and you wonder when people call lascanood kasmiir, because am afraid all they ever do is serve the political ambitions of others, maxakamadaha kulahaa, whos intrest do you think these courts serve waar isku xishood, idinka waaba yaabe kolba ma nin baa awrka idinku kacsada, waar look out for intrest of you degaan and stop this cheerleading. Koley adi awrkaaga kuuma kacinano..lol Laascaanood kashmiir maaha, waayo laascaanood ma rabtu inay ka go’do dalkeeda Kashmiir waxaa wixii raba inuu go’o sida northwest (Somaliland ) secessionist region War maxkamaduhu kun jeer bey dhaamaan clan militia based in hergeysa Maxkamaduhu waa soomaaliyeed uu diin leh, aaminsan midnimada karaamada ummada soomaaliyeed Lakiiin, maamulka warlord ina riyoode waxuu lamidyahay warlord yada mogadisho waayo waxey u shaqeeyaan Ethiopia, ummadana dhibaatu iyo ka qeybin bey ku wadaan… Sxb warlord era wuu dhamaaday ee u sheeg adeerkaa riyoode Reer laascaanood waligood waa lagu yaqaanaa inay markasta saf ka hore ka galaan kacdoon kasta uu shacabka qaado, daraawiishtii baa ka mida, Reer Laascaanood dan qaran bey ka doorteen dan qabiil

and you wonder when people call lascanood kasmiir, because am afraid all they ever do is serve the political ambitions of others, maxakamadaha kulahaa, whos intrest do you think these courts serve waar isku xishood, idinka waaba yaabe kolba ma nin baa awrka idinku kacsada, waar look out for intrest of you degaan and stop this cheerleading. Koley adi awrkaaga kuuma kacinano..lol haa yaabin Laascaanood kashmiir maaha, waayo laascaanood ma rabtu inay ka go’do dalkeeda Kashmiir waxaa wixii raba inuu go’o sida northwest (Somaliland ) secessionist region War maxkamaduhu kun jeer bey dhaamaan clan militia based in hergeysa Maxkamaduhu waa soomaaliyeed uu diin leh, aaminsan midnimada karaamada ummada soomaaliyeed Lakiiin, maamulka warlord ina riyoode waxuu lamidyahay warlord yada mogadisho waayo waxey u shaqeeyaan Ethiopia, ummadana dhibaatu iyo ka qeybin bey ku wadaan… Sxb warlord era wuu dhamaaday ee u sheeg adeerkaa riyoode Reer laascaanood waligood waa lagu yaqaanaa inay markasta saf ka hore ka galaan kacdoon kasta uu shacabka qaado, daraawiishtii baa ka mida, Reer Laascaanood dan qaran bey ka doorteen dan qabiil

Originally posted by OogBoi: Funny logic you're using there. So now I "cant" be from some place just because some other people there oppose what I believe in? Listen, I am from the regions of Sool and Sanaag, and like it or not, the overwhelming majority of the people there are in for Somaliland. That idiology of yours is nowhere to be found outside Lascanood. magaca aad labaxday bey ka cadahay cida aad tahay Tuulada Oog waxey ku taala galbeedka shishe ee gobolka Sool Support for clan militia of Somaliland is nowhere to be found outside occupied cayn and oag in far west of sool region Laascaanood is the capital of Sool region, how you can be from Sool when you are against Laascaanood people? Hypocrisy….. Sxb waxba been haa noo sheegin, you are from northwest particularly Togdheer The vast majority of people North central Somalia (Sool Sanaag and Cayn) are passionate supporters of United Somalia and somaliweyn, I don’t want to argue with you about this matter, because its irrefutable fact that all somali and whole world knows about it loool my friend these people have translated lascanood into sool sanaag and "cayn" (buhoodle), they have even renamed their tribal garaad into Garaadka sool sanaag and "cayn" looool, to the amusement of eveberyone else. W aa xaqiiq Garaad Jaamac waa Garaad dhamaan dadka daga sool cayn iyo qaybo ka mid ah sanaag, Laascaanood is the capital of north central region (sool sanaag cayn), these kids claim sool and sanaag are against somaliland yet cannot explain how somaliland governs over both nearly all of sanaag and sool with the exception of lascanood and few villages. Somaliland occupies some parts of sool sanaag, Insha allah the people of north central will liberate their land from invaders

Dr. Cali Khaliif Galaydh, Oo ah Barre Sare/Professor wax ka dhiga Jaamacadda Minnesota, Iskuulka Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. By:Liibaan Jordan Dr. Cali Khaliif Galaydh waxaa laga waraystay socdaalkiisii uu dhawaan ku tagay dalka Soomaaliya, iyo arrimaha dhawaan ka soo cusboonaaday Soomaaliya, khaasatan magaalada Mugdisho oo uu dagaal xoogani ku dhexmaray Xooggaga Maxaakiimta Islaamka iyo Ururka Nabad Dib u Soocellinta iyo la Dagaalanka Argagaxisada. Dagaalkaas oo ay ku xoog roonaadeen Xooggaga Maxaakiimta Islaamka. Halkan Ka Dhegayso Waraysigii Proff: Cali Khaliif Galaydh!

