Somalia: Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin No. 41, 16 - 23 Oct 2009
Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Key Overall Developments
Intensive fighting in Mogadishu on 23 October killed an estimated 30 people and wounded 70 others, mostly civilians. According to media reports, several mortar rounds allegedly fired by insurgent groups landed near Aden Adde International Airport in Medina district. In response, African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) forces reportedly shelled parts of Mogadishu, including business and residential areas in Hodan and Howl Wadaag districts. The fighting erupted along Maka Al Mukarama road that connects the Villa Somalia Presidential compound and Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport at the time when President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's convoy was driving towards the airport. Both sides reportedly used heavy weapons. The spokesman for AMISOM in Mogadishu denied that AMISOM shelled residential areas and Bakara market.
According to the latest (issued 21 October) Somalia Food Security Outlook report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET), the current food security situation in Somalia is not expected to change through March 2010. The Report states that the most likely scenario, of normal to above-normal rains between October and December, due to El Nino, could end the prolonged drought and improve water and pasture availability. Given the increased availability of water and pasture in most key grazing areas, a significant reduction in pastoral household expenditure on water and migration is expected during the January to March 2010 period. However, recovery from the current drought in Bakool, Hiraan, Galgaduud, Mudug, Nugaal, Sool, Sanaag, and Togdheer regions is not expected during the next six months, as cattle and camel require several seasons of normal rainfall to calve and produce milk. Therefore, the population in these regions will continue to face extreme levels of food insecurity in the coming six months.
WFP urgently requires 215,000 metric tones of food valued at US$193 million to continue with food assistance for 3.5 million vulnerable Somalis for the next six months. The current requirements are based on the revised needs estimated by the August country-wide comprehensive inter-agency assessment led by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for Somalia. With such critical shortfalls vulnerable Somalis may starve, malnutrition will rise, and people will become more prone to disease and the death rate may increase. A disruption of humanitarian food assistance to Somalia is also likely to trigger mass cross-border population movements. WFP Somalia is prioritizing assistance to IDPs, institutional feeding, and nutritional support with any new funding contribution.
Walter Kaelin, the Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, completed his mission to Somalia. During his mission (14 and 21 October), he visited the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, where he met with new arrivals from South/Central Somalia. In Somalia he met with IDPs in Gaalkacyo, Bossaso, and Hargeysa. He also consulted with the TFG and the administrations of Somaliland and Puntland, and met with humanitarian agencies and civil society representatives. Mr. Kaelin raised concerns about the limited support to IDPs in Somalia and said that "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". He underscored 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. Mr. Kaelin further suggested that, to the extent possible, humanitarian agencies must shift their operations from Nairobi to Puntland, Somaliland and other areas from where affected regions can be serviced.
According to UNHCR, a total of 34,000 people have been displaced throughout Somalia since 1 September 2009, 17,000 from Mogadishu. Roughly 13,500 people left Mogadishu to other parts of the country while 3,400 moved to relatively safer areas within the city.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Rapists, hunger and hyenas stalk displaced Somali women
Rapists, hunger and hyenas stalk displaced Somali women
There is no week that goes by without a rape case. -AFP
By Helen Vesperini
AFRICA - Hyenas, rape, kidnappings - there is no shortage of dangers for women in the grim refugee camps of northern Somalia.
But it is still better than the horrors they fled: civil war battles in Mogadishu, drought in neighbouring Ethiopia, inter-clan warfare and what they say was state-sponsored ethnic persecution and killings.
Many have "lost" their husbands. Some men abandoned their families, others tried to cross the Gulf of Aden into Yemen and have given no sign of life since. Some are still part of the family but are away eking out a living herding livestock.
The wastelands on the edge of Galkayo, a large swathe of low thorn scrub where millions of plastic bags flutter in the breeze, are home to several camps.
In a camp called Mustaqbal, which translates as "future", Halima, a divorcee of 35, recounted from behind her veil how she fled shelling in Mogadishu, 700 kilometres (430 miles) to the south, with her five children.
"We are the breadwinners for our families. We have no husbands and our daily earnings are not enough to survive on," she said, gesticulating with henna-patterned hands.
Halima has what is known locally as a "shoulder shop" - she hawks goods - in this case clothing - from door to door.
The huts consist of acacia branches twisted into a dome shape and covered with ragged cloths and rice sacks. A typical hut for a family is between two and four square metres (22 and 44 square feet).
