COMMENTARY ON ISLAMIC WEBSITES
Somali Memo - The pro-al-Shabaab website published almost a dozen pictures of spoiled and expired food distributed by ICRC in Lower Shabelle. The Islamist website claimed the ICRC bought the spoiled food from Somali business owners and then failed to inspect it before distributing it to drought-affected people. Somali Language
POLITICS
Think Africa Press - If the African Union, backed financially by the West and with oversight from the United Nations, placed Somalia in trust for a decade it might finally be able to end the influence of pernicious internal non-state actors and help Somalis learn to rule themselves once more as a nation. An African-run trusteeship would be able to rebuild essential functions and arteries of commerce, restore educational and health services over time, and eventually provide Somalis with a working government dedicated to them and their interests as citizens. What, after all, is the alternative? More bloodshed, renewed famine, stunted lives, and opportunities denied? Every Somali deserves better.
Gulf News - Somalia's prime minister has asked Qatar to help achieve reconciliation between the various Somali factions and to assist with the reconstruction of the war-torn country. Dr. Abdiweli Mohammad Ali said that made the request during meetings with senior officials in Doha. Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and Prime Minister Shaikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani pledged their assistance and insisted that Qatar would not abandon Somalia, the Somali leader told Qatar News Agency (QNA).
SECURITY/AL-SHABAAB
Hiiraan Online - The Franklin Bank of Minnesota has cut money transfer relations with the Minnesota State Somali Hawala agencies after two Somali-American women were convicted for financial support of al-Shabaab militants. Franklin Bank was the only US Bank handling hawala money transfer in the state of Minnesota and the Franklin Bank was advised by its legal advisers to close the hawala accounts. The hawala agencies have requested from the Franklin Bank board to reconsider the decision. Somali Language
MARITIME
Radio Australia - The international community is calling for global action to combat the problem of piracy in Somalia. At a global maritime meeting in India, top defence officials have called for close co-operation between countries to address the causes of the growing problem. Earlier this month, Sri Lanka and India pledged to work with the Maldives to find a strategy to stop piracy spreading. And now Britain has announced it will raise the issue for debate at an international conference to be held in February.
DIASPOARA/TERRORISM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - A Somali refugee living in San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to aiding four men who left Minnesota to join a Somali terror group, including one man who is suspected of carrying out a suicide bombing in the African nation in October. Prosecutors have said Nima Yusuf conspired in Southern California and elsewhere to aid al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida-linked militia trying to create an Islamic state in Somalia. As part of her plea, the 25-year-old permanent resident of the U.S. acknowledged that she agreed to help the men with money and personnel. Yusuf acknowledged to prosecutors that she knew the four men had left the United States to become fighters for al-Shabaab. She said she sent $1,450 between February 2010 and November 2010, and also acknowledged lying to federal officials twice when she denied that she had sent money to Somalia.
HUMANITARIAN/REFUGEE
IRIN News - Continuing unrest and xenophobia in Yemen have prompted an upsurge in the number of migrants and refugees returning to Somalia, with up to 6,000 reported to have travelled back across the Red Sea since the beginning of October. "About 400 Somaliland families and 600 Somali families have returned to Somaliland in the last two months,” said Abdillahi Hussein Egeh, director-general of the Interior Ministry in Somaliland, which unilaterally declared its independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991. "Somalilanders stay in this country, while the Somalis continue their journey to Somalia," he said.
OP-ED
Wardheernews - The author claims that the secessionist policy of Somaliland is a hopeless project since the it is not supported by the other clans or political entities from Somaliland territoy, especially Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC), Awdal and Makhir regions. The author equated the Somaliland separatist aspirations to that of Biafra separatist state of certain Nigerians, "Colonel Ojukwu, who just passed away this week in London after a long illness, tried it before and failed when he had declared a secessionist state called Biafra in Nigeria in 1967. This claimed the lives of more than one million people and ended in failure. After more than decades in the wilderness, colonel Ojukwu redeemed himself and ran for the office of presidency of Nigeria in the 2000s. I hope the current politicians of "Somaliland" will redeem themselves and initiate a constructive dialogue with their counterparts in Mogadishu for the sake of their people as well as for the good of Somali nation as a whole."
VIDEO
Aljazeera - This is a 25-minute in-depth video on the Somali conflict, the root causes of the famine and the US government's dual-track policy. The reporter interviewed several high profile individuals including US diplomats and Somali professionals and warlords.
RADIO ROUNDUP
Radio Mogadishu - A pro-government radio station
The Prime Minister of Somalia stated that they will not tolerate the merciless acts carried out by al-Shabaab against the Somali people. Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said that his government will carry out immediate steps to destroy the existence of al-Shabaab, adding that it’s the time to close the chapter of extremist groups in the country.
The Somali Women's Association has condemned yesterday’s bomb blast which killed a group of women taking part in sanitation program. They also called for the TFG to double their effort in securing the capital. The chairwoman of the Somali women association, Halimo Ma’allin Abukar, said that its important for all the Somali people to support the TFG in the fight against al-Shabaab.
Radio Andulus - A pro-al-Shabaab radio station
Reports from Dhamase village of Gedo region indicate that the infidel troops of Kenya killed two pro-Kenya militias on Wednesday. The two murdered men, Bishar Nur and Shabel Nur Sugow, were a part of TFG troops who were recently trained in Kenya to fight against Islamic law in Somalia. Meanwhile the pro-infidels militias in Beledhawa district in the same region today hijacked two civilian vehicles and transferred them to Christian Ethiopian troops. This comes a day after Kenyan forces kidnapped elders and religious leaders from Dhamase village.
While the number of tribes joining the Jihad in Somalia is increasing in the fight against the invaders and the TFG, the Warsangali sub-clan of Abgal clan, which is one of the largest tribes in Somalia, has transferred their weapons to the Islamic administration in Middle Shabelle. Addow Muhidin Jurus, one of the elites of the tribe, said that all the youths and the elders of the clan are ready to defend the religion and the country. The chairman of Middle Shabelle, Sheikh Yussuf Sheikh Isse Kabakutukade, thanked the tribe for supporting the religion and the country and requested other tribes to follow their brothers.
Radio Al-Furqaan - A pro-al-Shabaab radio station
While Burundi troops are in the capital city of Somalia and inhumanly killing people, fighting broke out in in their country especially in Bujumbura between the government troops and armed militia group. The country is on the verge of withdrawing their troops from Somalia in order to defend their dictatorship run government. This will be a huge blow for the infidels who conspired to invade Somalia.
Radio Risaala - An independent radio station
Al-Shabaab militias vowed to double their explosive attacks in Mogadishu while calling for the Somali people to be far away from the TFG and AMISOM bases. The spokesman of al-Shabaab Sheikh Abdiaziz Abuu-Mus’ab said in a press conference in Mogadishu on Wednesday, “The forces of al-Shabaab are both the visible and the invisibles one who will continue the fight.” The spokesperson insisted that the attacks will continue until an Islamic administration is established in Mogadishu.