November 27, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Heavy fighting erupts in Lower Shabelle region
27 Nov – Source: Radio Dalsan – 97 words
Heavy fighting has reportedly erupted in Lower Shabelle region, pitting the Somali National Army and AMISOM against al Shabaab fighters. The fighting erupted in Janale district, claiming the lives of 3 people while dozens others were injured. Residents of Janale have reportedly started fleeing to safe zones fearing to be caught in the crossfire The battle has also affected the transportation.
Key Headlines
- Somali Foreign Minister visits Kenya (Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Star FM)
- Heavy fighting erupts in Lower Shabelle region (Radio Dalsan)
- French Military Helped Kenya Defense Forces In Somalia Military Operations (Intelligence Briefs)
- Somali police investigates killing of Bakara merchants’ chief (Shabelle)
- Families of sailors held hostage by Somali pirates protest (Economic Times)
- Hudun elders reject Somaliland’s bid to hold elections in the district (Bar-kulan)
- Somali Refugees Rank Third in Highest Population (VOA News/Releif Web)
SOMALI MEDIA
Somali Foreign Minister visits Kenya
27 Nov – Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Star FM – 131 words
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fowsiyo Yusuf Haji Adan is in Kenya after receiving a formal invitation from the government of Kenya. Ms Fowsiya who briefed the media at the Mogadishu international Airport before her departure said that she is going to Nairobi to meet with Kenyan government officials to discuss the relationship between the two countries.
Kenya is believed to have great interest in the Somali politics after Somalia making great strides following the end of transition period. The formation of administrations for Jubba regions in Somalia is also believed to be one of the agenda which is scheduled to be discussed by the two states. The trip of the FM comes hours after the president of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also left the country to Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Heavy fighting erupts in Lower Shabelle region
27 Nov – Source: Radio Dalsan – 97 words
Heavy fighting has reportedly erupted in Lower Shabelle region, pitting the Somali national army and AMISOM against al Shabaab fighters. The fighting erupted in Janale district, claiming the lives of 3 people while dozens others were injured. Residents of Janale have reportedly started fleeing to safe zones fearing to be caught in the crossfire The battle has also affected the transportation.
Somali police investigates killing of Bakara merchants’ chief
27 Nov – Source: Shabelle – 85 words
Gen. Abdullah Hassan Barise, the Spokesman of Somali police announced Tuesday that they have launched an investigation into the murder of Ahmed Nure Awdinle, Bakara merchants’ chairman by unknown assailants on Monday.
Barise told local media that the police have arrested a number of suspects in connection with the killing after carrying out operations in Mogadishu since Monday. Unknown gunmen shot dead Ahmed Nure Awdinle along with one of his security personnel.
Hudun elders reject Somaliland’s bid to hold elections in the district
27 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan – 144 words
Local elders in northern Somalia district of Hudun have rejected Somaliland’s bid to place ballot box in the area ahead of the upcoming grass-root level elections due on Wednesday.
The elders say the move will further fuel tension in the region and urged Somaliland not to count the area as part of its territory. The elders, Abdullahi Jafal, Adan Mohamed Bulale, Jamaa Abdi Dhere, Hurre Ismail and Mohamed Jamaa Adde, all representing the local clan in the region objected any polling stations in the region for the Somaliland elections.
The objection seems to be giving a backing to Puntland which has accused its neighbouring Somaliland of engaging in provocative activities by deploying troops and establishing polling stations in parts of Sool and Sanaag regions. Tension has been brewing between the two rival northern Somali breakaway states since 1998 when Puntland declared its autonomy.
European Union to directly engage Somali gov’t
26 Nov – Source: Radio Risaala – 140 words
The European Union announced says it will now engage government of Somalia directly different than the way it did in the past. EU’s special envoy to Somalia Cervone D’urso said all European union operations including humanitarian assistance, political support and reconstruction will be done inside Somalia since the country has a federal government now.
He said EU officials will spend 30 percent of their time in Somalia which will be part of greater efforts to support the horn of Africa nation. He also said all funds will be channeled through a committee that will be set up in Somalia so that the amounts spent can be established.
The European Union lastly promised to support Somalia in many areas especially the education, health and humanitarian assistance. Similarly the head of European Union mission in Somalia is set to visit Mogadishu on Tuesday.
Government should release BBC journalist held without charge
26 Nov – Source: Raxanreeb/Garowe Online – 146 words
Somali authorities must immediately release Ibrahim Mohamed Adan, a correspondent for the Somali service of the BBC, who has been held for nearly a week in Mogadishu without charge, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Security forces arrested Ibrahim on November 21 and accused him of falsely reporting that a Somali military court had ordered a soldier’s execution, local journalists told CPJ. In his Somali language report, which aired earlier in November, Ibrahim had interviewed a Somali who claimed his cousin, a soldier, had been executed.
