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International Observers
Welcome Somaliland Election Commitment |
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London, UK, May 22, 2010 – The UK-based team coordinating
election observers for the delayed presidential elections in
the internationally unrecognized Republic of Somaliland,
have welcomed the recent announcement by the country’s
National Electoral Commission (NEC) that the vote has
officially been scheduled for 26 June 2010.
The development agency Progressio, the Development Planning
Unit at University College London (UCL) and Somaliland Focus
UK welcomed the news.
Read full text.
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By Chris McLaughlin
London, UK, May 22, 2010 – A Somali reporter has won this
year’s Abbott award for press freedom
A reporter wounded covering the war and the plight of the
displaced peoples in Somalia has been awarded the
Tribune-sponsored Speaker Abbott award for outstanding
contributions in the struggle for press and democratic
freedom.
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Istanbul, Turkey, May 22, 2010 – Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
arrived today in Turkey to take part in a major international
conference in Istanbul on bolstering the fragile peace process
in Somalia.
The gathering – co-hosted by the United Nations and the Turkish
Government – seeks to help consolidate political stability,
security and reconstruction in the conflict-ravaged Horn of
Africa nation, which has not had a functioning central
government in two decades.
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Amsterdam,
May 22, 2010 – A group of suspected Somali pirates should be
prosecuted in the Netherlands and not be extradited to
Germany, their defence lawyer said on Friday, highlighting
the complex legal challenge of trying Somali pirates.
Dutch marines boarded a hijacked German commercial ship 500
nautical miles off the Somali coast in April and arrested
the 10 suspected pirates after an exchange of gunfire
between the Dutch frigate, the pirates, marines and a
boarding helicopter.
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Geneva, May 22, 2010 – Somali refugees, particularly in
Saudi Arabia, are being forcibly returned to their country,
the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR says, calling on
countries to prevent such dangerous moves.
"UNHCR is concerned by the plight of Somalis globally,"
spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told reporters in Geneva.
She said that over the last year, Saudi Arabia has expelled
some 4,000 Somalis, many of whom arrived in the Arab kingdom
on religious grounds.
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Kampala, May 22, 2010 -A roadside bomb killed a Ugandan
soldier yesterday morning and injured two others while on
foot-patrol in the Somali Capital, Mogadishu.
The spokesperson of African Union Mission in Somalia, Maj.
Barigye Ba-Hoku, told Daily Monitor on phone from Mogadishu
that the peacekeepers were patrolling the city.
“It was an improvised explosive device that exploded and
killed one of our soldiers who were patrolling in Afixione,”
he said.
Maj. Ba-Hoku, however, dismissed reports that Islamist
fundamentalists had killed the peacekeeper in the
mortar-attack on ships allegedly carrying AMISOM weaponry at
Mogadishu Seaport.
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London, UK, May
22, 2010 – The British navy and an EU anti-piracy
surveillance plane intercepted 10 Somali pirates and
destroyed their two small boats off the Tanzanian coast, the
British embassy here said Thursday.
The Somalis were spotted some 240 kilometers off the
Tanzanian coast last Friday in a large vessel towing two
smaller boats by the EU naval force aircraft and a chopper
from the British warship Chatham.
The frigate then dispatched a team toward the vessel.
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full text...
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EU NAVFOR Warship FS Nivôse
In Exchange Of Fire |
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Gulf of Aden, May 22, 2010 – EU NAVFOR warship FS Nivôse
returned fire after being shot at, outside of Mogadishu
harbor the 20th of May. The assault immediately stopped and
none of the two merchant vessels, which she were tasked to
escort, were hit.
Early Thursday morning, the 20 of May, EU NAVFOR warship FS
Nivôse were approaching Mogadishu, to start an escort of MS
Alpha Kirawira and Petra 1, that just unloaded supply for
AMISOM, the African Union forces in Somalia. Since gunfire
was heard from the town, the commanding officer (CO) and the
crew on Nivôse was extra cautious this morning.
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full text...
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Somali President Reverses
Decision To Fire PM |
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MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 22, 2010 – Somalia's president says
he has reversed his decision to fire the country's prime
minister, tamping down a political dispute in the already
fragile government.
President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed in a statement released
Thursday says he asked Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali
Sharmarke to continue his duties after reviewing the state
of the country, which Ahmed says requires unity among its
leaders.
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Somalia Recognizes Kosovo
As Independent State |
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SARAJEVO, May 22, 2010 – The Republic of Somalia on
Wednesday officially recognized Kosovo as an independent and
sovereign state, a Serbian news agency said.
"In a diplomatic note addressed to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Somalia confirms the decision of the Government
of the Republic of Somalia to recognize Kosovo as an
independent and sovereign state," Beta news agency quoted
Kosovo's Foreign Ministry as saying.
