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Piracy Cannot Be Solved
Only At Sea, UN's Ban Says |
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Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's remarks to
the General Assembly informal meeting on piracy, in New York
on Friday, 14 May:
Piracy may be the first international crime. Efforts to
fight it created the first precedents of universal
jurisdiction.
Today, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
is the legal foundation of our efforts. Though it may seem
like something out of the past, piracy is very much with us.
In some parts of the world, it is resurgent.
Read full text.
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Nairobi, May 15, 2010 – Somalia's transitional government
called on Russia on Friday to explain why it had cut 10
Somali pirates adrift in the Gulf on Aden without navigation
equipment or much hope of survival.
Russian forces last week stormed a hijacked oil tanker in a
rescue operation that killed one pirate. Russia said 10
others arrested were later set loose aboard one of the small
vessels they used in the attack.
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By Louis Charbonneau
New York, May 15, 2010 – As the humanitarian crisis in Somalia
deepens, the United Nations is taking steps to stop the
diversion of badly needed aid to radical Islamist militants,
according to a United Nations report released on Wednesday.
In March, a UN committee that monitors compliance with a UN
sanctions regime imposed on Somalia and Eritrea submitted a
report to the Security Council that said as much as half the
food aid sent to Somalia is diverted to a network of corrupt
contractors, Islamist militants and local UN staff.
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Gulf of
Aden, May 15, 2010 – On the morning of 13 May a ransom drop
was made to the pirate group holding the St James Park at
anchorage at Garacaad.
The St James Park had been on route to Thailand when she was
hijacked by pirates on 28 December 2009.
St James Park is a UK Flagged chemical tanker with
deadweight of 13,924 tones, and has a crew of 26, among them
Filipinos (3), Russians (3), Georgians (1), Romanians (2),
Bulgarians (5), Ukrainans (2), Polish (1), Indians (6) and
Turkish (3). She is now safely underway and EU NAVFOR is
continuing to monitor the situation.
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Mogadishu, Somalia, May 15, 2010 – The most powerful faction
of Somalia's Hizbul Islam insurgents has officially cut ties
with the group. The split occurred following allegations the
Ras Kamboni faction recently signed a secret deal with the
Somali government and neighboring Kenya.
A spokesman for the Ras Kamboni faction, Abdiaziz Hassan
Abdi, says senior faction members decided to formally
withdraw from Hizbul Islam.
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Somali
pirates attempted 217 attacks over the course of
2009 |
A member of the Seychelles delegation, who asked not
to be named, said his country sends prisoners to a prison
established by the United Nations in Somaliland
By Erika Solomon
ABU DHABI, May 15, 2010 – Somali pirates have become bolder
and more inventive, staging increasing attacks despite
ramped up international efforts to thwart them, delegates to
an Indian Ocean Naval Symposium said.
Once limited to areas near the Somali coast, pirates also
now hijack the traditional and less detectable wooden trade
boats that ply Gulf waters, to use as motherships from which
to launch more distant attacks with their smaller, nimbler
skiffs.
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Khartoum, Sudan,
May 15, 2010 — Sudan will launch a mediation to end the
border row between Djibouti and Eritrea and defuse the
current tension between the two Horn of Africa nations, the
state minister for foreign affairs stated today.
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full text...
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Radical Group To Set Up New
Somalia Administration |
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Mogadishu, Somalia, May 15, 2010 – Sheikh Mohamed Osman Arus,
the Chief of Operations of Hizbu Islam, one of the Islamist
groups opposing the Transitional Federal Government in
Somalia, has on Wednesday announced that his movement is
soon going to establish an authority in Mudug region in
Central Somalia.
Sheikh Arus held a press conference for the local media to
announce that his forces reached many villages and
settlements in Mudug region, including the coastal town of
Haradhere, formerly a pirate haven, 490 kilometers north
east of Mogadishu.
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full text...
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Amid Doubts, Offensive To
Retake Somalia Capital Looms |
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A house
burns after being set ablaze by a mortar round
during a battle between Islamic militants and
Somali-African Union troops in the capital,
Mogadishu. (Abdurashid Abdulle, AFP/Getty Images/
May 11, 2010) |
As Somali
troops prepare to dislodge Islamic militants from Mogadishu,
some soldiers have deserted. The task ahead will be
difficult and will endanger a vulnerable population.
