NATIONAL MEDIA
7 November – Source: Radio Dalsan – 216 Words
At least 4 people have been killed, including 2 soldiers in Garowe, the capital city of Puntland in a standoff to impeach the speaker. The fierce clashes, which left several other people injured, started when the police forces and parliamentary bodyguards belonging to the Speaker faced off last night after the lawmakers filed a motion to remove the Speaker from office. The members had demanded that the Speaker withdraw people they termed as clan forces from the building, which led to the clashes. Among the dead civilians is a prominent Garowe businessman identified as Dhigaweyne who was caught in the crossfire. At least 40 MPs on Wednesday night met to plot against the of the Speaker. The Deputy Speaker had given a green light for the motion to be tabled, but it was not debated. The Deputy Speaker told, in a media conference, that the Speaker had created divisions in the House and was the source of the no-confidence motion that had been filed against the regional President Said Deni. It is said that the Speaker was working at the behest of Villa Somalia who wants to punish President Deni for his support for the embattled Jubaland Leader Sheihk Madobe. Puntland leaders say that Mogadishu has resorted to funding elders, youth and a section of politicians to destabilize Puntland’s government.
7 November – Source: Halbeeg – 136 Words
Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Isse Awad, met his Danish counterpart, Mr. Jeppe Kofod in Mogadishu. Mr. Kofod arrived in the country for a one-day visit on Wednesday. During their meeting, they discussed enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation in several fields of mutual benefit, especially a new multi-dimensional Somali-Danish strategic partnership. They also reviewed the latest developments in the political and economic situation in the country and the regional and international political and security issues of common concern. Mr Fodok also held talks with Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire on Danish support to Somalia. The two also discussed engagement in the economic development sector, reconstruction and rebuilding projects for the recuperating horn of the African state. The Minister reaffirmed Copenhagen’s cooperation in the areas of war on terror and national security.
6 November – Source: Radio Dalsan – 127 Words
The Ministry of Finance has announced a 17 per cent revenue increase for the third quarter of the year ended September 2019. Whereas the total revenue collected last as at the same time last year, was $198 million US dollars, this year the government netted $233.3 million dollars. The results show that the raft of measures put in place by the government to fund its expenditure from local taxes is bearing fruits. Part of the strategy was to have as many businesses as possible within the tax bracket, seal all the loopholes that allow for stealing of revenue and strengthen revenue collection capacity. There was upward progress in the past five years, with 102 million collected in 2015, 123 million 2016 and 148 million in 2017.
6 November – Source: Halbeeg – 148 Words
Somali diaspora community in Turkey has mobilized fundraising to assist the victims of floods back home. By Wednesday the committee established has raised USD $7500. They joined other diaspora communities in the US, UK, South Africa, and Kenya in raising funds for the affected communities. Somalis, both inside and outside the country, have contributing to assist their fellows affected by flash flooding mainly in the south-central part of the country. The government has warned against new threats of flooding in already affected areas. Ministry of Emergency and Humanitarian response called upon residents of Beledweyne, Bardale, Jowhar, and Luuq to be extra vigilant. The ministry urged displaced people to avoid returning to their homes due to predicted heavy downpour in the next coming days that might result in new flash flooding from river Juba and Shabelle respectively. The warning comes as humanitarian efforts to help the affected families continue.
6 November – Source: Hormuud & Concern Worldwide – 380 Words
Joint Statement by Hormuud Telecom and the Somali Cash Consortium: Hormuud Telecom has offered Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) responding to the recent floods in Beledweyne, Baidoa and Jowhar districts and Gedo region of Southern Somalia, commission-free bulk cash transfers to vulnerable Somalis. This will allow the Somali Cash Consortium and other NGOs to provide Cash Assistance to more Somalis within the limited funding that is available. The Somali Cash Consortium and Hormuud Telecom have been partners since January 2018. On 25th October 2019, the Shabelle River overflowed its bank in Beledweyne town. 85% of the town is inundated with flood waters, displacing 273,000 people from their homes. Flood water has also engulfed most of Bardera town and flash floods have destroyed people’s homes in Baidoa. Since its inception in 2002, Hormuud Telecom through its Corporate Social Responsibility wing – Hormuud Telecom Foundation has been providing aid to the Somali people.
After discussions with the Somali Cash Consortium, Hormuud Telecom offered commission-free transfers to NGOs on bulk cash distributions to beneficiaries affected by floods in Beledweyne, Baidoa and Jowhar districts and Gedo region. This offer covers transfers made from 25th October 2019 to 31st December 2019. Consortium Director, Alessandro Bini said: “This is a great example of the private sector and NGOs working together to provide relief to the people of Somalia. Partnerships like this are key in delivering the right sort of aid quickly and efficiently to vulnerable communities. We will be leveraging Hormuud Telecom’s widely used mobile money system at no cost, to ensure that aid provided by the international community reaches more vulnerable Somalis.” Hormuud Telecom CEO, Ahmed M. Yuusuf said: “After we saw the floods inundate the cities of Beledweyne and parts of Bay and Gedo regions, we decided to work very closely with all the humanitarian NGOs and eliminate all commission fees for their emergency cash transfers to flood-affected communities. In addition to that, we donated an initial $200,000 to the people affected by the floods. We will also monitor the situation very closely.”
