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AU force in Somalia needs stronger mandate – Uganda

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  • AU force needs 16-20,000 troops
  • Three AU troops killed over weekend

KAMPALA, July 15 (Somalilandpress) — African Union peacekeepers in Somalia need a stronger mandate to help bring security to the anarchic Horn of Africa nation, requiring at least triple the troops, the force’s biggest contributor said on Wednesday.

Embattled AU soldiers face near-daily attacks from insurgents in the Somali capital Mogadishu and are largely confined to protecting key areas such as the presidential palace, airport and seaport.

Despite an initial pledge of 8,000 troops to help secure Somalia’s weak government, only 4,300 soldiers — the most from Uganda — have arrived in the sea-side capital.
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“The way forward is to change the mandate from peacekeeping to peace enforcement. It would also require a change in the force levels,” Ugandan army spokesman Felix Kulayigye told Reuters by telephone.

“I think we need between 16,000-20,000 troops.”

President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s government also wants a stronger mandate for AU peacekeepers to help his administration fend off Islamist-led rebel attacks in the latest cycle of violence in 18 years of civil conflict in Somalia.

An AU spokesman said on Wednesday that three troops were killed over the weekend in Mogadishu. “We have lost three soldiers in mortar shelling on Saturday evening,” Major Barigye Ba-hoku told Reuters.

A two-year Islamist-led insurgency has killed at least 18,000 people and sent hundreds of thousands more from their homes. Rebels control large areas of Mogadishu and the south.

Foreign powers and some of Somalia’s neighbours fear if Ahmed’s western-backed government is toppled then Somalia could become a safe haven for foreign militants.

One of Somalia’s militant Islamist groups was holding two French security men hostage on Wednesday after government-linked abductors took them from a Mogadishu hotel earlier this week, police said [ID:nLF167394].

(Additional reporting by Abdi Guled in Mogadishu) (Reporting by Hereward Holland; Editing by Jack Kimball)

Source: Reuters

Electoral Crisis Underscores Broader Human Rights Concerns

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Hargeisa, Somaliland – The Somaliland government’s disregard for the law and democratic processes threatens the territory’s nascent democracy, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The administration of President Dahir Riyale Kahin has committed human rights violations and generated a dangerous electoral crisis.

The 56-page report, “‘Hostages to Peace’: Threats to Human Rights and Democracy in Somaliland,” says that Somaliland’s government has helped create a measure of stability and democratic governance even as Somalia has remained mired in armed conflict. But Somaliland’s gains are fragile and currently under threat. The administration of President Riyale has regularly flouted Somaliland’s laws and has twice delayed elections that were originally scheduled for April 2008, through processes of questionable legality. A further delay of elections, now slated for September 2009, could prove disastrous for democratic rule in Somaliland.

“Somaliland has spent 18 years trying to build stability and democracy, but all its gains are at risk if the government continues to undermine the rule of law,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The electoral crisis has laid bare the need to create functioning government institutions that will respect human rights.”

The Human Rights Watch report is based primarily on a two week visit to Somaliland in March 2009 in which researchers interviewed government officials, opposition leaders, civil society activists, local analysts, and victims of human rights abuses.

Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 after the demise of Somalia’s last functioning government. No country has recognized Somaliland’s claim of statehood. Human Rights Watch takes no position on whether Somaliland should be internationally recognized as an independent country. But international actors should engage more deeply with Somaliland, press Somaliland’s government to respect human rights and the territory’s emerging democratic norms, and provide assistance tailored to bolster key government institutions, the media, and civil society.

In recent years the Riyale administration has regularly treated the opposition-controlled legislature as an irritant, refusing to respect its role in the legislative process or in overseeing opaque government expenditures. Little has been done to build the capacity of the nominally independent judiciary; the lower courts are often incapable of applying the law while the Supreme Court has acted as though it is entirely beholden to the president.

Government actions in violation of domestic and international law have directly infringed upon the rights of Somalilanders, Human Rights Watch said. The Riyale administration has circumvented the courts and trampled on the rights of criminal defendants by relying on “security committees” that are entirely under the control of the executive and that have no legal basis under Somaliland law. The security committees sentence and imprison Somalilanders, including people accused of common crimes and juveniles, without any pretense of due process. They regularly sentence defendants en masse on the basis of little or no evidence after truncated hearings in which the accused are given no right to speak. When Human Rights Watch visited Mandhera prison outside of Hargeisa in March, over half of the prisoners there had been sentenced by the security committees, not the courts.

