Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Terrorizing Aid to Somalia
Terrorizing Aid to Somalia
The United States is willfully letting millions of Somalis go hungry in its drive to hunt down terrorists.
BY NATALIE PARKE | OCTOBER 30, 2009
There is a new humanitarian crisis unfolding in Somalia, and the United States is partly to blame. Despite sending $2 million and 40 tons of arms and ammunition to the country's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) earlier this year, now, the United States is withholding humanitarian aid until relief agencies agree to comply with strict, game-stopping conditions.
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More... The decision to abruptly halt assistance came following suspicions that U.S. aid might be ending up with Somali "terrorists." The main worry is an al Qaeda-linked group called al-Shabab, the leading Islamic militant group fighting against the feeble but internationally backed government. Al-Shabab controls most of south-central Somalia, while the TFG controls only a few areas of the capital, Mogadishu. The south-central region is home to 2.7 million of the 3.63 million Somalis in need of emergency assistance. So, reaching many of Somalia's people with aid would likely entail operating on al-Shabab's turf and interacting with elements of the group to facilitate logistics.
U.S. Treasury Department sanctions strictly prohibit any financial transactions or dealings with al-Shabab and other Somali groups labeled as "terrorists." Yet clearly the concern is not absolute; the U.S. government seems less concerned that the guns and ammo sent as military assistance, intended to prop up the fragile government and keep control of a country brimming with violence, are allegedly being resold on the streets of Mogadishu.
The halt in humanitarian assistance will cripple the work of relief organizations and, as a consequence, hurt their Somali beneficiaries. U.S. officials justifiably fear that they and their partners could be held responsible, even prosecuted, for supporting terrorists if relief funds ended up in the hands of al-Shabab. At first, the U.S. government reviewed the situation and "delayed" funding. Subsequently, Washington issued conditions with which aid agencies must comply to legally operate in Somalia. But the conditions are so restrictive that it would be virtually impossible for operating agencies to meet them. (To preserve the security of those groups on the ground, specific conditions cannot be stated here.)
The damage is not just temporary. The new, politically charged rules would destroy relief organizations' neutrality in Somalia. Humanitarian aid derives its legitimacy from impartiality -- the notion that aid is provisioned on need alone, rather than politics. In Somalia, where the U.S. government is often viewed unfavorably, political impartiality is a practical consideration as well; it is central to the ability of relief agencies to function safely and effectively. The new U.S. conditions would undermine this core principle by making it nearly impossible for relief agencies to legally operate in al-Shabab-run territory, including many of the most desperate regions of Somalia. The country is already one of the most dangerous for humanitarian workers, so the United States' attempt to bring relief workers under its purview will only increase Somali suspicion toward them and make the environment more precarious.
On top of this policy disaster, money for relief in Somalia is running out. The U.N. World Food Program estimates that its coffers will be empty within the next few weeks. Even if more funds were pledged today, it could require as many as four months for the money to reach beneficiaries on the ground. There will be an inevitable gap in assistance to Somalis.
The timing could not be worse. The country's already catastrophic humanitarian crisis is being compounded by a drought that has struck much of the Horn of Africa. Nearly half the population is estimated to urgently need aid -- some 3.63 million people.
The U.S. government is holding the Somalia relief enterprise and its beneficiaries hostage to its counterterrorism policy. Agencies have resolutely upheld their commitment to humanitarian impartiality and refused to be shut down by unreasonable conditions. Unfortunately, that precludes them from accepting U.S. funds -- normally half of all aid to Somalia. Until Washington lets agencies fulfill their mission unhindered, the U.S. mission to win "hearts and minds" in Somalia, a feared up-and-coming stronghold of terrorism, will be completely undermined. Knowingly allowing millions of people to suffer is no way to win friends.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Somalis get first-ever debit card
Somalis get first-ever debit card
 The firm says Somalis have the same needs as British or Americans |
A money-transfer company has made a piece of banking history in Somalia - introducing the first-ever debit card in the breakaway region of Somaliland.
The firm, Dahabshiil, hopes eventually to roll the system out to all Somali-speaking areas from Djibouti to Kenya.
They say large shops and hotels in areas with good internet connection and electricity can sign up to the service.
The card was launched in Somaliland's capital Hargeisa because of insecurity elsewhere in the region.
'Cashless society'
Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991, when the country's central government collapsed.
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Since then, Somaliland has forged a relatively stable state, despite its lack of international recognition.
Most of the rest of Somalia has been wracked by violence and Islamist insurgencies while
Dahabshiil boss Abdul Rashid Mohamed Said told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme he regretted that people overseas hear only bad news from Somalia.
"We believe Somalis here have the same needs as people in the UK or America and that's why the debit card will make their lives easier," he said.
He said he hoped to create a "cashless society" by encouraging customers to link their accounts directly to their cards.
The BBC's Jamal Abdi says people he spoke to on the streets of Hargeisa hope the new cards will reduce the long queues outside money-transfer agencies.
Dahabshiil has made its name by handling cash transferred by Somalis living overseas to their relatives back home.
Some estimates say as much as $1bn (£610m) is sent into Somalia from the emigrants.
Curry spice 'kills cancer cells' curry
Curry spice 'kills cancer cells'
curry
The yellow spice gives curries their bright colour
An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown.
The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia.
Now tests by a team at the Cork Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab.
Cancer experts said the findings in the British Journal of Cancer could help doctors find new treatments.
Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours.
'Natural' remedy
The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals.
Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value."
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer.
