September 15, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
UN Urges Dialogue Over Somali President’s Impeachment Motion Crisis
15 September – Source : Hiiraan Online – 297 Words
As a significant number of Somali legislators are pushing for an impeachment campaign against the Somali president, the United Nations has called for resolving the impeachment crisis through dialogue. The lawmakers who have accused the president of corruption have earlier ruled out talks to end the political bickering, calling him to follow suit to the former Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf who resigned after parliament tried to impeach him in 2008. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned the on against the campaign, calling the legislators to reflect on the country’s interests and avoid creating a political mayhem which he said could derail ‘progressive’ political and security gains in Somalia. As the political crisis continue to brew, the United Nations envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay has asked political stakeholders to help ending the political exercise aimed at unseating the current president.“I urge all stakeholders to move forward quickly to find a solution to the current crisis which allows Somalia’s political progress to continue without further interruption, and to come together to focus on launching the Consultative Forum to create a Somali-owned electoral process in 2016,” he said in a statement issued on Monday.
In the meantime, Mr. Kay has expressed optimism over the ‘constructive manner’ in which he said all sides have engaged in the process to resolve the impeachment motion crisis and commended their dedication and commitment to peace and stability.Somalia plans to hold a presidential election in 2016, however, political analysts predict a potential political turmoil that could derail efforts aimed at holding elections should the MPs oust the president before his term expires. Somalia’s donors often express worries over perpetual political wrangling between presidents, prime ministers and parliament, saying the spat could inflame tensions and undermine the country’s recovery from over two decades of conflict.
Key Headlines
- UN Urges Dialogue Over Somali President’s Impeachment Motion Crisis (Hiiraan Online)
- Ocean Stars Attend Luncheon At Somali Embassy In Addis Ababa (Goobjoog News)
- Bay Governor Escapes Unharmed As Militants Execute Alleged Soldiers (Garowe Online)
- Puntland Health Ministry Officials Meet International Partners In Garowe (Villa Puntland)
- New Security Initiative For Somalia (Maritime Executive)
- Police Kill Terror Suspects – Report (The Star Kenya)
- Puntland: The Unlucky Bride (Wardheer News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Ocean Stars Attend Luncheon At Somali Embassy In Addis Ababa
15 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 182 Words
Somali Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ahmed Abdisalam Haji Aden, and consular Abdirashid Sheik Said organized an honour lunch in a bid to encourage the team who will battle against Niger on October 9, in the first leg of the preliminary round of 2018, FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Somalia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ahmed Abdisalam Haji Aden, who addressed the team said that the embassy will organize logistics for Somali fans in the country to help thousands of Somali community members in Ethiopia get to the stadium on the day of the Somalia-Niger match.The ambassador commended the Somali Football Federation authorities for taking the correct decision to camp the team in Ethiopia for a month-long altitude training which he said will be beneficial to the team’s endurance. Others who attended the luncheon were: Somalia’s head of delegation and SFF executive committee member Yahye Mohamed Abukar, SFF Deputy Secretary General, Ali Mohamed Ahmed and former footballers including Nur Amin.SFF Deputy Secretary General, Ali Mohamed Ahmed, praised ambassador Aden and his diplomatic mission for organizing such a moral boost event for the national team members.
Bay Governor Escapes Unharmed, As Militants Execute Alleged Soldiers
14 September – Source: Garowe Online- 186 Words
The Governor of southwestern region of Bay Rashid Abdullahi Mohamed has escaped unhurt from landmine attack by Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab militants as residents reported of the execution of three young men in central Somalia, Garowe Online reports. In an interview with BBC Somali Service, Mohamed said that they will launch investigations into landmine explosions.Beleaguered militants are believed to have planted the mines on the road that connects Bay regional capital of Baidoa to Goofgaduud village which lies 7km away. At least two other explosions were reported in Goofgaduud during a speech by visiting government delegation to locals.Officials visited the nearby village to set up new administration. Al Shabaab militants executed three youths for being soldiers and spying for Somali National Army (SNA) in Yiblane village on regional border between Hiran and Middle Shabelle. Residents say, the militants captured the three from Buq Aqable, 90km north of Beledweyne. Al Shabaab previously executed many people for spying for Somali and US intelligence services.Somali government forces aided by African Union peacekeepers removed militants from a string of strategic towns in central and southern Somalia.
Puntland Health Ministry Officials Meet International Partners In Garowe
14 September – Source: Villa Puntland – 113 Words
In a move to improve health services in the region, Puntland government’s health ministry and the International partners met today in a conference held in Garowe, Villa Puntland Reports. Senior figures of the Puntland government and International Aid organisations representatives gathered in health ministry’s headquarters in Garowe, the administrative capital of Puntland to review and discuss the ongoing and implemented health-related projects in the north eastern semi-autonomous. Shortly after the meetings commenced, the ministry’s general director presented comprehensive report on the progresses, challenges and way forward.This meeting is expected to enhance the cooperation between the ministry and other international partners on carrying out tasks aimed at improving health services in Puntland region.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
New Security Initiative For Somalia
15 September – Source :Maritime Executive- 423 Words
Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) and the Taipei Representative Office (TRO) in Brussels have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will allow for the establishment of a new maritime communications network to increase maritime safety along the Somali coast.