Without men the women are constantly at risk of attack. They have to pay for guards at night.
"Not a week goes by when we don't have a rape case," said Hawa Adan Mohamed, a women's rights activist who runs vocational training schemes and manufacturing projects in Galkayo.
"If you go to the police there's no follow up. They say that because of the clan issue they cannot touch the perpetrator."'
"Here the strongest man takes all," said a United Nations official.
Just down the road in Bulo Baaley camp the smell is overbearing. After dark, adults and children alike defecate into plastic potties which stand in front of the huts.
The shacks here are bigger but the landowner collects three dollars rent.
"If you can't pay, he takes one of the children. He keeps the child until he gets paid," explained Kasman Katal, a mother of three who looks older than her 20 years.
"My husband left for Yemen. We've had no news since. We don't know if he survived," she said, flapping at the flies swarming her baby's face.
She and her neighbour Marianne Abdi, a pretty girl of 15 who is already divorced with a child, make money by removing garbage from houses in Galkayo and dumping it on the edge of town.
Tawakal camp, home to some 1,700 families, has a school and latrines. It is further away from any formal settlement so work is harder to come by. But there is no rent to pay and school is free.
Hawa, sat on a piece of sacking in front of her hut, looks close to giving up on life. Her aged mother lies next to her, sick with malaria while her adolescent daughter struggles to do the washing up in a shallow pan of water.
"We get food on credit then we pay our debts when relatives send us something," she said staring at the ground.
"Galkayo is surrounded by conflict-affected displaced from south and central Somalia and also by drought-affected displaced," said Talil Musa Mohamed, a traditional leader from South Galkayo.
Humanitarian workers say north and south Galkayo together count some 220,000 displaced people.
Galkayo, which straddles the "border" between the northeastern semi-autonomous region of Puntland and Somalia proper, is not the only area affected.
Somalia is one of the worst crises around as African heads of state hold a special summit in Kampala on the continent's refugee and displacement problem.
Civilians fleeing conflict have turned northern Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp into the world's largest. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are around 1.5 million displaced people in Somalia, close to a sixth of the total population.
Huge numbers are concentrated in the north, in Puntland or Somaliland, a breakaway republic.
Grinding poverty, coupled with Somalia's clan system, means that the displaced are not always welcome outside their native region.
Those fleeing the south and centre are fair game for armed gangs.
"In Mogadishu we were under continual artillery fire; we saw people die and be eaten by cats and dogs. Then on the way here we were robbed, we were raped and we lost children when they got sick and died," said Fatuma Ahmed, 39.
She spoke on behalf of about 100 women who fled the south between May and August and who took refuge in Hargeysa, Somaliland, seen as the country's safest city.
The aggressors are youths in civilian clothes. Either no one knows which militia they belong to, or no one wants to say. They attack trucks at night while passengers sleep on board.
Another group with little future are people of Somali origin who settled in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia and who fled what they described as a drought exacerbated by inter-clan warfare.
UNHCR and Relief International, a US aid group, have launched a livestock programme in Tawakal, Bulo Baaley and three other camps. In an attempt to move away from dependence on food aid, goats or chickens are distributed to needy families.
In Tawakal the increase in the goat population has in turn drawn more hyenas.
Habiba Barre, 30, lives in a hovel made of flattened powdered milk cans.
She showed off a hole in the side of the hut that has been filled with earth. A hyena tried to get in to carry off her three goats.
Barre says she fled Ethiopia after the government cracked down on ethnic Somalis, accusing them of hosting rebels. She has kept her baby with her, but six older children are staying with relatives. She too survives on occasional remittances. But she has high hopes for her goats and is looking forward to being able to sell the milk.
"Here at least we are only scared of hyenas, not of being killed," she said.
There is no week that goes by without a rape case. -AFP
By Helen Vesperini
AFRICA - Hyenas, rape, kidnappings - there is no shortage of dangers for women in the grim refugee camps of northern Somalia.
But it is still better than the horrors they fled: civil war battles in Mogadishu, drought in neighbouring Ethiopia, inter-clan warfare and what they say was state-sponsored ethnic persecution and killings.
Many have "lost" their husbands. Some men abandoned their families, others tried to cross the Gulf of Aden into Yemen and have given no sign of life since. Some are still part of the family but are away eking out a living herding livestock.