Madhabaa in Maxkamad Islaami Ah looga Dhawaaqi Doona Las-anod Maalmaha Soo Socda ??? Warkii 18-Jun-2006 iyo Qormadii: Xuseen Maxamed Kadib markiii ciidamada maxaakiimta shareecada islaamka ee magaalada muqdisho ay xoog uga saareen hogaamiyaasha kooxaha dagaalka ee ku soo amar ku taaglaynayey in ka badan 15 sano dalka Somalia .. Ayaa waxaa isla markiiba ka bilaabmay gobolada dalka Somalia quux ay dadwaynuhu uguuxayaan isku xukunka shareecada islaamka oo awal ay ka hortaagnaayeen shaqsiyaad ama maamulo ay reer galbeedku ku adeegtaan … Ciidamada maxaakiimta islaamiga ah ayaaa kaga dhawaaqa fadhiisinkii ay ka saaraanba isbahaysiga la dagaalanka argagixisada maxkamad islaami ah oo dadka ku xunta shareecada islaamka .. Waxaa sidoo kale bilaabmay abaabulo ka dhan ah maamulada aan shareecada dadka ku dhaqin sida kacdoonkii dawaynaha reer hiiraan ay ku tureen maamulkii uu ra’isalwasaare geedi usoo magacaabay gobolkaasi isla markaa looga dhisay magaalaada beledwayne maxkamada shareecaada islaamka ee beledwayne .. Hada waxaa maalmahan laga dareemayey sida wararku ka imanaya laascaanood nagu soo gaadhayaan dhaqdhaqaaq iyo guux aad ufara badan oo ay wadaan dadwaynaha magaalada oo isku duuban , Majiraan warar si rasmi ah u xaqiijinaya in ay jirto qorshe lagu dhisayo maxkamad ku dhaqanta shareecada islaamka oo laga hirgaliyo magaalada laascaanood oo ah magaalo ay la degtay dagaalo ku salaysan aanooyinka qabiilka iyo jahwareer siyaasadeed .. Maamulka puntland oo mudo ka ariminayey magaalada laascaanood ayaa ku guuldaraystay inuu si rasmi ah u xaka meeyo dilalka la xidhiidha anooyinka , in kastoo ciidanka amaanka laascaanood ay qaadeen dhowaan markii nin lagu dilay laascaanood talaabo ka duwan kuwii hore isla markaana ay gudaha soo dhigeen gacan ku dhiiglihii iyo rag kaloo danbiilayaal ah , isla markaana ay dadwaynu aad usoo dhoweeyeen , balse su.aasha ay wali reer laascaanood is waydiinayaan ayaa ah maamulka gobolku ma sii wadi doonaa talaabadan wanaagsan ee uu hada qaaday … Xuseen Maxamed Nairobi Kenya

Las-Anod and its significance for Somali Unity Las-Anod is the regional capital of Sool, a region that has a lot of significance, along with other towns in Sanaag, for the unity of the Somali nation. Sool stretches from Ainaba to the West until the outskirts of the city of Garowe, the regional capital of Nugal. When the area became a region under the military regime, its inhabitants resented the fact that their region lost the coveted name of Nugal to their neighbors in the east; after all, the Nugal-Valley is the historic cradle of the famous Dervish movement and their famous horses. The town is a natural fortress that is surrounded by bare hills that create two outlets making it easy to defend against aggressors. Many believe that the Sayed chose it as his initial base when he launched his campaign to oust the colonial invaders from Somalia. It also has natural defenses in the form of deep ravines known as Xargaga a few kilometers to the west of the town. Las-Anod is a small town that suffered from neglect under the British government as a punishment against its people for joining the Dervish resistance. It did not fare any better under the civilian and military governments that succeeded the British. The only institutions of significance in the town are a small clinic, an elementary school and an intermediate school built by the British before independence. The late teacher, Musa Yusuf, who lost his life along with Pofessr Abyan when they tried to leave Mogadishu after the collapse of the government, built the only secondary school in the town. The funds used to build the school came from expatriates working in the Arabian Gulf. Like most towns in Somalia, the town lacks running water and electricity. Were it not for the tarmac road linking Mogadishu with Burao, the town would have drifted into oblivion. Some expatriates who left the town in search of better lives in other places jokingly call it Los Angeles. The only thing that the town shares with the city of Los Angeles is its acronym and a dangerous gun-culture that claimed the lives of dozens of innocent people in revenge killings brought about by the lack of a strong local administration and a proper court system. Disputes are still settled by traditional leaders and modern courts are unheard of. Neither Somaliland nor Puntland added any value to the town and they have both been ineffective in improving the quality of life for the inhabitants. Luckily the traditional leaders play an important role in preventing wide scale conflict and most incidents are confined to revenge killings that are prevented from escalating into wider conflict. The recent campaign by Punltand to ban guns in public has helped a lot in reducing these types of incidents. The town entered the history books on 3 occasions. The first occasion was the sad assassination of President Sharmarke in 1969, an assassination that triggered the military coup that brought a group of military officers to power in Somalia. The second occasion is the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the president of Somaliland when he was duped by some members of his government into visiting the town after Somaliland traditional leaders spent more than 3 months in the town helping to bring a peaceful end to local clan conflicts. The third occasion is the most significant for Somali unity in the form of the coronation of a new, young, educated and unionist Garad. The coronation brought together many influential people from the North and the South for the first time in 15 years. The coronation of the Garad brought hope to many people in the area who long for getting rid of the divisions brought about by an inflationary number of Garads, Sultans, Ugas and boqors in the wake of the collapse of the government. This has led to divided loyalties that put the region and the town in the midst of a potentially devastating conflict between two administrations that both lay claim to the area. The people of the area have found themselves in a difficult spot. They share many important cultural and social bonds with their brothers to the west and share the cursed “tol†bondage with their brothers in the east. This tug of war has led to bad decisions that ultimately brought the region to the edge of the abyss. Luckily, sanity has prevailed and the area has so far escaped a potentially devastating war. The father of the new Garad is famous for his objections to a hasty union with the South when the North gained its independence from the British. For his visionary stand, the Garad was rewarded with the famous words “Laa yaa Garaadâ€, No, O Garad. The visionary Garad saw the potential problems that an unconditional union with the South would bring. As a result, the hasty union led to the subsequent discontent of the North and the call by many Northerners for an again hasty withdrawal from the union. It is worth noting that an elder from Sanag joked with his compatriots from the Northwest in the Burao conference by reprimanding them of their historic call for a hasty union and their current desire for a hasty withdrawal from the union. He jokingly advised that perhaps the Northwest should defer to their brothers in the Northeast when the next opportunity for dealing with the south had presented itself again. It seems that the opportunity predicted by the wise elder has presented itself now. There is a need for a wise leadership to salvage the unity of the country and this leadership seems to have presented itself in the form of a new Garad for Sool. The speech of the Garad has portrayed him as a man of peace and new ideas. He vowed to bring all the traditional leaders of Somalia together and to seek a peaceful resolution to the impasse that has characterized the Somali problem for the last 15 years. His first job will off course be uniting his own backyard and bringing the numerous chiefs under one roof, a task that requires a lot of effort and farsighted leadership. Guided by his father's wisdom the new Garad will most probably achieve the proper unity that his father desired in the first place. A unity based on justice and equal footing. The north will not settle for less than an equal partnership in the new union; a partnership that is based on a well-researched model that prevents the injustice that the people of the North suffered from under the civilian and military regimes; a partnership that prevents the killing of innocent civilians and the practice of collective punishment; a partnership that compensates those who had suffered from the excesses of repressive and cruel regimes. The list is long and the new Garad will no doubt have a lot on his plate to contend with. The important thing is that he brings new hope for the people of Somalia many of whom are looking forward to rebuild their country, to rejoin the world community, and to escape from the cycle of violence that prompts thousands of people to flee their country to foreign lands where they lose their dignity, pride and honor, and sometimes even their lives. The recent emotional and heart-rending BBC interview with a Somali lady who lost her children in a dangerous sea journey in their attempt to immigrate to Italy is a painful reminder that Somalis need to put their house in order. The people of the North do not hate their brothers in the South. They are the ones who opted to unite with their brothers unconditionally and they are the ones who show the world today that Somalis can achieve peace and development without foreign interference. The people of the North will rise up to the occasion again and help bring unity to Somalia despite all the odds stacked up against such unity. The new Garad and the town of Las-Anod will no doubt play an important role in bringing their Northern brothers back into the fold of the union. It is their turn to broker such a union. Ali H Abdulla. E-Mail: aliegeh@gmail.com

