By Mara H. Gottfried | mgottfried@pioneerpress.com | A man seen in a photograph dressed as a female Muslim Target employee is a St. Paul police officer who worked off-duty at a St. Paul store, police and Target Corp. said Monday, Feb. 4. Mukhtar Ibrahim directed a Tweet to the official St. Paul police Twitter account at 7:55 p.m. Sunday: “Can u pls verify if this man mocking Somali women employees at Target is one of your officers?” Ibrahim, who used to live in St. Paul, is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist. Ibrahim received a reply from the St. Paul police Twitter account at 8:35 a.m. Monday: “SPPD wants to thx u for bring this to our att. We take this seriously&are investigating.” Police Chief Thomas Smith said in a statement Monday, “After an image was brought to my attention this morning, I ordered an immediate investigation to determine all of the facts surrounding it. The St. Paul police department has worked hard to establish a strong and respectful relationship with our Muslim communities, and I will not allow these types of images to erode that relationship. Diversity is one of the greatest strengths of the city of St. Paul, and we expect each one of our officers to respect and take pride in serving each of our diverse communities.” People responded to the photo on Twitter, some using the hashtag #CultureNOTCostume. Among the comments: “It is never funny, nor appropriate to mock someone’s cultural identity.” “Protect and serve does not translate into mock and degrade.” “This behavior is counter-intuitive to positive community policing efforts. We need accountability.” Lori Saroya, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Minnesota chapter, said her organization has good relationships with the St. Paul and Minneapolis police departments, but if the photo does show a St. Paul police officer, she thinks that individual needs more diversity training to “help eliminate anti-Muslim stereotypes and prejudice.” “We don’t see too many of these kinds of cases and it’s not the biggest one we’ve seen,” Saroya said. “It seems like a silly, unprofessional incident that happened. We’re confident the St. Paul police department will handle it appropriately. I don’t think he did it to be offensive or mean-spirited. It just seems to be ignorance.” The photo was brought to light on Twitter by a man named Taddese who declined to give his last name. He posted on the microblogging service Sunday, “Target employees in St Paul, MN, including Police Officer mock Somali women and hijabis,” along with screengrabs of a photo and comments on Instagram, a photo-sharing and social-networking service. The photo is of a man wearing a red head and body covering that some Muslim women wear, with a Target nametag on the chest. It was posted 10 weeks ago by the Instagram user michaelhart1997. The account, which says it is owned by Michael Hart of Minneapolis, was private as of Monday. Another screen grab Taddese posted included a caption from michaelhart1997, “Officer Rob Buth sporting his #halloween costume for #throwbackthursday” A St. Paul officer named Robert Buth is assigned to the K-9 unit, but police spokesman Howie Padilla said he could not say whether he is the man in the photo. Buth, who could not be reached for comment Monday, was suspended for a day in 2003 for excessive force and received an oral reprimand in 2000 for a preventable accident. He received a medal of merit in 2005, and has 16 other thank-you letters or commendations noted in his personnel file. Ibrahim asked Taddese over Twitter, “How did u find this?,” to which Taddese replied, “I was tipped off.” Taddese also wrote on Twitter that the Target in question is the one at 1300 W. University Ave. in St. Paul. “That Target is located in area with a large population of Muslims, and Somalis in particular. Many Somali and Oromo women work there,” he posted. He responded to a Pioneer Press request for comment by suggesting Ibrahim would be a better person to speak with. Ibrahim said he searched the Internet for the Instagram account holder and found someone on Twitter with the same screen name @MichaelHart1997. That person had posted the same picture of the man in the red hijab on Twitter on Nov. 5 with a similar caption, Ibrahim said he found. Ibrahim said he referenced @MichaelHart1997 on Twitter and the account holder then deleted the photo in question and set the account to private. The account holder didn’t respond to a Pioneer Press request for comment Monday. Ibrahim said a friend, who did not want to be named, became aware of the photo after someone who follows michaelhart1997 on Instagram saw the photo and told him about it. Ibrahim’s friend told him that Michael Hart works at Target and that the photo was taken in the breakroom. Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said in an email that the person pictured “is not, and has never been, a Target team member and we have confirmed the photo was not taken at a Target facility. As a company who stands firmly for inclusivity and diversity, we were appalled by this photo and do not tolerate or condone discrimination or harassment of any sort.” She said Target is “conducting a full investigation.” Snyder said the background in the image is not a Target facility. In the photo, a calendar showing an officer and police dog is visible on the wall behind the man, and is turned to the October 2012 page. Asked whether Hart is a Target employee, Snyder said, “Out of respect for our team, we typically don’t provide details on Target team members and their employment.” Snyder said Target does not directly hire off-duty officers who work security at their stores, but confirmed the man pictured occasionally worked as an off-duty officer at the University Avenue store. She said she had to defer to St. Paul police when asked whether the man is Buth. Padilla said he couldn’t say how police became aware of the photo and whether it was through Twitter. “We now know about it and we’re taking action,” he said. Mayor Chris Coleman said via Twitter on Monday morning, “To those who tweeted me yesterday: I take this very seriously and Chief Smith is currently investigating.” Coleman’s spokesman, Joe Campbell, said, “The mayor will personally be monitoring this very closely and at the completion of a thorough investigation, we’ll take next steps after determining exactly what happened.” Omar Jamal, first secretary of the Somali Mission to the United Nations, wrote in an email Monday, “This is a clear indication that police should have additional sensitivity training about the community, culture and religion.” Ilhan Omar, of Minneapolis, said she was appalled when she saw the photo on Twitter. The 30-year-old Minneapolis woman, who wears a hijab – a head scarf some Muslim woman don – said, “It’s degrading – this is what we consider part of our religion, part of our faith, and part of our tradition.”She described what the man in the photo is wearing as a jilbab, which some Muslim woman wear to cover their body almost to the knees and the head. “For us it’s not a costume, it’s our daily life,” she said. . . Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262. Follow her at twitter.com/MaraGottfried or twitter.com/ppUsualSuspects.

