September 15, 2015 | Morning Headlines
Al Shabaab Beheads Three Youths In Somalia
14 September – Source: Somali Current – 163 Words
Reports coming from Yiblan, a small town between Somalia’s Lower Shabelle and Hiiran region, indicate that the militant group Al -Shabaab beheaded three youths it accused of being members of the Somali National Army.The armed group, while justifying the execution, said the three young men had caused misery in the area by raping and robbing the locals while serving the army. The locals, however disputed that claim, saying that the beheaded youths were herders.“We know them (the three youths). They were not what they were accused of. They were herders in the area,” a community leader who sought anonymity, said.
Since the group sprung up in mid 2007, Al-Shabaab has been accused of carrying out bloody executions that have attracted uproar among local and international communities. The group usually metes out public lashing, stoning to death and execution by either firing squad, or beheading. The latter is preferred by most armed groups across the world, particularly the group that call themselves the Islamic State or ISIS.
Key Headlines
- Al Shabaab Beheads Three Youths In Somalia (Somali Current)
- Somalia: Anti-President Hassan Caucus Rebuffs Mediation Talks On Impeachment (Garowe Online)
- Intense Security Operations In Leego (Goobjoog News)
- Consultative Meeting On 2016 Electoral Process To Be Held In Mogadishu (Radio Bar-Kulan)
- UAE Businesswoman Sues Kenya Over ‘Rendition’ (BBC)
- QF’s ABP Builds School In Somalia (The Peninsula)
- Somali-born Humanitarian Shed Light On Plight Of African Immigrants (Wargeyska Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia: Anti-President Hassan Caucus Rebuffs Mediation Talks On Impeachment
14 September – Source: Garowe Online – 205 Words
Backers of the no-confidence motion in Federal Government of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have refused to sit down with the Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali, further stoking political tension, Garowe Online reports. Member of Parliament Abdirahman Hosh Jibril hinted that proponents of impeachment motion do not want President Mohamud to be represented in mediation talks.
Speaking on BBC Somali Service, Jibril, a former ally and now vocal opponent of the President, said they only accused the President of constitutional violations and corruption and not the Prime Minister. Moreover, he noted that they are ready to settle the crisis spurred by the motion through amicable means. Meanwhile, female MP Khadija Mohamed Dirie has opposed the bold challenge against Mohamud, calling it ‘unconstitutional’.
On August 12, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari received no-confidence motion from lawmakers said to be numbering over 90. MPs have lambasted Mohamud whose three-year presidency has been marred by corruption, for blatant disregard for the Provisional Federal Constitution. On August 18, Somalia’s embattled President was quoted as saying; he was keen to appear in the 275-seat-chamber of parliament for address in the wake of the motion. On Sunday, Somali political leaders agreed to discuss the format for transition by 2016 following the suspension of the expected popular vote.
Intense Security Operations In Leego
14 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 203 Words
Somali government forces and AMISOM troops launched operations to hunt down criminals violating the restored peace in areas under Lower Shabelle region, officials say. The inspections conducted by the troops took place in Leego locality and its environs. The government police along with the region’s peace – keeping agent are making direct door-to-door operations intended to counter insecurity tip-offs.
A local resident who spoke to Goobjoog News on conditions of anonymity stated the manhunt has been underway since morning and is expected to continue. Leego chief, Abukar Abdullahi speaking to Goobjoog News said the operations were intended to beef up the security of Leego village: “This operation is aimed at securing the area. To achieve this, the Government has also developed and will implement an elaborate relationship between the forces and the public,” he said.
He added “The soldiers launched the operations early in the morning and will continue till we flush out criminals who disturb the locals, whether they are muggers or those anti-peace criminals” he said. The operations come amid protests by public transport drivers over what they regard as new illegal checkpoints mounted by government soldiers between Mogadishu and Baidao.
SRSG and Somali National Leaders meet in Kismayo
14 September – Source: AMISOM – 266 Words
Somali National Leaders from the Federal Government and all Regional States met in Kismayo, resolving to kick-start the national consultation process on creating a Somali-owned electoral process in 2016.
The meeting was attended by the President of the Federal Government of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, Puntland President Abdiwali Ali Gas, Interim Jubba Administration President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, Interim South West Administration President, Sharif Hassan Sheik Adan as well as the Interim Galmudug Administration President Abdikarim Gulled. Also in attendance were key partners including the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG) Nicholas Kay and IGAD Ambassador to Somalia Mohamed Abdi Afey, among others.
Speaking after the meeting, the Interim Jubba Administration Lands State Minister, Abdigani said, “We mainly concentrated on two main points; the first was Vision 2016 and the tasks ahead of us. The second was on addressing any differences to foster unity.” The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG) Nicholas Kay said the meeting between the leaders was a great opportunity to pave the way for the national consultative process that is expected to begin on the 20th of September.
