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Child Sponsorship Report 2009, from Somaliland

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It is a pleasure to send you our warmest greetings and share information with you this festive season.

Current Situation

The failure of the rains in many parts of Somaliland has led to massive loss of livestock, particularly for the rural population, many of whom are pastoralists. Yet despite this drought Sheikh has been the most peaceful zone in the horn of Africa. However, the security situation in the southern region, known as Somalia, is totally different: it has witnessed a lot of violence and intensified fighting between the government forces and the opposing Islamists factions.

SOS Sheikh Secondary School

The school has a total of 218 students, including the 60 new students admitted in form one, and there are 180 boys and 38 girls. All new students wrote entry exams in order to qualify for the school. New uniforms and bedding were issued to these students so as to make them feel part of the school community. Continuing students went ahead with their classes as usual. Special coaching for the weaker students was organised and regular afternoon classes were also introduced in the school.

Examination

The form four students (age 18) sat for their advanced computer external examination (from India).  Similarly, the form two students are preparing to sit for their International General Certificate for the Secondary Education (I.G.C.S.E.) in the near future. All the SOS Sheikh School students take the I.G.C.S.E syllabus and the Somaliland National Examination respectively.

Staff

At the moment there are 16 teaching personnel for the school,  four administration staff, one library attendant, nine maintenance staff and nine cooks respectively, while three people take care of the school’s security.

Donations

A scholarship for the whole year was offered to a few students by the Somali Union in United Kingdom. At the same time a parent donated a bread oven and 85 books to the school.

Co-curricular activities

The students have a number of association and clubs, like the new Environment Conservation Club (ECO) which is concerned with the conservation of the environment. After conducting a quiz, a question and answer book was released by the club. In addition to this, it has also endeavoured to plant trees in the school and to clean the compound.
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Furthermore, this year the debating club is sharing its achievements with the rest of the school fraternity. For example, the club debated the rights of the girl child in the Somali region.

The school’s football club also excelled after beating the community school in the four games it played.

Visitors

This year has seen a number of friends coming to the school. Among them were personnel from the Edna Maternity Hospital, who gave a talk on personal cleanliness and well being to the students. At the same time, girls from the school were given advice by the gynaecologists on current health problems affecting women in societies and ways of curbing them.

In addition, the head of the African Educational Trust, Mr Paul Mattison, advised the outgoing form four students who would like to undertake a career in education, on different teaching methodologies to be applied especially to the people of Somaliland.

We are glad to tell you about our successful endeavours and thank you for your concerned efforts throughout the year. We hope that you will continue with your generosity in subsequent years for our school.

Happy New Year to you all.

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Rukia Abdirahman
Sponsorship Co-coordinator
National Office
Somalia/Somaliland

SOS Children’s Villages, 7 March 2010

In Kenya, Iran's Mottaki Addresses Somali Crisis

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Nairobi, 7 March 2010 (Somalilandpress) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has kicked off his visit to Kenya by highlighting the importance of finding a solution to the Somali crisis.

Mottaki arrived in Nairobi on Saturday morning after a trip to Uganda. The Iranian foreign minister, who is on a two-day tour of Africa, met with his Kenyan counterpart Moses Wetangula.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mottaki said that he hoped to see the four-way meeting between Iran, Kenya, Somalia and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) raise regional and global awareness about the problem in Somalia.

IGAD is a seven-country regional development organization of East African nations, with headquarters in Djibouti.

Other than the gathering, Mottaki’s visit to Africa is also expected to include trade talks.

Commenting on that aspect of the Iranian foreign minister’s trip, Wetangula said that Nairobi was eager to multiply its trade with Iran by tenfold by passing the annual one-billion-dollar mark.

He said Iranian companies were already active in Kenya, especially in road construction projects, but added that removing bureaucratic restrictions, such as visa requirements, could further facilitate business transactions between the two sides.

MJ/MMN


Source: Press TV

Djibouti: Is DAF a Leader Or a Warlord?

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Have you noticed lately that Mr. Daher Ahmed Farah, alias DAF, (self-exiled and sectarian Politician) has been exposed to what he really stands for: helping to destabilize the Republic of Djibouti for foreign enemies? Thanks for the internet based-radio: Kulanka.com, hiiraan.com and VOA.

