SOMALIA: Journalists call for the release of Somali Journalist Held for the Second Day in Mogadishu

National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) protests today’s arrest of broadcast journalist by the federal police in Mogadishu.

Nuradin Hassan Ibrahim, editor of SkyFM Radio in Mogadishu, has been arrested at the Crimes Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Mogadishu, following a call to summon him from the officials.  Nuradin has been questioned on how his station has obtained news about a passport stolen from an official stationed at the Prime Minister’s office. 

Nuradin reportedly answered all the questions satisfactorily, but has been arrested due to the influence of General Abdullahi Gafow, head of Immigration and Naturalization Services who lodged complaint against SkyFM at the CID.

“This amounts to physical intimidation of a journalist and appears to be in direct breach of Somalia’s provisional Constitution. It clearly demonstrates how journalists in Somalia are soft target for the authorities who are supposed to uphold principles of rule of law, and respect for independent media to report without fear from retaliation,” said Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of NUSOJ.

NUSOJ call on the Federal Police to immediately release Nuradin Hassan Ibrahim, and allow him to exercise his constitutional freedom as a citizen in general, and as a journalist in particular.

SkyFM is a sister station of Radio Shabelle, which has been subject of systematic abuses for a number of times in the last couple of years.

source: NUSUJ

SOMALIA: Somali Gov’t congratulates Turkish Prime Minister on his AKP party’s victory in the local elections

Mogadishu (RBC) Somali Federal Government has congratulated today the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on his AKP party’s victory in the local elections in Turkey which gave the majority to lead his nation, according to a statement released by Somalia’s Foreign Minister on Monday.

The Statement said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia presents its compliments to the esteemed embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Mogadishu and has the honor to convey to the letter the congratulations of His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud , the President , His Excellency Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, the Prime minister and the People and government of the Federal Republic of Somalia on the occasion of the Victory of His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Prime minister of the Republic of Turkey and his ruling AKP Party during the local elections held in the Republic of Turkey on 30 March 2014 .

The People, Government and Leadership of The Federal Republic of Somalia feel eternally indebted to the magnanimity of the Republic of Turkey and the leadership, foresight and courage of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Mogadishu, the assurances of its highest consideration.

SOURCE: RBC

Egypt court denies bail to Al Jazeera staff

Al Jazeera English journalists were denied bail by a court in Egypt, after spending nearly 100 days in jail since their arrest. Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy, and Baher Mohamed, who have been held in a Cairo prison, appeared in court for the fourth time, on Monday. The court adjourned until April 10. The three men are charged with spreading false news and aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood. Al Jazeera rejects the charges against its staff and continues to call for their immediate release. Greste and seven co-defendants appeared in a caged dock on Monday wearing white prison uniforms, AFP news agency reported. The judge allowed the journalists out of the caged dock during the session, and they were able to address the court directly. Peter Greste told the court that he was a correspondent with 30 years of experience, and had no connection to the Muslim Brotherhood, and Mohamed Fahmy told the judge: "I ask you to find us innocent." "After three hearings, it's apparent that there's no case against us. No witness has anything that incriminates us," Fahmy told AFP, just minutes before the day's proceedings began. Greste's brother Mike said his brother was "strong... but 100 days in prison must have left its effect on him". Monday's hearing comes a day after Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim accused an Al Jazeera editor of helping to leak classified intelligence documents, in a separate espionage trial involving Morsi. Global outcry The high-profile case, in which 17 others are also charged, has sparked a global outcry and fuelled fears of a crackdown on the press by the military-installed authorities. Abdullah al-Shami, from Al Jazeera Arabic channel, has been detained for more than six months without charge and has been on a hunger strike since January 23. Al Jazeera’s correspondents Sue Turton and Dominic Kane, who covered events in Egypt and are now abroad, are being tried in absentia. Institutions including the Australian government, the White House, the European Union and the United Nations have called for the release of the men, and for press freedom to be upheld in Egypt.

Source: AFP

SOMALIA: Puntland Parliament sits in extraordinary session

 

Garowe:-The lawmakers in the Somalia’s Semi-autonomous state of Puntland have met on Monday for an extraordinary session to discuss the region’s budget fir the yrar 2014.

Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has officially opened today’s session calling the lawmakers to approve the budget.

President Gaas said his administration inherited only empty accounts from the former administration as he also expressed his concern over the growing decrease in the export sector of the Bosasso Port.

