Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki cannot afford to ignore Ethiopia's peace offer.
by Abraham T ZereWednesday June 13, 2018

On June 5, Ethiopia announced it would fully accept and implement the 2000 Algiers Peace Accord that ended its border war with Eritrea.
It also said it would accept a 2002 ruling by the UN-backed Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), which awarded several disputed territories, including the town of Badme, to Eritrea. Ethiopia had been ignoring the commission's ruling and refusing to withdraw its troops from these territories for the past 16 years, making the demarcation of the border practically impossible.Adis Ababa's announcement last week was welcomed as a major step towards permanently calming the deadly tensions between the two warring neighbours.Celebrations and concernsEritreans in the diaspora celebrated Ethiopia's announcement as if it was a national holiday - a second independence day of sorts. They were happy because they assumed the statement would start a normalisation process between the two countries, which could encourage the Eritrean government to finally abandon its policies of militarisation and loosen its iron grip on the population.Ads By Google But, as the days passed and the Eritrean government remained silent on the subject, the Eritrean diaspora's enthusiasm and joy transformed into disappointment and anger.Rare reports from inside Eritrea indicated that Eritreans still living in their homeland also welcomed the news. Of course, Eritreans in the country were not able to celebrate Addis Ababa's surprising declaration openly. "We have been beaten down to submissiveness and even lost the language of celebration," a contact in Asmara told me. "People have been waiting for state approval to celebrate it officially and openly." He asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.The response from independent experts who have been working with the Eritrean government was also prompt and clear. Lea Brilmayer, a professor of international law at Yale Law School, who led the Eritrean Boundary Commission and later the Claims Commission, told the Voice of America: "If the statement was made in good faith and they [Ethiopia] implement it, that would be great".But Addis Ababa's unexpected move was not necessarily welcomed by all. Eritrean residents of the Tsorena sub-zone in the border area, where the Border Commission had awarded several villages to Ethiopia, have openly expressed concerns. One of their representatives anonymously spoke to Australia's Radio SBS Tigrinya via telephone and pleaded with the two governments to consider his community's unique concerns.Meanwhile, ethnic Irobs living in the border area between the two countries currently under Ethiopia's rule organised a protest to condemn the decision to accept the boundary commission's ruling. Irobs say the implementation of the "arbitrary" borders drawn by the border commission would divide their community between the two countries.Despite these concerns and protests, most observers expected an enthusiastic response from the Eritrean government, which appeared to have finally gotten what it always wanted. Yet, no official response has come from the Eritrean state to date.When contacted by Reuters on the day of the announcement, Eritrea's Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel claimed that he had not yet seen the Ethiopian government's statement, so could not immediately comment. A day later, when pressed to comment on the issue on Twitter, Gebremeskel simply said, "Our position is crystal clear and has been so for 16 years". He did not elaborate.Other officials from the Eritrean regime also chose to stay quiet about the announcement that carried the African nation to headlines around the globe. This was not surprising; as in Ethiopia, Eritrean officials do not usually comment on such issues before receiving some guidance from more senior members of the regime. Only after Gebremeskel's tweet did some of them began sharing - albeit vague- opinions on the issue.Eritrean regime caught off-guardUnder President Isaias Afwerki's ironclad rule, Eritrea has become increasingly isolated from the international community. In 2009, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on the country, which are still in force.In 2016, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea accused Eritrean state officials of committing "crimes against humanity". For decades, things have been getting worse for Eritreans thanks to the short-sighted policies of the country's repressive and reclusive government. The state has also become increasingly militarised under Afwerki's rule.The Eritrean government blames Ethiopia and the international community for all its problems and refused to take any responsibility for the grave situation the country is currently in. In their 2017 report submitted to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, the Eritrean government once again tried to blame all its wrongdoings and failures on "the border war with Ethiopia that erupted in May 1998 and the subsequent ongoing existential external threats and belligerencies against Eritrea".But today, the Eritrean government appears to be caught off guard by Ethiopia's unexpected readiness to resolve the long-standing bone of contention between the two countries. The Eritrean regime seems confused, unprepared and clueless about how it should respond to Ethiopia's peace offer. Ethiopia's call for normalisation and peace put President Afwerki in a very difficult position, as it undermines his current strategy of blaming Ethiopia for his repressive rule. Afwerki kept the country under tight control for two decades by using the "Ethiopia threat" as an excuse. Even if not fully convinced, many Eritreans were coerced to accept those fears as "legitimate" and stoically withstand years of economic hardship, political repression, and military obligations that are akin to modern slavery.If Ethiopia does follow through with its stated intention to accept the Boundary Commission's 2002 verdict, it's doubtful that Eritreans would accept any further fearmongering from the Afwerki administration regarding Addis Ababa's actions and intentions. If Afwerki attempts to dismiss or undermine this long-awaited gesture from its neighbour, the population may openly turn against the regime.Eritreans have been demonstrating their willingness to make amends with their neighbour for a very long time. Over the last few years, many Eritreans actively defied their government by travelling to Ethiopia to visit friends and family on Eritrean passports via a third country. These visits helped the Eritrean public hear from the Ethiopian people directly and diluted the state-controlled media's hateful rhetoric about Ethiopia.Today, there is a real opportunity to reach a peaceful resolution of this long-standing conflict. If the Eritrean government tries to ignore Addis Ababa's peace offer, it will find itself taking a stance against not only the Ethiopian government but also the Eritrean people.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.