N Korea threatens to ‘wipe out’ US SEOUL: North Korea on Sunday threatened to “mercilessly wipe out†US forces in case of war during a national meeting to mark leader Kim Jong-Il’s 42 years’ work at the ruling party. The threat, in a ruling party report carried by the Korean Central News Agency, came as North Korea was reportedly preparing to test-fire a long-range missile despite strong protests from the United States and its allies. A missile launch by North Korea would inflame a region already tense over the North’s continuing nuclear weapons development. The North is believed to be planning a test of its most advanced missile yet, the Taepodong 2, which could reach parts of the United States with a light payload. The US expects North Korea to renew its moratorium on long-range missile tests and return to six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear ambitions, the White House said on Sunday. Reports of an imminent North Korean missile test has drawn warnings from the US, Japan and South Korea, but Japanese officials were quoted as saying Sunday that a test was unlikely. Japan warned North Korea of “a harsh response†from Tokyo and Washington if it went ahead with the launch of a long-range missile.

Interview with Head of Somalia's Islamic courts organization Sheikh Sharif Ahmad Wednesday 17 May 2006 By Khaled Mahmoud Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat - A few years ago, a local gang in Mogadishu kidnapped a young student and demanded a ransom from his family in return for releasing their son. This incident was one of countless other kidnappings and killings perpetrated by armed groups in the Somali capital who exploited the disintegration of the central government, after president Mohammed Siad Barre was ousted from power. This even marked a turning point in the life of Sheikh Sharif Ahmad, head of the Islamic courts organization and considered by many as "Mogadishu's strongman," and accused of being the Somali equivalent of Mullah Omar, founder of the Taliban movement and leader of Afghanistan before the 2001 US invasion. Born in Chabila, a town in central Somalia, in January 1964, Sheikh Sharif taught geography, Arabic and religious studies in Juba secondary school, where the young student was once a pupil. The kidnapping outraged him and prompted him to intervene to secure the boy's release. Sheikh Sharif, a fluent Arabic speaker who attended university in Libya and Sudan, realized he no longer recognized the society in which he lived where violence prevailed and the poor suffered. He decided to search for a solution. "I met with [the student's] teachers and decided to act. We issued a statement that attracted people's attention in Mogadishu. I began speaking to the residents of the neighborhood where kidnappers tended to hide their victims and implored them not to cover up for them," he told Asharq Al Awsat in a telephone interview. Prior to the kidnapping, Sheikh Sharif had no affiliation to the Islamic courts organization, which was modestly established in 1996 and grew in 1998. He was surprised to be nominated to lead the organization that maintains a 5000-strong armed militia. "I was visiting a friend when I heard I was nominated for the post. I thought of turning it down and continuing to work as a teacher and guide pupils. But I soon agreed for fear that the organization might fail while still in its infancy." The Islamic courts organization holds court proceedings, sentences defendants to prison or lashes if found guilty, according to Islamic Sharia and away from the law of the jungle that has taken hold in Somalia and especially in the capital. Asked about the number of forces loyal to him, Sheikh Sharif said he could not discuss exact figures for security reasons. "This is top secret information. If I tell you, some parties might underestimate us if the numbers are small. We might exaggerate our force if we mention large figures. Since the beginning of the civil war, all Somalis are armed. We have not banned anyone from joining us. Some people are under the impression that we are a heavily-armed organization." With armed clashes erupting around Mogadishu last week, Sheikh Sharif indicated that he might need to re-consider the security measures he takes to safeguard his life. "By nature, I do not like to have guards around me. But I was forced to seek the help of highly-trained and armed bodyguards" because of the recent flare up of violence which Sheikh Sharif blamed on "the devil's allies," in reference to US-backed warlords. "I used to go out quite often without guards and I enjoyed it. This is no longer possible," he added. Despite these complications, Sheikh Sharif did not regret becoming the leader of the Islamic courts organization. "This is our fate and responsibility. Our aim is to serve the Somali people and defend their rights and dignity." He expressed fear for his country's futures and worried about Somalia, which appeared to have been "forgotten by the world" and stroked off the world map. Sheikh Sharif told Asharq Al Awsat he lives with his wife and two children, Ahmad, aged 9 and Abdullah, who is a toddler, in a modest house in Mogadishu . He does not own a computer or a satellite phone he added. "I live a simple life, like the majority of Somalis," he said, in response to those who accuse him of amassing a vast fortune as the new "uncrowned king of Mogadishu." In order for peace and security to return to Somalia, the country's citizens should unite and cast aside their political and tribal differences, Sheikh Sharif said. However, he insisted he is no Mullah Omar who won popular Afghan support and came to power on the back of a destructive civil war and discredited warlords. "Our situation differs from Afghanistan's and we are not presenting ourselves as an alternative government or seeking control of the capital, as our enemies claim." But according to the latest UN Security Council report, militiamen loyal to twelve courts administered by Sheikh Sharif across Mogadishu now control 80% of the capital. Denying receiving financial aid from aboard, Sheikh Sharif said the organization's popularity stems from people's