"Rates of oesophageal cancer rates have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too."
Each year around 7,800 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death and accounts for around five percent of all UK cancer deaths.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Pirates 'seize UK yacht couple'
 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has contacted the couple's family |
A search is being carried out for a British couple who are feared to have been taken captive by Somali pirates while sailing near the Seychelles.
Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, were heading for Tanzania in their yacht, the Lynn Rival.
They sent a distress signal on Friday but have not been heard from since.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said his sources believed they were being taken to Somalia.
He said it was thought the couple and their yacht were headed for the port of Haradheere.
'Ransom demands'
A pirate called Hassan told the Reuters news agency: "The British couple are in our hands now. We captured them as they were touring in the Indian Ocean."
The two captives were healthy and ransom demands would follow, he added.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokeswoman said it could not confirm whether pirates were involved.
"We are in touch with the family in the UK and the Seychelles coastguards which continues to monitor the situation and has conducted a search of the area," she added.
A spokesman for the Seychelles Coast Guard said they had not heard from the couple, who were out of reach by satellite phone.
He said: "There have been reports that they were hijacked by pirates but no one can prove that. We don't know what has happened and cannot speculate."
The couple's niece Leah Mickleborough said she last saw the couple at her wedding in September.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live they were experienced sailors who had lived on their yacht for several years.
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She said the family were told on Friday that the distress signal had been set off but switched off again, as if it was an accident.
They were expecting the couple to come into a dock on an island where they could make contact, but were warned by the FCO on Monday that there would be reports of a kidnapping in the media.
"We were fairly confident that maybe it was just an accident," she said.
"All of us in the family are extremely upset by what's happened and we're very distressed.
"We all hope they are OK and this can be resolved easily."
Pirate attacks
Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the couple's distress beacon was activated at 2300 BST on Friday.
They were on a 150 nautical-mile passage south-west to the Amirante Islands, en route to Tanzania when they used the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon.
 The couple have been sailing around the world on their yacht, the Lynn Rival |
The route would have taken the couple near Somali waters which are notorious for pirate attacks on ships and smaller boats.
It is understood that there had been pirate activity in the area earlier in the day.
Earlier this year Seychellois officials requested help from the international community to defend their waters.
The Chandlers previously wrote of "the Somali pirate problem" that delayed other voyages to Tanzania.
In a post on their blog in June, the couple wrote: "The seas around the Seychelles are now too rough for the pirates to operate in."
Nick Davis, Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre, said the waters around the Seychelles had become one of the most dangerous areas in the world for piracy since warships had moved into the Gulf of Aden to protect merchant ships.
In the past few weeks pirates have taken a fishing boat, container ship and cargo dry bulk carrier.
A Navy spokesman said the Davenport-based frigates HMS Cumberland and HMS Cornwall Royal, which are on anti-piracy patrols, are involved in the search.
Monday, October 26, 2009
A new somaliland`s warlord who pose a threat to the unity of somaliland
Waxan akhristay maqaal ku qornaa Jamhuuriya maalintii Sabtidii ee October 25keedi. Maqalka cinwaankiisu wuxuu ahaa: Sheekh Aadan-Siiro oo ka Digay Qorshe Lagu Luminayo Taariikhda Xasuuqii iyo Halgankii Dib-u-xorraynt Somaliland. Wuxuu kaga hadlay xasuuqii iyo taariikhdii halgankii oo la tirtirayo iyo in ay dowlada iyo xisbiyado ka dambeeyaan tirtirkaas.
Khudbadaasi waxay ahayd mid aaan la yaabay oo dadka wax garadka ah ee meel dheer wax arka cabsi gelinaysa. Shaydaanku wuu wajiyo badan yahay, wuu mu’aamaraad badanyahay, wuu qaab badan yahay. Diinta Islaamku waxay xaaraantinimaysay isku dirka, xamaasad abuurka, kacdoon abuurka, iyo iska horkeenkaba. Masaajidada waxa ka xaaraan ah khudbadaha Sheikh Siiro ka jeediyey masaajidka Xawaadleh. Halku qabisga Halgankii loo soo maray xurayntii Somaaliland iyo wixii dad iyo duunyaba soo gaadhay iyo in ay jiraan dad taariikhdii halgankaas dabuulayaa ama baabi’inaaya waa wax ka fog xaqiiqda ka jirta Somaliland.
Dadka Somaaliland khaas ahaan dadka degen Hargeiysa way ogyihiin in taariikhdaasi nooshay noolaana doonto. Shiekhu moo ilaaway in ay ahayd bishan October 17keedi dabaaldegii Xuska dadkii ku dintay halganka u ku tilmamay in taariikhdiisii la aasay. Dowlad, xisbiyo, iyo shicibkuba way isku soo bexeen si weyna waa loo xusay.
Somaalildu waxay ku mahmaahdaa TIMIR LAFBAA KU JIRTA. Waxan isweydiinayaa waxa Sheikhu uu ka dan lahaa Khudbada iyo dadka u ujeedinaayay. Waxaan u malaynayaa in dadka u la hadlaayaa ayna ku noolayn Somaaliland. Ujeedada khodbadaasi waa mid la malayn karo, Hase-ahaate, waxan u daynayaa dadwaynaha in ay furfuraan khudbadaas Sheikhu ka jeediyey masaajidka Ilaahay ka xaraantimeeyey khudbadaha naxliga iyo xumaanta wata. Waxa la yidhi NIN TUUR LEHI ISAGA AYAA YAQAANA SIDUU U SEEXDO. Shaydaanku ma garan waayo xeeladaha u dadka ku haleeya ee u ku seejiyo dariiqa toosan. Khudbado tan ka horeeyey oo Sheikhu soo jeediyey markii ay kululayd arinta Ceelbardaale ayaa iguna mudan in dadku akhristaan. Khudbadhaas oo Shiekhu ku taageerayay reer xareed.
