VZCZCXRO2633
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1566 2021614
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211614Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0454
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA  IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001566 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/RSA AND AF/E 
ALSO FOR S/CT ZROTHSCHILD 
ALSO FOR IIP/CTCC MAUSTEIN AND JVANDEVELDE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO PTER MOPS SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - PD ACTIVITIES UPDATE, JULY 21 
 
REF: A. NAIROBI 1539 
     ¶B. 07 STATE 116686 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Per ref B, Post submits the following 
update for the third week of July 2009.  End summary. 
 
------------- 
PD Activities 
------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Somalia Unit, including the Military Information 
Support Team (MIST) dedicated to Somalia, performed para. 
3-10 activities since the last report: 
 
¶3. (SBU) The two Somali journalists who will perform an 
assessment of the Transitional Federal Government's (TFG) 
public diplomacy operations are scheduled to depart Nairobi 
on July 23 and remain in Mogadishu until August 3.  The TFG 
Minister of Information has extended his absence from 
Somalia, so the assessors will meet him in Mogadishu. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Post arranged a roundtable with Kenya and Somali 
media for the Somali Ambassador to Kenya on July 15.  Three 
Kenyan and four Somali outlets attended.  The Ambassador 
borrowed heavily from the suggested talking points provided 
by the Somalia Unit. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Following PAO's July 17 call with the Somaliland 
Minister of Information protesting the arrests of two Radio 
Horyaal journalists and the attempted suspension of Horn 
Cable TV (HCTV) in Somaliland (ref A), Post issued a press 
release urging the release of the journalists.  Our media 
contacts told us the press release had significant impact, 
even to the extent that the Somaliland authorities accused 
the media of having fabricated the press release.  The 
Counselor for Somalia Affairs conducted a television 
interview with HCTV on July 21 to reiterate our call for 
freedom of the press in Somalia. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In addition to the July 17 press release on freedom 
of the press in Somaliland, Post issued a press release on 
July 21 condemning al-Shabaab's July 20 looting of WFP 
facilities in Baidoa and Wajid and their announcement that 
three UN organizations were banned from al-Shabaab-controlled 
areas. 
 
¶7. (SBU) On July 18, at the Somalia Unit's instigation, 
Post's Pickering Fellow conducted outreach at a Muslim girls' 
academy in Nairobi attended by many ethnic Somalis.  Her 
remarks on life in America were extremely well-received.  She 
will conduct similar sessions in coming weeks. 
 
¶8. (SBU) MIST activity, week of July 13:  The MIST 
coordinated with Radio Daljir to facilitate the Waayaha Cusub 
music group's travel to Puntland for concerts and meetings 
with civic groups that promote youth support of the TFG and 
opposition to violent extremist organizations.  MIST also 
began collecting information about Waayaha Cusub,s reception 
in Somalia to help determine the viability of using them in a 
campaign to reach the youth in Puntland and south-central 
Somalia. 
 
¶9. (SBU) MIST activity, week of July 13 (cont.):  MIST also 
continued preparation for the extension of the sheikh 
programs in Northeast Province and Eastleigh as well as the 
expansion of this program into Puntland and south-central 
Somalia.  During a July 16 meeting with one sheikh after he 
broadcast his lecture at a studio in Eastleigh (Nairobi), the 
sheikh told us that recent, more hard-hitting messages - 
instigated at Post's request to focus more closely on current 
events - have resulted in increased attention to his 
lectures, and have garnered positive reaction among Somalis 
opposed to extremism. 
 
¶10. (SBU) MIST activity, week of July 20: MIST began planning 
to support youth campaigns based around soccer in Eastleigh 
(Nairobi) and the Dadaab refugee camp in northeast Kenya that 
attempt to counter radical and violent ideologies.  MIST also 
began preparations for support of drama and music groups in 
Dadaab refugee camps who are spreading positive messages 
about peace and reconciliation. 
ABELL