This article originally appeared on Aljazeera website
advertisements

• Lawmaker calls for end to US taxpayer money for Somali National Army - WLJA
• Puntland president sacks Intelligence and Security chiefs - HOL
• Somaliland fishermen out of work after cyclone Sagar destroyed boats and cold stores - Radio Ergo
• Dubai hotel terminates contract with head chef Atul Kochhar for ‘anti-Islam’ tweet - Scroll.in
• Violent extremism in Africa caused '33,300 fatalities' - Anadolu Agency
• AMISOM meets to evaluate projects - New Vision
• Somalia to print new currency with highest denominations - HOL
• Strengthening African Science - Project Syndicate
• 'Leave now, pay later' migration scams lure Somali teens to their deaths - TRF
• Nearly impossible to close Dadaab - NRC
• Somali, Somali Bantu Communities Reel From Double Tragedies - Seven Days
• Chinese envoy tours health facility for Somali children - Xinhua

Halkan ka daalaco qarammada ka qayb galaya koobka kubadda cagta adduunka ee ka dhacaya Ruushka. Waxaad sidoo kale daalac kartaa magacyada tababareyaasha iyo cayaartoyda xul kasta uga qayb galaya tartanka.

Hiiraan Online Wednesday June 13, 2018FILE PHOTO - Puntland President Abdiweli Ali GaasGarowe (HOL) - Puntland president, Abdiweli Ali Gaas has dismissed the state's Security and Intelligence chiefs just hours after the state issued a security alert over possible attacks in Garowe.In a Presidential decree, both the directors of Puntland Intelligence Agency (PIA), Abdirisack Ise Hussein, and the Security forces of Puntland State of Somalia (PSS), Abdullahi Adam Mohamed have been relieved of their duties.The decree dated 13th June 2018 says the sacking of the officials will take effect on today (Wednesday).The official document did not provide specific reasons for the dismissal of the two officials.Ads By Google Puntland police Chief, Farah Abdirahman Warsame issued a security alert on Wednesday morning following intelligence reports of planned Al-Shabaab attacks in Garowe.“We have information that Al-Shabab plans to stage terror attacks. We also have information that the group plans to use Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) in their attack," said Warsame.The official urged the public to be vigilant and to work with the law enforcement agencies to thwart off an attack.“We are therefore urging members of the public to remain on high alert and be on extra vigilant,” he noted.Al-Shabab has increased its attacks against the Somali government and its member states.Last week, the militants attacked a Puntland military base in Bali-Khadar village, the fierce firefight caused the death of dozens of combatants from both sides.In a statement posted on its affiliate media, Al-Shabab claimed to have over 20 Puntland soldiers.Puntland on its side displayed over 15 bodies of Suspected Al-Shabab terrorists killed in the attack.The militant group also carried over ten deadly attacks on SNA bases across the country since the beginning of Ramadan.
advertisements

• Lawmaker calls for end to US taxpayer money for Somali National Army - WLJA
• Somaliland fishermen out of work after cyclone Sagar destroyed boats and cold stores - Radio Ergo
• Dubai hotel terminates contract with head chef Atul Kochhar for ‘anti-Islam’ tweet - Scroll.in
• Violent extremism in Africa caused '33,300 fatalities' - Anadolu Agency
• AMISOM meets to evaluate projects - New Vision
• Somalia to print new currency with highest denominations - HOL
• Strengthening African Science - Project Syndicate
• 'Leave now, pay later' migration scams lure Somali teens to their deaths - TRF
• Nearly impossible to close Dadaab - NRC
• Somali, Somali Bantu Communities Reel From Double Tragedies - Seven Days
• Chinese envoy tours health facility for Somali children - Xinhua

Xisbiga TPLF ee qowmiyadda Tigreyga ee Ethiopia ayaa sheegay in isbeddelada toddobaadkii uu Ra’iisal Wasaaraha dalka Abiy Axmed ku dhawaaqay ay meel mareen iyada oo si wadajir ah aan looga tashan.

Dowladda Ghana ayaa guddi kumeel gaar ah oo ka kooban 5 qof u saartay inay maamulan kubada cagta ee dalkaasi, kadib markii maxkamadda sare ay kala dirtay xiriirka kubad cagta ee dalkaasi muddo 10 beri ah.

Golaha guud ee Qaramada Midoobay ayaa si buuxda isugu raacay qaraar ay ku cambaareynayaan adeegsiga awooda xad dhaafka ah ee ay ciidammada Israel u adeegsadaan dadka rayidka ah ee Falastiin.