love and appreciation for its actions, given the absence of a central government. "We rely on our limited resources and what ordinary citizens give us. We welcome financial contributions, however small they are, but do not oblige citizens to contribute." He denied having any contacts with the transitional federal government led by President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi, currently based in Nairobi, adding that he did not object to future talks, if they serve the interests of the Somali people. Criticizing the US administration's role in the recent fighting, Sheikh Sharif said Washington was not acting in the interest of Somalis but was repeating past mistakes. President Bush's remarks on the presence of Al Qaeda in Somalia were "lies," to promote the US' war on terror, he added. According to western intelligence sources, the Islamic courts organization is sheltering Muslim extremists, some of whom have ties to Al Qaeda, including three suspected of carrying out the attacks on US embassies in East Africa in 1998. For his part, Sheikh Sharif emphasized that Osama Bin Laden's group did not have any presence in Somalia. "There are no fugitives from Al Qaeda or any other organization, as the US and Ethiopian intelligence services are claiming. This is an open country and strangers will be found out very quickly. Look at the number of lies Washington is telling about Iraq and Afghanistan. It is trying to repeat the same thing in Mogadishu but we will not let it." As for the Islamic union organization, accused by Addis Ababa of involvement in a series of terrorist attacks that hit the capital in the 1990s, Sheikh Sharif said it was no longer active, after suffering heavy losses because of the violent campaign Ethiopian forces launched against it. He also accused the Arab world of failing Somalia twice, the first time by ignoring the crisis in the country and the second by refusing to intervene to solve it and provide urgent humanitarian and financial aid to help save the lives of millions of civilians displaced by the civil war. "They [the Arabs] hear about us from the foreign media which exaggerates the news from Somalia and paints us in a way that suits its interest. None of [the Arabs] have thought of contacting us, like you did, to listen and learn about out our point of view. This is very sad."

Mogadishu's modest Islamic leader By Hassan Barise BBC News, Mogadishu It was the abduction of one of his 12-year-old pupils that prompted Somali schoolteacher Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to take a stand against the warlords who have ruled the capital, Mogadishu for the last 15 years. Mr Ahmed is now chairman of the Union of the Islamic Courts that recently took control of Mogadishu. The boy, Abdulkadir, was kidnapped in 2003, amid a wave of abductions in Mogadishu. The freelance gangs who abducted him asked his parents for a huge ransom. Mr Ahmed was disturbed by the fact that the kidnapping took place in the CC area dominated by his own clan. CC was recently the scene of the heaviest fighting in Mogadishu between the warlords known as the Anti-Terror Alliance, and the Islamic militias. Mr Ahmed started campaigning within his own people in CC, where with the help of the local people, they finally managed to establish an Islamic court after three days of meetings. He was elected chairman. The court subsequently secured the release of young Abdulkadir and other abductees, as well as several looted vehicles. Campaign Once the CC Islamic Court was up and running, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and others began campaigning to fight banditry throughout the capital. The only way was to unite the then existing five Islamic courts and he was chosen to become the chairman of the Union of the Islamic Courts in July 2004. Mr Ahmed keeps saying he is not interested in titles or anything other than the well-being of his people, but tracing his recent history suggests ambition. The youthful-looking leader maintains a modest appearance, dressing simply in a long-sleeved Pakistani-style shirt and a pair of simple trousers which do not reach his ankles and cheap sandals. Unlike other Mogadishu leaders who drive around armed to the teeth, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed rides in a simple four-wheel drive vehicle with a driver and two young men equipped with AK-47 rifles as his bodyguards. All the windows are darkened and no other armed pick-ups escort him - a clear sign that he does not want to attract attention while passing through the dusty streets of the capital. Education Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was born on 25 July 1964 in the outskirts of Mahadday town, just north of Jowhar which is some 90km (56miles) north of Mogadishu. He attended elementary and intermediate school in Jowhar, but after that he moved to Mogadishu where he went to Sheikh Sufi secondary school, where all subjects are taught in Arabic. In the mid-1980s, he went to Sudan for his higher education. There he attended the Kurdufan University at Dalanji and he majored in geography and Arabic language. He returned home to Jowhar in 2002, at a time when Abdulkassim Salad Hassan's government was trying to establish control of Mogadishu. He worked with Mohamed Dhere, the warlord and his fellow clansman who was then in charge of Jowhar, against rival Salad Hassan. Mr Ahmed became chairman of the regional court in Jowhar but the alliance with Mr Dhere - a key member of the Anti-Terror Alliance, who still controls Jowhar - did not last long and he fled Jowhar for Mogadishu where he started teaching at Jubba Secondary school. With the Union of the Islamic Courts gaining the upper hand in the war for control of the capital, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed still maintains that the courts are not dictating to the people. Although his group is in charge of the capital, the war for Mogadishu may not be over, as there are fears that the fighting might degenerate into inter-clan warfare. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed nevertheless sounds confident that Islam will always have the upper hand.

