Source: NTV Uganda

Source: NTV Kenya

…

Hundreds of Somali refugees have gathered at Meridian hotel in Nairobi on Saturday to remember the heroics of 13 Somalis, who were midwives to the independence of Somalia.

The event has converged youths from all clans in the war-torn nation in horn of Africa and was planning to dance but turned into tear place.

Every speaker had made a tear to shed and dwelled much on the sorry situation of nation, Somalia.

Somali Youth League which was found on 15 May, 1943 has executed the struggle to give Somalia its sovereignty and When Somali got its independence in 1960, this day was putted in Somalia’s calendar as the National Youth Day and youth in Nairobi sang songs of allegiance to the nation.

Somalia’s minister of state of Planning and International cooperation, Abdullahi Sheikh Ali has urged youths to stand for leading their country and to defeat ageing leaders like him.

“Celebrating your heroics is good but there is need to take action and lead Somalia out of the current troubles. Youths, you are sleeping, wake up and take this job,” told Abdullahi Sheikh.

Speaking at the 67 anniversary of the Somali Youth League in Nairobi, Abdullahi said, “Youths time is now, not tomorrow. Please follow the road of the youths who were the brain behind our sovereignty”.

“At age sixty, I would wish to retire but if you won’t wake up and show character I will be forced to continue serving as a state minister,” added Abdullahi.

Somalia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Mohamed Ali Nur, has told Somali youths to shun clan interest for honour departed heroes of the Somali Youth League and the sake of national interests.

“Its time youths unite, and it’s remarkable that you remember the heroics of SYL as you gather her tonight and work hard for a better Somalia,” said Ali Nur.

Khadiija Iise, who is a song writer and leading HADAF arts and awareness club which organized this ceremony, told AfricaNews that she is feeling shame because of two reasons; to celebrate in other country and ongoing violece in the lovely country of Somalia.

This young girl, who use her energy as an artist to create awareness among Somali youth, was in tears as she stood up to sing Somalia’s national anthem.

“To celebrate in abroad is unlucky but we like to show that we are still a live”, she told AfricaNews. “Young people in leadership can bring a solution”, Said Iise.

HADAF arts and awareness club uses music and entertainment to advocate for peace in war-torn nation of horn of Africa.

The founders of SYL were not educated and only three of them gradated in primary School in Somalia, where once seen as Africa’s rural democracy.

The SYL’s objectives were to unify all Somali territories, including the NFD (North Eastern Province of Kenya), the Ogadenia region in current Ethiopia and Djibouti as to bring back great Somalia.

The group also banned clannishness so that the thirteen founding members, although representing four of Somalia’s five major clans, refused to disclose their clan affiliations. The SYL succeeded in uniting all Somali clans under its flag and led the country to independence.

The last living founder of the Somali Youth League, Ali Hassan Barduro died last November in Nairobi at 81 years.

All the participants who were wrapping in the colours of the Somali flag looking stressed perhaps remembered the past good days of the nation.

 —

Muhyadin Ahmed Roble is Somali freelance journalist based at Nairobi – Kenya and it can be reached at
muhudin01@gmail.com

A Mogadishu based Human Rights group of Elman said more than 1700 people, mostly civilians, were killed the fighting in the Capital in the last year of 2009.

Yassin Sheikh Ahmed, the Chairman of Elman Peace and Human Rights in Mogadishu told that 1739 civilians were killed in Somalia this year only while another 7574 people were killed in 2008. In 2007, another 8636 people were dead in the fighting.

“The death is fallen off according to what happened in 2008 and 2007″, Ahmed said.

He added that there is not seen a serious face to face fighting in Mogadishu in the last year of 2009 except an exchange of the shelling in base forces.

“In this year, clashes were only hit and run”, the chairman of Elman Peace and Human Rights said.

The Group said that most of casualties were caused by exchange shelling mortars in the capital. The group also announced that 4,911 civilians were wounded in the shelling and gun battle in the capital in 2009 and the dead people including children, women and old people.

The ongoing fighting in Mogadishu also displaced more than 3,500 people who are now living in a new city of Elasha Biyaha, west of the capital.

On Friday, first day of the new year of 2010 three people wounded after clashes between government forces backed by AU peacekeepers and the insurgent group in Mogadishu.

The report comes as four people were killed and 10 others were wounded in fighting between government forces backed by AU peacekeepers and the rebel group.

Somalia has not had an effective government since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

BY: Muhyadin Ahmed Roble
      Freelance Journalist
     Nairobi – Kenya
Email: muhudin01@gmail.com

A Somali man was arrested in Mogadishu after being suspected of attempting to board an aircraft, Somali officials have announced.

