Thursday, June 30, 2011

Questions over Sheikh Raed Salah's UK ban

Questions over Sheikh Raed Salah's UK ban
By John Ware BBC News

Sheikh SalahSheikh Salah was arrested in London after earlier addressing a crowd in Leicester

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Sheikh Raed Salah, now in custody as he awaits deportation from the UK, is the latest of several clerics and preachers whom the home secretary has banned from entering the country.

The Israeli-Arab sheikh is the thrice-elected mayor of his hometown Um al-Faham, an Arab enclave within Israel, and is leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, which is opposed to the 1993 Oslo peace accords advocating a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Although the Islamic Movement is not banned in Israel, it is closely aligned to Hamas, which is designated in the UK and mainland Europe as a terrorist organisation.

However, that would not have been sufficient for Home Secretary Theresa May to ban the sheikh. Some of those due to host him at his various speaking engagements are themselves open supporters of Hamas.

The Home Office has refused to elaborate on exactly why Sheikh Salah's presence has been judged "not conducive to the public good".

However, before becoming prime minister, David Cameron stressed that it was important to challenge the "extremist mindset" and that he thought a lack of understanding about its make up was "more widespread".

Supporters of the sheikh insist he is opposed to all forms of racism.

Sheikh Salah's Islamic Movement is reported to have mourned the death of Osama Bin Laden, calling him a "martyr" and his killers "Satanic".

While British law entitles such a view to be expressed, it could weigh as a factor in denying entry to a non-British citizen.

Conspiracy theory

Another consideration may have been an article that Sheikh Salah wrote three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, in which he said that unlike Muslim workers in the World Trade Center, Jewish workers had been absent on 9/11.

"Were 4,000 Jewish clerks absent by chance, or was there another reason?" he asked, alluding to a conspiracy theory that is still advanced by some extreme groups that the Israeli secret service Mossad - not al-Qaeda - was behind the attack that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Although similar 9/11 conspiracy theories have been found to be not uncommon within some Islamist groups in Britain, this could also have counted against Sheikh Salah.

He is also reported to have made a speech in February 2007 during a protest in East Jerusalem in which he accused Jews of using children's blood to bake bread.

The Israeli paper Haaretz said that while addressing a 1,000-strong crowd and assembled press, Sheikh Salah said: "We have never allowed ourselves to knead [the dough for] the bread that breaks the fast in the holy month of Ramadan with children's blood.

"Whoever wants a more thorough explanation, let him ask what used to happen to some children in Europe, whose blood was mixed in with the dough of the [Jewish] holy bread."

'Blood libel'

The "blood libel" that Jews murder children to use their blood during religious rituals has been a recurring theme of extremist rhetoric in the Middle East.

Sheikh Salah has been acquitted of charges in connection with rioting that followed the speech. However, sources say charges relating to incitement to racism are still outstanding and are due to be heard next spring.

One of his UK hosts, the London-based Middle East Monitor - a pro-Hamas publication - says he "refutes" this. It says Sheikh Salah has told them that no charges were brought against him "in this regard".

Another of Sheikh Salah's supporters in Britain is the radical Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which has promoted an annual march attended by supporters of the Iranian Hezbollah group and Hamas and which has also given a platform to the extremist Hizb ut-Tahrir group.

The PSC's director Sarah Colbourne says Sheikh Salah is "opposed to all forms of racism", including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

The sheikh had been due to attend a House of Commons meeting on Wednesday evening along with Labour MPs including Jeremy Corbyn, Richard Burden and Yasmin Qureshi.

Monday, June 27, 2011

TOGAHERER oo Codbaahiyaha la Dhex martay Madaxdii iyo Marti sharaftii Xalay ka Qayb gashay Xafladda Madaxtooyada,

TOGAHERER oo Codbaahiyaha la Dhex martay Madaxdii iyo Marti sharaftii Xalay ka Qayb gashay Xafladda Madaxtooyada, Dareenkoodana wax ka weydiisay.
posted by: Keefkeef Xasan

TOGAHERER  oo Codbaahiyaha la Dhex martay Marti sharaftii Xalay ka Qayb gashay Xafladda Madaxtooyada, Dareenkoodana wax ka weydiisay.

DHEGEYSO: Hogaamiyaasha Xisbiyada+Wasiirrada Xukuumadda+ Aqoonyahanka+Madax dhaqameedka+Haweenka  iyo Martida Kale. Waxa inoo Daadihinaya Weriye Bidaar

Warqabadka Shabakada Togaherer

Xafiiska Hargeysa, Somaliland

togaherer@gmail.com

Saturday, June 25, 2011

26 JUUN 1960 IYO TIMACADDE: KANA SIIB KANA SAAR

HANBALYO IYO BOGAADIN MAALINTA XORRIYADDA SOMALILAND

Ilaahay naxariistii Cabdillaahi Suldaan wuxuu gabaygan ka tiriyey beerta xoriyadda ee Hargaysa oo ahayd halkii lagu qabtay xafladii lagu soo dhowaynayey calankii mudada badan loo soo halgamayey ee hiil iyo hooba loo huray ahaana calankii ugu horeeyey ee dhul Soomaaliyeed laga taago, dhulkana lagu soo dhigay calankii gumaystaha Ingris ee inta badan sida xaqdarada ah uga babanayey ciidda Soomaaliland. Waa kan ereyadii taariikhiga ahaa iyo dareenkii daacadda ahaa ee abwaan Timacadde..is dul-tag oo qadar ku naso beyd kasta si aad u dhuuxdo murtida malabka ah ee ku daboolan.

26 JUUN 1960 IYO TIMACADDE: KANA SIIB KANA SAAR

 Anigoo sebi uun ahoo 
 Sita leeb iyo qaansoo 
 Siigaduun isku aasoo 
Sabo reer ka fogaanoon 
 Laygu aaminin soofkiyo 
 Saaca maanta aan joogno 
 Gabaygu waygu sugnaayee 
 Haddii aan Sarsarriigo 
 Ama aan surmaseejo 
Amaba aan sixi waayo 
 Ama aan ka salguuro 
 Amaba laygu saluugo 
 Soomaalida i maqlaysaay 
I su'aala hadhow

 Ilaahaan waxba seegine 
 Subaciisa Quraankiyo 
 Sabbaxooyin ku sheegayow 
 Saciira iyo naciima 
 Rabbiigii kala seerayow 
 Markay suurtu dhawaaqdo e 
 La soo saaro makhluuqa e 
 Shaqiga iyo saciidka 
 Maalintaad kala soocdo 
 Dembigaannu samaynay 
 Rabbigayow naga saamax

 Subciyay oo ka dukeeyaye 
 Ka siddeetan sebaaney 
 Calankaannu sugaynaye 
 Sahankiisa ahaynow 
 Seermaweydo hillaacdayow 
 Sagal maanta darroorayoo 
 Siigadii naga maydhayow 
 Saq dhexaannu ahayne 
 Kii soo saaray cadceeddow 
 Samada kii u ekaaye 
 xiddigaa mid la siiyayow 
 Saaxirkii kala guurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
 An siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib Kanna saar

 Saahidiinta lslaamka e 
 Subcisaa Jimcayaashiyo 
 Sibyaanta iyo haweenku 
 Calankay Saadinayeenow 
 Cidina kaanay na Siine 
 Saatir noogu yaboohayow 
 Saaxirkii kala guurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
Aan siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib kanna saar

