A Few Somalia Updates

An exerpt:

April 7, 2005 12:20 PM

Tsunami still hangs over Somalis

By Katie Nguyen

Aid workers say more than 150 people were killed in Somalia, the east African country worst hit by the tsunamithat rippled across the Indian Ocean.

Up to 50,000 Somalis were affected in some way when it made landfall along 650 km (404 miles) of Somalia'scoastline at the height of the fishing season.

The damage was concentrated in the northern Somali region of Puntland, and Harfun was hit hardest.

Unlike the rest of the arid country, people in Puntland have lived in relative safety under autonomous rule sincewarlords overran Somalia 14 years ago.

Factional fighting between rival clans still hampers humanitarian relief to large swathes of the country, but aidworkers were able to distribute food within 48 hours of the tsunami striking Harfun.

More than three months after the tsunami, Harfun resembles a refugee camp of makeshift shelters cobbledtogether from plastic sheeting, pieces of wood and shards of corrugated tin.

A whole article:

Somali militiamen shoot Kenyan

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Standard Reporter

A Kenyan was on Thursday evening shot dead by suspected Somali militiamen and his colleague seriously wounded at the border town of Bulla Hawa.

Abdilrahim Bishar, 20, was killed and Hassan M Abdulahi 23, wounded when they went to buy food.

The mutilated body of the deceased, who was a donkey-kart operator, was left lying in the streets.

There was chaos in Mandera Town as the deceased’s clan members attacked all suspected Somali nationals.

Anti-riot police, however, dispersed the crows of mostly youths and women after several hours of running battles.

Most business premises remained closed yesterday for fear of attack by the revenge mob.

The District Commissioner, Mr Kimani Waweru, has meanwhile ordered the closure of the Kenya/Somali border to pressurise authorities in that country to hand over the killers.

Addressing journalists after a district security committee meeting, the DC said the border was recently re-opened to spur trade between the two countries.

The administrator said there were negotiating with the self styled authorities in Bulla Hawa to hand over the attackers before the border can be reopened.