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International News
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Opinion |
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Press Release
February 13, 2009
Ever since the rebirth of Somaliland as an independent state
in 1991, the Somaliland Diaspora community in North America
and elsewhere around the world has taken a keen interest in
the affairs of their homeland and has worked hard to
continuously provide material as well as moral support for
this young fledgling nation in its march towards self
determination and the establishment of democratic
institutions.
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Somaliland president, Dahir Riyale Kahin |
Hargeysa, February
16, 2009 – “I will step down if i loose the election” said
President Riyale yesterday in the opening of a new factory
in Aw-Barkhadle, 30km from the capital city of Hargeysa.
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Aw Barkadle, 16 February 2009 — Despite
the turbulence in the global markets, Somaliland investors
opened a new soft drink factory on Sunday called Happy Cola
in Aw Barkadle, a small town 30 km south-east of the capital
Hargeysa.
Happy Cola has two production lines but plans to expand in
the near future and will introduce other products such as
snacks, cooking oil and processed food, which is already
under construction. For now it will supply 8400 cartons of
soft drinks and 6000 cartons of spring water per day to the
market.
Read full text...
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Hargeysa, Somaliland
February 19, 2009— Berbera regional court sentenced seven
pirates each to 20 years of prison after the court found
them guilty on Wednesday.
The pirates were arrested in Berbera earlier this month
after the security forces discovered that the group were
preparing themselves for a piracy operation inside
Somaliland waters.
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 16, 2009 - A group composed
of militias from the neighboring Somalia region of Puntland
and some locals are reported to be creating a pirate base in
the eastern part of Somaliland. The militia with at least
three vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft weapons are
reportedly stationing in Buraan, around 40kms from Ceel-Buh
village in Eastern Sanaag.
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Murders come just days after three youngsters
were stabbed in the capital in suspected gang fight
London, February 20, 2009 – The family of a teenager stabbed
to death as he filled his car with petrol last night
described their horror at the killing.
Hassan Kul Hawadleh was one of two teenagers killed in
separate incidents in
London on Thursday night.
The
19-year-old was attacked in Wealdstone, north London,
shortly after 7.30pm when he was confronted by a gang of up
to eight people on a petrol forecourt.
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 19, 2009 – A senior
government official in Somaliland has suggested on Thursday
that the upcoming presidential election might be postponed.
Mr. Ahmed Yusuf Yasin, Somaliland's vice president, told
local press that the voter-registration process might
continue through March 29, when Somaliland is scheduled to
hold a competitive democratic election to elect the next
president.
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Nairobi, 20 February 2009: The UN Special
Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, has
welcomed the announcement of the new Somali cabinet made by
the Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke.
“I am very pleased that the Prime Minister has chosen a
Government of National Unity as outlined in the Djibouti
Agreement of 18 August 2008. It is encouraging to see
members of the original Transitional Federal Government
alongside some fresh faces from what was the Alliance for
the Re-Liberation of Somalia. This cabinet is a healthy
combination of experience and youth and I welcome it.”
Read full text...
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Mogadishu, Somalia, February 18, 2009 – A former Somali
general and top military expert General Mohamed Nur Galaal
has advised the leadership of the Transitional Federal
Government (TFG) of Somalia to revive the former national
security forces so that they can be able to stabilize the
war-ravaged nation.
Talking to reporters in Nairobi on Wednesday the former
general accused the TFG of using clan militias as military
and police forces instead of working to give security to
civilians.
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Wave of terrorism: Somali men are taught how to use
assault rifles. MI5 fears dozens of extremists have
returned to Britain from terror training camps in
the war-torn country |
London, February 17, 2009 – A university
student who became a suicide bomber in Somalia is believed
to be the first of a new wave of British-based Islamic
terrorism.
The 21-year-old reportedly blew himself up at a military
checkpoint killing up to 20 soldiers in the southern Somali
town of Baidoa.