 Sallaankii istiqaalkow 
 Sedadu kay ku xidhnaydow 
 Sayruukhii Afrikaadow 
 Saaxirkii kala guurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
 An siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib kanna saar

 San-ku-neefle dhammaantii 
 Khalqiga kii u sinnaayeen 
 Mid saaxiib la ahayne 
 Sangalkii iska diidayow 
 Saaxirkii kala guurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
 Aan siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib kanna saar

 Soomaloo iscunaysa oo 
 Saqda qaylo dhawaaqdiyo 
 Sulub laysu cabbaystiyo 
 Hadba soof la xabbaadhiyo 
 Saraayaa dami weydey 
 Kii laydhiisu na saaqdayow 
 Kii sadqeeyey qabaa'ile 
 Isu saaray gacmaa ee 
 Saf walaala ka yeelayow 
 Saaxirkii kala guurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
 An siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib kanna saar

 In sidayda tihiin iyo 
 In kalaanan saxaynine 
 Soomaloo calan taagta 
 Saakay noogu horraysa oo 
 Saddex wiig iyo maalmo 
 Haddaan Soor cuni waayo 
 Safrad laygama yaaboo 
 Sarina mayso naftayda e 
 Saaxirkii kala guurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
 An siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib kanna saar

 Nimankii na Siraayaye 
 Waaxwaax noo kala saaftaye 
 Solanaayey cadkeenna e 
 Innagoo dhexda suunku 
 Sabarkeenna qarqooray 
 Kii sedkeenna Cunaayaye 
 Sarartiisa ka muuqdaye 
 Surwaalkii ka yaraadaye 
 Daaro loo sibidheeyiyo 
 Sariiraa lagu seexdiyo 
 Kabadh suuf laga buuxshiyo 
 Mid baabuurka safeeyiyo 
 Aayad saarta carruuurtiyo 
 Sagaal boy iyo kuug iyo 
 Weliba seeksa lahaa 
 Kii saabaanka u laabayow 
 Saaxirkii kala gaurraye 
 Sarreeyow ma-nusqaamow 
 An siduu yahay eegno e 
 Kaana siib kanna saar

 Sawjarkaa hubka qaataye 
 Intuu soodhka ku taagey 
 U diyaara salaantiyo 
 Saraakiisha amraysaay 
 Sifihii isticmaarka 
 Ka siyaadiya maanta oo 
 Sibilkiinnan ag joogow 
 Sibirtiisa istaaga oo 
 Nin walbaan sigib beeloo 
 Sarow taaga gacmaa oo 
 Sacabkaysku garaaca oo 
 Nin walbow saddex goor 
 Subxaanow waa mahaddaa dheh

Subxaanow waa mahadaa 
Subxaanow waa mahadaa 
Subxaanow waa mahadaa!


 

26ka Juun Waa Hooyadii Qarannimad Soomaliland


26ka Juun Waa Hooyadii Qarannimad Soomaliland
Dhamaashadka manta waa mid macno cusub ku soo kordhiyey maamuuskeeda.
Ahmed Arwo
Ku soo biir boggan oo ka dhiiba fikradaada Horumarinta Somaliland.