Muqdisho ( Sh. M. Network )-Tartankani Qur’aan akhriska ah ayaa waxa uu u dhexeeyay illaa iyo 91 arday oo ka kala socday 41 dugsi oo ku yaalla gudaha M/ Muqdisho.
Tartankan ayaa labadii isbuuc ee la soo dhaafay ka socday Masjidul Nuur oo ku yaalla degmadaasi, iyadoona shalay lagu soo gabagabeeyay Masjidkaasi.
Waxaana tartanka uu ka koobnaa illaa 3 qeybood oo kala ah 15 jus, 10 jus iyo 5 jus oo ka mid ah Qur’aanka Kariimka.
Ardayda kaalmaha hore ka galay tartankan qiimaha badan ayaa waxaa lagu abaalmariyay lacago, moobeelo iyo wax la’is guddoonsiiyo waxa ugu kheyrka badan oo ah kalaamka Alle.
Sheekh Xasan Maxamed Nuur Siidii oo ka mid ah guddigii tartanka oo la hadlay Shabelle ayaa sheegay in tartankan ay soo wadeen muddo 3 sano ah.
Tartamada nuucan ee lagu dhiira geliyo ardayda ayaa inta badan la qabtaa bisha barakeysan ee Ramadaan, waana kan ugu kheyrka badan wax lagu tartamo.
Halkan hoose ka dhageyso Warbixinta.

http://radioshabelle.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tar.mp3
 
 
The post Tartan Qur’aan akhris ah Oo lagu soo gabagabeeyay degmada Dharkenley appeared first on Shabelle.

Muqdisho ( Sh. M. Network )-Faah faahinno dheeraad ah ayaa ka soo baxaya dagaal khasaaro geystay oo xalay ka dhacay M/ Baladweyne ee xarunta gobolka Hiiraan.
Dagaalkan ayaa yimid kadib markii rag hubeysan ay weerar ku qaadeen Ciidamo ka tirsan kuwa dowladda oo ku socdaalayay gudaha magaaladaasi.
Kooxda weerarka soo qaatay ayaa la sheegay in ay gaareyeen tiro ahaan ku dhawaad 10, sida ay xaqiijiyeen ilo lagu kalsoonaan karo.
Saraakiil ka tirsan kuwa dowladda ayaa sheegay in dagaalkaasi ay ku dileen mid ka mid ahaa raggii soo qaaday weerarkaasi, iyagana loo dhaawacay 1 askari, sida ay hadalka u dhigeen.
Sidoo kale saraakiishan ayaa intaasi  ku daray in saakay ay ku raad joogaan kooxihii ka dambeeyay weerarkaasi, iyagoona howlgallo ka wada xaafado ka mid ah magaalada Baladweyne ee xarunta gobolka Hiiraan.
Weli ma jirto cid sheegatay in ay ka dambeysay masuuliyadda weerarkaasi lagu qaaday ciidamada milatariga dowladda.
Balse inta bada Al Shabaab ayaa weero dhaba gal ah ku qaada Ciidamada dowladda iyo kuwa Jabuuti ee ka howlgalla gobolka Hiiraan ee bartamaha Soomaaliya.
The post Dagaal khasaaro geystay Oo ka dhacay Baladweyne appeared first on Shabelle.

THE DRIVE Thursday June 14, 2018Details remain very scarce, but what we do know is that a naval vessel belonging to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been successfully struck by Houthi Rebels.The ship was operating in the Red Sea off the embattled Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. It is unclear just how extensive the damage to the vessel is, if there are any casualties, and what method of attack was used at this time.The incident occurred as Saudi-led coalition forces were making an amphibious assault near the city, part of an ongoing blitz to clear Houthi rebels from the area that has included past amphibious landings. According to the Houthis, a pair of missiles struck a landing ship as it was conveying equipment and personnel ashore, leading to the retreat of a flotilla of coalition vessels and a search and rescue operation. The coalition has yet to comment on the attack. Ads By Google In the past, Houthi rebels have used both anti-ship cruise missiles and explosive-laden remote-controlled boats of Iranian origin to attack ships transiting the Red Sea. Naval mines are also known to be present in the highly strategic channel near the Mandeb Strait, a tight stretch of water that connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Houthi forces have also used improvised surface-to-air missile systems captured from the Yemeni military to attack Saudi-led coalition aircraft operating over the country.Everything from U.S. Navy destroyers to tanker ships have been attacked by Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea, with Saudi Arabian naval ships being struck a number of times. But the first wave of this relatively high-tech assault by irregular Houthi forces occurred back on October 2nd, 2016 when the high-speed logistics catamaran HSV-2 Swift was destroyed by an anti-ship missile. The vessel belonged to the UAE at the time but had previously served with the United States Navy as an experimental testing vessel. HSV-2's burnt-out carcass was eventually towed to Greece for salvage. The potential loss of another UAE ship would be a major development in the Yemeni civil war that has now dragged on for over three years. It also would be the first successful strike on a coalition ship since Donald Trump pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal and is now looking to counter Iran's extra-territorial military excursions in the region with heavier-handed measures.We will update this article when more information becomes available.
advertisements