I welcome Islamic courts union and their victory over notorious warlords, ICU brought a positive change to Somalia, But Indhacadde’s role in ICU is creating contradictions, I believe Sheikh Shariif and the leadership of ICU should force Warlord Indhacadde to resign because ha is liability, and damaging the credibility of ICU in across Somalia and the world If Shariif cannot force Indhacadde to resign, then Shariif should consider resigning himself Allah bless Somalia

are you from north central somalia? thats oxymoron You cannot be Palestinian when you talking like Israeli, For example you are against Palestinian state and saying you are Palestinian And same here, You cannot be from north central somalia when you talking like northwest (Somalilander), For example you are against the choice of the huge majority of north central that north central is an integral part of Somalia and you saying you are from north central Somalia sxb, don't hide your identity, we know you are from northwest anagu soomaali baanu nahay waana is naqaanaa

Somalia: Fighting warlords, yet allied to warlords? (Posted: 17/06/06) EDITORIAL | Warlord Indha Ade has a particularly dark history in contemporary Somalia. THE VICTORIOUS Union of Islamic Courts militias are on the march. After expelling warlords from Mogadishu on June 5th, the last warlord stronghold of Jowhar fell by the 14th, and was followed overnight by a bloodless coup in the central Somalia city of Beletwein. The masses gathered and cheered the overthrow of the despised warlords as much as their brethren cheered in the past before them, with the departure of European colonialism and the collapse of a 21-year military dictatorship. To their credit, the Islamic Courts have utilized their disciplined militias to restore the semblance of law and order in Somalia’s unstable Capital – a monumental task in and of itself. While the united Courts’ militias have proven undefeatable on the battlefield, the leadership has portrayed itself internationally as a moderate voice capable of securing the peace. The Islamic Courts’ ideological foundation rests on the teachings of Islam, which is the only religion in Somalia. In this regard, the Somali people hold the Courts to a high standard not only as an alternative power to the warlords and to other factions, but as pious leaders who conduct their affairs in a just and moral manner. While allied to "some" warlords, the Islamic Courts undertook a massive campaign to rid Mogadishu of its notorious warlords. This practice creates a moral and ideological dilemma for a rising Somali faction that has just made a worldwide name for itself. Courts’ success February 18, 2006, was a fateful day. It was the day Mogadishu’s warlords unwittingly signed their own death warrant by declaring the U.S.-backed Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terror (ARPCT). The ARPCT included then-powerful warlords and allied business interests with the intent of capturing “international terrorists†they alleged were being harbored by the Islamic Courts. Many believe the ARPCT made such unfounded allegations to garner U.S. financial aid and Ethiopian weaponry. Public support grew exponentially for the Islamic Courts as news surfaced of covert U.S. support for the ARPCT warlord coalition. The Courts utilized the growing public support – and its image as an alternative power – to mobilize the masses against the ARPCT warlords. After a four-month power struggle in Mogadishu that led to over 300 deaths and more than 1,500 wounded, the Islamic Courts emerged victorious; for the first time since Somali President General Mohamed Siad Barre fled Mogadishu in 1991, Somalia’s national Capital came under the control of a single power. Mogadishu’s defeated and disgraced warlords fled to the nearby town of Jowhar, where another ARPCT warlord – Mohamed “Dhere†Omar Habeb – erected defenses to counter an imminent attack from the Courts. That attack came on June 14th. By then, the warlords had fled to central Somalia regions and Mohamed Dhere was in Ethiopia. On the international front, the Courts leadership published a June 6th letter they sent to the American government. Aiming to quell American (Western) fears of the Courts’ alleged ties to “international terrorism,†the letter read: “We share no objectives, goals or methods with groups that sponsor or support terrorism. We have no foreign elements in our Courts, and we are simply here because of the need of the community we serve.â€1 As it were, the Courts distanced themselves from being compared to the Taliban movement of Afghanistan – which was the typical mantra in the Western press – and secured themselves a unique image on the international stage. After all, the Union of Islamic Courts succeeded where the U.S. and the U.N. failed more than a decade ago: they secured Mogadishu. Roots and causes The first Islamic Courts were established in Mogadishu in the ‘90s to combat petty crime in select neighborhoods where militiamen ruled the streets with impunity, killing, kidnapping and raping virtually at will. The Chairman of the Union of Islamic Courts, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, was a school teacher before the kidnapping of his child motivated him to combat the parasitical warlords who thrived in disorder and catapulted him into action as a leader within the then-emerging Islamic Courts movement. Far from being a wholly monolithic group, the Courts were founded and based on Somali social mores as were their predecessors, the warlords: each Court was founded by, and is permanently attached to, a particular clan or sub-clan. The term “union†in their official name – the Union of Islamic Courts – refers to a merger of more than 11 recognized Courts in Mogadishu with the same objective: restore the rule of law. The Courts have enacted a functioning legal system in areas they control that is based on Islamic (Shariah) law. From fighting petty criminals, the Courts’ role in Mogadishu – and, eventually, in Somalia – was radically transformed by the war of liberation they spearheaded against the ARPCT warlords. The public, disillusioned and wary of the warlords, threw their massive support behind the Islamic Courts militias as they cleansed warlord strongholds, one after another. In a speech to the residents of Jowhar on June 14th, Chairman Sheik Sharif said that the Courts would establish a “just†administration for the town. Aside from taking an indirect jab at ex-Jowhar warlord Mohamed Dhere, who was mysteriously in absentia when his stronghold bent to Courts control, Chairman Sheik Sharif faces an ideological crisis with the potential of tarnishing – if not devastating – the respectable reputation the Courts have enjoyed thusfar in the Somali political fora. Allied to the devil? One can