Re: Somali Pirates Free Indian crew members on Stolt Valor who return home

PILGRIMAGE PANORAMA: Milling crowds of devotees at Makkah's Grand Mosque on Friday during the annual Haj pilgrimage. The Grand Mosque houses the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site. It stands in the heart of the mosque and contains the holy Black Stone which is believed to be the only piece remaining from an altar built by Abraham.

PHOTO By: AFP

British taxpayer funds Somali police force for regime accused of war crimes(Rob Crilly in Nairobi )

Millions of pounds of British taxpayers' money is being used to support a government in Somalia accused of human rights abuses and war crimes. The money is supposed to be used to strengthen security and democracy, but The Times has learnt that it is financing a police force filled with militiamen and led by one of the country's most notorious warlord, Abdi Hasan Awale Qaybdib. At various times he has fought US forces or been given American money to fight Islamic extremists. Now he is being funded to keep the peace.

Donors privately admit that they cannot control where their money is going but say that there is no alternative. "An element of a leap of faith is required," one Western diplomat said. "Otherwise we have to walk away." Somalia's interim Government took control of Mogadishu in December 2006 when Ethiopian troops defeated the forces of the Islamic Courts Union, which had held most of southern and central Somalia for six months. Since then the fragile regime has fought Islamist insurgents and clan gunmen, and an estimated one million people have fled Mogadishu.

The Government survives on foreign donations, channelled through the UN Development Programme. The British Department for International Development (DfID) is the second-largest donor – behind the European Commission – to UN programmes supporting the Transitional Federal Government, having committed £11 million to date.

More than £10 million, including £2.5 million of British money, is being used to refurbish government buildings, cover running costs and provide technical assistance. Members of the Somali parliament, many of whom earned their seats through military muscle, receive a monthly stipend of £600. But the biggest chunk of donor cash – some £15 million, including £3.2 million from the DfID – is being spent on rule-of-law programmes. This is meant for the police as salaries and to buy radios and vehicles.

The police are controlled by Brigadier-General Qaybdib, whose militias once fought US and UN forces in Mogadishu. In 1993 his capture by US special forces launched the events that led up to the so-called First Battle of Mogadishu and was portrayed in the film Black Hawk Down. Since then, however, he has been seen as an ally in the War on Terror and admits receiving thousands of dollars from the US to fight Islamic insurgents in Mogadishu during 2006. He is now police commissioner and one of several warlords who hold positions within the transitional Government or its security arms.

UN monitors say that police officers, far from keeping solely to peace duties, have fought alongside Ethiopian troops and have been accused of looting, firing indiscriminately into crowds, and torture. A report published last week by the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia cited numerous allegations that the police had recruited clan militias so that they could collect salaries provided by international donors.
The money for police wages, thought to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, was given in a lump sum to Brigadier-General Qaybdib and his deputies last year after he insisted that a UN proposal to pay officers directly undermined his authority. No money has been paid this year.

The report also gives details of three occasions when police took part in military engagements, and claims that officers are collecting fees and "taxes" at roadblocks. In some cases, the report says, they have sold weapons at Mogadishu's main arms market. Other UN reports detail allegations of torture, indiscriminate shooting of civilians and harassment of journalists. In an interview with The Times, Brigadier-General Qaybdib denied that his officers had been involved. "I am not a warlord, although I have had my own militia. I did fight UN forces but that was only because my clan was being treated unfairly."

A spokeswoman for the DfID said officials were concerned by reports of mismanagement. But she added it was up to Somalis to decide who should lead their police and that British money was only given to agencies with robust accounting mechanisms. "We can only work within the existing conditions in Somalia, far from ideal as these may be."

  

Source: Somalia blogs and news  Ex-Somali President Met with South African President to Better Situation of Somalis in His Country
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Dr. AbdulQasim Salad Hassan Meets with Mbeki of South Africa

The former Somali President, Dr. Abdul-Qasim Salad Hassan recently met the South African President Thabo Mbeki in South Africa. The the Presidents discussed in a long meeting the current instability in the Horn of Africa with regards to the Somali people's continuing struggle with civil wars and now foreign intervention.

The two also brought to the meeting table the harassment by Mbeki's people on the Somali refugees in South Africa.

Dr. Abdul Qasim told Mr. Mbeki that the Somali refugees do not deserve the kind of treatment they get from their African brothers while they are in their home land. He reminded the African President about the days of civil injustice when the whites ruled the South African people and how they ill treated the black people in Africa with no dignity. The former Somali President brought into Mr. Mbeki's attention that the Somali people gave full support to South African people during their past ANC struggle.

