What do you think of Al-khan lake? I saw some agents touting flats in that area.

Northener What are the best places to visit in Dubia? I visited the place back in 2002 and i was bored out of my skull. I am coming back enroute to Somalia this december, what is there to do?

What do you think this place is? Seek Single SOLS?

Salaam I only became interested since the Courts transformed Mogadishu. But this aint about politics but a hunger to have a home country to return to and eventually to live. Lets face it, muslim are having hard time in the west. Things will only get worse here. So before it does, i pray to Almighty that we have somewhere safe to call home. Mind you, i can bet on political issues without having a politician for a husband (if betting wasnt haraam).

Absolutely Mansa. Who knows whose pocket it will end up. I can bet my last pound that it wont be populace of the country.

Congrats Zu. May ALlah bless your marriage. aameen Tuujiye..pls take off the picture. I know i wouldnt like it for my wedding to be on a public show.

It is amazing. I never thought it could get that cold. The picture looks beautiful though. Nice houses. I remembered when i went to Norway lst november. PS..Just wondered why this was on a political forum?

Many non-muslims in the west tell us that they respect liberty and they don't want to challenge freedom of expression (a privilage we dont enjoy in the muslim countries as i am often reminded by them). So why are we having this conversation? Critise or disagree all you like but defend the rights for the muslim women to wear what she likes (Voltaire style)..Isnt this the oft-repeated statement we come to hear from the non-muslims? Look deep into diversity and different cultures in the UK, how many styles and dresses will you find not in conformity with the non-muslim "rationale." Should we then introduce a unique style for all? The fact is the West which takes such pride in "freedom of expression" for all, now seems to be repenting and losing its "tolerance." Some people in the West think they have the right to do everything but are not prepared to see others enjoying the same free well.

What a great news. Maashallah.

Salaam aleykum angle Cheers for agreeing with me. However the picture you posted goes against everything i believe. We are no men and will never be. We should never lose our femininity and our roles in life that Allah set for us. I dont believe that we should completely dsiregard our roles in the family or the very fabric of our society will be destroyed. I honestly think that we can bring something to table. Just check the politics forum and the level of testorone. A lot of chest beating are happening there. The question is: What is holding us back? 1-Ourselves: Is it because we dont strive to improve ourselves intellectually? Or is it because we are not ambitious enough? I know we are intellectually capable political decision making, or any type of decision making for that matter. 2- The culture in general: The olden days where decision-making process was occuring underneath the Qurac trees by our male elders. Havent we left this mentality behind? Perhaps the venue has changed whilst the mentality still remains. 3- Our Menfolk: I know that every Somali home, the mom is the queen. No one can accuse Somali females to be weak and submissive. I dont want to be accused of male-bashing but i think it is a case of unrelated somali female being your leader which many men aan ka degi karin. I am sure many men in the diaspora have no problem with this issue but i aint so sure those back home. Perhaps it is a combination of all.

lol@huruuf.... The only reason i could think of is "many guys try it on and the guys dont take into account where they are at that time (i remember a guy hitting on a girl outside the masjid) or sometimes they cant guage whether the girl is having bad day or if she is having none of it. They just dont get the hint.

You dont see muslims offending or insulting other religion figureheads, why is Islam a game to the West?

We have tried the men, havent we? However I didnt say they would be better then men, but that they could bring an different prespective to the situation. Thus providing alternative points of view to what has heretofore been addressed by men. Furthermore this would reflect more accurately the composition of a society if more women were given a chance?

Salaam Che If it was me, i would smile and reply back a better salaam " Wa aleykum salaam Waraxmatullahi wabarakaato". Oh..and i am female. Not every women are the same. There is nothing in our nature that scorns our male folks. If we do this, who can we save for our chilled, laidback nature? Lets not generalise eh?

Salaam aleykum Is it time for women to take over from the decion-making political process from the men? They got us nowhere. Isnt it about time we participate and play greater role than the token positions we get? In the history of our country, women havent been able to participate in political decision-making except for the wishy-washy 'ururka horumarka haweenkaa' which did nada for the average Caasha on the streets. To participate in the political processes, women need to be given a chance on her merits and leave the sexists nonsense behind. We need the level-headedness, the intuition (and let face it the honesty) of a female. We are missing their unique insight and views. A richness that is still being ignored in our country. We need to recognise that women’s full and equal participation in the political process and decision-making will provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society. I think there should be gender quotas that allot 30 to 50 percent of decision-making positions for women in any future government. This makes any government more efficient in serving the needs of its citizens by ensuring that even seemingly neutral policies and programs take into account the women's concerns and needs right at the onset. Shouldnt we take advantage of the constructive role women can play in decision-making processes. I know that most countries of the world, representation of women remains low but they are miles ahead. I remember reading a report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/668186.stm) , that said "women politicians believe they can change the nature of politics, but remain constrained by rules and practices established by men before they arrived on the scene." There has never been a truer statement, especially in the case of Somalia. It is crucial that many more Somali women make their way into the government. Perhaps we wouldnt have been in this mess, if more women were in power in the first place. Before any of you say anything, I have done great research in female leadership in Islam. What restrict us isnt Islam but the so-called male leaders.

Easy with the inkaar. We are all muslims and the courts would do well to keep the people of mugadishu and other areas they control onside and happy and get on with what needs to be doing (and there are lot of things that needs doing) rather going for Burco or Boosaaso. It is Ramadaan and make a lot of istaghfaar for your nafs rather than cursing others brother alle-ubaahne.