Waxaynu ognay in kal hore ahayd maalintii doorashada Madaxtooyada. Maalintaas oo muujisay in Somaliland dadkeedu yahay duul u bisil dimuquraadiyada, duul la xisaabtami kara cidda ay xilka u dhiibtaan, eryi kara oo saari kara kolba kii ay u arkaan inay danta guud ku jirto. Wey foodeen oo nabad ayey ku codeeyeen, wey codeeyeen oo qabiilbay ka guureen, wey hadleen oo fadhiid iyo kursi-yurur ayey ka baqooleen, wey dhaqaaqeen oo danta guud ayey u ambabaxeen. Waxay keeneen Kulmiye oo hogaanka qabta. Waxayna noqotay 26ka June 2010 kolkii ugu horeysay ee xisbi mucaarid ihi si dimuquraadi ah uu xilka ula wareego geeska Afrika iyo in yar mooyee dalalka soo koraaya oo dhan. Waa taariikh khad dahab ah lagu qoray, qoraaguna waa dadweynah Somaliland.   
Aan intaas ku dhaafo kalhore iyo tilmaamteed, oo aan u kaco tey lahayd iyo gaarkeed. 26kii Juun 1960, waa dharaartii aynu gobanimada helnay, waa ayaantii aynu noqonay dal xor ah oo ka mid ah dalalka adduun weynaha, waa maalintii ay ina aqoonsadeen dalal ka badan 30. Waa ayaantii abwaan iyo hoobal tooni aanu wax la hadhin. Waa dharaartii Alle ha u naxariistee Cabdillahi Suldaan Timacadde iyo Cabdi Iidaan tiriyeen gabayada taariikhiga ah een doogoobin. 26kii Juun 1960, waxay ahayd maalin in badan la saadaalinaayey. Waxay ahayd maalin rag iyo dumar, ciroole iyo caruur loo ciyaaray, loo soo jeeday, loo xaragooday.
Waxay ahayd maalin dhalinyaro badani ku beegeen arooskooda. Waxay ahayd maalin wiil iyo gabadhii dhalatay lagu tilmaamay cawo dhalad. Waxay ahayd maalin xisbiyada qaran, mucaarad iyo muxaafid ay gacmaha is qabsadeen. Maalin hadal macaan iyo weji furan leysku salaamay. Maalin miskiinka taakulintiisa la kala boobay. Maalin Soomaali madax kor u qaaday. Maalin kii shalay ku gumeysanaayey uu magan kuu noqday.
Waxay ahayd maalintii u horeysay ee 5ta Soomaali dhammaan wada ciiday. Waa dharartii u horeysay ee dal xor ah oo Soomaaliyeed dhashay. Haddaba waxa dadka qaar isku qaldaan maalintan qaayaha leh ee la odhan karo waa tan ugu mudan ummadda Soomaaliyeed, iyo dhibaatadii, burburkii iyo dilkii ka dambeeyey ee dhaliyey inay burburto hilowgii iyo himiladii weyneed ee midnimada shanta Soomaaliyeed. Halgamayaashii ay horseedka u ahaayeen xisbiyadii NUF, USP iyo SNL, waxay ahaayeen qaar niyad wanaagii ay u hayeen midnimada Soomaaliyeed si shuruud la,aan ah oo weliba qayb xuma ah ula mataanooba Konfurta. Lagama helin dhankooda xaqsoor wacan iyo maamul rumeyn kara hadafkii weynaa ee israaca. Waxay noqdeen laba shuraakoobay oon si cadaalad ah dheefta ay wadajirka ku heleen u sinayn. Waa cadaalad darada lagala kulmay Koonfur tan ay ka dhalatay taariikhda madow ee israaca inaga soo gaadhay ee ma aha mid loo nisbayn karo 26ka Juun iyo maalinta gobannimada Somaliland.
Bal u fiirso waxa la ciyimay in shanta Soomaaliyeed shan maalmood oo isku xigta loo diyaariyo. Waxa la gartay in Somaliland oo u horreysaa qaadato 26ka Juun, Xamarna 30ka Juun, Kowda Juulayna noqoto maalinta israaca oo marba cidda xorowdaa ay kuwa xorta ah ku soo biirto. Waxa loo daayey 27, 28, iyo 29ka Juun seddexdii aan weli xoroobin. Waxa soo raacday Jabuuti oo sidii loo qorsheeyey qaadatay 27kii Juun. Labada kalena loo jaangooyey Soomali Galbeed iyo NFD.Taas ayey ku dhisnayd hammigii iyo himmiladii is-raaco.
Waxba kaga noqonmaayo dhibtii, dilkii, dulmigii inaga soo gaadhay is-raaca, waayo weynu ka bogsanay oo manta waxaynu nahay dal xor ah oo midaysan, nabad ah oo dimuquraadiyadiisa iyo hab-maamul wanaagiisu ka bidhaamaayo qaarad xaq-darradu ka dhigtay god madow. Ku diganmaayo oo manta la xisaabtamimaayo walaalahaygii shallay isku-dayey inay god iyo haadaan aan laga soo noqon ku ridaan qaranka Soomaliland. Waayo waxay yihiin dar gacantooda isku-dooxay, gubay dalkooda oo manta Soomaliya ka dhigay meel aan umul, abeydin, iyo odaytooni ku nabadgelin. Meel naftu tahay mid aan qiime lahayn.
Waxa ayaan darro ah in halkay nabadeyda iyo qarannimadeyda qiri lahaayeen iyagoo dalkoodu gubanaana ay weli wadaan aflagaado, hadardaamo, tabco-hoose iyo uur xumo, ay rabaan inay horumarka Soomaliland dib u celiyaan, inay holaca dalkooda ka jira halkay ka damin lahaayeen soo gaadhsiiyaan Soomaliland oo martigelisay maatidooda iyo waayeelkoodaba. Ka aargoosanmaayo oo gacamo furan iyo walaalnimo ayaan u haya dhammaan inta colaada ka soo qaxday. Xaqa ayaa guulaysan iyana Alle ha tuso xaqa oo Alle talatooda ha ugu dhiibo inta ka naxaysa duruufaha dadkoodu ku jiro, kuwa dilaalka iyo dhuuni-raacnimada siistay qarankana Alle ha ka qabto. Xaq ayaan ku jooga Allena waan talo saartay, itaalna waan leeyahy aan qaranimada Soomaliland ku difaaco oon ku ilaasho, ee Alle guushaan gaadhnay hayno xoojiyo.    
26ka Juun waa maalin rajo wanaag iyo saadaal suuban la kowsatay ee waa in la mariyaa maamuuska ay leedahay oon hoos loo dhigin. Waa inay noqotaa mid qalin dahab ah lagu qoro, lana soo ban dhigo qiimaha xoriyaddu leedahay. Tani wax xidhiidha lama laha dhibaatooyinkii ka dhashay is-raaca oy sababteedu ahayd arrin inagaga timid meel aan la filayn.Yaan leysku xidhin gumeysi erigii iyo khasaarihii lagala kulmay israaca.
Waa in la xusaa ragii u soo halgamay xoriyadda abwaano, siyaasiin, odayaal iyo culumaba. Sidoo kale waa in la xusaa xisbiyadii jiray iyo giraanta taariikhda oo lagu xidhiidhiyo halgankii SNM, iyo dhammaan halgamadii ka horeeyey ee sida dastuurku sheegay ka bilaabmaayo kii Daraawiishta, iyadoo la maamuusaayo ciddii ku dhimmatay,ku-dhawacantay, kuwa ku agoonoobay iyo inta nool oo la qadariyo. Waa in ubadka loo qoraa taariikhda. Ogow cidda aan aqoon waxay shallayto ahayd ma garan karto waxay noqon berito.
.
26ka Juun waxa dhaliyey muwaadiniin gacmaha is haysta, kala xisbi ah, kala beel ah, oo wadaninimo walaalaysay. Waa lama iloobaan geesinimadii Faarax Oomaar iyo Sheekh Bashiir, halgankii seddexda xisbi ee SNL, NUF iyo USP.Waxaan la iloobayn kaalinta ay ka qaateen abwaanada Timacadde, Cabdi Iidaan, Barkhad Cas, Cabdillahi Qarshe, Guduudo, Cali Sugule iyo dhammaan Walaalo Hargeysa. Sidoo kale siyaasiinta iyo odayada ay ka midka ahaayeen Suldan Cabdillahi, Suldaan Cabdirahmaan, Garad Ali , Goodaad, Cigaal, Axmed Xasan, Michael Mariono iyo dhammaan intii halganka dheer u soo martay xoriyadda dalkeena hooyo.
Aan jaleeco macaanka gobannimadu leedahay. Bal dhuux, ereyada macaan ee ku jirta heesaha caanka ah..Dharaarta aan waxyeelada dhaqdhaqay..Waa dharar farxad iyo damaashaad mudan..ee aan maalno hasheen maandeeq..
Guul Alle iyo Gobannimo.
Axmed Xasan Carwo

La-taliyaha Madaxweynaha
Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga
Mob: UK: 07 904020 679

Ku soo biir boggan oo ka dhiiba fikradaada Horumarinta Somaliland.



Friday, June 24, 2011

US TROOP WITHDRAWAL MARKS ‘TRANSITION’ FOR AFGHANS, BAN SAYS


US TROOP WITHDRAWAL MARKS 'TRANSITION' FOR AFGHANS, BAN SAYS

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed United States President Barack Obama's decision to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan as the "beginning of a transition" for the Afghan Government.

"The United Nations views this decision as the beginning of a transition to greater responsibilities of the Afghan Government and ultimately to full Afghan leadership and ownership," Mr. Ban said, according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5371">statement issued by his spokesperson.

"It is important that the United States as well as the international community remain committed to an enduring partnership with Afghanistan for both security and development," he said, following Mr. Obama's announcement last night.

"Turning the page on decades of war will be long and extremely challenging. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan must be based on an Afghan-led and internationally supported political settlement between all Afghans who break from terrorism, abandon violence and abide by the Afghan Constitution.

"Only an all-inclusive political process can restore peace and open again the opportunities to normal life and prosperity for Afghan men, women and children."

The Secretary-General underlined the UN will continue to provide assistance to the Afghan people and their Afghan Government.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Ururkii Nabadiidka Ahaa ee SSC oo Kala yaacay iyo Madaxdoodii oo Ku Soo Qulqulaya Shirka Ka ka bilaabmaya Widhwidh .

Ururkii Nabadiidka Ahaa ee SSC oo Kala yaacay iyo Madaxdoodii oo Ku Soo Qulqulaya Shirka Ka ka bilaabmaya Widhwidh .

Waxaa Magaalada Widhwidh Soo gaadhay Madax aad u tiro badan oo ka tirsanaa ururkii Nabad diidka ahaa ee SSC oo uu ka mid yahay Gudoomiyaha Ururkaasi Cabdirisaaq Gacamay iyo Madaxa Dhaqaalaha u qaabilsanaa Cismaan Xaaji Cali iyo Sadex sarkaal oo kale oo uu ku jiro Maxamed Case oo ahaa raga ugu cad cad ururkaasi.

Saraakiishan iyo Ciidanka ay wataan ayaa la sheegayaa in ay ka yimaadeen dhinacaa iyo xadka Somaliland la leedahay Puntland oo waayadaaba ay si qarsoodi ah ay u joogeen.

