media landscape guide about Somalia - Internews

Kenya launched a military incursion into Southern Somalia in October 2011 inresponse to a series of kidnappings of foreigners inside Kenya by Somalibasedgroups that appeared to be acting with the tacit approval of AlShabaab.This military operation was soon followed by a fresh incursion into SouthernSomalia by Ethiopian troops.Ethiopia, alarmed by the increasing power of Islamic fundamentalists in SouthCentral Somalia, had earlier sent its army to occupy Mogadishu from 2006 to2009.In contrast to the stormy confusion of South Central Somalia, Somaliland ispeaceful and has all the trappings of a modern state.It has an elected government and a functioning multi-party system.Its territory coincides with that of the former British colony of Somaliland.However Somaliland’s eastern regions of Sool, Sanaag and Ayn (often speltCayn) are disputed with Puntland.Onshore exploration drilling for oil was due to start in areas of Sool andSanaag controlled by Puntland in December 2011.Puntland’s simmering territorial dispute with Somaliland may escalate ifhydrocarbons are found there in commercial quantities.Puntland is governed from the small inland city of Garowe by the self-styledPuntland Regional Authority.However, this administration does not exercise complete control of theterritory which it claims to govern.Many coastal towns and villages serve as bases for Somali pirates, whohijack ships in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. Bombings andassassinations take place frequently in the port city of Bossasso.The pirates capture foreign merchant ships and take them to ports in Puntlandand the lawless coast of Central Somalia immediately to the south.The captured ships and their crews are then held in these ports – often forseveral months – until multi-million dollar ransoms are paid to secure theirrelease.The pirates have reinvested much of their earnings in Puntland.Al Shabaab has imposed a draconian form of Islamist rule in the areas ofSouth Central Somalia which it controls.6