The Puntland police raided the houses of , Mr. Mahad Abdi Ali, Reporter and Cameraman and Ms Saido-Kiin Ahmed Jama, a reporter, both Somali Chanel Reporters in Garowe respectively, at around 2:00am on Tuesday and entered the houses by force, sending Mahad Abdi Ali behind bars without a warrant arrest. But, Miss. Saido-Kiin Ahmed Jama told NUSOJ that she was not at home at the time of the police raid and went into hiding after receiving tips of possible police raid at her house.

“Five armed police on board two vehicles came to my house, searched me the house completely, but was not able to find me, because I left the house in the evening time, when I got a tip from friends.” Saido-Kiin Ahmed Jama, who in hiding, told NUSOJ by phone, “They later asked my Mom to my whereabouts, but informed that she did not know.”

She was later called today by the commander of Garowe central police station, Dhakiye Abdi Gabayre and was informed to come to the police station, according to Saida-Kin who spoke with NUSOJ and on late Tuesday afternoon, commander of Eastern Police station in Garowe along with several police searched the journalist at her house.

Mr. Ali is held at the Garowe Central Police station and has not been brought to court yet. On late Tuesday afternoon on police permission, he was allowed to talk NUSOJ on the phone told that the commander of the Regional police division of Nugaal in Garowe, the headquarters of the semi-autonamous regions of Puntland, told the journalist that he was arrested on the orders of the ministry of Information.

The arrest of the journalists follows after Somali Chanel Television, where both journalists worked for, broadcast news story reported from Taleex district of Sool region by the journalists. The Puntland Administration termed that news broadcast violation against the ban, according to information received by both NUSOJ and MAP.

The semi-autonomous state of Puntland banned the Somali Chanel Television and Universal Television on November 1, 2011. The Puntland President personally told the Lawmakers in Puntland that both Television networks violated Puntland security and it was followed by a directorate from the Puntland’s Ministry of Information suspending both TV networks from their work in Puntland on November 1, 2011. On November 13, 2011 the Puntland information Ministry issued a warning statement accusing the television networks to have violated the ban.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and its Affiliate, the Media Association of Puntland (MAP) jointly condemn these violations, against the journalists and the media in Puntland, committed by Puntland government and demand the immediate release of the journalist, stop the hunt of the female reporter and lift the ban of the of the two television network in line with the Puntland constitution.

“We protest the act of raiding the houses of the journalists without following the legal procedures of losing the freedom of man.” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “We demand the Puntland government to stop the attacks against the independent press and journalists working under the regions under their control.”

“Freedom of expression and ideas is guaranteed by the Puntland Constitution, Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali government as depicted in article 20 section 1 and 2, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international treaties, as well as by those regional and global conventions of which Somalia is a member and We demand those freedoms to be put into practice and these harsh violence against the journalist and media houses in Puntland must stop.” Mr. Ibrahim added.

Puntland has an already bad record of press freedom and journalists have been increasingly targeted by both Puntland government and the insurgents fighting against the administration in an attempt to undermine the independent reporting.

Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Faroolelambasted the media for undermining national security

The Information Ministry in semi-autonomous Puntland banned the local operations of Universal TV and Somali Channel TV, accusing the stations of “working with the peace haters who are always against the Puntland security,” according to CPJ’s translation of the directive.

A spate of assassinations and bombings in Puntland since 2006 are threatening to drag the breakaway region into the violent chaos engulfing southern Somalia since 1991, according to news reports.

“We condemn the ban on Universal TV and Somali Channel TV and call on Puntland authorities to reverse this arbitrary censorship order,” said CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes. “Accusations of carrying propaganda and undermining national security are clearly a pretext for silencing journalists who may deliver unwelcome news.”

The ban came a day after President Abdirahman Mohamed Faroole lambasted the media in an address at the official opening of Puntland’s parliament, local journalists told CPJ. Faroole came to office in 2009 promising to combat insecurity, according to news reports, but ongoing political assassinations and deadly explosions have led to public protests and the resignations of several officials. Authorities have blamed the violence on the Al-Qaeda-affiliated, hardline Islamist group Al-Shabaab, according to news reports.

In remarks to Parliament, Faroole singled out Somali Channel TV for allegedly disseminating Al-Shabaab propaganda, and accused Universal TV of endangering national security. Faroole threatened journalists with arrest and confiscation of equipment if they endanger Puntland’s security, local journalists said. Immediately after the presidential statement, security agents forced Somali Channel reporters out of the Parliament session, according to local reports.

Presidential Press Adviser Mohamed Abdirahman told CPJ he was unaware of details of the suspensions since he had just returned from an official trip abroad. CPJ was unable to reach the Information Ministry despite repeated attempts.

Universal TV reporter Nuh Muse Birjeeb told CPJ he could not understand the accusations made against the broadcaster. “If we have made a mistake then let us correct it,” Birjeeb said. “So far though, they have not brought any evidence.” Somali Channel TV Director Ahmed Mohamed Jama was also surprised by the directive and claims the broadcaster is impartial, according to local reports. An official in the Information Ministry told the journalists’ union that the ministry was only following a presidential directive, the union reported.