Raised in Britain, the unnamed bomber dropped out of a
business studies course at Oxford Brookes University to
travel to his country of origin in October 2007.
Read full text...
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5 February 2009
Lundin Petroleum AB ("Lundin Petroleum") is pleased to
announce the signing of an agreement for the sale of its
wholly owned subsidiaries, Lundin East Africa BV ("Lundin
East Africa") and Lundin Kenya BV ("Lundin Kenya"), to
Africa Oil Corporation ("Africa Oil").
Read full text...
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Headlines |
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Women In Somaliland Fall Victim To Ponzi Or Pyramid Scheme |
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Large
number of women
whom fall victim
to Ponzi or
Pyramid in
Somaliland
gathered in
front on Central
Police Station
in Hargeysa
yesterday |
Hargeysa, Somaliland,
February 21, 2009 (SL
Times) – A large number
of women in Somaliland
fell victims to what
seems like a pyramid
scheme or ponzi. The
fraud perpetrated on
Somaliland’s women came
to light when the people
in charge of the company
running this scheme
suddenly disappeared
from Somaliland’s
capital city, Hargeysa,
without a trace.
Read full text...
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Somaliland To Hold First Bid Round For Hydrocarbon Exploration |
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Somaliland
2009 Bid Round Blocks (Graphic Business Wire) |
Hargeysa,
Somaliland, February 21, 2009 (SL Times) – The Somaliland
Ministry of Water and Mineral Resources (Ministry) announces
that the Country’s first bid round for hydrocarbon
concessions will open in February. The bid round will
include eight concession blocks comprised of more than
89,624 square kilometers of onshore and offshore areas.
Read full text...
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Somaliland Election Fever |
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 21,
2009 (SL Times) With Somaliland’s presidential election due in
March, Somaliland has entered an election mode. Everywhere you
go conversations eventually turn to the topic of the election.
A delegation from international donors came to Somaliland this
week to check on how preparations for the election are going.
They met with President Dahir Rayale Kahin, the political
parties, the election commission, and other agencies that are
working on the election.
Read full text...
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Hassan Kul Hawadleh: Hassan Kul
Hawadleh, was killed on a petrol station forecourt after
being set upon by a group of five youths
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By Richard Edwards, Crime Correspondent
London, UK, February 20, 2009 – Hassan Kul Hawadleh, was killed
on a petrol station forecourt after being set upon by a group of
five youths in Wealdstone, north London.
In a separate incident, three hours later, an 18-year-old man
who has not been named, was fatally stabbed outside Maryland
railway station in a suspected gang attack in east London.
Read full text...
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Jorma Vuorio
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Helsinki, Finland, February 18, 2009 – The
Finnish Immigration Service does not want to take the Somali man
who was deported to Somaliland back into Finland, even if
Somaliland were to expel him from its territory.
Jorma Vuorio, director-general of the service, says that it
is very unlikely that Somaliland would expel him.
The man, who had been convicted of a number
of crimes in Finland, was sent to Hargeysa, the capital of
Somaliland, just over a week ago.
The deportee says that officials in
Somaliland, a relatively peaceful political entity which has
been set up in the north of Somalia, will not allow him to stay
in the area, because he was born in Mogadishu, in Central
Somalia.
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Mr. Suleiman
M. Adam, Leaser of The Guurti |
Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 14, 2009 – A group of members of
the Upper House of Parliament failed to table a motion to change
the law that allows removal of the leader of the House despite
the leader’s repeated request for them to forward their motion.
According to reporters who were present at the session nearly
half of the group did not show up for today’s session,
indicating that their motion will fail again. The leader of the
Guurti, Mr. Suleiman M. Adam, nevertheless, asked them to come
forward and present their motion.
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Finland Sends Somali Citizen To Somaliland For
First Time In Years
Helsinki, February 16, 2009 – A Somali citizen who was deported
by Finnish officials to Somaliland in the north of the country
says that officials there are not allowing him to remain.