All he talks about recently is, that there’s a civil war in the north; in the other word – he is striving to entice a fear into the minds of Djiboutian people – instead of him mobilizing the Djiboutians to band together against Eritrea, who occupied their piece of territory. Up to now, we haven’t heard him yet publicly condemning the Eritrean naked aggression against Djibouti nor that he’s letting, the mad man in Asmara, Isayas Afawerki, know that the Djiboutians are one; when it comes to their interest and defense of their country, in spite of what their political differences might be. I hope; he understands the Djiboutian national security is been at stake.

How could he claim to be a legitimate leader when he wishes to see his country becomes like Somalia? Because, he often reiterates; there’s a fighting faction of ‘FRUD’ in the North. We cannot longer stand by and watch him disrupts the Republic or advocate for violent groups. It seems that Daher Ahmed Farah is in a desperate position. It sure shows that he is politically bankrupted; if one hears his interviews on various Radio Stations –will sure realize, who he really is: a demagogue.

Apparently, he turns out to be the Public Relation Representative of whomever those bandits of the North, might be – if they exist. Does he not know – that’s not a good politics? I thought Mr. DAF was politically skillful or astute. I was wrong; if he thinks this will help him gain few Djiboutian Afars. He blew it!

Is he aware that the ninety-nine percent of Afars oppose to take arms in order to solve the current political crisis? Because they know this route will not bring a sensible result; but would only exacerbate the suffering of the people. Or he is only telling us: ‘if I can’t take over the power – let the country be doom.’ If Mr. Daher managed to get his family out of the country –he should remember there are over nine hundred thousands Djiboutian that he left behind, still remain at home. A civil war is not a wise solution; we must learn from Somalia. I vehemently oppose any form of violence or fighting for political solution- or- for a power mechanism.[ad#Google Adsense (336×280)]

It’s proving that he’s not yet went beyond clannish politics. The Djiboutian people remember him when he used to just criticize only the President Ismail O. Guelleh, General Zakaria of the Army and the Minister of Interior, Yacin E. Bouh, based on their clan affiliation, not on their policies. Needless to say, he did not attack the Minister of environment, Mr. Johar and Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Hassan Farah for the sake of belonging the same sab-clan. He also praised and endorsed the illegal action taken by then, the former head of the Djiboutian Police, the late General Yacin Yabe (May Allah bless his soul) of taking over the Djiboutian Radio Station (RTD) back in 2000, and dispatched his troops to block the roads and ordered them to arrest the elected President, Mr. Ismail O. Guelleh.

What some call it an attempted but failed, ‘coup-d’etat’, Mr. DAF on his article, calls it, ‘la colere du general’ (Just angry General), and excuses for the late General’s ‘mal-a-droit’, simply because of his clan affiliation.

It’s obvious; he realized that he failed to persuade or convince the Djiboutian Citizens to his ideas; wherever that might be. Then, he began to spread repeatedly unfounded-rumors about Djibouti’s fragile security. The majority of Djiboutian is shock to hear him sound more and more like war-lords of Southern Somalia.

Patient is a virtue, Mr. Daher Ahmed Farah. An opposition leader must have a political program and policies of unification with all Djiboutian nationals. Lastly a real leader should not and must not exploit the differences of his people for his/her personal gain.

By: Mohamed Awaleh

Djibouti, 7 March 2010 Somalilandpress

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Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial

Somaliland FM requests U.S. to extradite alleged War Criminal

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ADDIS ABABA (Somalilandpress) — Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Abdullahi Duale is believed to have asked U.S. officials for the extradition of the former Somali Prime Minister, Gen. Mohammed Ali Samantar on charges of war crimes in Somaliland in the 80s and early 90s.

In a meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Mr Duale is believed to have asked Mr. Karl E. Wycoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acting), to extradite the former Somali official to Somaliland to face justice.

Ali Samatar served as Defense Minister from 1980 to 1986, and as Prime Minister from 1987 to 1990, when the military regime collapsed.

In 1980s, Somalia’s military junta led by Mohammed Siad Bare and Gen. Mohammed Ali Samatar hired Rhodesian mercenaries to bombard Somaliland’s three major towns – Hargeisa, Burao and Berbera, an estimated 50, 000 were killed and more than 800, 000 people were forced to leave their homes. Many of these refugees fled to neighbouring Ethiopia.

Those who survived the bombings or the deliberate starvation were often rounded up, tied together using barbed wires and gunned down from a point-blank range. If that method was not cruel enough, they would often tie them together in barbed wires, bulldozed and were left to rot in the streets.
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Mohamed Ali Samatar who now lives in the Virginia area under the name of Samatar Ali is being sued in a civil court. However before the case can move to civil court the Supreme Court of the United States has to decide if a head of “sovereign“ can be sued.

Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), whom the civil suit is filed under insist that Mr Samatar is no longer head of state and that immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act does not apply to him as an individual but only foreign states.

Mr. Samatar’s legal team insist he was not directly involved but army generals who served under him at the time have came out this week claimed he gave direct orders to target civilians in the north of the country.

A number of American leaders including senior Democratic Party United States Senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Arlen Specter have supported the civil case against the former Somali leader.

The Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on the issue and could hand down a ruling in the early summer.

Somaliland delegation consisting of government and Parliamentary officials led by Mr Abdullahi Duale are due to arrive in Washington the coming days.

No one knows if the Americans will hand him over but it’s highly not possible.

In another development, Mr. Duale met with the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Mr. Takeda Alemu, the two discussed ways to strengthen ties in the fields of economy, security and longstanding bilateral relations.

They have also discussed about rehabilitating the roads connecting the border town of Wajale to the port of Berbera and how the two states could work together in a true partnership.

Mr. Duale also met with the new Ethiopian Ambassador to India and the two discussed how Ethiopia could assist Somaliland to develop ties with India. India considers Ethiopia one of it’s most important partners in Africa and in recent years number of scholarships India offers to Ethiopia has more than doubled.

Please Vote:

Somalilandpress, 7 March 2010

Somaliland draws Chinese investors

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HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — A 14-member delegation from the People’s Republic of China are on official visit to the Republic of Somaliland to study the economic and investment climate in the country.

The delegation which consists of some of China’s leading investors, government officials and members of China’s leading media-houses arrived in the capital Hargeisa on Friday afternoon. They were received at the airport by Ali Mohamed ‘Waran Adde’, Somaliland Aviation minister and Hussein Mohamud , the Mayor of Hargeisa.

Mr. Qi told local press that they were delighted with their trip to Somaliland and expressed their desire to invest in number of places in the country. They praised the people of Somaliland for their warm hospitality and for their achievements without international help.
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Mr. Mohamed said a Chinese firm awarded to renovate and expand Egal International airport to international standards is due to arrive soon along with their equipment and staff.

The delegation are expected to remain in the country for the next few days, while some will assist the investment capacity of the country, others are also here for fact-finding mission.

The Chinese delegation was accompanied by Ahmed Hassan Egal, Somaliland Special Representative to China, who also thanked the Somaliland authority for their warm welcome.

The Mayor of Hargeisa, Mr. Ji’ir, also said that the Chinese were keen to invest in the country and that Chinese-Somaliland relationship were strong.

They also said China will assist Somaliland in the education sector and a Somaliland delegation from the ministry of education is expected to travel to Beijing.

This is the largest delegation from China to visit Somaliland since declaring the restoration of it’s sovereignty in 1991 after a military campaign against Somalia’s dictator, Maj. Mohamed Siad Bare.

On Saturday, the Chinese business and press delegation were received by the President of Somaliland, Mr. Dahir Rayale at the presidential Palace. The president warmly welcomed the Chinese investors and promised them Somaliland’s commitment to work with them in area of common interest including investing in coal mining in the Sahil region as well as developing a free zone facility at the port of Berbera.

The president added that Somaliland was a virgin country with known resources and is the ideal place for investment.

Mr. Ji Shiaw Shie said they were pleased with Somaliland’s achievements without recognition and promised to showcase Somaliland’s investment opportunities to Chinese private firms.

Somaliland is the 7th African nation the delegation has visited in less than a month.

Even though Somaliland functions like any state, it is not recognized by any international body.

Trade between Africa and China is worth more than $100-billion and this figure is expected to grow in the next years with more Chinese investing in Africa.

The Chinese are known for their deals that include commitments to build infrastructure, like roads and railways without interfering with local politics and issues and Africa favours this over the Western policies. The Chinese due to arrive is also expected to rehabilitate some of Hargeisa’s most neglected roads and other infrastructure.


Also see:

1: SOMALILAND: Hargeisa Airport launches upgrade as Aviation Minister returns from China

2: Somaliland’s Civil Aviation Minister, Mr. Ali Mohamed (Waran Ade’) signed a contract with a Chinese firm

Somalilandpress, 6 March 2010

Foreign Minister trip to pave way for Somaliland visit to Washington

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ADDIS ABABA (Somalilandpress) — Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Abdullahi Duale has visited the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday to meet with U.S. officials to prepare for high-level Somaliland delegation visit to Washington, Somaliland’s official news agency reported on Friday.