The government has also engaged in other repressive practices that are common in the region, but relatively rare in Somaliland. A former driver for the president’s family was imprisoned after publicly accusing the first family of corruption, and only released after photos surfaced of the man lying shackled to a hospital bed, gravely ill. The leaders of a dissident political association called Qaran, which challenged the existing three parties’ legal monopoly of electoral politics, were sentenced to prison terms and banned from political activity, though they were released before serving their full terms. And Somaliland’s leading independent human rights group was dismantled during a leadership struggle in which government officials blatantly intervened.

But patterns of low-level harassment targeting journalists, opposition activists, and others are the most common. On numerous occasions government officials have detained, usually for brief periods, individuals who have publicly criticized the government or provided press coverage deemed to be unfavorable.

Somaliland’s precarious situation in the region has deterred Somalilanders from protesting loudly when their rights are abused for fear of damaging their territory’s hard-won stability and its quest for international recognition. Many people told Human Rights Watch that they are effectively “hostages to peace” – unable to confront Somaliland’s deepest problems effectively for fear of upsetting the fragile balance that has kept the territory from going the way of Somalia and other countries in the region.

The repeated delay of Somaliland’s presidential election threatens the foundations of its emerging democratic system. President Riyale has twice been granted lengthy extensions of his term by Somaliland’s unelected House of Elders. The election is currently scheduled for September 29, but there is considerable uncertainty whether it will take place and under what circumstances.

“Somaliland is at a dangerous crossroads,” Gagnon said. “Eighteen years of progress towards democratic governance and general respect for human rights will either be consolidated or endangered, depending on President Riyale’s next moves.”


Read the Report
–Download report (PDF,344.3 KB)

Arr goes to Somaliland – Part IV

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Hargeisa, 15 July 2009 (Somalilandpress) – ARR will be writing to Somalilandpress about his journey to Somaliland and will be offering advice to anyone who may want to travel to this Horn African nation. ARR was born abroad and this is his first trip to Somaliland.

To read Part One CLICK HERE
To read Part Two CLICK HERE
To read Part Three CLICK HERE

A car speeds towards me flying over speed-bumps and moving twice as fast as all the other cars. Is there an emergency? An act of terrorism by the Al-Shabaab cowards or is it simply an ambulance? No. It’s one of the vehicles delivering the poison called Qat to Hargeisa.

In this city where I walk next to houses that literally cost less than one of the accessories I am wearing, a large percentage of the population chooses to indulge in what should be a once in a blue privilege; chewing Qat. As someone who dabbled with this narcotic when in England of all places I had finally arrived in Somaliland where I can see if the effects were as damaging as the strong voice of complaint I had heard from those who oppose it.

I had already witnessed what it has done to the youth in London who spend their days in a Mirfresh from the age of 15 discussing their future goals and plans while everyone else actually accomplishes them. Qat has even superseded their right to a free education but that’s a whole other story. I guess I should take it easy on England and be thankful because if it wasn’t for England I would’ve been shocked to see people taking showers from a bucket.

This speeding car in this city has a policy; it doesn’t stop for ANYONE. This could be a young child, an old lady, or someone from abroad who has no idea that this vehicle carries the false joy of an entire city. Think about an open top Brinks Truck and you will start to get an idea of what I’m talking about. This truck doesn’t stop, because if it did; people would literally jump on it and take what they can from its golden cargo. Because of this the Qat dealers find it more cost effective to pay the blood money of whoever ventured into its path.

The cargo that this vehicle carries is a poison that has strangled our country not only spiritually but economically. It is rumored that approximately $600,000 USD goes to Ethiopia every day from Hargeisa alone. Since a sizable chunk of our economy is based on Money Transfers, Telecommunications companies and Qat; I sometimes wonder if this little triangle is in place so that people can call the Diaspora for urgent funds to spend on Qat but know that it would be a very nasty stereotype. What I can say, however, is that Qat is definitely having a negative impact on our nation and that too much of a lot of people’s income is used on abusing it.