The wastelands on the edge of Galkayo, a large swathe of low thorn scrub where millions of plastic bags flutter in the breeze, are home to several camps.
In a camp called Mustaqbal, which translates as "future", Halima, a divorcee of 35, recounted from behind her veil how she fled shelling in Mogadishu, 700 kilometres (430 miles) to the south, with her five children.
"We are the breadwinners for our families. We have no husbands and our daily earnings are not enough to survive on," she said, gesticulating with henna-patterned hands.
Halima has what is known locally as a "shoulder shop" - she hawks goods - in this case clothing - from door to door.
The huts consist of acacia branches twisted into a dome shape and covered with ragged cloths and rice sacks. A typical hut for a family is between two and four square metres (22 and 44 square feet).
Without men the women are constantly at risk of attack. They have to pay for guards at night.
"Not a week goes by when we don't have a rape case," said Hawa Adan Mohamed, a women's rights activist who runs vocational training schemes and manufacturing projects in Galkayo.
"If you go to the police there's no follow up. They say that because of the clan issue they cannot touch the perpetrator."'
"Here the strongest man takes all," said a United Nations official.
Just down the road in Bulo Baaley camp the smell is overbearing. After dark, adults and children alike defecate into plastic potties which stand in front of the huts.
The shacks here are bigger but the landowner collects three dollars rent.
"If you can't pay, he takes one of the children. He keeps the child until he gets paid," explained Kasman Katal, a mother of three who looks older than her 20 years.
"My husband left for Yemen. We've had no news since. We don't know if he survived," she said, flapping at the flies swarming her baby's face.
She and her neighbour Marianne Abdi, a pretty girl of 15 who is already divorced with a child, make money by removing garbage from houses in Galkayo and dumping it on the edge of town.
Tawakal camp, home to some 1,700 families, has a school and latrines. It is further away from any formal settlement so work is harder to come by. But there is no rent to pay and school is free.
Hawa, sat on a piece of sacking in front of her hut, looks close to giving up on life. Her aged mother lies next to her, sick with malaria while her adolescent daughter struggles to do the washing up in a shallow pan of water.
"We get food on credit then we pay our debts when relatives send us something," she said staring at the ground.
"Galkayo is surrounded by conflict-affected displaced from south and central Somalia and also by drought-affected displaced," said Talil Musa Mohamed, a traditional leader from South Galkayo.
Humanitarian workers say north and south Galkayo together count some 220,000 displaced people.
Galkayo, which straddles the "border" between the northeastern semi-autonomous region of Puntland and Somalia proper, is not the only area affected.
Somalia is one of the worst crises around as African heads of state hold a special summit in Kampala on the continent's refugee and displacement problem.
Civilians fleeing conflict have turned northern Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp into the world's largest. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are around 1.5 million displaced people in Somalia, close to a sixth of the total population.
Huge numbers are concentrated in the north, in Puntland or Somaliland, a breakaway republic.
Grinding poverty, coupled with Somalia's clan system, means that the displaced are not always welcome outside their native region.
Those fleeing the south and centre are fair game for armed gangs.
"In Mogadishu we were under continual artillery fire; we saw people die and be eaten by cats and dogs. Then on the way here we were robbed, we were raped and we lost children when they got sick and died," said Fatuma Ahmed, 39.
She spoke on behalf of about 100 women who fled the south between May and August and who took refuge in Hargeysa, Somaliland, seen as the country's safest city.
The aggressors are youths in civilian clothes. Either no one knows which militia they belong to, or no one wants to say. They attack trucks at night while passengers sleep on board.
Another group with little future are people of Somali origin who settled in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia and who fled what they described as a drought exacerbated by inter-clan warfare.
UNHCR and Relief International, a US aid group, have launched a livestock programme in Tawakal, Bulo Baaley and three other camps. In an attempt to move away from dependence on food aid, goats or chickens are distributed to needy families.
In Tawakal the increase in the goat population has in turn drawn more hyenas.
Habiba Barre, 30, lives in a hovel made of flattened powdered milk cans.
She showed off a hole in the side of the hut that has been filled with earth. A hyena tried to get in to carry off her three goats.
Barre says she fled Ethiopia after the government cracked down on ethnic Somalis, accusing them of hosting rebels. She has kept her baby with her, but six older children are staying with relatives. She too survives on occasional remittances. But she has high hopes for her goats and is looking forward to being able to sell the milk.