Xubnahan ayaa doonaya in ay ka qayb galaan shirkan ama gogoshan uu fidiyey Madaxweynaha jamhuuriyada Somaliland Axmed Maxamed Siirnyo taas oo uu ku doonayo in uu nabad waarta kaga aslaaxiyo gobolka Sool oo waayadan dambe nabad gelyadiisu foolxumayd .

Masuuliyiintan ka tirsan Ururka SCC ayaanay ogayn badiyaa dadkii taageeri jiray kuwaas oo si qarsoodi ah ay u soo mareen Magaalda Buuhoodle kadibna ay uga soo gudbeen Widhwidh.

Shirkan ayaa waxaa sidoo kale hore u sii joogay Madax dhaqameedyo ka socda Gobolka Sool iyo sidoo kale gobolada Dalka oo dhan sidoo kale waxaa ku sugan saraakiil hore uga timid ururkaasi oo uu ka mid yahay Col Kayse Cabdi Yuusuf oo dhawaan yimid dalka Somaliland sheegayna in uu sahan u yahay beesha uu ka soo jeedo iyo madax ka socodta Dowlada Somaliland ee fidisay Gogoshan.

Madax dhaqameedka ka soo jeeda gobolka Sool ayaa dhamaan beesha ay madaxda u yihiin u sheegay in ay shirkan ka soo qayb galaan taas oo ay sabab uga dhigeen in uu aayihiin iyo mustqabalkii gobolka Sool ku xidhan yahay.

Wixii warar ah ee ka soo kortdha kala soco
Warqabadka Togaherer.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Analysis: Somali power struggle could intensify as premier quits

Analysis: Somali power struggle could intensify as premier quits

NAIROBI, 20 June 2011 (IRIN) - The 19 June resignation of Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed could prompt an intensified power struggle within the country's transitional government and negatively affect the ongoing offensive against insurgents in the capital, Mogadishu, observers say.

Mohamed, better known as `Farmaajo', told the press in Mogadishu he was stepping down "in the interest of the Somali people".

"Whatever gains the `Farmaajo' cabinet made were offset by the bickering between the two Sharifs [President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden]," an observer in Mogadishu said. "Plainly speaking, he is a casualty of their power struggle [i.e. between speaker and president], but removing him is not going to solve the rift between them."

According to a Mogadishu-based analyst who preferred anonymity, the rift between President Sharif and his former ally, Speaker Aden, is complicating the work of government and "a new PM will face the same challenges as the last one. He will be a rubber stamp for the two [Ahmed and Aden]".

Mohamed's departure was part of a deal, signed on 9 June in Kampala, Uganda, between the president and the speaker, extending the mandates of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFI) for a year until August 2012.

However, Mohamed's departure is unlikely to solve the rift within the leadership of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), analysts and observers say.

Mohamed was plucked from the USA in 2010 and was the fourth prime minister since the TFG was established in 2004. It had been hoped Mohamed would breathe new life into the TFG. Since his swearing in on 1 November 2010, he had significant success against Al-Shabab militants and won popular support for his efforts.

"The TFG faces a very uncertain future," Rashid Abdi, Horn of Africa analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG), told IRIN. "The TFG is weak, deeply fragmented, saddled with serious structural problems, lacks military muscle, has very little credibility."

Abdi said the TFG was part of the problem but could become part of the solution if it had good leaders: "As long as you have a group of self-serving leaders in charge of the TFG, it is unlikely we will see any progress."

The TFG is behind schedule in terms of achieving the transitional tasks it should complete by the time its mandate is over. These include a new constitution and elections in August 2012 when the TFG's mandate ends.

The TFG is also expected to conduct a national census; organize a national referendum to approve the new constitution; and set up administrations at the state, regional and district levels, among other functions.

"Bonanza" for Al-Shabab?

The infighting not only delays these tasks but, according to a civil society source in Mogadishu, is a "bonanza" for Al-Shabab.

"For the first time, the TFG was making progress against them [Al-Shabab]; the group was on a losing streak with little chance of recovering but this [infighting] has given them a new lease of life," the source said.

Other analysts said the TFG faces additional problems such as meddling and intervention by regional countries.

"The Kampala accord has many potentially fatal flaws to it, including the insertion of Uganda as the final arbiter of its implementation," said Laura Hammond, a senior lecturer in the department of Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.

Uganda's increased oversight will be seen as a deepening of this unwanted intervention, she said, adding, "it is hard to see how Somalis will be able to find the political space to develop the kind of legitimate government that is needed with Uganda playing such a heavy-handed and paternalistic role."

Another Somali analyst expressed a similar view, adding that whenever Somalia's cabinet is formed, often it is not representative of Somalis. "Unfortunately, each one of our leaders is tied to a foreign country. They [foreign countries] are patrons and give the orders. No matter how much we shout, it doesn't amount to much."

The ICG's Abdi said Somalis were the primary authors of their own misery.

"International meddling is a reality, but we need to be cautious against heaping all the blame on foreigners," he said. "IGAD [the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa] - led by Kenya and Ethiopia - have vested interests and [are] unlikely to help stabilize Somalia in the longer term. AMISOM [the Africa Union Mission in Somalia] is increasingly getting sucked into the conflict, and Uganda is getting more deeply involved. There is also rivalry between these three regional powers.

Dysfunctional

Others see the all the TFIs as dysfunctional and in need of reform, with a parliament of 550 members and an executive that does not work.

"The extension envisaged in the Kampala Accord will do nothing to improve the TFIs," a Nairobi-based regional analyst who preferred anonymity, said. "What is needed is not extension but to reform, restructure or replace them [TFIs]".

The Mogadishu-based analyst agrees. "What we have is a bloated parliament, full of self-serving individuals, with little or no sympathy for the plight of ordinary Somalis."

He said without an overhaul of the parliament "Somalia will remain where it is and the TFG will in all probability die."

The ICG's Abdi also sees a less stable TFG in the coming year but not a total collapse.

"Very doubtful we will see greater stability within the TFG in the coming one year," he said. "The most likely scenario is the breakup of the TFG into two factions each claiming legitimacy."

Hammond of SOAS also believes the TFG will survive this bout of infighting.

"They have recovered from crises as bad or worse than this, and I think that given the recent military advances and the killing of Fazul [Abdulla, alleged international terrorism mastermind recently gunned down in Mogadishu] mean that the international community will not abandon the TFG but will prop it up to be able to hold on to these successes."

ah/cb


Friday, June 17, 2011

Food poisoning: The Difference Engine: Gut feeling


The Difference Engine: Gut feeling
The Economist
Jun 17th 2011, 17:00 by N.V. | LOS ANGELES

THE bean sprouts contaminated with a particularly nasty strain of Escherichia coli, a bug that normally lives quietly in the gut of humans and other animals, have now sickened over 3,250 people in Germany and caused 37 deaths. Since the outbreak began in May, a quarter of those infected have developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)—a potentially fatal complication that affects the blood, kidneys and nervous system.

The genetic sequence of the bacterium in question (a wholly new version of a strain ofE.coli called O104:H4) has been found by scientists in Germany and China to contain at least eight genes that make it resistant to the majority of antibiotics. Many of the patients with HUS will need kidney transplants or require dialysis for the rest of their lives.

