on major regional and international issues of interest”.
Residents suspect al Shabaab present in town
21 Nov – Source: NTV – 4:26 min
To Garissa and it is an open question; is al Shabaab in town? As life slowly resumes to normal questions abound over the killing of three KDF soldiers and before that, the killing of policemen and the slaughter of worshippers in the North Eastern town. And as NTV’s Nimrod Taabu reports, some residents bravely admit that al Shabaab elements live among them.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali facing massive displacement because of rebuilding plan
22 Nov – Source: Press TV – 287 words
After 20 years of violence and turmoil the new Somali government is keen on rebuilding the once anarchic seaside Somali capital, Mogadishu. The government has resumed the eviction process that started earlier this year and this time targeting government owned buildings, schools and institutions all across Mogadishu.
As a result of the eviction, the consequences are clear; massive displacement within the capital further burdening the new Somali government that is trying to create a stable base since its formation in September.
Apparently, the Somali government feels that with increased security, people can return back to their homes. The two decade war in Somalia made the Horn of Africa nation ranked among the countries in the world with the highest number of refugees.
Faith in the future of Somalia
21 Nov – Source: Independent – 1059 words
The mosque that once dominated the ravaged nation’s capital is shattered by war and in ruins, but its imam has never lost hope – and now it looks set to rise again.
The Mnara tower commanded sweeping views north along the furthest reaches of Mogadishu’s Lido Beach and south towards the old port. For hundreds of years the muezzin would climb up to the minaret’s wooden balcony to make the call to prayer with the brilliant blue of the Indian Ocean on one side and the whitewashed Somali capital on the other.
“You had the whole city underneath you,” remembers Abdel Karim, the imam of mosque. Today, the mosque’s historic tower has mostly been obliterated, with just a jagged shard of weathered sandstone reaching towards the sky. The rest of the minaret lies in rubble, piles of crumbled stone flecked with shrapnel sinking into the weeds, like much of the oldest mosque in Mogadishu.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“With reports of terrorists in Somalia, such as al Shabaab, re-grouping in the event that AMISOM – or the estimated 6,000 People’s Defence Force (UPDF) troops – withdraws, it makes little sense to complete the job; irrespective of the UN Expert Report. Otherwise the losses incurred to date by the UPDF will be in vain. Uganda therefore needs to reconsider its position on this matter; a position motivated solely to defend those officials implicated in the report.”
Uganda must stay the course in Somalia
21 Nov – Source: TransConflict – 719 Words
In Africa today there is a widespread loss of popular confidence in state institutions and processes, coupled with the progressive deterioration of public services and basic state functions that protect against terrorism and violence. The continuous militarization of politics in Africa before, during and after elections is a disconcerting sign; whilst the security apparatuses often function as a ‘state within a state’.
The continent has witnessed the emergence of elite guards operating with impunity, with private militias that terrorize political opponents and suspected ‘enemies’. Furthermore, the rise of factionalised ruling elites employing destructive nationalistic rhetoric and the widespread intervention of external factors further fuels instability.
These worrying development warrant a better understanding about peacekeeping missions, which have changed profoundly over the last two decades. In the first decade after the UN’s creation, deployment occurred only when a ceasefire had been agreed and the conflicting parties gave their consent. The main aim was to separate the two fighting parties, and the overall scale of deployments was rather small. Peacekeepers were lightly-armed and were not expected to ever fight, with the bulk of UN peacekeeping forces being provided by Western countries.
Nowadays, peacekeeping looks very diverse. It increasingly deals with intra-state conflicts; often when fighting has not completely ceased. Missions are much larger and peacekeepers are more heavily-armed. The consent of all parties to a conflict is sometimes unattainable.
Mandates include the protection of civilians, the reform of the security sector, the disarming of combatants and institution building. Peacekeeping missions have become larger, more complex and more dangerous. Western powers still provide the lion’s share of financial support, but have become increasingly reluctant to commit troops; thereby leaving a vacuum that is filled by poorer countries, including Uganda.
“This article, which continues our series about piracy at sea, looks at the shift in piracy from south-east Asia to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden; the recent history of conflict within Somalia; the conditions in which its people are currently living; humanitarian concerns and the efforts of aid agencies; the role of the United Nations; international naval action being taken against piracy; legal and policy difficulties in prosecuting captured pirates; the United Kingdom’s Government’s attitude towards piracy; the cost of hijackings in financial and human terms; and the wider consequences of piracy at sea.”
Somalia, the Gulf of Aden, and Piracy: An overview, and recent …
22 Nov – Source: Piracy Watch – 8845 Words
Two things are well known about Somalia from recent newspaper reports, magazine articles, Internet pages, and radio and television broadcasts. First, it is a virtually lawless country which has been without proper government since 1991. Secondly, a small number of its people have so disrupted merchant shipping off its coasts that warships from twenty or more nations have been mobilised at vast expense to try to prevent vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean from being hijacked.
In contrast, the Singapore and Malacca Straits, which were once considered to be among the most dangerous places in the world because of piracy, are now much safer for merchant vessels as a result of cooperation between nations in south-east Asia. The main sources for statistics about piracy at sea are the Singapore-based Information Sharing Centre of the members of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (”ReCAAP”), and the Piracy Reporting Centre of the International Maritime Bureau (”IMB”) in Kuala Lumpur.
Figures differ slightly between these sources, partly because the two organisations use different definitions of piracy, and ReCAAP’s records relate only to Asia, whereas the IMB gives global coverage. But while the number of reported piracy incidents in Asia overall, and in south-east Asia in particular, has declined in recent years, the number of attacks worldwide increased during 2008, largely owing to unprecedented activity by pirates in the waters off Somalia.
And while the majority of successful attacks by pirates in south-east Asia involve the boarding of ships and the stealing of money and various articles, the Somali pirates consistently try to capture vessels and hold them and their crews for ransom.
Top tweets
@Africathinker “About 300 Turks are living and working in#Mogadishu.” – Faith in the future of #Somaliahttp://ind.pn/SW9hmz.
@mary_harper My photos of the fish market in Hamar Weyne #Mogadishu #Somalia http://bit.ly/R1fIcF.
@ahmedwardigley The #Somali #government must have the#Ownership,#Leadership and #Sovereignty in the #fight#against #Al-shabaab.The #Partners must follow.
@JamalMOsman Glad to say that Laila who featured in my#Somali returnees’ film is now back in #Britain studying psychology: http://bit.ly/XEUIv.
@AbukarArman #Somalia #Somali-Kenyan community is outraged. This could ignite long-term political/religious wars btwn 2 neighbors.http://bit.ly/TdIDXg.
Image of the day
The boarding team from EU Naval Force, ROS Regele Ferdinand brings the apprehended suspected Somali pirates and their skiff back to the Romanian warship.