But its typical of the Somali people. Axmaqnimo waa u hiddo iyo dhaqan. Naxariis ma yaqaanaan. Hence why their country is in the state that it is in. Isuma naxariistaan, looma naxariiste e'.

The stepfather was angry because the boy, a fifth-grader at the International Preparatory School on Clinton Street, had fallen behind in his homework, law enforcement officials said. There are a lot of mentally ill Somalis in the diaspora. Whether its due to trauma they have suffered or something else, only god knows. Homework kulahaa :confused: its always a favourite excuse but its more to do with outing his frustrations out on the child. Did he expect him to do more homework when he was dead ? :confused: Inkaari kugu dhacday.

They are poor, lowly educated, but apparently a [physically] very healthy bunch The Dutch government does keep a very keen eye out over them. It has every kind of imaginable information on them. From their number to their locations, number of rooms in their houses, their health, income, education, age, number of first/second/third generation etc. Somalis in Nederland are highly concentrated in Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland and South-Holland. Read the document here: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/brochures/2011/06/16/somaliers-in-nederland.html

Can anyone help me out and summarise the main points from the big block of text ? Thanks.

- Don't make enemies if it can be avoided. - Be friendly, whether you mean it is another story, to most people. Unless given a reason not to be.

Always 'befriend' or at the least make the effort to get the know, if not everyong, those people whom you might need. The problem is knowing which people you might need. But safe to say: - Those people who run the operations -Those people behind the scenes - And those people in what seem to be (at first) not-so-'highly' positions This means the cleaners, secretaries (key-holders), receptionists and security guards of this world.

Embrace the inevitable and also purchase some anti-depression pills... take it from an oday

Mario B;815021 wrote: We need to bin the Somaliweyne idea, we need to save our current borders [Ras Kamboni-Loya Ado] if we are to survive as human species. Yes there need to be priorities. And the priority ought to be "on pacifying, uniting and creating the right conditions (to enable us to utilise our assets) in the Somali lands that are already regarded as sovereign and independent (Somalia, Djibouti)".

Original comment edited. Bump!