"Here at least we are only scared of hyenas, not of being killed," she said.
CODKAAGA KU CIIL BAX (19). TALO IYO TUSAALAYN KOMISHANKA DOORASHOOY...
CODKAAGA KU CIIL BAX (19). TALO IYO TUSAALAYN KOMISHANKA DOORASHOOYINKA.
Waa hanbalyo iyo bogaadin iyo dardaaran u socda komishanka cusub ee guddoon wacan. Hor iyo horaan waa komishan leysku raacay, cod aan waxba lagala hadhin lagu fooladeeyey, waxayna Wakiiladu u xidheen cumaamad ay hareero hayaan mucaafid iyo mucaaridba.
Waxaynu ognay in sharafta la huwiyey ka dhalatay tanaasulka labada xisbi ee KULMIYE iyo UCID, waaayo Madaxtooyadu umay yareysan inay khilaaf geliso oo isku-dhac ka bilaabmo magacaabida oon dhammaan. Waxay ahayd cimri dherar iyo dhooqayn xeeladaysan.Waa se leyka gartay. Komishankuna waa garan karaa sababta loogu sacbiyey, iyo danta weyn ee laga leeyahay.
Waxaynu ka warqabnaa sida xad-gudubka ah ee loo celiyey xubnihii mucaaridku hore u soo magacaabay, iyo xubinta Guurtida. Waa dulqaad kale iyo samir ay ku dheehantay lexjeclada dalka iyo qaranka ooy muujiyeen mucaaridku, kolkay iyagoo ka dheregsan sharci darrada loo celiyey xubnahaas haddana canduuftootii dib u liqay.
Kama aha jileec, kamana aha cabsi, kama aha karti la'aan, kamana aha garasho la'aan. Waa halkii labada dumar ah ee ilmaha isku qabsaday, tii dhashay iyo tu ku qabsatay. Deedna xaakimkii caadilka ahaa yidhi waan idiin kala goynayaa oo midba badh ayaan siinayaa, hooyadii oo naxariis is haysan weyday ayaa tidhi "ha kala jarin ee iyadu ha aqaadato ee sii", waa tii aan dhalin tan ay leedahaya ha la siiyo.
Waxa xaakimku gartay cidda dhashay iyo inay hooyada dhabta ahi tahay tan taanaasulka samaysay.
Kaalintii xaakimka dadweynow idinkaa ku jira, maalinta aad xukunkan QAADAYSAANA WAA DHARAARTA CODBIXINTA, OOD CODKAAGA KU CIIL BAXDO. Dharaarta awoodda hoggaaminta dalku gacmahaaga ku soo noqonayso, dharaarta lagaa sugaayo inaad dacwaddan qaado, ood garato hooyada dhabta ah iyo cidda laxjeclada xaqooda ku waayey mar, laba iyo tobanaan jeer oo dhammaan xukunkaaga sugaaya.
Raad-raac ahaan maqaalkan ku qoran linka hoose ayaan kaga hadlay habka ansixinta iyo sida haboon ee loo soo xuli karo xubno tayo iyo daacad leh. Waxayna ahyd mid aan kaga hadlay doorashadaii komishankii hore. Cidii taas xisaynaysaa ha gujiso linkan hoose.
Aan toos ugu talaabo kan cusub iyo amuurihiisa. Komishnakan sida loo doortay waa mid loo arkay ahmiyadda ay u leeyihiin badbaadinta qaranka oo aad u iftiintay bilihii ina soo dhaafay. Waxaana laga sugayaa hawlo culus ood odhan karto rajadii qaranka oo dhan ayaa dhabarka loo saaray.
Waxaa looga fadhiyaa duul noqda hoggaan lagu hirto, garaadka iyo aqoonta bulshada adeegsada, gacan fulisa go'aankooda caadilka ah, af turxaan lahayn, xaqqana ka cabsoon, maskax shiisha duurafaha dalka, iyo tan ugu weyn ee ah xaqsoor seddexda musharaxa, seddexda xisbi, lixda gobal, iyo tobanaanaka degmo si cadaalad ah, eex la'aan ah, iyo miisaan aan dhan ka rarnayn ugu garsoora qadyadda codbixinta iyo arrimaha la xidhiidha.
