oba hiloowlow;909747 wrote: To all the Al Haters and there are plenty of HATERS out there but if someone has done you wrong instead of getting revenge and thinking about the bad things they have done to you, you ought to forget about them as they are your past. if you see them again kill them with kindness.that's Alpha's rule these days. never stoop to their level. thanks for the dedication brother Oba.

MMA, under the guise of this 'quiz', you continue to portray the popular sentiment sweeping everything 'Somalia' these days, but have sensationalised it even further here, by implying fruits NEVER grew in Xamar and its environs. because of this new wave of progress in post-transitional Somalia, i'm assuming they've only started spouting up recently? coincidentally, you're to all intent and purposes, trying to convince us, these newly 'discovered' fruits, still without a name, were out of reach for the average Somali person in those 'trouble years' in pre-transitional 'Somalia' miyaa? did Hassan Sheikh personally plow the fields with his bare hands? or did the minister for agriculture personally supervise the workers in the fields? naga daa inaadeero dee. as far back as 1967, the beero of Jamaame, were open to the general public. the rule of thumb being that you can eat as much as possible whist inside these plentiful beero. you weren't allowed to take large chunks of fruits to sell. a fantastic gesture of human civility, i reckon......

Haatu;909934 wrote: He is busy gathering stories for this year. I heard he is revisiting Fitsum, Sahal and his prostitute wife, Sh Bashiir and others to tell us how life is treating them Last I knew he was in Harar asking about a certain lady called Abyan LOOOL come on that's a little too extreme, don't you think? just because he's not here, doesn't mean you should insult him. waar, isku xishood and respect the brother. Admin please edit these insults.

he's joined the profitable gold trade bandwagon in the DR Congo. i was informed of this just recently.

Captain's log: ''message to self - another day in this hell-hole. must do more to survive. tomorrow is another day. good night''

cawl state! LOL

^ i swear you used the term 'Jesuits' just the other day. plus your degaan doesn't have a beach. so you might as well leave the thread sxb. those possessed of coastal DNA are the best.

Xaaji Xunjuf;909720 wrote: Alpha Jesus muse clan thinks Berbera saahil is like their little Kingdom Governor mayor Military port manager you name it:D there is NO ku qabso ku qadi meysid in Berbera.

chubacka;909706 wrote: It's a good thing you make yourself laugh Marx, at least then your ramblings serve some purpose. ^ i'm quite sure, deep within that tough exterior you front, particularly when i'm around, my mere words have long ago penetrated LOOOOL admit it! you're mad about me Chubacky the Wacky?

Xaaji Xunjuf;909710 wrote: Waryaaa alpha since when does berbera belong to you're Folks east Burco is coming for berbera prepare loool By the way i am not from hargeysa i am from seylac my clan are reer xebeed XX, i do not need to remind you of the facts. they are already consolidated on the ground.

good memories of the late 1990s.

chubacka;909676 wrote: Haha, don't be discouraged XX, you should open up your little beach cafe and sell hot dogs and icecream, and watch the dkhan celis flood in. Next time I am back home, I need to head for the beach iA. XX berbera degaan kuma laha so why is he protesting for? actually hargeisana kuma laha degaan. his tribe's degaan is somewhere in the somali region in ethiopia and the shabaac area of hargeisa that they've claimed as theirs. fiery little tribe he is from! LOOOL

AfricaOwn;909668 wrote: ^^Someone report the Homeland Security on this dude. and what do you suppose Homeland Security will do to me? water-boarding and other rendition type torture methods? i love America okay! i don't want to destroy it, i just feel america needs a better foreign policy. U-S-A, to me represent ultimate human freedom and when i move to ATL in 2014, the american will ask me to pronounce certain words again for their amusement because i'm BRITISH. never forget that! BRITAIN OWNS the USA!

Chicago homicidal rates going through the roof mad weather in new Hampshire influenza and new genetically engineered epidemics of the worst kind - Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak was good. AfricaOwn, NO ONE cares about America and its woes. its been punished for its criminal acts aboard. WE don't care about the domestic affairs of the great satan. stop polluting our minds with this BS ma fahantahay???

