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Islamic militia leader Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys,
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MOGADISHU, Somalia Jul. 21, 2006 — An Islamic militia leader whose forces control the capital called for a holy war Friday against Ethiopian troops protecting Somalia's weak UN-backed government.
Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, speaking on Radio Shabelle, said Ethiopia's decision to send troops to protect the transitional government in Baidoa, about 240 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu, must be met with war.
Addis Ababa/Borena, July 19, 2006 – Pastoralists from various countries said Ethiopia could further scale up its economic growth through proper utilization of its animal resources especially from the Borena Zone of the Oromia State.
Pastoralists who have gathered in an experience-sharing meeting told ENA yesterday that the ongoing animal husbandry in Ethiopia would pull out the country's pastoralists from poverty.
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 13, 2006 (AP) - Islamic militiamen have consolidated their power in the Somali capital, but their leaders now have to navigate treacherous clan politics, the source of the country's 15 years of anarchy.
The clerics have so far cleverly used religious and nationalist rhetoric to win public support, but the transitional government will try to divide the Islamic leadership using rivalries among the dozens of clans and subclans, experts and average Somalis said. And pushing religion too hard as an antidote could backfire in a country unused to the hard line on Islam espoused by some of the new leaders.
Somali Islamists Open Court In Govt-Controlled Area
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Leaders of the Islamic Courts in prayer at Mogadishu airport.
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MOGADISHU, Jul 17, 2006 – Islamists who control Mogadishu and a large swathe of southern Somalia have opened a sharia court to serve two government-controlled regions, officials said on Monday.
The Islamic movement has set up nine new courts in areas it has seized since driving out U.S.-backed warlords from Mogadishu on June 5, but it is the first time the Islamists have established a court in an area they do not yet control.
AP Photo/Mohamed Sheikh Nor
MOGADISHU, Somalia, July 20, 2006 – Hundreds of Ethiopian troops in armored vehicles rolled into Somalia on Thursday to protect their allies in this country's virtually powerless government from Islamic militants who control the capital.
The move could give the U.S.-backed Somali government its only chance of curbing the Islamic militia's increasing power. But Ethiopia's incursion could also be just the provocation the militia needs to build public support for a guerrilla war.
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Tuesday, 18 July 2006
International Development
Somalia
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North, Labor) Hansard source
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid programmes are supported by his Department in Somalia; and by which local administrations aid is delivered.
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AU May Yet Become Another Talking Shop
July 6, 2006
So what came out of the Africa Union meeting in Banjul? The main stars were Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, all for different reasons.
Mr Chavez asked Europe and United States to apologise to Africa for colonialism and for enslaving Africans. Mr Annan warned Africans against the new "scramble for Africa", while President Ahmadinejad’s presence was viewed as a "morale booster as well as an assurance that Africa can make it."
The Islamists control much of southern Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia, July 17, 2006 – Somalia's interim President Abdillahi Yusuf has dropped his opposition to talks in Sudan with Islamist leaders who control the capital, Mogadishu.
He boycotted talks with the Union of Islamic Courts, accusing them of breaking a previously agreed ceasefire.
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Journalists To Be Honored For Aids Coverage
Nairobi, Kenya, July 18, 2006 – An award that recognizes journalists who excel in reporting or producing programmes on Aids was launched yesterday.
The Unesco-sponsored HIV/Aids Red Ribbon Media Award for Excellence in Journalism in Eastern and Southern Africa targets individuals who give an exceptional contribution to society by raising awareness and giving hope to patients.
GAMBIA: Journalists Targeted With More Arrests And Harassment
Press Release
Reporters Without Borders 20 July 2006
Reporters Without Borders today condemned the arrests of Sam Obi, the managing director of a new, privately-owned newspaper based in Banjul, the Daily Express, and one of his journalists, Abdul Gafari, who were held from 14 to 18 July at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The organization also voiced concern about the disappearance of two other journalists who have may have gone into hiding. One is Ebrima Manneh of the pro-government Daily Observer. The other is Sulaymane Makato, former assistant editor of The Independent, a privately-owned biweekly that has been prevented from publishing since 28 March. Makato was briefly the Daily Express's acting editor earlier this month.
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Ethiopian Troops Moving Closer To Mogadishu
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Ethiopian army on the march (photo file)
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MOGADISHU, July 22, 2006 – Ethiopian troops were moving closer to the Somali capital Mogadishu on Friday amid fears of all-out war in the volatile Horn of Africa nation where Islamists have risen to power, witnesses told Reuters.
Ethiopian soldiers were moving beyond the provincial seat of the interim Somali government in Baidoa to the towns of Buur Hakaba and Baledogle, various local residents said.
Addis Ababa denies it has soldiers there, while the Somali government, which has little authority beyond Baidoa, said people were confusing its militia because they were wearing uniforms donated from Ethiopia.