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full text...
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Kenya Becomes Fifth State
To Ink New Nile Treaty |
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The new
agreement is to replace a 1959 accord between Egypt
and Sudan |
NAIROBI, May 22, 2010 – Kenya on Wednesday signed a new
treaty for the equitable sharing of waters of the Nile after
four other upstream countries inked the deal last week.
Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda signed the Nile Basin
Cooperative Framework on Friday despite strong opposition
from Egypt and Sudan downstream.
"We have all come to this agreement and therefore nothing
stops us from using the waters as we wish," Water Minister
Charity Ngilu said.
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full text...
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A Tough Road Ahead For
US-Africa Partnership |
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By Wang Wei
In the context of an increasingly multi-polar world, the
Obama administration is eschewing sanctions and other
high-handed policies in Africa in favor of diplomacy. But
differing national interests and a lack of shared values
mean it will be a long and tough road to a true US-Africa
partnership.
During Obama's visit to Ghana last year, the President
emphasized that America is committed to establishing a
US-Africa partnership focusing on democracy, economic
development, opportunity, public health and the peaceful
resolution of conflicts.
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Somalia's Shabaab Ban UK
Aid |
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Mogadishu, May 22, 2010 – - Somalia's hardline Islamist
rebels stormed the offices of British-based relief agency
World Vision in southern Somalia and ordered the NGO to
cease its operations, staff and residents said on Tuesday.
Armed Shabaab militants entered World Vision's compounds on
Monday in Wajid, a major humanitarian hub in southern
Somalia, and in Baidoa, a large town northwest of the
capital Mogadishu, NGO staff told AFP.
An employee said he and other staff did not go to work on
Tuesday because of the Shabaab threat.
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full text...
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UNHCR Somalia Briefing
Sheet May 2010 |
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General Situation
Ongoing conflict in the last 19 years continued to generate
mass movements of Somali Refugees fleeing to neighboring
countries (583,755) as at the end of April 2010, mainly
hosted in Kenya, Yemen, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti,
Tanzania and Uganda, and internally displaced people (1.4
million) settled mainly in Somaliland and South-Central
regions. In 2009, over 120,000 Somalis sought refuge in
neighboring countries.
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full text...
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Twelve Killed As Ethiopian Forces
Enter Somaliland Town |
Ethiopian soldiers man a
checkpoint
Buhoodle, Somaliland,
May 22, 2010 — Ethiopian
forces clashed Friday
with residents of a
border town in
Somaliland in a rare
incursion that left at
least 12 civilians dead,
officials and witnesses
said.
Angry residents
violently confronted the
Ethiopian forces who had
crossed into Buhoodle
district of Somalia's
northern semi-autonomous
region two weeks ago.
Read full text...
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President Urges
Somalilanders To Get Voting Cards |
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 22, 2010 (SL Times) – Somaliland
President Dahir Rayale Kahin held a press conference Monday. The
president addressed several important issues, among them, the
necessity of citizens' participation in the coming election and
the importance of the citizens taking their voting cards from
the distribution centers.
Read full text...
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Eng. Bashe
Gaboobe Leads Kulmiye Delegation Tour Of Western Regions |
Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 22, 2010 (SL Times) – The Campaign
Manager of Kulmiye party for the western regions, Eng. Bashe
Abdi Gaboobe called the cancellation of the independence
celebrations of May 18 and June an unfortunate decision by
the government.
He said the decision was unjustified because most people had
already taken their voting cards and the May 18 celebration
would not have prevented those who had not gotten their
cards from getting their cards.
Read full text...
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Election Commission, Ministers And
Political Leaders Visit Sool |
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Las Anod, Somaliland, May 22, 2010 (SL Times) – Somaliland
election commission went to voting cards distribution centers in
Sool region in order check on how the process is going.
According to Afnugaal.com, speaking to the press after the
inspection tour, Farah Abib Adan, a member of the National
Election Commission said the voter card distribution is
proceeding very well and praised both the election commission
and the community for doing a good job.
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New York, USA, May 22, 2010 (SL Times) – In an interview with
the BBC (May 19, 2010) Jamal Omar, a convicted felon who was
recently appointed by Sheikh Sharif to a diplomatic post at the
Somali mission in New York, strongly defended the alleged Somali
pirate Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse and criticized the US decision to
try him in the US.
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May 22, 2010 (SL Times) – In a press
release by the President of Horseed Organization Mr Alawi Abdi
Gabobe congratulated Somaliland on the 19th anniversary of
Somaliland independence that was declared in Buro on May 18,
1991.
Horseed’s president called on the US, EU, AU, AL and Conference
of Islamic countries to grant Somaliland full diplomatic
recognition since it has met all the necessary conditions.
