September 11, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Somalis Returning To The Motherland Are Finding Their Foreign Ways Out Of Favour
11 September – Source: The Guardian – 649 Words
Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, is transformed between June and September every year as Somalilanders arrive from Europe, north America, the Gulf and the rest of Africa. Traffic jams clog the rough roads, salons fill up, hipster beards and skinny jeans appear, hijabs slip and skirt hems rise. It’s an important boost to the local economy.
Recently, though, appreciation for the returnees has shown signs of ebbing away, and there are a growing number of complaints about the visitors: that London boys are selling drugs from their hire cars; that gangs from Copenhagen are fighting gangs from other countries; that girls from Toronto are teaching local girls to dress and behave improperly.
The nationalities of those blamed change regularly, but the persistent refrain is “those” people are bringing their “foreign” ways to a country that the year-round residents are trying to keep pure and authentically Somali. At night, checkpoints at regular distances throughout Hargeisa maintain surveillance on diaspora youths and enforce cultural norms. Somaliland’s financial dependence on remittances sent by those who work overseas adds a further layer of tension and mutual hostility.
Key Headlines
- Somalis Returning To The Motherland Are Finding Their Foreign Ways Out Of Favour(The Guardian)
- Dhusa-Mareeb Hospital Faces Lack Of Essential Drugs (Goobjoog News)
- The Govt Should Reinstate Justice Sector In The Whole Country Says Attorney General (Shabelle News)
- AMISOM Community Policing Drive Extends To Karaan District(AMISOM)
- Somaliland President Announces Poll Date (Garowe Online)
- Taiwan Contributes To Maritime Security Effort In Somalia (Focus Taiwan)
- Somalia Announces New Reform To Boost Security Sector (Xinhua)
- China Offers 20 Scholarships To Somali Students (Xinhua)
- Immanuel Hosts Series On Somali Culture (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Dhusa-Mareeb Hospital Faces Lack Of Essential Drugs
11 September – Source: Goobjoog News- 145 Words
The only hospital in Dhusa-mareeb town is facing understaffing challenges and it perennially lacks essential drugs, says the hospital administration.In a report, the management says the hospital cannot adequately serve the town residents if these challenges are not addressed by the Somali government and other well-wishers.
Ahmed Mahdi, the director of the hospital, has reported lack of drugs with some patients resorting to buying medicine from outside.The director has recommended that the town’s administration, especially the health department, addresses the issue urgently as very few people can afford to purchase medicines from outside: “The issue of drug supplies to the hospital must be resolved immediately and future supplies processed and delivered on time because the town is growing rapidly.” Mr Ahmed finally asked the local administration and the Somalia government to employ more health workers to improve service delivery.
The Govt Should Reinstate Justice Sector In The Whole Country, Says Attorney General
11 September – Source: Shabelle New – 100 Words
Somali Attorney General Dr. Ahmed Ali Dahir has urged the government to set up courts and police stations in every town in the country, to allow citizens get access to fair and affordable justice.Speaking at the reopening of the Benadir Courts Complex on Thursday in Mogadishu, Mr Dahir called on international community to help Somalia re-establish the justice sector across the nation.“Delivering of effective justice services to Somalis in the whole country will help improve peace and stability and the world should lend us a hand to accomplish this goal ,” said the AG.
AMISOM Community Policing Drive Extends To Karaan District
10 September – Source: AMISOM – 580 Words
Residents of Karaan, one of Mogadishu’s districts have welcomed the partnership extended by the Somali Police Force and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Police unit, aimed at enhancing the partnership between communities and security institutions to enhance security as well as curb crime.
The meeting attracted diverse groups of people including women, youth, members of the business community and traditional elders, among others. The town hall meeting was hosted by the Karaan Deputy District Commissioner on Security and Political Affairs Mr. Salah Mohamed Muse, along with officers from the SPF and AMISOM police officers to discuss means of sharing information that aids security officers in ensuring the population’s security.
Speaking during the meeting, the Deputy District Commissioner urged the residents to embrace community policing, noting that civilians have a huge role to play in keeping their neighborhoods safe and secure: “The purpose of today’s meeting was to enhance the partnership between the community and the police to ensure we work more closely together. It is important for the peace of Karaan district and will help promote stability. The residents also got an important and highly sought after item; that is the toll free line connecting the community and the police. This will encourage them to contact the authorities whenever they notice anything that is threat to security. The toll free 888 number will really help the community as they can call for help,” said Mr. Salah Mohamed Muse.
Captain Farah Abdullahi Mohamud, the Karaan District Deputy Police Station Commander reiterated the importance of close partnerships between the community and the security officers: “We are very happy with today’s event and the coming of AMISOM police who organized this event for the police to interact with the community. It is a positive development and should be continuous. We constantly work with AMISOM Police and this has been beneficial both in terms of strengthening security as well as promoting the cooperation between the police and communities. Whether it is the working relationship between AMISOM police and Somali police or between the Somali police and the public it is all vital and very beneficial,” said Capt. Mohamud. ASP Randolph Somiah of AMISOM Police noted that the community policing drive
which has been on-going is already bearing fruit; facilitating the work of the police in ensuring law and order.
“This programme has been the very best among all AMISOM programmes because this is the place that we have been able to educate and sensitize people about their responsibility towards reducing crime. Otherwise before then, people were not willing to give information to the police. They saw us as a threat but after doing these programmes at Hamar Weyne, Hamar Jajab, and Shibis among others, even the commanders and district commissioners have been reporting to us that it is having good impact, tremendous one because it is the place that people are willing to report crimes to the police,” noted ASP Somiah.