A certain age demographic depends on Qat and expects you to just fork over $50 so they can chew themselves into what I can only describe as a false joy. You’ll get asked for money by people who will in return tell you that the $10 you have given them is not enough to cover their Qat for the day which is still bewildering after the hundredth time. I feel for the ladies who are forced to sell Qat because their husbands think that anyone who can father a child is a man but forget that a man is he who can not only have offspring but care for them and the beautiful soul that has bore the children for him. The women who sell Qat have earned a nick-name here which is Dhuuso Nuug.

This literally translates to Fart Sucker because they spend their day tending to men who are chewing by providing them tea and whatever else helps their false joy. Rumor has it that these women have superpowers which include never using the bathroom or even eating food. I don’t blame these women; however, I blame the so called (wo)men in their families.

After seeing what Qat has done to my people I have promised myself not to ever chew until my oldest son’s engagement. This is my way of avoiding swearing to never do something and at the same time reminding myself that there is so much I have to accomplish in life. The good news is that the younger and educated generation have no interest in chewing and the only young people you will find chewing are foreigners who think it’s a part of their culture. Most young people here are wise to the ill effects of Qat and I can only pray that this is picked up by the young men in England who see it as a rite of passage to start chewing their lives away from a very young age.

Another issue/dilemma we are faced with over here is the constant site of people begging. Now don’t get me wrong; I have the softest heart for those in need. I initially used to go into my pocket and give them money without counting but later smartened up to the hustle in play over here. Most of the people begging here are not needy Somalilanders but people from Oromo who probably own more land and livestock then I do and have taken up begging as a profession. They are also the same people who refuse to work if offered and brag that they can make more money begging when you offer them a job. The sad fact is that it’s true.

This is at the expense of genuinely needy people who are too proud to beg in public. What I now do as a result is tell them to seek help from the Masjid because that’s where I will be making most of my charitable contributions.

I don’t want to paint a bad picture for those of the Somalilanders abroad because it’s really a beautiful place to be. I have loads of cousins here visiting from abroad and they seek refuge in places like Kayse Busharo, the Dollar Store and gas stations which sell pretty much everything you can think of at a marked up price. When you consider that most of the things here are not bought directly from the suppliers and that they have exchanged hands many times before reaching here you will learn to forgive them for charging so much for their items. I personally go to F2 (operated by young Somalilanders businessmen from Hargeisa, the UK and UAE) every now and then so I can enjoy a decent burger with fries.

I have also finally had the opportunity to visit Summertime a few times too many. I’m guessing the reason this place has such a big aura attached to it is because it’s the congregation point for the “I’m a happily married man that cheats on my wife” and the “I was virgin until I came to Hargeisa” clubs (some of you guys are actually cool but it’s the truth!). I’m not saying that everyone there falls into this category but if you come there you will see for yourself that most of them do.

The food is great even though the guy at the window insists on taking a tip without your permission (count your change) and the owner was even kind enough to entertain my complaint regarding an issue I had with them and give me a refund. My overall summary would be that’s it’s a very beautiful place and facility but the crowd there is both socially amateur and immature.

Of the things that have happened in the recent past are Silaanyo’s return to Hargeisa for which no one was allowed to meet him at the airport. I found it surprising because the airport became a security joke when Maryan Mursal arrived and let just about everyone in. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few goats were also allowed to attend. I’m not promoting any particular party but just saying that rules should be applied equally and that didn’t seem to be ‘fair play’ on our government’s part.

I also had the pleasure of being invited to the opening ceremony of Mount Royal Hotel which lies next to Ilays School on the road to Boroma by Najeeb Hassan Haashi (the owner). I’ve been to Panorama and other places but this place took the crown in Hargeisa because while sitting in there you would literally never imagine you were somewhere in Hargeisa. I still wake up sometimes and look out the window and ask myself “what the hell am I doing here” and it’s nice to know that progress is being made and that the better things in life are slowly being made available to the people of Somaliland.