Conditions for Puntland journalists have become extremely dangerous, according to CPJ research. Unknown assailants shot at two journalists on separate occasions in September, severely wounding Radio Galkayo reporter Horriyo Abdulkadir and, in another incident, Radio Voice of Peace reporter Hassan Mohamed. Two private radio stations, Radio Daljir and Radio Galkayo, have been targeted in bomb attacks.

UK rights group Reprieve says it has evidence that the base lies underneath the presidential compound, and that some inmates are as young as 14.

The group says one man was taken there from Kenya and held for 18 months without seeing lawyers – or daylight.

US officials have not yet commented on the claims.

Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohammed Ali told the BBC that he rejected the reports of a detention centre.

“I do not have that information and that information does not exist,” he said.

However, he did admit that the US was helping his authority to “improve the security situation in the country”.

Islamist militants from the al-Shabab group – which is known to have links with al-Qaeda – control much of southern and central Somalia.

The UN-backed transitional government is largely confined to the capital.

‘Dirty work’

Claira Gutteridge from Reprieve told the BBC’s Network Africa programme that she had evidence from “multiple, concurrent sources

She said one man, Ahmed, had been abducted from the streets of Nairobi 18 months ago and flown to Mogadishu, where he has been kept ever since.

“It’s an underground prison in the compound of the presidential palace,” she said.

“The guards are Somali but it appears American personnel have access to the prisoners whenever they like.”

She said it was not clear how many people were held there, but they were mostly Somali and included children as young as 14.

However there were at least three Kenyans and one who had a Western passport, she said.

She added that it was unclear whether American agents were abducting and transferring – or “rendering” – suspects to Mogadishu, or getting Kenyans and Somalis to do their “dirty work”.

In July, the US Nation magazine reported the existence of a detention centre.

The US has carried out several air raids against al-Shabab and alleged al-Qaeda operatives in Somalia in recent years.

It has a military base in neighbouring Djibouti.

Source:BBC

18 18Arrested in Khat Trafficking Investigation

Updated: Thursday, 19 May 2011, 10:12 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 19 May 2011, 11:58 AM EDT

• Matt Ackland
  FOX 5 Reporter

VIDEO STORY BY MATT ACKLAND/myfoxdc

Bashir Goth

Bin Laden is gone. He died as he wished to die, a martyr to some but to many others an evil incarnate who chose to live by the gun and surely died by the gun.

But the nagging question is will the world be any different? Not so soon. As the Somalis say: Ayax teg, eelna reeb (gone is the locust, but it has left behind a lasting breed). Bin Laden has left behind a proliferating breed of Al Qaeda affiliates in many parts of the world. Indeed the world may experience nasty reminders in the near future as his followers try to demonstrate their ability to avenge their leader’s death.

President Barack Obama ordered the successful SEAL Special Forces operation that killed Osama Bin Laden
One may hope, however, that Bin Laden’s departure closes a dark and painful era of division and hostility between the west and the Muslim world. No one can deny that Bin Laden and his extremist ideology were responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of innocent people around the world. Bin Laden adherents killed thousands of Muslims in mosques, in shopping centers, in schools and

President Barack Obama ordered the successful SEAL Special Forces operation that killed Osama Bin Laden

orphanages, in hotels and in their own homes while sleeping or meeting around their dining tables. The U.S invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq might never have happened and tens of thousands of lives as well as the material wealth and cultural heritage of old civilizations might never have been destroyed without the existence of Bin Laden. Muslim communities in the West might never have experienced such unprecedented alienation and Islamophobia and Muslim youth born and bred in Western capitals might never have sought deliverance and martyrdom in mass killing and suicide bombings. Thousands of spin doctors, spontaneous pundits and security experts might never have earned big bucks in the industry of terrorism and the Arab news satellite Al Jazeera might never have grown into such an iconic yet idiosyncratic news channel without propagating Bin Laden’s poisonous messages.

It is arguably true that it might have been ideal to capture Bin Laden alive and bring him to face justice in a court of law, but did Bin Laden himself believe in an ideal world? Did he allowed justice for the thousands of people killed by his supporters and sympathizers or did he ever express any sympathy to the victims of his terrorist marauders?

There is no doubt that Bin Laden’s Rambo type killing by Americans would turn him into a martyr, but it is also true it would be very difficult for Al Qaeda to survive very long without the deep pockets and outreach of Bin Laden and without his charisma as a Buddha-like figure who was born into wealth and luxury and chose to lead a harsh life among the poor. Al Qaeda was a house built on sand and stood only due to the ingenuity of its engineer and with the departure of the engineer, it will eventually fall. Granted that the debris and the fall out will cause a lot of damage here and there, but once the dust settles down there would be no Bin Laden to erect it again.

We hope Al Shabab, the Al Qaeda offshoot in Somalia, will take heed, disband and ask forgiveness from the Somali people for heinous atrocities they committed before it is too late.