Reporting from Mogadishu, Somalia, and Cairo
On streets and alleys whittled by gunfire, Col. Abdi Bashir Dhagol
is arming for a new battle amid the fleeing families,
bloodied markets and boy soldiers of Mogadishu.
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Alberta To Spend $1.9M To
Help Somali Youth Resist Drug Trade |
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Dean Bennett
EDMONTON, May 15, 2010 – The Alberta government says it will
spend $1.9 million to try to cut the rising number of Somali
youth dying in drug-trade violence.
“The problem starts when kids don’t feel involved, when kids
don’t feel connected,” Justice Minister Alison Redford said
at a north-end school Tuesday.
“Parents of immigrant youth want their children to feel like
part of communities, not socially isolated and vulnerable to
gang recruitment.”
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full text...
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UN Says Somalis In Need Of
International Protection |
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New York, May 15, 2010 – The United Nations refugee agency
is appealing to all governments to grant asylum to people
fleeing from central and southern Somalia. The UNHCR warns
Somalis face many risks at home and are in need of
international protection.
The UN refugee agency says it is alarmed at the worsening
security and humanitarian situation in Somalia. It says
conditions in Somalia have been steadily deteriorating for
some time and are particularly acute in the central and
southern parts of the country.
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full text...
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Istanbul To Host UN
Conference On Somalia, Piracy |
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Istanbul, May 15, 2010 -The United Nations Istanbul
Conference on Somalia will be held on May 21-23 to address
the threats toward security and stability of the country,
the Turkish government announced here on Tuesday.
A press release from the Directorate General of Press and
Information under the office of the Turkish Prime Minister
said that the meeting will focus on the threats toward
security and stability of Somalia and the possibilities of
coping with those threats especially in scope of development
and restructuring.
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full text...
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Man Arrested For Allegedly
Smuggling Khat |
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St. Paul, Minn. May 15, 2010 — Officials arrested a man at
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Sunday for
allegedly smuggling two suitcases full of the drug khat,
which officials say the man intended to deliver to
Minneapolis.
The 37-year-old man was headed from the United Kingdom,
where the drug is legal, to Minneapolis and had been
"instructed to deliver the khat to individuals in the
Minneapolis area," according to a statement released by the
Chicago Customs and Border Protection on Monday.
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full text...
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Press Conference By
Secretary-General’s Special Representative For Somalia |
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New York, May 15,
2010 – With a transitional Government still trying to find
its legs in Somalia, the top United Nations political
official today outlined the aims of an upcoming high-level
conference to promote progress on the ground and a more
coordinated international effort to help stabilize the
war-torn East African nation and spur long-term peace and
development.
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full text...
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Somaliland Chooses Historic Day
For Presidential Election |
Hargeysa, Somaliland,
May 15, 2010 (SL Times)
– The spokesman of
Somaliland Election
Commission Mr Ahmed
Muhammad Hirsi Geele
announced on Wednesday
that Somaliland’s
presidential election
will be held on June 26,
2010.
Ahmed Muhammad Hirsi
Geele said that the
election commission had
met with President Dahir
Rayale Kahin and
submitted to him a
letter signed by the
seven election
commission members that
set the date of the
election and the
President accepted the
date.
Read full text...
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Voting Cards
Distributed Throughout Somaliland |
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – The distributing
of voting cards began throughout Somaliland on Thursday.
People arrived early in the morning and patiently waited in long
lines. The voting cards distribution went smoothly in most
locations except for a few places where the cards could not be
distributed due to inclement weather or technical difficulties.
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Somaliland Women
In Qatar Assist The Mentally Ill In Hargeysa |
Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – Somaliland
women in Qatar donated this week sacks of rice, sugar and
cooking oil to the mental illness section of Hargeysa
Hospital and SAHAN organization for the mentally ill. The
donation was delivered by Khadra Ismail Saban on behalf of
Somaliland women in Qatar.
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Sool Governor, UN, Kulmiye
Delegation Arrive In Las Anod |
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Las Anod, Somaliland, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – Las Anod,
the capital of Sool region is witnessing increasing political
and developmental activities. As we reported last week, efforts
to find new sources of drinkable water were resumed with the
arrival of water engineers.
This week saw three other important developments. First, the
Governor of Sool region Farah Askar Hussein came back to Las
Anod. The governor was away for medical treatment after
sustaining injuries during a bombing close to his house early
this year. The governor was welcomed by Sool residents and the
provisional Governor of Sool Region who is also the Commander of
Police, Muhammad Suleiman Gooni.
