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Somalia Needs Honest Government.

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November 07,2009 (SomalilandPress)-The Somali people are once again learning the crucial lessons of nationhood the hardest way. One such cardinal lesson is never to leave matters of one’s society to others alone but to engage. The only way people can protect what belongs to them, enhance collective wellbeing and further their common interests is to engage in the affairs of their nation.

It was our promise to support the Transitional Government when it is doing something right and speak up when it is doing wrong. Because of its bumbling we visit again the issue of the transfer of swathes of Somalia’s sea shelf to our neighbour.

It was the disgust felt by the Somali people which made the Transitional Parliament to act and put a stop to the transfer of our sea shelf by overwhelmingly voting against the deal. However, we witness a fresh spin from the Transitional Government.

According to a video posted on the Internet (Somali websites including Hiiraan) of a meeting between part of the Somali Community in London and the Prime Minister of Somalia Omar Abdirashid in which for the first time he owns up to [as did the President in the past] the transfer of a large part of the nation’s sea shelf.

In this meeting reminiscent of the communist era of whopping and clapping at the sight of officials, we have seen one TG Minister after another answer questions not about any progress made on any front but on the foiled transfer of a large part of the sea shelf to Kenya. Ironical as it is, in the video, the Prime Minister is blaming Kenya and not his own government for the attempted transfer of our sea shelf. Kenya is only looking after her interests as all nations do. Where there is no seller there is no buyer.

The bumbling explanation of the Prime Minister and his Ministers we saw on the video will not bring anything new to the table other than shed more light on the sad state of affairs of the Transitional Government itself. We need to draw a line under this painful episode in which anyone can take advantage of stateless Somalia by putting the record straight. If it was not the disgust felt by many Somalis and the courage of the Transitional Parliament which averted the transfer of Somalia’s sea shelf, now it would have been a different story. There would have been no more a large part of our sea shelf which we owe it to pass on to our future generation. The Transitional Government could have chosen an honest way other than put out spin. For that reason, the Prime Minister could have easily said: ‘this matter is now behind us.’ Nevertheless, he and his Ministers chose to put out unconvincing spin.

Since the fiasco to hastily push through the transfer of swathes of Somalia’s sea shelf, the Transitional Government had taught the Somali people one crucial lesson: to remain vigilant on the affairs of the nation. However, it will not amount to a thing if at a crucial moment of nation-building — Somalia has at the helm individuals who have for values the warped political culture of the past which new Somalia should never be founded upon. There is no point building a system similar to the past fifty years which resulted in failure. Only to selectively bash the past will not bring about a new era if the culture of greed, malfeasance and ignorance becomes part of new Somalia. The TG should be reminded that modern politics is about honesty and integrity.

At least a competent government owns up to its mistake, draws a line under it and moves on. Somalia needs honest and transparent government. The Somali people should not let their guard down. They should remain on their guard until there is a government which earns the trust and worthiness of its people. However, we need to remind ourselves that good governance does not come by itself. It is something sought and guarded by those who wish to cherish its rewards. Nations which have a good system got it through hard work and citizens who engage and whose eyes and ears are wide open. The Somali people should not only expect but fight for a fresh start and a new beginning from the political culture which had resulted Somalia in ruins and at the bottom of all nations.

Abdullahi Dool

Hornheritage@aol.com

Somaliland and NATO officials meet aboard warship to discuss piracy

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BERBERA, 06 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) — Somaliland government officials and officers from NATO’s anti-piracy mission, which has warships patrolling the seas off the coast of neighbouring Somalia met aboard a naval warship anchored off the coast of Berbera.

Participating in the meeting on the Somaliland side were members of the government, officials from the Sahil regional authority, the head of the port of Berbera and officers from the Somaliland coastguards & security services.

There was no official communiqué from the meeting from either side, but sources confirmed to Geeska Afrika that the main agenda of the meeting concentrated on areas of mutual interest between Somaliland and NATO including combating piracy in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
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According to an eyewitness on the scene the meeting lasted approximately two hours after which the NATO warship headed for the high seas and the Somaliland delegation returned ashore.

In the past, Somaliland has offered the use of its ports on its long coastline for NATO ships to combat Somali pirates. Somaliland coastguards have managed to keep Somalia’s sea-gangs off it’s coast and is considered one of the safest waters in the Horn.