of course that is the narrative

Everybody was kung-fu fighting http://www.qaranimo.com/2013/02/04/tartan-ciyaaraha-karate-iyo-teakwondo-oo-muqdisho-lagu-qabtay/

His Excellency Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon today launched an Independent Task Force on Human Rights to tackle what he called a “culture of impunity” over human rights abuses in Somalia. The new body, established after extensive consultations with the Speaker of the Parliament and members of civil society groups, will investigate the broadest range of human rights abuses, including the organized killing of journalists and sexual violence against women. It consists of 13 prominent and respected Somalis. They include a human rights defence lawyer, civil society activist, human rights campaigner, doctor, a religious leader, distinguished police officers and a representative from the media. Four of the members, including the chair, are women, including a peace activist, a lawyer, an educationalist and leaders of Somali women’s organizations. All members of the Task Force will serve as volunteers. The taskforce will have a three-month mandate, on completion of which it will issue a public report detailing its findings and recommendations. The chair of the Task Force, Maryam Yusuf Sheikh Ali, a leading human rights lawyer, welcomed the formation of the temporary body and said it would do its utmost to investigate the highlighted troubling issue of human rights abuses. “I am honoured to chair this new Task Force and I would like to assure my fellow Somalis, together with our international partners, that we are aware of the great responsibility we have accepted today, we are completely serious about this work and we are totally committed to our investigation of human rights abuses.” Speaking at the launch of the Task Force in Villa Somalia, Mogadishu, the Prime Minister said he would not avoid taking difficult decisions, including prosecutions where necessary, following the Task Force’s report and findings. “The first step to take when addressing any problem is to admit there is one. We will not hesitate to take the appropriate action, however tough that may prove. This is all about instituting accountability and showing that nobody is above the law. Where it is found that crimes have been committed, we will seek to press charges. Today we want to send the strongest message that human rights abuses have no place in today’s Somalia. It won’t happen overnight, but we must consign them to history.” The new Task Force will pave the way for the establishment of the permanent Human RightsCommission, which will sit in Parliament. This body will be able to investigate human rights abuses committed during a longer period and on an ongoing basis. Referring to the spate of killings of journalists in 2012, the Prime Minister emphasised he would do everything in his power to promote freedom of expression. He was committed to defend journalist’s rights to do their work, including the investigation of any human rights abuses. “It cannot be right that Somali journalists should routinely risk death just for doing their work, which is an essential pillar of a modern society. The simple and unpalatable truth is that for all the journalists who have been killed in Somalia, there has never been a single prosecution. That is unacceptable in any civilized society. Everyone knows we must do better and this is my pledge to you today.” The Prime Minister said the new Task Force specifically would be investigating allegations of widespread rape and sexual abuse, especially of women in Internally Displaced People’s camps. It would also be investigating the background to a court case that is ongoing in Mogadishu to review whether due process had been followed. The Prime Minister has repeatedly expressed his opposition to holding anyone in detention without charge. “The simple fact is that sexual violence against women is completely unacceptable and must never go unpunished,” he said. “We cannot say we have made progress until those who commit these crimes are brought to justice. My government’s final target is to eliminate these inhuman practices.” .Prime Minister’s Media Office Email: media@opm.sov.go _________________________

