Alpha Blondy;956325 wrote: ^ but should the ICC be in a position to judge them? Burahadeer answered your question:o

Hargeisa — Stiffer penalties and reduced reliance on traditional justice systems could help end the rising incidence of rape in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, say officials. "We estimate that about 5,000 rape cases may have taken place in Somaliland in 2012, compared to 4,000 cases in 2011," Abdi Abdillahi Hassan, the director of social affairs in Somaliland's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, told IRIN. "There is no data of gender-based violence rates in Somaliland," he added. Records at the Sexual Assaults Referral Centre (SARC), also known as Baahi-Koob, of the Hargeisa Group Hospital in Somaliland's capital, also indicate a rising trend. "The centre received 195 rape cases in 2012, compared to 130 cases in 2011," Ahmed Dahir Aden, SARC's director, told IRIN. The reported cases are mainly from areas near Hargeisa. Few rape victims seek medical care; those who do arrive well after the attack. "Many women do not reach Baahi-Koob centre in the first 24 hours of the rape incident, and consequently the evidence of the rape cannot be easily found by the medical team," Aden said. Inadequate settlements The extent of rape in Somaliland remains difficult to measure, with most cases going unreported or being resolved between families. While rape is punishable with a jail term of five to 15 years in Somaliland, cases are often settled outside the courts by traditional leaders, with perpetrators typically paying compensation or marrying the victim. For example, the perpetrator's family can give some amount to the victim's family, explained Faiza Yusuf Ahmed, the chairperson of the Somaliland Youth Development Association (SOYDA). "In addition to that, sometimes the case may proceed before the court and the perpetrator may be sentenced to imprisonment. However, the perpetrator may also pay an amount relative to his prison term [a fine], and he will be released. For this reason, if we want to decrease rape, we need to stop both the traditional ways of solving rape cases and the buying [off of] the term of imprisonment," she said. The acting Somaliland attorney general, Aden Ahmed Mouse, concurred: "One of the problems that we are now facing is the traditional way of solving [rape cases]. For example, the families of the victim and the perpetrator may agree before a public notary and demand that the court release the perpetrator. And the public prosecutor can do nothing because the victim is here and she is telling the court that she has stopped the case against the perpetrator." Explaining the payment of fines by perpetrators, Mouse said: "Sometimes, the perpetrators are sentenced to a term less than the term in the penal code, after the judge considers how the rape case took place and the circumstances. For example, a perpetrator may be sentenced to five years. He may stay in prison for two-and-a-half years and later he may apply to buy the remaining [time]... The fine equivalent for one year in prison [for a rape charge] is 2,740,500 Somaliland shillings [about US$421.61]. But we are now thinking of stopping this," he said. Call for stiffer penalties Efforts are underway to stiffen the penalties for rape. "We stopped [granting] bail to the perpetrators of rape. We have even proposed to the parliament to pass a law [to] increase the punishment for rape [to] include the death penalty," said Mouse. A police official with the criminal investigations department, who preferred anonymity, said: "As the police, it is our duty to catch [criminals] and send them to trial, including the rape assault cases. But of course sometimes police officials accept it when the two sides [the victim and the perpetrator] agree to solve the case between them." The chairperson of Somaliland's National Human Rights Commission (SLNC), Fathiya Hussein Jahur, called for a greater role by the formal justice system. "The human rights commission has already made contact with the chief justice, the attorney general and the police commander to stop the interventions of the elders. We believe that if the defendants face punishment for their crimes, rape will decrease," said Jahur. In an April workshop, traditional leaders, the police and judges agreed to establish stiffer penalties for rape, stop traditional resolution mechanisms and increase public awareness about the effects of sexual violence, she said. "As a traditional leader, I believe that the traditional way of solving rape cases encourages the increasing rapes. For this reason, I am appealing to the traditional leaders to accept the justice and the criminal procedures of the courts," Ahmed Iman Warsame told IRIN. "I believe it is forbidden to rape a women, in any law, whether it is the Somaliland constitution or the Islamic Sharia." Child victims Child rape is common too. "The last case we processed was of an IDP - internally displaced - child in the state house area of Hargeisa. The child was only six years old and a [male] relative raped her. The case went to the court and he was sentenced to six years in prison," said SOYDA's Ahmed. Nimo Hussein Qawdhan, the deputy health minister added, "It is shameful that our hospitals receive a raped child daily." http://allafrica.com/stories/201305290939.html?viewall=1

They simply covering their backs. Each of them is hiding a closet full of skeleton.

That is good. They should never have been seen as sitting ducks who were incapable of causing death or damage. Let the immoral thugs learn that they risk losing their worthless lives if they attach a Somali person or approach a Somali owned business with the intention to loot.

Blackflash;877056 wrote: Question: What's urbanization without industrialization? Answer: Africa. So true;)

Alpha Blondy;956311 wrote: these are usually the habar g ministries. there is a terrible work ethic in such ministries....eg. livestock and health ministries. I am sure all the ministries are the same sh!t. They are all there to fill a clan quota

Dr_Osman;956315 wrote: Tallabo, Puntland architecture has a long way to go. Especially Bosaso and Galkayo who seem to just copy the next business building style and not come with something original. I want to see more glass towers in bosaso and galkayo You are right. Glass and steel towers are more modern, maybe less expensive, and certainly more beautiful. So yeah all Somalis should learn how to construct modern glass and steel buildings and ditch the bricks and tiles which I find ugly and cumbersome.