JB, its cold caawa ma isidhi sxb? this cold weather in hargeisa is perhaps an omen?

Xaaji Xunjuf;909582 wrote: Abwaan take this even dhaliyardi ingriiska ku koray baa Somaliland ku sheegaya dhankay u socotto, you will be dealing with these people for the decades to come LOL@dhaliyardi ingriiska ku koray take it easy on abwaan. he's alright.

hi underdog, you're probably more familiar with my predecessor Marx. we were enemy once and i enjoyed all our banter. i hope you're doing well and in the best of spirits.

Abwaan;909575 wrote: AB, there is no Somalia and Somalilad....There is Somalia and gobollada Waqooyi Galbeed. Abwaan, the notion of the former Somali Republic being unified once more is wishful thinking. whether Somaliland decides to go its own way or to reunite with its southern neighbouring country CANNOT be decided by Somalia. the fate of Somaliland remains firmly within its own hands. the great strides made by the Somaliland people and Government over the last 21 years is a reflection of Somaliland taking control of its affairs.these efforts have been wholly achieved by Somaliland and its efforts ALONE and without outside influence, assistance and the politics of paternalism that's ravaged Somalia's collective mindset and that of its people. certainty, Somalia, as thought, a victim of outside manipulation, has to all intent and purposes developed a pitiful self-induced mindset. help us! its always one thing or another. there is always an outside enemy, some evil doer intent on destruction but NEVER the admission of fault, of poor governance, off internal division, off poor leaders, off willful negligent, off tribal warfare, off opportunism, off misfortune and so and so forth.

Oodweyne;909562 wrote: All in all, it is non-starter for Somaliland, despite whatever the some elites connected to the current government may whisper to the ears of a passing journalist. But we shall see. Oodweyne, real academics have a pivotal role to play in these discussions. unfortunately, he's not one of them and his peripheral comments are irrelevant.

Che -Guevara;909560 wrote: lol@XX, nagadaa dee. Somaliland keeps the South together. I guess you have not paying attention the last decades. The South is busy with itself, no time for anything else. You had 22 yrs to secure independence while the South was killing each other. a photo opp with Obama and all of sudden Somalia is planning its annexation of the somali regions in ethiopia and kenya into the fold once more miyaa?

Che -Guevara;909560 wrote: Alpha, for all we know, you are Tahir. LOL@Che, i'm well known but wouldn't risk my reputation with empty statements like that.

Wadani;909557 wrote: I agree with this Abdtifatah Tahir individual for the most part, but he may be wrong about the extent of sympathy for unionist views in Somalialnd. are you abdifatah? how can you agree with someone who is wrong about the public sentiment?

Carafaat;909364 wrote: Ku qabso ku qadi meysid. whose the reer samatar of xamar? LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

.............Abdifatah Tahir, a Hargeisa-based researcher on Somali politics explains: “Ultimately the possibility of getting Somaliland recognised by Somalia is highly unlikely. Because of that Somaliland may reconsider its position. I think the talks are more to do with how to form a sort of union. People are sympathetic to that.”.............. surely, academics are supposed to base their views on some solid basis....... ''People are sympathetic to that.” - this guy Abdifatah is out of touch with reality on the ground. all these pseudo academics in our midst must be vetted.