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – New buildings,
some of which have already been completed while others are still
under construction have been added to the University of
Hargeysa. One of these new buildings is for the study of
conflict resolution.
The new constructions are not the only tangible progress that
the University of Hargeysa has made within a year since the new
university administration took over. Other improvements include
an increase in the number of computers at the University,
photocopy machines, books and foreign professors who teach
specialties for which local teachers could not be found.
University of Hargeysa also has acquired with the help of CFBT a
database system and provides a legal clinic.
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – Surgeons at
Hargeysa’s Manhal Hospital succeeded for the first time in
performing operations to fix the hearing of four deaf patients.
This is the first of this type of surgery in Somaliland.
In addition to the surgeries performed on the four patients,
more than 100 individuals received hearing aids. This was part
of a free medical care program provided by Manhal Hospital in
Hargeysa which started on May 4.
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WFP Staff Killed In Galkayo |
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Galkayo, Somalia, May 15, 2010
(SL Times) – A world Food Program (WFP) staff was killed in
Galkayo this week.
According to reports, the man was in his car when he was stopped
and taken out of the car and shot.
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Puntland Security Minister: “There
Are People Who Came Here To Destroy Our Peace And Want To Make
Us Refugees”. |
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Garowe, Somalia, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – Talking to the press
since the last wave of assassinations in Puntland, the Minister
of Security in Puntland Gen. Yusuf Ahmed Kheyre drew attention
to the dangers coming to Puntland from south Somalia.
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AMISOM’s Bizarre Shooting Of
Civilians In Mogadishu |
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Mogadishu, Somalia, May 15, 2010 (SL Times) – Killings,
assassinations and suicide bombings are nothing new in
Mogadishu. But a strange type of shooting happened this week in
Mogadishu when the African Peace Keeping forces in Somalia (AMISOM)
opened fire on a vehicle that came close to the African forces
based at the former location of the workers’ building (Gurigii
Shaqaalaha).
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Djibouti Recognizes Kosovo
Independence |
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Djibouti Flag |
Paris, France, May 15, 2010
– The Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti in Paris has
informed the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo in Paris,
through a diplomatic note, that the Government of Djibouti
has recognized Kosovo as an independent state.
In the letter signed by the Foreign Minister of Djibouti,
Mahmud All Yusuf, it states, amongst other comments, that,
“The Government of the Republic of Djibouti has decided to
recognize Kosovo’s independence”.
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full text...
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Late Col. Abdi
Boqore |
Djibouti, May
15, 2010 – The head of the Djibouti national police force
known as the Gendarmerie, Colonel Abdi Boqore, was found
dead in his home early Tuesday morning with multiple bullet
wounds.
There is much speculation as to the specifics of his death.
Speaking to VOA, the president of the PND party Aden Roble
Awaleh said that it is still too early to tell whether or
not he has been murdered or he committed suicide. The
Djibouti government has yet to release a formal statement
regarding his death.
“The relatives of Mr. Boqore do not believe that he killed
himself, but that he was murdered” said Mr. Awaleh. His
family believes that the circumstances of his death do not
suggest suicide. He was found in his home with four bullet
wounds. Furthermore, they doubt the integrity of the ongoing
investigation being carried out by the Djibouti government.
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full text...
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By Malkhadir M. Muhumed
(CP)
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 15, 2010 — Since Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah
became the U.N. envoy for Somalia three years ago, fighting
in the capital has killed thousands of civilians, and
extremists have carried out public stonings and amputations
as they solidify their hold.
Critics say the envoy has failed and must resign, but
Ould-Abdallah maintains peace and stability can return to
the lawless Horn of Africa nation and that he has a "magic
wand" that can solve the problems.
"Somalia's human tragedy must and should be solved," he said
in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "I don't
believe it is unsolvable."
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Thai Troops Battle Protesters As
Crisis Deepens |
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Thai troops
opened fire on rioting anti-government demonstrators on
Friday in an attempt to throw a security cordon around
their protest site, turning Bangkok's commercial
district into a bloody battlefield |
Bangkok, Thailand, May 15, 2010 – Thai troops opened fire on
rioting anti-government demonstrators on Friday in an attempt to
throw a security cordon around their protest site, turning
Bangkok's commercial district into a bloody battlefield.
Troops fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds at the
protesters who hurled petrol bombs and launched home-made
rockets on roads surrounding an area of luxury hotels and
shopping malls they have occupied for nearly six weeks,
witnesses said.