Speaking on behalf of the civil society, the chairperson of Kaaraan women group Mrs Suldana Ahmed Mohammed said, “We welcome today’s event and we are glad it happened as we needed it. I can say work is still ongoing and it is on the right truck but we would like to see more female police officers as we currently mostly see male officers. If someone posts a woman somewhere, it’s like posting a whole community. We sincerely welcome todays programme and we are ready to continue working as we love establishing peace.”
Somaliland President Announces Poll Date
10 September – Source: Garowe Online -158 Words
Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Siilaanyo) has announced the date for presidential and parliamentary elections after a long-running dispute between ruling Kulmiye party and opposition has come to an end, Garowe Online reports. In a statement read out by Presidential spokesman Ahmed Saleban Dhuhul, Somaliland leader announced 28th of March, 2017 as the date on which voters will go to polls in the northern region. Although Electoral Board formally sets the election date, Siilaanyo considered the decision of House of Elders. On May 11, a presidential term extension led to mass protests, largely in opposition strongholds in Somaliland. On May 28, ruling Kulmiye party and two opposition parties agreed that parliamentary and presidential elections be held in December 2016. The Forum for Tradition extended Somaliland President’s term in office by 22 months. Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia declared its independence from the rest of the country as de facto sovereign state in 1991 but it has not been recognized internationally yet.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Taiwan Contributes To Maritime Security Effort In Somalia
11 September – Source: Focus Taiwan- 229 Words
Taiwan on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) that will allow for the establishment of a Maritime Communications Initiative, a new communications network to increase maritime safety along the Somali coast.The MOU was signed in Brussels by Tung Kuo-yu, Taiwan’s representative to the EU and Belgium, and James Burnell-Nugent, senior fellow of OBP, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the recommendation of the European Union, Taiwan has provided OBP with a grant of US$166,000 for the Maritime Communications Initiative. The donation will be used to establish maritime security centers in five Somali ports over a two-year period to enhance maritime communications in Somalia, the ministry said. OBP is a project of the One Earth Future Foundation, a privately funded and independent non-profit organization based in the United States. OBP has been working with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, EUCAP Nestor (a European mission to enhance the maritime capacities of countries in the Horn of Africa), UN Food and Agriculture Organization, EU Naval Force, and US African Command to improve awareness of maritime security and maritime communications capacity across Somalia, the ministry said.
Somalia Announces New Reform To Boost Security Sector
10 September – Source:Xinhua- 247 Words
Somali government has announced new reform in the security sector in order to intensify work on the stability in the country.Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a statement issued in Mogadishu Thursdaythat the Horn of Africa nation must stake constructive steps towards building a more integrated, accountable and transparent security sector.Ensuring regular pay on a timely basis for national security sector personnel, carrying out a count of the number of security sector troops and invite international representatives to joint counting process within the next three months, and undertaking a security sector financial governance review, with the support of international partners, are among the plans in the reform.”Ensuring that the national security sector is subject to rigorous oversight, and operates transparently in relation to personnel, purchases, salaries is the driving factor behind the reforms we are announcing today,” Mohamud said.
China Offers 20 Scholarships To Somali Students
10 September – Source: Xinhua- 201 Words
The Chinese government has provided scholarships for 20 Somali students this year to enable them to further their education, officials said on Thursday. Minister of Education Khadro Bashir told Xinhua that the ministry selected the beneficiaries from all regions in the country,and thanked China for providing the support in the educational field. “We are very pleased to get this support from the Chinese government, and we hope that China will help us in other areas in the near future,” she said.
Bashir said this also contributes to strengthening the cultural relationship between the two countries, and hopes China could send experts on education to Somalia in order to get benefit from their experience in the area. “Relations between the two countries have always been strong, and we want to see these relationships develop day by day, including cultural relationship,” she added.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The Somali Museum will present a “Mobile Culture Show” exhibition that will include an exhibition, lecture and question-and-answer. “Ali will display pieces from the Somali Museum’s collection and present a lecture showcasing the art traditions of nomadic peoples in Somalia.”
Immanuel Hosts Series On Somali Culture
11 September – Source: Hiiraan Online – 399 Words
As Eden Prairie is home to one of largest Somali populations in the state, Immanuel Lutheran Church hopes to “expand awareness and grow in understanding of our neighbor’s culture, traditions and the challenges of immigrant youth and their families as they move to, and live in, Eden Prairie,” according to a news release. This two-week series will be as follows: From 6:15-7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, the group will discuss “Traditions & Challenges.”
“Mohamed Duale is a community services technician and Somali liaison with the city of Eden Prairie’s Office of Housing and Community Services. Mohamed has worked in human services and public health education for many years. Mohamed has published books on Somali culture and proverbs. His presentation will highlight Somali traditions as well as the challenges Somali people face as they become established in our community. Mohammed Duale will be introduced by Molly Koivumaki, of Eden Prairie’s Housing and Community Services,” according to a news release.
TOP TWEETS
@AmbAmerico:I condemn the fighting in Abudwaaq which innocent people were killed. There should be immediate cease fire. #Somalia
@LegalActionWW :@KenRoth Survivor bravely shares her story & the challenges of reporting rape in#Somalia.http://bit.ly/1KYcKQw
@engyarisow:The African Union Mission in #Somalia(AMISOM) Police unit has conducted vetting of 250 recruits for the Somali… http://fb.me/7pfIIX1Zb
@tres_hoa :A nation of immigrants, paranoid about an influx of immigrants http://www.washingtonpost.com/
@MogadishuImages:A crossover to the other side just to be on top of that rock with friends. #Mogadishu #Somalia childhood memories.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
First Lady Sahra Omar Hassan greets an AMISOM soldier.
Photo: AMISOM