The current Prime Minister Formaggio's statement in parliament and his predecessors' denials is what matters now. Filinka la soco. “These companies were hidden from us ,” Mohamed Bashir, a Somali lawmaker, said on Thursday. Somalia’s new prime minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, gave the impression on Thursday that he did not know what the companies were doing in the country . “I’ve been in office only a month, and these contracts were made by the former government,” said Mr. Mohamed, an American citizen who recently relocated from upstate New York. But, he added, “it is my responsibility to investigate these deals.” Source >> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/31/world/africa/31somalia.html

^^ You're lagging way behind yaa sahbi. The propaganda minister's scripts from 17th December have been over-lapped by Prime Minister Formaggio's denials in parliament about 2 weeks later. You can even listen to an audio of the former PM Sharmaarke Jnr denying signing contracts with mercenaries . The heat is on... http://somalitalkradio.com/cod/2011/jan/waraysi_ccc_sharmarke.mp3

Amiin. AUN to the victim and his family. Unjustifiable, cowardly and senseless killing continue.

xiinfaniin;685508 wrote: ^^Awoowe waad is yeelyeelaysaaye, wuxu fashil bay ku dhamaadeen. If not so, tell me a single achievement that came about as the result of last weeks’ theatrics. In fact, while you were making loud noises about the Cargo Plane, the TFG followed suit Puntland’s model of hiring security consulting private company to attain similar goals. Have you not been reading the healines? TFG Parliament Orders Sharmarke's Clandestine Mercenaries Contracts Suspension Sharmaarke: My signature was forged

^ Leave "Mr" Somalia alone, after all - and "he" would agree with me - M C Xassan did more than question the manhood of the "Mr"s from his necks of Pirateland. laters Inshallah...

Abtigiis;685174 wrote: The ONLF is the only thing I feel proud about in this time and day as a Pro-Somaliyn supporter. Let's gets things straight, the ONLF is fighting for Independence not Somaliweyn - if you can distinguish the two. Abtigiis;685174 wrote: I am in an ividious position the only light from Pro-Somaliweyn prespective is ONLF with its myopia and limitations, but it is the only game in town; but the only game in town is also the game of my clan and hence ultimately I can not hide from the accusation of being labelled clanist. It is a charge I accept, until changing ONLF and circumtances set me free and I can get my real name - Somaliweyn dreamer. Once again you have to separate your supposed dreams and the ONLF agenda. I don't know about you being a clanist, what makes you a hypocrite is when a ONLF supporter like you talks of self-determination while opposing Somalilanders. It's even more preposterous when you accuse SL of "clan hegemony". Only a person with a acute lack of self-awareness could shamelessly utter such words. Taasi waa taas. Of all people, I would have thought you will appreciate and applaud my honesty and sincerity when it comes to discussing ONLF's limitations and the size of the Og clan in Somaliagalbeed Vis-a-vis the rest Somalis. Clap clap. Happy now. I'd applaud more if you told me useful details as how many of those 45% support the ONLF. What are their plans? If the ONLF succeed, will they ask the rest Somalis there what their political views and wishes? Will it be done the decisions be done as Kilill5 or would the clans be asked separately as you wish for Somaliland? These are the answers that determine your true character and not some dreamy proud opinions of yours. More importantly, it's sticking with the answers in this thread and not repeating the village-idi*t arguments in other threads one week later.

Peace Action;685264 wrote: PL already had two presidents who held elections on time and lost and accepted the results. Jama Ali Jama and...?

Salaat maqrib arbaca rakacaat? He must have gone to nuune's famous dugsi .