I still haven’t been outside of Hargeisa because I’ve been busy helping my brother get his school in Hargeisa up and running (Toronto Language & Computer Academy located right next to Maan Soor Hotel) but have finally been to the other side of town which I was surprised to find out was twice as beautiful as this side of town. There you will find a bunch of hotels ranging from the Scandinavian hotel to the Ambassador hotel lining the road to and from the airport. I still haven’t been to Ambassador Hotel but will make it a priority to go there before I write my next installment.

The last thing I will discuss is that I had the chance to go to the secret gathering of foreigners and NGO employees here in Hargeisa. I won’t give too many details as they have gone underground since the cowardly attacks of last year other than to say it’s a pretty neat gathering for them to let their hair down and just have a good time. I was one of only two other Somalilanders there and not knowing what I was getting myself into got all dressed up as if I was going to Maan Soor Hotel and ended up at a casual get together where I was looked at suspiciously for either being a Somalilander or for looking so darn good.

Having never had a hard time getting into the top ‘spots’ where all of the people there could never dream of getting into; I found it intriguing that I was considered something of an outsider at this gathering in my own city! This was literally the only time I had encountered an Indian person looking at me as if they were better than me and it was reminiscent of the old days where people left jobs at McDonalds to be offered dummy positions at major corporations in the Gulf.

Some of them were nice so I guess I forgive them but I made it a point to explain that I was here because this is my country and not because I couldn’t get a better job with those kind of perks abroad (Thank you to the British gentleman and American woman who invited me if you’re reading but I ‘m only writing what I felt about most of them).

I also recently applied for a position with a local association and experienced firsthand how things work behind the scenes here. I wasn’t interested for monetary purposes but wanted this particular post because it’s somewhere where I felt I can use my expertise to bring positive change (I also have a personal policy of not spending money when and where I’m not making money unless I’m on vacation… Try it; it really works!).

Suffice to say that someone that the interviewer had brought with him who couldn’t complete the aptitude test got the position. Talk about conflict of interest; this is the way of our land. I am constantly being encouraged to tell people my full name to get a better service which I guess is something I resent about how our country works. It’s the same as everywhere else in the world: “It’s not who you are but who you know.” The only problem is that over here it’s done so openly. For me, personally, I will always live by this Somali proverb that goes “This goat that I have today is better than the Camels your father used to have.”

I guess I’ll stop this here for now because I too have noticed my blogs are getting longer. I’m either seeing more things or getting extremely bored but I promise you it’s not the latter just yet. There’s lots of things I would like to cover including the Squatting epidemic but I’ll save it for another blog entry. Thank you for reading and look out for Part V.

To Be Continued…

By Arr

This Government should stop it's old tricks of creating Multiple security problems, whenever Elections close-in!!

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Hargeisa, 15 July 2009 (Somalilandpress) – If we look back into Government handling of this anticipated Sept.27,2009 election from 2006 to-date, We will be able to tabulate known Government policies of pre-delaying major hot issues to the last days or months proceeding the Election date!! The philosophy behind this unusual deception was to give the presidency’s Ally -The Guurti- a justification to extend the period on grounds of in-adequate time remining from the pre-set Election Date!!

This stubborn behavior was often followed by Constitutional crises, terrorist acts or inter-clan conflicts orchestrated through Gov,t covert activities!! Readers should be remembering the Daror, Ceel- garas, Yeyle, Berbera’s Dubar area, The Cement Factory crisis, Hargeisa empty spaces, local-made bomb detonations, where no body had been hit or injured and no creminals detained for those, but were blamed by Gov’t on the opposition, to twist the facts!!

Of those dirty trick operations, the sole benefactor of events was the Gov’t only and not the Opposition Political Parties to the fact that the Administration was trying to establish a fact on the ground that the National security was in danger, therby indicating to the Guurti to extend the Presidential Mandate by exercising the Constitutional Article, 83 !!
This was foiled in it’s all attempts by the opposition confronting the Administration with beyond the call of doubt facts, and at times with demonstrations!!

Now that Sept 27th, 2009 is only two months away, We do remind this Faqash reminents, Intelligence Officers lead Administration, please stop those old dirty tricks, that made your Russian Experts to shy-away of it and seek memberships in joining the E.U, because of the benignness of their policies, which only instigated hatred on them at every country they applied those dirty tricks at, that lead to chasing them out of Africa and Parts of th Middle-East as well.

