Thursday, January 22, 2009

Somali migrants die off Yemen


Dozens of illegal Somali immigrants have drowned after their vessels capsized near the southern coast of Yemen due to bad weather. 

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Senior External Relations Officer, Leila Nassif said Sunday that as many as 200 people were aboard two boats when large waves capsized their vessels off Yemen. 

The bodies of the ill-starred immigrants were washed ashore. 

Dire economic conditions and violence in Somalia prompts many to escape from the conflict-plagued Horn of Africa state and cross to Yemen in hope of better living conditions. More than 4,500 migrants managed to reach poverty-stricken Yemen in 2008. 

Aid agencies say it is not just Somali refugees who are risking the crossing but also Ethiopians trying to raise themselves from poverty by seeking work and a better life in the Middle East, or Europe. 

Smugglers are known to cram dozens of men, women and children onto small boats and often beat and abuse the migrants during the journey, which can take up to three days. In a bid to avoid Yemeni coast guards, the smugglers often dump their passengers far from shore and force them to swim the rest of the way. 

The Gulf of Aden is not the only dangerous sea crossing for migrants. Hundreds of Africans die every year trying to make the journey across the Mediterranean to Spain, Italy and Greece. 

There are many reports of boat people dying at sea off Spain, usually because overcrowded vessels capsize or break apart, and survivors often throw bodies of fellow travelers overboard when they die of exposure or starvation. 

MP/MMN 

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Re: Alshabab Cannot Participate in Somali Peace Talks Says Ethiopia


Xoogaga MMIS garabka Dr.Cumar Iimaan ayaa Galabta weerar xoogan oo ka fool ka fool ah ku kala qaaday Ciidamada DKMG ah ee Fariisimaha ku kala leh Xeradii hore ee Asluubta iyo Sarkuusta Duleedka Mgaalada Muqdisho.

Xiriir aanu la sameynay Dr.Xasan Mahdi oo ka mid ah Mas'uuliyiinta ugu sar-sareysa MMIS garabka Dr. Cumar Iimaan ayaa sheegay in Dagaal socday wax ka badan Hal saac ay ku ekeeyeen labadaasi fariisin isla markaana ay la wareegeen gacan ku haynta fariisinka Sarkuusta.

Mar aanu weydiinay Khasaaraha dhinacooda soo gaaray ayaa waxa uu sheegay in uu Dagaalkaasi kaga geeriyooday Hal wiil mid kalana uu ka dhaawacmay, wuxuuna sheegay in aysan si dhab ah u sheegi Karin khasaaraha rasmiga ah ee soo gaaray dhinaca DKMG ah.

Waa Dagaalkii ugu horeeyay oo ka fool ka fool ah oo ay Xoogaga MMIS Garabka Dr. Cumar Iimaan ku qaadeen Xeradii hore ee Asluubta tan iyo markii ay Ciidamada Gumeysiga Itoobiya halkaasi ka guureen.

Sidoo kale Dagaalkan ayaa ku soo beegmaya xili ay Maanta Dagaalo xoogan ka kala dhaceen, Degmada Yaaqshiid, iyo Dharkaynleey.

SomaliMirror

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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Warlords, Self-deception, And The Ruin of The Somali Nation

Somali Musings - Let us not forget that the Ethiopian army has been active in the Somali region of Gedo since 1996, when this army was engaged in operations then being directed against the now defunct Al-Itihad Al-Islamiya organisation. We should not be surprised by the news, currently reaching us from the Gedo region, that the infamous warlord-cum-parliamentarian Col. Barre Hirale has been re-armed by the Ethiopian state and is determined to retake the Somali port city of Kismayu. Barre Hirale's 
forces—backed up by the Ethiopian army—recently took possession of Burdhubo and Balad Xawo towns in the Gedo region.

Can anyone, in their right mind, really believe that the Ethiopian army can serve the best interests of the Somali people? How often must certain sections of the Somali community attempt to deceive themselves in the interests of personal greed? By all the established laws of humanity, and in all of the annals of human history treason has been the most heinous of crimes. We recently witnessed the resignation of the abominable Somali traitor Cabdullahi Yusuf Axmed as President of the Somali TFG, now we see others carrying on from where the hopelessly misguided octogenarian had left off. Surely now is the time to find a new way ahead for the Somali nation?

The Somali people simply cannot afford to remain in their current unfortunate situation. The Somali people have become nothing more than the captives of various warlords, with vicious and disgraceful reputations as men who have betrayed their own compatriots. The Somali people must learn to speak the truth to those in power, no matter how fearful their reputation. The time has come to seek the truth, and in doing so to name the various traitors who currently masquerade as Somali politicians. It is time to call this moribund class of parasitic cretins what they really are. They are not policy makers or law makers; they are not visionaries or peacemakers.