You make a fair point Mintid a case of follow the money and we find the caller of the tune...

Okay thank you for the information and correction

Xarunta Ciidamada Munashiibiyo oo dayactir lagu sameeyay iyo duqa Muqdisho oo xariga ka jaray

Xaaji Xunjuf;915906 wrote: He was hiding thats what the security forces told us it was his city but he is working for a foreign country, a country SL has no relations with a country that claims SL to be part of them. The SL laws do not indicate the difference between farmaajo and her any official of Somalia is not allowed to visit Somaliland whether he is a Somalilander ethnically or not. So there is little difference between faarmaajo and fawziya Xaaji I can see you are donning your sunglasses of willful obtuseness, regardless hope the M.P gets his issue solved quickly, just put him on the next plane buddy anything less is killing a mosquito with an anvil.

Mayaa brother minitid when I said conspiracy I did not mean it in a bad way just how Somalis have parallel universe explanations for every thing. Please continue with your explanation, I know how fellowships work and I know something of the legwork Abdi Aynte put into setting this project up, lakiin I want you to finish your thoughts because am eager to hear...as you I am neutral, I am just happy that there is a different well organized voice in the discourse walaal.

did you not get my inbox haji

loool Haatu your not yet sixth form education is beginning to show

Dawlada Mareykanka: "Muwadinintena waxan uga digeyna in ay Tagaan Somaliland" Hadalkani oo ka soo baxay safaarada dawlada mareykanka ee dalka kenya ayaa waxaa loogu digay dhamaan muwadininta mareykanka in ay iska ilaaliyan. Safarada ay ku baxayan gudaha Somaliland,waxaana arintani dawlada mareykanka ay ku macneysay in ay ka danbeyso ka dib markii mareykanku ogaaday qataro ku soo fool leh dadka mareykanka iyo dhaman dalalka reer galbeedka ee halkaasi jooga. Hadalka safaarada ayaa lagu yiri,waxaan uga digeynaa muwadinintena in ay u safraan guud ahaan Somaliya,waxaana jira qataro kaga imaan kara qaybo ka mid ah somaliya,iyadoo aan la cadeyn halka sida dhabta qatartaasi uga iman karto. Qoraalkani ayaa ku soo beegmaya xili dawlada ingiriiska todobaad ka hor soo saartay dignin ay u jeedineyso muwadininteeda ku sugan Somaliland in ay ka feejignaadan falal amaan daro oo halkaasi ka dhici kara. Shacabka ku dhaqan somaliland ayaa siyaabo kala duwan uga jawaabay arintani oo ku muujiyay dibad baxyo kala duwan oo ka dhacay dhamaan magaaloyinka somaliland kaasi oo lagu diidan yahay hadalka ka soo baxay ingiriiska,walina kama soo bixin wax jawaab oo la xiriirta hadalka maanta uu ka soo saaray dalka Mareykanka. Calanka.com-Nairobi

Farmajoo is not an ethnic somalilander and she was committing treason of the highest order being a member of the Somali government as well as acting as the Foreign minister, she implies at all those conferences that Somalia is one by her very presence....was there a higher target so with in reach. P.S why do you keep on insisting that this man was hiding, it is after all his hometown regardless of what ethnic somalilanders might say..

Apparently this is the planned interior design of the rehabilitated Somalia parliament, 350 seater capacity, an inside arena for the cabinet, the speaker support staff, and 9 other halls for committee meetings. I do not know if this render is correct, allthough it does kind of go allong the lines of the previous design I do not understand the seating area for the M.P's they have neither desks or microphones...anyway we can take this design with a grain of salt until better renders are uploaded to the net!!