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Is The Baidoa Show About To End?
Special Guest Column
By Jamal Gabobe.
Seattle , July 22, 2006 (SL Times) – The “prime minister” (Geedi) says that heavily armed Islamic militia have seized Bur Hakaba and are getting ready to attack his “government”. But the minister of women’s affairs Fowsiya Muhammad, who is from Bur Hakaba, says no such thing happened. You will be justified in thinking that the above-mentioned ministers do not serve in the same government, but you will be wrong. They do serve in the same government, one with a long name (the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia) but short, way short, to the point of non-existence, in every other criteria of what a government is supposed to be.
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I.M.Lewis
In democratic societies it is normally taken as axiomatic that judgments about the nature and legitimacy of a government must be made by the general public, demonstrating its assessment in a free and fair electoral process. Nothing of this kind, of course, has occurred in southern Somalia since the civilian governments of the 1960s. In fact, only in Somaliland is there today a flourishing democratic process in the modern sense, and a government which can properly claim legitimacy. Col. Abdillahi Yusuf’s TFG has not contested any public election in Somalia that could enable it to claim popular legitimacy. In point of fact, it has not offered the public any declared political programme whose popularity could be tested by public opinion. Furthermore it is highly questionable whether Abdillahi’s team actually merits the title ‘government’.
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PRETORIA July 21, 2006 – The United States has cautioned Ethiopia not to become embroiled in Somalia, although it could not confirm reports Ethiopian troops were already in the country, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.
"We have told them not to get drawn into this provocation," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer told journalists by video-conference.
Witnesses said Ethiopian troops moved closer to Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Friday, putting pressure on Islamists who have risen to power in the Horn of Africa nation and challenging the authority of its Western-backed interim government.
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By Farah Ali Jama, Ottawa, Canada
Whenever the question of Somaliland’s recognition arises or is put forward to the government of the brotherly and neighbourly Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, their leaders particularly His Excellency Ato Seyoum Mesfin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is known to become a bit uncomfortable, defensive, and beats about the bush in order to circumvent, deflect, and diminish the question in hand in the bid to wash off blame from his government and himself for dragging their feet or reluctance by throwing in, on every occasion, the usual inadequate; well rehearsed, repetitive, and a terse one sentence statement answer such as: Ethiopia will not be the first or the last to recognize Somaliland—meaning, if another country first recognizes Somaliland then, Ethiopia will probably be the second country to follow suit, which in essence does not clarify anything except to further obscure the issue and to hide the real position of their government.
TO: H.E Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare, Chairman, African Union
Cc: H.E. Mr. Patrick Mazimhaka, Deputy Chairman, African Union
SOMALIAND: The AU must accept Independent Somaliland
AU Mission to Somaliland
1. In May 2006, the Republic of Somaliland welcomed the African Union’s fact-finding Commission, led by His Excellency Patrick Mazimhaka, Deputy Chairman. Since the Commissions departure, Somaliland has celebrated the 15 th Anniversary of its resumption of independence declared in May 1991. This was also the 46 th anniversary of the birth of the independent State of Somaliland in June 1960.
Somaliland - UN Encouraging Spread Of Violence In Somalia
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Chairman of Kulmiye Party Ahmed Sillanyo and UCID Party Chairman Faisal Warabe held a press conference in the capital Hargeysa warning against an eventual war with Somalia unless the international community does not respect the territorial integrity of Somaliland or settle the Somaliland question.
Current TFG president of Somalia was a former president of the neighboring autonomous Puntland which claims to seek unity with Somalia and facing a military confrontation with Somaliland over the East Sool province. On the basis of colonial boundaries East Sool belong to Somaliland, however Puntland is determined to hold this region according to its tribal affiliations.
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London, Jul 7, 2006 – Progressio's leading Somaliland expert, Dr Steve Kibble, asked MPs to support Somaliland's steps towards democracy and its bid for international recognition in his inaugural address to the new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Somaliland on Wednesday 28 June.
Dr Kibble, Progressio Advocacy Coordinator for Africa and Yemen, said to MPs: 'The people of Somaliland brought peace to their country through indigenous methods of dialogue, using clan structures with input from elders and women, albeit behind the scenes. However, there is now a need for outside assistance to Somaliland on questions of democratization, given that the government and political parties still appear, according to sources there, new to running a democracy.
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Djibouti, July 19, 2006 – Deployment of foreign peacekeepers in Somalia - proposed by the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development - was premature and could make matters worse, Djibouti's Foreign Minister, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, said.
"Djibouti's position is that the main parties in Somalia have embarked on a process of dialogue," Yusuf said on Wednesday. "Let's give that process a chance before we introduce foreign forces."
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International News
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BRUSSELS, July 17, 2006 – A group of nations trying to coordinate a strategy for helping Somalia strengthen state institutions urged the country's transitional government to participate in reconciliation talks with the Islamic militants who have taken over the capital.
