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31 October – Source: AMISOM – 348 Words
The Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Simon Mulongo, has lauded the professionalism of Ugandan police officers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Mulongo, on Wednesday, met the Director of Peace Support Operations in the Uganda Police Force, AIGP Grace Turyagumanawe, who was on a visit to assess the status of equipment and welfare of personnel. He noted that the Uganda police contingent, which includes Formed Police personnel and Individual Police Officers, continue to be instrumental in AMISOM’s gains against terrorism. “We are satisfied with Uganda Police’s contribution to peacebuilding, especially their contribution to maintain law and order and enhancing the capabilities of the Somali Police,” Mulongo told Turyagumanawe.
During the visit, Turyagumanawe inspected the condition of the contingent-owned equipment at the Jazeera Forward Operating Base outside Mogadishu. Under the Somalia Transition Plan, AMISOM Police ensure that the Somali Police Force is adequately capacitated in preparation to assume full responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country when AMISOM leaves in 2021. The UN Security Council authorised AMISOM to deploy up to 1 040 police personnel under the police component, which includes Individual Police Officers and five Formed Police Units (FPUs). The Formed Police Unit (FPU) personnel provide operational support such as VIP escort and protection, while the Individual Police Officers (IPOs) train, mentor, and advise the Somali Police officers. Uganda is one of the AMISOM Police contributing countries. The other countries include Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. Additionally, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda have deployed FPU contingents. Recently, Ghana agreed to deploy an FPU contingent under AMISOM.
Turyagumanawe also revealed that plans are underway for Uganda to deploy more police personnel to serve under the AMISOM Formed Police Unit. “Preparations are underway to ensure that we deploy a second formed unit as was agreed on recently. We are working on acquiring the necessary equipment,” added Turygumanawe. Turyagumanawe led a delegation that included the Police Deputy Director of Fleet Management, Eng. Franklin Kugonza, Police Accountant, Richard Katongole, and Staff Officer for Peace Support Operations, Herbert Wondo. |
NATIONAL MEDIA
31 October – Source: Goobjoog – 81 Words
Somali National Army backed by Jubaland forces fended off an attack by Al-Shabaab in Bar Sanguni area in the outskirts of Kismayo. The fighting started after Al-Shabaab attacked government troops and Jubaland forces in a security operation in the area. According to the locals who spoke to the media, the fighting was fierce with heavy weapons and no casualties were reported as yet. Federal Government military officials have not yet released any information about the fighting as the situation is relatively calm.
31 October – Source: Hiiraan Online – 166 Words
Hormuud Telecom has announced a $200 000 donation to the humanitarian relief efforts in Beletweyne where thousands have been displaced within the last week. The telecommunication company said in a statement Wednesday it is donating the funds to “assist and alleviate the burden from those affected by the floods. Noting the floods were a recurrent problem in Somalia, Hormuud called on stakeholders to ‘join the forces and efforts for a durable and sustainable solution to these problems.” The donation comes amid an appeal by Somali government this week to Somalis and the international community to contribute to the relief efforts. Prime Minister Hassan Khaire Wednesday sent out an appeal to the international community to support the ongoing relief efforts noting though the government had injected aid support to the affected communities, there was still need to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said this week 182 000 people had been displaced by the floods with Beletwyene town virtually submerged in water.
30 October – Source: Halbeeg – 150 Words
Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire met with new Swedish ambassador for Somalia, Staffan Tillander in Mogadishu on Tuesday. The two discussed ways to boost bilateral ties between the two nations. Somali premier, Hassan Khaire stressed the need for the Scandinavian nation to double its efforts in rebuilding and reconstruction support that it provides to the recuperating horn of the African nation. Ambassador Staffan Tillander presented his diplomatic credentials to Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on 16th October. Stockholm is among European states that provide financial assistance to the Somali government in various key areas including health. The meeting between Somali PM and Swedish diplomat comes at a time when Villa Somalia is seeking support from allies to provide humanitarian assistance to hundreds of citizens displaced by heavy flooding in Hiran, Bakol and Gedo regions. Already the government of Turkey has pledged to play its part in the rescue mission.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
30 October – Source European Commission – 141 Words
As heavy flooding in the Horn of Africa region continues to put the lives of many vulnerable communities at risk, the European Commission today is providing an additional €3 million in emergency aid. The funding will be provided through humanitarian organisations in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan. “The EU stands in solidarity with the people of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan. These floods are a clear consequence of climate change and are now a further driver of displacement and suffering to already vulnerable people. Our emergency aid will help deliver essential supplies to save lives,” said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides. The EU funding will provide emergency shelter for displaced people, food, logistics support for access as well as water, hygiene and sanitation assistance aimed at preventing the outbreak of cholera and other water-borne diseases.
