For those of you "with an iota of a brain in their scalp", what should we wait for, for these lunatics under the cloak religion to thwart, again, our country's return to peace, stability and order? These people never tire, that for sure, but when will people like catch to their game and stop falling for their latest slogans? Wadaad qori la ordaya xage lagu arkey? Wadaado mahe, wa tuugo!

clarification, The president of Somalia is not my Uncle and I doubt he is the uncle of the general. So why do people like mr redsea insist on calling him such. Isku xeeshoda oo madaxweinahina ka yareya caytha.

shame!

one there are no one single african race or features but many. For example, there are afro-asians, Bantu, Nilo- saharans, koi-sans and Austronesians. However you look at it, Somalis and arabs are related. linguistically, we are both Afro-asiatic. biblically Arabs are decended from shem, son of Noah and Somalis, like other cushites, are decended from Ham, also son Noah. We divide from afro-asiatic into hammite-cushites and Semites. Some hammites such as amharahs speak semitic languages. hopes that helps

I think, next time, Africa should only send one time. Last week has been a waste of time.

the piont was that, no matter what kind of God or gods wither its a commitee of Gods, lesser Gods with designated roles, they don't believe in them. as for a God that doesn't send his creation to hell or a God that doesn't demand worship, that would make the whole thing of sending or creating us here, letting us die all for nothing but let us back to where we belong: heavan. Thats the only two options they have because they idea of heavan and earth can only make sense with a God thats has sent us here to determine how worthy or unworthy we are. Do you, Got it captain?

You must be joking, occupied territories? illegal entities? lool Abdi, what would you call them?

The Knowledge of wither God exist or not I believe is a individual journey. neither we nor science and philosophey can help you on that question. Why even bother with such a question? Possibilities for an atheist are two: 1 turns out there is God and they go hell. 2 God does not exsit and you cease to exist after death Possibilities for a believer are tree: 1 God does not exsit and you cease to exist after death 2 He does but your sent to hell becouse of following the wrong religion 3 God does exist and you followed the right path and go to heavan. After considering this, only silly people would worry about if does or does not exist. instead they would worry about which religion is the right one as for as they can deduce. If your in such setuation, you can easily rule out Hinduism, buddhism because they worship rats or worse.

I hear that the ICU took beledwein (TFG administered regional capital. Tane "dhexdhexaadin" malaha. what could they possabily negotiate about? there very exisitence, like all other illigel entites, is violation of the TFG's sovereignty. short of put your arms down and hand over occupied territories (something they would not do according what we can observe), what can the TFG negotiate about with these ICUs?

Rer Moqdishu wereerbadana. Horta ethenku isqapsada oo maamul samaysta inta dadkale ka warwareysan sida Bay, Punland and Somaliland.

I doubt very much that any one out there is silly enough to believe that they are otherwise.

"physician heal thy self" these ******** /terrorist are no better than, if not worse than what they are replacing. I wonder when we somalis will stop falling for the idiotic slogans of every new ******** who promises salvation for our nation or qabiil?

wexi so socdaba, midba lagu saarey.

Puntland intan la garin, maxeey uu qapsaden Beledwein? Hiiraan had or has (I don't know which is the case)an administration appionted by the TFG. Is this not a decl. of war on the TFG? Does it not also counterdict what they have been saying all along? Looks like another taliban to me.

BAIDOA, Somalia (Reuters) - Somalia's parliament on Wednesday approved the deployment of foreign peacekeepers to help it stabilize the anarchic country, a move which is opposed by Islamist militias who now control Mogadishu and much of the country's south, the Somali parliament speaker said. Out of 199 members of parliament voting, 125 were in favor of a plan approved last year by the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which oversaw Somalia's peace process, and 73 were against with one spoiled vote, Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan announced in parliament.

Maybe should be in jokes section but any way do not name your girl Nastexo, some Americans may say Nasty h.. instead Nasteho.