It is also worth to remember that Bin Ladenism has long been buried by Arab youth inspired revolutions before the death of Bin Laden himself. And we hope that Al Shabab, the Al Qaeda offshoot in Somalia, would take heed, disband and ask forgiveness from the Somali people for the heinous atrocities they committed before it is too late.

By Bashir Goth
Email: bsogoth@yahoo.com

mo_farah.Nairobi Kenya

sarmaanyo.com

Details have emerged of a video in which yacht kidnap victims Paul and Rachel Chandler admit to being “resigned to dying” in Somalia.

The footage, filmed four months ago, shows Mrs Chandler complaining of being “caged up like animals” and describing their captors as “wicked, evil people”.

Obtained by the Mail on Sunday, it went unreported at relatives’ request until the Kent couple’s release this month.

The Chandlers have now told the paper they want the world to help Somalia.

Mrs Chandler, 56, of Tunbridge Wells, and her husband, 60, were kidnapped off their yacht Lynn Rival near the Seychelles in October 2009.

The pirates issued a ransom demand of $7m (£4.7m) in a phone call to the BBC and later threatened to kill the couple.

They were eventually released this month after nearly 400 days in captivity. A ransom, raised with the help of the international Somali community and believed to be in the region of $1m (£625,000), helped deliver their freedom.

‘Heartbreaking’

However, the video features the Chandlers talking after an earlier payment of about $430,000 (£267,000) had failed to secure their release. In it, Mrs Chandler speaks of how her brother had written beforehand to say they might soon be freed.

“We’ve heard nothing since then. They’ve left us, just kept us caged up like animals,” she says.

They ruined our lives. We have no more life and we are resigned to dying here. They just don’t care. They just want to rob everybody, as many people as they can, for their own greedy ends.

“It’s heartbreaking to have to live with it day in, day out; these wicked, evil people.”

However, the Mail on Sunday’s interview reveals their views have since softened.

”People will expect us to want these people dead. But we do not,” says Mrs Chandler.

“We actually want to make close contact with Somali people when we get back to England and try to persuade the international community to help restore law and order in their country. That way our suffering will not have been in vain.

“Even those misguided young men who held us for so long could be helped if they had had education instead of brutality.”

They couple spoke to the paper during a visit to the government headquarters in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu, before being flown to Nairobi in Kenya and then finally touching down on British soil on Tuesday.

“The situation needs outside help. That will be the only hope of restoring law and order and stopping criminal activity.”

The couple also give insight into how they kept fit by practising yoga and aerobics “while the pirates looked on, bemused”.

In their first interview after being released, the couple told the BBC their captors had beaten them when they refused to be separated.

But they said the lowest point of their ordeal was leaving their yacht in the first place.

Iskoolka oo xadhiga laga Jarayo

The delegation members include Cabinet Minister Mohamed Farah Isse (Gaashaan), Deputy Minister of Education Md. Abdirahmaan Diiriye Arab, Sool Regional Director of Education, Mr. Jama Dalmar (Ina Baadari), and MP Farah Jama Goox, Chairman of political Affairs and International Relations of Putland Parliament.

There was a large number of Media representation both local and international such as the Voice of America, Universal TV and representative of Somali web sites all captured the historic celebration of God”Aalo School.

This historic School project (God”Aalo School) was funded by Irfan-CANADA, a Canadian, national charitable organization focussed on helping the poor and needy people everywhere. And the God”Aalo School Project was implemented by Somali Progressive Organization, SOPDO, a local development and humanitarian agency.

Leaders, elders, educators and Garaad of God’Aalo (Garaad Abdisalan Hassan Mohamed) and delegations present the ceremony expressed their sincere appreciation to those who made this project possible –Irfan-CANADA. Garaad Abdisalaan also encouraged and called upon those in the Diaspora to continue their support until the school stands on own feet and become self sustaining; specifically he highlighted the need to get enough money to pay teachers salaries.

Also Said Abdi Duale, project manager delivered a message on behalf of SOPDO and Diaspora community members. In addition to that the principal of God”Aalo School representing teachers informed the community that they will aim to make the children of God”Aalo one of the best educated children in the region.

During the celebration it was very clear that community came together to show case their new school and students and future student were present this historic day – Thursday,October 7th, 2010.

God”Aalo community wishes to thank everyone who came to participate this historic moment and special thanks to those who made it possible – Thank you for this Great Gift!

FYI…………………Background information on Somalia Education

Global Campaign for Education (GCE) recently reported Somalia is one of four countries where more than 70 per cent of the population is illiterate. The most generous estimates suggest that only between 14-17 % of all school age children (ages 6-14) are enrolled in school, most in the early grades. This is one of the lowest enrolment rates in the world. Also Somalia has been declared the world’s worst place to go to school, in 2010 by the United Nations. Since Somalia lacked a strong central government since 1991 one can safely say that Somalia as a country now faces the prospect of not one but two lost generations with little education and training to buttress productive roles and leadership in the future.