The source of the tainted bean sprouts has been traced to an organic farm in northern Germany. The owner claims not to have used cattle manure, nor any of the three dozen or so non-organic additives widely employed in organic farming. Apparently, the only ingredients were seeds and water. The usual procedure for sprouting is to steam the selected seeds in drums at a temperature of 38ºC. Such conditions are ripe for breeding bacteria.

The question is how the O104:H4 got there in the first place? The usual route is via animal faeces that have contaminated the water used for sprouting, or from manure used directly as organic fertiliser. But both have been ruled out. By all accounts, the farm also complied with the industry's highest standards of personal hygiene. The conclusion is that the seeds themselves must have been contaminated beforehand.

Microbiologists have long known that E.coli can bind tightly to the surface of seeds and even penetrate them, and then lie dormant for months. On germination, the population of bacteria can expand 100,000 times or more. Apart from contaminating the seeds, the bacteria get inside the stem tubers as the seeds begin to sprout. No amount of washing can then eradicate the bugs completely.

The outbreak in Germany is just the latest in a long string of food scares associated withE.coli. In 1996, a sequence of outbreaks linked to contaminated radish sprouts in Japan sickened some 12,000 people and caused a dozen or so deaths. Like the current incidence in Germany, the Japanese outbreaks (of a more common strain known as O157:H7) also caused bloody diarrhoea and HUS. The good news is that such food-borne infections are on the wane—at least in the United States. Thanks to better reporting methods, stepped up inspections and improved hygiene measures generally, the number of dangerous O157:H7 infections has been halved since the mid-1990s.

Unfortunately, that is not the case with Salmonella. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, the number of confirmed cases ofSalmonella infection—especially from raw meat, eggs and vegetables—increased by 10% in 2010. Memories are still strong of last year's scare when 500m tainted eggs had to be withdrawn from the American market after 2,000 people became infected, though mercifully no-one died.

All told, the CDC reckons that one in six Americans is infected annually by food- or water-borne diseases such as SalmonellaE.coliCampylobacter and noroviruses. Some 130,000 wind up in hospital each year, and about 3,000 die as a result of complications. In statistical terms, a fatality rate of 0.001% would seem a monumental achievement for public health. But the point is that those 3,000 annual deaths from food poisoning could easily be avoided, and millions of people spared the incapacitating symptoms of food poisoning.

It is practically impossible to prevent at least some bugs getting into food in the field, no matter how stringent the hygiene rules. And washing fresh produce removes little more than surface dirt. The only answer is irradiation. That means treating food with high-energy bursts of electrons or photons to attack the micro-organisms' DNA, preventing them from spitting out dangerous toxins and proliferating. 

The food industry welcomes the idea. Irradiation destroys 99.9% of common pathogens, reduces the need for chemical pesticides and fumigants, extends shelf life by slowing down the ripening process, and eliminates the need to quarantine fruit and vegetables from abroad. Irradiation is used widely in France for ensuring the safety of deboned poultry meat. Frozen seafood and frogs legs are similarly treated in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Elsewhere, irradiation is employed extensively to eradicate bacteria and moulds in spices, dried vegetables and seasonings. In America, irradiation has long been approved for killing the pathogens in meat, and (following the E.coli scare in 2006) for treating spinach and lettuce. 

The World Health Organisation, the American Medical Association and the American Dietetic Association, among others, are strongly in favour of food irradiation. Many medical researchers and food scientists would like to see irradiation become the fourth pillar of public health, taking its place alongside chlorination, vaccination and pasteurisation. They see the benefits as far outweighing any risks the technology may entail—especially as it is now done, not by bombarding food with radiation from X-ray machines or radionuclides such as cobalt-60, but with a beam of electrons from an emitter similar to the kind found in traditional television sets. 

But despite its private enthusiasm for irradiation, the food industry is leery of embracing the technology in public. In America, the Food and Drug Administration requires that irradiated-food packages carry the international "Radura" symbol (coined to symbolise "irradiation" and "durability") along with the words "Treated with/by irradiation". Few supermarkets have been willing to stock such products, fearing customers will mistakenly associate the wording with nuclear fallout.

Advocacy groups such as the Centre for Food Safety, the Food and Water Watch and the Organic Consumers Association have opposed food irradiation, not on grounds that the technology is risky, but because it does not address the root cause of outbreaks—namely, the unsanitary conditions found on many farms and in food processing plants. Such concerns are genuine. Unfortunately, though the authorities have stepped up inspections to improve hygiene, there is no way that the food industry, no matter how scrupulous, can be made bug-free using disinfectants and washing alone. Only additional processing with irradiation can ensure that.

In his weekly column in the Wall Street Journal, Matt Ridley, a former science editor ofThe Economist, noted that Germany is a classic example of what is known as the "precautionary principle"—the notion that the burden of proof is on the innovator to demonstrate that a new technology is safe before it can be approved. The precautionary principle holds all new technologies to far higher standards than existing ones.

In Europe, for instance, genetically modified foods must be labelled so that they can be traced "from farm to fork". Yet, organic crops fertilised with animal manure have no such requirements—even though they pose a far higher risk to human health. Under United States Department of Agriculture rules, excrement used as an organic fertiliser must be composted to a sterilising temperature of over 70ºC, and the treated crop then kept for 120 days before being harvested. Given the exigencies of the business, that rarely happens.

By the same token, America requires that irradiation of food be shown to be not just beneficial, but to do no harm whatsoever. According to Michael Osterholm, director of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, that is a standard to which even medical products such as hip joints and vaccines cannot hope to aspire. 

The irony, as Mr Ridley points out, is that when, in 2000, the European Commission proposed that irradiation be allowed for a greater range of foods and at higher doses, it was the German government (fearful of the country's vociferous green movement) that vetoed the idea. Harvested bean sprouts would seem a perfect candidate for such treatment. Having now witnessed the tragic consequences of allowing a dangerous pathogen like O104:H4 to get loose in the country's food supply, one can only hope that Germany will now lead the world in embracing the merits of irradiating food. Along with presumably countless other consumers, your correspondent would heartily welcome such a move.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/06/food-poisoning&fsrc=nwl

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Somaliland: Volcano In Eritrea Affects Flights

Somaliland: Volcano In Eritrea Affects Flights

HARGEISA (Somalilandpress)–Flights between Somaliland and Djibouti have been halted due to the volcano that is erupted in Eritrea two days ago. Speaking to the press, the Somaliland's Minister of Civil Aviation said they are worried about the situation and there have been problems since the last two days. The Minister said that there were no flights from/to Djibouti yesterday as the result of the volcano which affected many countries in the region.

He told the reporters that they are trying to find ways to overcome the problem but they are lacking the necessary equipments to estimate the danger. The minister said the flights to UAE and other countries have not been affected.

Red ashes could been seen on the Somaliland sky for the last two days which some described as the result of the volcano.

A huge Volcano erupted in the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia two days ago which affected the aviation in the two countries. Reports also said the Clinton's trip to the Horn of Africa have been cut short because of the volcano.

"We are currently working on improving the Hargeisa and Berbera airports. We have very limited budget and we are trying to do the necessary and important improvements" Said the Minister.

