Somalia's Government Confirms Opposition Coalition Being Formed in Eritrea

By Alisha Ryu Mogadishu 09 June 2007

Download

Somalia's interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi has confirmed a story reported by VOA on Friday about a coalition being established in Eritrea, composed of groups opposed to the Somali government and its main backer, Ethiopia. VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu has the details from the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi (file photo)

In an interview with VOA, Prime Minister Gedi said his government is closely monitoring the activities of the newly-formed anti-government, anti-Ethiopian coalition, sponsored by Ethiopia's chief rival in the Horn, Eritrea.

On Friday, VOA reported that the coalition, established in late May, is believed made up of at least four major groups: Somalia's defeated Islamic Courts Union, Ethiopia's Ogaden National Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Front rebels, and anti-Ethiopian former parliament members of the Somali transitional government.

Prime Minister Gedi says an immediate goal of the Eritrean-based coalition is to derail a government-hosted Somali national reconciliation conference, scheduled to begin next Saturday in Mogadishu.

"They are pursuing activities that are aimed at spoiling the reconciliation process," he said. "Who is sitting in Asmara with the Eritrean government? They are not taking care of the interests of the Somali people. Those are enemies of the Somali people, and that is why they are forming this coalition. An alliance of Islamic courts and terrorists will never come in this country."

Somalia's interim government took power in Mogadishu in late December, after an Ethiopia-led offensive ended the Islamists' six-month rule.

At the time, the leadership of the Islamic Courts Union was thought to be divided between hardliners, who had formed links with extremist groups like the al-Qaida terror organization, and moderates, who largely did not support radical activities.

For months, western countries, led by the United States, urged Somalia's secular interim government to open a dialogue with Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the leader of the court's moderate Executive Council and to include moderate Islamists in the national reconciliation talks, aimed at bringing peace to Somalia after 16 years of civil war.

But Prime Minister Gedi and other government officials have firmly opposed inviting any representatives of the Islamic Courts Union to the talks.

On Saturday, the Somali leader noted that Sheik Ahmed has been named political leader of the new coalition in Eritrea, slamming the door for good on western hopes that the interim government could reconcile with moderates in the courts.

"I do not know if you believe that there are moderates and they can join the reconciliation. If you believe it, it is not true," he added.

Many Somalis in war-torn Mogadishu doubt that a reconciliation conference can succeed without including the government's chief opponents.

Hundreds of Islamist supporters and nationalists angry over the presence of Ethiopian troops in the country are said to be active in the violent insurgency in the capital.

Lebanese Army Tightens Grip on Palestinian Militants

By Margaret Besheer Beirut 09 June 2007

Download

Five more Lebanese soldiers were killed and at least a dozen injured Saturday in stepped-up clashes with Islamic militants hiding out in a Palestinian refugee camp, as fighting entered its 20th day. VOA's Margaret Besheer has more from Beirut.

Smoke rises from Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon, 09 June 2007

The army says it is gradually taking control of positions held by Fatah al-Islam, the band of al-Qaida inspired militants holed up in the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon.

Smoke billowed over the camp Saturday, where witnesses reported some of the heaviest army shelling since June 1, when the military launched an all-out assault to drive the fighters from their hiding places. A main road running along side the camp was closed for the first time in several days. It was not immediately clear if the army was preparing to make a final push toward Nahr el-Bared in its drive to crush the militants.

Camp resident Fathi Abu Ali told VOA by telephone from inside Nahr el-Bared that "today has been a disaster." He said the army began shelling at 5 a.m. and continued throughout the day.

Nahr el-Bared is normally home to some 40,000 Palestinians, but most have evacuated to some of the country's 11 other Palestinian camps. Aid agencies estimate some 4,000 remain in deteriorating and dangerous conditions.

Abu Ali, who has been in the camp throughout the three-week-long siege, tells VOA there is no electricity and little water. He says it has been three days since aid groups have been able to deliver bread to residents.

Muslim clerics have been trying to mediate an end to the fighting but so far they have been unsuccessful.

The militants were estimated to be a few hundred when the fighting began. At least 32 have been captured, and an unknown number have been killed.