30 October – Source: Daily Monitor – 295 Words
Members of Parliament on the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee are in Somalia for a six-day visit to Ugandan troops who have been fighting Al Shabaab insurgents since 2007. The legislators are in the company of the State Minister for Defence Col [rtd] Charles Engola. According to a statement issued by UPDF Spokesperson Brig Richard Karemire yesterday, the MPs promised they would approve more resources to support the mission. Lt Col Edward Ijjo commands the UPDF marine unit which has deployed capabilities that patrol the Indian Ocean coastline in Mogadishu. “The commanding officer (Lt Col Ijjo) appreciated the fact that the members of parliament took off to visit the mission area and acquaint themselves with the goings within the AMISOM areas of responsibility,” the statement said. The legislators are led by Doreen Amule, the committee chairperson. The MPs also visited the United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) commanded by Lt Col Nathan Bainomugisha.
The delegation was shown a demonstration on how the troops counter- Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), with Sector One Commander Brig Gen Michael Kabango informing the committee that Al Shabaab uses IEDs as their weapon of choice.“Since 2011 when Al Shabaab lost most of its fighters due to fighting UPDF face to face, they resorted to IEDs because of cheap materials and only a triggerman is required to blow the bomb,” said Gen Kabango. On Monday, Col Engola held a meeting with his Somali counterpart Hassan Ali Mohamed.“The two ministers who met in Mogadishu discussed the prevailing security situation in the region and commended their two countries’ forces for working together within the framework of AMISOM to bring lasting stability to Somalia,” Gen Kabango said. Uganda has over 6 000 soldiers in Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
29 October – Source: UNSOM – 857 Words
The Somalia Joint Police Programme (JPP) Executive Board met today to set out the next quarter of activities of the programme as it rolls out the new policing model throughout the five federal member states and Banadir region. By Somalia’s Federal Government, international partners and the United Nations, mapping the next stage of activities of the Joint Police Programme and New Policing Model roll-out at federal and state level throughout the country. Present at the Executive Board meeting today were the federal Minister of Internal Security, Mohamed Abukar Islow Duale, the UN’s Secretary-General Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Raisedon Zenenga, and the SPF Police commissioner General Abdi Hassan as well as Senior Representatives from the European Union, United Kingdom, and Germany.
Minister Duale opened proceedings, thanking international donors for their generous and unwavering support to the Joint Police Programme and the broader security and justice programmes and integrated initiatives across Somalia, despite increasing challenges in the security context. “Considerable progress has been achieved since the previous Executive Board meeting, in increasing Mogadishu’s security, strengthening coordination mechanisms between Federal Member States, and increasing intelligence flow. Despite our efforts, our nation faces a complex array of security challenges. It is the intention, will, and continued commitment of Police and Federal Member States to offset these challenges by implementing and creating a cohesive environment where peace flourishes, and insecurity is turned into security for all Somali’s.”
UN’s Secretary-General Deputy Special Representative for Somalia and JPP Executive Board Co-chair, Mr Raisedon Zenenga noted that the success of the programme to date is largely attributed to the successful open cooperation and collaboration between Federal and Federal Member States. This particular programme from the UN perspective has been a great success and so effective, because it is an excellent example of successful collaboration between UN, government, federal member states, donors and partners. Citing once of the reasons of the success of the programme because of its inclusive nature, insulated from political issues and in this programme they have successfully worked together.