In a related development, a ship carrying food aid from the World Food Programme docked at the port of Berbera yesterday with logistics destined for the neighbouring landlocked Ethiopia.

Source Geeska Afrika

Saudi Arabia Resumes Livestock Trade with Somalia

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Washington, 06 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) — The government of Saudi Arabia on Thursday removed an 11-year ban on livestock imports from Somalia after fears of Rift Valley Fever were allayed, senior Somali officials told the VOA.

The decision was well received across Somalia as hundreds of thousands of farmers heavily rely on animal exports to the oil-rich Middle East. Under the new arrangement, Saudi officials will closely examine animals before they are shipped off to Saudi soil.

“This is a tremendous decision for Somalis across the Horn of Africa,” said Idiris Ibrahim Abdi, the livestock minister of Somaliland, the self-declared republic in northern Somalia, which has developed one of the most sophisticated animal processing plants in its port town of Berbera.
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According to news accounts, the Saudi agricultural ministry said the decision is based on years of cross examination and monitoring of animal farms in Somalia.

Animal trade is one of the few surviving economic engines of Somalia”s largely destroyed economy. Business leaders and animal farmers have welcomed the Saudi decision with widespread jubilation.

“This decision will allow me to triple my animal sales to shipping companies,” said Mohamed Hassan Kahde, an animal farmer in the central town of Beledweyn. He said the ban was not only bad for business, but it was also bad for the animals.

An official with the Puntland Meat Processing Authority told the VOA that they expect to export more than half a million heads of goats and cows to Saudi Arabia in time for the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage, which will be performed by early December.

By Abdirahman Ali
Source: VOA, Nov 05, 2009

Alleged shooter's name prompts response from American Muslims.

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Washington (SomalilandPress) — Ibrahim Hooper knows the drill.

When news first broke Thursday that a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, killed and injured U.S. soldiers, the national communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote a statement of condemnation.

He only sent it out later, when reports emerged that the alleged shooter’s name was Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

“As soon as we saw what appeared to be a Muslim name, we issued our statement,” Hooper said. “Until that time, we were praying that no Muslim would be involved.”

That’s the reality of crisis management for the Muslim-American community, said Hooper, who handles communications for the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group.

Even without confirmation that the alleged gunman was Muslim — there was no immediate determination of any religious affiliation for Hasan — the mere reporting of a possible Muslim name required an immediate comment, he said.

“That’s unfortunately the world we live in nowadays,” Hooper said. “So often, Muslims are accused of not condemning these kind of acts.”

The CAIR statement said: “No political or religious ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence. The attack was particularly heinous in that it targeted the all-volunteer Army that protects our nation. American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured.”

In a separate statement, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, based in Los Angeles, California, condemned what it called the “heinous incident.”

“We are in contact with law enforcement and U.S. federal government officials to gain more facts from this tragic incident and work together in dealing with its aftermath,” the group said.

Its statement called on “all members of American Muslim communities to be in contact with local law enforcement for the safety and security of their communities and their institutions.”

The Islamic Information Center also issued a statement “in conjunction with all the major Muslim organizations nationwide” that condemned the attack.

“While several news reports have cited one of the gunmen to be Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, IIC strongly emphasizes that this attack and its perpetrator are in no way representative of the Muslim people or the peace-loving religion of Islam,” the statement said.

“The individuals who perpetrated this attack blatantly acted against the teachings of Islam and humanity,” it added.

After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Muslim-Americans reported increased attacks and threats by revenge-minded non-Muslims.

“We’ve seen this before,” Hooper said of a possible backlash. “Whenever there’s an incident of this type, there’s always the possibility this will happen.”

Even non-Muslims could be targeted, he said, noting that Sikhs who wear turbans or Hispanic-Americans can be mistaken as being of Middle Eastern descent.

On Thursday night, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad told a news conference the alleged Fort Hood attacker’s motive remained unknown.

“We urge all Americans to remain calm in reaction to this tragic event and to demonstrate once again what is best about America — our nation’s ability to remain unified even in times of crisis,” Awad said. “We urge national political and religious leaders and media professionals to set a tone of calm and unity.

“Unfortunately, based on past experience, we also urge American Muslims, and those who may be perceived to be Muslim, to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves, their families and their religious institutions from possible backlash.”

Source:CNN[ad#Google Adsense (200×90)]

Somali Man Arrested for Killing a Woman

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HARGEISA, 5 Nov 2009 (Somalilandpress) – A man was arrested in Greeley early this morning just hours after a recent arrival to Fort Morgan was stabbed to death in front of her apartment house.

