October 21, 2016 | Morning Headlines

Galmudug Senators Raise Red Flag Over Galkayo Fighting, Call For Truce

20 October – Source: Goobjoog News – 296 Words

Newly elected Galmudug Senators have called for an end to the fighting in Galkayo expressing concern over loss of lives and property in the recent clashes. The eight Senators said they were deeply concerned by the fresh fighting in Galkayo which erupted last week displacing hundreds of families and leading to death of more than ten people. “We are very concerned by the fighting in Galkayo. Several lives have been lost, property destroyed and further escalation will inhibit any meaningful development in this region,” the senators said in a statement. Both sides of the divide must pull out their militias so that any substantive peace talks can be realised, the leaders said while calling for the Dialogue Committee appointed last year to re-engage once again to find a permanent solution to the problem.

In joint talks following deadly fighting in Galkayo last year, the international community, Federal and regional leaders established a Dialogue Committee to advance talks towards a peaceful co-existence in Galkayo which is shared by Puntland and Galmudug states. Fighting flared up Thursday morning after a lull following a call by religious leaders for cessation of hostilities. There were no immediate reports on casualties but Goobjoog News correspondent in the area said there was heavy exchange of fire in Garsoor village west of Galkayo.

The Senators further called on leaders from Puntland and Galmudug to come together to end the fighting and help vulnerable groups and those injured in the fighting adding the international community, and the Federal Government should also intervene to avert any further bloodshed. We are also extending a hand to our fellow Senators in Puntland so that we can work together to stop this fighting and advance a more productive relationship for the good of our people, the Senators observed.

Key Headlines

• Galmudug Senators Raise Red Flag Over Galkayo Fighting Call For Truce (Goobjoog News)
• Italy To Help Somalia Hold A Peaceful Election In 2016 (Shabelle News)
• Three Women Voted In Former Warlord Locked Out In Puntland Senate Polls (Goobjoog News)
• AU Mission Seeks To Improve Humanitarian Aid Delivery In Somalia (Xinhua)
• Speak Up Against Hate Crimes Minnesota Somalis And Supporters Say (Star Tribune)
• Asha Abdulle Siyad – Pushing The Boundaries For Somali Women (Relief Web)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Italy To Help Somalia Hold A Peaceful Election In 2016

20 October – Source: Shabelle News – 141 Words

Italy has pledged more support for Somalia especially in the security sector as the East African country is heading towards a crucial parliamentary and presidential elections by the end of this year. The announcement was made by the current Italian ambassador to Somalia Carlos Capella, while speaking to reporters at a press conference in Somali capital Mogadishu on Thursday.

The Italian ambassador said continued support by the international community was key to stabilizing Somalia and urged partner countries to fast track assistance to the federal government in Mogadishu. Mr Capella has condemned in the strongest terms possible Tuesday’s Al-Shabaab attack in Afgoye town, which left 15 people, including army officers. He said his government is committed to help Somalia restore peace and defeat Al-Shabaab fighters who are waging years on insurgency in the country, to unseat the UN-backed federal government.

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Three Women Voted In, Former Warlord Locked Out In Puntland Senate Polls

20 October – Source: Goobjoog News – 405 Words

A former warlord whom the UN questioned his candidature for Puntland Senatorial race on grounds of violent history, Mohamed Hersi Morgan was floored in Thursday’s poll as Puntland concluded its senate elections late evening handing women three slots in a tightly contested race. Morgan (27 votes) lost to little known Bootaan Bare Samatar who garnered 38 votes to strongly lend an upper hand to the international community which had singled Morgan out among two other candidates as unfit for office. Jubbaland dropped Abdifitah Mohamed Ali from the race and replaced him with a female candidate. Only Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdiid who was also mentioned by the UN was elected Senator by Galmudug state last week.

Out of a total of 11 Senators, three women secured seats; two won by Hodan Mohamud Osman and Shukri Mohamud Adan in the women only contests. Sahido Hasan Osman battled her way out through the third round with three male contenders to emerge winner. She garnered 41 votes in the third round while her opponent Said Mohamud Adan took up the remaining 23 votes. Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke sailed through with 47 votes early morning thrashing his only opponent Amina Adan Abdullahi who garnered 17 votes securing him a political comeback as he gears up for the November 30 Presidential poll. He will be facing among others President

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.
Another Presidential candidate and former Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Faroole had a landslide victory in the morning taking up 59 votes while his closest opponent Abdihamid Abshir Osman had to contend with the remaining five votes. Polling ran up into the evening in the state assembly with 65 members of parliament taking part in the elections. Puntland and Somaliland each were allocated 11 Senate seats while the rest of the states each got eight.Break-away region of Somaliland whose polls will likely be in Mogadishu and newly formed Hir-Shabelle state are the only remaining states to conduct the exercise. Lower House elections will begin October 23 running through to November 10.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

AU Mission Seeks To Improve Humanitarian Aid Delivery In Somalia

20 October – Source: Xinhua – 299 Words

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Thursday wrapped up a two-day training aimed at improving relationship between the military, civilians and humanitarian actors to help improve delivery of aid in the country.The training, which brought together civilians, Somali police force and AMISOM’s security officers, civil affairs and gender unit also discussed how humanitarian challenges can be tackled in Somalia.”The workshop was mainly focused on facilitation of humanitarian assistance, and how we can address access challenges in Somalia, that is, the military and civilians. How we can coordinate and what guidelines are in place to effectively facilitate humanitarian access to people in need,” said AMISOM Major Fasil Yigzaw in a statement issued after the meeting.