“Today we had a really fantastic opportunity, all the regional leaders and the President and Prime Minister to sit together and discuss the 2016 electoral process. This was the beginning of what will be a national consultation about the priority issues. Key partners were there, IGAD and the United Nations, and I think it is a good start and then next weekend, they have agreed to launch the national consultation process, so good progress today,’’ said SRSG Nicholas Kay.
Consultative Meeting On 2016 Electoral Process To Be Held In Mogadishu
14 September – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 134 Words
A consultative meeting on 2016 electoral process will be held in Mogadishu on September 20.Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali announced the consultation meeting, which is set to focus on creating a Somali-owned electoral process in 2016.The announcement was made following an extra-ordinary meeting held in Kismayo on Sunday between the federal government leadership and and the heads of regional federal states in the country.
In a press release from office of the presidency, the leaders jointly acknowledged the need to accelerate the political process. They underlined the need to ensure that all parties are included in the consultation meeting.The UN envoy to Somalia, Nicholas Kay stressed the importance of holding such meeting and he called on all Somali stakeholders to participate fully in the meeting
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UAE Businesswoman Sues Kenya Over ‘Rendition’
14 September – Source: BBC – 265 Words
A United Arab Emirates (UAE) woman is suing the Kenyan authorities, saying she was kidnapped by police, taken to Somalia and Ethiopia, and tortured. Kamilya Mohammedi Tuweni says she was seized by Kenyan special police and accused of being an al-Qaeda agent while on a trip to Kenya in 2007. Ms Tuweni was released without charge after being detained for 72 days. The head of Kenya’s Anti-Terrorism Police Unit has denied the allegations. Ms Tuweni is suing the Kenyan government for financial compensation and is demanding a formal apology for her treatment. She is giving evidence to the court in Nairobi via video-link from London.
According to UK-based campaign group Redress, she was beaten throughout her time in captivity, threatened with rape and narrowly escaped being sold for drugs. Ms Tuweni, and two of her business colleagues, were arrested in the Kenyan resort town of Malindi near Mombasa: “Just because we looked like Arabs and my partners could not speak English or Kiswahili but only Arabic, we had to be terrorists,” Ms Tuweni told the BBC in 2007, shortly after being released. Her colleagues, from Oman, were released after being questioned in Nairobi but she says she was taken to Somalia, where she was kept in a cell which had been damaged by shells : “For 12 days we had no food, even for some of the women who were pregnant and the little children among us.”
QF’s ABP Builds School In Somalia
14 September – Source: The Peninsula – 103 Words
Qatar Foundation’s Academic Bridge Program (ABP) has completed building an elementary school in Somalia in collaboration with the Qatar Charity. Two years, multiple bake sales, and several fundraising projects later, members of the SSVC succeeded in raising enough donations to achieve the club’s goal to build a primary school in Somalia together with Qatar Charity.
The club’s student volunteers chose to pursue this project because it represented one of Qatar Foundation’s goals — to promote education in all countries, especially in developing nations. In the hope that peace would always prevail in Somalia, the club decided to name the school Peace Elementary School.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Sadia’s is a remarkable story, one that begins with her father, a man who had risen from poverty to become a beloved medical doctor.”
Somali-born Humanitarian Shed Light On Plight Of African Immigrants
13 September – Source: Wargeyska Online – 774 Words
As an immigrant from the war-torn Somalia of 1993, Sadia Gassim not only embraced Waterloo Region as her new community but she prompted conversations about racism and created new ways to celebrate African culture. Sadia died of cancer on July 28 just a week before her 60th birthday, but her legacy has been firmly set on both sides of the globe.
“I am truly sorry to hear of her passing and that we in Waterloo Region will no longer have her as an advocate of the Black/African community,” said Marcia Smellie, president of the Congress of Black Women of Canada, Waterloo Region Chapter. “She was such a strong believer in women coming together and organizing for themselves and for the needs of their community.”
The list of Sadia’s accomplishments was long. Former president of the African Women’s Alliance, she was also part of Worldwide Opportunities for Women, or WOW. In 2008 she received the Marie Seiler-Linden Inspiring Women award at the Inspiring Women: The Experience conference. After that honour Sadia told The Record “I feel very proud, people like me can have a voice. If I inspire one person, I am grateful.”
Along with University of Waterloo sociology associate professor, Alicja Muszynski, Sadia created Celebrating Diversity in Waterloo Region, a program designed to empower African refugees and immigrants. She was also a key organizer of the annual Afro Fest in Waterloo Park. In Africa, Sadia had launched a project to build a school in Kenya, which has been on hold since her death. Her determination to help others also led the former scientist to switch her focus to the PhD program in social work at Wilfrid Laurier University.