Waxa Sheikhaba bara dhaafiyey masuuliinta Jamhuuriya ee soo qoraysa maqaladan xambaarsan xumaanta, kacdoonka, iyo isku dirka. Uma arkaann xumaan haddii khudbadaasi siyaasadaysantahay. Waxan u arkaa xumaan iyo qas abuurkii Jamhuuriya ku caana maashey oo ay qiil u hashay.
Dadweynaha reer Somaliland ha iska shaandheenyaan ariman oo kale iyo xumaanta Jamhuuriya ka dhex horisu ummada.
By Mohamed Mousa
Sunday, October 25, 2009
MOBILE USE IS LINKED TO BRAIN TUMOURS
MOBILE USE IS LINKED TO BRAIN TUMOURS
Heavy mobile use is linked to brain tumours
Saturday October 24,2009
By Daily Express reporter
LONG-term mobile phone users could face a higher risk of developing cancer in later life, according to a decade-long study.
The report, to be published later this year, has reportedly found that heavy mobile use is linked to brain tumours.
The survey of 12,800 people in 13 countries has been overseen by the World Health Organisation.
Preliminary results of the inquiry, which is looking at whether mobile phone exposure is linked to three types of brain tumour and a tumour of the salivary gland, have been sent to a scientific journal.
The findings are expected to put pressure on the British Government – which has insisted that mobile phones are safe – to issue stronger warnings to users.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Why Israel Hates Obama by Richard Wolffe
Is Obama surrounded by self-hating Jews? That was one of the most ridiculous—and yet perversely telling—stories to emerge from the last several weeks of Israeli media coverage.
Not because the president is surrounded by Jewish aides who want to sabotage their own identity. Far from it. David Axelrod openly reveres the old Jewish deli in Chicago known as Manny’s. He has a sign in his West Wing office saying Barack Obama in Hebrew script. And Rahm Emanuel could no more hate his Jewish and Israeli ties than he could the vocabulary of the Anglo-Saxons.
It’s hard to be a mediator when one side feels you are overwhelmingly one-sided, especially when that side happens to be your strongest ally in the region.
On those terms, Axelrod and Emanuel are self-hating self-haters.
Still, one of the leading Israeli newspapers, Ha’aretz, reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyanhu was so paranoid that he described both Axelrod and Emanuel as “self-hating Jews.” The White House says that the Israeli government denied the story and dismisses the idea, with plenty of reason.
But what lies underneath the erroneous report is something deeper in Israeli-U.S. ties; something that complicates the vastly complex Israeli-Palestinian talks under U.S. supervision.
• Benjamin Sarlin: Facebook’s Israel ProblemIt’s a matter of trust. And the Israelis don’t have it when it comes to President Obama. In the most recent Jerusalem Post poll, the number of Israelis who see Obama as pro-Israeli is just 4 percent. That’s not a typo; it was down two points since June. Fully 51 per cent say Obama is more pro-Palestinian than pro-Israeli.
In May, before the Cairo speech and before the first White House meeting between Obama and Netanyahu, the pro-Israeli number was as high as 31 percent. Not that high, but also not disastrously bad. Unless you compare Obama to Bush, who had an 88 percent pro-Israeli rating.
All of which makes George Mitchell’s task that much harder this week and for the next several years. Because it’s hard to be a mediator when one side feels you are overwhelmingly one-sided, especially when that side happens to be your strongest ally in the region.
International community fails Somalia
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Africa, October 24, 2009, (Pal Telegraph)-The international community is failing over 1.5 million internally displaced persons in Somalia at a time when the humanitarian crisis is deepening, Walter Kaelin, the Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, said at the end of his mission to Somalia in Nairobi, Kenya.
Many of the Somali IDPs interviewed during the mission had fled the climate of violence and impunity in Central and South Somalia, including Mogadishu."I am shocked by the degree of violence facing the civilian population in Central and South Somalia. Serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, in particular indiscriminate attacks and shelling of areas populated or frequented by civilians, are being perpetrated by all parties to the conflict with total impunity.", the Representative said.
He added "Such acts are a major cause of displacement and may amount to war crimes and other crimes under international law."
He also noted that many women and girls have fled after being raped. He urges all parties to the conflict - whether state actors, anti-government groups or militias - to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. International troops should take all measures to ensure that their operations do not affect the civilian population.
Those fleeing, whether from general insecurity or drought are forced to seek refuge in makeshift camps that are often inaccessible to humanitarian agencies for security reasons or because access is denied by those controlling the area. "The lack of humanitarian access to those most in need, dangers for humanitarian workers, such as abductions, as well as a sharp decline in donor contributions exacerbate this long-standing humanitarian crisis and risk bringing it to a hitherto unknown level", the Representative highlighted.
He noted the risk of aid being diverted, but called on donors not to reduce humanitarian aid: "This would not only mean punishing the most vulnerable among already destitute communities but also playing into the hands of radical elements who could easily exploit the situation." He insisted that all actors must grant humanitarian access, ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and not impede the already limited delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid.