Stop clouding the issue she is an ethnic somalilander and was in berbera and was not arrested, why?

Mogadishu launches cleaning campaign with cash prize incentives The piles of rubble and trash that litter Mogadishu's neighbourhoods are getting smaller thanks to a cleaning campaign mobilised by the Somali government and carried out by citizen volunteers. The campaign started January 26th and will continue for one week, or longer if needed, to beautify and sanitise all 16 districts of the Benadir region. Volunteers say they need no remuneration for their work, but to sweeten the deal, the federal government is offering cash prizes for the districts that make the most progress in the clean-up. "I will reward the districts that take the first three spots in the Mogadishu cleaning competition," Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon said on January 21st. "The winning district will get $15,000, the second district will get $10,000 and the third district will get $5,000." The federal government has not yet disclosed the criteria for selecting the winners when the campaign ends on Friday (February 1st), or whether it will require the winning districts to spend the money on specific projects. Benadir region sanitation department director Hussein Warsame Abtidon said cleaning operations are going well so far, with up to 200 volunteers taking part in each district. "We want to complete the cleaning campaign in a week, but the time will be extended if necessary to make Mogadishu a clean and healthy city," he told Sabahi. Abtidon said the campaign would make a big difference in the sanitary conditions in Mogadishu and that he is hopeful it will bring back the beauty of the city's heyday. Districts competing for top prize Omar Abdulle Osman, administrator of the Hilwa district, said the clean-up is going well in his area. "I am optimistic that my district will win because we are making a great effort to improve the general sanitation of the Hilwa district," he told Sabahi. "If we win this competition, I promise all the volunteers will have the opportunity to decide what the money is used for." Deqa Abdikadir, administrator of the Warta Nabada district, which was formerly known as Wardhigley, said the 200 volunteers cleaning her district do not expect any compensation for their efforts. Still, she hopes they will win. "I am hopeful that the Warta Nabada district will get first place in this week-long Mogadishu cleaning competition," she said. "We will work hard to win." The men and women volunteers taking part in the week-long campaign were selected and recommended by the elders in each neighbourhood, according to the district administrators. The volunteers work from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm daily and are dispatched to each neighbourhood in teams of 15 to 20. Volunteer Osman Abdi, 36, said he wants to be part of the effort to restore cleanliness in Mogadishu, especially in Warta Nabada where he lives. "No one is paying us for the clean-up operation we are conducting," he told Sabahi. "We want to clean our district to improve our lives because as the saying goes, 'disease is as close as the garbage nearby'." Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Sheikh, a public health specialist, said the cleaning campaign is a small but very important start for the capital. He said Mogadishu needs a much longer sanitation campaign because no one has attempted to clean the city in over 20 years. "A week is not enough to clean Mogadishu and it should be regularly scheduled," he told Sabahi "I believe our biggest challenge is the unsanitary state of the whole country," he said. "We expect the new administration to address that problem."

This should give a heart attack to brother MMA it looks like the entrance to an eatery/what Somalis call "hotel"... Road widening airport road

Xaaji Xunjuf;915853 wrote: She was on transit this guy was hiding for 3 days in gabiley he came through Ethiopia, Fawziya is not welcome either laws are laws , but she wasn't heading towards SL but was heading towards Nairobi and the star african air stops at berbera. Regardless she was an ethnic somalilander to use your parlance, committing treason of a higher proportion as she was going to represent Somalia in an international conference, wasnt she more of a clear and present danger, would it not have been a better opportunity for the SL government to throw its weight around.

Didnt the foreign minister transit through Berbera??

What is the reasoning behind this move?

Hey minitid is there another conspiracy theory behind HIPS that I do not know about:D since we are Somalis probably there is, I think all the info is in the public domain walaal http://www.heritageinstitute.org/. I am just glad that there finally is an indigenous think tank with the intellectual firepower to present the somali case, I am sure am not the only one who was exasperated by the like of pham and weinstein being the only source of pontification on Somali affairs.