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=5607&st=11:00:00 The 'Ethiopian'/Zionist lobby will detail to you his 'arguments'. You will lectured on how, supposedly, the 'evil' Iran has a hand in the HOA conflcit. You will be told that Ethiopia is the beacon of peace, hope, development, democracy and all things good, in the HOA region. (For obvious reasons, conveniently leaving out that it is an autocratic state, is actively conducting genocide, the 'PM' has been in power for 20+ years etc).The boogieman of 'Islamic' 'extremists' and the impeding threads will be waved in your face and it will be stressed to you that the destabilisation of Ethiopia can never be allowed to happen. All in all, ts quite telling how the 'Ethiopian' lobby and Zionist lobby fit snugly into eachother and as you watch the debate, you will sense from the 'Ethiopian' lobby, quite blatantly, the undertones of [arguments often used by] the pro-Zionist lobby. Quite an interesting debate and it wonderfully exposes how the HOA conflict is linked to the wider Zionist-ME conflict. Bear in mind that strengthging and empowering downstream Nile countries, principally 'Ethiopia', provide for excellent political/economic leverage over Egypt, [potentially] the largest Arab power and as such, the Pro-Isaeli lobby has a significant vested interest in 'Ethiopia'. Needless to say how Somalis (and some other groups) in the HOA region are hence negatively impacted by the empowerment of Ethiopian regimes. Of-course we have compounded any external difficulties and issues we face, by (a) our inability to overcome our petty internal issues, mainly based on qabyaalad and (b) a weak and incapable elite. The western countries, Israel and the Zionist lobby have a special place for Ethiopia, no doubt. It is in their strategic interest to empower, support and protect 'Ethiopia'. However having said the above, it would be wrong to assume that we are powerless to counter the view that presents a mutually beneficial relationship between 'Ethiopia' and the 'West', as mutually exclusive with any such a relationship between the 'West' and 'Somalis'. Let's just for the purpose of the argument I shall present here, think of the situation as a 'triangle'; the triangle being [somalis | West | Ethiopia]. We have to rememer that, the West holds the largest bargaining power in this triangle; and should they so perceive for it to be in their interests, they are able and potentially willing to concurrently engage the Somalis and the Habasha. However, because both the Somalis, and to a similar thought lesser extent the Habasha regime, are on the periphery and in any case many, many times removed from the factors which fundamentally affect the interests of the 'West', there is the neccesity to convince and persuede the 'West' that they have an interest in engaging the Somalis. Somalis have several assets and points of leverage. One of those assets, is that we inhabit a very strategic piece of real-estate in the world. And although our strategic location is not unique in either the facilities it can offer or what it can facilitate, it has the potential to be strategic because of the [potentially] low costs and risks of utulising it, compared to its substitutes/competitors. Another asset we could leverage would be the natural resources of the land we inhabit such as potential mineral resoruces and actual marine resoruces. However, there is a very wide gap between the actual political/economic 'output' we realuse from this asset, and the potential 'output' - there is a huge disparity between the assets we have and the extent to which we utulise them. This is mainly a reflection of the weak state of our internal affairs and the weak planning and strategising capacity of the Somali [socio-political-economic] elite. Also, the instability and lack of economic development in our lands, means there is both high risk and cost associated with utilising our assets. We need to be more internally focussed and our elite needs to 're-invent' itself and restrategise. The elite, of which funnily enough you SOL members are part, needs to focus on pacifying, uniting and creating the right conditions (to enable us to utilise our assets) in the Somali lands that are already regarded as sovereign and independent (Somalia, Djibouti), whilst look at the bigger picture and playing the 'long game'. What the Habash elite has done, as one ought to do to your competitor, is (a) disable the assets we could have leveraged, (b) contributed towards destabilising and the vilifying the competitor and lastly © then presented a persuasive argument to the 'West' (or any give world power) of the interest and benefit it has in engaging them. What we need to do it protect, invest in and enable our points of leverage, whilst disabling the value of the assets and points of leverage of the oppossition (if you want details of how and what, PM me). That is enough for now, but I am hoping you got the jist of my argument. Do give feedback. I am aware that it is quite an externally focused interpretatin of events and that a lot of emphasis has been placed on external powers such as the 'west, Ethiopia etc. I acknnowledge that our weakness is internal. However, I also want to emphasise two things: 1.) What the world has been told is an ongoing 'Somali' civil war/internal conflict, and all about islamic fundamentalism, is in reality a regional if not international one about the right to self-determination of the Somali people. 2.) Though we have, no doubt, huge internal cracks to fix, we do not live in a vacuum (regionally or internationally). 3.) I want to make clear we have no beef and ought not to have one with the 'West' or 'Zionists'. We need to focus on changing the conditions of the Somali people before we worry about anything like the Palastinians or other Arabs. If this means working with the 'West'/Zionists then why not, as the Arabs/Muslims countries do; I say one step at a time ( ) Waa inaynu inagu is xoreyno intaynaan wax kaleba isku dayin, oo aynu dabeedtana hadhoow uun xidhiidhka la adkeyno wadanada kale ee aynu jaarka iyo isku diinta nahay. Waxa la dhehaa, adigu is caawi intaadan is odhan qof kale wax u qabo.

Mario B;813932 wrote: The west will not allow ****** or NFD to gain independence, lets just fix the land that world recognises, which is from Ras Kamboni to Loya Ado and then deal with regional issues. As usual XX, is showing obscurantism by muddying the water with his " Phantom Republic ". And South sudan was once part of Sudan. Eritrea was once part of Ethiopia. There ways to achieve it but last time round we made very arrogant and collosal mistakes. Somalia should never again claim soveriegnty over the regions which are part of other countries. We just need to support them in other ways but first things first, eh...