• UGANDA: Court to view exhibits in al-Shabaab terrorism trial - New Vision
• UK warns against travel to Somalia - HOL
• SOMALIA: A tipping-point talk in London - The Africa Report
• MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation - The Local
• Development programs can help reduce political violence - War on the Rocks
• Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust - Daily Sabah
• New Mpls parks commissioner ‘optimistic, hopeful, fearless’ - MSR
• Somali students volunteer to educate IDP children in Mogadishu - Radio Ergo

Work on the rocks Thursday June 14, 2018Maintaining a critical eye toward development programs — particularly those with the explicit intent to counter violent extremism — is important, especially given the dearth of rigorous research analyzing their impact over the short and long term. In a recent article in War on the Rocks, Jessica Trisko Darden uses research from our global organization, Mercy Corps, to convey the flaws inherent to development programs seeking to counter violent extremism. We commend Trisko Darden for pushing those seeking to counter violent extremism to be more self-reflective and to ensure that development programs do not exacerbate the very issues they seek to address. Yet, we find her characterization of our research incomplete and in some cases inaccurate. We stand by the conclusions offered in recent Mercy Corps reports on Somalia and Afghanistan: Under certain circumstances, development interventions can decrease support for political violence.Program ObjectivesWe want to correct the record regarding the original program goals, the intent of the research, and the findings themselves. To build her argument, Trisko Darden highlights our research findings related to two programs that Mercy Corps implements—the Somali Youth Learners Initiative, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the INVEST program in Kandahar, Afghanistan, funded by the State Department (not by the United States Institute for Peace, as her article states).It is important to note that neither the Somali youth program nor INVEST are development programs with an original, explicit objective or strategy to counter violent extremism or to prevent youth radicalization. The Somali program reflects USAID’s broader development agenda in Somalia, which prioritizes job opportunities, particularly for youth. The INVEST program sought to improve the employability of vulnerable, displaced Afghan youth in Kandahar through technical vocational training.Ads By Google In Kandahar, we also studied cash transfers, a short-term economic intervention that humanitarian organizations use to help displaced communities globally. We sought to test the effects of cash transfers and the INVEST program by asking whether these programs might also reduce support for political violence rather than against their original intended economic goal. Many countering violent extremism programs have focused on vocational training, and our research partners wanted to add in the additional element of cash, an immediate and relative less expensive economic solution, to the study.Our FindingsWe are committed to transparency in our research — presenting both the positive and negative findings from these studies. Trisko Darden’s article, however, only highlights findings that align with her argument that countering violent extremism programs are ineffective or harmful, while overlooking results that suggest these programs’ potential to reduce support for violence. For instance, her article highlights that the provision of cash in Kandahar by itself increased relative support for armed opposition groups such as the Taliban (by roughly 4.5 percent). Yet the more important point is the central finding of that study: The combination of cash and vocational training reduced relative support for armed opposition groups by nearly four times that effect (a reduction of 17 percent).With regards to the youth program that we implement in Somaliland, Trisko Darden incorrectly states that the secondary education program provided in the semi-autonomous Somaliland region of Somalia, made youth less likely to use violence in personal disputes – there was no statistically significant effect. She is correct, however, in reporting our finding that providing secondary education to youth in Somaliland did increase their self-reported support for political violence. We carefully evaluated these findings when they came out two years ago and arrived at a preliminary analysis based on our field research to explain them – it seems that as Somaliland youth became more educated, they had higher expectations for their future and became dissatisfied with their government’s ability to respond to their needs. Yet even if they supported political violence, their rates of participating in political violence went down. Our research found that those enrolled in the secondary education program in Somaliland were 16 percent less likely to have actually used violence for a political cause. By decreasing social isolation, secondary school enrollment in Somalia seemed to protect youth against recruitment by armed groups.Moreover, Trisko Darden neglects to mention positive findings from our research of the same Somali youth program implemented in the more conflict-affected areas of Puntland and South Central Somalia: In these unstable parts of Somalia, youth who were enrolled in secondary schools through the Somali youth program were 48 percent less likely to support political violence. Those who received both secondary education programming and participated in civic engagement activities were 64 percent less likely to support political violence. Overall, these studies suggest — contrary to Trisko Darden’s conclusion — that development programs can be effective in reducing support for political violence, particularly when individuals benefit from a number of different types of resources and programming.Lessons for Countering Violent ExtremismAs with any empirical research, we must not draw overly broad generalizations from these preliminary studies but rather use them as the basis for adapting programs and testing new approaches. Nonetheless, over the past few years, after conducting nearly a dozen studies on political violence across seven countries, we are arriving at some common understandings: We are learning that, for development programs to reduce support for and participation in violence, they must be multi-dimensional, addressing both individuals’ skill deficits and desire for upward mobility in addition to short- and long-term economic needs. In Somalia, we found consistently that when young people were both enrolled in formal schools and participating in civic activities, they were less inclined to support violence. In addition, we have found that successful strategies for countering violent extremism need to challenge the source of deep-rooted grievances, which often involve unjust or weak governance and real or perceived inequality. Our research finds that when individuals, particularly youth, find avenues to participate civically in their communities — for instance, through community service or advocacy campaigns — they can constructively channel grievances.Advancing the Research FieldOur research goal is to advance our field’s overall understanding of the potential for certain development programs — and more likely a combination of them — to reduce political violence. We are collecting evidence that might be helpful to Mercy Corps’ and the broader NGO sector’s ability to design future programs aimed at shifting local attitudes about the use of violence. Nonetheless, we always moderate expectations about our findings, acknowledging the limitations inherent to this type of field research. One significant limitation is that we rely on self-reported survey responses to measure our respondents’ support for — and in some cases actual participation in — political violence.We believe there are many rich research questions yet unanswered regarding the root causes of radicalization and political violence. Answering them requires rigorous evidence and sophisticated methodologies. We encourage a healthy dose of skepticism and self-critique to ensure that development programs are not inadvertently harmful, are implemented efficiently, and remain accountable to donors’ objectives. We emphatically agree with Trisko Darden that more can be done to improve programs designed with the goal of countering violent extremism in mind, as well as to address the broader social, economic and political goals of stability. Although our field has a long way to go, we see some potential for improved programming based on our research from Somalia, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
advertisements