Suldaanka, you never get tired of useless clan propaganda, do you. People like are what perpetuate situation of injustice in Somalia. Instead being ashmed of a ****** idea that has failed everytime it was tried, dhulbalaarsi, you boost abou it here. You also don't seem to tire of making you baseless opinions facts. wither you like or not, land of the dhulos is all four districts of Sool, Erigabo district of sanaag, Buhoodle district of Togdheere in Somalia proper and most of the Hawd in what people like you ethiopia. Somaliland, unless you are delusional, controls no part of buhoodle, maybe one or two villages. As for sool, SL does control an inch of this region. Pl controls all of Taleex district, xudun district (I am happy to report that every attempt by Fuad aden to visit this region ended with him being chased out of the region) and all but two villages of the capital district. The rest of this region, caynabo, is control by local and western thugs. Sanaag, belongs mostly to one clan but also has three others. One of them in mainly the south or Erigabo district (Though they inhabit from the coast to Awrboogees on the border of Sool iyo Snaag they are called Beesha konfurta Sanaag) and the two other inhabit northwest or El Afweine. I hear that western clans now are slowly moving into eastern land such as Jidali of northern Sanaag and some parts of buhoodle District. Is this The Ownership some of you people speak of? This is sad and only means to the continuation of hostilities. Instead of boosting about this, you guys should discourage it.

I must admit, your comment made laugh but I take it you guys are not moved by this picture. I miust also admit that when I looked at this picture, I was to concerned with agony on the face of that woman to have noticed that along with all that she is carryng, she is also breast feeding! Yet, I doubt that is the couse of her pain.

Golaha Wasiirrada Soomaaliya ayaa laga ceyriyay afar wasiir oo markii hore jagooyinka lagu siiyay in ay madax u ahaaayeen kooxo hubeysan. Wasiirrada la eryay ayaa waxay kala yihiin Maxamed Qanyare Afrax, Muuse Suudi Yalaxow, Bootaan Ciise iyo Cumar Maxamed Finish. Raiisal Wasaaraha Soomaaliya, Cali Maxamed Geeddi, ayaa ku dhawaaqay xil ka qaadistan ka dib markii ay shir deg deg ah isugu yimaadeen Golaha Wasiirrada ee dowladda Soomaaliya. Waxaa loo cuskaday qodobbo ay ka mid yihiin in ay ku xad gudbeen dastuurka ka dib markii ay ka mid noqdeen urur siyaasadeed. Dabcan waxaa ururkaas loola jeedaa Golihii aan guddoomiyaha lahayn ee ay sameeyeen una bixiyeen Isbahaysiga la dagaallanka argagixisada. Isbahaysigaas xubnihiisu intan way ka badan yihiin laakiin inta kale xubno kama aha golayaasha dowladda. Isbahaysigan ayaa dharbaaxooyin xoog lihi ay ka soo gaareen dagaallo ay la galeen malliishiyaadka Maxkamadaha , oo markii taageero badan ka helay shacabka. Dayniile oo ah goobtii horreysay ee dagaalku ka dhaco ah ayaa garoonkeeda dayaarduhu xirmay, Garoonka Cisalley ayaa gacanta Isbahaysiga laga saaray iyo dekedda ceel Cadde. Waxaa lagala wareegay jidgooyo u taallay Galgalato, Nambar Afar iyo Suuqa Xoolaha. Waxaa kale oo lagala wareegay Suuqa Darmaale oo ay canshuur ka qaadan jireen. Axadna waxaa laga qabsaday magaalada Balcad. Caawa oo dowladda laga saarayna waxay u tahay dhibaato hor leh. Saameynta dowladda Inkatsa oo ay awoodda hoggaamiye kooxeedyadani ay aad u wiiqantay, haddana ka saaristoodu ma cadda sida ay u saameyn doonto dowladda. Dowladda oo ah mid wadaag ah, oo laga wada qeyb geliyay hoggaamiyayaasha hubeysan, ayaan weli ku tallaabsan horumar wey oo la taaban karo. In ay tallaabadani dowladda wax u dhinto iyo in kale, waxay ku xirnaan doonta awoodda u hartay Wasiirrada la eryay inta ay le'eg tahay. from bbcsomali.com

Additionally, how ever so convenient it is that the "ministers" are just now being sacked when they have been crushed by the courts. Does this not reek of hypocrisy on the TFG's part?...The leadership of the TFG, invariably, has the same past as these warlord criminals. They can sack these obvious budhcad to save themselves the same fate but only for so long can they keep this show going. Castro, It is not hypocracy its pragmatism SXB. Geedi nows what he can and can not do. If he sacks these warlords now because they are no longer relevent, how can you foult the man? Furthermore, what is this "past" that they share for I see non?

