@Hawdian I think that if you weren't so impatient and sensitive and actually read what I wrote, you'd see I didn't attack Somalis. It was sharing a concern that the government doesn't care much for public perception and how it will affect people living abroad. Mad Mullah yes it was a bit too far, but more neutral & positive connotations are needed. I don't mean we need to celebrate that pagan holiday, but you get the idea why some people were surprised by this nonsense. Anyway, the gov. should have more pressing issues like helping those 10.000 Somalis stranded in South Sudan.

Somalia's public relations are so messed up. The government doesn't even care Somalis abroad are seen as heathens, pirates, terrorists etc. One of the least likable human beings on earth and this government doesn't even care. Why do this only to give Somali people the image that the gov. isn't as gaalo as Al Shabaab claims? Pretty sad. Christmas will never be celebrated by Somalis in masses, so this media stunt is very harmful.

Is there like one company in Mogadishu that sells those terrible windows? They reflect the sky and make them look blue. It's unsightly in my opinion. I see them in many new projects.

dp

- Poverty, lack of justice and freedom is what makes some go find comfort in terrorism in my opinion. - Mental disorders also, which is a taboo in many countries. - People rarely discuss the rampant illiteracy in 'Muslim countries'. How on earth can you understand your religion if you can't even read/write? - Western imperialism that some people try to use as an excuse to kill others. I don't understand those highly educated people going being terrorist and having their crazy adventures. Reading sentences of the Quran without tafseer and out of context perhaps. Education is really needed among Muslims, especially the disillusioned young.

dp

Check what happens in the background with the president at 1:31 - 1:37.

xiinfaniin, thank you for your explanation. I think conspiracy theories are all over the internet.

I don't like starting threads. Here's his cv according to Jowhar.com http://www.jowhar.com/news.php?readmore=2463

This is the new prime minister. Dr Abdiwali Sheikh Ahmed. (according to Twitter announcements) Dr. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed is a Somali-Canadian, a graduate of Somali Faculty of Economics; studied Economy at University of Ottawa, Canada. He was born in Bardhere in 1959. He's an economist (PHD holder) who worked with the Islamic Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia & IGAD. It would be great to start a new thread about this guy and his profile. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/12/uk-somalia-politics-idUKBRE9BB0O820131212

That's sad. On another note, Desmond Tutu's house was burgled while he was at the memorial service.

OdaySomali;990486 wrote: I've just tested my theory and I have concluded that the latin alphabet much better suites the Sooomaali language. There are certain noises that (I think) you can't present using the arabic alphabet like oo (goorma) unless you slightly change the pronounciation and property of the word = جوْرْمَآ ee (dabadeed) ii (iigu yeedhi) o' (go'ay) i' (ri') etc. Here is my pathetic attempt at an example text: Walaaleyaal waxa aan idin leeyahay waa inaynu ka fikernaa sidii aynu dadkeena u barilahayn sidii ay wax u qori lahaayeen. وَلَلَيَآل وَحَ آنْ إدِنْ لييَهَيْ وَآ إِنينُ كَ فِكيرنَا سِدِيْ اَيْنُو دَادّْكَينَ ءُ بَارِ لَاهَيْنْ سِدِيْ اَيْ وَحْ ءُ قرلَهَاين.وُ قرلَهَاين.ي Interesting.

DoctorKenney;990359 wrote: Safferz is partially right. The literacy rate is generally measured in one's ability to read in their native tongue . But that's the entire point of this thread! Most Somalis in Somalia are unable to read Somali, because it's written in the Latin script, but virtually all of Somalia can read the Arabic script. So for the sake of conveniency, the OP is proposing that we switch the Somali language to the Arabic script, and this will make our literacy rate at least 90% literally overnight. A strange thing happened in Turkey back in the 1920's. Kemal Ataturk changed the Turkish language from using the Arabic script, to the Latin script. So the Turks, who were accustomed to reading their language in the Arabic script, were now forced to learn the Latin alphabet. The literacy rate in Turkey went from 80% to 0 in a single day. So the 40% figure is irrelevant, because this is something we can all acknowledge. I agree with DoctorKenney. I don't see the use of the Arabic script as a threat, but more as an asset. Clearly the Osmanya and Kaddare script haven't benefitted us. The difference between those that know the Latin script versus Arabic today in Somalia is huge. In the past for centuries the Arabic script was used by those who were literate in Somalia. If we want a fast and smooth recurrence of literacy, using the Arabic script would be a great start. (That's the discussion) Also remember that Somalia is forging better ties with Arab nations. For instance, Bibliotheca Alexandria has sent (or is sending) 50.000 Arabic books to Somalia. No we're not Arabs, but Somalia is both an African and Arab nation. It has been since it entered the Arab League. I do think kids (and adults) do need to learn how the Latin script works though. English might become an important unofficial 3rd language. Even at vacancies at the Somalia government they ask for people to be able to speak English, but speaking Arabic is optional.

Secularism means no fatal consequence for having another religion or no religion at all. Death and forced 'rethinking' for not believing or having another religion sounds like that the people that follow that religion know it's not the truth. A hysterical worldview. I've noticed many Muslim feel that non believers have no moral code and have a sense of superiority against them. Isn't it against the religion to have that? Or is it the flaws of Muslims?

I hope it's not going to be expensive or slow. Let's wait for the plans by local Somali providers to be announced. Do you think Somalis can 'do it again' with being successful in clear and cheap telecommunications?