The Bardaale conflict , was a covert political operation meant to destabilize the Country, You could see the installing of Federal flags of Somalia at parts of Borama and Laas-Anod!! More concretely, a delegation lead by Mr. Haabsade, the same colonel, who chased allegedly, President Riyale from laas-Anod and occupied that region with feeble Puntland Militia of Puntland for three years reached Borama two days ago , what for?!! to recite qur’aan there?!! We can’t take it any more Sirs!! , nor could we believe in this Administration, unless we see a sanctioned, ranked to file National Armed forces, with clear identification emblems demonstrating their regiments in the Somaliland National Armed forces, and formal Chains of command, but not , those mostly illetrate and undisciplined UNDP Kaki dressed with those of TNG Militia as i the case now, to be exploited on martial order and not through lawful Army Chains of Command controlled discipline and not, as is
now happenng at Bardaale!!

If the truth in any Dispute is not put into spot-light, any solution habhazardly uttered, will only lead to failure and may aggrevate the situation!! If we believe in honesty, We got to execute , the many judgements over Bardaale , last of which was the Guurti indictement. Instigating chaos at Borama , Laas-Anod and Berbera this time, will not be of any significance, because of the public knowledge of Gov’t election time Old-tactics!!


Dr. Ali A. Mohamed

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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: A Democracy in the Horn of Africa

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Hargeisa, 14 July 2009 (Somalilandpress) – According to some recent articles, quoted from a report from Human Rights Watch presented in Hargeisa, the capital city “Somaliland, “cautions that Somaliland is at a crucial juncture after an unlikely recent history of democratic progress and relative stability in the Horn of Africa. Somaliland is in danger of losing its democratic and human rights gains…” according to a human rights group. Let us examine these statements in detail.

The report was actually presented in Hargeisa, not in some foreign city, but in the capital city of Somaliland. This is an example of Somaliland’s political maturity. There was no attempt to block or muzzle the report by the Somaliland authorities, and it has been freely printed and discussed in the press. How many nations in the world can boast such a freedom of expression?

The report, although by and large based on the delay in the Presidential elections caused by problems with the voter registration programme, does mention, Somaliland hasn’t turned into a “Somalia”, and is not likely to do so.

There is still the process of law, the judicial system is working, and the legislative system is fully functional. The Presidential election will be held on the 27th of September, 2009, and as recently as a few days ago all three Somaliland political parties signed their declaration of intent with the National Elections Commission.

According to Human Rights Watch senior researcher Chris Albin-Lackey “The West’s failure to engage with Somaliland as separate from the rest of war-torn Somalia is a missed opportunity”. For eighteen years, the people and the leadership of Somaliland have been saying the same thing.

Mr. Albin-Lackey goes on to state “Somaliland’s unique success story within a region where human rights violations are the norm should give additional impetus to the fight to save the territory’s democracy”. Once again let me reassure Mr. Albin-Lackey and all at the Human Rights Watch, the citizen’s of Somaliland wholeheartedly agree with this view, and are more than willing to join in the protection of their democracy, and they will be glad to learn that the rest of the world will finally acknowledge its unique success, and come on board.

The report also goes on to mention that there is a need for “a new policy framework on the part of international donors that looks at the realities on the ground in Somaliland..Greater willingness to invest time and resources to following what is going on here and finding effective ways both to provide assistance..”. This is not entirely accurate, there have been many nations engaging Somaliland for the past eighteen years, including the US, UK, EU and other interested parties. In fact, the US, UK and EU continue to provide funds for capacity building including voter registration, education and elections.

Looking at this report in an objective manner, the government of Somaliland and its leadership have not denied the process of law or habeas corpus to any of its citizens. There are no allegations of summary executions or beheadings or detentions, this is after all democracy.

The report is merely stating the Somaliland’s democracy is at the crucial juncture, and needs the support of the international community in order to safeguard this unique success story. There will not be many reasonable people who will disagree with this statement.

In conclusion, it worth noting that Somaliland has cooperated with the United States and other Western nations in combating terrorism and piracy . Isn’t this a mark of true democracy in a dangerous world.