They are all treacherous villains who bleed the Somali nation of its vitality. These reckless Somali warlords burn the spirit of the Somali nation by sacrificing the youth of our nation for their own selfish ends. How many more young men's lives can we afford to lose needlessly in the endless wars for territory between glorified Somali gangsters who claim to be legitimate defenders of certain communities? The flawed ideas that underpin the phenomenon of Somali warlordism cannot be allowed to live on. If we, the honourable people of Somalia, continue to tolerate the existence of such foul and treacherous practices, then our ancient nation shall be dismembered by our enemies.

Surely if the Ethiopian army, for so long now involved in the killings of thousands upon thousands of innocent Somali civilians, is active inside the Somali national territory specifically because it aims to dismember the Somali nation? Can we really afford to lose more of the Somali national territory to an ancient enemy of the Somali people? It is people like Colonel Barre Aden Shire "Hirale" who facilitate the dismemberment of the Somali national territory. It is precisely such people who permit the Ethiopian state to interfere in Somali national affairs. We can do well without such interference and, in the long run, the Ethiopian authorities shall inevitably have to deal with the full consequences of their actions.

For now, let us demonstrate our refusal to submit to the will of the Ethiopian state. The Somali people are a people of faith, and as such, we cannot allow the most deplorable members of the Somali community to politically hold the rest of us hostage. We must make a stand, before it becomes too late. We, of the Somali nation, must all learn to recognise that our best interests are never served by the Ethiopian army or any other invading military force. Let us all, in the name of the Almighty, renounce the kind of self-deception that has brought us to our current and terrible political plight. The Somali people deserve so much more than the degenerate warlords who are responsible for the political ruin of our nation.

Reference: Original Article by Somali Musings
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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Alshabab Cannot Participate in Somali Peace Talks Says Ethiopia



Ethiopia says it will not allow Somalia's al-Shabaab, the military wing of Islamic Courts Union, to take part in any peace negotiations. 

The Ethiopian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that al-Shabaab, 'with a declared objective of spreading extremism to the entire region', can not be considered a reliable partner in Somalia's peace talks. 

The statement comes in response to a report published by International Crisis Group (ICG), which said the inclusion of al-Shabaab in the Somali peace process would be useful following the Ethiopian troops' withdrawal from the war-torn country. 

Ethiopian trucks packed with soldiers and light and heavy equipment were seen leaving Mogadishu on Friday, the first signs of the expected withdrawal. Somali officials have said the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops will be done in stages. 

ICU did not take part in Djibouti peace talks between the Somali government and the opposition group, Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia, which led to setting a time-table for the Ethiopian forces' pull-out. 

Ethiopian troops were deployed to Somalia in 2006 to help the transitional federal government oust al-Shabaab. However, their presence has been deeply unpopular with the Somali people. 

"The decision of the US government to include al-Shabaab in the list of terrorist organizations is what emboldened extremists into vowing to establish a Taliban like Islamic Caliphate in the entire region," the statement added. 

The resignation of top Somali government officials, including President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, has brought the already violent-ridden country to utter chaos. 

ICU still holds sway over most parts of Somalia while the government's control has been limited to parts of Mogadishu and Baidoa city. 

AKM/DT 


On Sat, Jan 3, 2009 at 9:17 PM, AG <agabeyre@gmail.com> wrote:


Ethiopia says it will not allow Somalia's al-Shabaab, the military wing of Islamic Courts Union, to take part in any peace negotiations. 

The Ethiopian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that al-Shabaab, 'with a declared objective of spreading extremism to the entire region', can not be considered a reliable partner in Somalia's peace talks. 

The statement comes in response to a report published by International Crisis Group (ICG), which said the inclusion of al-Shabaab in the Somali peace process would be useful following the Ethiopian troops' withdrawal from the war-torn country. 

Ethiopian trucks packed with soldiers and light and heavy equipment were seen leaving Mogadishu on Friday, the first signs of the expected withdrawal. Somali officials have said the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops will be done in stages. 

ICU did not take part in Djibouti peace talks between the Somali government and the opposition group, Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia, which led to setting a time-table for the Ethiopian forces' pull-out. 

Ethiopian troops were deployed to Somalia in 2006 to help the transitional federal government oust al-Shabaab. However, their presence has been deeply unpopular with the Somali people. 

"The decision of the US government to include al-Shabaab in the list of terrorist organizations is what emboldened extremists into vowing to establish a Taliban like Islamic Caliphate in the entire region," the statement added. 

The resignation of top Somali government officials, including President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, has brought the already violent-ridden country to utter chaos. 

ICU still holds sway over most parts of Somalia while the government's control has been limited to parts of Mogadishu and Baidoa city. 