Waa mid ay magac ku heli doonaan, kaas oo noqonaaya mid aan la yareysan. Waa magac-san oo iyaga iyo ubadkooduba mahadiyaan, iyo magac xun sidoo kale u raaca noqdan naanays aan ka hadin tafiirtooda. Waxaad maqli waa inna hebel, hebelkii qaranaka calooshiisa siistay,amba waa tafiirtii geesigii qaranka bedbaadiyey.
Hawsha loo igmaday waa mid sharaf ah, waa mid qiimo qaran leh, waa mid mudan qadarin, waana nasiib wax yari helaan. Maanta waxa ganacta loo geshay masiirkii ummadda. Waynu ka dheregsanay sida ay hawli ka noqotay colkii hore. Waana tu mudan inayna marna ka bixin maanka Komishanka cusub.
Xusuusta waxii dhacay, hanweynantii loo hayey raggii ceebta ku sagootiyey qaranka Somaliland. Xusuusta halistii dalku galay, xusaasta werwerkii shacbiga, xusuusta gurmadkii muwaadin iyo ajanabiba u soo guntaday, xusuusta magac xumadii ina raacday, xusuusta xadhigii Golka Wakiilada, xusuusta banaanbaxyadii muwaadiniintu ku dhinteen, xusuusta ciidankii heeganka la galiyedy. Intaas iyo dar kaloo badan waxay ka dhasheen maamul xumadii Komishankii hore. Komishan lumiyey garsoorkii, lka baxay dhexdhexaadnimadii,noqdayna seef ay daabkiisa hayso Madaxtooyadu.
DIGNIIN IYO DARDAARAN
Waxa leydinka fadhiyaa inaydun noqotaan dar ka maydha qaranka magac-xumada laga dhaxlay raggii xilkooda baal maray TAASI WAXAYDUN KU GAADHI KARTAAN KOLKAAD GARATAAN HALKAY WAX KA QALDAMAYN OO AH:
- Laga bilaabo dhaartii ay sida mugdiga ah ugu dhaarteen goob uu joogo hal musharax oo keliye ah, kolka ayna ogeen labada mushara ee kale. Waxay noqdeen dar lumiyey kalsoonidii tartamayaasha iyo taageerayashooda. Dhaartu waa inay noqotaa madal maamuus leh, goobjoog ay ka yihiin seddexda musharax iyo maasuuliinta qaranku.
- Waxay noqdeen dar aan iska moosin farogelinta Madaxtooyada iyo meelo kaleba.Iska jira in si toos ah amba dadban hawshiina loo soo farogeliyo. Talaa leydinku leeyahay idina go'aanka ayaad leedihiin.
- Waxay noqdeen dar aan guddinimo ku shaqayn, ee Guddoomiyahu awooddooda la wareegay. Iska jira Guddoomiye keli goosta. Guudooomiye ma laha go'aan ayna gaadhin Guddigu.
- Waxay ahaayeen dar si qarsoodi ah hawsha u wada. Ku bedela hawl daah-furan oo miiska dul taala.(Transparency), ogaada xisaab xidh iyo hawl maalmeedka oo qoran. Wax walba ka dhiga mid qoraal ah. (Accountability)
- Waxay ahaayeen dar aan ku socon nidamka wada tashiga. Ku bedela talo-wadaag seddexda xisbi, iyo bulsha weynt u furan.Cidda danta idinla leh (Stakeholders) si niyad san ula tashada. Hawsha ku wada is-qancin iyo talo-wadaag.
- Waxay ahaayeen dar aan aqoon awoodooda, oo badhna ka taga, badhna ku darsada. Ahaada kuwa barta xadkooda oon awoodooda cidna uga tegin waxna ku darsan.
- Waxay ahaayeen rag u badheedha xisbiyada qaar oo aflagaado iyo hanjabaad war-baahinta mariya. Waa sharci darro in komishanka qaranku noqdo mid arrimha xisbiyada ka jawaaba. Hadal hufan, dhexdhexaad ah, miisaaman, gaban oo haddana buuxa ayaa astaan u ah garsoor xaq ah.
- Awoodda sharcigu idin siiyey cidna hawga cabsanina, ciddida mugeeda cidna hawga tegina. Maanka iyo maskaxda ku gunta in Madaxweynahu ka mid yahay ragga tartamaaya eed garsoor u tihiin. Si siman oo isku mid ah ula dhaqma.
