ADDIS ABABA, April 24, 2008 – Ethiopia rejected on Thursday accusations by Amnesty International that its soldiers killed 21 people at a Somali mosque as "lies" and "propaganda".
The rights group said on Wednesday the soldiers, stationed in Somalia to bolster the interim government, had also captured dozens of children in a raid on the Al Hidaaya mosque earlier this week during operations against Islamist insurgents.
ADDIS ABABA , Ethiopia, April 25, 2008 – The Somalian government is due to hold ice- breaking talks with Asmara-based opposition leaders in neighboring Djibouti next month, Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said Friday.
The first talks between the transitional government and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia are due to start on May 10," a ministry statement said.
The statement said the talks were part of reconciliation efforts launched by Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein Adde and supported by the U.N. secretary general's special representative, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah.
Bilbao/Madrid, Spain, April 25, 2008 - The Spanish government on Friday denied media reports that Somali pirates had demanded a ransom of one million euros (1.6 million dollars) for the release of the crew of a seized Spanish fishing vessel. Stating that negotiations for the release of the 26 Spanish and African fishermen on board the trawler Playa de Bakio were expected to last for several days, agriculture official Gonzalo Saenz de Samaniego said the parties had not yet discussed money.
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UN Special Envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould – Abdallah |
Nairobi, Kenya 26 April 2008 - Somali has witnessed unprecedented upsurge in violence in the last few weeks with the Union of Islamic Courts taking control in some sections. The situation in that country is to say the least becoming terrible. Garowe Online’s East Africa correspondent Kenneth Oduor, talked to UN Special Envoy to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould – Abdallah about the situation in Somalia.
Mogadishu, Somalia, 29 April 2008 - A court in Somalia's northern breakaway state of Puntland on Monday sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment for piracy, a senior government official told AFP.
"The High Court of Puntland sentenced 11 pirates to life in prison," Puntland state administration officer Bile Mohamud Qabowsade said.
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Geneva, Switzerland, 25 April 2008 - A new round of violent clashes between government troops and insurgents in Mogadishu, Somalia, this week has killed dozens of civilians, wounded 200 people and displaced 7,000 people, according to United Nations officials.
In a press conference Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said residential areas have been shelled during fighting between troops of the Ethiopian-backed Transitional Federal Government and rebels.
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26 April 2008
As if the violence on the ground in Somalia were not enough -- thousands of civilians have been forced to flee after renewed clashes in the capital, Mogadishu, recently -- the coast of the country is facing increasing danger from -- yep, you guessed it -- pirates.
Abdullahi Yusuf, president of Somalia |
MOGADISHU, Somalia 25 April 2008 - Somalia's interim president has denied widespread media reports of Ethiopian soldiers entering a mosque in the capital Mogadishu and killing upwards of 20 people inside last week.
President Abdullahi Yusuf, who is on an overseas trip, told the VOA Somali Service during a Thursday interview that he is well-informed with daily events in his native country.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 27 April 2008 - Authorities paid pirates a ransom of $1.2 million to win the freedom of a Spanish fishing boat and its 26-member crew seized off the Horn of Africa a week ago, a Somali official said.
Suspected pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenades had seized control of the tuna-fishing boat from Spain's Basque region last Sunday about 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, a region where piracy has escalated recently.
NAIROBI, Kenya, 25 April 2008 - Amnesty International on Friday called on Ethiopia to investigate allegations that its troops killed at least 21 people, including 11 unarmed civilians, in a mosque in the Somali capital.
The rights group cited several sources which said Ethiopian troops carried out the killings on April 19. The Ethiopian government has rejected the claims.
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27 April 2008 - Somaliland is at a critical stage. The Council of Elders (Guurti) extended Somaliland president’s term by one year. Leaders of the two opposition parties —Kulmiye and UCID—dismissed the Guurti’s decision as a cynical plot to undermine Somaliland’s fledgling democracy. There are conditions under which extension of the president’s term becomes an option. The Guurti’s reasons to justify the extension are not convincing for several reasons.
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Main Developments
This week Mogadishu experienced the heaviest fighting so far this year. Fighting escalated over the weekend of 19-20 April in five out of the 16 districts in the city - (Dharkenley, Yaaqshiid, Heliwaa, Hodan and Wardhiigleey districts). The number of civilian casualties are estimated to be at least 66 and the number of wounded nearly 200 according to hospital records. On 20 April 20 civilians – many of them clerics - were killed in and around Al-Hidaya Mosque in Heliwaa district. In a press release issued on 24 April, the UN Humanitarian Chief, John Homes, strongly condemned the brutal killings and further stated ‘‘….