The woman, in her early 20s, is one of approximately 600 African refugees including Kenyans, Somalis and Nigerians living in the northeastern Colorado community, said Fort Morgan Police Chief Keith Kuretich.

It is the first homicide in Fort Morgan since Oct. 28, 2006.

Kuretich said police responded to the apartment complex in the 400 block of West Kiowa Avenue after receiving a 911 call reporting the stabbing.

The call was made by other tenants in the building.

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Officers were quickly able to determine that a man had been seen with the victim in recent days and was the likely suspect, according to the chief.

After obtaining the man’s name and learning he was in Greeley, Fort Morgan Police contacted the Greeley Police Department, said the chief.

In the meantime, relatives of the victim had contacted the suspect and told him police were looking or him. At that point, the suspect, identified as Ahmed Abdi, 25, called the Greeley police and said he would turn himself in.

Abdi was arrested in Greeley and returned to Fort Morgan where he is being held for investigation of second-degree murder and first and second-degree assault.

Kuretich said authorities are trying to determine the exact relationship between the victim and Abdi. The victim’s name has not been released.

Source: Denverpost

Puntland Court Jails Suspected Islamists

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BOSASO, 4 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) – The first degree court of Bosaso, Puntland capital in northeastern Somalia has convicted six youth suspected of having links with Al-Shabab Islamic Movement. The youth were being held at a police station in Boosaaso town during the past few days.

Four youth accused of being members of Al-Shabab appeared before the court and were sentenced to jail terms of between 10 to 15 years in prison by the judge of Boosaaso court.

The judge of Boosaaso court, Ahmad Garane, read out the names of the six youth as:

Mahmud Sa’id Mahmud
Samatar Mahmud
Deeq Yasin
Ali Ga’amey
Ibrahim Muhammad Shire
Ahmad Abdirazzaq Muhammad

The convicted youth didn’t speak to the media. It is still unclear whether they would appeal against the verdict.

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On the other hand, police in Bosaso arrested a number of youth following security operations held in the neighborhoods of the town. Several youth were arrested and taken to Boosaaso central police station. Some of the arrested youth do not hail from Puntland and were caught impromptu.

The latest development comes after a hand grenade attack at a local police station in the past two nights, although no one has been injured in the attacks.

Reliable sources told Somalilandpress that police were asking the arrested youth about a specific group accused of involvement in robbery and the attempted kidnap of a plane belonging to Daalo Airline Company.

Abdinasir Mohamed
Somalilandpress
Mogadishu-Somalia

Somalia: Airline Hijacked in Bosaso

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BOSASO, 3 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) – an Antonov airline operated by Daallo Airlines on a flight from Bosaso to Djibouti was briefly hijacked by two armed men on Monday afternoon. The two men withdraw guns minutes after the plane carrying around 30 passengers took off from Bosaso airport. The hijackers demanded to be flown to Las Qoray, a coastal town in eastern Somaliland.

The passengers confronted with the hijackers in the plane while the pilots managed to lock the cockpit and made an emergency landing in Bosaso while the fighting between passengers and hijackers still went on.

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Upon landing, they were met by Puntland police who opened fire on them wounding one of the hijackers before both men were arrested and number of others believed to have assisted them.

According to local reports, the hijackers wanted to kidnap two German journalists who were on board the plane. They intended to take them to Las Qoray’s vast vegetation and dense forest for randsom.

The airline later resumed its flight back to Djibouti safely after the hijackers were arrested.

In the past a number of foreign nationals were kidnapped in and around the port of Bosaso.

Source: Somalilandpress

Buhoodle Tribal Leaders Pursue Insanity Defense In Weekend Blast

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Buhodle, 3 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) — At a press conference in Buhodle in the Sool region, tribal elders said that a man who recently claimed responsible for the weekend roadside bombs that killed two military personnel and wounded four civilians in Las Anod is insane.

The town elders, Garad Saleban Burale and Ahdar said the man who claimed responsible for the weekend blast consented to complete insanity and was not capable of such act. They have also denied the existence of Jabarti National Movement “JNM”, a new group the man has claimed to have created to fight Somaliland forces in the region.

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The man was named as Burale Yusuf, called one of the local radio stations same day as the blasts claiming to have carried out the attack that killed Somaliland infantry commander in Las Anod.

