October 17, 2013 | Daily Monitoring Report.
US warns of “Westgate- style” attack in Kampala
17 Oct – Source: Daily Monitor – 109 words
The United States Mission in Uganda is warning of the possibility of a “Westgate-style” terrorist attack in Kampala anytime. In a security alert issued on Tuesday, October 15, the embassy says it “continues to assess reports that a Westgate-style attack may soon occur in Kampala.”
Embassy officials are sharing all information with the Ugandan authorities, according to the alert, and “at this time, there is no further information on timing, and or, location of this attack.”
On September 21, masked armed men during a daring midday raid burst into the showpiece Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya, shooting weekend shoppers indiscriminately as they rummaged through the shopping centre’s four floors.
Key Headlines
- Pirates’ leader killed in Mudug (RCB)
- Pay scandal rocks Sierra Leone`s troops in Somalia (Africa Review)
- President Farole urges foreign governments not to repatriate national assets (Garowe Online/Somali Channel TV)
- US warns of “Westgate- style” attack in Kampala (Daily Monitor)
- Suspected al Shabaab trainee charged in Mtwara court (The Citizen News)
- Somali State delegation in Hargeisa (Walta Info)
- First Somali cultural museum in North America set to open (KARE11 News)
- AMISOM to aid Somalia forces in eliminating al Shabaab (NTV Kenya)
- Al Shabaab video reveals British connections to group behind Kenya attack (ITV News)
SOMALI MEDIA
Pirates’ leader killed in Mudug
17 Oct – Source: RBC – 68 words
One of the most feared leaders of Somali Pirates in Mudug region was on Wednesday night killed in Galkayo town, reports say. Residents say the body of Nor Gaab Bulbul was found in the city with gunshots wounds.
Reports say that he was killed by other pirates after ransom dispute, according to RBC, local website. Bulbul was involved in hijacking ships and kidnapping of foreigners in the past three years.
President Farole urges foreign governments not to repatriate national assets
17 Oct – Source: Garowe Online/Somali Channel TV – 140 words
The President of Somalia’s Puntland Government Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud Farole returned to Puntland Capital of Garowe on Wednesday, after over month-long trip to Kenya, Ethiopia, Brussels, Sana’a and UAE, Garowe Online reports.
President Farole’s delegation including Interior Minister Gen. Abdullahi Ahmed Jama Ilkajir and Finance Minister Mr. Farah Ali Shire was cordially welcomed in the capital by hundreds of cheering crowds clad in Puntland flag who lined along the main road leading to Garowe International Airport where he was received by Vice President Gen. Abdisamad Ali Shire, Parliament Speaker Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi, cabinet ministers and parliamentarians, civil society and the public.
Addressing the media at Puntland State House in Garowe, President Farole delivered a 30-minute speech, touching on key topics of his diplomatic tour, infrastructure development, oil resources competition and national airspace control, repatriation of national assets and Puntland elections.
Scholars try to convince displaced to go back to their farms
17 Oct – Source: Radio Ergo – 409 Words
Scholars and members of the Somali parliament from Bay and Bakool regions have started a new campaign aimed at convincing displaced families in Mogadishu to return home to their farms to boost agricultural production. Ibrahim Muse Heerow, professor of Social Studies at Michigan University and Chairman of the Council of Bay and Bakol scholars, said the two regions were recovering from the 2011 famine which had forced thousands of its residents to flee to Mogadishu.
“The IDPs have severe problems and are not safe in the camps. They should therefore go back to their homes to rebuild their lost life,” Heerow told Radio Ergo’s local reporter in Mogadishu. Heerow said harvests had improved in the last two agricultural production seasons. He urged the displaced families in the camps around Mogadishu to go back to the Bay and Bakol regions to take up their former lives as farmers.
“We are encouraging and helping them to go back to their homes, to go back to their professions such as agriculture and livestock rearing,” Heerow said. Some of those displaced families willing to go home would be helped to create small businesses while others would be given technical and vocational training in order to gain skills to earn a living back in their home regions, the professor said.
The group plans to raise funds from the local business community to support the proposed activities. The scholars had earlier visited the Badbado and Rajo camps in Mogadishu, where the majority of displaced families originate from Bay and Bakol region.