Intaas iyo wax badan oo bulshadu talo iyo tusaale ah ee warbaahinta leydin mariyey qaata. Taladana Alle la kaashada, tamar, taag iyo tayana ka doona cidday idiinla noqoto. Aqoonta bulshada maala, khibradooda lisa oo ha noqonina dar ka cabsada inay dirtaan inta ka aqoon iyo khibrad badan. Mas'uulka suubani, waa ka adeegsada cid ka aqoon badan.
Dadweynow, is barbar taag Komishanka, u fidi gacan iskaashi, u tilmaam dariiqa toosan, ka qabo qaladka, ka jooji ka gardarada ku samaynaaya. Isu taag xaqqaaga oo ilaasho inaad hesho garsoor codkaaga dhowra. Ilaasho inaan lagaa xadin Codkaaga aad rabto inaad Ku Ciil Baxdo. Xusuuso dhacdooyinkii soo taxnaa intay UDUB dalka ka talinaysay, wax ku qaado oo yaan mar kale CODKAAGU CADOW KUGU NOQON.
Waa inoo Soomaliland oo nabad ah, doorasho xalaal iyo xaq ah, iyo ictiraafkoo dabo socda Insha Allah.
Tan iyo tu kale nooli kulantee,
Ahmed Arwo
Special Press Briefing on Refugee Issues in Africa
Africa: Special Press Briefing on Refugee Issues in Africa
Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:54:26 -0500
Special Press Briefing on Refugee Issues in Africa
Washington, DC
October 26, 2009
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Eric Schwartz will brief reporters on the record and on camera about his recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. This press briefing will take place in the State Department's Press Briefing Room (room 2209) immediately before the daily press briefing.
In the DRC, Assistant Secretary Schwartz met with government and international organization officials to discuss protection for displaced people and returning refugees, and to follow up on Secretary Clinton's concern for gender-based violence in the region. In Kenya, Assistant Secretary Schwartz visited refugee camps in Dadaab and Kakuma to review assistance to Somali and other refugees, and discussed expansion of the camps with Government of Kenya officials and representatives of international organizations.
Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver's license, passport). Press should allow adequate time to process through security and to be in the briefing room 10 minutes prior to the briefing.
Attendees who do not have a State Department building pass should enter through the 23rdStreet lobby before 12:00 p.m.
In the DRC, Assistant Secretary Schwartz met with government and international organization officials to discuss protection for displaced people and returning refugees, and to follow up on Secretary Clinton's concern for gender-based violence in the region. In Kenya, Assistant Secretary Schwartz visited refugee camps in Dadaab and Kakuma to review assistance to Somali and other refugees, and discussed expansion of the camps with Government of Kenya officials and representatives of international organizations.
Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver's license, passport). Press should allow adequate time to process through security and to be in the briefing room 10 minutes prior to the briefing.
Attendees who do not have a State Department building pass should enter through the 23rdStreet lobby before 12:00 p.m.
Monday, October 26, 2009
STATES SHOULD ADMIT ASYLUM-SEEKERS WHO WERE FORCED TO AID TERRORISTS – UN EXPERT
STATES SHOULD ADMIT ASYLUM-SEEKERS WHO WERE FORCED TO AID TERRORISTS – UN EXPERT
Women who have been forced by terrorists to provide shelter, food and sexual services should never be denied asylum on the ground that they gave material support to terrorism, an independent United Nations expert said today.
"Victims of gender-based persecution, including by terrorist groups, should be granted asylum and entry into countries and never fall victims of the notions of material support to terrorism," Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, told a news conference after delivering a report to a General Assembly Committee.
The report to the Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs, devotes considerable attention to the gender dimension and specific rights of women and sexual minorities such as gays and lesbians in the war against terrorism, and Mr. Scheinin referred to previous reports he has issued highlighting the problem.
In these he had noted that the security wall Israel says it has built to keep out suicide bombers, some of it on Palestinian land, impeded women from getting to hospital to give birth. Another example he cited was the United States tightening of immigration laws and the rejection as asylum-seekers on account of material support of terrorism.
This "often affects women, including situations where terrorists have forced women to provide shelter, food or sexual; services upon gunpoint," he said. "Then when they manage to flee and seek refuge in another country, they are suddenly confronted with an accusation of providing material support for terrorists."
Among other gender-specific issues, he cited the use of sexual humiliation and forced homosexual activity in the interrogation of male suspects.