This is quite epedemic. In London alone, you see families where 3 or 4 or their boys (and girls in some cases) are locked up. Yes there are drug-dealers and when they make more money in a week than you make in a month, chances are they will take risk. Come and visit Camden High Street. Even few police are in their pockets. If we all return to Somalia eventually, i wonder what kind of problems we would have? One problem that we Somalis have is the fact that we never speak out and face our problems. We are always worried what the neighbour would say if we air out our problems. What they dont realise is: Their problem is out already and if they helped each other and seek help for their kids together, the situation wouldnt be so bad.

I love khamees. I bought some for my family and they wear it to taraweeh and eid days.

Salaam aleykum Me..i will open chain of launderrete accross the country. Many housewives (perhaps househusbands..the sensitive 'new man' ) will thank me then. Seriously though, I want to focus on the illiteracy facing our women and children. To educate women is to educate the society. My goal is to eradicate illiteracy and promote decent education ( a big ask i know). A distressed man can never live up to be a somebody if he is unable to write his own name" (Davidson, 1999) Education and literacy is an important part of building an economically and socially stable country. The rate of illiteracy is growing at an alarming in Africa anyway. We are not a nation of readers, nor are we nation of writers. In order to learn from the past mistakes, we have to write about them first.

Salaam aleykum Can we first remind eachother that we are in this blessed month Ramadaan and take advantage of it? Secondly, Whilst i fully support the courts (for now), i think it would be unwise to destabilise a whole region (Somaliland) and shed more blood. Havent we had enough? As far as i can see the Courts have their plates full. There are no disbelievers in Somaliland. We are all muslims therefore there is no need for dawah by force. The best the courts could do is to rebuild the cities they already control, create jobs, rebuild the infrastructure of the areas they control. There is the need for electricity, water, sewege drainage etc. There is the health and education to consider. When the people of Puntland and Somaliland see that the Courts are delivering what their authorities couldnt deliver, they will decide to set up their own courts. In the meantime i suggest that the courts concentrate on what matters.

Originally posted by Santaaro-Saaxiib: Cambaro, i'm heading there the same time as you even though it will be my first time there, i'm still not worried and wouldn't post pone any of my plans because of what if? Just be careful. For those of you that want some sort of fighting between the parties, i would love to see you guys in the front line is all i can say. Rag badan casiirka ay fadhiga dibadaha ku cabaan baa kasoo daadan lahaa. salaam santaaro It will be my first time ever going to Boosaaso. I have been once when i was 2yrs old though. This time my whole family are going. Parents who have been couple of times have told me great things about the place. It is quite safe and business is booming. I guess we cant have everything though since there are problems (i.e corruption). Still, Somalia is our country and we gotta love it. I can see many people oo busabusoonaya in dagaal dhexmaro dadka, I pray to Allah that it isnt so ..for the sake of those live there. I remember qaxii back in 1991 and it wasnt pretty at all.

Originally posted by General Duke: Cambaro, I am not against Sharia law at all. But I belive this can be done through dialogue and persuasion. Puntland is a Muslim land and insha Allah it will base all its laws on the Koran and Sunna. My opposition is the disguised clan agenda that is courts. I have not seen any Shariah law being applied just the law of the jungle cloaked under a nice title. Islam is the future, equility for all the Somali people is the hope. One clan pretending to have a higher moral purpose than others while ignoring the plight of the many is not justice. Fair enough Duke. We are on the same page. Now we disagree that Courts are doing this for their clans. As far as i see, Courts in Mogadishu have made solid changes in Mogadishu. It may not be crime-free at the moment, but it is helluva lot better than it was and than most places in the country. The courts have acheived what the TFG and Cadde Musse have not acheived. Corruption is rife in Puntland and i for one am fed up. How can they allow money to be printed on monthly basis? Cant they see what they are doing to the people? I think it is about time Plander grew a backbone and rise up. They will only succeed with the help of Allah inshallah.

Salaam aleykum Sorry to butt in this reminiscing session, but it took me back years. I remember Carwadii, we used to beg mom to take us there and when we get good grades at school, that was our reward. About the best towns to live in somalia (the way it was): Jowhar was at the top. We used to live in Snai Piazzo and if i ever heard 'heaven on earth', that was it. I loved Baraawe and its beaches too. Will Somalia ever return to the way it was? I would like to think, that if given the chance, we could make it better place.

I dont know how i feel about this since i am going there in December (will i be locked up if i show my support to any regime change in Pland?). I am only too happy that Puntlanders are seeing sense I just hope for the sake of the the people that no blood will be shed and if people choose Islamic rule, ruled by their people, they should be allowed to. I know many Planders are fed up with the Cadde Muse and his dibidhilif cronies collecting taxes for the TFG, printing money where hard-working people' hard-earning cash are ripped off and sending troops to Baydhabo.

You are right. It was too open. Lets say that it will be peaceful take over where the wadaado have people on-side. Purely the people from Puntland will rule over themsleves, rather than clan from Mogadishu. Lets say that the wadaado themselves will be against the TFG and their allies. Ngonge this isnt about Duke going against an Islamic rule but Islamic rule in Puntland, ruled by his own people and going against TFG. Hopefully that is clear enough.