This is very bad news. The only good news I can sense is that Sland will lose it's incentives in this way. Wasn't it the gurti leader Saleban Gal, who said the Sland government shouldn't rush and squeel like a loose chicken, but closely observe every move Abdullahi Yusuf will make. To bad for our Sland brothers. They ruined it after succesful consultation with the British minister for Africa who urged not to do anything that could derail the Somali roadmap to peace to both Sland and Abdullahi Yusuf. Only the latter stood by his word. I also congratulate the Pland defense forces known as Darawish for succesfully capturing scores of Sland army soldiers.

Are they even aware of the fact that the clan from Sool has never signed any agreements with the British, thereby not being part of the British Sland protectorate. If I'm not mistaken, one of the most serious agruments favoring Sland is that the territory Sland claims is former British Sland protectorate. Sool, Buhodle and Southern Sanag are therefore outside Sland boundaries, because they are colonized with brutal measures by the British Empire. Theoretically, this clan could become an own sovereign state if Sland receives recognition.

Raami, is that you Ngonge? I prefered your former name. OG Girl, that Abdullahi Yusuf lost Pland is far from the truth. The state is under new leadership of Muhammad Abdi Hashi and President Hashi has declared to be part and parcel of the new Somali government. I'm a little bit sceptic myself and thus I belive the security forces in Pland still owe their firsthand loyalty to Abdullahi Yusuf. Just like when he mobilized the SSDF troops to wage an assault against Aidid's USC forces in 1991 right under the nose of Gen Muhammad Abshir, the then chairman of SSDF. Legally and theoretically Abdullahi Yusuf was a nobody in the early 90s. And now look at him. jb, I'll not dedicate much time for you, but it's suffice to say that I never was an Abdullahi Yusuf cheerleader. That's why I'm not admitting about the Ethio troops in Pland, because I never denied such thing.

OG Girl, I have advice for you my dear. Know what you're talking about and don't let your emotions take over. International peacekeepers will be only present around key infrastructure and government buildings. They are not ought to combat Somali militias, no matter how much some Somali militias are a cancer to our nation. Therefore, it's hard to believe Ethiopian troops will inflict gross violations on the Somali people. May I add that Yusuf had Ethiopian infantry batallions under his command before when he ousted extremist semi-tribal terrorist group Al Itihad and Arta henchman Col Jama Ali Jama from Pland. The Ethiopians even than without the international community present were reported not to have violated any laws in Pland at all and immedeately left Somali territory when their mission was accomplished.

Jumatatu, I think this a complete blooper of Abdullahi. Isn't the gentleman aware that this remark could, better yet, would offend the USC*. I feel sorry for Yusuf's bodyguard. I couldn't help but notice that he's present in most events with Yusuf. So I couldn't help but wonder how it is like to protect the oday in Mogadishu. It wouldn't surprise me if his knees shook at the sheer thought of it.

Ethiopia had the ability and the chance to invade Somalia several times entirely. If they were our vicious enemies they would do so in a heartbeat. I'm not saying they wouldn't like to, but the given fact that they abstained from such actions is a clear indication that they are not the evil external force capable of the most raunchest stunts on the Somali nation depicted by most. The contra-Abdullahi Yusuf group are quick to tell us that President Yusuf will, like his colleague Bush, accuse and brand every living soul that stands in his way as terrorists. Yet, it's wide and open for the general public to be seen that Abdullahi Yusuf opponents brand Abdullahi Yusuf and his supporters as Ethiopian stooges. In Somalia; There was, is and will always be heavy duty opposition. Mostly for the sake of opposition itself or tribal loyalties if I might add. Regarding Somalia's history, today's opposition, allthough having a formidable image, are weaker than yesterday.

Bn, thank you for the delightful pictures. The burial was very decent and Bosaso looks better than I even thought.

The disarming of the dreaded Somali militias is our first priority. In a fast pace preferably. I believe the imminence of cultural delution and long term social problems is grossly exaggerated. This matter shouldn't be about wether we do it or not, rather how we plan do it!

What's this ignorant ranting about Abdullahi Yusuf's age for God sake! Since when are presidents recquired to be in physical top condition to govern a country, any country? To quote Garab Tuujiye's famous line if I may; Wareer Badanaa!