AKM/DT 




--
Go To http://www.somchat.com
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Re: Greek Oil Tanker Crew Use Water Jets to Defend Against Boarding Somali Pirates



Ethiopia says it will not allow Somalia's al-Shabaab, the military wing of Islamic Courts Union, to take part in any peace negotiations. 

The Ethiopian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that al-Shabaab, 'with a declared objective of spreading extremism to the entire region', can not be considered a reliable partner in Somalia's peace talks. 

The statement comes in response to a report published by International Crisis Group (ICG), which said the inclusion of al-Shabaab in the Somali peace process would be useful following the Ethiopian troops' withdrawal from the war-torn country. 

Ethiopian trucks packed with soldiers and light and heavy equipment were seen leaving Mogadishu on Friday, the first signs of the expected withdrawal. Somali officials have said the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops will be done in stages. 

ICU did not take part in Djibouti peace talks between the Somali government and the opposition group, Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia, which led to setting a time-table for the Ethiopian forces' pull-out. 

Ethiopian troops were deployed to Somalia in 2006 to help the transitional federal government oust al-Shabaab. However, their presence has been deeply unpopular with the Somali people. 

"The decision of the US government to include al-Shabaab in the list of terrorist organizations is what emboldened extremists into vowing to establish a Taliban like Islamic Caliphate in the entire region," the statement added. 

The resignation of top Somali government officials, including President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, has brought the already violent-ridden country to utter chaos. 

ICU still holds sway over most parts of Somalia while the government's control has been limited to parts of Mogadishu and Baidoa city. 

AKM/DT 

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Somalia: Danish warship rescues cargo ship, Somali pirates

Danish warship rescues cargo ship, pirates 
Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:21:14 GMT 

Denmark's Absalon warship
A Danish warship has rescued a Dutch cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, it also rescued five pirates after they were forced into the water. 

Netherlands Antilles-registered cargo ship sent the Absalon warship a call for help noting that it was being attacked by five pirates in a speedboat Friday morning. 

"Absalon immediately sent an armed helicopter to the area, and the helicopter fired warning shots at the pirates to get them to stop the attack," the navy said in a statement. 

"The Dutch trade ship fired emergency flares at the pirate ship, which caught fire. The pirates jumped into the water and were rescued by Absalon crew members," it added. 

The Danish warship then sank the burning pirate vessel to ensure that it does not pose a threat to civilian shipping activities in the area. 

The rescued pirates will remain onboard the Absalon until the navy decides what to do with them, the statement said. 

Denmark took command last September of the international Task Force 150, which is hunting down Somali pirates and arms smugglers in the northern Indian Ocean. 

More than 100 attacks occurred in the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia in 2008 alone. 

HSH/RA 




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Friday, January 2, 2009

Greek Oil Tanker Crew Use Water Jets to Defend Against Boarding Somali Pirates

Somali Pirates: Crew Use Water Jets to Defend Greek Oil Tanker

Crewmen fired high pressure water jets Friday to fight off heavily armed Somali pirates trying to board a Greek oil tanker in the dangerous Gulf of Aden, officials said. It was the fourth pirate attack of the new year.

Armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenades, pirates in three speedboats twice tried to board the Greek-flagged Kriti Episkopi but were driven away when the crew turned fire hoses on them and EU aircraft scrambled from a nearby European Union naval flotilla to help, shipping company and Greek government officials said.

 
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BBC: EU force 'foils Somali Pirates'

The EU anti-piracy task force is the bloc's first such naval operation
EU naval forces have forced back pirates raiding a Greek oil tanker off Somalia, the Greek government says.

Pirates in speedboats abandoned efforts to board the tanker when a frigate, jet fighter and helicopter approached, the Greek merchant marine ministry reports.
Earlier France's navy said one of its ships had seized two suspected pirate boats and was holding eight suspects.

The International Maritime Bureau says increased naval patrols have sharply reduced the number of pirate attacks.

The Greek-flagged Kriti Episkopi had been en route to Iran when it came under attack twice by pirates, officials say.

The captain alerted the Greek ministry, which in turn contacted the headquarters of the EU naval mission operating in the area.
"There were two failed attempts to board and the pirates fled after the crisis response group was activated with a fighter aircraft, a helicopter and a frigate sent to the area," a marine ministry official said.

Only two ships were captured by pirates last month, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

On Thursday the French navy said it had captured bandits trying to seize a Panamanian-registered cargo ship.

And a Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian oil tanker from attack by gunmen.
But on the same day pirates still managed to hijack a cargo vessel with 28 Egyptian crew members on board.

Somali pirates still hold about 15 ships with more than 200 crew members.
There were more than 100 pirate attacks in 2008 in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, in what is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

The EU anti-piracy task force set up last month is the first such naval operation of its kind. India, Iran, the US and China are among other nations with naval forces off Somalia. 

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