The region’s Finance Minister Shire Haji Farah also noted that his ministry will need extra funds to fill in the gaps on the budget.

This year’s budget of Puntland is estimated $ 3,408,688 which shows more than $132 million increase compared to the last year’s budget of the region.

look more photos here: 

Somalia: Puntland Forces arrest 20 al-Shabab suspects, Recover Explosives

Puntland Security forces have arrested 20 suspects linked to the Somali militant group and seized an array of improvised explosive devices in the past 48-hours, An Official has Confirmed on Monday.

The Security forces carried massive operations in the towns of Bosaso, Garowe and Galkacyo.

In a Press Conference, Puntland Security Minister Hassan Osman Alore said that the suspects are under interrogation and underlined that the forces have widened the mode of operations for the suspected al-Shabab terrorists that are expected to flee in to the region, after coming under pressure from the AU and Somali troops in Southern Somalia.

‘’These are al-Shabab items obviously. We foiled their mission as they were on course to carryout terror attacks,’’ he said, while presenting the explosives to the Journalists.

The minister lauded the commitment and the efforts of the residents, saying their collaboration was invaluable to the operations.

He called on the residents to continue giving information to the authorities in order to ensure peace and tranquility reigned in the region.

The seizure comes as the semi-autonomous region’s security forces have been on high alert over an imminent terror attacks from the al-Qaeda-linked group, who have lost 10 key towns in the past three weeks.

Two weeks ago, the group claimed the killing of Puntland Commander of forces stationed in Galgala mountain ranges Col Jama Afgudud, who was killed in a highway ambush.

LISTEN HERE VOICE OF THE MINISTER SECURITY OF PUNTLAND STATE-

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Somalia: Puntland’s Health Ministry Vows to deal with ‘Counterfeit drugs’

puntland minister of health Dr. saadik eeno

Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland Health Ministry is launching a major crackdown on counterfeit drug sellers throughout the region.

Dr Sadik Enow, Puntland Minister of Health said that the new administration will introduce a new strategy whereby the health sector will be regulated, and enable the control of the quality of medicine products imported into the region.

He added that teams of monitors will be touring the region’s health centers and ensure counterfeit drugs are not being sold, and raising awareness of the dangers of non-prescribed drugs.

‘’ We are making frantic efforts to ensure that sufficient quantities of legitimate drugs are sold to the people. Therefore we inform all businessmen and other individuals involved in this business to clear their stores and take away the medicines four months prior to their expiry dates’’, he said.

Businessmen and Foreign Companies import medicines from Asian and Other African Countries.

He warned that any businessmen, who fail to follow the new regulations will be heavily penalized.

Since the collapse of the Central government in 1991, Pharmaceutical market in Somalia has not been regulated; this has resulted the country to become a booming market for counterfeits of different products including medicine.

Due to Lack of an effective health sector body, the easiest way to become a pharmacist in Somalia is by installing a small kiosk or pharmacy.

Last month, Puntland Health ministry deported a Kenyan doctor after examining his credentials, which turned to be ‘’fraudulent’’.

Most of the businessmen in the war-ravaged country believe that they have performed a vital service when medicine was in a critical shortage in the 1990s, the beginning of chaos.

Businessmen are also accused of importing drugs that have not been prescribed and some of them already banned from the world.

Source:Horseed Media

SOMALIA: President Hasan sheikh Mohamoud faces stand off from rival political sides in Baydhabo

Baydhabo (RBC) Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who went today on an urgent visit to Baydhabo is still waiting to meet with the two rival groups in the town amid stand off situation, RBC Radio reports.

The President who reached the town’s airport today at mid-day  has remained to stay inside the African Union Forces [AMISOM] base near the airport where he has held meeting with the security officials and AMISOM commanders.

According to the Minister of Trade of Somalia, Adan Mohamed Nur (Saransoor), who is accompanying the president’s delegation in Baydhabo, there was no any official meeting between President Mohamud and the two rival president’s claiming each to be the legal federal state in Baydhabo.

“The President will stay tonight in Baydhabo and will continue his visit.” the minister said adding that the president’s visit was not only to reconcile the two rival groups in Baydhabo nut also to monitor the ongoing military operation against Al Shabab.

According to local sources, anti-President demonstrations forced President Mohamud today to remain in the AMISOM base and not proceed into the down town.

The President decided to see the two sides of the disputed south west administration in his base due to security reasons.” the sources said.