He however never paid tribute , never allowed any of his troops to assist either the British, Italians or the Ethiopians, hence he can't be a collaborator. Also your comparison with Al-Shabaab is a fallacy. The Dervish are legendary for having had a Pan-Somalist dream, the Shabab have an Al-Qaeda agenda, the Dervish were funded by local Somalis who believed in their cause, the Shabab are funded by wealthy Saudi devils , The Dervish did not stone victims, unlike the Shabab. The Dervish were all-inclusive with members from all major clans and they had no problems co-operating with other Somali entities, Al-Shabaab sees everything as non-muslim Somalis and muslim Somalis. The Dervish fought their enemies far away from civilians in the open plains and bushes, on the other hand the Shabab throw mortars in residential areas and inspire backlashes from the Barbaric foreigners , which is responsible for the death of thousands of civilians. The Dervish left behind a rich architectural legacy, the Shabab till this day have not constructed a single architectural marvel. Thanks for being the only person who tried to directly responded to the points I've raised, however slightly. You need to do your research on the subject especially origins of the Saalixiyya movement and the connection between M C Xassan and Sheikh Muxammed Saalax. You can start by watching the little clip I posted on page 1 of this thread. If you compare the Dervishes to crimes to Alshaababs', the Dervishes come across as more barbaric of the two. The Dervishes might have not have have launched mortars into civilian areas but they threw people off cliffs to their death in what is today's Puntland. They might not have stoned people to death (not to my knowledge anyway) but they did slaughter innocent men, women and children even in what is today called Kilil5. M C Xassan got a lot back from foreign powers. If the Dervishes got all their funding from Somalis as you claim, why did they have to resort to their notorious camel raiding? As for for M C Xassan's ties with Ethio monarchs, if he did what did today he would have been called a warlord. He used to get arms from them and that's why Haile Salasie considered him an Ethiopian hero and looked after his children. The "rich architectural legacy" he left behind were great but that too was done with the help of Germans who had their own rival political agenda to the other Europeans in the Horn at the time.

MoonLight1;685060 wrote: This is my point. The whole SNM mujahid /shaheed stuff is clannish based. I am sure 100% if the Sayid was from the BBH triangle clan (Burco, Berbera, Hargeysa) he would've been worshipped and would've been called the great Shaheed. I does help knowing what you're talking about before opening your gob. Trust me on that. Sayid did not die in battle. He rode his horse in to the sunset alive and well. Secondly, if there it was about clan, then why don't we worship Suldaan Nuur Amaan(AUN)? He sacrificed his throne and died fighting like true Mujaahid. Why not Sheikh Bashiir who achieved martyrdom for emancipation of his people? Please note this not an attack on the whole Darwish movement as a whole, but I'm just trying to answer your questions. If there is a single point you disagree with, let me know. Haddii kale halkaagii ka miis. 'gaalada aan la dagaallamayno ninkii taageero u fidiyaa isna waa gaal' Just what the Shabaab of today say...

Ku dayo, ku dayo?

lol@it means he is a thief as well. Sharmaarke seems to be too oblivious to what is going around him. This is not the first time he claimed his signature was forged. These remarks by Sharmaarke Jnr leaves Sh. Sharifs' office boy who issued this statement out to the wolves. Republic of Somalia The Ministry of Information, Posts & Telecommunications Office of the Minister ====================== Ref:WW/XW/349/10 PRESS RELEASE 55 Saturday, December 25, 2010 There has been some confusion about the relationship between Saracen International and the TFG and Saracen’s activities in Somalia. There were also some answers to reporters’ questions and interviews and writings on this issue which may have been misunderstood, or based on incomplete or at time inaccurate information. Today we hope to set the record straight and share with you and the world the accurate details of what we learned after reviewing relevant documents and speaking with the parties involved: 1. The Somali Cabinet, in its meetings on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 and Thursday December 23, 2010; discussed at length the issues related to the agreement between the TFG and Saracen International. 2. The agreement with Saracen predated the current government so the review of this agreement by the cabinet now was to make sure that it serves the best interest of the Somali People. 3. The scope of TFG agreement with Saracen is training Security Personnel and some Humanitarian work. 4. Our agreement with Saracen clearly does not address any specific activities for the company in The Puntland State of Somalia. 5. After a thorough investigation, we have been assured that the TFG has not been party to any agreement or activity that is in violation of the UNSC resolutions and we are cooperating with the Monitoring Group with regard to their concerns. 6. The Transitional Federal Government has a responsibility to provide security to its people and needs the assistance of the International Community in building its capacity to achieve this goal. The TFG agreement with Saracen International is a limited engagement that is clearly defined and geared towards filling a need that is not met by other sources at this time. 7. The funding of these activities is provided by some Muslim Countries that have no interest but to help the people and Government of Somalia overcome the difficulties they faced for the last 20 years. This is a rare opportunity afforded to Somali People in State Building as is done for others like Iraq and Afghanistan by many countries and companies. http://www.hiiraan.com/news2/2010/Dec/saracen_international.aspx

^ Ah look, A&T has returned back to this thread. I do hope this is the "Gar-naqe A&T". Ngonge, I hear you. We're all SSC after all.

