November 29, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
Transport In Mogadishu Set To Be Paralyzed As Motorists Strike
29 November – Source: Dhacdo.com – 116 Words
Transport in Mogadishu is today set to be paralyzed after motorists announced they will strike citing huge levies imposed by authorities. Operators of public transport vehicles locally known as BL said they were forced to take up expensive insurance premiums which was beyond their reach. Drivers are set to converge at Saaybiyaano area and Fagah junction in Mogadishu where they will stage protests.
The federal government has signed an agreement with Takaful insurance and has since asked all public transport operators to register with them. Banadir Private Service Vehicles Association (PSV SACCO) has since appealed to the federal government to look into the grievances of the motorists. No official response was however received by the time of going to the press.
Key Headlines
- Transport In Mogadishu Set To Be Paralyzed As Motorists Strike (Dhacdo.com)
- Security Forces Storm Mogadishu’s Simad University (Jowhar.com)
- Italian President Receives Credentials From New Somali Ambassador (Dhacdo.com)
- The EU Is Continuing Its War With Somali Pirates (The Journal.ie)
- Thirsty Somalis Trek 60 Km For Water As Drought And Conflict Bite (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
- Somaliland Diaspora: Predatory Political Parasites (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Security Forces Storm Mogadishu’s Simad University
29 November – Source: Jowhar.com – 157 Words
A heavily armed contingent of security forces stormed Simad University in Mogadishu’s warshadaha street. The forces confiscated cellphones of several students before moving in while firing in the air. Chairman of SIMAD University Dahir Hassan Arab told the VOA Somali Service six heavily armed officers walked into the university during evening classes and fired in the air scaring away students.“I confirm six officers clad in official gear stormed the university and fired in the area several times but no one was injured,” said Arab. Arab termed the incident as unfortunate. He said such an incident was never witnessed by the institution previously. He said no reason was given by the officers for their actions but added senior government officials arrived at the institution later promising investigations into the matter.University students have previously reported being robbed of their cell-phones by armed men clad in national armed forces dresses on their way to and from the university.
Italian President Receives Credentials From New Somali Ambassador
29 November – Source: Dhacdo.com – 117 Words
The newly appointed Somali ambassador to Italy, Abdirahman Sheikh Issa, has presented his credentials to the Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The presentation of credentials took place in the Italian presidential palace where the new ambassador met President Mattarella.The Italian head of state pledged that his government would strengthen the ties it has with the Horn of Africa Nation. During the ceremony, the new ambassador presented a message from the Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to President Mattarela, while also briefing him on the most recent political situation in Somalia.The ambassador thanked Italy for its continued support to Somalia. Mr Issa becomes Somalia’s second ambassador to Italy since the collapse of the central government in 1991.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
The EU Is Continuing Its War With Somali Pirates
29 November – Source: The Journal.ie – 192 Words
THE EU HAS decided to extend its Somalia anti-piracy operation for another two years until the end of 2018 as NATO wound up its involvement, with virtually no attacks reported in recent years.The EU launched EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta in 2008 as pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa increased sharply in an offshoot from Somalia’s civil war, with NATO providing ships and aircraft as well.
A statement by the European Council, which groups the EU’s 28 member states, said they agreed to provide €11 million to fund Atalanta for the next two years. In addition to countering pirates, Atalanta also protects World Food Programme vessels and other shipping, monitors fishing off the coast of Somalia and supports other EU missions and programmes in the region, the statement said.The EUNAVFOR website shows pirate attacks peaked at 176 in 2011, falling sharply since then to just one so far this year. NATO said separately it was winding down its involvement as the mission had “achieved its strategic objectives.”The threat was likely to remain low but the US-led alliance “stands ready to quickly resume counter-piracy patrols if necessary,” a NATO official said.
Thirsty Somalis Trek 60 Km For Water As Drought And Conflict Bite
28 November – Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation – 362 Words
A second poor rainy season in Somalia has pushed livestock herders in the drought-hit Puntland region to trek an average of 60 km (40 miles) to fetch drinking water, aid agencies said on Monday, calling for rapid action to prevent renewed famine.