Finnish police were not able to confirm or deny the claim on
Monday.
The man, about 25 years of age, had been convicted of a number
of crimes, and was sent to Hargeysa, the capital of Somaliland,
a week ago on Monday. The expulsion was kept out of the media.
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Somali PM Names Militia Leader As Interior Minister |
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Somalia’s Prime
Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke |
NAIROBI, February 20, 2009 – Somalia's new prime minister
appointed the leader of a major Islamist militia to the post of
interior minister and made a key ally of the president the
finance minister when he named his cabinet on Friday.
The country's new Islamist president, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, and
Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke face the daunting
task of bringing peace to the failed Horn of Africa state after
18 years of violence.
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Islamic gunmen in Mogadishu, Somalia |
By
ABDI HASSAN
Mogadishu, Somalia, February 17, 2009 –
Dozens of Somali children have left the United States in secret
to join the Islamist fight against the foreign forces in
Somalia.
The largest group comes from Somali families
in Minneapolis and Minnesota.
Halima Abdi, a mother of five from
Minneapolis describes how one of her children went missing in
the US and then called her from Mogadishu.
Abdi says she was surprised when her son
didn't come home after she sent him to school on November 2.
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Abdi
Ahmed Mohammed, the top boy in the 2008 KCPE exams in
North Eastern Province with 434 points out of a possible
500. He is with his grandmother Khadija Omar Hassan, who
encouraged his parents to take him to school.
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By NIMO BASHOW
Garissa, Kenya, February 19 2009 – 19-year-old Abdi Ahmed
Mohammed joined primary school at the age of 12 years, dropped
out twice, was in primary school for only four years instead of
eight but beat all the odds to emerge top pupil in North Eastern
Province in the 2008 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education
examination.
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Islamist militants
loyal to newly-elected President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh
Ahmed |
WASHINGTON, February 20, 2009
– US President Barack Obama must urgently seize the opportunity
to help Somalia's new leaders unite their strife-torn country
under the rule of law, a senator said in a letter released
Thursday.
"The need to develop and implement a new approach is urgent,"
Democratic Senator Russ Feingold told Obama in a letter dated
February 13, urging the new US president to break with
predecessor George W. Bush's approach.
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Paris eve tower
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Written by Ahmed Bashe
Hargeysa, Somaliland
From archeology to banking to linguistic appeal, France has
successfully invaded the public consciousness of the Somaliland
people.
On January 26th, BCIMR, a French-owned bank, became the first
ever international bank to open a branch in Somaliland. Most
likely to boost job and economic growth, its presence has
further signified a major trend in the strengthening of
relations between Somaliland and France, albeit abstract and
unofficial. But nonetheless, a RELATIONSHIP does exist.
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The Most Dangerous Place
In The World
By Jeffrey Gettleman |
Foreign Policy
February 17th, 2009
When you land at Mogadishu’s
international airport, the first form you fill out asks for
name, address, and caliber of weapon. Believe it or not, this
disaster of a city, the capital of Somalia, still gets a few
commercial flights. Some haven’t fared so well. The wreckage of
a Russian cargo plane shot down in 2007 still lies crumpled at
the end of the runway.
Read full text...
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Africa Oil Acquires Major East African Oil Exploration
Portfolio |
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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 4, 2009) -
Africa Oil Corp. ("Africa Oil" or "the Company") (TSX
VENTURE:AOI) is pleased to announce that it has signed a
Share Purchase Agreement to acquire a large portfolio of
East African oil exploration projects from Lundin Petroleum
AB. The projects are located within a vastly underexplored
region of the rich East African rift basin petroleum system.
The projects acquired include an 85% working interest in
Blocks 2, 6, 7 and 8 and a 50% working interest in the
Adigala Block in Ethiopia plus a 100% interest in Block 10A
and a 30% interest in Block 9 in Kenya. Africa Oil will
assume operatorship of these projects excluding Block 9 in
Kenya.
