NATIONAL MEDIA
2 September – Source: Radio Kulmiye – 120 Words
Somali security forces on Monday morning captured new areas from Al-Shabaab in the Lower and Middle Shabelle border region. The military operations saw the liberation of the villages of Kaharey and Busley, and nearby settlements. According to Colonel Ali Abdullahi Arraye, commander of the 35th unit of the 7th Battalion of SNA’s 60th Division, government forces inflicted heavy casualties on Al- Shabaab and destroyed several of their vehicles.
He added that the liberating forces had received a rapturous welcome from residents who had suffered indescribably under Al-Shabaab’s harsh rule. Somali security forces backed by the African Union Mission have recently ramped up military offensives against Al-Shabaab bases in Lower and Middle Shabelle regions, dislodging the militants from several key towns and villages.
2 September – Source: Goobjoog – 227 Words
Amnesty International on Monday welcomed the arrest of Jubaland Security Minister Abdirashid Nur Janan, who is reasonably suspected of committing human rights crimes and obstruction of humanitarian assistance. Seif Magango, Amnesty International Deputy Director-General for East Africa, described the arrest of Abdirashid Janan as a significant step towards accountability for the serious human rights violations committed with impunity for years by powerful individuals in Somalia.
UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group accused Abdirashid Janan of charges of murder, torture, unlawful detention and committing illegal acts between 2014 and 2015. “The authorities must immediately bring him before a civilian court to face trial in accordance with international fair trial standards. The investigation and trial of Abdirashid Janan must usher in an era of justice for victims of human rights violations and their families in Somalia,” said Seif Magango.
Janan who was put into custody last Friday 31 August 2019 by security agencies at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport, on his way to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Somali Police Force on Sunday confirmed the arrest of Abdirashid Janan and affirmed that they are conducting investigations on serious crimes allegedly committed by the official.
2 September – Source: Somaliland Daily – 267 Words
On Monday, the Council of the Ministers of Somaliland chaired by the President, Muse Bihi Abdi made decisions relating to the Somalia-Somaliland talks and the operations of diplomats, international humanitarian and developmental organisations. A press statement issued by the spokesperson of the president said the cabinet made the following decisions: 1. Somaliland is ready to continue the talks with Somalia, which should be held in a neutral venue with a clear agenda touching future relations, while the international community should serve as mediators. Also, there should be guarantors to avoid any party to breach agreements.
2. Somalia should admit that Somaliland was an independent country that gained independence on 26th June 1960 and joined a union with Somalia on 1st July 1960 and that they [Somaliland and Somalia] were two different countries historically and administratively. Therefore, the dialogue between the two parties should start as [one between] two independent governments. 3. Somalia should not be represented in the dialogue by individuals and politicians hailing from Somaliland who hold positions in Mogadishu or who are against the statehood and existence of the Republic of Somaliland.
4. The international community should treat Somaliland as an independent country that is not part of Somalia. Therefore, Ambassadors and delegates from states, international intergovernmental organisations and institutions that operate inside the Republic of Somaliland should respect the statehood of Somaliland and should operate per the laws of Somaliland, and they should not violate the territorial, airspace and land borders of the Republic of Somaliland. 5. [international] Organisations should use in their project documents the name, map, emblem and flag of Somaliland.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
2 September – Source: Xinhua – 149 Words
About 2.1 million people in Somalia face acute food insecurity through December due to severe drought that has ravaged several parts of the country, the United Nations food agency said on Monday. According to assessment results by Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU), which was managed by UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an estimated 1 million children under the age of five are likely to be acutely malnourished through mid-2020. “Although the 2019 Deyr/short rains (October-December) are forecast to be average to above-average, the positive impact on food security will not be realized until late 2019,” the UN said in its report on 2019 post-Gu seasonal food security and nutrition assessment, conducted across Somalia in June-July.
However, according to the report, which was released in Mogadishu, seasonal production activities will mitigate more severe deterioration during this period. According to the FSNAU, sustained and large-scale humanitarian assistance, which is planned and likely through September, is preventing more severe outcomes in many areas. The UN warned that food security is expected to deteriorate in the absence of humanitarian assistance from October to December. According to the UN, the current high levels of food insecurity are driven by drought conditions from late 2018 through mid-May, exacerbated by below-average and erratically distributed rainfall during the 2019 Gu (main rainy) season (April-June), which began late and finished early.
“Many households are still recovering from the severe 2016/2017 drought or have been affected by conflict, and 2.6 million people remain displaced,” the UN said. The Gu cereal harvest failed in most regions, leaving most poor agropastoral and riverine households unable to meet their minimum food needs, given significantly below-average food stocks and income from seasonal agricultural employment, it said.