Ahmed Kheyre
London

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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

Fighters vow to continue Somalia battle

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Somalia's soldiers patrol in Afgooye, some 30 kilometres south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on October 19, 2016. - At least four police officers were killed on October 18 when a suicide bomb attacker rammed an explosives-packed car into a police station before fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab group subsequently stormed the area killing at least 10 people, including soldiers and civilians. (Photo by MOHAMED ABDIWAHAB / AFP)

Mogadishu, Jul 14 2009 — Gun battles in Somalia are continuing as government forces and opposition fighters vow to press their fight for control of the country.

The exact details of who is holding the upper hand in battle is still murky, but the human toll from the conflict is crystal clear.

Report by Zeina Awad.
Source: AlJazeera

Two Somali-Americans Charged With Aiding Terror

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Al-Shabaab’s first attack on Kenyan soil was in 2008. Since then the Kenyan government has responded with force. United Nations Photo/Flickr
Al-Shabaab’s first attack on Kenyan soil was in 2008. Since then the Kenyan government has responded with force. United Nations Photo/Flickr

Hargeisa, 14 July 2009  – Federal officials unsealed an indictment in Minneapolis on Monday charging two young Somali-Americans with providing material support for terrorism.

The disclosure of the indictment, which was handed up by a grand jury in February, is the first public step in a sweeping federal investigation of more than 20 young Americans who are believed to have joined a militant Islamist group in Somalia, the Shabaab, that is affiliated with Al Qaeda.

The indictment states that one of the men, Salah Osman Ahmed, flew from Minneapolis to Somalia in December 2007 to “fight jihad.” Mr. Ahmed, 26, and Abdifatah Yusuf Isse, 25, have been charged with plotting to provide “personnel including themselves” in a conspiracy to “kill, kidnap, maim or injure” people in a foreign country.

The case drew national attention after one of the other men, Shirwa Ahmed, blew himself up in an attack in Somalia last October, becoming the first known American suicide bomber.

The indictments followed news that two other Somali-American men suspected of fighting with the Shabaab were shot dead Friday in a battle in the Somali capital. Relatives and friends reported the deaths of the men, Zakaria Maruf, 30, and Jamal Sheikh Bana, 20, both of Minneapolis.

Salah Osman Ahmed, one of the men charged Monday, used to write rap lyrics before he became religious in recent years, a friend said. After Mr. Ahmed arrived in Somalia, he became disillusioned with the militant movement there, said the friend, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It wasn’t for him,” the friend said. “He felt like he didn’t fit in.”

Both Mr. Ahmed and Mr. Isse later returned to the United States. Mr. Isse was detained last spring in Seattle, said Stephen L. Smith, a lawyer who advised Mr. Isse’s former girlfriend. Mr. Ahmed, who was working as a security guard in Minneapolis, was arrested there on Saturday.

The men are being held at an undisclosed location pending a detention hearing on Thursday.

The New York Times

Ethiopia Transport delays for food aid continue

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Hargeisa, 14 July 2009  – Transport delays from Djibouti have led the World Food Programme (WFP) to begin diverting vessels carrying food assistance to the Port of Sudan and the Port of Berbera in Somaliland, where trucks will transport the aid to Ethiopia.

This decision by the WFP was a result of the Ethiopian Government ostensibly prioritizing the transportation of fertilizers from the Port of Djibouti to crop-producing areas of the country with the intention of trying to increase production at the next harvest.

Many international NGOs are currently criticizing the Government for its decision to prioritize fertilizer delivery, while 4.9 million citizens are badly in need of emergency food assistance. WFP was the first to condemn the Government in a move that also raised the Government’s awareness of the issue.

The Disaster Management and Food Security Sector (DMFSS) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development explained to the charities that it has agreed to ease distribution delays and prioritize the transportation of emergency food assistance according to USAID’s emergency report titled, ‘Ethiopia – Complex Emergency’.

The Government has agreed to authorize companies to provide 100 trucks per day to transport food commodities from the port as of late June. However, WFP reported that the transport challenge is continuing.

According to it, an average of only 12 trucks are currently transporting food per day, which prompted WFP to divert vessels carrying food assistance to the alternative ports. WFP reached the decision on which ports to use after trucking companies from Somaliland agreed to transport the aid to Ethiopia.