Earlier today, Mohamud Sayid Adan, a vice president of the sic-region south west administration, one of the two disputed groups in Baydhabo said that President Mohamud dispatched them an invitation to meet him in his base but they have dismissed the call.

“The President wants to recognize illegal group as the federal state of the south west regions, that is why we do not see him.”  Mr Adan added.

 Source: RBC

SOMALIA: Federal Gov’t of Somalia to resume talks with Somaliland state

 

Mogadishu :- Federal Government of Somalia has sent a delegation to Turkey to resume talks with the northern Somalia breakaway region of Somaliland.

The delegation from Mogadishu led by the Minister of Transportation and Civil Aviation Sa’id Jama Qorshel departed on Sunday for Istanbul, Turkey.

The Turkish mediated talks between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somaliland administration will enter its fourth round in this week, according to Minister Qorshel who spoke to local media in Mogadishu today.

The fourth rounds talks will focus on the civil aviation issues as well as management of Somalia’s airspace currently controlled by the Nairobi-based UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization.

The Federal Government of Somalia says it is now preparing its team to take the lead and the management of its airspace management and relocate back from Nairobi to Mogadishu.

Meanwhile, another delegation from Somaliland went to Turkey on Saturday from Hargeysa to attend the talks in Istanbul later this week, sources told abdi omar bile.

HOOS KA DAAWO Heestii Puntland Codkii Nasteexo Indho.

Somalia: Puntland President returns to Garowe after provincial tour

GAROWE, Somalia The President of Somalia's Puntland Government Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas has returned to warm welcome to the state capital of Garowe on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters at Puntland State House upon his arrival after the provincial tour, Puntland leader indicated that he had been on visit to towns in Nugal, Bari and Karkaar regions in northeastern Somalia for nine days.

"My chief aim was to listen to the people in those areas, we have toured faraway vicinities which were secure environs," said President Gaas, adding that Puntland people expressed their hope about the governance and stable Puntland.
Puntland leader for the first time departed Garowe for Dangorayo, Qardo, Rako Raho, Waiye , Armo and the port city of Bossaso on and around Galkayo-Bossaso highway since being elected to the state's top political job on 8th of January 2014.

SOMALIA: Parliament sits to discuss the 2014 budget

Mogadishu :-Somalia’s Federal Parliament is holding its first sitting of the 4th parliament session today to discuss the 2014 budget, RBC Radio reports.

Members of the Parliament started to queue up for registration to attend the Saturday’s sitting in which the finance minister is expected to present the draft budget of the 2014 which was passed by the cabinet a week before.

According MP Mohamed Omar, the parliament will have two days to discuss the draft budget and the to vote for its approval.

The country’s three month budget is expected to end on Monday and is expected the government’s service to stand off if the current draft budget is not approved before Monday.

Last week Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and his cabinet called for the parliament to immediately pass the new budget as the government engages in security challenges due to its ongoing military offensive against Al Shabab.

written by: Abdi Omar Bile freelance journalist.

Kenyan leader meets Somali Community to discuss on the Growing Insecurity

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta along with his Vice William Ruto met a group of Somali Community members from the Eastleigh neighborhood to discuss on the growing insecurity in the East African nation.

The meeting which took place on Friday at the State house in the capital, Nairobi was mainly focusing on dealing with the threat of sporadic terror attacks in the country.

Somali community mostly comprising of Businessmen and Religious leaders passed a number of complaints and harassment Somalis leaving in Eastleigh area face during police raids, which result from attacks.

Kenyan leader, Uhuru Kenyatta said that they reached an agreement whereby the Somali community will give hand the Kenyan government on combating ‘’terrorism’’ and confronting individuals involved in ”criminal activities”.

‘’The Government has entered into a pact with the Kenyan Somali community, that will see the community play an active role in combating terrorism threats to the country. Terrorism targeting innocent Kenyans must stop and we have therefore agreed that the top leadership of our security organs will start working with a task force involving businessmen, youth, women and religious leaders from the Kenyan Somali community, that will be instrumental in identifying those involved in criminal activities,’’ he said in a Statement published on his Facebook account.

Eastleigh, which is famously known as ‘’little Mogadishu’’ because It is dominated by ethnic Somalis has shopping malls and other business centers which make an estimated $7 million (more than half a billion Kenyan shillings) a year.

