Youth donate food and clothes at Hargeisa mental hospital

HARGEISA, April 21 - The mentally ill patients at the Hargeisa mental hospital woke up on Saturday to a surprise visit by youths who brought them food, clothes and other essentials worth $1000 USD locally collected among the youth volunteers as part of celebrations to mark the Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) that encourages youth to volunteer for community service events.

Volunteering under the banner of the USAID funded Somali Youth Leaders Initiative (SYLI) and the Global Citizens Corps (GCC),the youth presented the donations to the guest of honour and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Ali Said Reigal who officially handed the foodstuffs and other essential to the management of the hospital who were really touched by the benevolence and kind gesture from the youth.

Speaking at the fun-filled handing over ceremony at the heavily fortified mental facility, Mustafe Khamrile, head of the mental unit was full of praise to the youth saying that he hopes their kindness will not stop and that they will always keep the forgotten patients close to their heart.

“This kind gesture by the youth is really encouraging because they are actually helping their peers since most of the patients are youth. We cannot remember the last time when anyone or group has remembered us and brought us so much donations like this, we say thank you, thank you and thank you again.” Khamrile said.

Olad Farah, Mercy Corps Deputy Chief of Party for the SYLI program that help to facilitated for the youth mobilization promised the patients and the hospital officials of many more similar voluntary activities by the youth.

“All the food, clothes, soaps and other essentials you see hear was bought by the youth who contributed $1000 USD amongst them to donate them to the patients of Hargeisa mental hospital as part of the GYSD celebrations in Somaliland. This is the first of many similar voluntary activities under the GCC community service events that you will be seeing in near future. I can promise you all that this will not be our last time to support the patients,” Olad said amid ululations and claps from the dignitaries and women patients.

Guest of honour at the ceremony, Minister Reigal praised the youth for their benevolence and thanked the health workers at the mental hospital for taking care of the mentally handicapped patients.

“I expected to see chained patients and a lot of commotion and chaos as is the case in most mental hospitals. But that is not the case as you can all see and therefore I wish to thanks the nurses, doctors and administrators of the hospital for a job well done. To the wonderful youth who remembered their sick mothers, brothers and sisters I can only say may God handsomely reward you for your kind gesture. The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture will always support you in all your endeavors,” Minister Reigal said.

Elise Ranveig, a Norwegian nurse working at the hospital was also so impressed by the gesture from the youth that she came to personally thank them all.

“This is so kind of the youth because these patients have no one else to support them. Please keep up the good work and am sure your compassion will be rewarded. Your gesture will surely encourage members of the society to also support these poor and sickly patients who cannot fend for themselves,” Elise said with a grin.

With his perfect English, one of the patients had but only praise for the youth.

“Thank you Mr. My name is Abdullahi. I am good and very, very happy. What is your name? You are good people because you give us food, clothes and even football to play. God bless you,”

he said while enjoying a cold canned juice fruit with cookies and looking smart from the new shirt and trouser that he received from the donations.

London conference revives Somalia optimism

A lot has been written or said about the recent international conference on Somalia hosted by the British government. This conference had many "firsts" than the dozens of conferences held for Somalia.

This was the first ever conference hosted by Britain, a former Somalia colonial master. The former British protectorate of Somaliland, which broke away from the rest of Somalia, also attended the meeting for the first time since it seceded in 1991.

I have covered Somalia since 2004 but I have never seen such a positive optimism from Somalis before. The renewed hope seems to have spurred patriotism among Somali forces as government forces and their AU backers AMISOM are winning on the ground. They have just kicked out Al-Shabaab from their last hideout in the outskirts of Mogadishu which acted as a base and a killing or assassination base for civilians.

This latest sense of hope reminds me of the Islamic Courts days when Mogadishu was pacified for the first time. I just hope the latest sense of revival and hope will not dash like it did in 2006 when the ICU took over power. Sheikh Sharif who was the then chairman of the ICU is currently the President.

The London conference has also for the first time united the international interests in Somalia. Before the meeting, the world seemed not to read from the same script when it comes to Somalia. That is now history largely due to the dangers posed by extremists groups in Somalia, who as expected, recently admitted to have officially joined Al-Qaeda.