Taleexi, I'm a big fan of Saado Cali. Give us a tune baan ku idhi.

Allow yaa Darwiishkii farriin debecsan gaadhsiiya Allow yaa dadkaagii yidhaa dawladnimo qaaday ~ Qaasim Axmed Guray ma dhiman Ma goblamin darwiishkii Geenyadu ma daalana ~ Hadraawi Like most things (people even), it's not black and white or clear cut as most would have us believe. Like the last Prophet of Islam said; every action is judged by its intention. Which means, it all depends on the intent. Is it fame? Justice? Fortune? Revenge? Your posted questions are badly phrased and I doubt I'm going to shift your original position but a least I'll give you my few cents. First of all, only The Almighty will decide who is a true Mujaahid or Shahiid in the Islamic sense. Taasi waa taas. Secondly, this terms could mean different things to different people. Mujaahid could be translated as Halgame, etc stc. The question I've asked before is; what makes M C Xasssan (AUN) a Mujaahid and not Gen M F Caydiid (AUN)? General Caydiid not only fought in 1977 against Ethios but was aslo invovoled in the "Black Hawk" wars. Both killed innocent men, women and children. What is the yardstick of a Mujaahid in this incidence? If the General was accused of robbing, the same could be said of the Sayid's Dayax-Weerar (Moonlight:)) camel raids. If the General Caydiid was clannish, so was Sayid Muxammed. Someone above said M C Xassan took revenge on collaborators to justify his murders. Well, how does that excuse fit in with today's Al-Shabab? How many people who are opposed to Godane's killings excuse the same violence by M C Xassan? Another important point is; the Sayid M C Xassan did sign a treaty with the Italians, which mocked by one poet with the famous line Ma Talyaanigaasaa mahdiya tanina waa yaabe. Is that not what some consider selling out or collaborating? Are there phases perhaps? Is Shabaabs's jihaad only justified till the Ethios left? Were the SNM Mujaahids till the collapse of the repressive regime? Was there a phase when Darwiish Jihaad turned into a clan war? What is the Mujaahid standard? PS I recomend Aw Jaamac Cumar Ciise book regarding the Darwiish. The book dispells the ignorant clannish stereotypical pronoucements of the likes of A&T. " frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

To be or not to be Saracen! that is the question. That's a very Lazie question.

Abtigiis;684673 wrote: The 45% Ayoub mistakenly is referring to is the estimate when I was asked for the size of the 'O' clan in Somaligalbeed, not the percentage that support the ONLF among the clan. O' clan in Somaligalbeed is 45%? Shall we call the place N0gadenia? Oki. Lets try again shall we? So 45% of Killil5 is O clan. A major faction (sub-clan according to the Ethios) that used to support the ONLF made deals with Meles. We know a significant portion used to be in bed with the Ethios anyway. The question is; what percentage of the "45% clan" support the ONLF? In terms of overall Somali people in Kilil5, how much support does the ONLF have? Abtigiis;684673 wrote: The rest of the issues raised, I shall come back soon. Hadda gar baan ku socdaa wadaad Pakistani tabliiqi ah oo loo haysto molesting a Malawian boy named Anyway Chipfamba. Ilaa caawa haday naga dhamaato hawshu waan ka jawaabi Ayoub's shallow arguments there. And I will requite Xaaji's gum-showing with even bigger qosol gariir of mine. I'M still wating yaa sahbi. You seem to be busy for this thread only, mise A&Tgii kale ee kaa dhax guuxi jiray baa garta ku maqan? :D:D Taleexi The likes of you can only put arguments with clichés and Saado Cali songs, ain't that right. Go on son, give us tune.

Somali PM asked to suspend agreement with security firm Saracen English.news.cn 2010-12-31 00:20:59 FeedbackPrintRSS MOGADISHU, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Somali lawmakers on Thursday demanded suspension of the work of international security firm Saracen in the war-torn country and called on Prime Minister Mohamed Abdulahi to explain government deals with the firm in four weeks' time. There has been growing controversy over the security firm since it emerged its involvement in the training of an anti-piracy force in the semi-autonomous northeastern Somali state of Puntland. The Somali premier who was summoned before parliament to explain the agreement it has entered with the South Africa-based international security firm Saracen. The premier told lawmakers that the government of former prime minister Sharmarkeh signed the deal with the firm to provide training and logistics for local forces and protection to senior Somali government officials. Lawmakers asked the premier to suspend the work of the firm for the next four weeks until the government of Abdullahi can give the parliament further details of the agreement with the firm. It has recently surfaced that the security firm was training local anti-piracy force in Puntland with the funding of an unnamed "Muslim country." Both the U.S. government and African Union peacekeeping forces in Somalia expressed opposition to the move, while lawmakers have been skeptical about the deals saying it affronts "the sovereignty of Somalia."