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More
Examples Of Somali Pawns |
In last week’s
editorial we shed some light on how Somalia’s politicians often
seek political advantage by forming alliances with foreign
powers, only to fall prey in the end to those same sponsors.
Since we already covered this subject, we would have been
inclined to leave it there and move on to other topics. But we
are still on the topic, and have not moved on, because we
thought it pertinent to bring to the attention of our readers
two more incidents that confirm our thesis. Both of these
incidents took place last week.
Read full text...
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ANNOUNCEMENT |
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A presentation
about Somaliland by Professor Fredrick Michael Lorenz and
Jamal Gabobe
Title: Supporting
the Unrecognized Government of Somaliland: Developing State
Capacity and the Rule of Law.
Location:
University of Washington, Law School, William H. Gates Hall,
Room 117.
Date: Feb.25, 2009
Time: 12:30-1:20 pm |
OPINION |
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Leadership Crises In Somaliland: Riyale Failed And I Have No
Faith In Sillanyo |
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By: Naasir Saacadaale, Nairobi
On the 20th of last month (January) I submitted an article
titled “Umadyahay Talaa Kaa Gadmane Wax Isu Gaygayso” to
some of the websites widely read by the Somalilanders. Some
of them refused to post the articles for understandable
reasons; while others posted it for their readers to review.
The centerpiece of that article was to caution against the
temptation of dismissing existing institutions as a failure
but to build on what has been achieved so far while at the
same time learning from the past mistakes. That was another
way to say, if necessary we can implement peaceful regime
change in the country without tearing down the country’s
institutions.
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In The Somali [Imtixaan] Trial |
Ibrahim Mead
Political analyst
Ottawa, Canada
I n the case of Somaliland, they wronged them selves when
they let the wrong people to rule them until they ruined
them morally, psychologically and even culturally!
In the case of Somaliland, count the days until the end of
the month of March 2009
1) if fair elections and change will not be produced 2) if
the thugs who as it seems sub-contracted from an IGAD member
state to destabilize Somaliland not be stopped, then she may
unfortunately join her sister Somalia in the disgrace and
the dementia Somalia was in for along time, Together they
may go in to the oblivion, in to a dark hole of no return,
for a long, long time, god knows how long!
Read full text...
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Is Cacophony And Sycophancy
Environment Part Of Somaliland Politics? |
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By
Mukhtar Mohamed Abby
In March 2009, the people of Somaliland will be going to the
polling stations to choose a new leader; thereby every one
of Somaliland politicians and the common man are preoccupied
with the developments of the forthcoming presidential
election, which is slated to be the second democratic
presidential polls of their kind to be held throughout the
republic of Somaliland. It was 2003, when the people of
Somaliland went to the polling stations in which the
incumbent president of Somaliland and the current
candidature of the presidential contest for the ruling party
– UDUD, H. E. Dahir Rayalle Kahin had been chosen as the
first ever democratically elected president ever since
Somaliland reclaimed its independence in 1991.
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Somalia: Who Is Omar Abdirashid A. Sharmarke? |
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By Faysal Diriye
Who is this guy? Unknown and unheard of before in the Somali
political scene , the new Somali Prime Minster, Omar
Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, suddenly popped up out of nowhere
and was appointed the Somali PM in February 2009. More
important, many Somalis are now asking questions about his
credential and background. But what do you really know about
him? Let me share with you few things about Mr. Sharmarke
that only few people know.
As a friend and former colleague of Mr. Sharmarke, I can say
few words about him.
Read full text...
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By Liban
Ahmad
The Toxic Truth, a
documentary aired on Al Jazeera TV on
Saturday, January 17, 2009
raised more questions about people involved in the
illicit business of dumping toxic waste along Somalia’s
coast. Before the 2004 Tsunami uncovered toxic waste dumped
in the Somali seas, rumors were making the rounds that
Somali politicians have a role in the environmental
crimes that put lives of Somalis at risk.