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Abdillahi Yusuf Interfering In
Puntland |
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Garowe, Somalia, May 22, 2010
(SL Times) – Garowe on line reported this week that the former
arch warlord Abdillahi Yusuf who is now living as a refugee in
Yemen is interfering in Puntland politics and “is engaged in an
active campaign to ‘incite the Puntland public’ against the
current administration, under President Abdirahman Mohammed ‘Farole.’”
Garowe online attributed its report to reliable sources in
Yemen. The publication pointed out that Abdillahi Yusuf’s
meddling in the affairs of Puntland may constitute a violation
of the terms of his asylum.
Read full text...
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Ban Ki-Moon Calls For Global
Support For Somalia Government |
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At an
international conference in Istanbul on stabilizing
Somalia, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the
international community to support the failed state's
precarious transitional government. |
Istanbul, Turkey, May 22, 2010 – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
opened an international conference on ending instability in
Somalia on Saturday with an appeal for global support for its
transitional federal government.
Read full text...
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KULMIYE Foreign Policy Statement |
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By Dr. Mohamed A Omar
KULMIYE’s approach to foreign affairs will be guided by a firm
commitment to peace, freedom and good neighborliness. In our
engagement with the world, we will pursue these values, as we
believe they offer foundations for a long-term stability and
prosperity in our country and in the region.
Read full text...
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Djibouti Warns Of Somalia
'Disintegration' |
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Djibouti president Ismail Omar Guelleh |
New York, May 22, 2010 –
Djibouti's president Ismail Omar Guelleh warned on Wednesday
that Somalia's Western-backed transitional government may
not survive the intensified conflict with armed insurgents.
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full text...
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Mr. Henry Bellingham MP
Minister for Africa Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH
Date: 18th May 2010
Dear Minister,
Please accept my warm congratulations on your appointment as
Minister for Africa.
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full text...
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Hargeysa, Somaliland, May
22, 2010 – Daallo Airlines management is delighted to
announce to its customers, and travelling communities in
Somaliland, Djibouti, Somalia and the region that the
company resumed its operations, yesterday, May 17th 2010.
All the flights to its network, both for passenger and cargo
will start in full by June 3rd, 2010.
Read full text..
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Qatar And Dubai Aim For The Global
Sport Arena |
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Adam
Gonn / The Media Line
“Welcome to the brand new and fully air-conditioned Al-Shamal
Stadium in Doha, Qatar, for the opening game of the 2022 World
Cup in soccer,” calls out the loud speaker.
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Conference Focusing On Piracy,
Restoring Order In Somalia Starts In Istanbul
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ISTANBUL, May 22, 2010 – High level officials are meeting in
Istanbul for an international conference focusing on restoring
order in Somalia — gripped by anarchy and political turmoil.
The officials held a preliminary session Friday to lay the
ground for Saturday's main conference which will be attended by
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Somali President Sheik
Sharif Sheik Ahmed.
Read full text...
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Incident follows a wave of
challenges to the authority of the commission enforcing religious law.
Benjamin Joffe-Walt / The Media Line
It was a scene Saudi women’s rights activists have dreamt of for years.
When a Saudi religious policeman sauntered about an amusement park in the
eastern Saudi Arabian city of Al-Mubarraz looking for unmarried couples
illegally socializing, he probably wasn’t expecting much opposition.
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East
Africa is addicted to leaves.
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By Sean
McLachlan
Khat (also pronounced "chat" or "qat") is a leafy shrub found in
the mountainous areas of East Africa. It's a major cash crop for
Ethiopia and a popular high in the whole region. For the
Somalis, as well as the Hararis in
Ethiopia, it's a social drug and a way to relax. It's also
popular in countries further afield such as Yemen. In a Muslim
society, khat offers a high not specifically banned by the
Koran.
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Nicolas Sarkozy received by Ismail
Omar Guelleh in Djibouti in January. (Gerard
Cerler / AFP) |
Djibouti, May
22, 2010 – The Head of State of Djibouti has decided to play
extra time in favor of revising the Constitution allowing
him to represent. He explains in a lengthy interview. And
also talking about his country's relations with France, the
"business" and a Horn of Africa under high voltage.
Read full text...
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Written by solomon
A major factor in the absence of a workable peace and
security order in Northeast Africa is the unresolved issue
of the Nile Waters and regional power order, which are not
totally unrelated to each other. This structural logjam is
both civilisational and geographic and is deeply embedded in
history and geopolitics.
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full text...
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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 |
By Sean McLachlan
Before becoming a writer I worked as an archaeologist, and
one of the things that inspired me to choose that profession
was the beautiful cave art of Europe--places like Lascaux,
Altamira, Chauvet, and so many others.
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full text...