The MOU was signed by Tung Kuo-yu, Republic Of China Representative to the EU and Belgium, and Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, Senior Fellow at OBP. The partnership between OBP and the Taiwanese delegation was recommended by the European Union based on mutual desire to support Somali goals for a safer maritime environment. The Maritime Communications Initiative (MCI) will initially establish Maritime Communications and Safety Centers in Bosasso, Berbera and Mogadishu, and eventually in Hobyo and Kismayo. These centers are focused on providing safety for local shipping traffic, promoting awareness of port management and de-conflicting with international naval forces, ultimately helping to establish localized maritime situational awareness along the Somali coast.
The centers will be linked to regional information sharing centers in Mombasa, Sana’a and Dar es Salaam through a secure information-sharing platform. These centers will notify international naval forces or local maritime responders, helping to eliminate confusion at sea, thereby increasing the safety of seafarers operating in the region.
Police Kill Terror Suspects – Report
15 September – Source : The Star – 378 Words
The police are conducting brutal and dehumanising counter-terrorism operations against suspected terrorists, a leaked report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says.Suspects are executed and dumped by the road or killed and dumped where their bodies might never be seen.
The commission says the arrests are carried out with “pernicious impunity” and in “complete contravention of the law” with suspects subjected to “cruel torture, inhuman and degrading treatment”. The state agency says in the report torture chambers exist in military camps at Mandera, Garissa and Lamu.“The conduct by security agencies constitute grave violation of the Kenyan law and regional and international human rights principles and standards that protect people from arbitrary arrests and detention,” the report states.In May, the Star exclusively reported the discovery of 11 bodies in a shallow grave in Wajir county.The Star also gave the account of the alleged torture of Affey Ali by military in Wajir.The commission has corroborated both incidents in the report.It says detainees were held beyond the 24-hour limit provided for in the constitution without being presented to a competent judicial authority.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Instead of revamping the dysfunctional government institutions or instituting new ones, he opted paradoxically for the traditional tribal system. He adopted the old governing way of Puntland which he purportedly despised: cronyism, nepotism, favoritism, anarchism and tribalism combined with no check and balance”
Puntland: The Unlucky Bride
15 September – Source: Wardheer News – 917 Words
The Puntland President Abdiwali Gas once, in the run up to the Puntland presidency election, likened Puntland to “unlucky but beautiful bride who unfortunately always gives her hand to wretched drunkard old men who don’t deserve her marriage.” Mr. Gas said he meant by this, that none of the former presidents had honestly served or at least honored the expectations of the people of Puntland. If that is what Mr. Gas meant, then there is no time than now that this analogy could be more obvious. In his terminology, the poor Puntland ‘bride’ has become hopeless when she cast her lot with him. The unlucky ‘bride’ is, in his hand, at its worst state in every aspect – security, economy, politics, etc. since its inception seventeen years ago. This fits to the proverbial pot that called the kettle black.
More was expected from Mr. Gas due to his achievements in education (PhD in economics) than any of his predecessors. There is, in the Somalis specially the unschooled majority an anachronistic culture of disbelief and disrespect may be out of jealousy for both the educated and education. They often look askance at their schooled members. They don’t respect the education in the fields other than the religious ones; and they scorn the educated people for not performing better than themselves; a culture that was promoted by the military regime of dictator Siyad Brare. Unfortunately, Mr. Gas’s failure in governing or his underperforming of his predecessors encourages that atavistic culture by giving their claim more plausibility and thus increased the mistrust of majority nomads towards the educated minority. Mr. Gas was elected with great anticipation that he will explore new ways to build and renovate the government system. However, like the proverbial mountain which went into long labor but finally gave birth to a mouse; he has been a disappointment.
TOP TWEETS
@Aynte:Met w/ 2 Somali-Americans frm #Minnesota & their 2 American friends in #Somalia to supply local hospitals w/equipment
@UNSomalia:@Somalia111 urges all parties to find a solution through dialogue for #Somalia’s political progress. Statement:http://bit.ly/1Y4hb1p
@farhanjimale:Somali photographer Mohamed Abdiwahab shows French minister of culture @fleurpellerin his photo exhibition #Somalia
@ActForSomalia:The first Somalia-UAE investment talks opened in #Abu Dhabi.Resourceful #Somalia where investment meets opportunity
@MinisterMOFA:The traditional aid model not working for#Somalia. Only investment can change our future,Invest in#Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Residents welcome the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia Nicholas Kay during the presidential inauguration for the Jubaland regional administration.
Photo: UNSOM