Liban Ali Yarrow, chairman of the military court, ordered Ibrahim’s arrest, saying the journalist was unable to verify the report, local journalists said. The military court summoned Ibrahim on November 17 and demanded that he either present evidence verifying his article or be imprisoned, the journalists said. Ibrahim was summoned on November 21 and subsequently arrested, news reports said.
Galgadud governor condemns killing of Bakara market chairman
27 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan – 96 words
The governor of Galgadud region Ahmed Yussuf Hassan has strongly condemned the Monday killing of Bakara Market chairman Ahmed Noore Awdini by unknown gunmen.
Hassan said he was saddened by the brutal killing of the businessman and urged locals to stamp out individuals bent on eliminating intellectuals within the society.
Awdini was the head of the business community in Somalia’s biggest market, Bakara and was shot dead at point-blank range in Mogadishu on Monday. He was laid to rest the same day. Police said more than 100 people have been arrested for questioning over his killing.
Al Shabaab and Government forces fight near Kismayo
26 Nov – Source: Radio Mustaqbal/Radio Dalsan – 96 words
Al Shabaab fighters and Somali National forces battled on the outskirts of Somalia’s port city of Kismayo. Talking to Mustaqbal Radio local residents said that the fighters of the al Qaeda linked group attacked a check point controlled by the Somali forces in the outskirts of the city. No official figure on the casualties on both sides however, some military officials claimed that they have killed a number of al Shabaab fighters.
Gunmen exchange fire with Puntland police, killing 3 civilians
26 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 129 words
Deputy Chief of Puntland Police Gen. Muhayadin Ahmed Musse stated that the Puntland forces exchanged fired with gunmen, leading to the death of 3 civilians, during an operation in Galkayo, Garowe Online reports. Gen. Musse who spoke to Galkayo Radio on Monday, said that the Puntland police conducted an operation on Masjid Salahudiin.
The operation was conducted following intelligence that men being pursued by the police entered the Mosque in Galkayo, capital of Mudug region on Sunday. Puntland police led by Gen. Musse entered the mosque to arrest the individuals but were distracted by a group of people who began shooting at the police.
“After Maqhrib prayer in Galkayo we were informed about wanted men entering Salahudin Mosque and we prepared to arrest the men, some escaped during the shootout” said Gen. Musse.
Hiiraan elders inaugurate new leader
26 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan – 121 words
Hiiraan regional elders on Monday inaugurated their new leader in a colourful ceremony held in Beledweyne town. The ceremony was also attended by officials from the African Union force in the area and hundreds of locals.
Speaker of the National Assembly Mohamed Osman Jawari who joined the event via the telephone congratulated the new council leader on his appointment.
The new leader of the Hiiraan council of elders Sheikh Mohamud Sheikh Hussein assume the mantle of leadership after he was handpicked from the rest of region’s elders following days of consultative meeting by the elders in the region. The new council leader promised to bring and reconcile all clans in the region and appealed to other elders to support his efforts.
Somali National Security forces arrest suspected al Shabaab Women
26 Nov – Source: Radio Mustaqbal – 106 words
Somali National Security forces on Monday carried out an operation at some of the districts in the Banadir Region. Chief Commander of the Somali National Security forces,Khalif Ahmed Erag told the media that the operation was targeted at Yaqshid and huriwaa districts of Banadir region where he said they received reports of suspected al Shabaab insurgents’ hide outs.
During the operation, a number of suspected al Shabaab women were arrested and taken to jail where they will be interrogated. Erag said that they will continue with the operations targeting the remnants of al Qaeda linked al Shabaab in the capital, Mogadishu.
REGIONAL MEDIA
News : Why Somalia want to join East African community
27 Nov – Source: KTN TV – 148 words
The East African heads of states will meet in Nairobi this Friday. The meeting popular as the EAC heads of state summit will among other things adopt recommendations to admit or not south sudan to the community as well as consider an application by somalia to join its ranks.
French Military Helped Kenya Defense Forces In Somalia Military Operations
25 Nov – Source: Intelligence Briefs – 122 words
France is the only global superpower that provided military help to the republic of Kenya,s defense forces throughout Operation Linda Inchi, Strategic Intelligence shows. France military commanders under authority of the French government in Paris authorized the military cooperation.
The French military cooperation was on limited scope basis where no French war machine would be deployed to directly engage the enemy. Military officials in France verified this intelligence insisting the French operation was “limited in scope” where intelligence and logistics were primary.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Families of sailors held hostage by Somali pirates protest
27 Nov – Source: Economic Times – 318 words
Family members of the 17 sailors, who have been held hostage by Somali pirates for the past nine months, today protested outside the Shipping Ministry. The families demanded immediate release of the sailors, who have been held captive by Somali pirates off the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia, on UAE-owned MT Royal Grace.