All in all, Somali woman are the now the bread winners for an estimated seventy percent of Somalis. Wither they are qat traders in Somalia or the recipients of state benefits in the west, they are the means by which all of Somali kids servive. How will our nation survive with some men saying they don't want to see a woman carry a camra to provide for her family. Statements like this, which I have come to believe represent a lot of Somali men, make men like me ashamed to be Somali. The following picture clearly shows the cruelty of Somali men towards their mothers, sisters , wifes and doughters. This image of this woman whose agony is written on her face becouse of all that she is pulling and the man walking by her doing nathing but smiling says it all.

The better half BY BASHIR GOTH 23 January 2006 DOWN the years, African women have been powerful in all realms of life except in leadership and decision-making positions. They have been powerful breadwinners, inexhaustible child bearers, patient mothers, dutiful wives, family hut builders, relentless farmers and firewood collectors. The picture of the African woman hauling heavy loads of carriage on her head, water container on her back and a child on her chest; while trekking miles and miles under rainy weathers or simmering heat and dusty environments, with her man shamelessly strolling beside her with only a stick in his hand, reflects the epitome of her servitude. Since time immemorial, African women have also been the glue that bound the society’s fabric and extended bridges between feuding clans. As daughters of one clan and wives of another, they always have been goodwill ambassadors and peace messengers at times of war, sometimes at the risk of losing their own life. Even in today’s urbanised African societies, women constitute the backbone of the family income and the national economy. Women vendors selling all kinds of merchandise, foodstuff and animal products dominate the African open markets. Many of them also work as domestic servants to earn a few more bucks to send children to school and keep their vagabond and spendthrift men at bay. The World Bank Report 2006 cited that: “African women play an increasingly important role in the economy, both as paid workers and as care providers. African women’s contribution to food security on the continent accounts for about 70 per cent of agricultural activities, 50 per cent of livestock care taking, 50 per cent of agricultural storage activities, 100 per cent of food processing, 80 per cent of water fetching, 80 per cent of fuel and wood gathering, 100 per cent of food preparation, and 60 per cent of food commercialisation.†Notwithstanding their revenue generating power, women in Africa still remain the symbol of misery. Their men not only rob their hard earned pennies and waste them on drugs and satisfying their unfettered libido, but also bring home sexually transmitted diseases, thus making African woman the face of Aids as commented by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in an article in 2002. According to UNDP’s Millennium Project Report of January 2005, more than 40 per cent of women in Africa do not have access to basic education, a woman living in Sub-Saharan Africa has a 1 in 16 chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth compared with a 1 in 3,700 risk for a woman from North America, while 60 per cent of adults living with HIV in southern Africa are women. Despite such insurmountable suffering and obstacles, African women have come of age and thanks to international support and recognition for their magnanimous role in society have taken very bold strides in approaching the echelons of power. It was “a political coincidence of the rarest breed†according to one commentator, that Africa has celebrated the election of its first woman President the same day that the German Bundestag had inaugurated Angela Merkel as its first chancellor in history on November 23, 2005. The overwhelming victory of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (66) as Liberia’s and Africa’s first woman President must have stirred the souls of the millions of toiling African woman and inspired the more millions of African school girls dreaming of a life better than that led by their