The violence continued into the night and left the city of 15
million tense, with gunfire and loud blasts heard at several
locations around the city where protesters faced off with
troops.
Read full text...
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Former UK Minister Stabbed At His
Office |
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London, UK, May 15, 2010 – British lawmaker Stephen Timms, a
former treasury minister in the previous Labour government, has
been stabbed at his constituency office in east London, a party
spokesman and police said on Friday.
Timms, 54, was taken to a local hospital but his injuries are
not thought to be life-threatening, said a spokesman for the
Labour party which bowed out of government this week after 13
years of power.
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President Obama speaks
following a meeting with members of his Cabinet and other senior
administration officials to determine next steps in the ongoing effort
to stop the BP oil spill, contain its spread, and help affected
communities, at the White House, May 14, 2010. At left are Homeland
Security Secretary Jan Napolitano and Secretary of the Interior Ken
Salazar |
Washington, May 15, 2010 – U.S.
President Barack Obama on Friday slammed the companies involved in a massive oil
spill in the Gulf of Mexico for a "ridiculous spectacle" of publicly trading
blame over the accident.
In comments after a meeting with his Cabinet to discuss efforts to stop the
spill and minimize its impact on U.S. Gulf Coast communities, Obama said he was
angry and frustrated about the spill, which threatens an ecological and economic
disaster.
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By Sean McLachlan
One of the tempting things about travel in Ethiopia is the
proximity to other nations offering a variety of different
experiences. I decided that my two-month trip would include a
side trip to Somaliland.
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Somali-born Canadian supermodel Yasmin Warsame says
she looks much like the other girls in her mother’s
village, and her international success has not
made her forget them |
By Sarah Hampson:
The Interview
Toronto, Canada, May 15, 2010 – Somali-born Canadian
supermodel Yasmin Warsame says she looks much like the other
girls in her mother’s village, and her international success
has not made her forget them.
In 2005, Yasmin Warsame returned to see her mother in
Galkayo, a Somalian village nine hours from Mogadishu. It
was the first time she had been back to the country of her
birth in over 20 years.
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Establishing Criminal As Well As Civil Responsibility Under
International Law
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By Mohamed Farah Hersi LL.B LL.M PhD candidate
1.1 Introduction
The people of Somaliland decided to unite with those in
South Somalia, in order to preserve the unity of Somali
people as one nation. The strength of the prevailing
sentiment of Somali unity is apparent from the fact that
Somaliland decided to go this route even though it had
already been recognized as an independent state by more than
30 countries across the world.
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full text...
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SC/9927
Security Council
6213th Meeting (AM)
Somali Minister Appeals for Direct Support to Government,
Saying Half-Hearted Measures, Delays Encourage
Intransigence; Norway Informs of 'Test' for Government
With the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia making
progress building its institutions and reaching out to armed
groups,
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full text...
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Will
Somalilanders Redeem June 26th? |
Somalilanders have an ambiguous attitude toward June 26th. On
the one hand June 26, 1960, was the date of their independence
from Britain, a day immortalized in Tima Adde’s famous poem in
Hargeysa’s Freedom Park. But that positive feeling is undermined
by the bitter knowledge that 5 days later (July 1) Somaliland
lost its independence to a cabal of ignorant but conniving
southern politicians who saw Somaliland no more than a lottery
prize that they had won and could do with whatever they wanted.
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1969 Military Coup In Somalia
Part XXV |
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By Dr. Mohamed-Rashid Sh. Hassan
This is the twenty-fifth article of a series of articles that
Dr. Mohamed-Rashid analyses the military coup and its legacy
The Houses of Cards.....
The defeat in the war was followed by an attempted military
coup in April 1978, and the country entered a chaotic
situation. Influential Marehan politicians (President’s
clan), such as Dr. Mohamed Aden mentioned earlier, and
Mohamed Said “Ga'aliye” long-time ambassador to Italy and
France who was at that time Minister for State in the
President’s office, advised Siyad Barre to give up some of
his powers by appointing an effective Prime Minister who
could salvage the country from further deterioration. They
suggested the Prime Minister should come from the North
specially the Isaq clan. The aim was to
pre-empt the opposition from the north (now Somaliland).
Read full text...
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An Institutional Analysis On
The Constitutional Court Of Somaliland |
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Mohamed Farah Hersi is an attorney and human rights
researcher. He holds an LL.B (Bachelor of Laws) from the
University of Hargeysa in Somaliland, an Honors decree from
UP, an LL.M (Master of Laws) from the University of Pretoria
in South Africa, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate.