All Somalis have the right to seek safety away from their own communities, including in "Puntland" and "Somaliland". They also have the right to seek asylum in another country. The displaced retain all their rights and freedoms. "They must not be sent back to areas they have fled and where their lives and safety would be at risk", the Representative recalled.
Those who are able to move to safer areas remain highly vulnerable, particularly if they lost the protection of their clan, and are exposed to heightened risks of suffering human rights violations. These include forced evictions, child labour and sexual and gender-based violence.
In many settlements, most of the IDPs are women who are on their own or with their children, Kaelin noted: "The levels of rape and even gang rapes of displaced girls and women, affected communities told me about, are unacceptably high. I am also concerned about the lack of appropriate responses by local authorities and the international community to this problem", Kaelin highlighted referring to the inadequate provision of legal counselling and access to justice, lack of medical and psychosocial care and rehabilitation support for victims. He also noted the lack of specific support to persons with disabilities and traumas.
"I am also deeply concerned about the unacceptable living conditions in some of the IDP settlements I have visited, including lack of proper shelter, food and drinking water, severe malnutrition of children, very poor sanitation , lack of education and health facilities and severe overcrowding", the Representative stressed. "Torrential "El Niño" rains are expected to further aggravate an already dramatic situation", Kaelin said and called on donors to be prepared.
Though he was not able to visit South and Central Somalia, he received testimonies regarding violence and the appalling living conditions in the Afgooye corridor, an area close to Mogadishu with the highest density of IDPs worldwide.
"Existing humanitarian aid is pitifully insufficient compared to the needs of the displaced who often face severe protection risks and marginalisation," the Representative said. "Vulnerabilities are heightened by the fact that many IDPs have been displaced more than once", he added.
Burden
The Representative recognized that the high number of internally displaced persons poses a burden on host communities and puts enormous strain on the limited existing basic services and resources. He acknowledged existing support being provided by authorities and host communities in Somaliland and Puntland and urged authorities, humanitarian and development organizations to strengthen efforts to ensure adequate protection and assistance for all internally displaced persons regardless of where they come from.
"All must work together to strengthen reception capacities for new arrivals as much as possible and to enhance and expand basic services for all the communities affected by displacement - both the IDPs and the host communities - in order to avoid and mitigate inter-communal and inter-clan tensions and violence."
The professor especially noted the need for a stronger engagement of the international community in Somalia.
It is essential to find ways to improve humanitarian access and the security of humanitarian workers. To the extent possible, humanitarian agencies must shift their operations from Nairobi to Puntland, Somaliland and other areas from where the affected regions can be serviced. They must be given the staff and resources necessary to effectively work in such a difficult and dangerous environment, and should receive respective support by donors.
Furthermore, robust investment is needed in education and livelihoods. In this regard, humanitarian and development actors must act hand in hand. This will help the uprooted people, some of whom have been displaced for more than 15 years, to better cope with everyday life and become self-reliant again.
Robust development activities, including upgrading of shelters, investment into educational and job opportunities for the youth, and strengthening basic services, are needed to transform humanitarian action into sustainable livelihoods.
"I remain convinced that the situation in Somalia is not hopeless. There are areas that are stable enough to begin reconstructing from there. Concerted and prompt efforts from the authorities, the humanitarian, development and human rights organizations and the international community can bring about urgently needed change and help prevent a further deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation", the Representative concluded.
During his mission to Somalia from 14-21 October, the Representative consulted with the Transitional Federal Government and the administrations of Somaliland and Puntland. He also met United Nations agencies and other humanitarian organizations and with civil society representatives.
He visited Dadaab Camp in Kenya, where he met new arrivals from South and Central Somalia, as well as IDP camps and settlements in Galkayo, Bossasso and Hargeisa in Somaliland and Puntland where he met with the displaced
Africanews
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Somaliland readies for presidential election
Somaliland readies for presidential election
Matt Brown, Foreign Correspondent
- Last Updated: October 20. 2009 10:44PM UAE / October 20. 2009 6:44PM GMT
Dahir Riyale Kahin, who has ruled the autonomous region for seven years, will face two challengers. Tim Freccia for The National
HARGEISA, SOMALIA // Inside the compound of the presidential mansion here, there is a circle of blue and white tiles about a metre across lying on the ground over a dirt mound. The decorative hump amid a dusty car park seems out of place, until a guard explains that it is a memorial.
Almost a year ago, a suicide bomber drove a lorry through the front gate of the compound and blew himself up at this spot, just metres from the president’s lavish two-story house. Five people died in the blast including the president’s secretary. Another 25 died in two other simultaneous attacks in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.
Dahir Riyale Kahin, the president of Somaliland, was upstairs in his house when the bomb went off and was uninjured. Local authorities blamed the attack on al Shabab, an Islamic militia with ties to al Qa’eda that has been waging war in southern Somalia for the past two years.
The October 2008 Hargeisa bombings, a rarity in the normally stable northern breakaway region of Somaliland, underscored the threats faced by the man living in the president’s mansion.
An upcoming presidential election could install a new man in the president’s house for the first time in seven years, or it could put Mr Riyale back in the hot seat. Security will be a major issue of the campaign, as will gaining international recognition for Somaliland’s independence.
Unlike southern Somalia, which has been at war for two decades, Somaliland has a functioning government and security forces. It declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but so far no other nation recognises this and Somaliland remains a country that does not exist.
“Recognition will come sooner or later,” Mr Riyale said in an interview from his mansion. “The international community will come to the conclusion that we have a right to self determination. We are a functioning state. There is no state in southern Somalia. We have become a victim of a failed state.”
