September 28, 2015 | Daily Monitoring Report
Prime Minister Calls For Immediate Ceasefire And Reconciliation Among The Warring Clans
28 September – Source: Horseed Media – 384 Words
The Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Omar Sharmarke, who gave a press conference today in Mogadishu, made a peace appeal to the feuding clans in Mudug and Sool regions of Somalia. The Prime Minister called out for immediate cease-fire and reconciliation among the warring clans, he urged to seek peaceful settlement for both clans who cohabit together in those two regions.“It is regrettable to see the occurrence of conflict in these two regions, and I call out to both warring sides to immediate unconditional cease-fire, and remind them that conflict and unnecessary loss of lives will not resolve anything other than escalate animosity. Somalia has moved away from the era of decaying clan conflicts, we now seek development, peace and prosperity,” said Prime Minister Sharmarke.
He added that he has communicated with the elders of the warring clans and asked to resolve the conflict through peaceful solution in which they have accepted.Prime Minister Sharmarke in his press conference also mentioned the recent car bomb at the entrance to Villa Somalia. He sent his condolences to the families who lost loved ones in that barbaric terrorist attack, and prayed to Allah for the speedy recovery for those who were injured. The Prime Minister called to the Somali public to unite together in the fight to eradicate the remnants of Al-Shabaab terrorist group from Somalia.
Furthermore the Prime Minister gave a detailed plan of his imminent trip to New York where he will attend and give a speech in the General Assembly of the United Nations. This will be the 70th UN General Assembly and the theme is SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals in which Somalia will be an active participant. Prime Minister Sharmarke also pointed that he will attend a High Level Meeting concerning Somalia, and noted that he expects the outcome will benefit the drive to develop Somalia.The Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia also cited the notable progress in numerous paths his government has attained in the last several months. He underlined that in due course they will complete the establishment of State Governance for Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle. He promised the process will be fair and transparent and meet the needs and aspiration of the inhabitants of both regions.
Key Headlines
- Prime Minister Calls For Immediate Ceasefire And Reconciliation Among The Warring Clans (Horseed Media)
- Galmudug President: We Call Ahlu-Sunna Clerics To Attend Peace Talks (Goobjoog News)
- Federal Government Forces Up To The Task And Will Clear Al-Shabaab From Lower Shabelle Region Says New Armed Forces Boss. (Wacaal Media)
- Puntland Army Chief Threatens To Resign If The Forces Are Not Paid (Goobjoog News)
- British Troops For Somalia Peacekeeping Mission (BBC News)
- Raped on Nauru: Video Captures Moment Somali Refugee Pleads For Help From Police After Alleged Sexual Assault (ABC Online)
- Community Policing Launched In Mogadishu’s Yaqshid District (AMISOM)
- Mental Health Issues In The Somali Spoken Territories And In The Somali Diaspora (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Galmudug President: We Call Ahlu-Sunna Clerics To Attend Peace Talks
28 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 161 Words
The president of Galmudug State has called on moderate Islamist group, Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jama’a to shun violence and join the negotiation table to solve their grievances.“I urge Ahlu Sunna clerics to take peace negotiating meeting with Galmudug State and participate in the state’s development and state building processes. This will give our people good governance” he said. Yesterday, Galmudug forces claimed to have dismantled Ahlu Sunna secret cells which were operating in the areas and said would do everything to neutralize the sleeper cells so as to cut off breeding ground for Al-Sunna Wal Jama’a reinforcement in those areas.
Godinlabe Chief, Abdiyare Moalim, speaking to Goobjoog News said that the security forces raided secret cell whose plans was to attack the administration.“Our soldiers raided the group after tip offs from the public, in that operation the security forces apprehended four suspects” he said. This comes at a time when there is military tension between Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a fighters and Somalia’s youngest regional State Galmudug.
Federal Government Forces Up To The Task And Will Clear Al-Shabaab From Lower Shabelle Region, Says New Armed Forces Boss.