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So Far,
So Good |
The distribution of voting cards and the replacements of old
cards with new ones has gone on this week without any major
incidents. Yes there were a couple of incidents where card
distribution locations in Hargeysa were closed by the police for
alleged violations of procedures, but that had little impact on
the overall process which went smoothly.
Read full text...
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1969 Military Coup In Somalia
Part XXVI |
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By Dr. Mohamed-Rashid Sh. Hassan
This is the twenty-sixth article of a series of articles that
Dr. Mohamed-Rashid analyses the military coup and its legacy
The demise of the Somali State
The demise of the Somali State can be traced to its origins
and its early development. The old structures of the society
were still very much intact when independence finally
arrived. State collapse is not a short-term phenomenon but a
cumulative, incremental process similar to a degenerative
disease.
Read full text...
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A Desperate Need To Get This
Election Right |
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By Liban Obsiye
Oh my, how tragic! How terrible! An abuse of the process, a
denial of our human rights! A denial of our identity and our
history. A denial of our heritage. Dramatic? Overly dramatic
I would say but this is how those who oppose the
cancellation of the official annual Independence Day
celebrations which ought to have taken place on May the 18th
reacted to the news. President Dahir Kahin Rayale cancelled
the traditional celebration which has been held since
Somaliland declared itself independent of the war torn
Somalia Republic in 1991.
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Somaliland Is Cracking Down On
Pirates |
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By Gregory Bowes,
Re: Somali pirate cash 'coming to Ottawa,' April 30.
The Citizen article on piracy profits in Somalia coming back to Ottawa did not
mention that Somaliland recently sentenced seven pirates to 15 years in prison
and has now jailed more than 70, and sentenced a terrorist to 24 years in
prison.
Read full text.....
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The Day Of The People Of
Somaliland |
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The Author: Mohamed. M. Adan
18 May, The Day Of The People Of Somaliland.
18 May The Day Of Our Freedom.
18 May The Day Of Our Heroes Who More Than Self Their
Country Loved.
And Mercy More Than Life
It Was Before 18 May 1991
Our Children Were Taken Away
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A Response To Farid Adam On
Somaliland Companies And Taxes |
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Written by Ahmed Kheyre
I must say I was pleasantly surprised to read Mr. Farim Adam's article regarding
my articles on why Somaliland 's major companies refuse to pay their fair share
of taxes.
Mr. Adam has spent a great deal of time trying to find out my true identity,
why? My name is Ahmed Kheyre. Is that not enough? What is need to search for me
all over London and beyond!
Read full text.....
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SOMALILAND: Canadian, American Warlords, Al-Shabaab
Vow To Disrupt Elections |
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By Dalmar Kahin
A Canadian and an American of Somali nationals, among other nationalities, with
al-Shabaab terrorists plan a massive violent campaign against Somaliland polling
stations in June 2010. A Canadian and an American! Hard to belief, isn’t it? Not
only is it hard to swallow that some of the individuals gearing up for a
showdown with Somaliland security forces live in the heart of Canada and U.S.,
but also these warmongers would slip back to Canada and U.S. without any
problems. What is more upsetting is that both Canada and U.S. hypocritically
scream about terrorist threats against their nations while they remain oblivious
of their citizens fomenting a destructive campaign in Somaliland and elsewhere.
Read full text........
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All At Sea Against Piracy? |
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By Clive Leviev-Sawyer
Seizures of ships by pirates off the coast of East Africa
increased sevenfold from 2005 to 2009, according to the
International Maritime Organization, although naval
operations in the area appear to be paying off, producing a
significant drop in the number of attacks in the first
quarter of 2010.
In the Gulf of Aden, where Nato and other ships patrol,
there were 17 incidents in the first three months of 2010,
compared with 41 in the same period last year.
Read full text......
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Somaliland: Celebration Of Art
And Culture |
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By
Ebony Iman
When you first
walked into the Panorama Hall that night, one could not help but notice the
paintings that lined the walls. Thirteen gifted artists based here in Hargeysa,
displayed beautiful images reflecting traditional and contemporary Somali
society.
Read full text....
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SOMALIA: Welcome To Hell |
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May 20, 2010: The major foreign aid organizations (like the Red Cross and UN
food programs) are being shut down in Somalia, leaving over three million people
starving and in desperate need of medical care and development (water and other
infrastructure projects). Over the last decade, foreign officials of these
organizations have been forced out of Somalia by the violence, and had to depend
on local Somalis to manage the programs.
Read full text....
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Somali Folktale |
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By Mohamed Abdillahi Hajji Hussein Omar Hashi (Big Moh)
With a population of 5-7 million people living in many parts of Somalia and
Somaliland, Somali people are starting to share their stories and folk tales.
The Somali people, their culture and heritage are full of interesting stories
that have been passed down from generation to generation. These stories are full
of fascinating stories that have helped children learn lessons in many ways.
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