hardly miss the irony in Chairman Sheik Sharif’s comments to the townspeople of Jowhar. Militias loyal to Islamic Courts-allied warlord Yusuf “Indhaade†Mohamed Siad – the white-eyed devil that controls Lower Shabelle region – led the charge into Jowhar on June the 14th. Warlord Indhaade fancies himself as a “sheik†and certain Somali media outlets refer to him as such. Reality has always stated otherwise, however. Warlord Indhaade has a particularly dark history in contemporary Somalia. His militias have been involved in virtually every major intra-clan conflict in the southern theatre of the country. Whenever two clansmen fought, Indhaade was quick to become the third party and tip the balance of power. When Bashir Rageh – ex-Mogadishu businessman allied to the now-defunct ARPCT – fought against Abukar Adani, a leading financer of the Islamic Courts, warlord Indhaade threw the weight of his militias behind Adani, who eventually succeeded in routing Rageh from his stronghold in the outskirts of northern Mogadishu. In early 2005, internecine violence erupted in the city of Baidoa – a major trading center and the current home of the Somali transitional federal government (TFG) – between two opposing RRA (Rahawein Resistance Army) factions. The Associated Press reported that, “The self-proclaimed leader of neighboring Lower Shabelle region, Sheik Yusuf Mohamed Siad Indha Ade, said he had sent fighters and pick-up trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns to Baidoa to back Habsadeh.â€2 (During that struggle for control of Baidoa, Habsadeh led the RRA faction that opposed the TFG’s attemps to temporarily house itself in the city. Supported by Indha Ade’s militias, Habsadeh’s RRA faction was successful in expelling the TFG-allied RRA faction from Baidoa). Warlord Indha Ade’s dark history hardly stops there. An October 2005 report released by the United Nations Security Council on violations of the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia portrayed the true nature of the white-eyed devil of the fertile Shabelle valley. The U.N. report stated that, to exercise control of the region, “Indha Ade has his own militia, made up of men from his clan, and other militias from the same clan group, ****** .â€3 Indha Ade uses his clansmen to impose clan hegemony on the unarmed civilian population of Lower Shabelle region, which has suffered successive invasions since the collapse of the Somali nation-state in 1991. As things stand today, all the district commissioners of Lower Shabelle region are from warlord Indha Ade’s sub-clan within the ****** clan-family. The non-****** clans who have traditionally inhabited Lower Shabelle region consider the presence of warlord Indha Ade’s militias in their home region as an occupation and native resistance fighters have carried out covert operations against the positions of Indhaade’s militias. Furthermore, the U.N. report publicized warlord Indha Ade’s drug operations: “Indha Ade also owns drug farms in the area under his control,†the report read. The resounding question in the minds of many is this: How can a man claim to be a “sheik†but run, according to the U.N. report, a “sophisticated†drug operation in the fertile region he occupies through his clan's military muscle? Justice for all History will remember the Union of Islamic Courts for their liberation of Mogadishu on June 5, 2006. It wasn’t liberation from Italian or British colonialization. It was liberation from warlord Somalis who imposed an austere, autocratic rule in segments of the Capital and held the people of Mogadishu – and Somalia-at-large – hostage for more than 15 years. According to Islamic Courts rhetoric, Somalia lacks justice and they believe in dispensing justice founded on Islamic principles throughout the nation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this noble ideal and, in fact, the vast majority of Somali people would wholeheartedly welcome and support such selfless endeavor. However, “justice†is a universal concept and has profound significance in Islam. In the Noble Qur’an, Allah (God), the Creator of everything, says: “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor…â€4 Therein lies Islam’s conceptualization of justice: it is blind and it applies to everyone. It is unfortunate that the Islamic Courts allied with warlord Indha Ade’s militias in their military campaign against the ARPCT warlords. Is Yusuf “Indha Ade†Mohamed Siad not a warlord? Is he then, as he claims, a pious, learned scholar of Islam (a sheik)? Or is he a hypocrite, as most believe, hiding under the cloak of Islam to conceal his illegal and immoral activities, including the subjugation of Muslim people, the trafficking of drugs and violent expansionist policies? Yusuf Indha Ade is a first-rate warlord and drug boss. Some will argue that, under Indha Ade’s rule, Lower Shabelle region has been relatively peaceful, which is true. But the same could be said of Middle Shabelle region under the governorship of Mohamed Dhere; in fact, the TFG was first based in Jowhar and spent the second half of 2005 there. The fact that ex-Jowhar warlord Mohamed Dhere’s trenches were overrun while warlord Indha Ade’s military occupation of Lower Shabelle region is not even mentioned can be refered to as “selective justice†on the part of the Islamic Courts. Worse, using militias loyal to warlord Indha Ade to help oust warlord Mohamed Dhere from Jowhar is outright hypocritical and most certainly not in line with the Islamic Courts’ rhetoric of seeking to establish a just and moral society. The Union of Islamic Courts is sending the wrong signal to the Somali people. The people support the Courts because they want peace founded on social justice. And justice must be applied to everyone – not just to “some†warlords while others, such as Indhaade, remain untouchable. The Courts’ future success depends less on what America thinks of them and more on whether or not they can convince the Somali public that theirs truly is a righteous cause. For starters, they can begin by disassociating themselves from warlord Indhaade, dismantling his militias and delivering "justice" to the natives of Lower Shabelle region. Garowe Online Editorial Board editorial@garoweonline.com Cited: 1-Chairman Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed. Letter to the United States of America. 6 June 2006. http://www.time.com/time/world/printout/0,8816,1201291,00.htm 2-Hassan, Mohamed Olad. “Fighting erupts in Somalia for control of town.†Mail & Guardian: 30 May 2005. 3-United Nation Security Council. Report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia pursuant to Security Council resolution 1587. 4 October 2005.www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2005/unsc-som-07Oct.pdf 4 4:135, the Noble Qur'an.