Officials said the man had chemicals, liquid and a syringe, same material to those used by the Nigerian man accused of attempting to blast a plane on Christmas Day.
 
The man was arrested at the Mogadishu Airport while he was trying to fly on Daallo Airlines en route to the northern Somali city Hargeisa, then to Djibouti and Dubai.

Mogadishu airport is one of the few areas that Somali weak government runs and African Union peacekeepers work with government on security in the Mogadishu Airport.

Somali police said on Wednesday that the chemicals could have caused a detonation but not one that would have taken out the airline.

Somali Islamist Group has controlled most of the country while government controls a few areas in the capital.

It is the first time an attempt has been made to blow up a commercial flight in Somalia. In Somalia, there are daily flights to neighbouring countries such as Djibouti and Kenya.

US officials have learnt about the Somali case and are investigating any possible links with the attempted attack in Detroit, According to AP.

by
Muhudin Ahmed Roble Roble
freelance journalist

Somali Islamist rebel Hizbul Islam vowed on Thursday that they will invade inside Ethiopia towns, a top official threatened.

Islamist governor of border region of Hiiran, Shuriye Farah Sabriye told reporters in Mogadishu that his group will launch cross border attacks against Ethiopia.

He said that they were in the final preparations for a big offensive into Ethiopia. The official said on Thursday that his fighters are ready to attack on the Ethiopian army bases in the border town of Ferfer. He said that town has been arranged attacks against them.

“We will go deep inside Ethiopia”, the Islamist official said. Not only Ethiopia but Islamist official threatened to moderate Islamist Ahlu Sunna those controlled in centre Somalia.

He accused them that they are not pure Muslims and supporting what he called the enemy of Islam (Ethiopia) and Christian proxy government in Somalia.

He said they will destroy the moderate Islamist in centre Somalia. Ethiopian officials could not be reached for comment about the reports.

Last week, Ethiopian troops have pulled out in the centre Somali towns Balanbale and Kalabeyr which links central and south regions after two weeks of presence.

Residents in Beledweyn told AfricaNews that Ethiopian troops those based in Kalabeyr, a town 22Km (14 miles) from the Somali border and Ethiopia have turned to the border town of Ferfer in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia entered Somalia in 2006 to help oust Islamist forces from the capital Mogadishu but withdrew under an UN-backed peace deal.

Somalia has not had an effective government since warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

By
Muhudin Ahmed Roble
freelance journalist

Press statement from Al-Shabaab group who Washington says the group is al Qaeda’s proxy in the Horn of Africa nation accused the aid agency of devastating local agriculture.

Al-shabaab rebel group control most of southern Somalia while the Western-backed government runs only a little of the country.

The U.N.’s World Food Programme is main player in the international reply to the emergency. Experts believed 3.76 million Somalis or half Somalis population need assist and most of the people are living in central and southern regions.

Al-shabaab rebel group told that U.N organization had become against to Somalia’s self- sufficiency. The statement was said that WFP must purchase food from Somali farmers as to distribute. “WFP must refrain from bringing food rations from outside Somalia”, statement told.

A WFP spokesman in Kenya had no immediate comment. Somalia has not had an effective government since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, Africanews correspondent in Nairobi

Muhyadin Ahmed Roble is a Somali freelance journalist reporting for Africanews and lives in Kenya. He was editor of local newspaper called Xiddigta and producer of Simba Fm in Nairobi and Mogadishu. He was working more than 6 years as writer, columnist, reporter, correspondent and editor. He can be contacted at:

• Muhudin01@gmail.com
• Saadaam_7@hotmail.com
• Facebook: Muhyadin Ahmed Roble

The Somali Islamist group of Al-shabab controls much of southern Somalia, while the western backed government runs only a little of the capital city Mogadishu.

It is the fourth times that Islamists have stoned a person to death for adultery during the past year alone.

Al-shabab has stoned to death two men in the same town after accusing them of spying. A 13-year-old girl was stoned to death for adultery in the port town of Kismayo some 300 km south of Mogadishu last year.

According to human rights groups a young girl had been raped. Also another man has been punished in this way in the lower Shabelle region.

Somalia has not had an effective government since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991

(Written by Muhyadin Ahmed Roble is a Somali freelance Journalist based at Kenya who works with both local and international news networks in reporting the crisis in the Horn of Africa.   He was Editor of local Newspaper called Xiddigta and producer of Simba FM in Nairobi and Mogadishu.   He was working more then 6 years as writer, columnist, reporter, correspondent and editor.)

Muhyadin Ahmed Roble
Freelance Journalist
Muhudin01@gmail.com
Facebook: Muhyadin Ahmed Roble

• ETN TV
• Horn Cable TV