The report's recommendation to States, apart from calling for an end to using the material support charge to deny asylum to some applicants, include halting the detention of women and children for the purpose of producing information on the whereabouts of male family members suspected of terrorism and a ban on targeting people's sexual identity or using homophobia in interrogations.
Asked about the US detention centre in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, holding alleged terrorists, Mr. Scheinin said the prison should be closed along the end-of-year timeline mentioned by President Barack Obama, but acknowledged that such matters take time.
"It should not be closed through trying and sentencing people through the military commissions because my assessment of the military commissions act is very negative and I don't think small fixes will help," he said.
Those who are considered too dangerous to release should be tried in US federal courts, even though the methods of their interrogation might make the evidence inadmissible, "and then it should be left in the hands of the judiciary to apply the law," he stressed.
Oct 26 2009 4:10PM
Women who have been forced by terrorists to provide shelter, food and sexual services should never be denied asylum on the ground that they gave material support to terrorism, an independent United Nations expert said today.
"Victims of gender-based persecution, including by terrorist groups, should be granted asylum and entry into countries and never fall victims of the notions of material support to terrorism," Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, told a news conference after delivering a report to a General Assembly Committee.
The report to the Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs, devotes considerable attention to the gender dimension and specific rights of women and sexual minorities such as gays and lesbians in the war against terrorism, and Mr. Scheinin referred to previous reports he has issued highlighting the problem.
In these he had noted that the security wall Israel says it has built to keep out suicide bombers, some of it on Palestinian land, impeded women from getting to hospital to give birth. Another example he cited was the United States tightening of immigration laws and the rejection as asylum-seekers on account of material support of terrorism.
This "often affects women, including situations where terrorists have forced women to provide shelter, food or sexual; services upon gunpoint," he said. "Then when they manage to flee and seek refuge in another country, they are suddenly confronted with an accusation of providing material support for terrorists."
Among other gender-specific issues, he cited the use of sexual humiliation and forced homosexual activity in the interrogation of male suspects.
The report's recommendation to States, apart from calling for an end to using the material support charge to deny asylum to some applicants, include halting the detention of women and children for the purpose of producing information on the whereabouts of male family members suspected of terrorism and a ban on targeting people's sexual identity or using homophobia in interrogations.
Asked about the US detention centre in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, holding alleged terrorists, Mr. Scheinin said the prison should be closed along the end-of-year timeline mentioned by President Barack Obama, but acknowledged that such matters take time.
"It should not be closed through trying and sentencing people through the military commissions because my assessment of the military commissions act is very negative and I don't think small fixes will help," he said.
Those who are considered too dangerous to release should be tried in US federal courts, even though the methods of their interrogation might make the evidence inadmissible, "and then it should be left in the hands of the judiciary to apply the law," he stressed.
Oct 26 2009 4:10PM
Sunday, October 25, 2009
We the people of idiots!
We the people of idiots!
Political analyst
Ottawa, Canada
We the people of idiots!
Taking the independent Somaliland to the unknown Somalia was an accident in the history of Somaliland! A bad one! We paid that with blood and treasure!
Passing the hard-won second Republic of Somaliland to the remnants of the evil regime of Siyad Barre, who are themselves evil, is another accident in the history of Somaliland! A double jeopardy!
To make and ex-spy who allegedly supervised the murder of over 2500 Somalilanders in the city of Berbera where he was the chief NSS agent, a president for the victims of that clan based mass murder, earned Somalilanders a place in the world of idiocy! That made the people of Somaliland idiots! We the people of idiots!
"Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves" [ AlRaad. Ch.13. V11] Somaliland values, the sense of purpose and the reason she sacrificed men and material for her liberation and recall, has been affected immensely by the ex-spy agent made president; by the people of idiots: thus Somalilanders changed what is in themselves!
Women, Somaliland women, not included in this people of idiots, because they are not idiots! They are our pride.
Somaliland women and their kids were the first to throw the stones at Afwaini. That was the beginning of the popular revolt against injustice of Siyad Barre! A matter of history!
They had and have guts, wisdom and courage idiots don't have!
They will be the first to throw stones at the remnants ruining this Republic of Somaliland when time comes!
They are the breadwinners of over 90% of Somaliland households
They are straight talkers. They are honest. They are dependable. They are the conscience of the nation. God bless them and protect them for us, for Somaliland.
When people fall, when they fail and fell down, when they make mistakes they are not idiots. When they fail to learn from that mishaps that is when they become idiots! And we are in that- not-learning category: thus we are idiots, women not included again!
