September 6, 2013 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali Government concern on remittance closing and pirate situation

Key Headlines

Police give details of Wednesday’s Mogadishu attacks following massive operation
(Radio Mogadishu)
Illegal roadblocks removed from Lower Shabelle region (Radio Dalsan)
Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for Mogadishu attacks (Hiiraan Online)
Kuwait speaker receives letter from Somali counterpart (Kuwait News Agency)
Somali president meets EU special envoy to Somalia on board EU NAVFOR flagship
(Radio Dalsan)
Water goes on tap in Kismayo (Radio Ergo)
‘American al-Shabaab’ Disavows Militant Group al-Qaida (VOA)
Somali hosts natl. conference on future politics (Press TV)

PRESS STATEMENT

Somali Government concern on remittance closing and pirate situation

05 Sept- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 384 words
Council of Ministers meeting chaired by Her Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Fowziya Yusuf Haji Adam today expressed their concern of the international banking system tightening regulations on the Somali small money-transfer companies. The council called on Barclays Bank and other International banks to maintain the legal remittance system, which is a lifeline for many in Somali and around Horn of Africa.
“We are deeply concerned the situation of the money transfer business, which is the main source of income to millions of people and contributes a significant percentage to the regional economy. Stopping diaspora support system will have a negative impact to the livelihood of the Somali community and other similar communities around the region,” Deputy Prime Minister said. She also stated that the Somali government is doing everything possible to guarantee the continuity of this family support system.
Barclays Bank recently announced its decision to close the accounts of some of its money service businesses. A decision based to minimise the risk of falling foul of money-laundering regulations. The move will cut an estimated $162 million transfer of funds only from Somalis in the UK to Horn of Africa. The Somali government strongly believes that small money transfer agencies have zero contribution to money laundering and present no risk to the international banking system. These agencies deal with small amounts of money sent between relatives and families.
The Council of Ministers also discussed the situation of the Somali coast pirates acknowledging progress on securing of the Somali coast. The Chairman of the Somali Anti-Piracy Task Force, Muhiyadin Ali Yusuf reported to the council that there were no single ship hijacked for more than 15 months off the Somali coast and the coastal security situation has improved. He stated that Illegal fishing is the root cause of the Somali piracy and recommended the Somali government and its international partners to address the issue of illegal fishing.
“There should be an international legal fame work to prosecute illegal fishers on the Somali cost that is very important to stop piracy business,” Muhiyadin said. He noted Anti-piracy resource allocations put Somalia on the back seat and that makes the county the least invested in the region, which is totally counter-productive in the fight against Somali coastal pirates.

SOMALI MEDIA

Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for Mogadishu attacks

05 Sept- Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Radio Mustaqbal/Hiiraan Online- 110 words
Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for a series of bomb attacks that have killed at least one in the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Wednesday night. The group claimed responsibly for the attacks in a statement on its Twitter feed, saying that its fighters carried out number of attacks in Mogadishu. The attacks were reportedly targeting the Somali Federal government bases in the capital. Addressing the journalists, a spokesman of the Somali intelligence agency stated that these explosions were a part of Al-Shabaab coward attacks.
He added that no casuality has been caused by the simultaneous Mogadishu attacks on Wednesday night.

Police give details of Wednesday’s Mogadishu attacks following massive operation

05 Sept- Source: RBC/Radio Mogadishu- 253 words

The Somali Police Spokesman Gen Mohamed Yusuf Madaale said the security forces conducted massive search operations in Mogadishu districts last night after series of bomb attacks struck the capital, RBC Radio reports. The biggest hunt operation was targeted at the city’s main market of Bakaro where the police raided houses and business buildings believed to be a hideout hub for the extremist members. “On behalf of the security forces, I confirm that we have seized number of weapons, pistols, one suicide vest and several vehicles from different places” Gen Mohamed Yusuf Madaale said. He said one suicide bomber was killed by the security forces before he approached a police checkpoint at KPP junction of Hodan neighborhood around8.00 pm local time.

Illegal roadblocks removed from Lower Shabelle region

05 Sept- Source: Radio Dalsan- 128 words

Somali security forces and the African Union Troops [AMISOM] have jointly conducted anti-roadblocks operation on the main roads between Mogadishu and the Lower Shabelle region. The joint troops have removed more than ten illegal roadblocks set up by uniformed armed men on the road that links Afgoye town of the Lower Shabelle region. According to security officials in the region two armed militias were arrested in the operation. This operation came after president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud went on visit to the region on Monday as he took the long road between the capital and Marka town on the south, where twenty roadblocks were set up by armed men to collect illegal money from the civilian transportation. The president ordered to immediately remove all illegal roadblocks in the region.