The unsung heroes of Wajir By Jonah Fisher BBC, Kenya It is just gone 1900 here in Wajir in north-eastern Kenya and the night soil men are gathering around a tractor in the centre of town. These unsung heroes keep the town going These unsung heroes are about to go out for what is surely one of the most unpleasant jobs in the world - collecting what they call "Night soil", that is human excrement, from people's houses by bucket. Many people now take for granted the flushing away of waste using modern infrastructure developments such as piped water and sewers, but in towns like Wajir in north-east Kenya, they have to rely on older systems. The population is almost 100,000 and growing, and with a very high water table close to the ground surface, pit latrines would contaminate the drinking water. So they have had to use a bucket latrine collection system. "These buckets are emptied every night from every house by the council tractors and council night soil men," explains Wajir district council official Ahmed Omar. Health Yet the unglamorous work is not only poorly rewarded but unhealthy as well, as the men were only too quick to tell me. One man showed me his medical documents revealing he was suffering from TB. He told me he was emptying the contents of a bucket into the tractor and then some droppings from the tractor went into his eyes. Now he can only use one eye. The other eye has been infected and even this is getting damaged due to the work and pressure of using only one eye. He says they are the heroes of Wajir but are not recognised. "We have got no source of support. If only the authority's system of waste collection and facilities could be enhanced, it would be easier," he says. Strike Amazingly, as I was hearing their complaints and thinking to myself: "Why do these men do it?" they seemed to be thinking along similar lines. Having a chance to voice their grievances seemed to galvanise them and lots of them began an impromptu strike, it seemed, and walked off the side roads back to their homes. The smell is overpowering as they move the buckets There was now just a small group of night soil men left who said they would continue and just do a few selected pick-ups at hotels and schools. Some buckets would remain full in Wajir for at least another day. When we reached Wajir High School we found a couple of night soil men dressed in shorts and shirts pulling buckets out from underneath the latrines. As you might expect, the smell is quite disgusting. Each of the black buckets is overflowing with excrement and toilet paper, as they gingerly pull them out. One man picks up the bucket from the side of the road, passes it to the man who is riding on the tank at the back of the tractor, who then tips it into the tank and throws the bucket back onto the side of the road. While the rest of Wajir is sleeping, these men have very little money and with no protective equipment whatsoever are keeping this town from a serious disease epidemic.

Try buurhakaba.com

OG Girl

Is there a 50% discount on Hawaïan garlands by any chance in Hargeisa? I thought everybody would follow Mr Riyale's trend of christmas decorations.

I would name them Botaan (boy) and Batuun (girl or boy-boy= Jibraahil and Makaahil like my cousins. but I think it's a woman's decision to make. I can only give advice and see it brushed away with contempt.

Ayoub, so it must have been you my dear friend that requested an investigation on me to the Admin? I'm certainly very much dismayed. I've only heard of wd after his topic in the general section. Other than that I haven't interacted with the lad at all. I can also assure you that I'm not him nor his shadow. We both come from Galkayo and support Abdullahi Yusuf, that's apparently all we have in common. Honestly speaking, I do not like his line of rhetorics. He's far to agressive, than again he is from Mudugh. I would duelly appreciate it if you don't smear my good name anymore by claiming I'm somebody's reïncarnation. How do I know without a frame of doubt in my mind that you're not Gediid or Fyr Kanten? To close this matter, I like to conduct my precious time in these forums without anybody analyzing me. It's so annoying, don't you think. People seem to forget it's just a forum, I'm not breaking any glasses and dishes here, am I Ayoub? You haven't contributed anything noteworthy to the subject other than some spitting on some whom appear to be your traditional foes. You don't have to jump on Smith's back, I concur, Juma and Ngonge look like they are conjoined twins. The raised suspicions are understandable.

"Somaliland: Time for Recognition" I'm hearing that abused and overused line for years. Just face reality, you'll never get recognition. Not now and not ever.

Sure there are no paved streets, trottoirs, monuments, tall buildings and the rest of a modern city outside of Mogadishu. But that doesn't mean all other cities in Somalia should be brushed aside as inexistant or at least as ugly. I commend the reversed urbanization in Somalia, wich enables to have other Somali cities a chance to develop. And so they did. Why are you uttering the words of vicious assumptions that I'm clueless when it comes to my capital city. Mogadishu is my place of birth and even though I'm to young to remember much of the city, I know more about the city than my tribal homeland. Needless to say I'm more attracted to Puntland and Kismayu than Mogadishu now and ever. My father's brother is planning to go back to Kismayu as soon as possible to build a house on his 80 by 80 landstroke and another uncle seeks to retain his luxurious Tawakal hotel in Kismayu. Juma don't worry though, Mog is all yours. Tell your tribe not to worry for us coming back. I can sense your stress on this matter. Bey mate!

Bisinka iyo yasiinka iyo aayadaha qur'aanka! How can you compare destroyed, bewildered Mogadishu with Hargeisa on the hills and Bosaso on a green-lightblue coast with a panoramic view of the 'Al Miskat mountains? Nuune, sure we'll edit those images together and discuss things further. Just give me some time, I just signed up at imageshack. Bari Nomad, sure can do mate! We'll hold the non-Xamari in account.