Critics say Mr Riyale, the former vice president, has not done enough to achieve recognition since he ascended to power following the death of the previous president in 2002. He has yet to articulate a concrete plan for gaining recognition for Somaliland.
The last time Somaliland held a presidential election, in 2003, Mr Riyale beat his nearest challenger, Ahmed Mahamoud Silaanyo, by a mere 80 votes out of almost 500,000 cast. Then, an amazing thing happened: Mr Silaanyo stepped down quietly. Unlike in other African countries where hotly contested elections often lead to bloody protests, Somalilanders accepted the results peacefully and went on with nation building.
This year, Mr Riyale is back seeking another five-year term. Mr Silaanyo, a 72-year-old former resistance fighter, and Faisal Ali Waraabe, a professor who spent many years in Finland, are again his main challengers.
The election, which was scheduled for April 2008, has been delayed several times, most recently on September 27, because of security and logistical constraints. Politicians say it will now take place in January at the earliest.
As president, Mr Silaanyo, an economist and former minister of commerce, said he would empower women and youth, develop the country’s natural resources including exploiting potential oil reserves and keep the nation safe from Islamic insurgents.
“The president has passed his mandate, and he doesn’t deserve to be there,” he said in an interview from his quiet residence in the former house of a British colonial official. “If we agree [with the ruling party] on one thing, that is the need to protect ourselves from al Shabab. We do recognise the threat that they represent. We are on our guard as much as we can.”
The most comprehensive plan to achieve international recognition for Somaliland is from Mr Waraabe, 58, a soft-spoken Finnish citizen who entered Somaliland politics in 2001. Mr Waraabe, the dark horse candidate in the election, said he can achieve recognition within one year if elected.
“First we need to make a viable state that respects human rights,” he said. “Then we will activate the more than 400,000 Somalilanders in the diaspora and use them to lobby to get recognition in their home countries.”
Mr Waraabe said a strong government would serve to counter violent extremism. “Terrorism is a result of anarchy. If we make a strong state, there won’t be groups like al Shabab.”
While he did not outline a specific plan to achieve recognition, Mr Silaanyo said self-determination would come once the international community realised Somaliland is the most stable region of Somalia.
“We pride ourselves in being an oasis of peace,” he said. “It is the only asset we have … Once we are more developed, we will be able to sell ourselves to the international community.”
Mr Riyale, for his part, is running on his record of creating security in Somaliland. Suicide bombers did manage to kill innocent Somalilanders last year, but that was an isolated incident, he said, and al Shabab and its sympathisers in Somaliland have been pushed underground.
“We are the only government in the Horn of Africa that is fighting terrorism,” he said. “I am doing a lot to bring stability to this country.”
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Searching the internet is good for your brain
Searching the internet is good for your brain |  |  |  |
Monday, October 19, 2009
US drone 'shot down over Somalia'
US drone 'shot down over Somalia'
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Islamist insurgents say they have shot down an unmanned US spy drone off the coast of southern Somalia.
An al-Shabab official said the drone had been hit by anti-aircraft fire and had fallen into the Indian Ocean near the port of Kismayo.
The claims could not be independently verified.
US forces last month launched a helicopter raid in southern Somalia and said they had killed a senior al-Qaeda suspect who was working with al-Shabab.
The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says the incident increased Islamist suspicions of US activity in Somalia.
He says that, if confirmed, it would be the first time that al-Shabab fighters had shot down a US drone.
An Islamist official told the BBC: "The suspected US aircraft had been flying in Kismayo airspace for days before being shot down two miles north-east of the town on Monday morning.
"It fell into the water and our fighters are trying to locate it."
Al-Shabab and other Islamist groups control much of southern Somalia, while the UN-backed government controls only a few parts of the capital, Mogadishu.
US forces have long been working against Somalia's Islamist groups from their military base in Djibouti, north-west of Somalia.
Friday, October 16, 2009
French firm to fund Somaliland's largest port
| French firm to fund Somaliland's largest port | |
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Berbera, less than 300 kilometres east of the former French colony of Djibouti, faces Yemen on the Gulf of Aden and is the economic capital of Somaliland, a breakaway state more stable than the rest of Somalia.
"Bollore is about to invest €500-million in Berbera port to improve the port and create a new corridor to the hinterland.
Ethiopia is very excited about that," a French diplomat based in Addis Ababa said.
"The project is not completely finalised, but Bollore has a huge presence in West Africa and is interested in East Africa," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
The company is part of a group owned by Vincent Bollore, a leader in West Africa's ports sector and close friend of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Somalia has the longest coastline on the continent and forms the "horn" of Africa, which juts out into the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden and commands access to some of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.
Ethiopia has had good relations with the self-proclaimed government of Somaliland and is heavily reliant on the port of Berbera for supplies.
The Bollore group confirmed to AFP in Paris it was interested in the project but did not elaborate further.
"We have not made an offer yet and no amount has been agreed," a spokesperson said.
Bollore won his power-stakes in Africa after having taken over the private bank of old-timer Conte du Beaumont, who had built a large empire of businesses and held vast estates in several African states, including Kenya.
US to make Blackwater-style entry into Somalia
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Blackwater operatives |
Michigan-based CSS Global Inc., secured the contract under the plea of 'fighting terrorism and piracy' and 'protecting' Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), reported Michigan Live citing The Grand Rapids Press newspaper.