Ali Mahdi Mohamed,
former interim president of Somalia, has been accused of
having a role in the deal that enabled foreign companies to
dump toxic waste along the coats of Somalia. Al
Jazeera documentary sought to investigate, among other
things, the link between foreigners contracted to dump toxic
waste in Somali seas, and Somali politicians.
Read full text...
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Dr. Terry Lacey
Development Economist
Indonesian Industry Minister Fahmi Idris and Trade Minister
Mari Pangestu are having a row about shoes. Neither of them
want to be in the other one´s shoes but both of them are
treading on each others feet. He wants Indonesian civil
servants to be ordered to buy local shoes. She wants to sign
and implement ASEAN Free Trade Agreements with Australia,
New Zealand and India. Which of them is right?
After a joint press conference with United States Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday 19 February,
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda confirmed that
the United States was expected to provide up to $5 billion
to Indonesia in bilateral swap and contingency funds to be
used if necessary help bolster the economy along with
support from the World Bank, Japan and others.
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Ongoing Civil War In Somalia |
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Brig. Asif Haroon
Raja
The war-ravaged Somalia situated in the volatile Horn of
Africa is a scene of infighting since 1991, when warlords
overthrew Siad Barre and then clashed with each other.
Autocratic Siad had ruled the country effectively and kept
it united. The two warlords Farah Adid and Ali Mehdi
controlling south and north Somalia respectively fought for
power till as late as 2005. The country has been torn apart
by clan-based warring faction leaders and militias and
hundreds of thousands have been killed in the senseless
conflict.
Read full text...
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Despite Progress, Somali Piracy Threat Persists – And May
Grow Larger |
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By J.
Peter Pham, Ph.D.
World Defense Review columnist
Published 19 Feb 09
Last Thursday, more than four months since it was first
seized by Somali pirates and more than a week after a record
$3.2 million ransom was parachuted onto its deck, the
Ukrainian-owned, Belizean-registered freighter MV Faina
entered the Kenyan port of Mombasa. Two days later, after a
delay caused by low tides, its cargo of thirty-three
refurbished Russian-designed T-72 tanks, grenade launchers,
anti-aircraft guns, and other armaments was offloaded and
put onto rail wagons for the 500-kilometer trip to Nairobi.
Unfortunately, the conclusion of the more than nineteen-week
standoff over the Faina on a relatively peaceful note – the
only casualty was the hapless captain, Vladimir Kolobkov, a
Russian national who died two days after the September 25,
2008 hijacking from complications related to high blood
pressure and whose body was stowed this whole time in the
ship's freezer – hardly signals the end of the threat posed
by piracy in the Gulf of Aden and nearby waters. In fact,
last week alone, Somali pirates tried to hijack six other
merchant ships and already this week a Royal Saudi Navy's
HMS Al-Riyadh, a modified La Fayette-class light stealth
frigate, thwarted a pirate attack on the brand-new Turkish
tanker MV Yasa Seyhan. If anything, the challenge of piracy
is not just ongoing, but incidents of attempted hijackings
may actually increase, notwithstanding the increased
attention which the international has focused on the
phenomenon.
Read full text...
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Heart-of-the matter: Chinyeke to join TVM
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By Jones Kapatamoyo 20 February,
2009
Veteran journalist Chinyeke Tembo has been lured to join
Television Malawi (TVM) as Head of Special Assignments Desk,
Nyasa Times has learnt.
The journalist may have to quit his international assignment
in Somaliland to come back home and work “for the
development of his country.”
TVM Director General Bright Malopa is said to have phoned
Chinyeke twice in Hargeisa (Capital City of Somaliland) to
discuss the possibility of joining a team of young and
energetic cadre of journalists expected to steer the new
editorial policy being put in place.
Having won his case of employment dismissal with the
Ministry of Information, through the Ombudsman’s
determination, Chinyeke has his services sought by Malopa at
TVM, “where he will be more useful.”
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