Duale’s visit will pave the way for an official visit to the country by high level of Somaliland delegation after receiving an invitation from the Obama administration.

Mr. Duale met with Mr. Karl E. Wycoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Acting), Bureau of African Affairs, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Ambassador John Yates, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Ethiopia and Kirk McBride, Political/Economic Counselor at the US embassy in Ethiopia.
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During the hour-long meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, Mr. Duale briefed the U.S. officials on the current situation, U.S.-Somaliland relations, security in the region and urged the U.S. to give Somaliland assistance in democracy, development and to strengthen the relationship between the two states.

Mr. Wycoff said he was very pleased with the progress Somaliland has made over the years in democracy, stability and development. He praised the leadership, citizens and the government for their achievements and made it clear that the US-Somaliland relationship will strengthen and is one based on mutual interest. He added that the upcoming visit to Washington will be fruitful and beneficial for both nations.

No official date has yet been set for the visit but it is expected the delegation will leave Hargeisa for Washington in the coming days.

Mr. Duale was accompanied by Ayanle Salad Deria, Somaliland Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia.

After being a British protectorate since 1884, Somaliland became an independent country on June 26, 1960, five days later, it unified with the South and the two became known as the Republic of Somalia. However that union failed and after a bloody-war, Somaliland declared independence from the rest of the failed state in 1991.

No country has since recognised even though it enjoys diplomatic ties with a number of countries including Western and African nations.

Somalilandpress, 6 March 2010

Somali Troops To Engage Islamists

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MOGADISHU (Somalilandpress)- According to senior officials in the weak
Somali government, the government troops backed by the African union
peacekeepers will soon embark on operations meant to recapture the
country that mostly come under the hard-line Islamists’ harsh law
administrations.

Troops on trucks, tankers and loaded ammunitions are being discharged
into the frontlines, as the AMISOM troops designed a chart of their
possible bases in Mogadishu, those under the Islamists at the moment,
a senior Somali government military official told Somalilandpress on
condition of anonymity.

Despite, the prime objective for the onslaught is Mogadishu but the
next head on offensive marked-areas are Jubba, Gedo, Bay, Bakool and
Shabelle regions.

“Our plans are progressing well and we have now formed a special
committee that is looking into how best we can regain control of these
areas some of which have been out of our hands for a long time now,”
the official says.

Mogadishu resident have recently been desperate to the government’s
much repeated offensive promises, as the insurgents pop in the pockets
controlled by the government in Mogadishu with attacks.

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Sources say most of the government troops are on standby and trained
in neighboring countries, in the face of their discipline, the
military officials vowed harsh punishment on soldiers caught of
robbing civilians in the areas that government may recapture from the
politically fractured Islamists. The troops mostly receive accusations
from residents over robbery and rape, a different way from the
Islamists who are accused by residents of beheading, flogging,
executions and out of courts’ sentences along with enforced support.

Military officials escorted by the army are looingk into how best the
rebels can be torn apart, and to recapture most of the population
centres and disrupt the militants’ arms’ supply line.

The UN Security Council has imposed sanctions on Eritrea, accusing the
country of backing Islamist insurgents in Somalia.

The resolution places an arms embargo on Eritrea, and also imposes
travel bans and asset freezes on businesses and individuals.

Previous test offensives in Mogadishu by the government have ended
with vain, which critics argued allowed militants to re-arm, and
analysts warn that Somali government could be overthrown.

The African Union presented a range of fresh incentives to the weak
Somali government in the recent Addis Ababa summi, including enhancing
intelligence sharing and military cooperation, but doubts are falling
into the leaders’ seriousness to restore peace.

The current government controls less 40% of the its predecessor
government led by ex-president colonel Abdullahi Yusuf.

Islamist militants plague vast swathes of southern Somalia, where they
stage their harsh Sharia interpretation on the moderate Sufi Somalis.

By: Abdinasir Mohamed
Email: abdinasir4@gmail.com
Mogadishu-Somalia

Horn of Africa: Unprecedented Enthronement of Issa’s Tribal Chief – updated

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Issa is one of the major tribes in horn of Africa and live in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somaliland. The Issa’s geographical homeland starts from northwest of Ethiopia’s city of Dire Dawa, Djibouti and to historic northern Somaliland city of Zeila at Salal Region. Issa crown their young tribal chief in Zeila City as part of ritual trip that started from Dire Dawa to Zeila, which covers the entire land of Issa tribe. This trip took about seven months and covered more than 200 kilometers.