• UGANDA: Court to view exhibits in al-Shabaab terrorism trial - New Vision
• UK warns against travel to Somalia - HOL
• SOMALIA: A tipping-point talk in London - The Africa Report
• MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation - The Local
• UAE Naval Vessel Attacked By Houthi Rebels Off Yemeni Coast During Amphibious Operation - The Drive
• Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust - Daily Sabah
• New Mpls parks commissioner ‘optimistic, hopeful, fearless’ - MSR
• Somali students volunteer to educate IDP children in Mogadishu - Radio Ergo

Thursday June 14, 2018Minister for Immigration and Integration Inger Støjberg. Photo: Bax Lindhardt/Ritzau Scanpix
Denmark has an undisclosed agreement with Somalia to return
individuals to the Northeast African country, according to reports.

The agreement provides for up to 12 people to be returned to Somalia by Denmark annually, Politiken reported last year, but it has not been officially confirmed and details of individual cases have not been disclosed.

But one of the deportations that may have been carried out under the arrangement was reported by TV2 on Wednesday.

A woman from the Vollsmose neighbourhood in Odense told TV2
that she had been subject to attempted extortion by one or more
immigration officers in Somalia over the deportation of her son from
Denmark.
Ads By Google The woman, Saynab Iman Shikhow, is the mother of a man who was deported after being convicted for theft and selling drugs.

She said that she had received threatening telephone calls from men in
Somalia over the deportation, in which she was told her son would be
beheaded if she did not pay 10,000 dollars.

“These men that are threatening me now… If he is sent back to them it will be all over for him,” she told TV2.

After being initially deported in January, he is reported to have been
rejected by authorities in Somalia, who are said to have been
unconvinced he was a national of the African country. He was then sent
back to Denmark.

Shikhow said that she received the threatening calls while her son was
subsequently in prison in Denmark, where he now awaits a second
deportation.

Opposition party the Social Democrats said clarification was needed over the issue.

“I think this sounds serious. Nobody should receive threats in a
situation like this, so we plan to contact Inger Støjberg and ask for a
confidential explanation of what is going on with this case,” the
party’s spokesperson for immigration issues Mattias Tesfaye told TV2.

The Ministry of Immigration and Integration stated via a written
message that the agreement between Denmark and Somalia was confidential
and that no further comment would be given.

“Denmark has, over an extended period, worked towards establishing a
partnership with Somalian authorities regarding the deportation of
Somalian citizens from Denmark to Somalia. This work is confidential at
the request of Somalia, so the ministry is unable to comment further,”
the ministry wrote to TV2.

The media reports it has obtained a document stating that an arrangement between the two countries is in effect.

The document notes that there is a “verbal agreement between the
Somalian authorities and the Danish authorities that has resulted in a
specific plan of action for compulsory deportations of Somalian citizens
without legal permission to reside in Denmark,” TV2 writes.

An MP from a second party, the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), has called for more transparency over the arrangement.

“This asks fundamental questions about the arrangement Denmark has with
Somalia. Is this a functional Somalian government or a criminal network
trying to extort and exploit deported individuals?”, MP Nikolaj
Villumsen said.

TV2 reports it was unable to reach Støjberg for comment over the issue.
advertisements

• UGANDA: Court to view exhibits in al-Shabaab terrorism trial - New Vision
• UK warns against travel to Somalia - HOL
• SOMALIA: A tipping-point talk in London - The Africa Report
• Development programs can help reduce political violence - War on the Rocks
• UAE Naval Vessel Attacked By Houthi Rebels Off Yemeni Coast During Amphibious Operation - The Drive
• Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust - Daily Sabah
• New Mpls parks commissioner ‘optimistic, hopeful, fearless’ - MSR
• Somali students volunteer to educate IDP children in Mogadishu - Radio Ergo

Markasta oo uu Muqdisho ka dhoco weerar is miidaamin ah, kaliya ma galaafto nafta dad badan, balse waxaa sidoo kale ka dhaca burbur hantiyeed oo tiro badan.