Somali president meets EU special envoy to Somalia on board EU NAVFOR flagship

05 Sept- Source: RBC/Radio Dalsan- 449 words

On 4 September 2013, off the coast of Mogadishu, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Atalanta hosted the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on board the Dutch EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt. The President, his Ministers and security commanders met with EU Special Envoy to Somalia, Michele Cervone d’Urso, the EU Naval Force Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant and Head of Mission of EU Capacity Building Mission (EUCAP) Nestor, Etienne de Poncins.

Water goes on tap in Kismayo

05 Sept- Source: Radio Ergo- 155 words

A privately owned company, Kismayo Water Supply, has launched a new service providing fresh piped water supplies in the coastal town of Kismayo. It is the first time in 20 years that the city has had clean water made available in this way. “We are connecting water pipes in the houses and buildings across the town,” Shafi Rabi Kahin, the company’s managing director told Radio Ergo’s local reporter .During the civil war and subsequent conflict, pipes, water treatment plants and reservoirs in Kismayo have all been looted and destroyed. Residents have been forced to use salt water from shallow wells, which are often contaminated. The wells are usually close to toilets or drains. Local doctors blame these water sources for the frequent outbreaks and spread of diarrhoea in the town. “We want to address such problems and provide clean and fresh water that will keep residents healthy,” Shafi said.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kuwait speaker receives letter from Somali counterpart

05 Sept- Source: Kuwait News Agency- 43 words

Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim received Thursday a letter from Mohamed Osman Jawari, Speaker of the Federal Parliament of Somalia. This came during Al-Ghanim’s reception of Somali MP Ahmed Mayow Abdulle and Ambassador of Somalia to Kuwait Abdulqadir Amin Abu Baker.

Uganda Police boss to present paper on counterterrorism

05 Sept- Source: New Vision- 454 words

Uganda Police boss Gen. Kale Kayihura is expected to present a paper at the forthcoming 22nd African Regional Conference of police chiefs slated to take place in Algeria next week. Kayihura, who has just handed over the chairmanship of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO), will present a paper on counter terrorism at the two-day conference that will run from September 10-12 in Oran, Algeria. The same meeting will also discuss the issue of creating a continental police, already popularly referred to as Afripol. Kayihura’s presentation, Kasingye said, will be hinged on the country’s nasty twin terror attack in the city in July 2010 that left over 80 people dead and scores injured. The Al-Shabaab terror outfit based in Somalia later claimed responsibility, calling them reprisal attacks for Uganda’s involvement in Somalia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

‘American al-Shabaab’ Disavows Militant Group, al-Qaida

05 Sept- Source: VOA- 349 words

An American citizen who joined the Somali militant group al-Shabab said he no longer is a member of that group or al-Qaida, although he still considers himself a terrorist. Omar Hammami said in an interview with VOA’s Somali Service that he has broken ties with al-Shabab leader Moktar Abu Zubayr, who he says is now trying to kill him. A senior State Department official, reacting to the news, noted that Hammami has been indicted by a federal grand jury. The official also said the U.S. government remains interested in any information that would lead to his arrest.

Somali hosts natl. conference on future politics

05 Sept- Source: Press tv- 288 words

Somali capital Mogadishu is hosting a five-day national dialogue conference on the political issues of the country in future. The event is being attended by delegates from regional administrations as well as international diplomats. The main theme of the conference is all about VISION 2016: transition towards democracy and implementation of a suitable and sustainable political process for Somalia. The conference focuses on key issues that include developing federal systems, democracy, arranging the constitution and setting up the policy for the country to have free and fair elections.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“In 2010 Lindhout created the Global Enrichment Foundation, an organization that promotes development in Somalia. Its flagship project has provided some 47 young Somali women who aspire to be community leaders with a university education in their home country.”

How Amanda Lindhout Emerged on the Other Side of a Nightmare

05 Sept- Source: New York Times- 719 words

Every morning before Amanda Lindhout gets out of bed, she goes through the ritual — a thought experiment of sorts — of forgiving the people who have hurt her, and also forgiving herself. It’s a strategy she developed after being kidnapped when she was on the way as a journalist to visit an internally displaced persons (I.D.P.) camp in Somalia; held captive in that country for 460 days, she was subjected to torture, starvation and repeated sexual abuse. Lindhout decided that when others harmed her, it was “an indication of their own suffering” — without this way of thinking, she says, she would have been so filled with fury and hopelessness that she never would have survived.

Lindhout’s story in this past weekend’s issue, which was adapted from her new book, “A House in the Sky” (her co-author, Sara Corbett, is a contributing writer for the magazine), ultimately ends with the release of Lindhout and her companion, Nigel Brennan, in 2009. Lindhout told me that returning home to Canada was not an easy, happy ending. Hers was a lonely transition; her experience had made her “a fundamentally different person.” Living with her mother in a rented basement apartment in Alberta, Lindhout had to figure out how to build a new life amid a family that had just “lost everything” — her father had remortgaged his home, for example — in order to help ransom her release.