If you have noticed, I have gone into a lull in updating my post. I must admit that I have carefully been analyzing the situation and trends because one thing I have learnt during my many years of covering Somalia is that the situation in the Horn of African country is very unpredictable.

I just hope the latest sense of hope mixed with renewed patriotism among Somalis will eventually lead to the resuscitation of the once great nation called Somalia that is at peace with itself and the rest of the world...simply because the people of Somalia have suffered many a times.

The one million question mark is whether the Somalis can sustain and protect the latest opportunity to end the long overdue war and destruction in the country.
I sincerely hope so.

Stop killing the messengers!

Shabelle radio/TV editor Hassan Osman Abdi better known as “Hassan Fantastic” is no longer with us, reason? He was cold bloodedly murdered near his house in Mogadishu by two-pistol-totting unknown assailants who later disappeared after firing 5 shots into his head and body leaving for dead.
Fantastic, is the third Shabele editor to have been murdered since 2007. The late Hirabe was also a close friend and of wonderful personality just like Mohamed and the latest fallen hero and a fantastic chap.
I was lucky to have met and seen the late Fantastic doing what he does best…Report about the unceasing violence in Mogadishu whose biggest casualties still remains to date as the poor women, children and men who are too poor to even flee.
But who is killing these messengers and what is his or her motive? This is what every journalist in Somalia is thinking about. I wish I had the answers too.
Mogadishu seems to have turned into a hunting ground for journalist, many of who are already working under deplorable conditions and very low pay compared to their comrades in other hot spots of the world like Iraq and Afghanistan.
Whoever is behind these cold-blooded murders is a true enemy of the people. Just like the killing of other professionals in Somalia, I wonder when we the Somalis will ever stop eliminating the most learned amongst us.
We should stop killing our best brains and above all desist from harming or eliminating the messengers who dodge bullets and bombs to keep us informed of the situation in Somalia and Mogadishu.
Hassan Fantastic, rest in peace. His killers should remember that, even walls have ears and one day their identities will be known. This heinous act will not go unpunished and for sure they will die the same way they killed Fantastic, Hirabe and many other fallen comrades.
If you live by the gun, you will die by the gun!

Jerry Rawlings visits Somalia, condemns extremist attack

Mogadishu, Oct 13 – Former Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings who is the African Union High Representative for Somalia visited Mogadishu to console bereaved families of a recent suicide attack as well as to inspire the government to keep up with its political and military transformation in order to prepare the country for elections scheduled for August next year.

Speaking after meeting Somali President Sheikh Sharif and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali as well as AMISOM commanders, Rawlings noted that Mogadishu is slowly recovering from the protracted war and condemned a recent suicide attack in Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab extremists which killed over 80 people and wounded more than 100 others. Most of the fatalities were Somali students hoping to pursue further studies in Turkey.

“My main reason for coming was to come and express my condolence to the parents through the government for those who lost their lives and to actually make them understand that this kind of cowardly and brutal behavior by the extremists is an admission of their military failure and this is why they had to resort to picking on some target, to picking on innocents which am afraid will only cost them politically,” Rawlings said after his one day visit to Mogadishu before away.

The former Ghanian leader said that he discussed with Somali leaders about the ongoing peace efforts and hopes to see Somali politicians coming together to steer the country past the current transition period which is impeding the much needed reconstruction efforts the war ravaged country badly needs.

“The military push seems to be far ahead of the political move, the political transformation, the political process that should be taking place. The sooner we close the gap the better it will be for all of us. I think in itself will generate a very healthy atmosphere among the public that we are serious about going through the transition and ending the transition as early as possible so that we can have a nationally elected institutions into the executive offices,” He said, referring to the recent military successes by Somali forces and AU peacekeepers against Al-Shabaab militants who have now been pushed out of the city.

Mr. Rawlings, whose first visit in January coincided with a humanitarian catastrophe as a result of a severe drought, said that he was pleased with the humanitarian response but called for robust mechanism to make sure the aid reaches the worst affected regions in south and central Somalia.