“In pastoral areas, the impact of the drought on livestock led to a lack of access to milk, and many poor households have accumulated large debts while struggling to feed their families and rescue their remaining livestock,” the report said. According to the Somalia Food Security Cluster, there has been a significant scale-up of emergency food assistance where 1.2 million to 1.4 million people were reached each month from May to June and 1.9 million people were reached in July. Planned assistance is expected to continue at similar levels in August and September, the cluster said.
1 September – Source: Sahan Journal – 1129 Words
Somali North American Business and Professionals Inc. began mostly as a loose project in 2017 on Facebook. It quickly grew to become one of the most popular Facebook groups for Somalis. With more than 15,000 members, it has now officially transitioned from mainly having online interactions to in-person connections. In the ballrooms and hallways of a DoubleTree hotel in Bloomington on Saturday, hundreds of Somali professionals and entrepreneurs from across North America and around the world gathered for a day of networking that brought together diverse talents and backgrounds. It was the first time such a conference was held in North America. It attracted more than 500 people.
At their own expenses, attendees —who included entrepreneurs, religious leaders, economists, journalists, addiction counselors, marketing professionals, lawyers and doctors — came from all over the United States and Canada. A few traveled from other countries such as Kenya, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates. The conference was organized and hosted by the Somali North American Business and Professionals Inc. (SNABPI), one of the largest Somali professional networks. The group, which has chapters in several cities in the U.S. and Canada, doesn’t have a hierarchy or outside funding, and all those involved work on a volunteer basis. “We planned this to showcase Somali talent,” said Guled Ibrahim, a city of Minneapolis employee and one of the leaders of SNABPI. “For young professionals who attended, for them to see people who are successful who look like them, it was more than enough for us.” “The level of success within the Somali community showcased in one place amazed me,” he added. Panel discussions included investment, business and marketing, health and medicine and Islamic scholarship.
The event was sold out days before the conference began, and people scrambled to get tickets. It was so popular that some people resold their tickets for five times more than the regular price of $30. Some of the sponsors of the conference included Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center, Humanitarian African Relief Organization (HARO) and Afro Deli. The professional networking conference has its roots on Facebook. SNABPI began mostly as a loose project in 2017 on the social media platform. People shared inspirational posts and asked for advice and tips. Group members met in towns across North America. And then SNABPI quickly grew to become one of the most popular Facebook groups for Somalis. With more than 15,000 members, it has now officially transitioned from mainly having online interactions to in-person connections. “We were looking to get 200 people” to attend the conference, said Mukhtar Shariff, a software engineer from Seattle who leads SNABPI. “Now we’re at 500 people. That shows how much people value this type of networking opportunities, how they value connecting with other Somalis.”……..
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Sometimes, when roads are blocked during the exams, you have to walk and by the time you reach the university, you may find the school gate closed and you will be told you will not do the exam,” Bilan recalled.”
30 August – Source: Radio Ergo – 404 Words
More than 200 young women graduated from different faculties at Somali International University (SIU) in Mogadishu this week, reflecting a major advancement overall in female education in Somalia. Bilan Abdullahi Mohamed, who lives in Daynile district of Mogadishu, told Radio Ergo that her university experience had been challenging but rewarding. She was one of 46 females to graduate in public health. “My father died when I was very young. My mother was the sole breadwinner of our family and she encouraged me to continue my education. From primary to university, she was my supporter,” said Bilan. Bilan’s five sisters all migrated to Europe four years ago in search of a better life. Bilan decided to stay and her life took a different course that she does not regret. “My siblings migrated and some are in Kenya. I am the only child in Mogadishu and being educated. My ambition was always to complete my education,” she explained.
Security issues and roadblocks in the troubled capital city from time to time have meant it was sometimes difficult to get to classes and exams. “Sometimes, when roads are blocked during the exams, you have to walk and by the time you reach the university, you may find the school gate closed and you will be told you will not do the exam,” Bilan recalled. SIU’s colourful graduation ceremony this year boasted 231 female and 299 male graduates.
Safiya Ahmed Shire, 20, who is general medicine and surgery graduate, also attributes her success to her mother’s encouragement. Safiya had to walk long distances between her home in KM4 locality and the university in Hamarweyne district. “It was not easy. Sometimes on a hot day, you may arrive late. I used to walk all the way to school. Sometimes you are hungry and the sun is overhead but you always remember your target!” she said. She praised the increase in female students saying the girls and their parents have now realised the importance of education. “People have come to know the importance of knowledge and that education can bring progress, that a girl can work and have confidence in herself rather than relying on someone else,” she said. Ahmed Abdi Hadi, public relations director at SIU, said the university is committed to encouraging young women to pursue their dreams. “The number of female students is close to that of males and in recent years girls’ education has been progressing……. |
