September 14, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
Jawari Urges Somali Public To Have Confidence In Parliament Over Qalbi Dhagah Extradition Case
14 September – Source: Dhacdo.com – 117 Words
The Speaker of the House of the People, Mohamed Osman Sheikh Osman (Jawari) has urged the Somali public to allow Parliament to handle the case of Abdikarim Sheikh Muse (Qalbi Dhagah). There has been a public outrage over the decision of the government to extradite the ONLF official to Ethiopia.
The Speaker said the public message has reached the Parliament. “The Somali public wherever you are, we heard you, you have a house, and please have confidence in the house,” said Jawari. On Saturday, a committee tasked by the House is expected to ask for a formal investigation into the extradition case of Qabi Dhagah, and the government’s decision to formally recognize ONLF as a terrorist organization.
Key Headlines
- Jawari Urges Somali Public To Have Confidence In Parliament Over Qalbi Dhagah Extradition Case (Dhacdo.com)
- UN and U.S. Mourn Death Of Somali Journalist In Suicide Attack (Garowe Online)
- Two Rickshaw Drivers Shot Dead In Mogadishu (Jowhar.com)
- Somali Government And ICAO Discuss Airspace Management Transfer (Radio Muqdisho)
- Mogadishu Hosts Its Third Annual Book Fair (UNSOM)
- UNDP Bets On Solar Lanterns To Light Up Somali Businesses And Homes (Africa Business Communities)
- My Mom Is Proud Of My English. But I Want To Speak Somali WIth Her (Kouw.org)
NATIONAL MEDIA
UN and U.S. Mourn Death Of Somali Journalist In Suicide Attack
14 September – Source: Garowe Online – 245 Words
The United Nations and the United States on Wednesday mourned the passing away of Somali journalist, Abdullahi Osman Moalim, who succumbed to injuries sustained from an Al-Shabaab terrorist attack on Sunday in Beledweyne, central region. The U.S. Mission in Somalia extended condolences to the family of the journalist Mr. Moalim, who worked for Jubbaland TV and Radio Codka Hiiraan. “The United States condemns Al-Shabaab and its indiscriminate attacks on the Somali people,” the US Mission said in a statement issued in Mogadishu. “We salute and encourage Somali journalists to continue their work despite the daily struggles and risks, in defense of the inalienable right of freedom of expression on behalf of the Somali people,” the embassy said.
On its part, the UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) also regretted the death of the journalist who was among other journalists seated at the teashop as they waited for the press conference by the regional administration. “UN Somalia deeply regrets death of Jubbaland TV journalist Abdullahi Osman Moalim from wounds in the Sundaysuicide attack in Beledweyne,” UNSOM said. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said it was shocked to hear the death of Moalim due to severe injuries he sustained during the attack. At least four people were killed and 15 others injured including two journalists during the suicide bomb attack. Al-Shabaab terrorists who have been fighting to topple the Western-backed government claimed responsibility for the attack which comes amid surge in terror incidents in central Somalia.
Two Rickshaw Drivers Shot Dead In Mogadishu
14 September – Source: Jowhar.com – 99 Words
Two auto rickshaw drivers were shot dead in Mogadishu on Wednesday evening. The first victim identified as Qalocow was killed at Bakaraha Market by armed gunmen for unknown reasons. The perpetrators left the scene after carrying out the killing. Another driver was killed in Hamarweyne district by a government soldier over an argument accessing the road. Police in Hamarweyne said the soldier was arrested, and is currently held at the area police station. Rickshaw drivers are said to be among the most affected by the insecurity in the capital, facing harassment from both the Somali government soldiers and Al-Shabaab.
Somali Government And ICAO Discuss Airspace Management Transfer
14 September – Source: Radio Muqdisho – 84 Words
A delegation led by Somalia’s Minister of Transport and Air Transport Mohamed Abdullahi Salad Oomar has arrived in Montreal, Canada, the headquarters of ICAO to discuss the Somali airspace transfer efforts. The delegation met ICAO Director General Dr. Fang Lie and other senior officials during their visit to Canada. “We had a fruitful discussion on the Somali airspace transfer program, and soon FISS which is currently managing the Somali airspace will handover, and all Somali flights will be managed in Mogadishu,” ICAO director said.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Mogadishu Hosts Its Third Annual Book Fair
14 September – Source: UNSOM – 475 Words
Hundreds thronged the venue of the third annual Mogadishu Book Fair to attend the opening day of Somalia’s biggest exhibition of literary works. Intellectuals, authors, scholars, playwrights, poets, musicians and book enthusiasts turned out in large numbers for the start of the three-day book fair. Notable speakers at this year’s fair include the renowned author of ‘Making Sense of Somalia’, Dr. Abdurrahman Abdullahi Badiyow, and the award-winning Kenyan photojournalist and human rights activist Boniface Mwangi.
The Deputy Mayor of Mogadishu Abdullahi Haji Ereg and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating, were among the prominent guests who visited the Mogadishu hotel that is hosting the event. The book fair is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development for the second consecutive year. The deputy mayor said his administration would promote the opening of book libraries and furnish support to young upcoming writers. “We have made an undertaking to provide a market to young writers. We intend to have the leaders from Banadir region, together with their librarians, attend the next book fair and provide a report on the success of the fair,” stated Mr. Ereg.