Now, it is South Africa's turn to assist the Somali people in their struggle, suggested the former President of the TNG of Somalia. He condemned acts of robbery, murders and harrasments against Somali refugees in South Africa.Click on Article Title

 

Source: Somalia blogs and news  Ex-Somali President Met with South African President to Better Situation of Somalis in His Country
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European Court of Justice annuls Al-Barakat assets ruling

Somali blogs and news  will keep you posted on any additional reports coming of out of Mogadishu about this story. 

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Europe's highest court has overturned a ruling to freeze the funds of a Sweden-based foundation that used to be one of Somalia's biggest money transfer firms.

The European Court of Justice has given the EU three months to inform al-Barakaat International Foundation why its funds were frozen.

Read on BBC News. Court Annuls Somali Assets Ruling

 

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Somali Transitional Government Militia Kills a Civilian For His Mobile In Mogadishu

The copy-Ethiopia TFG militia killed an unarmed civilian near City View hotel in Mogadishu. In light of casual argument the victim tried to retake his mobile phone which was confiscated by the armed bandits, he was sprayed with bullets of an automatic AK47 and dropped dead on the spot.

The killings by the TFG militia are very common in Mogadishu. During the past month or so, since the new armed bandits who were trained in Ethiopia and known as copy-Ethiopia, arrived in Mogadishu, they killed people in broad day light perhaps sensing they were given the licence to kill.

The young man killed today was accompanied by a friend whose mobile was also robbed by the same TFG robbers while they travelled together at Florence and Hararialle Intersection. Apparently, he did not try to get his mobile back so he survived. But unfortunately, his friend died trying to get his cell phone back.

The two men ran away earlier from Bakaraha market which was hit continuously with artillery by the TFG militia that were attacked yesterday near Somali Villa, the Presidential palace.

Originally Posted on Somali Blogs and News 

Somali Civilian Killed For His Mobile

 

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Af Soomaali blog | Somalia Blog | YouSomali | Number 1 Somali Blogs |  Mogadishu News | Current Somali News  |  Somali News Articles | United Islamic Courts Blog | Somali News Blog | Somali By Somalis | Somali Cities Blogs | US Agenda In Somalia | Somali Music

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ICU Fighters Force Restaurants To Close During Fasting Hours in Beledweyne, Hiran, Somalia

Members of the ICU in Beledweyne shut down local restaurants where Ethiopian troops are said to have been buying and eating their meals during the fasting hours of holly month of Ramadan. 

 

As the Ramadan started two days ago, the Islamic Courts Union fighters vowed to destroy any restaurant or shop selling ready food for eating at site, specially those located at near or at the areas the Ethiopian troops control.  They also warned anyone found in the act - eating at the restaurant-  will be detained.

 

The Ethiopian troops and the ICU fighters both occupy the capital city of the Hiiraan.  Beledweyne has been a fighting front for the two forces for some time now and it seems neither one of them is in full control of the city during the Ramadan.

 

In some parts of the City, restaurants are seen open during the day hours to serve non-fasting secular individuals as well as members of the occupying Tigre troops.  The majority restaurants, however, located in areas under the ICU control are closed during the fasting hours.

 

Posted originally on Somchat Somalia - ICU Shuts Down Restaurants In Beledweyne

 

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Somchat.com Somali Blogs and News to Bring you Somali News in English and Somali Medium

The time is here!  As Muslims around the world begin to observe the holly month of Ramadan, Somali Blogs and News decided to add more resources for our visitors to enjoy.  As of today, the 2nd day September 2008, we will be posting Somali News in Somali Language as well as English language.

 

It is not a secret that there is a huge number of Somali news web sites already publishing Somali news in their mother tongue.  We think this isolates the world body that needs to hear about the current situation is Somalia, but doesn't speak the Somali language.  Those who do not speak Somali will be served with news in English while our Somali audience gets to enjoy the latest news in Somali language.

 

As you may have noticed, we also discuss technology and have personal blogs on our web site from time to time.  The technology articles are usually a 'how to' lessons.  We will extend these articles to include technology news as well.  Furthermore, both the blogs and tech articles will be published both in English and Somali languages.

 

For now, we wish you Ramadan Mubarak!

 

 

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Af Soomaali blog | Somalia Blog | YouSomali | Number 1 Somali Blogs |  Mogadishu News | Current Somali News  |  Somali News Articles | United Islamic Courts Blog | Somali News Blog | Somali By Somalis | Somali Cities Blogs | US Agenda In Somalia | Somali Music

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