Assailants throw grenades at Radio Daljir station in Puntland
16 Oct – Source: Somaliland Press – 149 words
Unidentified assailants hurled two grenades at the Galkayo offices of Radio Daljir in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland on Tuesday night, according to news reports and local journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the attack on Radio Daljir, which has been targeted in the past, and calls on authorities to identify the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice.
“While maintaining security in Galkayo is challenging, authorities must do their utmost to end repeated attacks on the station,” said CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes. “They will make progress only if they thoroughly investigate and prosecute this and all previous attacks.”
Tuesday’s attack, which occurred at around 8 p.m., damaged the office wall and a vehicle, news reports said. No one was injured despite journalists and other staff members being inside the offices. The assailants fled in a vehicle with no license plates, news reports said.
Somaliland Government to fund 100km of Erigavo road
16 Oct – Source: Somaliland Sun – 125 words
The minister in the office of the president Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan on the occasion of the Eid Ul Adha prayed with the people of Erigavo at the liberty garden of the town. Mr Hirsi speaking to the Congregation wished all Muslims a happy Eid and gave the people of Erigavo a goodwill message from the president H.E Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud .
“We are here because of the construction of the Buroa Erigavo Road and I know many of you think it is impossible , I say remove that from your minds,” the minister said adding that all developed countries of the world took giant steps by themselves with no one came from outside to help them on the development of their countries.
REGIONAL MEDIA
Pay scandal rocks Sierra Leone`s troops in Somalia
17 Oct – Source:: Africa Review – 158 words
The Government of Sierra Leone has strongly denied deducting salaries of its troops serving in Somalia. The allegation was made by anonymous soldier believed to be part of the 850 troops deployed as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
It comes amidst tension already created by al Shabaab terrorist threat caused by the deployment, even as the Defense Ministry says the controversy was sparked by a journalist to stifle the government`s efforts. The soldier, whose complaint was aired on a controversial weekend talk show by David Tamba Bayoh, alleged that $200 was ‘fraudulently’ deducted from each soldier’s pay.
He also alleged that soldiers have had to bribe senior military officials to be selected as part of the peacekeeping contingent. Defense minister Palo Conteh rubbished the allegations saying the only deductions from the troops` salary was used for justifiable operational purposes by the government and the ministry in line with what was agreed with the troops.
US warns of “Westgate- style” attack in Kampala
17 Oct – Source: Daily Monitor – 109 words
The United States Mission in Uganda is warning of the possibility of a “Westgate-style” terrorist attack in Kampala anytime. In a security alert issued on Tuesday, October 15, the embassy says it “continues to assess reports that a Westgate-style attack may soon occur in Kampala.”
Embassy officials are sharing all information with the Ugandan authorities, according to the alert, and “at this time, there is no further information on timing, and or, location of this attack.”
On September 21, masked armed men during a daring midday raid burst into the showpiece Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya, shooting weekend shoppers indiscriminately as they rummaged through the shopping centre’s four floors.
Suspected al Shabaab trainee charged in Mtwara court
17 Oct – Source: The Citizen (Tanzania) – 380 Words
Fresh details are emerging on the eleven people reportedly found undergoing military training using al Shabaab manuals in a forest in Mtwara Region. It now appears that Mtwara regional police commander Zelothe Stephen broke the news of the arrest of the people, a fortnight ago, after they had already appeared in court.
The Citizen has confirmed that the suspects were arraigned before the Nanyumbu District Court a few days before the RPC announced of their arrest. However, it was not immediately established what counts they were charged with.
The RPC had told reporters on October 17 that police had arrested eleven people in connection with taking part in unlawful military training. They were found in a hideout in a forest.
The suspects, according to him, were arrested at Makolionga Mountain in Nanyumbu District following a tip-off from members of the public, who saw them in the forest performing military drills. There were found in possession of 25 digital video discs (DVDs) featuring al Shabaab training manuals and locally made firearms.
Somali State delegation in Hargeisa
17 Oct – Source: Walta Info – 115 words
A delegation of officials from the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia is on an official visit to Somaliland for discussions on the security situation along the common border.
At the weekend the delegation met with the Ethiopia’s Consul-General in Hargeisa, Brigadier-General Berhe Tesfaye. The Consul-General briefed the delegation on the current status of relations between the Governments of Ethiopia and the Somaliland administration.
He underlined the common need to eliminate al Shabaab and other extremist elements and noted that people-to-people and government-to-government relations are broadening through meaningful engagements.