"It is going to be a huge challenge," said Chris Frain, chief executive officer and co-owner of CSS Alliance, to which the CSS Global Inc is affiliated. "This is a brand-new government being stood up with the help of the international community."
The contractor's operations team was composed of former military and law enforcement personnel, including Special Forces, Michigan Live added.
The US firm has been involved in other African nations as well as in Iraq, where 17 civilians were killed in 2007 by a similar licentiate, Blackwater, currently known as Xe Services.
Washington has been exceedingly deputizing the companies, which are notorious for misusing their State Department-issued gun licenses as excuses for trigger-ready atrocities. The move has been denounced as an effort at putting a non-military face on the US pursuits in the respective countries.
US officials have, at the same time, been strongly arguing that there is an alleged al-Qaeda presence in Somalia and a reported militant-run recruitment network which, they say, could ensnare the Somali-American community.
Special Somali envoy to the United States, H.E. Ali Hassan Gulaid, however, said they were "confident the expertise of the CSS Global senior staff will prove to be a valuable asset to us in our efforts to establish a safe and secure Somalia for our citizens."
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A Recipe for Somalia
A Recipe for Somalia
A light footprint won’t work in Afghanistan. Just look at the Horn of Africa for all the reasons why not.
BY RICHARD BENNET | OCTOBER 13, 2009
As the Afghanistan strategy review dominates conversations in Washington, President Barack Obama's advisors appear split over whether to fully resource a counterinsurgency or scale back the effort to a more limited, counterterrorism approach. Vice President Joe Biden and others, fearing an open-ended engagement, have argued that a light footprint that features Predator drones and special operations forces would be the best way to counter al Qaeda and other Islamist groups. The reported strategy would take boots off the ground, lessening U.S. casualties even as airstrikes continue to target high-value targets, such as those responsible for the September 11 attacks. To some it may sound like the perfect casualty- and commitment-free plan.
Unfortunately, we have seen such an approach before. Over the last 18 years, Somalia has become the poster child for the shortcomings of light engagement peppered with misguided attempts at counterterrorism intervention. If the United States pursues a similar strategy in Afghanistan, the result will be equally catastrophic. And this time, the new Somalia will be right in the heart of the world's most volatile region.
As in Afghanistan, the United States began its engagement in Somalia two decades ago with the deployment of troops. The Bill Clinton administration pulled out after just 19 months, when casualties mounted and there was no end in sight to the conflict. Today, 15 years of light footprint later, Somalia remains a breeding ground for a host of Islamists groups, many with connections to al Qaeda. The country is technically ruled by a weak Transitional Federal Government -- the 14th attempt at establishing authority in almost as many years. But the administration controls but a few neighborhoods of Mogadishu, holding the Islamist groups at bay only with the help of African Union troops who act as de facto bodyguards.
As Islamist insurgents have gained ground, the United States has tried to contain the damage with targeted strikes utilizing special operations forces. In January 2007, for instance, attacks by an AC-130 gunship and attack helicopters killed at least 31 people, many of them suspected Islamist militants. More recently, on Sept. 14, Navy SEALs swooped down in helicopters and shot up a vehicle carrying Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, an al Qaeda leader thought to be responsible for the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Despite these few successful raids, Islamist groups -- and other malign elements such as the pirates who terrorize ships off the Horn of Africa -- appear stronger than ever in Somalia. It has proven difficult to decapitate the Islamists with airstrikes alone, thanks to poor intelligence in such a chaotic climate. And far from crippling terrorist groups, U.S. strikes often cause enough collateral damage to drive more aggrieved people into the insurgent camp. These attacks have also had the unintended effect of bringing disparate insurgent elements closer together. The patchwork of Islamist groups have put aside their clan-based divisions and coalesced around a common cause, forming far more monolithic -- and more dangerous -- groups such as al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam.
Nor has halfhearted financial, military, and diplomatic support for the Somali government, whether it's from the African Union, Ethiopia, the United States, or the United Nations, done anything to curtail the Islamists. Instead, it has had the opposite effect. International backing has allowed Islamist groups to portray subsequent interim regimes as puppets of the West, further discrediting the weak bodies among the Somali people. A U.S.-backed Ethiopian intervention to install a transitional government in 2007 made matters even worse; Ethiopians were widely resented, giving the Islamist opposition a convenient enemy against which to fight. Ethiopia pulled out its forces in January, leaving Somalia as much of a mess as ever.
No wonder U.S. officials fear that Somalia is becoming a major al Qaeda safe haven -- with an ominous connection to the continental United States, home to many Somali refugees. Some of these U.S. citizens have gone back to fight for Islamist groups. And in the future, there is always the danger that other immigrants, radicalized by the U.S. attacks, will wage war directly on their adopted homeland.
Even if the United States and its allies wanted to devote major resources to stabilizing the situation, it would be hard to do so now, after years of chronic neglect. Somalia lacks security forces that could secure neighborhoods and prevent them from becoming havens for terrorists or pirates. More fatally, Somalis have lost whatever faith they might once have had not only in the United States but also in international organizations such as the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the African Union. Years of empty promises and failed programs have sullied the reputations of aid workers and peacekeepers, limiting the prospects for any future engagement.