The 19 year old chief tribe of Issa inherited more than 500 years old culture and bylaws of Issa tribe from his forefathers. The chief tribe of Issa Mustapha Mohamed Ibrahim born 1995 at the year that his successor passed away. This handsome and tall young chief was brought up under watchful of Issa’s elderly in Dire Dawa City of Ethiopia. The chief has special qualities like patience, tolerance, and peace. Ugaas Ibrahim is very quite and dependable man. He is God-fearing man who practices his religion regularly and a conservative.

It was amazing to witness the young chief following 500 years old tradition of his forefathers, after he drunk the milk of goat and cow that belong to a family who provided similar milk to every elected chief tribe of Issa in last five centuries.

The customs of Issa tribe is one of the oldest in the horn of Africa, and the chief is the most powerful man in the tribe and organizes social life of the community, and ensures unity. The chief is the main contact and symbol of Issa, and other neighboring tribes communicate to him directly in case of problem solving or cooperation. The history writes that former Issa tribal chiefs mediated other tribes of the region in civil wars.

The chief tribe is devoted to serve the community and possess experience and skills in problem-solving because he is the brain behind Issa tribe. The chief has consultants who are strong between the communities, and are widely respected.

The new tribal chief of Issa tribe comes after gap of about 14 years between the new chief and his late descendant who received the crown on 1935. The Issa tribe disclosed the identity of the new chief on last year’s 14th Ramadan.

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High-ranking officials from Somaliland, Ethiopia and Djibouti were present at the ceremony at Zeila City of Somaliland, including Premier of Djibouti and Ministers from Somaliland and Ethiopia. This illustrates the traditional link between the people of the three countries, who share culture, language and religion despite their love to peace and stability at time that region is passing through security instability particularly the vicious Somalia.

The government of Somaliland organized the ceremony in Zeila and cabinet members received the new chief to the city.

President of Djibouti Ismail Omer Gaileh is from Issa tribe, and welcomed the new chief to Djibouti – the modern homeland of Issa tribesmen. Issa share Djibouti with Afar and other Somali tribes. Reliable sources ensured that chief is much powerful than Gaileh when it comes to Issa’s affairs.

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By: Abdulaziz Al-Mutiari

Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com

Floods displace thousands in Somaliland-Ethiopia border area

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HARGEISA, (IRIN) — Around 1,000 families have been displaced by flooding after heavy rains in an area straddling the border between Ethiopia and the self-declared independent republic of Somaliland, according to officials.

“The floods occurred in the last 24 hours. About 1,000 families were displaced, and they are with their relatives in other parts of Allaybaday and Tog-wajale districts in Gabiley region,” regional governor Said Mohamed Ahmed Aw Abdi, known as Habib, told IRIN on 3 March.

Habib said three people died in the floods which also destroyed dams used for water storage by farmers and agro-pastoralists. Hundreds of buildings in the border area, including private homes and government buildings such as customs and immigration offices have been evacuated, according to one official in the area.
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“My house was about several hundred metres away from the seasonal river of Tog-Wajale, but the water reached us yesterday evening,” Wajake resident Said Abdifatah Mohamed Hassan, told IRIN by phone.

“I evacuated my three children and their mother to a relative’s family far away. While I locked the house and left, everything in the house was lost in the flood, but by Allah’s mercy we are saved,” he added.

Source: IRIN, 4 March 2010

"Former Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Samatar Gave Orders" says former head of Somali National Army General Mohamed Nuur Galaal.

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Somalia (Somalilandpress) Former Major General Mohamed Nuur Galaal who was one of the top commanders in the Somali National Army during the Mohamed Siyad Barre regime told the press today that Former Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Samatar gave the orders to target civilians in Northern Somali and therefore he should be held accountable for his actions.

Major General Galaal informed the press that what Mohamed Ali Samatar is being accused in the Supreme Court of United States is not a false allegation but rather a fact. General Galaal told the press that he was present when Mohamed Ali Samantar told the heads of the arm forces to target civilians in Northern Somali during the civil war of the 80s.

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Major General Galaal said “it was un-Islamic and inhumane to bomb civilians in the city of Hargeisa” and that it was an operation that Mr. Samatar played a major role.

Mohamed Ali Samatar or as he is currently known as Samatar Ali is now living in Virginia area where he is being sued in civil court. However before the case can move to civil court the Supreme Court of the United States has to decide if a head of “sovereign “can be sued. However the question that needs to be answer is if the sovereign immunity would apply to Mr. Mohamed Ali Samantar.

SomalilandPress

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