The strong cooperation on security and political matters, on infrastructure, trade and investment as well as in matters of education and health are expected to continue to flourish.
AMISOM to aid Somalia forces in eliminating al Shabaab
16 Oct – Source: NTV Kenya – 00:58 mins
Members of the Kenya Defence Force serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), on Wednesday handed over to a new battalion to serve in the Somalia peacekeeping mission.
The soldiers who returned have been in Somalia for over a year serving alongside other African troops mainly from Uganda, Burundi and Ethiopia.
The incoming troops are mandated to support the Somali National Forces (SNA) in the fight against the Al Qaeda linked extremist group al Shabaab. Somalia national forces together with AMISOM troops have so far taken control of Kismayo, which was a lucrative operational hub for al Shabaab, and driven the militants out of the city.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
First Somali cultural museum in North America set to open
17 Oct – Source: KARE11 News – 141 words
North America’s first Somali museum dedicated to the country’s culture and history will celebrate a grand opening this weekend in Minneapolis. The Somali Artifact and Cultural Museum will be the first museum of its kind outside of Somalia. Many of the country’s museums were destroyed in the civil war.
The museum is the longtime vision of Minneapolis restaurant owner Osman Ali, who went back to Somalia in 2009 and realized many young people no longer understood the country’s nomadic traditions. “And I said, the culture is going to be lost,” said Ali.
With Minnesota the home to the largest Somali population in the country, it seemed only fitting to establish the museum in Minneapolis. He begin to collect more than 700 Somali artifacts, from containers that carried camel’s milk and preserved food, to ancient writing tablets, instruments, weapons, clothing and utensils.
Al Shabaab video reveals British connections to group behind Kenya attack
16 Oct – Source: ITV News – 02:08 mins
More evidence has come to light of the British connection to the terrorist group behind the Kenyan shopping centre massacre.
A recruitment video, which was made by the al Qaeda-linked militant group al Shabaab before the attack, praises British fighters in its ranks for their role in key military victories. One fighter with a British accent reels off a list of towns where he claims recruits hailed from, including London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol and Birmingham.
The group is now claiming that 10 British members have died fighting in their ranks. ITV News’ Africa Correspondent Rohit Kachroo reports:
Where hyenas are used to treat mental illness
16 Oct – Source: BBC – 1094 Words
Somalia has one of the highest rates of mental illness in the world and with a healthcare system devastated by years of war, most sufferers receive no medical help. Many are chained up – to trees or at home. Some are even locked in cages with hyenas. But one man is trying to change all that.
Dr Hab’s advert runs up to three times a day on Mogadishu’s radio stations. “He’s gone crazy! He’s running away!” screams the actor. “Chain him down!”
The scenario is familiar in Somalia. A man has become possessed by spirits and the only option for his family is to restrain him and call the sheikh. But as the young man protests, a voice that challenges Somali tradition booms out.
“Stop with the chains!” the voiceover orders. “Take him to Dr Hab’s hospital! If he’s having mental problems, take him to Dr Hab. He won’t chain him, he’ll help him.”
Girls fare worse in disasters
16 Oct – Source: IRIN News – 133 words
During disasters, girls fare worse than the rest of the population, according to a new report released on 11 October by child rights NGO Plan International.
“Men, women, boys and girls experience disasters in different ways. Pre-existing inequalities and vulnerabilities will be exacerbated in disasters and will affect girls and women more,” said Plan International regional director Gezahegn Kebede at an event for the launch of the report.
“In emergencies, given their gender, age, and humanitarian status [girls] experience triple disadvantage,” said Kebede. However, education can be a powerful mitigating tool, and can significantly improve their livelihoods.
The report entitled The State of the World’s Girls 2013: In Double Jeopardy: Adolescent Girls and Disasters argues that a combination of political, economic, social and cultural attitudes can lead to discrimination of girls during disasters.
Is Nairobi’s Operation “Linda Nchi” effective?
15 Oct – Source: eNCA – 314 Words
It has been two years since the Kenyan Defence Force launched Operation “Linda Nchi”, meaning “protect the nation”. Around two thousand Kenyan troops crossed the border into Somalia to fight Somali insurgent group al Shabaab.