Thursday June 14, 2018By Mary HarperParticipants attend the opening of a
Joint AMISOM and Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) conference in
Mogadishu, Somalia, on July 24, 2017. AMISOM Photo/ Omar AbdisalanThe government of President Mohamed got a dose of support at an international conference in May, but diplomats worry about its ability to defeat Al-ShabaabThe talk was of a tipping point when some kingpins of African diplomacy descended on Lancaster House in central London to deliberate on Somalia on 11 May. The unanswered question after a day of discussion was: tipping into what?Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May opened proceedings with some upbeat claims on Somalia: “Look how far we have come in the last five years.” Piracy had been dealt with, and the Islamist rebels of Al-Shabaab had been “driven out of many of the areas they once controlled” and no longer “pose an existential threat.” United Nations secretary general António Guterres was listening in the front row of attendees, as were AU Commission chair Mahamat Moussa Faki, the presidents of Kenya and Uganda Uhuru Kenyatta and Yoweri Museveni, and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.It is true that Al-Shabaab has lost full control of many towns. Crucially, it was pushed out of Kismayo, Merca and Brava ports, which had been used to finance much of its operations.Ads By Google President Mohamed ‘Farmajo’ Abdullahi Mohamed was elected by a small group of officials last year and made hefty promises at the conference, not least the defeat of Al-Shabaab within two years (see interview). Because of the logistical and other challenges in organising a national election, few Somalis were involved in the selection of the new president. But after a relatively successful stint as prime minister, he is a popular figure.
BETTER ALTERNATIVESBut Mohamed’s prom­ises have been made before. After a decade of fighting, Al-Shabaab has proved resilient and adaptable. It still controls vast swathes of Somalia and can attack Mogadishu and many big towns at will. It remains a threat to neighbouring states, especially Kenya. A splinter group linked to the Middle East-based Islamic State ­rebels operates in Somalia’s north-­eastern Puntland state.Somalia’s new foreign minister, Yusuf Garaad Omar, a former head of the BBC Somali Service, says the government has a realistic plan to defeat Al-Shabaab. It includes beefed-up military tactics, offers of amnesty to defectors and a national security plan to reform the security ­forces. The government knows that to stop people joining Al-Shabaab it has to offer better alternatives.It plans to boost the army to 18,000 soldiers, properly paid and trained. And it wants to reform relations between the centre and the new federal states. That plan is risky. Some of the new states trust neither the government in Mogadishu nor the federal troops. They have their own security forces and want to maintain command and control. Resource-sharing between the centre and the regions is yet to be agreed, and Somalia has still not finalised its constitution.The conference agreed a new security pact that aims to coordinate foreign military assistance far better. A fully coordinated system may not be possible. The UAE, for example, has recently agreed a deal with the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in the north-west to build a military base in the port city of Berbera. Turkey is constructing a vast military facility on the coast south of Mogadishu.Now, there is talk of the day when 10-year-old AMISOM, the AU peacekeeping force, will be replaced by Somali troops. But recent withdrawals by Ethiopian troops from Somali towns show the fragility of the situation. Al-Shabaab fighters have sauntered back in within hours, slaughtering civilians they accuse of spying for the ‘infidels’.Land disputes are a growing problem, partly fuelled by returning members of the diaspora. Those who stayed put resent Somalis who swagger in from abroad and grab top positions, often ignoring the complexities of clan politics. The new president, prime minister, speaker of the house and much of the cabinet are from the diaspora.
REMITTANCESLess controversially, Somalia’s huge diaspora is helping to save lives and rebuild the country through remittances averaging some $2bn a year. They are particularly critical as Somalia’s heavy foreign debt arrears have cut it off from most sources of international finance.The London conference was useful in so far as it refocused international attention on the crisis and developed a more coordinated roadmap with more input from Somali nationals.But some Somalis were disappointed. At conference side events, many questions asked were about justice. Why have people been allowed to get away with killings, sexual violence, targeted assassinations and violent land seizures for years? When will they be made to answer for their crimes and how?Small steps are being taken. In March, the government and the United Nations agreed on the Joint Rule of Law Programme. Even with a modest budget of $8m, it is a start. Mobile courts are already operating in two regional states, Jubaland and South-West.More widely the test for the new government is whether it will make a difference on those core issues of justice, the economy, peace and security. That is what positive change it can make for the bulk of Somalis who have lived lives of immense difficulty over the past 30 years, many of whom have no idea what peace looks, sounds or smells like. Mary Harper is Africa Editor for BBC World Service News and author of Getting Somalia Wrong? Faith, War and Hope in a Shattered State (Zed Books). She is now writing a book about Al-Shabaab.
advertisements

• UGANDA: Court to view exhibits in al-Shabaab terrorism trial - New Vision
• UK warns against travel to Somalia - HOL
• MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation - The Local
• Development programs can help reduce political violence - War on the Rocks
• UAE Naval Vessel Attacked By Houthi Rebels Off Yemeni Coast During Amphibious Operation - The Drive
• Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust - Daily Sabah
• New Mpls parks commissioner ‘optimistic, hopeful, fearless’ - MSR
• Somali students volunteer to educate IDP children in Mogadishu - Radio Ergo