mothers. In South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka drew smiles from many African women when she was appointed as the country's first woman deputy President, raising hopes that she could be South Africa's first woman president in 2009 if President Thabo Mbeki decides to steps down. The most tangible step for women’s political empowerment in Africa, however, came when the African Union (AU), made the decision to narrow the gender gap in its top decision-making positions and elected five women and five men as AU commissioners in 2003. This was followed by the election of Ms Gertrude Mongella as the head of the AU’s Pan-African Parliament, which boasts 25 per cent women membership. Ms Marie-Angélique Savané also leads the African Peer Review Mechanism, an offshoot of the AU, which oversees standards for good governance. Women’s snail movement to the continent’s political leadership started with Elisabeth Domitien, who served as Prime Minister of Central African Empire during the years 1975-1976. Since then women have been inching towards the continent’s male-dominated top political posts. Those who came close second included Maria do Carmo Silveira, current Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe who was appointed in 2005, Luisa Diogo, Prime Minister of Mozambique 2004, Maria das Neves, Prime Minister of Sao Tome & Principe (2002-2004), Madior Boye, Prime Minister of Senegal (2001-2002), Ruth Perry, Chairman of State Council, Liberia (1996-1997), Silvie Kinigi, Interim President of Burundi (1993-1994) and Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Prime Minister of Rwanda (1993). In a defiant note of refusal to be left behind, women of my country in Somaliland had also their moment of joy and celebration on 29 September 2005 when Ikran Haji Daud Warsame made history as the first Somali woman to win a seat in public parliamentary election. Though internationally unrecognised, Somaliland also took credit for becoming the first Horn of African country and the first African-Islamic state to have a woman as a foreign minister. Edna Ismail has since then spearheaded the country's quest for attention with exceptional finesse. As a country predicted by the eminent Kenyan-American Prof. Ali Mazrui in early 1980s to be the first African nation to have a woman president, Somalia’s closest call to such feat came in 1997 when Radiya-Roda, a woman from the then breakaway Somaliland, threw in her gauntlet for the country’s presidential race against a veteran politician and an independence hero. Although Radia-Roda barely made it beyond her announcement of intent, it was Asha Ahmed Abdalla’s vying for presidency in war-torn Somalia that had refreshed Prof Mazrui’s prediction in people's minds, while reflecting the African woman’s unrelenting will to reach for the skies despite the walls around her. In the social development field of which women were always at the forefront albeit being invisible, African women’s moment of glory came when Kenyan environmentalist and human rights campaigner Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize, thus becoming the first African woman to have won such a prestigious international accolade since the creation of Noble Peace Prize in 1901. The most rewarding aspect of the award was that Dr. Maathai was honoured for issues that were close to the heart of African women over the centuries. The Noble Committee hailed Dr Maathai’s great achievements for the environment, human rights, gender equality and against poverty as important seeds for world peace. This was an international recognition of the African woman’s historical attachment to land and her record as a peacemaker. African women’s age-long role as bread winners also got international recognition through the UNDP honouring of Ms. Edith Wakumire of Uganda for her work in poverty reduction at the local community level in October 1998 in commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. These women of steel not only represent as apostles of change for the war and poverty infested continent but also signify the dawn of a new Africa where women carry the flagship of peace and prosperity. Bashir Goth is an African journalist based in Abu Dhabi. He can be reached at bsogoth@yahoo.com

