SHASNA MediaWatch department follows news analysis, trends, news reports and press releases of the week. We pay special attention to Somali news in general, and to the “ARTA CLAN” in particular. We analyze, digest and separate facts from fiction. With so many news outlets and so many groups, each one vying for your attention, we will try our very best to fairly analyze what you have read or missed reading.

It has been another sad week for Mogadishu residents. SHASNA family sends condolences to the innocent Somali families and their surviving relatives caught in the middle of Mogadishu’s renewed clan conflicts and the constant barrage of artillery shells by the sub-clan militias of the ‘Arta Clan’ head honcho. Unfortunately, the surviving and the much-battered Mogadishu residents have the UN political officers and Mr. David Stephens to be thankful to.

It should also be noted, with particular attention, and almost a year later since the ‘Arta Clan’ inception, that this is part of the daily menu in Mogadishu and is being perpetuated by the arrival of the UN sponsored “ARTA FACTION” and their sub-clan militias. These are the same sub-clan militia members that are making life a living hell for the residents of Marka, Brava and Kismayo city in Southern Somalia. It is also saddening to note that as far as those UN political officers are concerned, neither the lives of Mogadishu residents nor those of Southern Somalia are considered at par with those of UN and other foreign personnel. We hope that Somalis and the rest of the world community will recognize that all human lives are valuable.

However, all was not doom and gloom in Mogadishu. Mr. Muhammad Deylaaf (a member of the sub-clan and a close cousin of AbdiQassim Hassan) has abandoned the ‘Arta Clan’ warehouses adjacent to the now disintegrated Mogadishu port. Ironically, all Arab and UNDP donated militia fatigues, shoes/boots, tents, ammunitions and various war and UNDP local NGOs “Spreading the message” supplies are now selling at give away prices in Mogadishu streets. The ‘Arta Clan’ and IRIN blessed imported fake money is also out of the hands of the ever-reliable Mr. Deylaaf. The Mr. Deylaaf watch is in full force and the clan enmity is creating fresh hostilities all the way in Central Somalia!

Now, the six million dollar question is: who is going to provide protection for the ‘Arta Clan’ dozen imported members from Somalia’s autonomous regions? We watch and wait!

IRIN, the propaganda machine and mouthpiece of the UN political officers, has lately made progress by leaps and bounds. But, just like the BBC Somali Section, their true nature doesn’t require much revelation. They and the UN political officers they represent have declared and appointed a government for Somalia. A government that doesn’t govern, regulate or administer even a small community. A government of two hotels! In one May 12, 2001 report (Somalia: Fighting at port challenges interim government,) they have repeated the words ‘Government and President’ by more than an unprecedented seventeen times. Dear IRIN, even though in politics, staying on message is a great political strategy, repeating a given word doesn’t create something that doesn’t even exist to begin with. What you have witnessed in Mogadishu for the last week, but went great lengths in your reporting to hide, is that the ‘Arta Clan’ is not a government, but just another sub-clan! Please get used to it and get over it! In that very same report, they have classified Mr. Ilqeyte as an importer of Somali fake currency, but surprise, surprise, the biggest fish of all fake currency importation and a close cousin of the ‘Arta Clan’ head honcho, Mr. Muhammad Deylaaf, is according to that same IRIN report, nothing more than a “pro-TNG businessman.” Well, as a member of the US Congress is often quoted saying: “beam me up!!”

According to Mogadishu rumor mills, the ‘Arta Clan’ head honcho is overall very disappointed with his tribe. In a conference attended by key members of the tribe, he blames them for not letting him govern and not taking advantage of what he has brought home to them. It is reported that he promises to make a quick decision very soon to either just walkout or switch the capital to some other peaceful location. It seems, he surely is making our life lot easier. He is directly informing his ‘Arta Clan’ dozen imported members, that since they can't enlarge his ever-decreasing pie, they absolutely don’t matter one iota. Since inception of this UN and Djibouti scam, to no avail, SHASNA has been relentlessly trying to tell these imported members precisely this; and that they don’t matter much to the governing home team clan. Mr. David Stephens, Mr. Ghelle, are you listening? This ‘Arta Clan’ is nothing more than an association of sub-clan members, five men and a Djibouti agent who couldn’t make an honest day’s living anywhere else, and their clock is surely fast ticking. Please turn on the timer and start the countdown!

Nairobi, Kenya

With heavy pressure from a certain Arab country and the UN political officers based in Nairobi, Mr. Daniel Arap Moi has met with the head of the ‘Arta Clan.’ Mr. Moi is well versed in Somali politics, so consider it a “NO MEETING” and please pay attention to subsequent events as they unfold.

The UNDP never gives up! They again met the ‘Arta Clan’ front man, Mr. Galaydh. It is reported (IRIN: Demobilization workshops to start in Mogadishu - Nairobi, 16 May 2001) that discussions included “demobilization issues,” disarmaments of clan militias and informing the public via campaigns of “Spreading the message.” Is this just another scam to refill the Deylaaf warehouses or what? What crazy and clueless clan in Mogadishu is going to disarm while the ‘Arta Clan’ sub-clan militia is being armed to the teeth? “Beam me up!!”

One more final note and warning to some Arab and other third world nations: in the slightest of turmoils in your country, what prevents UN political officers from holding a conference in some corrupt country with some individuals, appointing a president, and bingo, you have a government? A government that doesn’t control one square mile of territory, and whose militias solely consist those of the sub-clan. What prevents these same political officers and their online mouthpieces from declaring the governing councils an “opposition group” and the appointed group, the proper “Transitional National Government?” Just a thought!