Once a Riyaale Minister told me that through out the nights they play cards with the president in the presidency! "Did you say playing cards in the presidency?" I asked him in disbelieve!
"Yes" the minister confidently, replied! "Is it correct that ministers and others go there for "qaat" sessions so often, as well!" I asked him again. " Sure " the Minister confirmed that! "The president pays the qaat expenses! There is a fund for that" he added
At that point I said to my self, "what kind of a result one can expect in such president or presidency! Only we the people of idiots my expect (progress) a result there!"
"He that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts; Benighted walks under the mid-day sun; Him self, his own dungeon!" But here Mr. Riyaale did not hide his dark soul nor did he hide his foul thoughts? However this is not the point here now.
Riyaale, we created (his power) him and now cursing him! He was not born to shame, upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit, so are others in his camp of cabals and corruptors! The man did shameful things and shameless about them! He is a minus to society, to Somaliland, to us, we the idiots!
Entrusting the most precious thing- the destiny, the hopes, aspirations, dignity and integrity of a people who sacrificed men and material-all they had for those noble things to a collection of Moral less and mindless remnants headed by Riyaale, yet expecting good, any thing good, are idiots as they are insane! A cursed people indeed!
That is what we are reaping now! This was/is born and produced by our sin!
More precisely the continuous curse from the spirits of the Martyrs and Mujahedeen who liberated this lost land, Somaliland is continuously raining on us, and therefore we are cursed people! The author believes so!
This idiocy and insanity thing reminded me a quotation from Ernestine to the effect of "Repeating the same thing over and over again and again is not insane" he said "Expecting a different result is insane indeed" he concluded
Indeed an idiocy I may add!
Expecting any thing good for a nation building from Ex-NSS, Hangash and remnants is insane as it is idiotic! That is where we are!
What a tangled web we wove when first we practice to deceive!
When first we accepted and trusted a man with a blood of innocent men and women of ours in his hands! We the people of idiots!
Somaliland's hopes, aspirations and dreams were to build a society based upon the opinion of a free people in thought and expression, in creativity and intuition.
A society where the rule of despotic tin pot dictator, the condition of clannish mentality, give place to houses of congress from the people and for the people.
Where laws are made.
Where independent courts of justices in which over long periods, the laws are maintained.
Where a just society born and prospers.
Where human dignity and a charter of rights are established, recognized and respected. Where consensus and common ground are the corner stone of the new Republic
Instead Somaliland ended up in the hands of those who harmed and hurt her before!
In the hands of the remnants of Siyaad Barre! In the hands of the ignorants!
In the hands of the none-believers, those who for a minute never believed an independent sovereign nation of Somaliland!
If you may not recall of what a neighbour once threatened Somaliland said, it was this: "two lambs can not glow in both the places at the same time- his place and Somaliland that is! One must be dimed, damped and put off"
It is believed that Riyaale and gang of four sub-contracted to dim and dampen and put off the lights and aspirations of Somaliland! Unfortunately they succeeded partly and they are to complete the project wholly as per contract if we don't confront and stop them!
We the people of idiots are watching, wondering and saying like legendary "Egaal Sheelaad" " let me see if he can dare to do more!" when told," He did it again!" We get another excuse and another, and so it goes on and on and on!
The curse of good intentions is, what is haunting Somaliland now!
Trusting the untrustworthy is what is haunting Somaliland now!
With out conscionable knowledge of the facts and history of a given person or people or situation is what is haunting Somaliland!
Good intentions with out thinking beyond just good intentions are idiotic!
Good intentions with out gut feeling and courage, with out saying and living with the truth is idiotic as well!
Good intentions for the sake of good intentions are out of line!
Trusting Riyaale and like minds is like trusting Morgan! What is the difference except their clan name? You tell me!
Tasking them with the nations business is the ultimate idiocy of all time!
Allah said in his Quran,
" Because Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their souls: And verily Allah is he who hearth and knowth all things" [Al Anfaal, ch.10. v53]
Here Somaliland has changed the grace and the victory over the genocidal regime of Barre Allah bestowed on them.
Somaliland called the Faqash they defeated by another name, back!
However, peace
Ibrahim Mead
S.P. Scott: Muhammad was indeed an Apostle of God
S.P. Scott: Muhammad was indeed an Apostle of God | |
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