The International Contact Group on Somalia, called for a dialogue that will be "inclusive to all components of the Somali society," said Stefano Manservisi, head of the European Commission's Directorate General for Development.
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U.S. Told To Back Somalia's Moderate Islamists
ICU controls more than 20 percent of territory
WASHINGTON, July 18, 2006 -- Somalia could become a big thorn in America's side if U.S. officials don't support moderate Islamic elements and prevent an invasion of Ethiopia, former senior U.S. diplomats said yesterday.
"You talk about mistrust, fear and tension nowadays, and Somalia is even worse than Iraq," Herman Cohen, former assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said at a press briefing.
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J. Peter Pham
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In facing disturbing political developments in Somalia, FSM Contributing Editor J. Peter Pham considers the importance of diplomatic tools and American involvement in stabilizing an explosive region.
July 20, 2006
Last week, I began this “Tale of Two Cities” by pointing to the danger inherent in confusing real effectiveness for the juridical fiction of international diplomatic recognition. Specifically, I argued that putting too much stock—and, in this case, almost any confidence is overreaching—in the reliability of the so-called “Transitional Federal Government” (TFG) of Somalia, a ragtag outfit camped out (at least at the time of this writing) in the town of Baidoa, as an ally in what may prove to be the inevitable battle against the Islamist radicals:
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Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer
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Addis Ababa, July 17, 2006 – In working with regional groups and the international community, the US accepts the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) as Somalia's only legitimate governing body, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer said. "We speak with one voice, I believe, except for Eritrea, in opposing an extremist Islamist takeover of the government in Somalia.
The TFG has been challenged in asserting itself in Somalia. Unable to move to Mogadishu which now is under the control of the Council of Islamic Courts of Somalia (CICS), the TFG is now even threatened by the latter of losing its seat in Baidoa.
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Amnesty International Launches Global Campaign Against Internet Repression
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: ACT 30/016/2006
20 July 2006
Following the success of the launch of its internet freedom campaign in the UK, Amnesty International is today going global with irrepressible.info. The campaign aims to claim back the web as a force for change in the face of an increasing willingness on the part of technology companies to aid censorship and repression.
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Editorial
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IGAD, the UN, the EU and the Arab League are all providing various types of support for the so-called Transitional Federal Government of Somalia headed by Abdillahi Yusuf. The assistance given by these quarters to the TFG ranges from direct financial aid to politico-military support and sponsorship.
All of this is being done in the name of helping Somalia’s weak government stand on its feet. Even the UN Security Council and the US government both of which previously refused to be tempted into authorizing the lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia and the dispatch of IGAD “peacekeepers” there, have now joined the circus of the TFG’s international sponsors.
In the aftermath of the victory of the Al-Itihad turned Islamic Courts against Mogadishu’s warlords in last June, the TFG has acquired importance regionally and internationally. As governments within and outside the region scrambled for action in the face of the Islamist take over of Mogadishu and most of the former Italian Somalia save the Majerteen enclave (Puntland), the only policy that has been pursued by both regional and international players has been to substantially increase aid, including a large military assistance, for the TFG.
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Special Report
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REPORT ON FAMILIARISATION TOUR TO SOMALILAND
In November 2005, the Centre for Human Rights began investigating the possibility of a third destination for the LLM field trip. The reasons for increasing the number of field trip destinations to include Somaliland include the following:
Somaliland is a state in the making; it would be ideal for students on the programme to have a first hand experience of this.
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Opinions
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Book Review On Part 3:
The Bedrock Of The
Family By Mohammed Bashe H. Hassan
By Rhoda A. Rageh
The part marked as ‘qeybta Sadexaad’ is a lamentation of the broken Somali family and some acknowledgement of the failures of men with little depth of either one. This section should have been the first as a prelude to what is happening to the Somali society. Since the book is meant to take account of the strength of women, it is bit surprising to read this section as the last section of the book. ‘Qeybta Afrad’ is a list of names which I don’t understand the purpose it serves. The information in this section is varied and drifts in and out of the issues on women but the gist of the chapter is as written below:
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By Dr. Suleiman Walhad
In the Gambian capital of Banjul, the African Union met yet once again in its now annual rencontre – the 7th Summit of the Union from July 1st to July 2nd, 2006. It must have been very long meetings for the African Head of States in view of the long list of hot and still hotter issues they must have dealt with as is usual for Africa. They must have started their discourses with beautiful words in the form of speeches lamenting the sad story of the continent, what they all think must be done and what should have been done. These should have colored the already colorful African meeting (in terms of their bright and colorful traditional dresses) with no good results as usual.