Good analysis

Originally posted by Xoogsade: Qudhac, The survival of Somaliland as a separate entity from Somalia proper depends on Puntland's stregnth to withstand pressure from its local population who can demand an islamic rule any time in the near future. If Puntland becomes islmically ruled state where Sharia is enforced, Next will be adjacent towns populated by clans independent from Somaliland coming under the sway of the mighty islam. And before you know it, an islamic court in Laascaanood and one in Cerigaabo. Surely, Somaliland adminstration can do little to interfer where they have no exclusive influence right? Boorame could be next although I doubt that. Hargeysa could be isolated. Some beardos in Hargeysa itself might get the idea of getting their own courts and finally, the whole country is linked by these courts headed by the local tribesmen. Do you think this scenario is plausible? Puntland is always under threat given the sheer religious population it has. With the exception of its leaders in that north eastern region, 99% percent of the locals would opt for islamic rule. there is no question about that. These southern courts don't even have to go beyond Baladweyn to influence the political landscape. It can be a domino effect with each somali clan or subclan sheltering themselves in an islamic court. ISLAM is surely a threat to these clan concieved fiefdoms that separate Somalis psychologically if not physically. Federalism could be dead soon. These mini states(Punt/Somland) have achieved tremendous success where other somali regions failed in the past. But, this islamic wind can upset the status quo don't you think? Islam transcends clan so while a loyal clanist sees the man behind the wind, the faithful always sees different. It is a threat lol. It will be difficult to maintain isolationist ideologies if the larger population of somalis link up and find brotherhood again. If the influence of the courts grows in strength, you will see every somali town demanding an islamic rule to get rid of the local head honcho they despise so much and will take matters into their own hands. Afterall, it seems somalis have discovered a way to outmanouver local clan politics and fight back with strength. Xoogsadow khayr baa sheegtay wakhtigii waa ka dhamaaday warlords dhibatada ku hayey dadka somaaliyeed sida muuse suudi qanyare maxamed dheere, cadde muuse iyo nss officer ina riyoode I think Islamic leadership can only solve the clan war between clan-factions of Somaliland and Puntland

oog, North central Somalia (sool sanaag and cayn ) is an integral part of united Somalia. North central is not part of Secessionist faction of Somaliland. 100% of the people of north central Somalia support united Somalia Some people in northwest (meaning Somaliland) support secession for clan dominance reasons

Guddoomiyaha Midowga Maxaakiimta Islaamka ee Muqdishu:- Hoggaamiye noocee ah?

Somalis play soccer on the beach at the El Maan port just north of the Somali capital Mogadishu, Friday, June 16, 2006. In the past two weeks, Islamists have been consolidating their hold on the region, chasing secular warlords from their former strongholds.(AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo) A Somali man sleeps on top of plastic containers at the El Maan port just north of the Somali capital Mogadishu, Friday, June 16, 2006. In the past two weeks, Islamists have been consolidating their hold on the region, chasing secular warlords from their former strongholds.(AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo)

Somalia's change could be U.S. gain The United States has a real chance for positive gain in the Muslim world. To achieve it, the U.S. would have to swallow its Western pride and open talks with the Islamist militants who defeated the reportedly CIA-backed warlords in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. The struggling and violent nation is in dire need of stability. The secular warlords have not provided that structure since Somalia's government collapsed in 1991. Muslim clerics stepped in and created a semblance of stability in the form of Islamic courts. The moderate clerics — with whom, historically, Somalia lined up religiously — have told Western leaders that their rule will not be like that of the severe Taliban of Afghanistan. To be of any help, the U.S. first must pull away from the remaining warlords — who were employed in the hunt for al-Qaida cells after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, according to a wide array of news reports — and call for them to lay down their weapons. Then the U.S. and other key nations should sit down with the clerics and discuss how to bring in the weak transitional Somali government from its ineffective vantage 155 miles outside of Mogadishu in the city of Baidoa. The U.S. would bolster its image and clout internationally by working with the Islamists to make Somalia whole again. America could demonstrate to the world that it can work with a new Islamist movement, and help a people in desperate need. Constructive diplomacy can also help close the gap that has widened between the U.S. and Somalia since 1994, when 18 Army Rangers were killed by rebels in Mogadishu. The incident led to a complete American withdrawal from Somalia. The U.S. should not be afraid of Somalia's political evolution. Nation-building begins with discussion, not violence. Somalis will continue to suffer — and groups such as al-Qaida will surely gain a foothold on the African Horn — if the U.S. stubbornly decides corrupt warlords are the right partner.