SOMALIA: The hidden cost of piracy


SOMALIA: The hidden cost of piracy

LONDON-NAIROBI, 16 June 2011 (IRIN) - The growth of piracy off the coast of Somalia from an occasional nuisance to shipping into a multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise has another, often deliberately overlooked cost: the worsening violence meted out to thousands of captured crew members.

"There definitely has been a change, and we don't know why," Pottengal Mukundan, Director of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), told a June meeting on the subject in London.

"It may be to do with the fact that there is now a different kind of people looking after the captives. These are just gangs of thugs; they have never been to sea and they have no empathy with the seafarers," said Mukundan.

Statistics from 2010 (taken from The Human Cost of Somali Piracy, [ http://oneearthfuture.org/images/imagefiles/Oceans-HumanCost-FINAL.pdf ] unless otherwise indicated) illustrate the scale of piracy's expansion in the western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden:

- 4,000-plus seafarers attacked with firearms, including rocket propelled grenades
- 400 piracy attacks, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
- 1,016 crew members taken hostage (up from a worldwide 188 in 2006 - IMB)
- Over 400 hostages were used as human shields
- five months was the average duration of captivity
- US$111m paid in ransoms (UNODC report: The illicit financial flows linked to piracy off the coast of Somalia)

Until recently, Somali pirates were known for treating their captives well. But now, according to The Human Cost of Somali Piracy, a report published this month by Oceans Beyond Piracy, hostages are severely beaten, dragged underwater, have had wires tightened round their genitals, and have undergone elaborate mock executions.

"Both successful and unsuccessful attacks expose seafarers to dangerous experiences, with the potential for long-term physical and psychological trauma," said the report.

Crew members who seek refuge in a "citadel", or safe room, might spend several terrifying days locked in a confined space while attackers fire heavy weapons at the door, light fires under the ventilators, or even use welding equipment to try to break through the walls.

After the initial distress of being chased and shot at during an attack, hostages endure beatings, confinement and torture at the hands of their captors.

"We have found strong evidence that over a third of the seafarers that were held in 2010 were abused, and the trend is looking more ominous this year," said Kaija Hurlburt, who wrote the report.

Psychological pressure

The seafarers themselves are not the only ones to suffer. To put more pressure on shipping companies to pay up quickly, pirates sometimes called families and threatened to kill their loved ones if ransom was not delivered soon. "There have been cases where the hostage has been forced to call his family, and is beaten while his family listens on the phone," said Hurlburt, who added that both hostages and families are kept in the dark during negotiations. "It is clear that seafarers and their families suffer stress at every point along the way, from the moment their ship enters pirate-infested waters," she said.

"The risks encountered in the course of their work would be unacceptable in most industries," the report said.

With more than 3,000 seafarers taken hostage by Somali pirates since 2008 and hundreds currently in captivity, the situation was a "humanitarian crisis", according to International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) spokesman Simon Bennett. "The crisis really has spiralled out of control."

The pirates are also using new tactics such as turning hijacked boats into "motherships" from which to launch more attacks in which captive crew members are forced to take part.

No longer restrained by the size of their boats or their sailing capabilities, these pirates are limited only by the amount of fuel they can get. Somali pirates are now carrying out attacks over 1,000 nautical miles away from Somalia.

Shipping companies are often silent about what happens to hostage crews, said Andrew Palmer of Idarat Maritime, which advises shipowners and the burgeoning shipping insurance industry. Palmer told IRIN companies made their employees sign confidentiality agreements promising not to talk about their experiences at sea. Disclosure was not in the companies' interests, he said, because of the risk of mutiny.

While some seafarers now refuse to sail in waters off Somalia, others feel they have no choice, "because their families, and in some cases entire villages, rely on their incomes," Hurlburt said in her report.

The industry has been forced to respond to the crisis given what Bennett called "horrible frustration and despair" at the new developments in hostage treatment.

But the increasing tendency to employ armed security guards aboard ships has its drawbacks, according to Wing Commander Paddy O'Kennedy, spokesman for the European Union Naval Force Somalia.

"If someone who's particularly good at a war game on the X-box decides he'd be good in a security company you're going to get cowboys out there," he said, noting that some security teams had fired on fishermen they had mistaken for pirates.

In 2009, several countries with coastlines on the pirate-infested waters adopted a code of conduct to tackle piracy which committed them to facilitate "proper care, treatment, and repatriation for seafarers, fishermen, other shipboard personnel and passengers subject to piracy or armed robbery against ships, particularly those who have been subjected to violence."

"Wrong nationality"

But, according to UNODC spokesman Wayne Miller, signatories have not lived up to this obligation, on the grounds that the affected hostages came from non-signatory states.

"The majority of the seafarers have got the wrong nationality," said ICS spokesman Bennett. "Most of the crews held hostage have been Filipino and Indian, not American and European. As a consequence, it doesn't quite generate the same media interest," or incentive for military intervention.

"At a time when both financial and military resources are extremely stretched, Western governments, at least, appear to have concluded that this unacceptable situation can somehow be tolerated," wrote the ICS in its "Key Issues of 2011" statement.

Experts point to options for collective action. Navies could remotely disable hijacked vessels, said Bennett. Authorities could collect evidence following an attack for use in prosecuting pirates, according to the IMB. If enough evidence existed to support assault charges in addition to piracy, those charges could be made, said Miller.

And countries could pledge more resources towards taking pirates to court. Ninety percent of pirates captured by international navies were released because no jurisdiction was prepared to prosecute them, according to the UN Security Council. Kenya cancelled an agreement with the European Union to prosecute suspected pirates, worried about shouldering too much of the financial burden of detaining and trying them.

Others think legal action is only part of the answer. "Prosecution of pirates cannot solve the problem," said Andrew Mwangura, director of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme. "We need to address the root cause of piracy and to come up with land-based anti-piracy measures."

"We need to keep pushing this," said O'Kennedy. "We need to make sure that the welfare of these sailors is at the forefront of people's minds."

O'Kennedy said he thinks about the 412 people being held today, and what they're being subjected to in captivity. He wonders how Naja Johansen of Denmark, just 13 years old, is coping as a pirate hostage. She has been held for more than three months.

"It's heartbreaking stuff," he said.

eb/jb/am/cb

Progress against the odds for governance in Somaliland

Progress against the odds for governance in Somaliland

Somaliland has defied the odds by delivering unexpected progress in governance according to a newly published global research project. The UK based Overseas Development Institute reports that despite lacking formal recognition as a state, Somaliland has developed a type of rule-based governance to which the rest of Somalia can only aspire. The territory has managed to establish basic public security, gradually improve its business environment, and is increasingly capable of providing for its citizens. A pragmatic blending of 'traditional' and 'modern' institutions, in which the de-facto government's legitimacy rests, has been instrumental in driving this progress.

The story is taken from Mapping progress: evidence for a new development outlook, a new report that pulls together the findings from stories of progress across 24 countries. It identifies the crucial role of effective leadership, smart policies, proper institutional foundations and international partnerships in driving development.

So-called Surprise Performers such as Somaliland have delivered progress against the odds, often recovering from crisis and war or dealing with ongoing conflict, challenging political situations and highly inaccessible topography. The surprise elements of progress in these countries often lie in the speed of recovery, sometimes allowing them to eclipse previous levels of development.

ODI Director Alison Evans said:

"The performance of Somaliland is a reason to be optimistic about its future. It's time the world woke up to the change that is happening across the developing world and we believe this report provides the evidence needed to begin altering perceptions.