Lebanon's government has demanded that the fighters surrender and face justice. Fatah al-Islam says it will fight to the death.

VOASE0609_People In America

09 June 2007

Sam Cooke, 1931-1964: The singer was one of the biggest stars in the music industry during the 1950s and 60s
His smooth voice and musical style were popular with both blacks and whites.

Download
Download

VOICE ONE:

I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Ray Freeman with the VOA Special English program, People in America. Every week we tell about someone important in the history of the United States. This week we tell about black singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke.

(MUSIC: "You Send Me")

VOICE ONE:

Sam Cooke

It has been years since that song was a hit. Yet it is still popular today. The song is called "You Send Me. " It was written and sung by a young singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke.

During the late nineteen fifties and early sixties, Sam Cooke was one of the biggest stars in the music industry. His smooth voice

and musical style were popular with both blacks and whites. Although Sam Cooke died years ago, his influence still is present in today's music.

VOICE TWO:

Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in nineteen thirty-one. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a minister in a Baptist church. Sam started singing religious music when he was only fifteen years old. When he was nineteen, he became the lead singer of a famous gospel singing group called the Soul Stirrers.

In nineteen fifty, he began writing and recording for the Soul Stirrers. During his six years with the group, Cooke brought his own kind of expression to gospel music. He became gospel music's biggest star.

His good looks and singing abilities made him very popular among women, both young and old. Here is Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers singing "Touch the Hem of His Garment".

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Although Sam Cooke was a star with the Soul Stirrers, he wanted to sing other kinds of music. So, he decided to sing popular music instead.

Cooke's decision to "cross over" to pop music shocked many blacks. That was because making such a change was not as easy then as it is today. Racial tensions were high between blacks and whites in the nineteen fifties. And gospel music was popular among black people. It was considered an important part of black culture.

The company that recorded the Soul Stirrers' records urged him not to start singing pop music. They thought it would offend the group's fans.

VOICE TWO:

Cooke, however, wanted to sing to all groups of people. He wanted to express his racial identity without offending whites. At that time, most records by black artists were not played on radio stations that had white listeners. So, he left the gospel music world where he was extremely popular with blacks. But the move was not a mistake. He soon became a big star singing pop music.

Sam Cooke's first pop record was released by a small company, Keen, in nineteen fifty-seven. It was "You Send Me. " It was a huge success. It sold one million seven hundred thousand copies in the first year alone. It is one of his most memorable recordings. Here is the first version he recorded of that song. It was made to show Cooke's ability to sing.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Sam Cooke had a voice that was unlike any the public had ever heard. His voice was soft, yet intense. He made singing seem effortless.

Cooke was also a wise businessman. In nineteen fifty-nine, he became the first black artist to establish his own record company, SAR Records. He wrote most of his own material. And, he owned the rights to his songs through his music publishing company, Kags Music. Very few blacks at that time were able to control their musical profession in such a way. And, without such business control, they lost money.

Here is another hit by Sam Cooke, when he was with the Keen record company, called "Wonderful World. "

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

In nineteen sixty, Sam Cooke signed an agreement with a major record company, RCA. Such a move is common today. But, a move from an independent black-owned record company to a major record company was something few black artists were able to do then.

Cooke had a number of big hits at RCA. In this song, Sam Cooke uses a "call and answer" form of musical expression that started in the black church. The song is called "Bring it on Home to Me. "

(MUSIC)

In nineteen sixty-two, Sam Cooke recorded a song for RCA about a popular new dance step, the Twist. The song is called "Twistin' the Night Away. "

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

In December nineteen sixty-four, Sam Cooke's life was suddenly cut short. He was shot and killed at a hotel during a visit to Los Angeles. He was thirty-three years old.

His death shocked his fans. Thousands of people gathered at his funeral.

Two of Cooke's last songs were released after he died. One of the songs is called "A Change is Gonna Come. " It is a powerful song that combines gospel and pop music. The song is like many of Sam Cooke's that made him so popular as a singer and songwriter. It is about never losing hope.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This Special English program was written by Cynthia Kirk. It was produced by Lawan Davis. I'm Ray Freeman.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for another people in American program on the Voice of America.