A loose union between Somaliland and Somalia is being put forward as this third option in solving a 22-year-old dispute Negotiations between the governments of Somalia and the autonomous breakaway state of Somaliland are set to resume within the next month. The question of Somaliland’s status as an independent country or as a region within Somalia has previously proven impossible to resolve. However, a softening of attitudes in Somaliland and the appointment of Fawzia Adan, a Somalilander sympathetic to the desire for independence, as Somalia’s Foreign Minister is creating hope that with time progress can be made. The two governments are starting talks from very different positions. Whilst the government of Somalia wants to form a united republic with Somaliland, the Somaliland government has long rejected this. Instead the government in Hargeisa has been attempting to gain international recognition of its statehood ever since it declared its independence from Somalia in 1991. These attempts have been unsuccessful and Somaliland has made little progress in achieving its goal. Although many countries accept that Somaliland fulfils legal criteria for statehood, none of them have recognised it. In Hargeisa the blame for this is placed at the door of their southern neighbours and the geopolitical interests of the international community. There is a fear that recognising the independence of Somaliland will fuel conflict in the region. Al-Shabaab is committed to a united Somalia and, despite the recent success in pushing the group out of major towns and cities, it still poses a significant threat. Regular bombings and assassinations indicate that al-Shabaab is launching an insurgency against the newly established Mogadishu government. Recognition of Somaliland independence may worsen this situation. Discussing international recognition is a national obsession in Somaliland. People believe that the country will only develop if it is afforded the status of an independent state. “Only if we have recognition can we get all the things like insurance companies and banks, which will encourage investment to come here and Somaliland is desperate for foreign investment” explains Mowlid Mohamoud Ibrahim, Somaliland’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Somaliland certainly is in desperate need of investment. The country’s infrastructure is basic at best but mostly non-existent; youth unemployment is estimated to be over 60 percent and a fast growing population is exacerbating these problems. But it is not just economic development that people believe will come from recognition. “Recognition will not only help Somalilanders, but the whole region. For example, piracy and al-Shabaab cannot be solved without working together [with Somalia] as equals,” continues the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Although there is some truth in this, there is still the risk that recognition will destabilise the region. It will be necessary to balance these two positions if these talks are to bring progress. Questioning whether a single-minded obsession with recognition is the right option for Somaliland is considered taboo, but it is a taboo which is beginning to be challenged. Abdifatah Tahir, a Hargeisa-based researcher on Somali politics explains: “Ultimately the possibility of getting Somaliland recognised by Somalia is highly unlikely. Because of that Somaliland may reconsider its position. I think the talks are more to do with how to form a sort of union. People are sympathetic to that.” This change in attitudes amongst many in Somaliland displays a realisation that a different approach is required. Somaliland cannot get recognition so is unable to develop, but the Mogadishu government’s plan for a complete reintegration of Somaliland into Somalia is unacceptable to the people. Instead, a third option is needed. A loose union between the two states is being put forward as this third option. It would not involve a complete integration of the two states, but instead regional governments would administrate Somalia and Somaliland separately. Only on matters of joint interest, such as piracy and al-Shabaab, would the regional governments work together. It is hoped that this will be acceptable to staunch unionists in the south, whilst still giving Somaliland the legitimacy it needs to attract foreign investment. Those in favour of independence argue that Somalia’s insecurity and undeveloped government make it incompatible with Somaliland. The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somaliland takes this position. “Unity won’t work as there is no balance between Somaliland and Somalia. They have nothing to give us in unification”, he explains. However, the differences between the two may not be so great as to make a loose union unworkable. The newly formed government in Mogadishu is making significant progress in establishing formal governance in Somalia and an improving security situation is encouraging brave investors to look at the country. Meanwhile Somaliland’s governance record has been tarnished in recent years. The Parliament is increasingly seen as a rubber-stamping chamber, whilst the government of President Ahmed Silanyo has been accused of divisive nepotism favouring particular clans. The November 2012 local council elections were followed by reports of multiple voting and accusations of bias in the National Electoral Commission. This led to unrest in which over 20 people are believed to have been killed. Questions are also being raised about just how committed to independence the Hargeisa government actually is. “I think the position of Somaliland is influenced by individual interests. Someone wants to stay in power so doesn’t want to say that the past twenty years have not worked,” tells researcher Abdifatah Tahir. If the idea of a loose union with Somalia gains public acceptance, the official position of the Hargeisa government is likely to change. A loose union between the two states may well be a workable solution and if stances continue to soften a more pragmatic approach to Somaliland’s future could be emerging. Yet it is highly unlikely that the upcoming negotiations will result in any agreement. Politicians on both sides are still mindful of the need to be seen to be sticking up for their people and this means not making any concessions. It will take a great deal of time if the idea of a loose union is to gain widespread public support and until then little progress in resolving this 22-year-old dispute can be expected. Jesper Carlsen Cullen is a freelance journalist based in Kenya. He recently returned from Hargeisa, Somaliland http://www.thecommentator.com/article/2470/a_third_way_for_somaliland_and_somalia -------------------- interesting read.