Nuune, true. Mogadishu as well as Kismayu are in essence the most beautiful cities in Somalia. Because of their devastation, Hargeisa and Bosaso took over. Hopefully these cities and more will be rebuild as quickly as possible. Where can I register at the website where you can upload image files and edit them, by the way? Is it imageshack, if I'm correct?

lol sahib! The Africans are not incompetent at all, but especially the Nigerians have an attitude problem. The peoples of Sierra Leone and Liberia have witnessed this. Fortunately we are East Africans, so the range of nationalities will be limited to East African and Central African troops whom are farely trained and disciplined. But I know what you mean, but a common fact is that Somalia will just have to be suffice with our African brothers. They'll be keeping the peace from some Mog militia leaders and other militia leaders throughout the south of our country whom will sabotage the new government's control on Somalia. We Somalis know one thing and that is not to trust Mog and South militia leaders. They sworn and lied with impunity in the past and they might do it again. I don't know how they'll be armed, but their presence will (hopefully) be limited to government buildings, airports, ports etc. In the long run it will cut off any supply to the opposing militias from whereon they'll deteriorate into morbidness. Gradually and hopefully the country will come back to normal. The troops will only be deployed in the chaotic south, I would strongly oppose if Abdullahi Yusuf will bring them into the allready peaceful regions of Puntland and Somaliland or command them into direct attacks in areas he has no political/popular support yet.

AU will accept Somalia’s request for peacekeeping force - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 15:04 25 October 2004 ADDIS ABABA - The African Union is likely to accept a request by Somalia’s new President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed for a peacekeeping force of up to 20,000, but details have to be worked out, a senior official of the organization said. An African Union fact-finding mission will go to conflict-ravaged Somalia next month as part of a process of drawing up a concrete peacekeeping plan, said Said Djinnit, African Union commissioner for peace and security. “I am convinced and confident that the Peace and Security Council will in principle accept to support the request to undertake some peace support operations in Somalia to support institutions,†Djinnit said before the council began discussing Yusuf’s request Monday. The Horn of Africa country has been divided into fiefdoms ruled by rival warlords since 1991, when longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted. Yusuf was sworn in on Oct. 14 after a 275-member transitional parliament elected him. Source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com Lads, don't start to cheer or wheep, whatever your view on this matter is. But there is still no definite decision, one thing I'm for certain is that there will be a significant amount of troops reserved for Abdullahi Yusuf's request. Remember that the US troops on Somali soil, fighting Gen Aidid in Mogadishu and Gen Morgan in Kismayu while protecting the food convoys destined to Baidoa were numbering in the 35 000 inculding elite commandos.

Buoyed by the cheap lines of "Ina Yey will die if he sets a foot in Hamar" and anything else in the same direction, I came across these magnificent sattelite pictures while searching some info about my beloved Hamar Adey. Though Mogadishu is even more devastated by the USC than Kabul was, the city is fundamentally still the same nonetheless. So far the source global security has not disappointed me even once. Overview of Mogadishu. Districts of Medina, Hodan, Wardhigley, Hawl Wadag, Bondhere, Waberi and Hamar Weyne/Hamar Jajab are clearly visible. If you take good look, you'll see the port of the city, wich is closed also. If you even take a closer look more up north, you'll see the Olympic stadium. Mogadishu International Airport is closed since 1996. Controlled by warlord Muhammad Jama Furuh from southern Mudugh region. The airport is allready offered unconditionally by Furuh to the new Somali government. International peacekeeping troops of the AU will be stationed here primarily like the US forces in 1994. A neighbourhood near the Bakara market, East Africa's largest market. If my eyes are not deceiving me, African Village is on the picture.

I believe this is Samsam Ahmed Du'ale's uncle. The Somaliland cabinet official from eastern Sanag. In halganews he's talking about his personal experiences with his clan in attending the grand conferences in Burao, Borama and Hargeisa. His clan's increasing presence in Hargeisa and Somaliland politics in general.

To answer your question Nassir: 1- It resembles the writing script of the Amhara. 2- It's associated by many tribalist Somalis as a script of a certain clan. Thus adopting it would be proof for them that this clan is more superior than others. Personally, I'm deeply sorrowed that the Usmaniya script has not been adopted. It's a beautiful script, even though it resembles that of our Ethiopian brothers. These days, a minority in Puntland can read and write Usmaniya and the newspaper Horseed stopped publishing after Siad Barre's coup. Micheal Everson drastically enhanced the chance that the usmaniya alphabet might be of some importance in our lives in the future because of his effort. My clan always had good experiences with the Irish, in contrast with their British neighbours. First Gerald Hanley and now Micheal Everson?

Horn Afrique: ilaahay dambigeena naga cafi. Amin to that brother! Suldanka, no one said he had no blood in his hands. Don't insult us. I've broken a racist's arm once, does that make me a gacan ku dhiigle?