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Substantial decrease in traffic observed on Wednesday on one of the main streets in Hargeysa following the government’s introduction of higher fuel prices |
Hargeysa, Somaliland, April 26, 2008 (SL Times) – A decision by the government of Somaliland president Dahir Riyale to increase diesel fuel prices by 43% and levy 40-25% surcharges on imports has driven the country’s food crisis to a new extreme level whereby it is no longer possible for most people to afford buying food staples such as rice and pasta.
Rice prices which doubled since last year globally surged to a record high of $40 per 50kgs sack this week in Somaliland after the government endorsed a proposal by the oil supplier TOTAL to increase prices of diesel fuel by 43% and patrol by 20%.
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UNITED NATIONS, April 23, 2008 – Britain circulated a draft U.N. resolution calling for the United Nations to move its Somalia political operation into the conflict-wracked nation, step up efforts to restore peace, and keep planning for a U.N. takeover of peacekeeping from the African Union.
The draft resolution, obtained Wednesday by the Associated Press, calls on all countries in the meantime to provide money, personnel and equipment to fully deploy the AU force now on the ground in Somalia. It is authorized to have 8,000 troops but currently only has 2,600 soldiers from Uganda and Burundi.
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
25 April 2008
Amnesty International refutes statements made by the Ethiopian government on its report about a raid on the Al Hidya Mosque in Mogadishu on 19 April 2008. In the attack, Ethiopian forces killed at least 21 people, including 11 unarmed civilians inside the mosque, and detained at least 40 children and youths, aged 9 to 18. At least 10 others were killed by Ethiopian forces in the vicinity of the mosque.
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| WASHINGTON, April 23, 2008 — Sen. Norm Coleman urged the president of Somalia on Tuesday to pursue reconciliation as a way to move the nation out of its violence-ravaged state.
Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, met for about 40 minutes with Somali President Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed. He said he urged Ahmed to reach out to “all stakeholders not associated with terrorism,” while Ahmed emphasized the need for enhanced security.
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Thousands of Somalis make a perilous journey to Yemen to flee Mogadishu's chaos
A Somali soldier holds his weapon at Bakara market in Mogadishu. Photograph: Jose Cendon/AFP |
Sana’a, Yemen, April 21 2008 – Obah Abdisalam Muhammad knew that she might not survive the crossing. She had heard the stories of the smugglers' beatings, of the sharks and the desperate thirst. But after two of her brothers were killed in Mogadishu's endless cycle of fighting one night early last month, the pregnant 19-year-old decided that she had to take the risk.
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Apr 20, 2008
As the value of the dollar continues to decline relative to other currencies, some of those most affected don't even live in the United States. Instead, they are citizens of developing countries who receive remitted dollars from family and friends working abroad. For them, the weakening dollar is particularly crippling because it either converts into less local currency or, for those in countries with pegged currencies, can't keep up with local inflation.
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HARGEISA, April 24, 2008 – The Republic of Somaliland needs to be officially recognized as an independent country says a prominent global think-tank in its latest report on security and development. The Senlis Council, which was established in 2002 as a European-based organization, reveals its policy recommendations in a report entitled Chronic Failures of the War on Terror: From Afghanistan to Somalia which was published in London on Wednesday.
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UNITED NATIONS, April 23, 2008 — France and the United States are currently working on a draft resolution in the UN Security Council to combat maritime piracy, notably off the coast of lawless Somalia, diplomats said Tuesday.
"We are working on a text to combat piracy. The time has come to deal with this issue," France's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said.
"We think it is a very important issue. We want to move it forward as soon as possible," Richard Grenell, the spokesman for the US mission to the UN, chimed in.
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Commentary
By Dr. Terry Lacey
My first trip to Somalia was as a young European Commission official accompanying my Director General for Development in 1976 on a mission to see President Siyad Barre about the implementation of the African, Caribbean & Pacific Agreement (ACP), between the European Community and Somalia.
We did not realize how lucky we were that Somalia was in one piece with one President. It’s still not clear if and when we will see that again. There was an illusion of normality in Mogadishu contrasted to now, but the destabilization process had already started because the Ogaden war was just beginning. Somalia is now in at least three or four pieces - the Baidoa Transitional Federal Government and the South, Mogadishu, and Puntland, the relatively stable statelet in the North.