"We have identified four key drivers of progress but there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the conundrum of progress. What we can now say with clarity is that progress in development is not only possible, it is happening.

"Looking at the strongest examples across Africa we can see that the most transformative and sustainable developments have occurred when the commitment to change has come from within countries and communities."

Monday, June 13, 2011

Trenches dug; Tanks ready; Teknicals firing; Men dying

Trenches dug; Tanks ready; Teknicals firing; Men dying

All this without any real attempt at diplomacy between Somaliland and Puntland. It is time the Silanyo government takes tangible steps to try and solve this issue using diplomacy rather than the bullet. So long have we Somalis tried to right our problems and differences with AK47's, rather than using our traditional conflict resolution measures which we have developed throughout our history. Recognition will be a no go unless we are able to secure our borders. By securing our borders one must assume a military presence of our forces alone will not make it secure. In President Bush's words, we need to win hearts and minds on the ground and we also need to reach a tangible agreement with Puntland so that the problem can be truly resolved. This does not mean conceding our land but talking and compromise; after all we will always share a border.

No doubt there will be those of you who read this and stare at your screens in shock and horror but there will also be many who agree with me. Which is better, a Somaliland which is built on peace and justice; or one which is ruled by Hawks in our society, who call for war every chance they get. We the Somali youth are ready to stand up and speak out when our elders blindly and short-sightedly take part in skirmishes which do not help our country in any way. We will speak out when innocent people are killed and when children are put in harm's way. We will speak out and be heard if all fails not through the bullet but through the ballot.

You may call me an idealist but I assure you this idealist understands that on some occasion's conflict and even war is necessary. I fully support our armed forces in defending our borders and InshAllah they will continue to do so with such courage. But what I am arguing is that more often than not diplomacy is better. The talks in Ethiopia are a step in the right direction; however disappointing it is that we could not facilitate the talks our selves. War should always be only a last option. If we do manage to solve this issue through diplomacy it will also enhance our case for recognition.

In our history have we not had enough children orphaned, have we not had enough families displaced and have we not had enough of our land destroyed?

Sharmake Abyan
The writer can be reached at sabyan@hotmail.co.uk

Friday, June 10, 2011

OCCUPATION OF ARAB TERRITORIES STIFLES ECONOMIC GROWTH – UN REPORT

OCCUPATION OF ARAB TERRITORIES STIFLES ECONOMIC GROWTH – UN REPORT

Employment and economic conditions in the occupied Arab territories continue to be stifled by restrictions imposed under Israel's occupation and the policy of separation, according to a report by the United Nations International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The annual <"http://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/100thSession/media-centre/press-releases/WCMS_156375/lang--en/index.htm">report of ILO on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories released last week calls for replacing the current security logic "with a development logic, based on a long-term vision of the economic, employment and human security interests of all the women and men in the region."

The report states that despite some improvements in the movement of people, there has not been an improvement in the lot of workers over the past year, adding that there can be no change "unless the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation, and the occupation itself, are removed."

The report underlines that all parties "have to come to a decision sooner or later on the next steps. The Palestinian economy has reached limits which cannot be surpassed without agreement and action on the two major constraints it faces: occupation and separation. Palestinian State-building should not be stifled and allowed to run out into frustration and discontent."

This year's report refers to the many facets of separation resulting from the closure of the Gaza Strip, the effects of the Separation Barrier, the separation of East Jerusalem from the West Bank, the multiple separation measures enforced in the West Bank, and the separation of the Syrian citizens of the occupied Syrian Golan from their homeland.

It recalls that settlements are the primary cause of the confiscation of Arab land, restrictions on access and movement, territorial fragmentation, and depletion of natural resources.

In his preface to the report, ILO Director-General Juan Somavia poses the question: "Can the divisions be overcome, physical and mental obstacles dismantled, and the human potential of the region's millions of inhabitants released for the purposes of development? Or will this potential remain frustrated, with hope denied by conflict and a real development reduced to administering continuous humanitarian first aid?"

The findings of the report are based on a mission sent earlier this year to the occupied Arab territories, Israel and Syria to assess the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories, including the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan.

While the report notes further improvement in the economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), it shows that growth is not evenly distributed because of the continued closure of Gaza, and consists in large part of catching up from a much-degraded base.

The unemployment rate in the oPt eased only slightly to 23.7 per cent in 2010 and higher economic growth has failed to translate into a significantly improved labour market. Youth unemployment has remained at a staggering 39 per cent, according to the report.



Thursday, June 9, 2011

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY WELCOMES DEAL ENDING POLITICAL STALEMATE


SOMALIA: UN ENVOY WELCOMES DEAL ENDING POLITICAL STALEMATE

The United Nations envoy for Somalia today welcomed the agreement reached to extend the terms of the country's President and the Speaker of Parliament for another year as a breakthrough in ending the political impasse over the current transition period.

Under the agreement, known as the Kampala Accord for the Ugandan capital in which it was signed, the terms of the presidency and the Parliament have been extended by one year, while a new prime minister should be appointed within the next 30 days.

The interim federal institutions had been divided over governance issues beyond August, when the transitional period expires in the strife-torn Horn of Africa nation – which has not had a fully functioning national government and has been wracked by factional warfare since 1991.

In February, Parliament voted to extend its term for three years after the end of the transition, a move rejected by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which has instead proposed extending the interim period for one year, saying it wanted to try to enhance political stability and security.

With the new agreement, President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden pledged to work together during the interim period of one year to implement priority tasks, in accordance with a road map to be agreed with timelines and benchmarks.

"I am delighted that we have managed to overcome the deadlock in such a constructive way," said Augustine Mahiga, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, who facilitated the agreement.

"The leaders worked together in a positive manner to come up with this important political breakthrough," he added.

The priority tasks that need to be tackled include the finalization and adoption of a new constitution, reforming institutions, enhancing security and preparing for elections.

The details of the road map will be worked out in the coming weeks and discussed at a conference that will be convened by the TFG and the Transitional Federal Parliament and facilitated by the Special Representative.

"The key to making this meeting a landmark success is ensuring that it is fully inclusive," said Mr. Mahiga. "The Somali leadership now needs to focus on implementing reforms, continuing to restore peace and security to Somalia, and on accomplishing the tasks required to complete the transition."

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Somaliland: Court Sentences Six Captured Pirates to Jail Terms

Somaliland: Court Sentences Six Captured Pirates to Jail Terms

Somaliland's judicial system once again demonstrates the validity of ongoing efforts to receive international recognition. The ability to provide a fair judicial sentence endorses Somaliland's ability to derive stability within the region and lead what have, until now, been ineffective international efforts to deal with pirates in the region.

Below is an article published by Bloomberg:

Six Somali pirates were jailed by a Somaliland court [on 5 June 2011] for capturing an Italian vessel in April 2008 and receiving a $3 million ransom.

The Berbera Regional Court gave five of the pirates eight- year jail terms, while a sixth received a sentence of five years after he confessed to the crime said Osman Ibrahim Direi, head of the court, said yesterday [7 June 2011].  The six men were captured by Somaliland's coast guard on March 24 near the coastal town of Maydh.

Somaliland, a breakaway enclave in northern Somalia, in March opened a maximum-security prison built with United Nations funding to incarcerate convicted pirates.