Book launches, signings, panel discussions and cultural entertainment will be held during the second and third days of the annual fair. “This is a truly important opportunity for me to showcase my work. I am motivated to write even more books, just by the number of people attending this event,” remarked 25-year-old author Gallad Mohamed Barre, who is exhibiting a book titled, ‘Sideed Kunoqon Kartaa Arday Guuleeysta’ (How to become a successful student).
UNDP Bets On Solar Lanterns To Light Up Somali Businesses And Homes
14 September – Source: Africa Business Communities – 418 Words
The lanterns will be distributed to female headed households within IDP (internally displaced persons) communities in Mogadishu, as part of a renewable energy project financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). Solar lanterns can significantly improve safety, especially for women and girls in IDP communities, and provide the opportunity for school children to study after dark. The lanterns are also a clean and safe source of light that can replace potentially hazardous forms of lighting such as candles and kerosene lamps, helping to reduce the risk of fire, and the negative health impacts of burning kerosene indoors.
Each household will receive a pair of lanterns: one which can be used for cooking and charging mobile phones, and to provide safety by lighting the way to toilets and other areas of the camps, and one for the specific purpose of enabling children to study in the evenings. Mr. Elmi Omar Elmi, Deputy Minister for the Federal Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, thanked OFID and UNDP for their ongoing support as the solar lanterns were handed over. “Internally displaced people need special attention and the support from OFID and UNDP in providing clean energy gives new hope for vulnerable IDP communities in Mogadishu” he said. Suleiman J. Al-Herbish, Director-General of OFID, reiterated that providing safe sources of energy is vital to increasing the safety and well-being of marginalized communities. “The lanterns will offer people in displaced communities a chance to move forward towards better standards of living, despite the difficulties they continue to face,” he said.
Speaking at the handover, UNDP Somalia Country Director George Conway said UNDP’s energy work is delivered in partnership with the Somali Government and in line with the Government’s National Development Plan. “UNDP will continue to work closely with both the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, as well as with international partners such as OFID, to assist with the delivery of clean and renewable energy across Somalia,” he said. Led by the Federal Government, the current part of project, funded by an OFID grant, will see six government offices in rural areas receive 1,500 watt solar systems and 50 young people receive training in the installation and maintenance of solar equipment. In August, supported by UNDP and OFID, the government launched a solar power system for the Office of the Prime Minister in Mogadishu, promoting the use of alternative energy and reducing energy consumption by 35 percent at ‘Villa Somalia’.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“But she never stopped speaking English and never told anyone she couldn’t. She showed me that I didn’t need to be an expert Somali speaker to claim my language, all I needed was the will to keep trying,”
My Mom Is Proud Of My English. But I Want To Speak Somali WIth Her
14 September – Source: Kouw.org – 623 Words
My mom, my Hooyo, has a special way of teaching you so much about the world and so little about herself. She tells you the parts of her life that are going to push you to succeed the way she did, without letting you see the struggles she went through. She often tells me about her education in Somalia. She loved school, and she excelled in it. “My favorite thing to do was study,” she said about her youth. “I don’t remember any test I failed.” “You never failed a test in school?” I asked her. “I don’t think so.” I was only four when my family came to America. My Hooyo thought English was the key to success for her children. What she didn’t expect was for me to give up her mother tongue, Somali, in exchange. When I was younger I spoke to my Hooyo in Somali and to my brothers and sisters in English. My Hooyo liked watching us get better at speaking English. She was proud.
But as I got older, I wasn’t able to express myself the way I wanted to in Somali. That meant my Hooyo wasn’t able to have the comfort of her homeland within her own home. For my Hooyo, speaking the Somali language was when she felt most comfortable. She was afraid that my brothers and sisters and I would lose our language — and with it our culture. So she started pushing all of her children to embrace their culture and their language. We played games where my Hooyo would test our Somali vocabulary with a picture dictionary. But once I started speaking Somali more often, I realized just how much trouble I had and I gave up on the language. I was embarrassed about not knowing my language so I pushed my culture away with it. I stopped wanting to answer the phone and talk to my relatives in Somali. I didn’t go inside the mosque or the Somali store. When my Hooyo realized why I wasn’t going anywhere with her she wanted me to go even more. She told me I would never get better at speaking Somali if I didn’t try.
TOP TWEETS
.@DalsanFM: #MBF2017 Turkish Ambassador @olganbekar @TC_Mogadishu arrives for @MogBF on day 2.
.@DalsanFM: #MBF2017 Professor #Abdirahman #Badiyow the author of Making sense of Somalia ” The best competition is reading and writing” @MogBF
.@SomaliPM: This morning I had fruitful discussion with both@SRSGKeatingand @Rondos_EU on matters concerning moving #Somalia forward.
.@SahraCabdi: #Regional state admin Puntland dismissed from position a deputy minister who supported Somali gov’s idea to hand over Ethio gov #ONLF office
.@TheVillaSomalia: Najah Aden Farah explains her book, Rajadii Ummadda. Brilliant young lady. Very proud of her.#NabadIyoNolol #Mogbookfair
.@HarunMaruf: AFRICOM: US Airstrikes Kill 6 Al-Shabab Members in Somalia https://www.voanews.com/amp/
.@AbdisalamAato: #Somalia facing complex immediate and long-term challenges, #UN Security Council told – #UNSC
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Somali Foreign Minister Yusuf Garad Omar receives United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Somalia, Mohammed Ahmed Osman Al Hammadi.
Photo: @MofaSomalia