South Sudan: ICRC condems killing of staff member (09.09.2017)

South Sudan: “Why a technocratic transitional government in South Sudan” – Dr. Lam Akol

Somalia: Al-Shabaab are trading Uranium from Galmudug State!

In Mudugh Province or in Galmudug State in Somalia, there are clear reports that the Al-Shabaab, the terrorist organization in Somalia are using the mineral rich Galdumug state or the Mudugh Province, Federation Republic of Somalia reputation is on the line. There is also a letter from Yusuf Garad Omar to Stephen Schwartz in August 2017 is compelling. The story it tells is dire, but also shows the Federal Republic of Somalia loyalty to the United States. Its need a loyal state on the Horn of Africa. The letter explicit says it only can beat Al-Shabaab with the support of the US and not alone. That means the Somali government don’t believe in their own capacity or own strength. As the AMISOM mission are under review and more training of the Somali National Army are progressing.

However, the Uranium extraction and exporting are proving that the mineral resources could be for the benefit of the Somali people, but instead is for the militia causing havoc. So for the Federal Government to get more taxation and resources, these sort of industry has to be taxed and be under control of the central government. Now it is being used by militia and exported so the Al-Shabaab can afford expensive weapons to fight AMISOM and SNA. Take a look!

IAEA report in 1984:

Surficial uranium deposits in Somalia are of the valley-fill calcrete type and occur in the arid Mudugh Province of the Dusa Mareb-EI Bur region. They are located in a belt about 240 km in length which is orientated parallel to the north-south regional tectonic framework. The uranium resources of the region amount to about 5 000 t U308 at an average grade of 0.1 % U308. Basement rocks constitute a 7 000 m thick succession of Jurassic to Quaternary ediments of the Somalian Basin. Uranium mineralization in the form of carnotite occurs in the uppermost Mercia Series. The origin of the uranium and vanadium is unclear due to a shortage of the favourable source rocks” (…) “The valley-fill calcretes of the Dusa Mareb-EI Bur region have formed in the Mercia Series of Miocene age. Collectively, the uranium resources are about 5 000 t at a grade of 0.1 % U308. Carnotite is the only uranium mineral present but the sources of both uranium and vanadium are largely speculative because accessible granite source rocks are situated several hundred kilometres to the north in Ethiopia. The geochemistry of the groundwater and the arid climate favours the precipitation of the carnotite in a manner similar to these fluviatile surficial uranium deposits in Namibia and Western Australia” (IAEA, P: 217, 220 1984).

Minerals of 2013:

Uranium: Documented uranium deposits are found in three areas of Galgaduud-Mudug and in Alio Ghelle in Bur Massif. These deposits need further exploration and evaluation, though in 1984 work began to develop them. The Alio Ghelle deposit is small carnotite deposit, with a reported indicated resource varying between 10-25 Mt at 0.07-0.08% U₃O₈” (Hussain, P: 3, 2013)

Al-Shabaab trading Uranium to Iran:

The letter, sent by Foreign Minister Yusuf Garad Omar, was addressed to U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Stephen Schwartz. Somalia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Ahmed Awad confirmed on Thursday that the letter “has indeed been issued” by Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Garaad Omar, whose signature is on the document. The Aug. 11-dated letter delivered an urgent warning to the U.S. that the Al-Shabaab terror network has linked up with the regional Islamic State (ISIS) faction and is “capturing territory” in the central part of the country. “Unlike past situations that required external intervention, the issue communicated today presents a problem for the larger global community and will not be constrained within the borders or our recovering country.” the Somali Foreign Minister’s letter said. Somalia and Iran had no diplomatic ties since January 2016, when Mogadishu officially severed Tehran relations and expelled its Mogadishu-based Ambassador accusing of spreading Shiism in Somalia. Nuclear weapons “This issue can be summed up in a single word: uranium,” the letter added. “Al-Shabaab forces have captured critical surface exposed uranium deposits in the Galmudug region and are strip mining triuranium octoxide for transport to Iran.” (Radio Simba, 2017).

This here should be interesting and also compelling, since the amounts of Uranium in the region and the powers it gives the Al-Shabaab. That the Al-Shabaab gets funding and shows they have the ability to trade uranium. Reports like that should worry anyone, and with that in mind, with the funding and resources of that trade. You understand why do not struggle to get enough money to buy ammunition and guns on the black-market. Since, the trades of lucrative uranium must be a splendid trade-off for some AK-47 and other weaponry. Peace.