Hormuud Telecom also hosted an emergency meeting of the Mogadishu business community where a total of $1 million was pledged. NGOs should contact their Hormuud representative, or email m.osobow@hormuud.com/ahmednasir@hormuud.com, to use these reduced fees.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
6 November – Source: Daily Monitor – 165 Words
The UPDF Commander of Land Forces, Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, is in Somalia to visit Ugandan troops under whose docket they fall. According to the statement issued by the UPDF, the military General told the troops that life is progressively normalising in Somalia because of the “sacrifices” made by the African Union troops who have been fighting the Somali insurgents since 2007. “All this has been as a result of our sacrifices as a country [Uganda] and as individuals, above all, the leadership of our President and his wise counsel,” he said. Gen Elwelu was the first commander of Uganda’s troops in Somalia in 2007. Gen Elwelu said that the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is very important to Uganda and to Africa at large while noting that, it is the first successful African Union (AU) mission. “This is a very important mission for us, not only us but also for Africa. This is the first African Union mission, which has been very successful.”
6 November – Source: OCHA – 160 Words
IN FOCUS: Deyr floods update – The water levels in the Shabelle river have increased reaching and exceeding the maximum holding capacity in Belet Weyne town which resulted in the displacement of 232,000 people but there has been a reduction of river levels along the Juba river. Most riverine areas along the Juba and Shabelle rivers across Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West states have been inundated. Flash flooding was also reported in Hirshabelle, Jubaland, Southwest, Somaliland and Banadir region. The cumulative flooding resulted in massive displacement and affecting around half a million people in many parts of the country. The rainfall forecast for the coming week shows an increase in many parts of Somalia according to SWALIM, as a result, the current high river levels in Shabelle and flash flooding are expected to continue in the coming week. 547 k People affected by the floods, 370 k Internally displaced people by the floods, 2.6 million Overall internally displaced people.
6 November – Source: VOA – 450 Words
Two Somali American women have won seats on city councils in Minnesota and Maine, U.S. states with sizable communities from the African diaspora. Voters on Tuesday elected Nadia Mohamed for an at-large seat in St. Louis Park, a western suburb of Minneapolis, in the Midwestern state of Minnesota, and chose Safiya Khalid to represent a ward in Lewiston, in the northeastern state of Maine. Both ran as Democrats and will be the first Somali immigrants on their respective councils. Both also are 23 and are black, hijab-wearing Muslims. Their election victories represent “not only a success for Somalis and Muslims but also a great success for American values, based on diversity and multiculturalism and respect for women,” said Hashi Shafi, who heads the Somali Action Alliance. The Minneapolis-based nonprofit promotes civic engagement and leadership. Minnesota is home to the largest Somali community in the United States. In 2018, voters there elected Ilhan Omar to the U.S. House of Representatives, after she had served two years in the state House of Representatives. The Democrat is the first Somali American and one of the first Muslim women to serve in the U.S. Congress.
Refugee background
Like Omar, Khalid was a child when she came to the United States. She was 7 when she and her family moved from a refugee camp in Kenya to the eastern U.S. state of New Jersey before settling in Maine. Khalid said negative comments about Islam — by President Donald Trump and by Maine’s former governor Paul LePage, among others — helped motivate her to seek office in Lewiston. As a candidate, Khalid encountered “vile abuse” by internet trolls who told her she “had no place in American government and said I should go back to where I came from,” she told VOA. For a time, she deactivated her Facebook page. But she campaigned door to door, knocking at “over 2,000 houses, asking people of different backgrounds — black, Caucasian, Asian, and of different faiths — to support me with their votes.” She won nearly 70% of the vote……
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Farhiya and her children survive on small amounts of food given to them by local clerics at a nearby mosque. Despite the hardship, she said they cannot go back to Mogadishu because they fear for their lives. Ahmed left behind three widows and 17 children. The other two widows and their five sons and seven daughters are still hiding in Mogadishu, according to Farhiya.”
6 November – Source: Radio Ergo – 550 Words
A widow and her children from an ethnic minority, who fled Mogadishu for their safety following the high profile public killing of her husband over a family marriage dispute, is living without assistance in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp. Farhiya Ahmed Qassim arrived in Dadaab with her two daughters and three sons in July, after neighbours in Mogadishu raised $1,200 for them to make the 10-day journey over the border to escape a barrage of death threats. Farhiya’s husband, Ahmed Mukhtar Salah, was burned alive in Mogadishu in September 2018, after his nephew eloped and married a young woman from a powerful majority clan. Farhiya’s family are from the marginalized Bantu community, who have long suffered discrimination in Somalia. The brides’ family fiercely opposed the marriage.
The story made headlines at the time. The Mogadishu authorities stepped in to provide protection for the young newlyweds, but the rest of the family was forgotten and continued to suffer threats of violence. Farhiya has been unable to register as a refugee, however, because the Kenyan government has put a stop to the registration of new arrivals. Kenya is committed to closing the camps and ensuring that all refugees return to Somalia. Farhiya said she received constant death threats from relatives of the bride’s family that made their lives in Mogadishu impossible. “They used to call us and threaten that they would kill all of us, they knew my phone number. I lived in fear and so we later decided to flee,” she said. “When we arrived in the refugee camp, life became quickly unbearable because we had nothing to eat and could not get a food ration card. Even if we had got the lentils that are distributed by the UN it would have been a relief,” she told Radio Ergo.
The camp leaders helped the family to meet with officials from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, who informed them there was no ongoing registration. Farhiya said she was told by camp leaders that she could get preliminary registration by UNHCR in December…….. |