The pathetic conditions of tens of thousands of Somalis affected by a severe drought in Somalia many of who have fled into Mogadishu and living in squalid camps with little food or medical care has attracted world attention prompting many leaders to visit Somalia in a bid to show solidarity with the affected population.

“There is a much healthier atmosphere in terms of the social and economic activity. There is a very busy environment which I think reflects a very healthy sign. Some areas are receiving the necessary humanitarian assistance and medication but it is how to get the aid into the needy areas in the hinterland that really matters now,” he added.

The 63 year old former President of Ghana was named as the Africa Union’s High Representative to Somalia in October 2010 and tasked with mobilizing the continent and the rest of the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and contribute more actively to the quest for peace, security and reconciliation in Somalia.

He believes African countries are positively contributing towards helping Somalia attain peace but calls upon more support in order to help the once powerful country of Somalia to stand on its feet and claim its rightful place among other nations.

“There is a lot of hope otherwise Africans would not have deployed their troops on the ground suffering, sacrificing and dying for fellow Somalians to see a nation stand back on its feet. In terms of the contributions that also took place I think it is a very healthy sign that this is the first time we have embarked on this kind of request for Africans to give up themselves and I think they have done pretty well. It may not be that much but it is a beginning,” Rawlings added with a smile looking relaxed.

Somalia suicide bomber aimed for maximum damage

Mogadishu - Bishar Abdullahi Nur, the man who exploded himself in Mogadishu last Tuesday killing 72 people and who wounded over a hundred others in a suicide attack at a government compound housing several ministries, says he aimed for maximum damage. He believed his target housed government top secrets and top commanders, the 28-year-old suicide bomber said in an audio message recorded hours before he carried out the attack.

Among those he killed were students and their parents checking out results of a Turkish scholarship and many innocent civilians going about their business in Mogadishu’s busiest road close to the famous K4 junction. Al Shabaab immediately claimed responsibility for the attack claiming that they killed government security personnel and warned civilians from going to government offices because many more suicide bombers are on the way.

“If we inflict maximum damage to the enemy, then we thank Allah. That is what we wanted and hoped for, if ministers die, we kill commanders and infidels or destroy documents and letters because we are told there are so many secrets there of the apostate government. We hope this will be the beginning and the mujahideens will gain victory from our act,” Bishar said, responding to a question posed by another possible Al Shabaab reporter who did not give his name.

Asked to describe his feelings just hours before going to explode himself, Bishar calmly says he is happy and is ready to meet his God but still asks Somalis to pray for him. The planning and execution of the attack as well as the audio message carries all the hallmarks of Al Qaeda and reaffirms the link between Al Shabaab militants in Somalia and their global masters, Al-Qaeda, whom they always wish to please.
The audio was posted in an Al Shabaab website where the militants post their propaganda messages.

Al Shabaab militants in Mogadishu control several radio stations, most of which they confiscated from private companies which they also use to spread their propaganda aimed at wooing many Somalis youngsters at joining their unholy cause. Bishar was born and raised in Mogadishu’s Hamar jadiid and Gubta neighbourhoods. In the audio he also spoke about the biting drought, urging wealthy Somalis to help their needy brothers and at the same time criticising humanitarian agencies and the UN of using food to Christianise the Muslim majority Somalis. He says their aim is to free the Muslims and hope what he was about to do will be a catalyst for Al Shabaab victory against the Somali government and their African Union backers.

He even compared himself to Mohamed Attam, accused by US authorities of leading the 9/11 attacks, saying that those who attacked America were mujahideens like him and praying to Allah to accept his martyrdom mission. “These men did not go to America to get worldly possessions, they did not go there to rule America and they did not go for purposes of ruling the world... We are not going in order to get wealth, we are not going in order to get a name, we are not going in order to be told so and so is brave, we are going because we want Allah to be pleased with us,” the would-be-suicide bomber said referring to Mohamed Attam and the other suspected Al Qaeda militants who targeted several US cities on September 11, 2001.

Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed expressed shock and condemned Al Shabaab, saying the militants will not stop the Somali people from living in peace and that their 'holy war' has nothing to do with Islam. “I am extremely shocked and saddened by this cruel and inhumane act of violence against the most vulnerable in our society. I would like to send my deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Somalia, I pray for the dead and speedy recovery for the injured,” President Sharif said.

He added that the attack was launched by Al-Shabab/Al-Qaeda and that it was “set on destroying the country and any hope for its people’s future. Al-Shabab is an enemy of the Somali people and an enemy of the future stability of Somalia.” Al Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamed Rage confirmed that the group had carried out the attack. The Turkish government which had offered scholarships to most of the killed or wounded students evacuated 37 of the most severely injured people for treatment while many others are still receiving treatment in the government run Madina hospital and a hospital managed by the African Union peacekeepers.

Mogadishu residents are still trying to come to terms with what happened and many of them believe the attack will further alienate Al Shabaab from the society. As if to show their resilience to such attacks, residents are seen going about their businesses as if nothing happened around the streets close to the scene of the attack.

“Al Shabaab can kill a million of our people if they want but it will not change our perception of their murderous gang. We are tired of their bloodletting tactics and their cowardly attack on civilians. If they are men enough they should confront the soldiers in the frontline and not kill women and children who have nothing to do with the war,” an angry Nurto Muse, a mother whose son was wounded in the attack said.

Al-Shabaab strikes again, killing innocent civilians.

Mogadishu, October 4 - An Al-Shabaab suicide bomber driving a truck laden with explosives and petrol exploded at a government premise housing several ministries in the busy K4 area of Mogadishu killing scores of people and injuring nearly a hundred others.

The explosion occurred around mid morning at a time when traffic is heavy at a road opposite the targeted government premise housing several ministries including offices for the Higher education ministry where students and their parents were waiting for their examination results for scholarships offered by the Turkish government.

This is another brazen attack by Al-Shabaab, who had the audacity to claim responsibility of killing innocent children, women and men. The attack was expected, since when Al-Shabaab forces withdrew from most of their positions in the various frontlines in Mogadishu.

One Mogadishu resident was survived the attack could not understand what Al-Shabaab hopes to gain from such a cowardly attack against civilians.

"I was less than 100 meters from the attacked position. The intensity of the attacked pushed me to a wall. The scene was all bloody with limbs and body parts everywhere. What I don't understand is what these terrorist hope to gain by killing their own brothers, sisters and mothers. Whatever their intention, they should know that we will never forget this heinous attack. They are our enemies," Bule Abdi said, still disturbed by the bloody attack.

The government later issued a statement saying 15 people died and 20 wounded. Meanwhile Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility of the attack.

Today's attacked comes after nearly a month of clam in Mogadishu,, where gun are conspicuously silent following the Al-Shabaab withdrawal in August.

Twin celebrations for Nigerian Police in Somalia.

Mogadishu October 2 – As millions of Nigerians celebrated their 51st Independence Day anniversary, eight police officers from Nigeria serving in Somalia enjoyed a twin celebration thousands of miles away in Mogadishu after being decorated for serving in the Africa Union peacekeeping mission, AMISOM.

The eight police officers, Assistant Commissioner Isaac Sunday Obafaye, Chief Superintendent Nasiru Mohammed, Superintendent Saluna Muntua Saleh, Superintendent Nana Garba Bature, Deputy Superintendent Augustine Egim, Assistant Superintendent Marcus Nyams Bako, Assistant Superintendent Maryam Hamman and Inspector Ruth Ade Makinwa received gold plated medals courtesy of AMISOM for their dedication and service to the Somali police force.

The Somali Police Force like many other institutions in Somalia did not survive the bloody civil war in the Horn of African country after the ouster of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, who incidentally died in Lagos, Nigeria while in exile there on January 2, 1995.

The medals ceremony coincided with Nigeria’s 51st Independence Day celebrations, which the officers from Nigeria, celebrated in style in the still silence of Mogadishu, a city ravaged by clan and ideological wars in the past two decades. In the recent past months though, the city has enjoyed a relative peace following the defeat of Al-Shabab militants by AMISOM peacekeepers and Somali forces.