Reference:

IAEA – ‘SURFICIAL URANIUM DEPOSITS’ (December 1984), SURFICIAL URANIUM DEPOSITS, IAEA, VIENNA, 1984 IAEA-TECDOC-322

Hussain, Abdulkadir Abiikar – ‘Minerals of Somalia: – From exploration to artisanal production to export’ (25.01.2013) link: http://somaliatalk.com/2013/minerals_of_somalia.pdf

Radio Simba – ‘(FULL DOCUMENT) Al-Shabaab Mining Uranium in Central Somalia to Send to Iran’ (02.09.2017) link: https://www.simbanews.net/full-document-al-shabaab-mining-uranium-in-central-somalia-to-send-to-iran/

ONLF Press Release: Disinformation about Abdikarin’s refoulement to TPLF-led Ethiopian regime by the Somali regime of Farmajo (02.09.2017)

FAO calls for greater international support for Uganda’s growing number of refugees (31.08.2017)

FAO Director-General visits refugee settlements in Uganda’s North.

ROME, Italy, August 31, 2017 – The FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva called for greater funding for a sustainable response to the refugee crisis in Uganda, after concluding a visit today to refugee settlements in the country’s north.

The Director-General also reaffirmed FAO’s support to the Government of Uganda in its compassionate asylum policy under which land is allocated to refugees for shelter and cultivation.

“Uganda’s refugee model is an example to the world.  It is vital that funds be mobilized to support this effort so that refugees can provide food for themselves sooner rather than relying only on food aid, and so that refugees and their host communities can have a real opportunity to overcome hunger and poverty,” said Graziano da Silva.

“Uganda is giving not only food and land but hope,” he added.

Fastest-growing refugee crisis  
Uganda is host to the fastest-growing refugee crisis in the world. Since July last year, more than one million South Sudanese refugees have crossed into Uganda. The refugees are predominantly women and young people and come from farming or livestock herding communities.

Graziano da Silva visited two refugee settlements, Agojo and Mungula 1, in Adjumani district near Uganda’s border with South Sudan.

At Agojo, the Director-General helped distribute crop and vegetable seeds to more than 1,000 refugee and host community households. This support will enhance families’ nutrition, and generate income from the sale of any surplus.  At Mungula 1, he inaugurated a micro-irrigation project that will provide the refugee and host community households with a reliable source of water for their crops and animals.

High-level dialogue
Prior to visiting the settlements, Graziano da Silva met with Uganda’s Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda.

“People don’t chose voluntarily to become refugees. We have a responsibility to help our brothers by giving them hope because it’s them today, but the situation could change tomorrow,” said Dr. Rugunda.

Under a new response plan, FAO is intensifying its efforts in providing livelihood assistance to refugees and host communities. The plan focuses on food and livestock production, nutrition, protecting the environment and enhanced technical support to the Government.

The Director-General’s visit comes after the UN Secretary General called on the donor community in June to strengthen their support to the refugee response. Uganda requires around $2 billion annually for 2017-2020 to address refugee needs, and donors have so far only pledged around $358 million.

 

UK’s United Nations Security Council Draft Resolution sets a certain tone to the new possible mandate of AMISOM!

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Member State of the United Kingdom (UK), wrote a draft resolution on the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and the operation there. The draft resolution says a lot things. But what is important is the intent of the mission and the scope of it. As if, the United Nations and the donors of the funding will uphold its core and the security operations intact. If they will continue to feed the nations of peacekeepers or wishing for another fate. That is why a Draft Resolution from the UK are important.

Here is the key quotes from resolution:

Decides to authorize the Member States of the AU to maintain the deployment of AMISOM until 31 May 2018, and to reduce the level of uniformed AMISOM personnel to a maximum level of 21,626 by 31 December 2017, to include a minimum of 1,040 AMISOM police personnel including five Formed Police Units, with a further reduction of uniformed personnel to 20,626 by 30 October 2018, unless the Security Council decides to accelerate the pace of the reduction, taking into account the capabilities of the Somali security forces thus far” (UNSC, P: 3, 2017).

Decides to authorize AMISOM to pursue the following strategic objectives:

(a) Enable the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces contingent on abilities of the Somali security forces and political and security progress in Somalia;

(b) Reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab and other armed opposition groups;

(c) Assist the Somali security forces to provide security for the political process at all levels as well as stabilization, reconciliation and peacebuilding in Somalia” (UNSC, P: 3, 2017).

Requests the Secretary-General to conduct a comprehensive assessment of AMISOM by 15 April 2018, working closely with the African Union and the Federal Government of Somalia, to take stock of the transition thus far including the development of Somali security institutions, and to make recommendations on the progressive transition from AMISOM to Somali security responsibility including over the electoral period, taking into account the capacities of the Somali security forces” (UNSC, P: 5-6, 2017).