An increase in pirate attacks, spurred by a 36-fold jump in ransom payments in five years, has threatened vessels carrying 20 percent of world trade and raised expenses for shippers. Costs linked to piracy may reach $13 billion to $15 billion by 2015 as global trade rebounds and pirates operate over wider areas, according to research firm Geopolicity Inc.

G/Tallo Bixinta Oo Ku Baaqay Furista Ururada Siyaasadda, Soo Bandhigay Ra’yi Ururintii Ay Qaadeen

G/Tallo Bixinta Oo Ku Baaqay Furista Ururada Siyaasadda, Soo Bandhigay Ra'yi Ururintii Ay Qaadeen

Guddigu waxa kale oo ay ku tallo bixiyeen in la qabyo tiro shuruucda doorashooyinka, ururada siyaasada iyo xisbiyada.

War-murtiyeed Guddigu ku bayaamiyeen go'aankooda wuxuu u qornaa sidan:-

"Guddida ka soo tala bixinta furasahda Ururada Siyaadu waxaay Saxaafada u soo gudbinaynaa Warbixin kooban oo hordhac ah oo la xidhiidha Hawshii la noo xilsaartey oo ku saleysan tilmaamtii ku suntaneyd warqadii tirsigeedu ahaa JSL/M/MG/O8/399/03011 kuna taariikheysneyd, 14.03.011 qodobadan soo socdana xambaarsanayd:
1. (Cilmi Baadhis) Doodo iyo Rayi,ururin) la xidhiidha rabitaanka bulshada ee ururada siyaasada
2. Kasoo talo bixin baahida sharci ee ku geedaaman Ururada Siyaasada iyo Adkeynta hanaanka Dimiquraadiga ee ka hirgalay Jamhuuriyada Somaliland.
3. Daraasad ku saabsan Duruufaha Siyaasadeed Dhaqaale iyo Nabadgalyo ee saameynta ku yeelan kara Ururada Siyaasada.
Haddaba Gudidu waxay gudashada xilkaa u martay Talaabooyinkan soo socda:
A. Guddidu waxay isku martay Gobolada waaweyn ee Somaliland ee kala ah
Awadal, Maroodi_jeex. Saaxil. Togdheer. Sool. Sanaag. Iyadoo markaa Doodo u qabatey qeybaha kala duwan ee Bulshada oo ay kamid yihiin Hogaamiye Dhaqameedyada, Culimaa udiinka, Aqoonyahanka, Ganacsatada, Haweenka, Dhalinyarada, Jaamacadaha, iyo Guddiyo horumarineed, Iyadoo Guddidu u qabatey dadkaa doodo lagu waydiinayo rayigooda lagana buuxiyey Foom ay kaga jawaabayaan (Haa) iyo (Maya) (Midnaba) iyo sababaynta in Ururada Siyaasiga ah la furo.

Foomamkaas aan dadka ka buuxiney oo halbowle u ahaa talo bixintayada waxaanu tiriney maanta oo ay Taariikhdu tahay 07/06/11 intii horena way noo xidhnaayeen si aanu uuga badbaadno kutiri kuteenka.

B. Waxaa kale oo guddidu dhageysatay qoraaladii afar Sharciyaqaan oo ay u dirtay iney tallo iyo taxliil sharci soo siiyaan Guddida.
C. Waxaa kale oo Guddidu warbixin la xidhiidha Siyaasada, Dhaqaalaha, Nabada, ka dhageysatay Haayadaha kala ah.

1. Koomishanka Doorashooyinka Qaranka
2. Akaademiga Nabada iyo Horumarka iyo
3. Dallada Sonsaf

Haddaba Markii la tiriyey Cododkii laga soo ururiyey Muwaadiniinta Somaliland oo tiradoodu dhantahay 1769 oo qof. Waxay u kala baxdey sidan:

Gobolka           Haa    Maya    Midna   Total
1: MaroodiJeex 190     302       11        503
2: Togdheer     157     132         0        289
3: Saaxil           91       94         5        190
4: Sanaag        208      66          2        276
5: Sool            185      39          9        233
6: Awdal          171     104         3        278
Total:             1002     737       30      1769

Halkaas waxaa ka muuqda in bulshada rabitaankeedu ubatay in Ururada Siyaasada la furo sida ka muuqada shaxada sare.
Haddaba markay guddigu yeelatay doodo dheer iyo falanqeyn ku saabsan Duruufaha la xidhiidha Sharciyada ,Geedi socodka Dimuqraadiyada, Dhaqaalaha, Siyaasada, Nabadgalyada Somaliland waxay ku tallo bixineysaa:
1. In la qabyo tiro Sharuucda iyo Xeerarka Ururada Siyaasada, Xisbiyada, Doorashooyinka.
2. Dhisida Guddi Joogto ah oo qaabilsan Diwaangalinta Ururada Siyaasiga iyo ku ilaalinta Dimuqraadiyada Xisbiyada Gudahooda.
3. In lagu talo galo Kharashyadii ku bixi lahaa Furashada Ururada iyo Doorashooyinka
4. In wakhti 18 Bilood gudahood ah lagu hirgaliyo diwaangalinta Ururada iyo Qabsoomida Doorashada Deegaanka.
5. In la sameeyo Xeerkii Xisbiyada Qaranka (Political Part Act)

Gabogabo

ka dib markii aanu dhagaysanay talooyinka sharciyaqaano xeel-dheer u leh shuruucda dalka iyo shuruucda caalamiga ah ee xuquuqal insaanka, dareenka iyo doonista qaybaha kala duwan ee bulshada JSL, isla markaana dhunay sababaynta ay ku jaan gooyeen doonistooda, sidoo kalena darisnay saamayn ay arintani ku yeelan karto qodobadan soosocda:
? Ka mid noqoshada Somaliland ee Bulshada Caalamka
? Kobcinta hanaanka Demcracy-ga
? Xuquuqda Aasaasiga ee Muwaadiniinta
? Fidinta Maamulka
? Abuurista saaxad siyaasadeed oo loo simanyahay
? Dhiirigalinta Dhalinyarada iyo Haweenka ee ka qaybgalka hogaanka dalka
Waxay talada Gudidu soo jeedinaysaa ku sooo ururtay in lafuro Ururada Siyaasad doorashada golaha deegaan ee usoo horeysa, Golaha deegaanka ee maanta joogana waxa aanu ku talinaynaa in la kala diro lana magacaabo maayeero ku meel-gaadh ah.

Allaa Mahd leh

Mgacyada Gudida Saxeexa

Suleiman Ali Korea ——————————
Mahamed A/lahi Du'ale: ——————————
Barkhad Jama Hirsi: ——————————-
Suldan Axmed Daahir Muuse —————————
Xildh. Mahamoud Hirsi Farah —————————-
Maxamed Muuse Abees —————————–
Canab Cumar Ileeye —————————–
C/lahi Siciid Dheere ——————————
Xasan Xuseen Codyare ——————————–
Pro. Xusen Xasan Guleed ——————————–
Dr. Maxamed Cismaan Fadal ————————–
Amina C/lahi Axmed ——————————
Khadar Nour Aw Cabdi ——————————
Kaltuun Sheikh Xasan Cabdi ———————————-
Jama Maxamoud Cigaal ———————————-
Sheikh Almis Sheikh Yaxye ———————————-"