^ I'm not surprised you don't believe the SNM conducted the Badbaado Operation (or Bir-Jeex for that matter). Wax la aamini karo maaha. Stuff of legends. Not even bollywood could script what those heroes pulled off. My two cousins were released in Operation Badbaado. They were part of the students arrested after the Dhagax-tuur riots in 1982. My uncles explored every opportunity of getting them out of jail - including seeing the late dictator - without much success accept false promises. Then Mj. Lixle and heroes came along, my two cousins joined the SNM and the rest is history...

Parliament Takes on Contractors in Somalia By MOHAMMED IBRAHIM and JEFFREY GETTLEMAN Published: December 30, 2010 MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Parliament demanded Thursday that the government immediately suspend the operations of several foreign security contractors because the lawmakers said they had no idea what the contractors were actually doing. While Western officials have recently acknowledged that a number of private security contractors have begun operating in war-ravaged Somalia, little is publicly known about whom exactly they are working for or what their assignments are. Lawmakers are accusing Somalia’s president and prime minister of making secret deals, and United Nations officials have been raising questions about whether some of these contractors might be helping organize and arm new pro-government militias, possibly violating the United Nations arms embargo on Somalia. “These companies were hidden from us,” Mohamed Bashir, a Somali lawmaker, said on Thursday. The Somali government — which is fighting an Islamist insurgency and is confined to a few city blocks in a country nearly the size of Texas — recently disclosed that it hired at least one of the security companies to train soldiers. It identified the company as Saracen International but did not provide details about it, including where it is located. But lawmakers said there were at least five other foreign contractors doing secretive security work in Somalia. Several of the security companies are based at Mogadishu’s airport, Somali residents have said. Somalia’s new prime minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, gave the impression on Thursday that he did not know what the companies were doing in the country. “I’ve been in office only a month, and these contracts were made by the former government,” said Mr. Mohamed, an American citizen who recently relocated from upstate New York. But, he added, “it is my responsibility to investigate these deals.” He gave himself a deadline of four weeks to reply to Parliament. It was not clear on Thursday if this would placate lawmakers, who seem to take pride in their feisty and often antagonistic relationship with the other branches of Somalia’s weak government. The lawmakers want the government to suspend the contracts now, until further review. Last week, Somalia’s Ministry of Information issued a cryptic news release about Saracen and who is behind it. “The funding of these activities is provided by some Muslim countries that have no interest but to help the people and government of Somalia overcome the difficulties they faced for the last 20 years,” the release said, without disclosing which Muslim countries. “This is a rare opportunity.” The Somali government is facing an uphill battle against the Shabab, a radical Islamist insurgent group that controls much of the country. The Shabab are known for a violent brand of rule that includes executing their perceived enemies or performing crude amputations on them. The Shabab have sworn allegiance to Al Qaeda and claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Uganda in July that killed dozens of civilians who were watching the World Cup. About 8,000 African Union troops are based in Somalia, many Ugandan. The Somali government acknowledges that without them it would fall to the insurgents within days, maybe even hours. The United States and other Western nations have been trying to bolster the struggling government against the Islamist insurgency, with relatively little success. Mohammed Ibrahim reported from Mogadishu, and Jeffrey Gettleman from Nairobi, Kenya. A version of this article appeared in print on December 31, 2010, on page A6 of the New York edition.