The meeting came days after the Kenyan government ordered all Somali refugees living in urban areas to go back to their camps due to ‘’emergency security challenges’’.

Delivering his speech in the Parliament, President Kenyatta said tourism sector is on ”its knees”, after strings of attacks across the country in which some of them was claimed by the Somali militant group al-Shabab.

Tourism contributes massively to the economy of Kenya.

Source: Horseed Media

SOMALIA: Al Shabab executes three of its members men for spying

Barawe (RBC) Al Shabab fighters on Friday executed three men in Barawe town in the Lower Shabelle region alleging to be spies for the Somalia National Intelligence Agency, RBC Radio reports.

The three men were former members of the group, according to sources in Barawe who spoke in anonymity condition for security reasons.

Mohamed Hassan Ali 28, Mohamud Farah Sabriye Shuriye 47 (former Hisbul Islam officer in Hiran region), and Abdinajib Shire Barre were executed by Al Shabab’s firing squad in an open ground in Barawe late on Friday.

Unnamed Al Shabab’s court judge announced the execution alleging the three for spying an collaborating with the National Security and Intelligence of Mogadishu.

Since the rift and serious infight erupted within Al Shabab fighters, the powerful leader of the group Ahmed Abdi Godane engaged a mass execution against his rival individual within the group.

A month ago two men were also executed in Barawe by the fighters of Al Shabab alleging them for spying the Mujahiden affairs.

Neither independent lawyers nor human rights and media people attend Al Shabab’s courts during their sessions against the defendants they arrest.

Source: raxanreeb.com

wasiirka degaanka dawlada puntland guuleed saalax barre oo garoowe dib ugu soo noqday

Wasiirka deegaanka Duur-joogta iyo dalxiiska dawlada mudane Puntland Guleed Saalax Bare ayaa maanta dib ugu soo noqday magaalada caasimada ah ee Garoowe, kadib markii uu shirar kala duwan kaga qayb galay Nairobi kenya.

wasiirka degaanka dawlada puntland/guuleed saalax barre

  wasiirka waxaa garoonka diyaaradaha garoowe ku soo dhaweeyay qayb kamid ah golaha wasiirada, sida wasiir dawlaha madaxtooyada, wasiir kuxigeenka arrimaha gudaha iyo duqa degmada garoowe iyo shaqaalaha wasaarada degaanka xubno ka socday, waxaa safarka wasiirka ku waheliyay wasiirka beeraha iyo waraabka oo kala qayb galay wasiirka degaanka shirarka ay kenya kulayeesheen madaxda haayadaha UNDP iyo FAO.

Qore: cabdi cumar bile

Bulo Burde residents return years after fleeing al-Shabaab's brutal rule

Bulo Burde residents who several years ago fled al-Shabaab's oppressive rule are now returning to renovate their homes and businesses and rebuild their lives.

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Their return was made possible after the Somali National Army (SNA) and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) liberated the town from al-Shabaab on March 13th, local elders and returning residents told Sabahi.

"For two years, I lived in Beledweyne with my family of nine to be safe from the problems al-Shabaab was inflicting on the people," said Hassan Ali, a 52-year-old traditional elder from Bulo Burde, while shopping for home construction materials in the city of Beledweyne.

"I did not experience any problems during the period when I lived in Beledweyne, but I lived in a rented house for $100 [per month]," he told Sabahi. "Now my plan is to renovate my home that I was away from for two years. I have started replacing the roof and all of the doors, which were aging."

Ali said he decided return to Bulo Burde after two years due in part to the idea that the return of other citizens would help improve security.

"If everyone says Bulo Burde is not safe, I do not think there will be security," he said. "However, the return of the people that were away from the city for many years, such as myself, can be a sign of good hope and encourage those who are anxious about the security of Bulo Burde."

Shamso Hassan, a 37-year-old widowed mother of six, said she returned to Bulo Burde after living in Beledweyne for four years to start renovating her building, which has small stores on the ground floor and residences above.

"During the period I was away from my home, al-Shabaab destroyed the doors of three shops that are part of my house after my tenants fled," she told Sabahi. "I was told that in 2012 they destroyed the doors of all abandoned businesses that had locked doors."

"Thanks to God, I am now renovating them, and I welcome the ousting of al-Shabaab from the town," she said.

Ali Mumin, 51, another traditional elder from Bulo Burde, called on all the people who fled from al-Shabaab's oppression many years ago to come home and take part in the re-building of the town.