If the United States were to start drawing down forces in Afghanistan -- a move that would undoubtedly spark withdrawals by many NATO allies -- it is not hard to imagine Afghanistan spiraling downward to become a "Somalia on steroids." In the 1990s, both were gripped by internecine fighting among brutal warlords. In Afghanistan, the chaos allowed for the emergence of the Taliban, an Islamist group similar to Somalia's al-Shabab. And as recent civilian casualties have made painfully clear, U.S. counterterrorism strikes there have been no more effective than in Somalia. Drone strikes should certainly play a role in hunting high-value targets, but they are effective only when backed by actionable local intelligence gathered from secure Afghans. Relying solely on air power will only serve to alienate the populace in the long run.
Although the time to win the hearts and minds of the Somalis may have come and gone, it's still not too late for the Afghan people. One of the bright spots in the war is the Taliban's abysmal approval rating. An ABC-BBC poll released in February revealed that only 4 percent of Afghans would prefer rule by the Taliban. And though the corruption surrounding the recent presidential election has undermined Hamid Karzai's government, the damage can still be undone, particularly if the Afghan government works in conjunction with coalition forces to improve the delivery of basic services and security. Such a commitment will require considerably more troops than are currently on the ground. This is the strategy envisioned by the U.S. commanding officer in Kabul, Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
Obama is right to pause and consider all the ramifications of sending more Americans into harm's way. But if the administration's ongoing strategy review is honest and rigorous, it should conclude that there is really no alternative -- that reverting to a counterterrorism model risks turning Afghanistan into another Somalia. Absent a significant foreign troop presence and an accompanying counterinsurgency approach, the Afghan government would likely fall to warlordism or to the Taliban. The United States and its allies would then have no choice but to intervene selectively. And as in Somalia, a light footprint that targets terrorists without protecting the people would only serve to discredit the international community in the eyes of the Afghans.
Some might be prepared to live with that eventuality, as we currently live with the chaos in Somalia. But though the violence from Somalia certainly has spilled across borders in the form of terrorism and piracy, the danger emanating from a failed Afghanistan would be far greater. The terrorist groups that are based in South Asia -- notably al Qaeda -- have a more international focus and greater operational capacity than does al-Shabab. And, of course, Afghanistan is located next to another unstable state that has nuclear weapons. Should Pakistan, too, become another Somalia, the world would have a true nightmare scenario on its hands. A drawdown by the West in Afghanistan would only make that bad dream more likelyTuesday, October 13, 2009
Somalia must be stable and well organised by August 2011, UN envoy
afrol News, 13 October - A professional, well-organised security force must be established in Somalia by August 2011, the end of the mandate of the current Transitional Federal Government (TFG), if peace and stability are to be assured, the top United Nations envoy for the strife-torn country said yesterday.
“If well utilised, this is a reasonable period to rebuild the initial element of your country’s security forces,” the Secretary-General’s Special Representative Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah told a Joint Security Committee (JSC) meeting of Somali officials and interested partners in Nairobi, capital of neighbouring Kenya.
“We all are here to help, not to study or to delay our contribution to what is a joint undertaking between you and the international community… Security forces should be better organised and strengthened. What has been achieved since the 7 May attempted coup is great but more needs to be done,” he added, referring to a surge in armed violence targeting the TFG then.
The JSC was established in January under agreements signed in Djibouti between the TFG and some Islamist groups to strengthen the government’s security capacity. Its members include senior representatives of the TFG security institutions, the African Union and its peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the UN and other members of the international community, including the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in East Africa, the Arab League, Norway and the United States.
Mr Ould-Abdallah also singled out AMISOM for its work under such adverse conditions. “The courage of the AMISOM troops and their heroic conduct will never be fully appreciated at their true value,” he said.
He called on Somali leaders to continue their commitment to dialogue and working together more closely to achieve peace and stability in a country that as been ravaged by factional fighting and has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
He also urged the international community working in the country to remain focused on key priorities including security, humanitarian assistance, human rights as well as development, particularly job creation.
By staff writer
© afrol News
Somaliland President Rejects New Election Commission Members
Hargeisa — The leader of Somalia's separatist republic of Somaliland has rejected two new members of the election commission presented by opposition parties, Radio Garowe reports.
Somaliland President Dahir Riyale rejected two new members of the election commission, saying that the opposition representatives did not fulfill "selection criteria."
The two new members, Ms. Ilhan Mohamed Jama of Kulmiye party and Mr. Khadar Mohamed Guled of UCID party, were presented as the new opposition representatives in Somaliland's seven-seat election commission.
It was unclear what "selection criteria" the new candidates for the election commission failed to fulfill, but Kulmiye party chairman Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo issued a press statement responding to President Riyale's rejection Sunday and demanding an explanation.
"Mr. President, there is no clause in the laws of the country [Somaliland] giving you the authority to reshuffle the election commission," Mr. Silanyo's press statement read.
Further, Somaliland's opposition leader warned President Riyale to "avoid anything that can hinder the normal procedural process of the six-agreement."
Last month, Somaliland's political rivals signed an agreement ending the months-long dispute over delayed presidential election. The six-point agreement, which was brokered by foreign diplomats, called for new appointees to the election commission.
President Riyale's rejection of the new election commission candidates has raised concerns of a new and emerging dispute that could threaten the six-point agreement, said sources in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital.
Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia, unilaterally declared independence from the rest of the Horn of Africa country in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.
Copyright © 2009 Garowe Online. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
Authorities Attempt Checkpoints to Curb Contraband Goods in Somali Region
Authorities Attempt Checkpoints to Curb Contraband Goods in Somali Region | |||
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Monday, October 12, 2009
In Switzerland, fury over minaret ban poster
In Switzerland, fury over minaret ban poster
Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:06:18 GMT
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The Federal Commission against Racism said the posters defame Switzerland's peaceful Muslim population.