Che -Guevara;915782 wrote: Actually, if people were LISTENING, the president has laid down security plan, financial/revenue reform plan and judiciary oversight. The Jubba thing is not his fault as it's others that are repeatedly asking him to make a stance on this project, this despite his efforts in explaining his stand. It's hard to govern people that are inpatient and ignorant about the role of government. And it's really hard to fight the propaganda being waged tribal websites masquerading as legitimate news outlets. two thumbs up

Yes gabbal's position is most tenable waxaan kale is just bacaac, the internet and comment is free, what Somalia lacks is constitutionality and due process, it will take a long time before this sinks in to the heads of all involved, wasnt xiin the one who was saying amisom should withdraw from mogadishu and relocate to northern recovery zones? with caqli intaas le'eg the president should be very worried :cool:

Magnificent arts and crafts project

Possible Complications Whether the U.S. recognition yields any of the aforementioned benefits depends largely on on how the Somali government and its people capitalize on this opportunity and how they manage (or mismanage) their internal affairs. In the past, Somali politicians never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. While more credible politicians lead this government, the possibility of squandering this opportunity is still there. Frivolous intra Somali disputes could render the jubilation surrounding the U.S. diplomatic recognition as unremarkable event with insignificant strategic value. The list of issues and actors that could act as a source of conflict are too long to list, but include: conflict within the institutions and leaders of the current fragile Federal Government, flare-up between the center and the regions such Puntland or Jubbaland, conflict between the Somali government and the neighboring countries. More importantly, if the U.S. recognition leads to Somali institutional arrogance and intransigence that upsets the tribal, traditional and regional equilibrium, it could erode the diplomatic gains made. Disgruntled stakeholders could easily up the ante and force change of policy, perception or both. Similarly, if the Somali government misreads its substantive power vis-à-vis the regional countries, it could lead to deterioration of security and revival of al-Shabaab. It’s the military muscle of the neighbors that is largely responsible for the impressive and ongoing security gains as well as the government’s capacity to provide services and build institutions. A telling example of how the U.S. recognition could produce unexpected complications could be seen in the relations between Somalia and Somaliland. Before the recognition, a promising rapprochement was in the making between the two sides. That’s now hanging in the balance. Bargaining powers and perceptions changed dramatically and positivism and preference for compromise give way to blame game and pessimistic outlook. A situation as delicate as mending a fractural republic, a simple miscalculation, miscommunication or misreading of implications of the U.S. recognition or the intentions of counterpart may easily ruin the prospect for negotiated settlement. Conclusion The U.S. recognition of the Somali government is a significant diplomatic success that gives the new administration much-needed leverage to engage other external actors. It could also open the door for major international investment in the reconstruction of Somalia. But the new government must capitalize on this opportunity by complimenting it with achievements at the domestic front. The new government should address legitimate grievances of regional administrations, local actors, and must move forward with institutional building, anchored in president Hassan Sheikh’s six-pillar policy. For its part, the United States must translate its recognition into tangible bilateral support for Somali institutions and for the private sector. Recommendations To the Somali government:  Compliment the international recognitions with domestic legitimacy by engaging local actors, accommodating all stakeholders, resolving outstanding grievances, working toward compromises and building state institutions that can dismantle corruption syndicates, terrorist groups and piracy outfits.  Assemble and assign the international relations portfolio with a competent, credible and inclusive team that can sort out the competing interests of other countries and articulate the strategic Somali national interests.  Share the benefits of the diplomatic achievements with domestic stakeholders, including regional administrations, and extend the domain of the government beyond Mogadishu.  Encourage pluralism by engaging all sectors of the Somali elite by drawing on their experiences and tapping into their knowledge to chart a national vision forward. To citizens and regional authorities:  Support the Federal Government’s diplomatic success by paying taxes (particularly the business community) and cooperating with national institutions  Hold the Federal Government accountable to the letter of the Constitution and ensure that national resources are shared equally.  Align your regional priorities with the vital national interests, and ensure that the Federal Government is informed of your external activities. To the U.S. and international partners:  Compliment your recognition with tangible bilateral support for the Somali national institutions as well as the private sector by easing your restrictive regulatory regime on the business community, particularly the remittance companies. Reopen your embassy in Mogadishu as soon as feasible, and ensure that you engage the Somali government as an equal partner that has its own vital interests and strategic allies.  Lobby for a gradual end to the arms embargo on Somalia, as suggested by the UN chief Ban Ki-Moon, so that the Federal Government can take a qualitative monopoly on the instruments of legitimate violence  Pressure your allies in the Horn of Africa region to support the Somali government