This is the newest draft resolution on the AMISOM, the previous one was made on the 27th May 2017. When the United Nations Security Council voted it to extended the mission until 31st August 2017. Now that is tomorrow. Therefore, the key statements from that is:

The Security Council today decided to authorize member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 August” (…) “The Council also decided that the Mission would maintain its current maximum deployment level of 22,126 uniformed personnel. It further authorized AMISOM to take all necessary measures in carrying out its mandate” (UNSC, 2017).

So the draft wants less deployment in Somalia, the UK draft says the AMISOM will cut by 1500 soldiers. This means brigades pulled back to their republics. That being Kenyan, Ugandan or Burundian troops sent home. The other important part of it is to make reductions and assess more thoroughly the mission. As the mission of peace-building and creating a stronger Somali National Army. That the Secretary General will work on a transition away from the AMISOM. This is another state than before, because the UNSC and AMISOM has been naturally extended without any core assessment of their mission. The peacekeeping mission has been important, but will a possible leaving the Somalian Federation open doors to an uncertainty of the security situation. Since the Somalian republic has been in dire straights since the fall of Said Barre in 1970s. The time for rebuilding and not civil-war is important. The AMISOM mission has not been able to stop that even, as the Al-Shabaab has had the ability to create havoc. Therefore, the battle-zones has shifted.

This draft sets the tone of what that could be possible mandate and willing of the United Nations to support. As the Member States and the Security Council votes for tomorrow. The uncertainty and the reports from the Secretary General. And wanting the AMISOM to give more power to the Somali National Army (SNA), this is powerful shift of will. This idea to engage more directly the transition and the government of Somalia. The SNA will get more training and less deployment of the peacekeepers to make sure they can be more independent. The AMISOM will continue its mandate to 31st May 2018.

We have to see what the United Nations Security Council votes and what resolution that will be put forward. Peace.

Reference:

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: draft resolution’ (25.08.2017)

United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – ‘Security Council Authorizes African Union to Maintain Mission’s Deployment in Somalia until 31 August, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2355 (2017)’ (26.05.2017) link: https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sc12843.doc.htm

Opinion: Ambassador Mahboub Maalim in an interview states the IGAD failure in South Sudan and why!

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have been in-charge and had a pivotal role in the peacemaking in South Sudan. Not that it has stopped the civil-war that has escalated since June 2016. The Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army In-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), also between more rebel fractions inside the Republic, as the Ugandans are trying to enforce unite inside the SPLM. This as there are different states that the rebels and opposition have been strong, while the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has not had the leadership to secure the Protection of Civilians sites in the Republic. Therefore, the interview of Mahboub Maalim of IGAD in New Vision was exposing something dire. Take a look!

Ambassador Mahboub Maalim on IGAD:

First of all, I am an employee of President Kiir, among other presidents. So, to ask me what I can tell him, is like asking your house helper to tell you to change something in your house. But this is on a light note. President Kiir has been told a lot by his compatriots, heads of state from the region and African Union (AU), and those in the international community circles. People know that the South Sudanese do not have to continue dying after having achieved what they fought for. The situation in South Sudan is very unfortunate, and like you have said, IGAD has done a lot to try to stay on top of it. Recently, the heads of state of IGAD appointed a special IGAD envoy for South Sudan. Hopefully, we will see a lot of changes in the run-up to the operationalisation of the peace agreement in South Sudan” (…) “If the people in South Sudan are saying that we have failed them, I would not get surprised. If I was in their shoes, I would say the same. If I was like them, sitting in a sewage-logged UN camp in my own country, I would feel the same. But just to encourage them, IGAD has tried very much to ameliorate the problems in South Sudan since the problems started in 2013. In 2014, IGAD heads of state had a special meeting to just discuss South Sudan. It has never happened in our history that over 14 heads of state convene to discuss one subject. South Sudan is at the heart of everybody. Of course, whether this will be solved today or tomorrow depends on the goodwill of the South Sudanese themselves” (Lumu, 2017).

That the Ambassador said one vital thing, that he could not push the member states around. Since he could not tell what was wrong in someones else house, like to President Salva Kiir Mayardiit and his South Sudan. The Ambassador also wasn’t shocked if the they felt the IGAD had failed. They have really failed since ARCISS (Agreement for a Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, 2015). Doesn’t seem to be revived or anywhere near being fulfilled.

President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar of SPLM/A-IO are really battling for supremacy. Together with all the deflectors and deserters from both major armies that are making the situation more problematic. Since the IGAD has not made the peace-agreement work, nor had the capacity to make a successful negotiations between all parties. The South Sudanese should feel betrayed, when the Ambassador Mahboub Maalim are saying: “I am an employee of President Kiir, among other presidents. So, to ask me what I can tell him, is like asking your house helper to tell you to change something in your house”.

So it is not like the IGAD wants to rock the boat, as it is an entity respecting its member states and their direct leadership. Peace.