I. AM. A. SOMALI. UNIONIST! It in our strategic interest. Our future, security, economy, existance and relevance make it imperative we be united.

burahadeer;813839 wrote: berbera has improved & is one of the longest airstrips in africa.They were doing last finishing touches like air condition when i was there 5yrs ago.Are people fond of negative stuff! LOL @ "air-conditioning" Berbera is the best managed and it resembles most what an airport ought to be like. It still has a long way to go. For starters the doors don't even close properly. Then there is the airport duty-free "shop"/"cafe". Berbera could do much better too. There is just lack of leadership and bad management.

Carafaat, :D LOL I will need to check out this said VIP area. NGONGE;813763 wrote: Last year there was no machine. This year there is machine. It's a progress of sorts. But Oday wants it to look like Heathrow! Even better than Heathrow inshallah, and better managed too

Carafaat;813562 wrote: Oday, I have been visitng the country on regular basis since 2000 and one thing that improved considerebly are the Airports. I have made used of Hargeysa, Burco, Berbera, Erigavo and Bosasso Airports. And all of these airports management has improved considering that most local staff and management(except for this current Minister) cant travel to other Airports and dont have much reference like you and me can, nor benchmark. Firstly, the only operational airports from those you have listed are Hargeisa, Berbera and Boosaaso. Burco, Boorama and Erigavo don't have airports. As Burco city has grown, people have built houses on what was originally the landing strip, so I very much doubt you have landed there in the past few years. Erigavo is another story altogether. Secondly, as I pointed out, it not about having large resources or state of the art facilities, it is about making the most effective use of what you have. I dont think this is being done at all. The dissappointing thing is that most people are either happy with the status quo or have very low expectations and ambitions. Thirdly, the role of the ministers is to lead, organise and plan. He doesnt seem to be doing anything. If he is not competent at what he is doing, he should vacate the seat for someone who has drive, motivation and vision.

Che -Guevara;813539 wrote: Oday....I guess it's massive by Somali standards. Certainly, the machines are heavy:D I have been there, Che. The infrastructure is there, it is just that it is badly organised and managed - which renders it a complete xaar-hole. This and the previous lousy minister-ku-sheeg don't have a clue what they are doing. They fail even when it comes to the most simple of things. There is simply no-one in charge of the place. Anyone can walk in and out. There are no structures, rules, processed or policies. The families of the employees live in the'airport'. Simple painting and organising of the interior is apparently too difficult to manage. The 'employees' do what they want when they want - they close the place when they want. Corruption is the going process - everything is trumped by the dollar. Standards are non-existant. SMH. There is a very simple failure of organisation and management. I don't know what this 'minister' wastes his time doing because I cant think of what it is he does 365 days a year. Now he has apprently brought an old second hand computer-screen and some scanning machines and this is a "massive upgrade". Its a disgrace - notwithstanding the meagre resources, the place can do much better.

LOL @ "massive upgrade". Those ancient scales have been there since time immemorial. The only new thing that I see is the baggage screening machine and even that is being used on an ancient computer-screen. As always dissappointing. Here you have a 'wasiir' bragging about having installed, one machine. I mean seriouslu WTF ? Maxaa ka qaldan these people. And as for this 'airport', its in a right state, its delapidated and the whole place is chaotic. I bet they still have the 50 different kinds of 2nd-hand chairs, sofas and armchairs in that hall they call an airport ? You don't need to have money or extensive resources to effectively organise that which you do have and to make sure that the people you employ are properly trained and have standards and procedures to follow. Tolow what is wrong with Somali can't they do anything right. There is such a dearth of good and effective leadership everywhere you look, dad aan waxba garanayn ayaah hogaanku isku dhejinaya oo ka fuqi waayay.