Hiiraan Online Thursday June 14, 2018FILE - The British Embassy in Mogadishu. Getty Images London (HOL) - The British government has issued a travel advisory on Thursday to its citizens to not travel to Somalia, including Somaliland except for the cities of Hargeisa and Berbera, to which the FCO only advised that citizens should travel only if it is “essential”. 
“Any British national visiting Hargeisa or Berbera should exercise a heightened level of vigilance and take care in public places where people gather. Monitor local and international media to avoid any demonstration or disturbance taking place. Leave any area of unrest quickly and don’t attempt to watch or photograph it.”Ads By Google The advisory issued ahead of the busy holiday travel season says that terror attacks are “very likely” to be carried out in Somalia and also warns against the threat of kidnap.“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Somalia. There is a high threat of kidnap throughout Somalia. Terrorist groups have made threats against westerners and those working for western organisations. There is a constant threat of terrorist attack in Mogadishu and terrorists continue to plan attacks against westerners in the rest of Somalia including Somaliland.”
The U.K. does have an embassy in Mogadishu but the advisory says that it is unable to provide consular assistance to citizens. It asks anyone in need of urgent help to contact the British High Commission in Nairobi.
advertisements

• UGANDA: Court to view exhibits in al-Shabaab terrorism trial - New Vision
• SOMALIA: A tipping-point talk in London - The Africa Report
• MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation - The Local
• Development programs can help reduce political violence - War on the Rocks
• UAE Naval Vessel Attacked By Houthi Rebels Off Yemeni Coast During Amphibious Operation - The Drive
• Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust - Daily Sabah
• New Mpls parks commissioner ‘optimistic, hopeful, fearless’ - MSR
• Somali students volunteer to educate IDP children in Mogadishu - Radio Ergo

Koobka kubadda cagta adduunka ayaa maanta si rasmi ah u billaabmaya, ayada oo dalka marti-gelinaya ee Russia uu ka hortagi doono dalka Saudi Arabia.

Thursday June 14, 2018By Hillary Nsambu It is alleged that the accused, all of whom are nationals of Somalia, were indicted for aiding or abetting terrorism and conspiracy to commit terrorism. Al-Shabab suspects guarded by Prison wardens as they set to leave court after appearing in High Court Kampala on June 12, 2018. (Credit: Ronnie Kijjambu)KAMPALA- Over 30 exhibits including a jacket suspected to be used in explosives have been lined up by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that will be used at the trial of eight Al-Shabaab suspects, who are facing charges of terrorism. Justice
Michael Elubu, who presided over a pre-trial session of the men on
Tuesday, directed that the DPP should display the remaining exhibits
that include a motor vehicle and a laptop that were being used by the
suspects in their mission.Senior State Attorney, Lillian Omara,
yesterday presented to court the DPP’s amended indictment in which it is
alleged that the accused, all of whom are nationals of Somalia, were
indicted for aiding or abetting terrorism and conspiracy to commit
terrorism.Ads By Google The court also heard that in 2014, information
filtered into the Ugandan security that there were planned terrorist
attacks by Al-Shabaab and that the explosives suicide jackets had
already been dispatched from Somalia to Uganda by Al-Shabaab members.After
the attorney had read out the indictment, the judge told the suspects
that they were not under obligation to plead to the charges, but they
would do it at the start of the trial.Seven of the accused men,
save for one, are represented by senior city criminal lawyer MacDosman
Kabega. Only one of them, Abdul Kadir Mohamed Mohamud Sandir, is
represented by another city lawyer Sylvia Namawejje Ebitu.   Kabega
submitted that the suspects were arrested by security agencies in 2014
and were detained at various police stations including Kireka.  Earlier
on Monday, the court okayed an application in which the DPP sought
liberty not to disclose the identities of the prosecution witnesses to
the defence side until the right time for the trial came.However,
both defence counsel submitted that despite that, the prosecution
should provide them all evidence without necessarily disclosing the
names of those witnesses the DPP would like to protect for security
purposes.      However, after the two sides had agreed to the
facts of the indictment, Kabega sought clarification on what the
prosecution meant by scenes of crime other than scenes where the
suspects were arrested.He also sought for the defence to look at specific exhibits including
the jacket, the vehicle and the lap-top that the prosecution intended to
use against their clients before the trial began.Kabega
submitted and Namawejje concurred to an application for bail pending the
trial of the suspects. “Now that the prosecution has not asked for
expeditious trial of the suspects, we have instructions to apply for
bail for the suspects pending their trial, considering the period of
four years they have spent in incarceration,” the lawyers submitted.The
judge ruled that since such an application should not be entertained by
the pre-trial judge other than the chamber judge, he would forward it
to the right judge.
advertisements