28 September – Source: Wacaal Media – 120 Words
Federal Government forces alone will clear Lower Shabelle region off Al-Shabaab the new Chief Somali defense forces has said. Speaking to the local media after taking office, Gen. Mohamed Adan Ahmed – Buud said the government forces will be able to take over all areas under the militants for now such as those recently vacated by AMISOM. They include Toortoorow, Janaale and Kurtunwaarey. “I am confident the Somali National Army will be able to reclaim those settlements without the assistance of AMISOM. Our forces can clear Al-Shabaab from the whole country and will do so in the near future.” said the General. Ahmed took over office from Gen. Daahir Aadan Elmi who was at the post for the last three years.
Puntland Army Chief Threatens To Resign If The Forces Are Not Paid
28 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 149 Words
Puntland Defence Forces (PDFs) Chief Saeed Mohamed Hirsi (Dhere) has sent warning message to the government of Puntland saying that he will resign if Puntland fails to pay the salary of its forces including military and police forces.“I will resign very soon, if complaints of unpaid salaries are not addressed,” said Puntland Army Chief. Saeed has denied reports saying that Puntland Government is facing dire economic situation which has kept the payments of the forces back.This comes at a time when Puntland has seen several protests both from public and the army. These protests were in support of the soldiers who deserted their camps over unpaid wages. The demonstrators also called for the President Abdiweli Ali Gaas and his government to step down.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
British Troops For Somalia Peacekeeping Mission
28 September – Source: BBC News – 362 Words
Dozens of British troops are to be deployed to Somalia to help peacekeeping efforts to counter Islamic militants, David Cameron has announced.Up to 70 personnel will join a United Nations contingent supporting African Union troops fighting Al-Shabaab.Up to 300 could also be deployed in South Sudan over time.
The PM, who will pledge the support at the UN General Assembly summit, said the approach could help curb migrants coming to Europe. Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is one of several world leaders with whom Mr Cameron will hold face-to-face talks. Al-Shabaab is battling Somalia’s government for control of the country.
British forces deployed there will provide combat training and medical, logistical and engineering support.The role of those being sent to South Sudan will also include combat training as well as engineering work to strengthen vital infrastructure. Conflict between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former Deputy Riek Machar has forced more than 2.2 million people from their homes in the state, which broke away from Sudan in 2011.
Raped on Nauru: Video Captures Moment Somali Refugee Pleads For Help From Police After Alleged Sexual Assault
28 September – Source: ABC Online – 962 Words
Two refugees are requesting help from Australia after reportedly being raped on Nauru, leaving one of them pregnant. The ABC’s 7.30 has obtained a harrowing video of the moment one of the victims was found by Nauruan police, several hours after the alleged assault occurred. The footage was filmed in the dark by the 26-year-old Somali woman as she hid in the bushes late at night on August 21 after allegedly being raped by two Nauruan men. In the video, the woman is heard weeping and calling for help as she phones Nauruan police. “Please come help me,” she pleads as sirens are heard in the background. The woman, known as Najma (not her real name) has told the ABC she feels unsafe on Nauru. “As a Somali girl, I was hoping to come to a safe place, but I have no safety,” she said.
“As we walk to work, Nauruan men charge us five dollars to use the road, then they follow us and harass us or touch us.” The women both live in the Nauruan community. The attack is the latest in a string of sexual assaults on Nauru, both inside the immigration detention centre, and outside in the refugee community. The company responsible for running the detention centre, Transfield Services, told senators it received 67 allegations of child abuse up until May this year, 30 of them involving detention centre staff. Daniel Webb, the director of legal advocacy at Melbourne’s Human Rights Law Centre, said Australia should not be settling refugees in the Nauruan community. “It’s becoming clear that Nauru, both inside the detention centre and outside of it, is not a safe place for women and not a safe place for children,” he said.
Community Policing Launched In Mogadishu’s Yaqshid District
26 September – Source: AMISOM – 347 Words
Residents of Yaqshid district have welcomed the partnership between the Somali Police Force (SPF) and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) aimed at enhancing security in the capital Mogadishu. The residents said the partnership had also helped curb crime incidents in the city. Speaking at a town hall meeting he hosted to discuss means of sharing information between SPF and AMISOM police officers the Yaqshid District Commissioner Osman Adawe said information sharing would make security in the city better.