Berbera council has been carrying out trials to see the feasibility of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJYUbr8cX-k&feature=player_detailpage#t=1230s

You got to be ******* kidding me. Hal dollar Somali leeyahay maahan in Ethiopia la inaga geliyo. We desperately need it ourselves. All these ******* Ethiopians need to go back to their own country and gtho. What happended to deporting the Ethiopians ??

It could transform narrow market-streets and give those areas of major cities some character.

Let me give you an example of where my proposal could be implemented. Such a project could transform small towns and re-generate city-centres. Look at Hadaaftimo and Las-Anod here. - Cobblestone could be cut from the nearby rocks and used for paving of the streets, public areas and market.

The Zack;812850 wrote: It appears that northerners just woke up. It is 1991 for them now. Qabiil vs Qabiil. IMO this is clan-federalism 101. Expect more of this when Al-shabab is defeated and the struggle for 'clan-states' ensues.

Chimera I want to first comment on your point about the Arab countries that supoort somalis. I can see why small Arab nations such as Kuwait, Qatar, UAE are involved in Somalia. I think we could easily develop a long-term strategic alliance with them in future. We could potentially, and perhaps this is farfetched, utilise their oil-wealth in the development of Somalia and furthering the indepence of Somali lands in the HOA. In exchange, these small desert nations, wich have in the long term unsustainable economic models, could look to having very favourable and close political, economic and social relationships with the independent Somaliweyn. This independent Somaliweyn is socially, culturally and religiously very close to these small Arab nations. They could benefit from and should they so wish live in the Somali peninsula, which covers an area larger than Either Egypt or Mauritainia and is over 1m km2 in land area. Despite common Somali misconceptions, we have abundant resources such as fertile lands, long coastline, abundant water, mineral wealth, strategic location etc. and an economy with huge potential. The fact thet the Kuwaiti Royal family has been a long-time friends of the Somali people, and dare-I-say Somaliphiles, works in our favour - they have indeed residences and palaces they frequent in the Somali peninsula (Mogadishu, Shiekh). Having said that, a country like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have initially much to lose from a stable Somalia. The amount of Somali capital and trade that are lost in those countries to the detriment of Somali people is immeasurable. The Somali livestock that is exported there and the hides and skins therefrom, the frankincense and resincs etc. are used to produce all sorts of consumer goods that means that Somalis lose hundeds of thousands of jobs and millions in potential revenue. The shipping and trans-shipping of consumer and industrial goods via the UAE loses Somalis millions in income and countless jobs; it also makes certain goods much more expensive than they would otherwise be had they been brought directly to Somali ports from say China. Numerous Somali companies are headquartered in places like UAE, Nairobi etc. The list goes on. Our neighbour Ethiopia, has been better at swaying influential countries, such as China, U.S, U.K and even Saudi Arabia, to its favour than has Somalia. To state the obvious, this is mainly due to Ethiopia's demographics (91m population) and the economic implications therefrom. As they say, demography is destiny. China wants future access to this huge consumer market. Other countries want access to its natural and mineral resources (saudies want arable land). Ethiopia is also strategically important for keeping Egypt in check (Nile) and is linked in with the wider ME & Israeli-Palstinian conflict which gives it strategic significance for U.S.A. Somalia on the other hand, despite its geograpic startegic location, is a small impoverished country (10m popl.) that represents no large consumer market and has, quite frankly, been outsmarted by its traditional regional political rival (ethiopia). If Somalia wants to start playing the diplomatic game, it needs to get its house in order. Having said that, China has historically been very active in Somalia due to its geograpic startegic importance. Lets not forget that China was doing in Somalia in the 70's and 80's what it is doing TODAY in other african countries. Back then, as it is doing in other countries now, China built the large highway, the national Stadium in Mogadishu and most likely other projects I am not aware of. So evidently China was interested in Somalia and it is a matter of stabilising Somalia before China engages us again.

Bacaaac... too little too late.

Qandalawi;812016 wrote: This was brutal and torturous to watch. What language were they speaking, Ethiopian? Amharic.