^ You're regurgitating defeated arguments again. It's a case of self determination for the 5 Somali territories. That's what the blue flag stands for, does it not? If the the majority of Somalilanders want politically centralised Unity with Somalia, so it will be. If they do not, then that's it. Your cousins in the NFD don't want Unity with Somalia but I don't see you foam in the mouth about them. Djibouti does not want want Unified State Somalia but that does not mean they hate Somalia. Even the ONLF is fighting for independence and not for a unification with Somalia. In short, you hate Somalilanders for archiving what you the ONLF are fighting for right today. Even worse, when some member of SOL once asked you the percentage of the 0 clan supporting the ONLF, you said about 45%. Which means 55% of your own clan does not support what the ONLF is fighting for. That was before a major faction (sub-clan according to the Ethios) made deals with Meles. The question is; how what percentage of the your clan support the ONLF? 40%? 20%? As for your beloved SSC, well that territory is a populated not by a single clan, is it? Come back with a better clannish case. If the so-called SSC faction can accept half their temporary headquarters of Buuhootle to have an Ethiopian flag, they cannot make any nationalist-clannish claims regarding borders. As for Awdal, tell me why Saylac was part of Somalia and not Djibouti in the first place. It was simple case of colonial borders. Which means; you support colonial borders/clan borders when suit your agenda and against the ones that don't. How convenient? There's no better example of this than your pet project called 0gadenia.

Daarulcilmi is a good one.

Biyokulule Online December 27, 2010 This paper discusses the recently promoted view that government counter-insurgence campaign should rather be conducted by self-interested quasi-mercenaries, instead of AMISOM forces. It is not entirely clear that the fez-wearing sheikhs have learned from the unfortunate Somali experiences. There are reports circulating in the Somali media that states Villa Somalia’s final decision to hire foreign security firm. The chitchats coming from the bunker walls of Villa Somalia are also rising loudly and are in favour of bringing quasi-mercenaries into Somalia, although Villa Somalia publicly denounces it. Despite the almost universally unanimous distaste for quasi-mercenaries, the fez-wearing sheikhs who are now playing political midwife to Somalia assume that foreign private security actors are cheaper and more effective than UN or AMISOM forces. Full piece >>> Marauding Saracen - A Mercenary by Any Other Name

Ten years ago, a different Puntland government hired a British security company, Hart Security, to train a coast guard in a program that was ultimately unsuccessful. Some analysts believe graduates of the course deserted and became pirates, pointing to incidents like the 2008 hijacking of a Japanese vessel in which some pirates wore coast guard uniforms. Others say there is not enough evidence to show that Hart graduates became pirates and the current program should not be discouraged. "It's too easy to criticize security contractors," said Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, the head of Dryad Maritime Intelligence, which provides information about piracy to shipping companies. "But the answer to piracy has to be regional engagement." Pierre Prosper, a former U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues, earlier told AP he is being paid by a Muslim nation he declined to identify to be a legal adviser to the Somali government on the project. He said Saracen International is the contractor that is being paid by the unnamed Muslim nation to do the training. Uganda-based Saracen International was also identified in a letter and a statement from Puntland's government and the Somali president's former chief of staff. But Bill Pelser, the chief executive of Saracen International, denied his company is involved. Pelser told AP he made introductions for another company called Saracen Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have no record of a company called Saracen and Pelser did not provide details. A multinational naval force patrolling the waters off East Africa has limited capabilities to end Somali piracy. Experts, along with the force's own commanders, have said the only long-term solution is to go after pirate havens on land. An effective Puntland coast guard could dramatically cut down on attacks, Gibbon-Brooks said. There many pirate groups based in southern Somalia but the northern gangs remain the most experienced and dangerous, Gibbons-Brooks said. Somali pirates currently hold 22 ships and 521 crew, according to the European Union Naval Force. The Puntland administration, which nominally falls under the Mogadishu-based government, is generally seen as stable and efficient. Puntland also has rich marine resources — a possible source of lucrative fishing licenses. A consortium of companies are also exploring for oil and gas but instability has largely prevented these resources from being exploited. Associated Press writer Pauline Jelinek in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. source

Somali parliament orders contracts suspended By MOHAMED SHEIKH NOR, Associated Press – Thu Dec 30, 10:26 am ET MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia's parliament on Thursday ordered the government to suspend several security and infrastructure contracts with foreign companies because the agreements did not have parliamentary approval. Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed told parliament the contracts were signed before he took office in October and asked for four weeks to investigate them. Deputy Speaker Abdiwali Mudey granted Mohamed's request. One of the contracts debated Thursday concerns an Uganda-based company, Saracen International. Numerous Somali officials have identified it as the security contractor involved in a controversial program to train and fund anti-piracy forces in Somalia. An ex-CIA deputy station chief and a former U.S. ambassador are also involved in the program. U.N. and American officials have expressed concerns over the transparency and goals of the program. But Bill Pelser, the chief executive of Saracen International, has denied his company is involved and says it is another company of the same name registered in Lebanon. Lebanese authorities say they have no record of such a company.