SPF Police Commissioner General Abdi Hassan further added, “A strong and accountable Police force critical for long term stability and security. As a matter of top priority, we must work toward a capable and well equipped Darwish police unit capable of taking over from SNA and basic police services to counter IED capability as we have seen a sharp spike in the usage of IED and landmines by al Shabab that have threatened security and police forces. Deputy General of Internal Security for Puntland State, Guuled Saadiq Mohamed reiterated that the JPP provided much needed safety and security in communities stating, “we are grateful for the transparency and expertise that the programme supports and the implementation of community policing”.
The Joint Police Programme is a 5-year programme led by the Federal Government of Somalia, with funding from the European Union, UK Aid, and the German Federal Foreign Office. The Joint Police Programme supports increased police visibility, presence, capability and accountability and the implementation of the New Policing Model in Somalia at Federal and Federal Member State level. Coordinated through the JPP Secretariat under the stewardship of the UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS), the JPP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNOPS, in partnership with the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and United Nations Police (UNPOL)……
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“The group plans to hold ongoing community conversations about addiction. “We want to change how parents or the community view drug addicts and how they can support those individuals,” said Khadar Abi, one of the co-founders and a former drug addict who now works at Alliance Wellness Center in Bloomington, which offers substance abuse treatment programs.”
30 October – Source: Sahan Journal – 1108 Words
Drug addiction is a source of shame in immigrant communities. Children’s overdoses are often cloaked as heart attacks or unexplainable deaths. Some young Twin Cities advocates are working now to push the problem into the light in the hope of saving lives. Biftu Jillo sat before a gathering of East African youth and women at the Brian Coyle Center Saturday night to talk about drug addiction — an intensifying problem in the community usually spoken of in private, if at all, and sometimes in whispers. It’s a scourge she knew well. Biftu, 33, spoke of her past addiction to painkillers and warned that the Somali and Oromo communities needed to talk openly about the problems of young people addicted to drugs. “Nobody wants to be a drug addict,” said Biftu, who became addicted to OxyContin at 17 after a dentist prescribed it for pain relief following surgery. “Nobody goes up and says, ‘Hey, I’m going to be a drug addict when I grow up,’” she said, tearing up. “Nobody.” Addiction has long been a source of shame in immigrant communities, where children’s overdoses are often cloaked as heart attacks or unexplainable deaths. Some young Twin Cities advocates are working now to push the problem into the light in the hope of saving lives. Gatherings like the one at the Coyle Center are a start. Community members say the honesty can’t come quickly enough.
Addiction’s grip
Many first-generation Americans are at a breaking point as they straddle between their newly adopted home and the land their parents fled. In a break from tradition, they have organized and invited their friends who became addicted to drugs — considered a sin in Islam and a taboo subject to talk about in their culture — to testify to their addiction and recovery. In September, they formalised their effort as Generation Hope, a nonprofit organisation formed by youth who’ve lost friends to drug overdoses. The community is finally paying attention after so many families have lost their children to fentanyl overdoses and other drugs.
Abdirahman Warsame, one of the co-founders of the organization, said they want to have open discussions about substance abuse in a safe space where youth can talk openly about their addiction. “The only reason we are doing this is because we feel like no one would understand or care if we didn’t step up to the plate,” Abdirahman said. “Everyone that’s part of our organization, including Biftu, has had some kind of experience with substance abuse or gang violence or both. Through our stories and the community’s support, everyone can feel our pain too.” Some of his co-founders got addicted to drugs before and are now sober. They held their first event on Sept. 28 after four young boys died of overdoses in a month. The group said their friends died after taking fentanyl, which Abdirahman called a “monster that has been raging in our community.”
The group plans to hold ongoing community conversations about addiction. “We want to change how parents or the community view drug addicts and how they can support those individuals,” said Khadar Abi, one of the co-founders and a former drug addict who now works at Alliance Wellness Center in Bloomington, which offers substance abuse treatment programs. Qalid Ibrahim, another co-founder, said he got addicted to drugs slowly, first smoking marijuana. “It got to a point where I could not eat or sleep without it,” he said. “After some time, I needed to look for something new.”……. |