Adawe who was launching the newly launched hotline number 888 urged the local residents to work closely with the Somali police and AMISOM to improve levels of security. “It Is very important to make awareness about community policing for the people of Yaqshid, and we learnt from them how the security agencies, the police and the community collaborate closely, the district is quite peaceful of late and we appreciate to have community policing because it simplifies the security issues and we encourage the members of the community to take part in this collaboration,” said the Yaqshid District Commissioner.
The meeting attracted hundreds of Yaqshid district residents mainly women and youth. It was also attended Adawe’s deputy on Security and Political Affairs Shukri Hussein Osoble. ASP Randolph Sumiah of AMISOM Police stressed to Yaqshid residents the community policing drive which has been on-going is already bearing fruit-facilitating the work of the police in ensuring law and order.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“A psychotic patient can be violent and the families fear not only for their lives but also for the lives of others. Imagine if the psychotic man hurts or kills somebody and his family has to pay the Dia/compensation which many families cannot afford.The cost of the Elaj is also high for most families but I have seen that the money comes mostly from the Diaspora.”
Mental Health Issues In The Somali Spoken Territories And In The Somali Diaspora
26 September – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1,472 Words
The situation of the mentally ill in all Somali spoken territories is very alarming. The same is in the Somali communities in Diaspora.We hear from European countries, USA and Canada that the jails and the psychiatric wards are full with young Somali men.What is going on? My own professional experience is 33 years old :Denmark, Greenland, Norway and 5 years in Burco. In the last 2 years I visited Mogadishu 2 times and had the opportunity to meet with professionals working in the psychiatric field and my impression is that the situation of the mentally ill in Somalia is the same as in Somaliland. I have been contacted by professionals in Baidoa, Belet Weyne, Nairobi (EastLeigh) and Jigjiga and the narrative is the same.The mentally ill are contained in the families by chaining them for years, there is no access to psychiatric medication, there are very few in-patient units where the mentally ill can be hospitalized and treated under humane conditions.
There is a boom of so called Elajs, where men (and few women) treat the mentally ill with readings from the Koran. I have visited several of these Elajs in Burco and established cooperation with few of them.The understanding of the mental illness is that the patient is possessed by Jinn,”evil spirits”. The diagnosis is clarified by shouting Koranic verses in the ears of the patient or by subjecting the patient to an electric current. If the patient cries or screams then he/she is possessed, if he/she remains quiet then the problem is minor and the patient needs no treatment at the Elaj. The cost per month is about 150 – 250 US $ and the families have to provide the patient with food.
A psychotic patient can be violent and the families fear not only for their lives but also for the lives of others. Imagine if the psychotic man hurts or kills somebody and his family has to pay the Dia/compensation which many families cannot afford.The cost of the Elaj is also high for most families but I have seen that the money comes mostly from the Diaspora.
TOP TWEETS
@FarahYussuf_ :#Britain says it is sending troops to #Somaliato stop migrants going to #Europe http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-
@Eye_on_Somalia: #horseed Somalia: Prime Minister calls for immediate cease-fire and reconciliation among the warring…http://bit.ly/1jpd1Ba #somalia
@HarunMaruf: Beledweyne town welcomes the first music show in 25 years. via @Goobjoognews #Somalia
@Bogorad_Olga: #Somalia tensions btw Galmudug govt & Ahlu-Sunna militias, as several ASWJ factions oppose peace agreement proposal http://goobjoog.com/english/?
@Aynte: The arrest of Horn Stars in #Somaliland after they performed in #Mogadishu is deplorable. #FreeHornStars#Somalia
@MinisterMOFA: Productive discussions on #Somalia‘s progress with my counterparts @DrTedros @PaoloGentilonimargins of #UNGA70.
@AbdisalamAato: New #Somali Chief Of Defence Force Takes Over. @SomaliPM #Somalia @HSNQ_NISA
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Community Policing Launched in Mogadishu’s Yaqshid District
Photo: AMISOM