Areas that produce during the belg rains are currently registering below average harvests that are worsening food insecurity. Preliminary belg assessment findings of UN agencies indicates a significant reduction of belg crop levels, including 75 to 90 per cent crop loss in some areas, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported.


Source: Nazret

Witnesses: 2 French journalists seized in Somalia

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INDIAN OCEAN - OCTOBER 8: In this handout photograph provided by the U.S. Navy, pirates leave the merchant vessel MV Faina for the Somalia shore under observation by a U.S. Navy ship October 8, 2008 at sea in the Indian Ocean. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by Kaalbye Shipping, Ukraine and is carrying a cargo of Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related military equipment. The ship was seized by pirates September 25 and forced to anchor off the Somali coast. (Photo by Jason R. Zalasky/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Hargeisa, 14 July 2009  – Eyewitnesses say two French journalists have been kidnapped from a hotel in the Somali capital.

Abdi Mohamed Ahmed, who owns a teashop in front of the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu, said about 10 gunmen disarmed the hotel’s guards Tuesday morning and kidnapped the men.

Hotel manager Mohamed Hassan Gafaa said the men are French journalists.

Somalia is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists to work.

AP

France gives red carpet welcome to refugees relocated from Malta

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epa05758229 People gather for a protest at the International arrivals of Boston's Logan International Airport after people arriving from Muslim-majority countries were held at the border control as a result of the new executive order by US President Donald Trump in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 28 January 2017. According to reports, thousands of people took part in the demonstration as people from countries on the suspension list were reportedly held at the airport. US federal judge issued an emergency stay for visa holders and refugees that have been detained at airports following US President Donald Trump's executive order, halting all refugee entry for 120 days and for 90 days bans entry from seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. EPA/JOHN CETRINO

Hargeisa, 14 July 2009 – A group of 92 people in need of international protection received the red carpet treatment at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Thursday, as they completed the last leg of a long and hazardous journey via Malta from their homes in Africa and Asia.

French Immigration Minister Eric Besson greeted the newcomers after they flew into a cloudy Paris on Thursday afternoon from sunny Malta. The group, including 20 children, was made up of people from various nationalities. More than half (57) were Somalis. There were also 18 Eritreans, nine Sudanese, three Ethiopians, three Sri Lankans and two people from Côte d’Ivoire.

“I wish you all the best in France. I wish you peace and happiness in your new life,” Besson told the new arrivals, whom France had agreed to accept from Malta as a gesture of European responsibility sharing and solidarity. “Your future starts here,” he added.

Every year hundreds of desperate migrants and asylum-seekers arrive in Malta, a tiny island nation of 400,000 inhabitants, after making the perilous boat trip across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa. They have fled poverty, persecution or war.

To help Malta, the French government agreed to receive 96 people whom the Maltese authorities had given either refugee status or subsidiary protection. Of these, 92 arrived in Paris on Thursday, while the rest, an Iraqi family of four, will come at a later date.

“France is proud to be the European country that receives the most asylum-seekers,” Besson told journalists covering the arrival. “This not a case of immigration but of asylum, which is a completely different thing. To those chased out of their country by oppression, France will do everything necessary to integrate them.”

The minister also told the new arrivals about some of France’s core values, including liberty, equality and fraternity as well as religious tolerance and secularism. He said they were expected to do their best to become self-sufficient and integrate, particularly by learning French.

“It’s good to learn French to be able to communicate with people and find a job,” said Abdirisaaq, a 21-year-old man who fled Mogadishu in Somalia and made his way through Kenya, Sudan and Libya, before making the sea voyage to Malta. “Today, I feel as happy as the day that I was saved from the sea and touched land after fours days at sea,” he said.

After receiving refreshments and talking to officials and journalists, the group was taken by bus to collective centres in the towns of Nanterre, Poitiers, Créteil and Oissel, where they will stay until they find employment and accommodation.

Halimu, a Somali woman wearing white flowing robes and with henna patterns on her hands, said in fluent English before heading to an accommodation centre in Oissel: “I’m very happy because I will start my life again, improve my education and eventually reunite with my husband and children.”

UNHCR

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