Chimera;956021 wrote: This is what I propose to not only increase the geopolitical importance of Somalia, but create a stable country: 1) The Federal Government recognizes the election of Ahmed Madoobe, on the condition that the Raskamboni Brigade are incorporated into the SAF immediately, and their commanders sent to Mogadishu and Ankara for training. Ahmed Madoobe will have not engage a dialogue with any neighbouring/distant country that is not sanctioned and approved by the Federal Government 2) The Jubbaland administration agrees to a reconciliation conference in Mogadishu , with the Vice-President seat remaining vacant. 3) The Constitution is revised transparently and with daily/weekly reports on progress transmitted through the national tv and radio-stations. 4) The Federal Government has to reach out to China, and cut out the middleman. The summit that Somalia and Japan will co-chair tomorrow in Tokyo, surely will irk and bring out the Red Dragon from its slumber, and to our benefit. 5) Establish a Federal resource-sharing agreement with the important stake-holders of the country that will open the way for massive investments that are welcomed and protected by all parties, including Somaliland. 6) The Federal Government replaces the presence of Kenyan troops with a neutral presence, or has them demoted to a secondary position. This should be done in January 2014, when the arms-embargo is permanently lifted, the militias have been upgraded into regular soldiers by Turkey and EUTM and Al-Shabaab has been all but defeated/degraded to an ineffective force. 7) An end to the AU presence in Somalia has to be agreed upon in that same year. 8) The planned permanent Human Rights Commission must include an office for the return of looted properties & wealth to make the capital the multi-clan and cosmopolitan city it once was. 9) Repatriate the refugees in Northern Kenya and Yemen back to their regions in Somalia. The Federal Government must take out a loan of one billion dollars for this purpose alone, with the objective to create jobs, rebuild homes and provide services for these returnees that will allow them to stand on their own two feet once more. 10) A separate 2 billion dollars has to be injected into the country school system, health-sectors and coastal communities by 2016. 11) Provide a base for China in Kismayo, and a base for the US in either Mogadishu or Berbera. This will significantly boost the geopolitical importance of Somalia at the expense of its neighbours in the eyes of the superpowers. 12) Sign deals and joint-ventures with important great powers such as Britain, South Korea, Japan and Turkey that will benefit the infrastructure network of Somalia, and its economic output. There are more points, but these are the most important ones for the near future, and could result in Somalia being a significantly stronger and more respected country than it currently is. There is a clear advantage in the fact that unlike Kenya, Somalia does not have leaders chased by the ICC. There is also a clear advantage in the fact that the leaders of Britain and the US are more comfortable in being seen with the leaders of Somalia, than the leaders of Kenya. Despite its terrible ordeal in the last two decades, Somalia remains a beautiful Cindarella in the eyes of the world, and one that could eventually rise to become a Queen. You have assumed Somaliland will agree to re-union which is very unlikely, so a slightly revised version might work for the southern part of the former republic and save it from the mess it is in today. Anyway, you have got good ideas and a very good heart. God bless you.

Mashaa Allah this is a good development. I hope the other projects materialise too so Boosaaso becomes a well built city.

Alpha Blondy;956303 wrote: there is a qalooc in your person, ma istidhi? :cool: You mean qabiilwise?

Alpha Blondy;956301 wrote: maxaay ahayd.....Duriyadda culture laba ka xeeran? balse, you're at a lost wasting your time with little girl. I am sure she is far from being little and you know that so be man and apologise to her.

Alpha Blondy;956299 wrote: ^ why are you encouraging me to be 'a loser'. this job is full time mashruuc bro and i have to keep myself busy. 8-3 in HARGEISA is not easy. there's no office politics, ma garatey. i'm all ALONE in this compound....caadi maha I paid a visit to my uncle in one of the government ministries where he works(?) and the place looked deserted and very boring:(

^ Yes it is better than the fatty meat they eat.

Alpha Blondy;956281 wrote: just chilling reading the papers. I hate reading Somali newspapers. They have no structure and are therefore very confusing.

Mr Alpha, let me also tell you that I am a cautious disciple of the esteemed Suffy feminist school of thought :cool:

^ Lol Alpha. Let me tell you it is our Duriyadda culture to support the wronged person in a conflict and Saffy right now has my full and unconditional support ee sidaa ulasoco:p

Safferz;956250 wrote: Karbaash ninka. Wax kale masoconayaan;)

Cambuulo iyo bun;956236 wrote: That looks yummy

Naxar Nugaaleed;931201 wrote: the separation of mosque and state, is not only good for the state, the people but also the mosque itself. the clergy can devote their time to spiritual guidance and not worry about political demagogues. and politicians can focus on public service rather the whims of religious demagogues That can not happen because Islam is not an organised religion like the Roman Catholic church and the other Christian denominations. Islam today is more like an anarchic religion with no centralised authority.

^ I think Somalis should be a little bit careful when eating spaghetti in public lest they appear messy:D

Excellent entertainment;)

I think you should publish some books Mr Tillamook. You have got a good imagination.

Alpha Blondy;955829 wrote: are you sure its a good idea to name burao airport after the president? it better to use someone else, ma garatey? this'll help our integration better. I am not from that city but I think that is the name already given to Burco's world class airport.

Safferz;955789 wrote: What is he doing here? :mad: It seems he had to come to where the grass is greener;)

Juxa;955800 wrote: Degree ma quraanki ilaah baa! Attack the ideas not the man