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By Bashir Goth
- President Dahir Riyale Kahin, President of Somaliland
- Chairman Ahmed Mohammed Sillanyo, Chairman of Kulmiye party
- Chairman Faisal Ali Waraabe, Chairman of UCID party
- Speakers of the houses and Members of the two houses
- Somaliland Election Commission
- People of Somaliland
In Somaliland, peace is our home. Our people have realized this 18 years ago when they reclaimed their sovereignty in the conference of Burao. Emerging from a bloody and disastrous war, the wise men who met in Burao came to the conclusion that only by shaking hands with each other, by forgetting and forgiving each other in keeping with the resourceful norms and values of our culture that they could move forward to build a nation. And a nation they built that is the envy of many African states; a nation that has been deservedly known as the “ Africa’s Best Kept Secret.”
Nairobi, April 18, 2008 – The UN Special envoy for Somalia Ahmedou Ould Abdallah Thursday welcomed a declaration by the leading opposition figures in Somalia to stop a military campaign against the interim government.
Somali's opposition leadership has said that the country's political problems ca nnot be solved militarily, raising hopes for a fresh round of peace talks to end a political impasse that has persisted since the interim authority relocated there.
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President Bush and Prime minister Zenawi |
Thursday, 24 April 2008
- The Bush-Zenawi "regime change" operation is itself a massive and ongoing act of state terrorism, one that dwarfs any of the outrages perpetrated by Islamic extremists.
Earlier this week, we noted reports that Ethiopian invaders in Somalia had killed several moderate clerics and other unarmed people in a mosque north of Mogadishu during the recent bloody reprisals against civilian areas launched by the Bush-backed invaders and their Somali allies. At the time, sketchy reports from the BBC indicated that at least 10 people had been killed in the mosque.
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 by Stephen Crowley
29 April 2008 - Seeking to ease growing concerns about the weakening economy, President Bush on Tuesday called on Congress, with whom he has battled all year, to introduce broad new measures that would lower food and energy prices, stem the mortgage crisis and reduce what he called lavish subsidies to farmers
Speaking at a news conference in the White House Rose Garden Tuesday morning, President Bush issued a sweeping indictment of the Democratic-led Congress, essentially blaming the sputtering economy on what he characterized as the House’s failure to propose “sensible” bills that he could sign into law.
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VATICAN CITY, 27 April 2008 - Pope Benedict on Sunday appealed to the world not to forget the "tragic" conflicts in Somalia, Darfur and Burundi and called on authorities to "honor their commitments" to bring an end to the violence.
"The news from several African countries continues to give reason for deep suffering and acute concern," the Pope told the crowd in St Peter's square after his weekly Sunday address.
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If anybody knows how to develop a training simulation for Army helicopter pilots, it should be Mike Durant.
A 23-year Army veteran famed for his October 1993 shutdown over Mogadishu, Somalia, Durant retired from the Army in 2001. In February he started Pinnacle Solutions, an engineering support and simulation company that supports primarily Army aviation.
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Many observers of Somaliland’s politics are baffled and angered by President Riyale’s unwillingness to seek solutions for serious political issues, and his almost predictable upping of the ante during political disputes. Two main reasons are usually cited to explain Riyale’s constant brinkmanship: (a) that he is misled and manipulated by people around him who have vested interest in creating an atmosphere of crisis; (b) that his personal insecurities hamper him from showing courageous leadership in resolving thorny problems. These explanations have a grain of truth, but a simpler and more important explanation is that President Riyale was spoiled by Somalilanders, so much so that he has come to believe that, no matter what the dispute is about, if he just sticks to his guns long enough, the other side is going to blink first and he would have his way.
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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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By Rhoda A. Rageh
This is how my friend who is now there put it when I asked him about the events at home. He must have been feeling utterly frustrated and angry at the moment I asked him the question. Who wouldn’t be under the circumstances? I have the feeling my question must have offered him an alternative to shouting into the toilet. I lent an ear he can trust. Even to me, my friend’s message hit a spot.
My friend is usually a happy person, open and peaceful. He is a serious intellectual who does not subscribe to the lows of life. If you see him you would never know his highly academic success from his modest demeanor.
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By Noah Arre
Exactly 33 months ago this spring, the people of Somaliland again made history by peacefully electing its first freely elected (MPs) members of parliament. And with hope and enthusiasm everyone said to himself/herself “qarkaa qar dheh” or now consider this part done! And so, with big relief even those of us who live overseas congratulated Somaliland for a job well done and congratulated each other.