• UK warns against travel to Somalia - HOL
• SOMALIA: A tipping-point talk in London - The Africa Report
• MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation - The Local
• Development programs can help reduce political violence - War on the Rocks
• UAE Naval Vessel Attacked By Houthi Rebels Off Yemeni Coast During Amphibious Operation - The Drive
• Turkish Military in Qatar: Bonds of mutual trust - Daily Sabah
• New Mpls parks commissioner ‘optimistic, hopeful, fearless’ - MSR
• Somali students volunteer to educate IDP children in Mogadishu - Radio Ergo

Denmark has an undisclosed agreement with Somalia to return individuals to the Northeast African country, according to reports.
The agreement provides for up to 12 people to be returned to Somalia by Denmark annually, Politiken reported last year, but it has not been officially confirmed and details of individual cases have not been disclosed.
But one of the deportations that may have been carried out under the arrangement was reported by TV2 on Wednesday.
A woman from the Vollsmose neighbourhood in Odense told TV2 that she had been subject to attempted extortion by one or more immigration officers in Somalia over the deportation of her son from Denmark.
The woman, Saynab Iman Shikhow, is the mother of a man who was deported after being convicted for theft and selling drugs.
She said that she had received threatening telephone calls from men in Somalia over the deportation, in which she was told her son would be beheaded if she did not pay 10,000 dollars.
“These men that are threatening me now… If he is sent back to them it will be all over for him,” she told TV2.
After being initially deported in January, he is reported to have been rejected by authorities in Somalia, who are said to have been unconvinced he was a national of the African country. He was then sent back to Denmark.
Shikhow said that she received the threatening calls while her son was subsequently in prison in Denmark, where he now awaits a second deportation.
Opposition party the Social Democrats said clarification was needed over the issue.
“I think this sounds serious. Nobody should receive threats in a situation like this, so we plan to contact Inger Støjberg and ask for a confidential explanation of what is going on with this case,” the party’s spokesperson for immigration issues Mattias Tesfaye told TV2.
The Ministry of Immigration and Integration stated via a written message that the agreement between Denmark and Somalia was confidential and that no further comment would be given.
“Denmark has, over an extended period, working towards establishing a partnership with Somalian authorities regarding the deportation of Somalian citizens from Denmark to Somalia. This work is confidential at the request of Somalia, so the ministry is unable to comment further,” the ministry wrote to TV2.
The media reports it has obtained a document stating that an arrangement between the two countries is in effect.
The document notes that there is a “verbal agreement between the Somalian authorities and the Danish authorities that has resulted in a specific plan of action for compulsory deportations of Somalian citizens without legal permission to reside in Denmark,” TV2 writes.
An MP from a second party, the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), has called for more transparency over the arrangement.
“This asks fundamental questions about the arrangement Denmark has with Somalia. Is this a functional Somalian government or a criminal network trying to extort and exploit deported individuals?”, MP Nikolaj Villumsen said.
TV2 reports it was unable to reach Støjberg for comment over the issue.
The post MPs call for explanation over confidential Denmark-Somalia deal after extortion allegation appeared first on Shabelle.

Unidentified gunmen have killed at least two civilians, including an elder in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday evening, witnessed and Police said.
Suspected Al-Shabab members have killed Hassan Ali Ibrahim who took part in 2016 election as an electoral college while on his way home in Dharkeynley district.
Ibrahim was shot dead near his home after armed men approached him as he walked out of the mosque. The assailants managed to escape from the crime scene.
The security officials arrived at the scene shortly after the murder but failed to arrest the culprits.
Separately, a district official was killed in Mogadishu’s Howlwadag district.
The local authorities say they are investigating the two incidents and blamed Al Shabaab for being behind the rising assassinations in the capital.
The post Gunmen carry out assassinations in Mogadishu appeared first on Shabelle.

Muqdisho ( Sh. Network )-Wararka naga soo gaaraya degmada Kaaraan ee gobolka Banaadir ayaa sheegaya in rasaas uu furay askari ka tirsan Ciidamada dowladda uu dhaawac ka soo gaaray illaa 4 qof oo shacab ahaa.
Dhacdadan ayaa timid, kadib markii dad badan ay ku xoomeen guri uu ka taagnaa muran ka dhashay arrimo qoys oo u dhexeeyay askariga rasaasta furay iyo haweeney isaga u dhaxda.
Sidoo kale wararka ayaa intaasi ku daraya in dadka dhaawacmay oo ahaa Haween ay ku jirto xaas uu qabay askarigaasi oo la sheegay in uu soo gaaray dhaawac culus.
Qaar ka mid ah dadka deegaanka ayaa Shabelle u xaqiijiyay in khilaafka qoyskaasi uu ka bilowday kadib markii ay ku murmeen wiil ay dhaleen.
Askariga falkaasi geystay ayaa lagu soo warramayaa in uu goobta ka baxsaday, xaalada ayaana haatan dagan.
Dhacdadan ma’ahan mid ku cusub dhegaha shacabka dhowr jeer ayey dhacday in qoysas wada noolaa in muda ah ay ku murmaan arrimo la xiriira caruurtooda.
The post Askari ka tirsan Ciidamada Dowladda Oo Haween ay ka mid tahay xaaskiisa ku dhaawacay Kaaraan appeared first on Shabelle.