The role of Somali women in the home has somewhat changed in Canada. Redefinition of traditional and cultural roles have merged, in which Somali men were the breadwinners and women the homemakers. Women and female relatives assumed most of the housework and childbearing duties. Men were the heads of households, and took most of the financial responsibilities. Due to the breakdown of the traditional support systems that were available in Somalia, abusive relationships among married couples as well as between parents and children are increasing in the Somali community. There are increasing incidents of violence within families. However, the lives of Somali women revolve around their families. Political, social and economic concerns are dealt within the presence of all family members. Unlike Canadian women, Somali women live in extended families. They mainly take care of their elderly parents as well as their children and relatives. The sociological term for these women is the "Sandwich Generation".

NAIROBI, 14 Jul 2003 (IRIN) - In the past, Somali women have not had a significant role in politics, but there are now signs that the trend is slowly changing. Although they only make up a small minority at the peace talks currently underway in Kenya - with 35 women out of 362 official delegates - this tiny step is seen as progress. Many of the women at the current talks come from privileged groups which have been able to spend time abroad during part or all of the 13-year civil war. Sarah Ndegwah manages the Somali Women's Resource Centre at the talks. Somali women used the centre to produce a brochure about their agenda titled, "Women for Peace and Prosperity for All in Somalia". A recurring theme in the women’s agenda is 25 percent representation in the new government. "We want people to know that women are also capable," Ndegwah told IRIN. "These are educated women who know what they're doing - lawyers, engineers - and they can also be part of the reconstruction of Somalia." CHANGING MEN'S ATTITUDES The women remain optimistic that traditional male attitudes will change, starting with their male counterparts at the peace conference. Asha Abdalla, a minister in Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG), noted that while most men at the talks had shown support for women’s increased involvement, this had not yet been translated into overwhelming backing for the women’s agenda. Ibrahim Aan Hassan Kishbur, a delegate from the ********* Resistance Army (RRA), told IRIN that women’s participation was important. "Women should play a big role, because if they are missing from the conference, women’s needs will also be absent," he said. While many men favoured bringing the issue of women’s representation to a vote, they nevertheless voted against allocating 25 percent representation to women. Instead, delegates agreed on just 12 percent of seats in the new parliament for women - only slightly more than they were allocated at the Arta, Djibouti conference in 2000 which ushered in the TNG. "This is impossible because Somali women are more than half the population," Asha contended. STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION But to some, this small amount is a start. Somali-born Zahara Ashkir Guled has worked as a consultant on gender issues for several international organisations and is attending her first peace conference. She said it was unlikely that anyone would become aware of the women’s agenda unless women were present at political meetings. "You cannot raise your voice unless you are in the room," Zahara told IRIN. Zahara, like most women at the talks, said she represented women and civil society, rather than any clan or political faction. She said this enabled women to maximise the number of seats they were allocated as a group. Asha, and others, said women had not been given sufficient credit for their crucial role in Somali society, especially during the war. "For the last 13 years, women have been the breadwinners, they were supporting the family, from outside and inside Somalia. The man was absent," she noted. She called on the international community and the media to give greater priority to the input of women in the peace process. "It looks as though they are listening more to those warlords than to regular people like the civil society, like intellectuals, like the women's groups," she stressed. And despite the persistent obstacles, a few women are making their presence felt in ways that would have been unlikely, if not impossible, a decade ago. Asha Abdalla recently announced her candidacy for president of Somalia. "Hopefully this is the time when a woman can challenge a man," she said. "I think Somalia needs a change." [ENDS]

SOMALIA: Feature - Women slowly making political inroads NAIROBI, 14 Jul 2003 (IRIN) - In the past, Somali women have not had a significant role in politics, but there are now signs that the trend is slowly changing. Although they only make up a small minority at the peace talks currently underway in Kenya - with 35 women out of 362 official delegates - this tiny step is seen as progress. Many of the women at the current talks come from privileged groups which have been able to spend time abroad during part or all of the 13-year civil war. Sarah Ndegwah manages the Somali Women's Resource Centre at the talks. Somali women used the centre to produce a brochure about their agenda titled, "Women for Peace and Prosperity for All in Somalia". A recurring theme in the women’s agenda is 25 percent representation in the new government. "We want people to know that women are also capable," Ndegwah told IRIN. "These are educated women who know what they're doing - lawyers, engineers - and they can also be part of the reconstruction of Somalia." CHANGING MEN'S ATTITUDES The women remain optimistic that traditional male attitudes will change, starting with their male counterparts at the peace conference. Asha Abdalla, a minister in Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG), noted that while most men at the talks had shown support for women’s increased involvement, this had not yet been translated into overwhelming backing for the women’s agenda. Ibrahim Aan Hassan Kishbur, a delegate from the ********* Resistance Army (RRA), told IRIN that women’s participation was important. "Women should play a big role, because if they are missing from the conference, women’s needs will also be absent," he said. While many men favoured bringing the issue of women’s representation to a vote, they nevertheless voted against allocating 25 percent representation to women. Instead, delegates agreed on just 12 percent of seats in the new parliament for women - only slightly more than they were allocated at the Arta, Djibouti conference in 2000 which ushered in the TNG. "This is impossible because Somali women are more than half the population," Asha contended. STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION But to some, this small amount is a start. Somali-born Zahara Ashkir Guled has worked as a consultant on gender issues for several international organisations and is attending her first peace conference. She said it was unlikely that anyone would become aware of the women’s agenda unless women were present at political meetings. "You cannot raise your voice unless you are in the room," Zahara told IRIN. Zahara, like most women at the talks, said she represented women and civil society, rather than any clan or political faction. She said this enabled women to maximise the number of seats they were allocated as a group. Asha, and others, said women had not been given sufficient credit for their crucial role in Somali society, especially during the war. "For the last 13 years, women have been the breadwinners, they were supporting the family, from outside and inside Somalia. The man was absent," she noted. She called on the international community and the media to give greater priority to the input of women in the peace process. "It looks as though they are listening more to those warlords than to regular people like the civil society, like intellectuals, like the women's groups," she stressed. And despite the persistent obstacles, a few women are making their presence felt in ways that would have been unlikely, if not impossible, a decade ago. Asha Abdalla recently announced her candidacy for president of Somalia. "Hopefully this is the time when a woman can challenge a man," she said. "I think Somalia needs a change." [ENDS]