AMISOM Humanitarian Liaison Unit Officer Jackson Robert Basoronga said the objective of the workshop was to create awareness and understanding among military and police on the basic concepts and principles of humanitarian civil-military coordination as well as understanding the roles and responsibilities of federal states, humanitarian organization and the military.The participants also discussed AMISOM’s civil-military guidelines and the mission’s involvement in provision of armed escorts to humanitarian convoys.Mohamed Ibrahim Abdi, a member of the Somali National Army, said the country’s military had a crucial role in facilitating humanitarian access.”We attended a training on how we can facilitate humanitarian access to people in need, and the role of the Somali National Army in facilitating access in order to provide assistance when there are natural disasters or complex emergencies,” Abdi added.

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Speak Up Against Hate Crimes, Minnesota Somalis And Supporters Say

20 October – Source: Star Tribune – 462 Words

A woman attacked with a beer mug in Coon Rapids joined community leaders to call on Minnesotans to speak up louder against hate crimes and religious bias.Asma Jama vowed to serve as an advocate for other victims Thursday, days after her attacker pleaded guilty to third-degree assault at an Applebee’s, acknowledging racial and religious bias had driven her.Jama and leaders such as St. Paul City Council Member Dai Thao encouraged other victims of discrimination and hate crimes to come forward.

They also said state leaders must continue to condemn Islamophobia and other prejudice, which they said have been on the rise during the run-up to the November elections.“My message is, ‘Please, if you are a victim, if someone is harassing you, come forward,’ ” said Jama.Advocates at the event hosted by the St. Paul-based nonprofit Voice of East African Women had planned to also call for the revival of legislation increasing penalties for felony assaults motivated by bias. But they learned Thursday that the bill actually passed in the final hours of this year’s legislative session.

Inspired by the attack against Jama and sponsored by state Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, the bill was folded into broader budget legislation after an intense fight over it.It increases by 25 percent the maximum penalty for felony-level assaults when prosecutors show the crime was motivated by bias based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability.The law went into effect in August. In most cases before then, the law only allowed for enhanced hate crime penalties for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor assaults. Latz said he would consider introducing a bill during the coming session that would also increase penalties for other crimes, such as sexual assaults, in which bias was a factor.

OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE

“Alongside other women activists and advocates, in 2015 Asha took part in preliminary consultative processes that were critical in setting the agenda for women in the country’s 2016 electoral process. Currently she is actively advocating for the realisation of the 30% reserved seats in the both houses of federal parliament as committed by the National Leadership Forum, ”

Asha Abdulle Siyad – Pushing The Boundaries For Somali Women

19 October – Source: UNSOM – 833 Words

Asha Abdulle Siyad could have chosen to remain in relative comfort in Canada where she lived and worked as a certified family educator. However, it is not what she longed for. Her heart yearned for a reunion with her family back home in Somalia. Consequently, in 2014, she left a well paying job in Ontario and returned to Somalia, partly to fulfill a promise she made to her elderly mother, who lives in Buloburte in the south-central Hiiraan region.“I had promised my mother that I would build her a house and return home to live with her in the house,” Asha recalls.

The decades long civil war in Somalia affected Asha personally. She migrated to Canada after the outbreak of the war. Also, her husband, Osman Jeyte, was killed at the outbreak of the war in 1991.Initially, the family lived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where Osman ran a successful business, selling car tyres and spare parts. Then the couple decided to return to Somalia after Asha landed a new job with the United States Agency for International Development.When fighting broke out, Asha was in Italy. Her husband advised her against returning home because the situation was deteriorating. This was to be their last conversation.

As fighting raged on, Osman had planned to flee with the rest of the family. But on the day he was meant to move, all flights from Somalia were cancelled. Fleeing politicians scrambled for the few available seats on the last flight out of Somalia. Osman and the family were stranded.But, he did not give up hope. He decided to flee the country on foot. With his family tagging along, they walked for 30 kilometres to Afgoye, in Lower Shabelle region, where they sought sanctuary at a relative’s house. Later, he ventured out of the house to buy food at a local market; but was shot by soldiers looting the market.“My husband was killed in January 1991, but I only learned about it after three months because there was no communication,” Asha recalls.