Reference:

Lumu, David – ‘IGAD boss applauds Uganda on South Sudan’ (23.08.2017) – New Vision Article

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs urges Somalia to continue reconciliation and State-building process (25.08.2016)

NEW YORK, United States of America, August 25, 2017 – The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, visited Somalia from 24-25 August. During his visit, accompanied by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Michael Keating, he held discussions with the President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre, Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, the Minister for Constitutional Affairs, the Chair of the National Independent Electoral Commission, and Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson.
“The political commitment of the Federal Government of Somalia to deliver results for all Somalis is impressive” said Mr. Feltman. “These include job creation, infrastructure, fighting corruption, strengthening civil service and improving security.” He urged the Somali Government to continue addressing issues critical to successful peacebuilding and state-building processes, including the advancement and conclusion of the constitutional review process, to advance federalism in the country. Preparations must begin now to lay the groundwork for elections based on universal suffrage in 2020/2021.

Mr. Feltman emphasized the importance of strengthening accountability mechanisms to address and prevent human rights violations. “We also urge the Government of Somalia to ensure dialogue and meaningful participation of women, youth and minorities in the political and reconciliation processes,” he said.

Commending the efforts of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali security forces in the fight against Al-Shabaab, Mr. Feltman emphasized the need to intensify efforts to develop increasingly capable Somali security forces. This will play a key role in facilitating the transition of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somalis, and in achieving long-term security. “The fundamental importance of the African Union support, and the role that AMISOM plays in peace-building in Somalia cannot be overstated,” Mr. Feltman stated.

The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs reaffirmed the support of the United Nations to the Federal Government, along with key international partners, in implementing a viable National Security structure and a comprehensive approach to security that includes countering violent extremism and improving local governance.

The World needs Rambo right now!

John Rambo: “[alternate line from Director’s Cut] You’re not going anywhere. And there isn’t one of us that doesn’t want to be someplace else. But this is what we do, who we are. Live for nothing, or die for something. Your call” (John Ramo, 2008).

The world is spinning in circle and things are continuing sometimes without any change. But the situations are still uncertain. There are fleeing civilians from the Democratic Republic of Congo, continues civil-war inside South Sudan, oppression in Burundi and Rwanda. Grand issues in regions of Somalia as AMISOM fiercely goes after Al-Shabaab. The continued civil-war infused with control from Saudi Arabia and United States in Yemen. The war inside Syria with the fleeing refugees from there. The international complications this all assess. The massive amounts of people who are inflicted in this conflicts.

This is also the issues created by and their national alliances, like Syria are also in hot-bed with Russia, United States, Turkey and Iran. The same can be said with the international implications to the stalemate between Qatar and the rest of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). That the Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain and so on are all blocking, so many nations has cut their diplomatic ties with Qatar.

With all the conflicts and bigger diplomatic spats, the world needs Rambo’s. Especially considering that the deaths where it doesn’t counts is showed when it comes to mud-slides in Sierra Leone. The importance of Hurricane Harry, which is credible storm in Texas, but the world should have cared of the 500 deaths in Western Africa.

That the world is significant fragile is with the President Trump and the nuclear codes, the vicious attacks of both representatives and international leaders like Merkel and President Kim Jung-Un. The threats between North Korea and United States are clearly flaring up the tensions in South-East Asia, as the rockets keep shooting-up and testing.

Therefore, with this we need Rambo, someone to come in with confidence. Rambo needs to come into the problems and sort them out. So that the diplomatic disputes gets sorted out, as his spring fears into the ones who are in the same room. If Rambo came with his weapons and his rhetoric, maybe Trump wouldn’t such and ass. Maybe Putin would try out other tricks, than actually using methods of deception. As so many other world leaders would seek peace instead of wars and refugees. Rambo could come in and make a change.

The nice talk of Bono, the ethical codes of United Nations has not worked. The non-peaceful atmosphere is steady in too many places, to many deaths should be examined and not die without any consideration. Rambo could have helped, made sure the council and the world forums would actually not talk, but act. The crisis in South Sudan, DRC, Burundi, Syria, Yemen, Middle East and so on.

The world needs Rambo, the world needs a hero who can actually give a damn, not just make the world a place for multi-national companies who rob the resources and would not care for kids working for militias, so the world can cobalt for the smart-phones production. Rambo needs to come and make change, he might not be perfect. But something has to change. Someone has step-in, Rambo needs to come and significantly change in the world. Times change, but Rambo might sort it out!

Murdock: Rambo, you can feel totally safe because we have the most advanced weapons in the world available to us.

Rambo: I’ve always believed that the mind is the best weapon.

Murdock: Times change.

Rambo: For some people” (Rambo: First Blood Part II, 1985).

Somalia: Bancroft Statement on the Operation in Bariire (25.08.2017)