Dhulkii waa nabadee aa daa oo aada president and emperor good plans

Anuu Puntland waxaan kula talin lahaa in ey maxaakiimta ubaneeso talada wakhtigii waa ka dhamaaday Puntland iyo Somaliland

Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne: You and your little self needs to align itself to the realities on the ground. Hargeysa and the ignorant Guurti-ku-sheeg are in the forefront of the Islamic Courts' list to do as the struggle continues righly on its course, Insha-Allah! Allah-ubaahne khayr baa sheegtay kacdoon shacbiga waanu suganaa inuu soo gaaro woqooyiga dalkeena, ubaxyu qoyana waanu ku soo dhoweeni si uu ummada soomaaliyeed uga badbaadiyo qabqablayaasha dagaalka I foresee ICU to restructure the whole political landscape of Somalia from Seylac to Raskambooni Because somali people are fed up with brutal warlords like C/Yusuf, Riyoode, Waraabe , Qanyare etc

Originally posted by Suldaanka: This is amazing indeed. The H-clan needed something to kickstart a revolution since the USC revolution died in its infancy. I hope this lives on and unites them under one rule. This is a chance to put together an adminisration which extends from the banks of Jubba in the South to the deserts of Mudug. I reckon such an administration could easily become one of the most powerful blocks of what used to be Somalia, not only in military terms but also economy and population size. Suldaan You earned SOL’s #1 clannish award, because you look every thing from clan angle You have to realize that usc, counter terrorism, srrc, and warlords are defeated now its history The winners are kacdoon shacbi,and ICU Insha Allah ICU will liberate all Somalia from Seylac to Raskamboni from ruthless warlords, and rascal thugs

qudhac you changing the story

U.S. Calls Hasty Meeting to Seek Somalia Solution By HELENE COOPER WASHINGTON, June 14 —American officials will sit down with their European counterparts on Thursday to try to come up with an answer to this central question: Is there anyone left in Mogadishu, Somalia, with whom the United States can do business? The hurriedly-convened "Contact Group" meeting in New York represents an effort by the State Department to piece together a new policy for dealing with Somalia after more than a decade of neglect. The State Department is trying to wrest control for Somalia policy from the Central Intelligence Agency, on grounds that an approach that has consisted largely of C.I.A. payments to Somali warlords has been counterproductive. That reality came into stark relief last week when the American-backed warlords fighting a proxy war for the United States against Islamists believed to be harboring Al Qaeda operatives were run out of Mogadishu by those same Islamists. For America, the lawless place that spawned Black Hawk Down — its infamy captured in book and movie — was suddenly back, this time as a potent symbol of America's faltering counterterrorism efforts. The United States had backed the losing side, Somalia was now under a new management, and America now had few allies on the ground. "We need to have legitimate actors inside Somalia with whom we can work," Henry Crumpton, the State Department's top counterterrorism official, told a Senate committee on Tuesday. "That's probably the most difficult challenge right now." Top of that agenda would have to be Sheik Sharif Ahmed, chairman of the Islamist militia group. Mr. Ahmed has sought to moderate the image in the West that his Islamic Courts Union wants to impose a Taliban-style government on Somalia, complete with strict religious codes and the protection of Al Qaeda members. He sent a conciliatory letter last week to foreign governments, including the United States, which said that the Islamists want a "friendly relationship with the international community." American officials have maintained that Islamic leaders in Mogadishu are sheltering Al Qaeda leaders who were indicted in the 1998 bombings of the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Since that bombing, American officials have been tracking an Al Qaeda cell whose members are believed to move freely between Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and parts of the Middle East. The American payments to the warlords were intended, at least in part, to help gain the capture of these terrorists. Bush administration officials say they are willing to take Mr. Ahmed's letter at "face value," but reiterate that they believe Al Qaeda operatives remain in Somalia. "Despite their public overtures, we're still not quite sure what the Islamic courts really want in terms of their strategies and in terms of their relationship with Al Qaeda," Mr. Crumpton said.

'We're More Secure' - Mogadishu Residents UN Integrated Regional Information Networks NEWS June 13, 2006 Posted to the web June 13, 2006 Nairobi There is a palpable air of euphoria and optimism in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, following last week's takeover of the city by the Islamic courts from an alliance of warlords, local sources said. City residents have welcomed the change, saying they feel more secure than they have in the past 16 years. "It is like an enormous weight we have been carrying for 16 years has been lifted," said Marian, a resident in the north of the city, who requested her last name not be used. "We have been suffering under them [warlords] for 16 years. This is a welcome change." Islamic leaders in Mogadishu claimed victory over a group of rival politicians on 5 June and pledged to restore security in the capital, where bloody clashes between the two sides have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands of people. Some residents believe the Islamic leaders were already making good on their promises. "It was impossible to walk with any amount of money or property without being attacked" before the defeat of the warlords, said businessman Ali Muhammad. "There is a lot less insecurity today [Tuesday] than a week ago." Muhammad, who lives in the southwestern district of Medina, said that before the takeover, passenger vehicles coming into the city centre from his district had to pass through a dozen checkpoints, where they had to pay extortion to militia. "Today, we saw only one - and they were checking for weapons, not asking for money." Militia loyal to the Islamic courts have been fighting against faction leaders, who came together under the umbrella Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism, since February. More than 300 people are believed to have died in the violence, and some 1,500 others have been wounded. Halimo Abdi, who lives near the livestock market, one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Mogadishu, said there has been a marked difference in security. "To go to the market, you had to dodge armed gangs who robbed people on their way to the market," she said. "Now we have a peaceful environment. We even dare to walk at night, something I have not done in 16 years." In spite of the exhilaration about the changes in Mogadishu, people are still reluctant to be overly optimistic. "It has a feel of being too good to be true," said Muhammad. "Absolutely - it is the safest it has been in 16 years." Many people in Mogadishu are wondering how long it will last, because there are still warlords in the city who would use clan identity to divide society. Clanism is still an issue in Mogadishu. "If we fall for this, we will be back to square one," Marian said. She added that the Islamic courts should remain vigilant to ensure that they, too, are not divided into clans. Abdullahi Shirwa, of the local Civil Society in Action, concurred with Marian. "They [courts] still have to deal with those [faction leaders] still in the city, before the celebrations," he said. The faction leaders who are still in Mogadishu, including Muse Sudi Yalahow and Bashir Rage, did not pose a military threat and "are in no position to challenge the courts", according to a local journalist. "They can be a threat if they succeed to rally their subclans, something they have so far been unable to do." "Whatever happens after this, we have entered a new era. We know that warlords can be defeated," Marian said. [ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]