"For many years, people were fleeing the town and it was rare to see anyone moving in," he told Sabahi. "However, it is now obvious that every family that lost hope in living in this town is sending one individual to renovate the homes they fled."

"It is difficult to describe what al-Shabaab was doing to people in Bulo Burde, the worst of which included recruiting children as fighters, forcefully marrying girls as well as looting the property of the people," he said. "Therefore, everyone can understand that this was a place where life was difficult for many years."

For his part, Hiran region police chief Colonel Ali Isaq Abdulle said security forces in the town were working to ensure public safety because many of the people returning to Bulo Burde were living in other regions under government rule.

"The people's hopes have improved tremendously after we removed al-Shabaab from the town. Each person is occupied with re-building his or her home or place of business," he told Sabahi.

Abdulle said the SNA and AMISOM forces would continue with their operations throughout Hiran region until al-Shabaab is eliminated, and he asked the pubic to work with them.

"The terrorists crippled the town's progress in the seven years they controlled Bulo Burde," he said. "We are calling on diaspora residents who are from Hiran region to invest in the town of Bulo Burde."

Source: Sabahi online

Somali forces wring control of key town in south

Somali government forces have gained control of a key southern town, making progress toward a major stronghold of al-Shabab fighters.

Government troops, backed by the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), finally gained control of Qoryooley on Saturday, after a heavy battle outside the town in lower Shabele region.

Hundreds of local residents fled the area to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

The troops are now closing in on the al-Shabab coastal bastion of Barawe.

The town is located between the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and the southern port city of Kismayo, which is controlled by Kenyan AMISOM troops.

The joint Somali and AU forces have launched an extensive offensive against the al-Shabab fighters throughout the country in the past month.

UN envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay has called the offensive "the most significant and geographically extensive military advance" since AU troops started operations in 2007.

Al-Shabab fighters were pushed out of Mogadishu and other major towns in Somalia by AMISOM – which is made up of troops from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Kenya.

But the group still controls large swathes of land in southern Somalia and continues to target the foreign troops in the country.

In February, the United Nations refugee agency voiced concern over the rising number of Somalis displaced as a result of violent clashes between AU-backed government forces and al-Shabab fighters.

Somalia did not have an effective central government from 1991 until August 2012. In September 2012, Somali lawmakers elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new president of Somalia.

Prime Minister meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister to discuss ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab

His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed today held a side meeting during the IGAD Drought Resilience Summit with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, to discuss ongoing operations against Al-Shabaab, the political process in Baidoa and regional infrastructure development.

The Prime Minister conveyed his thanks to Ethiopia for their ongoing support, commitment and sacrifice to the AMISOM mission in Somalia. Whilst the Ethiopian Prime Minister congratulated the Prime Minister and praised the bravery of the Somalia National Army in their successes in liberating ten key towns from the hands of Al-Shabaab.

The Prime Ministers discussed yesterday’s liberation of El-Bur town and the Federal Government of Somalia’s stabilisation efforts across liberated regions. The pair discussed the role Ethiopian engineers from AMISOM are playing in rebuilding local infrastructure following Al-Shabaabs targeted destruction of water points, power stations and other key infrastructure. Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, said: “Operations across Somalia against Al-Shabaab continue with great speed and success, thanks to the bravery and commitment of the Somali National Army and our AMISOM brothers.

“The liberating forces are being welcomed with open arms by the local people and we must quickly restore peace and order to these regions. Al-Shabaab have left a trail of destruction as they have fled and we must now stabilise and rebuild these towns with utmost urgency.

“All those that put down their weapons and renounce violence will be given the opportunity to re-integrate into the community and reengage productively in the rebuilding of our nation.”

The Prime Minister briefed his Ethiopian counterpart on the political and reconciliation engagements efforts ongoing in Baidoa to promote a unified process for the formation of the regional administration. The Federal Government of Somalia has invited the political and traditional elders to Mogadishu for a pre-consultation meeting aimed at taking this reconciliation and political process forward.

Discussing the role regional infrastructure development projects could have for economic growth and security across the region, the Prime Minister, said: “Improvement of and investment in infrastructure within the region would greatly improve the connectivity, economy and the lives of people and communities across the region.

“Ethiopia has already started the construction of a hydro energy power grid that could in future bring power to Somalia and I look forward to continuing to take discussions on this forward. This is an example of the type of project and investment that our region should be working together on to develop and implement.”