Five million Somalis, or more than four out of ten people, do not have enough to eat because of poor rains and fighting between the Islamist militant group al Shabaab and Somalia’s African Union-backed government.”Somalia went through a very similar situation in 2011 where two failed rain seasons, overlapping shocks, restricted action and a late response resulted in large-scale human catastrophe,” 38 aid groups, including Oxfam, Action Aid and the Norwegian Refugee Council, said in a statement.”We have been repeatedly promising to not let this happen again… What are we waiting for?”It called on humanitarian agencies and donors to revise existing projects to focus on life-saving support for women, children and other communities hard-hit by the drought.”It is our responsibility as donors, as implementers, as national and local authorities, as Somali business community… to see that this drought does not lead to a famine,” it said.
Somalia’s 2011 famine, which killed 260,000 people, was caused by drought, conflict and a ban on food aid in territory held by al Shabaab. Charities have repeatedly warned about the threat of renewed famine as the Horn of Africa nation continues to be plagued by poor rains and conflict, as well as shortages of aid. Humanitarian access to the al Shabaab strongholds of Lower and Middle Juba regions remains limited, agencies said, with satellites monitoring rainfall trends showing those areas to be “the most worrying in all of Somalia”.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“These individuals found out that joining Somaliland’s politics is the easiest and the “shortest root to ill-gotten wealth.” They know that it does not require a university degree, skills, leadership abilities, or experience. The only requirement is to know how to appeal, influence and recruit their clan members. If they have money, it is a bonus, ”
Somaliland Diaspora: Predatory Political Parasites
28 November – Source: Hiiraan Online – 942 Words
“In Africa,” says Professor Patrick Lumumba, “the shortest root to ill-gotten wealth is political leadership.” I couldn’t agree more. “If you want to get wealth without working for it at all,” he continues, “join African politics.” This short “root to ill-gotten wealth” incites many Somaliland Diasporas in Europe and North America to go back to Somaliland and join politics in order to steal taxpayers’ money. Why would these individuals—who live in one of the richest countries in the world (UK, USA, Canada, etc.) and have access to free high-quality education and/or high-paying jobs—go back to Somaliland and steal taxpayers’ money? Let me inform you who these individuals are; what kind of a life they lead in Europe and North America; why are they coming back to Somaliland; and the tactics they use in order to join politics.
These individuals have lived in Western countries—UK, USA, Canada, etc.—for twenty, thirty or forty years. They have had golden opportunities to get free high-quality education and become doctors, engineers, administrators, educators, economists, etc., but they choose not to attend colleges or universities. Since they have failed to benefit from the available free education, they are unequipped to undertake professional jobs. Therefore, they do unskilled jobs that require little to no formal education: assembly line factory workers, bank tellers, case workers, cleaners (janitors), taxi/bus drivers, watchman/security (“waashumaan” in Somali), cashiers, etc.
Usually, they work eight-hours a day, five days a week from Monday through Friday. The little money they earn from their jobs barely covers their living expenses, e.g., rent, utilities, groceries, shopping, gas, phone bill, car insurance, etc. Therefore, they live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. It is a never ending cycle, with no light at the end of the tunnel. The result: uneducated, penniless, hopeless and, above all, desperate. And desperate people do desperate things. To escape from their depressive situation, they decide to join Somaliland politics.
TOP TWEETS
@Daudoo:Clashes in #Toratorow town started at around 1:40am& lasted for about 15 minutes, no casualties reported so far – Residents. #Somalia
@UNdeClercq @Urgent & collective action needed to once again tackle #drought in #Somalia – need more sustainable solutions to this reoccurring problem
@Qaranjire:No position for youth in this country looks politician’s behavior encouraging to migrate #Somalia
@MahadWasuge :With his hybrid system in place, I would suggest term of 4 years for parliament and 5 years for president to avoid power vacuum #Somalia
@AhmedKosar1:#Alshabaab claims its fighters ”repelled’ the attack by #Somalia troops backed by US spec’ 4rcs in Toratorow & ”there are no casualties”
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Simad University students listen to an address following an incident at the University.
Photo: Ali Noor Abdi