‘Life, reality and future
of the constitutional charters of our time rely on
constitutional justice’
Mauro Cappelletti
Law is respected and supported when it is treated as the
shield of innocence and the impartial guardian of every
civil liberty---- of the law be dishonestly administered,
the salt has lost its flavour, if it be weakly or fitfully
enforced, the guarantees of order fail—if the lamp of
justice goes out in darkness, how great is the darkness.
Lord James Bryce
Read full text....
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An Open Letter To Both
Somalilanders In Diaspora & Home |
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Somaliland is a great country, a place that holds memories for me and my family.
I love it like any Somalilander patriot must do. I have lived and still live in
South Africa for many years now, and while here I have ceaselessly advanced a
case for Somaliland and this is still something I’m working on.
I
have met many South African government officials, think tankers, civic
organisations, Europeans & American officials based in S.A, Journalists and
academics around many South African & international universities and they all
share my sentiments, that a country & people determined to break away from war
and instability are in effect being denied the right to be recognized as such.
And I thought the global concern was to see violence and wars coming to an end
and I think thus far as the Somaliland people, we have reached a point which I
could proudly say that: we
have indeed maintained & still maintain peaceful Somaliland.
Read full text.....
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Business Of Hate |
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By Ibrahim Ahmed
HATE is an intense feeling of dislike. It may happen in a
wide variety of contexts, from hatred of inanimate objects
or animals, to hatred of oneself or other people, entire
groups of people, people in general, existence, or
everything. Hate victimizes are not only the direct target
but every member of the group that the direct target
represents. A host of factors may create a climate in which
people, motivated by their biases, and take criminal
actions.
Read full text.....
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Anti-Somalism: Kheyre’s Kind
Of Prurient Fabrications |
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By Farid Adam, Burco, Somaliland
When one tries to make sense of something that doesn’t make much sense, you only
end up with a head-splitting headache that cannot be assuaged with any number of
pain killers. The disappointment does not only burrow deep into your system, but
it takes a permanent position in your intellectual early warning system against
all pen-abusers.
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Your Vote Determines The Future Of Somaliland |
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By Suhail Madar
Dear Voter
No doubt, your vote holds greater value and indeed will have a significant
impact to the future of Somaliland. Regardless of which party you intend to vote
for, as Somaliland is in its infancy stage, the number of times you vote
determines how Somaliland will be in the future. A Somali saying says “Alif kaa
qaloocday albaqruu ku dhibaa”. I will interpret two things from this saying as
follows:
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Hargeysa: A Capital In
Search Of A Country |
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By Sean
McLachlan
For a people without an official nation, Somalilanders sure
love their flag.
It's everywhere--painted on doors, flying from government
buildings and private homes, hanging from rear view mirrors,
worn on belt buckles and even knitted into a cap like this
barber is wearing in the photo. Somalilanders are proud of
their nation and want everyone to know it.
After sleeping off a grueling
ten-hour bus ride to
get to the capital Hargeysa, I wake up and see at least a
dozen flags from my hotel window. I'm eager to start
exploring. I don't know what to expect. Somalilanders say
the capital is safe, but can an unrecognized government next
to one of the world's worst war zones really keep the peace?
My contact in Harar, Muhammed
Dake, had assured me, "Hargeysa is safe. Just watch out
for two things. Foreigners are offered prostitutes and
alcohol. Both are illegal."
Read full text......
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Piracy In The Puntland Region
Of Somalia |
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Written by
Kerin Backhaus
The Puntland region of Somalia has, in recent years, been increasingly seen as
the springboard for piracy against commercial vessels operating in and through
the Gulf of Aden at the foot of the Red Sea, and in the region to the East of
the Horn of Africa. This activity has spurred the biggest influx of
out-of-region naval forces into the Indian Ocean since World War II, and yet
international and regional forces have been reluctant to intervene against the
pirate groups on land, in their villages in Puntland, for fear of creating even
worse strategic consequences in the delicate security framework of the rump of
Somalia: the region of former Italian Somaliland.
Pirates from the Puntland region were believed responsible for 35 incidents of
piracy in the first quarter of 2010, including nine hijackings. Attacks by
Somali pirates were reported off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, and have
extended as far south as the Mozambique Channel, approximately 775 NM from
Mogadishu.
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