The following morning Somaliland forces led by colonel Ahmed Mohamed Adan raided one of the houses in Buhodle where Burale is believed to be staying;  they tried to seize him but according to reports he escaped with minor injuries from a back door. Three civilians were wounded during the raid.

Garad Saleban condemned the act and said his town has no connection with the attack and urged the civilians to maintain peace in the region and not to associate themselves with as what he described as “groups with self-interest” referring to a number of tribal organizations based around Buhodle and the neighboring Puntland.

Source: Somalilandpress

Somaliland-Ethiopian Colleges Merge

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Hargeisa, 3 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) — On Sunday, November 1st, Lucy University College marked the opening of its new campus in Somaliland’s capital with ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place in Mansor Hotel.

New Horizon College, an Information Technology college invited Lucy University, an Ethiopian-based private institution to Somaliland and in early August the two institutions signed an agreement to merge.

New Horizon College was set up by Somaliland students who had studied in India and offered mainly IT and English courses. The merger with Lucy University has allowed the new institution to offer a wide range of courses, research programs and study options in four faculties; Economics, Management & Mathematics, Law and Computers.
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University provost Mr. Khadir Hussein was on hand at the ceremony to share his enthusiasm about the establishment. As one of the driving forces he recalls how their drive originally started, “many students are not so lucky when it comes to pursuing a complete education and so we reached out for Lucy University.” Mr Khadir, who owns a construction firm in Ethiopia, said they took advantage of the fact that Somaliland has ties with Ethiopia.

Professor Mohamed Abdullahi Duale, vice-president of Hargeisa campus, also addressed students, faculty, and guests about the new tertiary and how it was different to the existing ones. As well as offering undergraduate courses in four faculties the university will also offer diploma courses in IT and multimedia and language courses in the near future. Lucy_university

Professor Abdi Ali Adan, dean of economic faculty, also emphasized the need for students to be equipped with both knowledge and technical skills, and the personal attributes that allow them to achieve their career aspirations and excel in the world of business.

Other individuals who spoke on the conference included Muna Hussein Khalif, the president of Somaliland Academic Women Empowerment, who expressed optimism about the days ahead and the role women play in education in Somaliland society. She said she welcomes the new university and encourages girls to pursue higher education.

Other honorable guests included eng. Mohamed Hashi Elmi, UDUB party chairman, Mr Omar Jama Farah, vice-minister of Economy, Mr Abdulkarim Mohamed Muse, veteran Mr Osman awr Liqe, students, business executives and many others.

Other Ethiopian universities in Somaliland include Admas University College and Addis Ababa Medical College.

Source: Somalilandpress

Djibouti to send peacekeepers to Somalia despite threats

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MOGADISHU, 3 November 2009 (Somalilandpress) –The government of Djibouti has announced that it will send peacekeepers to Somalia as part of AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

The interior minister of Djibouti Yasin Ilmi Buh said that his country
had prepared troops to be deployed to Somalia saying that the threats
by Al-Shabab Islamic Movement will not change their decision to send
troops to Somalia.
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He further said that his government expects these troops to take part
in the restoration of security and peace in Somalia.

He stressed that the army of his country would defend against any
attacks from the insurgents in Somalia and will do their best efforts
in stabilizing the country.

On the other hand the government of Djibouti has appointed its
ambassador to Somalia for the first time since the fall of former
central government of Somalia on 1991.

A ceremony to welcome a new ambassador from Djibouti to Somalia and
relaunching Djibouti embassy has been held at the presidential palace
known as Villa Somalia in Mogadishu on Monday.

The Somali Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Jama Jengeli spoke at the
ceremony, saying his government is warmly welcoming the new ambassador
and pledges to work with him.

The new Djibouti ambassador, Mr Dayib Dubad Roble, has said at the
ceremony that he was happy to be in Somalia on behalf of his country.
He said Djibouti is always determined to support Somali people and the
Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

The Djibouti embassy, which was opened in Mogadishu, will be among the few other foreign embassies opened in the country recently including Yemen, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 and Ahmed’s
administration holds only a few blocks in Mogadishu, with support from
the peacekeepers.

The U.S. considers Al-Shabab a terrorist organization and accuses it
of harboring suspects in the 1998 bombing of the American embassies in the
Kenyan and Tanzanian capitals.

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

Source: Somalilandpress

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