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By Liban Ahmad, London
United Islamic Courts of Somalia have attracted the attention of analysts after the defeat of warlords who terrorized parts of southern Somalia more than 15 years. “Good riddance to Muse Suudi, Mohamed Qanyare and Co” has been a sensible reaction. Now it is time to look at the options that have the potential to transform the leaders United Islamic Courts and the Transitional Federal Government from implacable foes into partners in nation building.
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In Today's World, Is It Possible To Unify All Somalis Under One Flag?
Somalis must reinvent Somaliweyn as five states/regions that support each other
By Noah Arre
In the late fourteenth Century the European population was expanding at an alarming rate while its resources were shrinking…. Hence the drive to find new opportunities as a result of which the age of exploration in which new lands, the Americas, Australia and the far off islands of the Pacific were discovered or rather conquered.
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By Moh’ed Jibril Elmi, Awdal, Borama
When the former regime” Moh’ed Siyad Barre” was over thrown from the power, Somaliland intellectuals and its community had started together to establish a new democracy system which is different from the early dictatorship power.
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By Abdifatah Ismail, Cape Town , RSA
19 July 2006 - Residents in Mogadishu go about their business with out fear for the first time in sixteen years, thanks to the Union of Islamic Courts, an Islamist movement that toppled the merciless warlords in control of the capital since the ouster of the late dictator, Siyad Barre, in 1991.
Amid a worldwide concern about possible emergence of Taliban like rule in Somalia, the Islamists carry on to consolidate their power with relative ease as private and clan militias continue to hand over their weapons and ordinary citizens, in dire need of law and order, across the southern provinces welcome them with open arms.
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Ref.: "Germany Moves South" by Ron Fraser, (Sl/Times issue 234)
Dear Sir,
it is regrettable, that You have re-printed the article by certain Ron Fraser under the title "Germany Moves South".
Regrettable, because it may detract the attention of the Somaliland public from the real issues, specially these of the possible German engagements for the benefits of the Republic of Somaliland, engagements which we are strongly supporting.
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| FEATURES & COMMENTARY |
Returning home after many years of absence entails mixed feelings. They include fear and expectation, nostalgia and excitement but as the famous saying goes one can never go home again, not at least the home in one's memory.
This is the feeling of nostalgia for the past, for childhood and for old memories that Roda Mizan had wished to find, or feared not to find on her way to the motherland and particularly to her native town of Borama . If another name for home is peace as another adage says, Roda said she found not only peace at the homeland but a homeland in peace. "Peace has made everything beautiful in Somaliland ," says Roda.
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By Peter Oloo Aringo
Budget is undoubtedly the government’s most important policy tool. It reflects the fundamental values underlying national policy within which framework the budget must operate and be consistent with. It is further a declaration of the government’s fiscal, financial and economic objective and highlights its social and economic priorities.
In a nutshell therefore, the basic functions of the national budget entail: Collection and allocation of scarce resources to priority sectors; Provision of public goods and services by Government; and Redistribution of incomes.
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By Yared Tibebu*
July 14, 2006 — A year after the June 1st massacre of democracy and freedom loving Ethiopians by the minority rule in Ethiopia, again the world is forced to pay attention to political developments in the Horn of Africa. The recent takeover of Mogadishu from the US supported war lords by the Moslem Courts Union, lately known as ICC, has forced the "Hawks" at the Pentagon to be pushed to the side and the "Doves" at the State Department to take the lead. As a result the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, had temporarily dislocated her office from Washington to Nairobi, Kenya; and the region is getting a world attention.
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IDF dances within accepted rules of engagement, says Michael Byers
Jul. 16, 2006 – Two years ago, over lunch, I debated self-defense with the lawyer who advises the Israeli Defense Force.
The lawyer in question is a colonel with a Harvard doctorate; the invitation came while I was a visiting professor at the University of Tel Aviv.
After just a few minutes, my host cut to the chase:
"There have been a number of missile attacks along our northern border," she said. "We're going to respond with air strikes against some Hezbollah installations in southern Lebanon next week. What do you think?"
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Addis Ababa, July 17, 2006 -The Supreme leader of Somalia's increasingly powerful Islamist movement, Sharif sheikh Ahmed has warned world powers meeting in Russia against backing of any foreign peacekeepers for his lawless nation where his forces are now dominant.
Islamic fighters take control of an anti aircraft vehicle in Mogadishu outskirts. Somalia's newly powerful Islamists have agreed to respect the legitimacy of the fragile government in Baidoa and continue talks despite a rebuff by the president, an Arab League envoy.
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Rhetoric aimed at Ethiopian troops threatens unrest in region
Somalia militia armed with AK-47 assault rifles sit inside a former abandoned government property Thursday in the capital Mogadishu.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, July 20, 2006 – Somalia’s Islamists vowed a “holy war” on Thursday against Ethiopian troops crossing into the Horn of Africa nation, while Addis Ababa threatened to “crush” any attack on the interim government it supports.
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