“Yes, we met the Shipping Minister, and he assured us that he would do something. Pirates have threatened to kill our children if nothing is done till November 3O. So, we have decided that till they (government) decide to get them released, we will not go from here,” mother of Mehtab, one of the hostages, said .
“My son who has been held hostage, has two children. Nothing has happened in the past nine months, let us see what they do now,” she said. Similar is the plight of Saurav’s kin, another sailor who is in captivity.
Somali Refugees Rank Third in Highest Population
26 Nov – Source: VOA News/Releif Web – 152 words
New figures released by the UNHCR reveal that Somali refugees now stand as the third highest number of refugees in the world, ranking just under numbers for Afghanistan and Iraq. While there have been some recent successes in overtaking the militant group Al-Shabab, the country continues to deal with insecurity, drought and a poor economy.
The UNHCR says Somalis are facing one of the worst humanitarian crises of today. It says one in every three children living in the south-central region of the Horn of Africa is malnourished. The country is also the worst hit in the Horn by drought, and the rain failures have caused food prices to skyrocket.
In this year alone, the UNHCR said 66,227 Somalis have sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Tanzania and Uganda. In addition, the UNHCR reports, a total population of 700,000 internally displaced persons, IDPs.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The neighbouring States must accept to internalize the environmental externalities that have been generated as a result of the production and export of the Somali charcoal. Somalia must be compensated for the damage that it has incurred through massive reforestation projects and the provision of the financial assistance needed to jump-start environmental recovery programmes.”
The Message that the Somali Government Must Deliver to COP 18 in Doha
26 Nov – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1488 Words
The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 18) and the 8th session of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol will be convened from November 26 to December 7, 2012 in Doha, Qatar. The Conference will be hosted by the Government of Qatar and supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). COP 17, COP 16, and COP 15, which Somalia had attended, were convened in Durban, Cancun, and Copenhagen, respectively.
The UNFCCC started as one of the three “Rio Conventions” that were adopted at the “Rio Earth Summit” in 1992. It entered into force on March 21, 1994. There are now 195 countries that have so far ratified this Convention. These countries are referred to as “Parties” to the Convention. The objective of the UNFCCC, as specified in Article 2 of the Convention, is to “achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”.
The Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, on the other hand, was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997. It entered into force on February 16, 2005. While the Convention encourages industrialized countries to stabilize the greenhouse gas emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so. The developing countries that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol can benefit from the Adaptation Fund that has been established for their adaptation projects and programmes, which are designed to counter the adverse effects of the climate change.
“What is also of concern is that Eastleigh’s riots were spontaneous, revealing growing xenophobia against ethnic Somalis and frustration among jobless, landless youth. Despite denials from the senior leadership of al Shabaab regarding the most recent bus attack, Kenyan authorities blame the Islamist group for the bombing and all previous attacks. Reprisals against mosques and Somalis in the wake of such attacks are common, and attitudes among their Kenyan neighbours have become increasingly vitriolic.”
Kenya: Ethnic and Economic Grievances Underlie Violence in Eastleigh
26 Nov – Source: Think Africa – 1068 Words
Last Sunday, a bomb blast on a public minibus left seven dead and scores wounded in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood. The attack, blamed on the Islamist Somali terrorist group al Shabaab, triggered conflict between Eastleigh’s Somali immigrants and their Kenyan neighbours.
For two days, rioting youths from nearby slums targeted ethnic Somalis, looting homes and fighting running street battles with police. After the tear gas settled, enterprising locals patched their broken windows with cardboard and sold shoes and leather jackets by the shells of shattered cars, but tensions continued to simmer.
The groups retaliating after Sunday’s bombing had to cross Juja Road, which separates the shanty towns of the Mathare slum from Eastleigh’s multi-story buildings and crowded markets. They threw rocks at buses full of Muslim women and vandalised Somali apartment buildings, taking anything they could find.
Top tweets
@unicefusa Learn how @UNICEF helps 90K severely malnourished children in #Somalia, after the famine conditions have ended: http://bit.ly/WsVvcB.
@AKoronto #Somalia #CPJ‘s statement on BBC Mogadishu reporter’s arrest and keeping him in custody without a charge. http://cpj.org/2012/11/in-som.
@UNHCRUK Video: #Somalia On the Run. Protracted refugee and displacement crisis. How long will the calm last? #UnforgottenCrisis http://bit.ly/TgHMo9.
@GenoWorldview Great #Somalia photos showing how beautiful it was there before the war. http://bit.ly/WrHIDf cc:@Refugees @OCHASom.
@MorningAfrika Stability and Development in #Somaliahttp://ow.ly/fBk3P.
@AfricaResearch Follow #somalilandelection for coverage of local council elections in Somaliland.
Image of the day
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (left) and his host President Ismail Omar Guelleh inspect the military parade at the viewing stand at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, capital of Djibouti on Nov. 26, 2012. Photo: Somaliweyn.