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By Yassin Abdillahi Ahmed
Ali Ibrahim, a former UNILO technocrat-turned, a glowing minister which turned further uncompromising role model minister and the old saying, “good name shines in the dark” very much concerns.
His former Organization has held special appreciation to his extraordinary service in the UN Agency, the Dar es Salaam-based ILO Conference Hall has been named after him in a colorful ceremony that was held on September last year.
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Wearisome Time For The Emerging Nation Of Somaliland
By Abdirahim Ali Harbi
(Part 2)
In the previous segment entitled “Wearisome Time for the Emerging Nation of Somaliland” I have illustrated some of the challenges that could be presented by the lack of recognition for Somaliland and how it may affect a region of Africa already afflicted with major problems and could add to the overall global insecurity. This other segment will address issues that concern the economy of Somaliland.
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By Aden Mohamed tani
I hope many diehard secessionists in North Somalia and elsewhere agree with me the fact, that claiming, campaigning and propagate for virtual independence of a territory against visible or invisible protagonist is the ultra-light side of a coin. To simplify what I want to bring out is, that it is known that corruption deteriorates the stability and moral of a society from inside and bring it to a total collapses. Comparatively and biological expressing, in plants, fungal infection or cancer in human body, both diseases deteriorates the resistance of plants/human in a low motion and leads ultimately to a final death.
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By Kayse Noor Ahmad
Dallas, Texas 26 April 2008 - Resources, Republic of Somaliland Met Some of the Somaliland Community In Dallas, Texas. The Honorable minister of Water and Mineral resources, Qassim Sh. Yussuf who was an official visit of seven days in San Antonio, Texas where he attended international convention of Petroleum companies held in San Antonio, made a brief stop at city of Dallas yesterday.
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Edna Adan Ismail of Somaliland describes for O’Bleness Memorial Hospital staff members the hospital she operates in her homeland. Looking on is Dr. Jane Broecker. |
Athens, Apr 20, 2008 – Moving her hand in front of an automatic faucet at O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Edna Adan Ismail remarked about her own hospital in Somaliland. "Sometimes we have no water. Adequate water would mean digging a well, which would cost $60,000, so we make due. Water is our heaviest cross to bear because it is so basic."
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Map locating Perim Island, between Djibouti and Yemen |
DJIBOUTI , April 24, 2008 – Moses once parted the Red Sea ... now Osama bin Laden's half-brother is planning to build a bridge over it.
Building on engineering feats such as the Channel Tunnel between England and France, the Panama Canal linking the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Suez Canal joining the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, the proposed bridge would link Yemen to Djibouti, creating a man-made link between the Middle East and Africa.
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Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin: seeking recognition |
By Paul Reynolds
London, April 24, 2008 – Amid the chaos that has afflicted the Horn of Africa over recent decades, there is an oasis of relative calm that is ignored by the rest of the world.
The self-declared Republic of Somaliland announced its independence from the rest of Somalia in May 1991 and has been searching for recognition in vain since then.
London, UK, April 23, 2008 – How much a mother eats at the time of conception may influence whether she gives birth to a boy or a girl, a new report shows.
The report, from researchers at Oxford and the University of Exeter in England, is said to be the first evidence that a child’s sex is associated with a mother’s diet.
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Washington, April 15, 2008 – Unrepresented nations and peoples are gaining visibility and in a recent interview with the American journal Congressional Quarterly Global Researcher, UNPO General Secretary Mr. Marino Busdachin, gave his impressions of the challenges and hazards now facing such groups in their campaign for greater recognition in global fora.
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Livestock rearing is a key economic activity |
Though not internationally recognized, Somaliland has a working political system, government institutions, a police force and its own currency. The territory has lobbied hard to win support for its claim to be a sovereign state.
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When you slip outside the empire, and travel as I try to do when others are kind enough to pay my way, I see the world through other eyes.
Yes, gang, there is more to the world than the overheated passions between the Obama and Clinton camps.
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By Hugh Cortazzi
LONDON, April 25, 2008 — The recent African summit at the United Nations could not conceal the number of failed states in Africa.
For years there has been no effective government in much of Somalia. We, who live under the rule of law, can hardly imagine what it must be like to be in a country where there is no authority capable of stopping intimidation, robbery and violence.
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