Since then, terrorist attacks in Kenya have been sporadic – until the brutal attack on the upmarket Westgate mall in Nairobi, which killed 67 people.
eNCA East Africa Bureau Chief Robyn Kriel said: “The Kenyan military has not had a good few weeks. Its reputation took a knock after troops who helped rescue hostages and round up attackers during the terrorist attack on the mall were accused of looting millions of US dollars’ worth of merchandise, and drinking alcohol at restaurants.”
“The reason that attackers targeted the shopping centre, they claimed, was precisely because of on-going Kenyan operations in neighbouring Somalia,” Kriel added.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The Shabaab’s use of Twitter to provide nearly hourly updates on an ongoing attack represents an evolution from previous jihadi use of Twitter as a supplement to the still-dominant model of distributing media through established channels on moderated jihadi forums.”
The Westgate Attack: A New Trend in al Qaeda Communication Strategies
16 Oct – Source: Site Intelgroup – 1564 Words
The Shabaab attack and four-day-long siege at the Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya demonstrated a new trend in al Qaeda’s online media strategies, as online communication from the al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia was routed exclusively through social media sites.
Leading to confusion and uncertainty, it was the first incident in which al Qaeda or one of its affiliates used only the Twitter social networking site to release updates about the operation and claims of responsibility, instead of issuing communiqueÌ s through jihadist forums.
On September 21, 2013, after the attack and siege at the Westgate mall was underway, the Shabaab started a Twitter campaign, providing real-time updates from an official “HSM Shabaab al-Mujahideen] Press Office” account.
“Sure, you probably know how ‘Captain Phillips’ ends, but the suspense holds up anyhow”
The Problem With Pirates
17 Oct – Source: Tucson Weekly – 757 Words
Once again, Tom Hanks stars in a true-events film where his character is stuck in a small, dangerous space for a long time with an outcome most of us might know from following the news. Even though the ending is out there, Hanks and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) somehow make the story suspenseful.
As he did with the true story of Apollo 13, Hanks does for Captain Phillips; he makes us terrified and confused for his character even though the outcome of said character’s predicament is well known. He does this by, well, doing an excellent job of playing somebody who is terrified and confused.
If you don’t know the outcome of the story, see the film and be doubly fright ened. If you must know all the details of the outcome before seeing the film, you’re going to have to Google that shit because I’m not telling. Hanks plays Richard Phillips, captain of the Maersk Alabama cargo ship.
While delivering relief goods to Somalia in 2009, his ship encounters Somali pirates who couldn’t give a rat’s ass about charity and try multiple times to board his ship. They eventually succeed, putting into play a crazy hostage drama that results in Phillips being taken aboard a space-capsule-sized lifeboat with his captors.
US “Dual Track” Policy in Somalia
15 Oct – Source: Amb DavidShinn Blog – 308 Words
There may be some confusion over the US so-called “dual track” policy in Somalia. It was first enunciated in 2010 as a policy for supporting the central government in Mogadishu in addition to Somaliland, Puntland, and other emerging entities in Somalia. The dual track approach had a strong political connotation.
The term disappeared from official US lexicon about a year later and did not reappear until the testimony of the new Assistant Secretary of State, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 8 October 2013.
It is important to look at her precise words. First, she said prior to the US recognition of the Federal Government of Somalia, US policy in Somalia had three primary objectives, one of which was to “promote our ‘dual track’ policy.”
Top tweets
@amisomsomalia PHOTO OF THE DAY: llegal under al Shabab, football has made a huge comeback in #Somaliahttp://on.fb.me/QqTSeN http://bit.ly/16hm7mA.
@SomaliPM We need UK govt to resolve remittances crisis before it’s too late. One life lost in #Somalia is a life too manyhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/
@Tweetingbanksy Al-Shabaab recruitment video highlights problem of British Jihadists in #Somalia. Via @itvnews@RohitKachrooITV http://itv.co/1esfHGr.
@UNSomalia #Somalia: #AMISOM Sierra Leonian soldier training dogs on detecting explosives in #Kismayo @UNMAS@amisomsomalia pic.twitter.com/6CSd42zxBW.
@IOM_news @DGIOM Swing calls for urgent action to save the lives of #migrants arriving by sea in Europe http://ow.ly/pRzZx @AlertNet @UN.
Image of the day
A Sierra Leonean soldier, serving under AMISOM, trains a dog on detecting explosives in Kismayo. Photo: @UNSOM.