The twin party in Mogadishu started with a parade mounted by the smartly dressed Nigerian police officers consisting of four women officers and four male officers who patriotically sang and saluted as their national anthem reverberated in the background with the green, white and green national flag of Nigeria flying high next to Somalia’s Sky Blue flag and the green flag of the African Union.

Each of the officers was then decorated with a gold plated medal by Mr. Wafula Wamunyinyi, the Deputy African Union Special Representative in Somalia at the AMISOM Force headquarters in camp Halane, next to the sea side Aden Ade International airport in Mogadishu.

The Nigerian police contingent later hosted Mr. Wamunyinyi, the AMISOM Force Commander Major General Fred Mugisha and other senior AMISOM military and police officers from across Africa at a well decorated mess where guests broke the kola nut in accordance with Nigerian traditions amid drinks and chocolates with the history of Africa’s most populous nation beaming from a computer aided screen.

“The kola nut is grown in the west, adored in the east and eaten in the north of Nigeria. In our culture in Nigeria, the breaking of kola nuts comes before any celebrations including funeral ceremonies. It is therefore our pleasure to request our dear prince and our Nigerian Police contingent commander to break the kola nut to mark our twin celebrations of decoration by AMISOM as well as our 51st independence celebration,” Master of Ceremony Deputy Superintendent Augustine Egim, who is also the AMISOM Police spokesman said.

The kola nuts were imported all the way from Nigeria specifically for the twin celebrations together with specially designed Nigerian attires which were handed to the guest of honour Mr. Wamunyinyi as well as the AMISOM Force Commander Major General Fred Mugisha and two other guests seated at the high table.

“Nigeria strongly contributes towards the African Union and has participated in many peacekeeping missions in Africa. We wish to congratulate the people of Nigeria during their 51st independence anniversary celebration and urge them to continue their much-needed efforts in making Africa a better and safer place for us all, “ the AU Deputy Representative to Somalia, Mr. Wamunyinyi said.

AMISOM Force Commander Maj. Gen Mugisha said terrorism does not know borders by reminding the people of Africa on the destruction and deaths that continues to be carried out by terror gangs in both Somalia and Nigeria courtesy of Al-Shabaab and the Boko Haram terrorist organizations respectively.

“African countries cannot just watch as Somalia slips further into chaos because no country is safe from terrorism. We know Al-Shabaab militants help and train Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. We thank our big brother Nigeria for sending their police to come and train their Somali brothers but we believe Nigerian military should also join us here to stem out terrorism from Somalia before it spreads.” The general noted.

Later after dusk though, the flamboyantly proud Nigerian police officers in Mogadishu danced and enjoyed their twin celebrations at their AMISOM Police quarters, where they live with other police officers from Sierra Leone, Ghana and Uganda.

“I wish to urge African women to push their men and leaders to help the Somali people. We cannot enjoy as our sisters and children in Somalia languish in poverty and war, it is not fair at all,” Superintendent Saluna Muntua Saleh said, looking relaxed and happy.

The young and old freely mingled after a light dinner of lamb chops, goat meat and potatoes served by the four Nigerian women police officers who downed their colourful West African dresses.

The music and dance that accompanied the dinner did not disappoint either. West African music dominated the night with almost everyone in attendance swinging a leg every time Nigerian musical darling Flavour’s song Ashawo hit the airwaves.

“It is good to dance and enjoy our decoration and our independence day in Mogadishu. We have come to Somalia to help our brothers and sisters get out of the current problems. We wish to assure our people back home that we are well and that we dully represent them in Somalia,” Nigerian Police Contingent Commander and Assistant Commissioner of Police Isaac Sunday Obafaye said.

His Deputy Nasiru Mohammed is touched by the impact of the war in Mogadishu and remembers the great old days when Somalia was a powerful country in Africa that has a rich culture.

“Somalia’s problem is a challenge to the whole of Africa. Africa must come together to help this great country called Somalia. I remember in 1977 when Somalia attended a cultural event in Nigeria and actually won it. We must never accept to see such a great nation go to waste,” he said, sweat dripping off his face from dancing to the rigorous and demanding Nigerian tunes.