Zurich, the largest Swiss city, has permitted the use of a controversial poster which promotes a ban on the construction of minarets on mosques in Switzerland as a national referendum on the issue draws near.
The far-right Swiss People's Party (SVP) is using the posters which show a veiled woman in front of a Swiss flag pierced by several minarets.
The anti-immigration party's campaign has prompted strong opposition in the central European state, with Basel and Lausanne describing the posters as racist and banning them in publicly-owned spaces, Euronews reported.
The SVP, condemned by rights activists for inciting hatred toward Islam, argues that the mosque towers symbolize ideological opposition to the country's constitution.
However, Zurich has chosen not to prohibit the poster. The mayor of the city, Corine Mauch, told CNN that although the city officials disapprove of the poster, the decision was taken on the basis of political freedom of speech in the run-up to the vote.
"We consulted the Federal Commission against racism and spoke to Muslim communities in the city, but decided banning the posters from public spaces would draw more attention to the issue."
SVP's controversial bid will be decided in a national referendum on November 29.
According to the latest opinion polls, most Swiss voters are against any ban on minaret construction, with the federal government and all the other major political parties recommending a 'no' vote.
Local Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders have also joined forces to reject a ban, AFP reported.
GHN/MD
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Juggling increases brain power
Juggling increases brain power
 The volunteers were taught to juggle with three balls |
Complex tasks like juggling produce significant changes to the structure of the brain, according to scientists at Oxford University.
In the journal, Nature Neuroscience, the scientists say they saw a 5% increase in white matter - the cabling network of the brain.
The people who took part in the study were trained for six weeks and had brain scans before and after.
Long term it could aid treatments for diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Diffusion MRI
The team at Oxford's Department of Clinical Neurology used a diffusion MRI which is able to measure the movement of water molecules in the tissues of the brain.
 |  It's extremely exciting to see evidence that training changes human white matter connections  Professor Cathy Price, Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging |
The signal changes according to how many bundles of nerve fibres there are and how tightly packed they are.
Changes in grey matter, where the processing and computation in the brain happens, have been shown before, but enhancements in the white matter have not previously been demonstrated.
Three ball cascade
The scientists studied a group of 24 healthy young adults, none of whom could juggle.
They divided them into two groups.
One of the groups was given weekly training sessions in juggling for six weeks and was asked to practice 30 minutes every day the other 12 continued as normal.
After training, the 12 jugglers could perform at least two continuous cycles of the classic three ball cascade.
|  The red area shows the part of the white matter of the brain that is enlarged by learning to juggle It is in the intraparietal sulcus at the back of the brain |
Both groups were scanned using diffusion MRI before and after the training.
At the six week point, a 5% increase in white matter was shown in a rear section of the brain called the intraparietal sulcus for the jugglers.
This area has been shown to contain nerves that react to us reaching and grasping for objects in our peripheral vision.
There was a great variation in the ability of the volunteers to juggle but all of them showed changes in white matter.
The Oxford team said this must be down to the time spent training and practising rather than the level of skill attained.
Dr Heidi Johansen-Berg, who led the team, said: "MRI is an indirect way to measure brain structure and so we cannot be sure exactly what is changing when these people learn.
"Future work should test whether these results reflect changes in the shape or number of nerve fibres, or growth of the insulating myelin sheath surrounding the fibres.
"Of course, this doesn't mean that everyone should go out and start juggling to improve their brains.
"We chose juggling purely as a complex new skill for people to learn."
Clinical Applications
Dr Johansen-Berg said there were clinical applications for this work but there were a long way off.
She said: "Knowing that pathways in the brain can be enhanced may be significant in the long run in coming up with new treatments for neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, where these pathways become degraded."
Professor Cathy Price, of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, said: "It's extremely exciting to see evidence that training changes human white matter connections.
"This compliments other work showing grey matter changes with training and motivates further work to understand the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects."
Iran to 'blow up the heart of Israel' if attacked
Cleric Mojtaba Zolnour, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's representative in the Guard, says that if a single U.S. or Israeli missile lands in Iran, Iranian missiles will hit Israel before the dust settles.
Zolnour's remarks were carried Friday by the state IRNA news agency.
Anti-Israeli stance is common for the hardline Guard, and President Mahmoud Ahmadienjad has often called for Israel's destruction.
But Zolnour appears to be ratcheting up the rhetoric ahead of the next round of talks with the West this month over Iran's controversial uranium enrichment.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Iran: Israel's threats inexplicable
Iran's ambassador to UN demands Security Council take steps against comments made by Ephraim Sneh, who said Israel would attack Iran if sanctions weren't in place by Christmas
Dudi Cohen
Iran's ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Khazaee, sent a letter of protest to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonin which he wrote that "there is no explanation for Israel's continuing threats against Tehran".
He was referring to an interview given by former Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh to the Sunday Times in which he said that if Iran were not further sanctioned by this Christmas Israel would attack the country.
Sneh told the paper that if Israel were forced to attack the Islamic Republic on its own it would do so, remarks the Iranian ambassador deemed "irresponsible".
He said he hoped the UN would take steps against such comments. "Remarks such as these, stated once in a while by Israeli leaders, are no more than sorry excuses aimed at avoiding supplying answers
Khazaee once again stressed that his country's nuclear program was intended for peaceful purposes and said that "the only threat in the region is Israel's nuclear arsenal, which remains unsupervised to this day".
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