Thursday 2,Jan, 2025 {HMC}  A court in Bangladesh has again denied bail to an outspoken Hindu leader advocating for the protection of minority groups in the country.

Krishna Das Prabhu did not appear at the hearing at the court in the southeastern city of Chattogram, where Metropolitan Sessions Judge Saiful Islam rejected his bail plea, according to Public Prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan.

Security was tight at the hearing, with police and soldiers guarding the court. Violence had erupted following a previous bail hearing in November, with Prabhu’s followers accused of killing a Muslim public prosecutor.

Prabhu, 39, was arrested for allegedly disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag during a rally in Chattogram and faces sedition charges. Hindu groups allege there have been hundreds of attacks on Hindus since August when the nearly 16-year government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown.

“He faces serious charges like sedition and others involving the security and sovereignty of our country,” Bhuiyan told The Associated Press news agency by telephone.

Prabhu is a spokesman for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group. He is also associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), widely known as the Hare Krishna movement.

Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, a lawyer representing Prabhu, said they would appeal the decision. Radharamn Das, vice president and spokesman of ISKCON in Kolkata, the capital of India’s West Bengal state, told India Today network that Prabhu’s health was deteriorating. He said the jailed Hindu leader “has become a face of minorities in Bangladesh”.

“The minorities see him as a ray of hope. He represents their voice,” Das said.

Meanwhile, the family of the lawyer hacked to death in November, Saiful Islam Alif, has filed two separate cases against those they say are linked to his death. That includes 58 Hindu lawyers accused of vandalism and carrying explosives.

Bangladesh saw religious tensions after a mainly student-led revolution toppled “autocratic” Hasina. India’s Hindu nationalist government backed Hasina, who has been in exile in India since protesters stormed her palace on August 5.

Bangladesh in December requested India send Hasina back to face charges of “massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity”. India confirmed it had received the request but declined to comment further.

Source Al-Jaziira

Thursday 2,Jan, 2025 {HMC} Traditional elders from the Hawadle and Abgal clans reached an agreement on Thursday to bury the six federal government soldiers killed in a clan revenge attack in El-Baraf district, Middle Shabelle region.

The agreement was brokered during a high-level meeting in Beledweyne, Hiiraan, led by prominent elders Ugaas Yusuf Ugas Hassan and Iman Dahir Iman Omar. Federal officials, including Petroleum and Minerals Minister Dahir Shire, federal Parliament members representing the Hawadle clan, and NISA Director Abdullahi Sambaloolshe, were also in attendance.

Muhyadin Hassan Afrah, an Abgal clan elder, confirmed the agreement. “In a meeting this morning with the Hawadle clan chief, intellectuals, and politicians, we agreed to bury the bodies first and then work together to address the remaining issues,” Afrah said.

The burial agreement follows reluctance from Beledweyne elders to inter the bodies until the perpetrators were brought to justice. However, the move is seen as a step toward de-escalating tensions while maintaining pressure for accountability.

Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to justice, rejecting any resolution through familial or tribal negotiations. He emphasized that the killings fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government and Hirshabelle State and vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.

The six soldiers, members of the Hawadle clan, were reportedly ambushed and executed by suspected clan militia fighters while on leave and traveling to their families in Hiiraan. Witnesses reported that the attackers shot the soldiers in the head in what appeared to be a calculated act of revenge.

Thursday 2,Jan, 2025 {HMC}  Somalia has officially reclaimed its seat on the United Nations Security Council, marking the first time in over half a century that the East African nation will serve as a non-permanent member. The two-year term, which began on January 1, 2025, is a historic milestone in Somalia’s ongoing efforts to reestablish itself as a significant player on the global stage.

The election on June 6, 2024, saw Somalia secure 179 votes in the UN General Assembly, representing East Africa in an uncontested bid. Somalia joins Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama as new non-permanent members, replacing outgoing nations Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland.

James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s Acting Special Representative for Somalia, commended the nation’s progress and stated, “Somalia has come a long way over the past three decades on its path to peace, prosperity, and security.”

Somalia’s position on the 15-member council grants it a voice in decisions related to international peace and security, including sanctions, peacekeeping operations, and the use of force. Speaking about this opportunity, Somalia’s UN Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman (Abukar Baalle) expressed the nation’s commitment: “We are determined to uphold the UN Charter and to contribute actively to safeguarding global peace and security.”

The development comes as Somalia navigates a web of complex internal and external challenges. Externally, the contentious Ethiopia-Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in January 2024, forced Somalia to go on a diplomatic offensive to foil the deal. The agreement, which grants Ethiopia access to the Berbera port in exchange for recognizing Somaliland’s independence, challenges Somalia’s sovereignty, as Somaliland is considered a breakaway region by Mogadishu. The Ankara Agreement, brokered by Turkey in December 2024, has greatly impacted regional dynamics. The accord led Ethiopia to walk back its earlier MoU with Somaliland while supporting Somalia’s territorial integrity and opening an avenue for Ethiopia to access the Red Sea through Somali ports, pending further technical discussions.

Domestically, the federal government continues to struggle with limited control over vast territories, facing resistance from Al-Shabaab militants and ongoing disputes with regional federal member states like Jubbaland and Puntland. In November 2024, Jubbaland suspended relations with the federal government, accusing it of undermining regional autonomy, while Puntland has expressed persistent dissatisfaction with federal leadership, complicating efforts to unify governance structures.

The African Union played a key role in securing Somalia’s candidacy. In February 2024, the AU Executive Council endorsed Somalia as East Africa’s sole candidate after Tanzania withdrew its bid. Somalia’s diplomatic outreach, spearheaded by Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre and other senior officials, was instrumental in rallying support from neighbouring nations and beyond.

Ambassador Baalle, who has been widely praised for his contributions to Somalia’s diplomatic recovery, called the election a “diplomatic victory” that reflects the country’s progress.

While Somalia’s election underscores its external sovereignty—the recognition of its statehood by the international community—it also highlights the disparities in its internal governance. Analysts note that the federal government continues to grapple with limited control over its territory, with Al-Shabaab, Somaliland, and other regional actors wielding significant influence.

Somalia’s last tenure on the Security Council was in 1971. Since then, decades of civil war and political instability have hindered its global presence. The election is a testament to its resilience and determination to reassert itself in international affairs.

Source Hiiraan online