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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 10:54 |
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Calm has returned to the Las Anod town, just a day after large demonstration against the administration of the breakaway republic of Somaliland happened in the town on Saturday, witnesses told Shabelle radio on Sunday.
Large riot organized by the more people including women and children had happened at Las Anod town in Sol region yesterday which caused more casualties of deaths and injures as it continued in the town.
At least 2 demonstrators were killed and 5 of the security forces were injured in the town as the demonstration continued in Las Anod town in Sol region.
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 10:47 |
As part of the UK-based team coordinating election observers for the much-delayed presidential elections in the internationally unrecognised Republic of Somaliland, the Catholic agency Progressio has welcomed recent progress made in resolving the Somaliland voter registration process – a key sticking point – and is calling on all parties to push ahead and set a date for the poll.
Progressio, the Development Planning Unit at University College London (UCL) and Somaliland Focus UK say in a joint statement: “Since September 2009 we have seen a marked improvement in the situation, when all three of Somaliland’s political parties signed a six-point agreement by which the government guaranteed that a further extension of office would not be sought and that the disputed and delayed process of agreeing a voter register would be recommenced. The agreement was subsequently approved by Somaliland’s upper house, the Guurti (House of Elders).”
The statement continues: “This development was quickly followed by improvements in the relationship and renewed understanding between the country’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) and the donors who are providing funding and technology for the voter registration process and the election itself. We are heartened by this progress, and look forward to completion of necessary processes (namely, agreement on a voter register) to allow an actual date to be announced. Indeed, as election observers, it is impossible for us to proceed with making plans for our mission until a date is set.”
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 10:44 |
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The Transitional Government now has the upper hand in Mogadishu, and is attempting to drive al Shabaab gunmen from city. The government has been able to do this because of the several thousand soldiers trained in Djibouti, Burundi and Kenya. These men have been arriving back in the city over the past few weeks, and have, along with the AU peacekeepers, changed the balance of power. The Islamic radicals have also been weakened by battles with other Islamic radical groups, and religious and clan militias organized for self-defense. Al Shabaab has tried to protect itself in the city by living in residential areas (and preventing the civilians from fleeing).
That hasn't worked, and civilian casualties are higher as a result. Back in the 1990s, the use of human shields worked a few times against peacekeepers (who got killed in large numbers as a result). But since then, the word has got around that you either kill the human shields, or get killed. This stark choice is one thing that has kept Western peacekeepers from returning to Somalia, as Western politicians don't want to deal with this sort of nastiness. But al Shabaab is still pretty strong, particularly because they control the port of Kismayo (south of Mogadishu) which get sea and air shipments of weapons from Eritrea. Attempts to stop Eritrea (which denies everything) have failed, and the weapons keep coming.
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 10:27 |
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Some 126 people have been rescued by Somali fishermen from the Gulf of Aden after human traffickers reportedly forced them into the sea at gunpoint.
The migrants, mostly from Somalia and Ethiopia, said they had set off from northern Somalia a week ago.
They said their boat had developed engine trouble and drifted for days before the people smugglers forced them into the sea. Six people are missing.
The BBC's Peter Greste says the scale of this incident is rare.
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Monday, 08 February 2010 11:51 |
Facing threat to tourism and fishing industries, islands plan to build special courts and jail to combat growing piracy menace
The Seychelles, promoted by tourism brochures as an untouched paradise, is building special courts and a maximum security prison to combat the growing menace of Somali pirates.
Pirate sightings or attacks were reported almost daily near the islands late last year, including the kidnapping of the British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler.
Facing a threat to its two main industries, tourism and fishing, the Seychelles cabinet last week agreed tough new anti-piracy laws. It also plans to build a £320,000 jail by the end of this year that will be capable of holding up to 40 pirates. It will make the Seychelles, along with Kenya, the main centre for the prosecution and detention of pirates in east Africa.
The move follows international frustration last year when the Seychelles repatriated 22 Somalis, claiming it had insufficient evidence to bring piracy charges against them.
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Monday, 08 February 2010 11:40 |
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| It is difficult to see how gov. troops can defeat Islamist with poor morale, organisation, equipment and leadership. |
MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Top Somali officials are threatening to begin a military offensive against Islamist insurgents but critics - some of them demoralized soldiers - say a lack of equipment, funds and training put any ultimate success into doubt.
The offensive has been planned for months and has been postponed repeatedly, but questions remain about whether it can bring long-term security in a country suffering from almost two decades of conflict.
It is still unclear when the offensive will begin or what it will entail. Somali forces are hampered by a lack of equipment, late paychecks, and some complain they do not even have enough food.
"There is nothing the government has done but survive," said Mogadishu resident Sheik Mohamud Abdulle. "We have been hearing of late the government's threat to the rebels, but we expect little from any military action as long as its soldiers are not regularly paid."
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