Endnotes 1 Prejudices are hard to erase, and not only in the West. The Muslim community in Ethiopia is the largest religious community in the country but it is not a majority. The Ethiopian regime is secular, as reflected by its leaders, Marxist-Leninists from Tigray who converted to free trade policies in the early 1990's. 2 “Africa: U.S. Official Sees 'Credible and Capable' Force As Key to Peace in Somalia” at http://allafrica.com/stories/200701180980.html. 3 Full of errors and incredibly biased for those who know Somali politicians and businessmen, a book from the period demonstrated this idea: Medhane Tadesse, Al-Ittihad. Political Islam and Black Economy in Somalia, Addis Ababa: Meag Press, 2002. 4 More than five years later, no proof of these accusations has even been given despite the seizure of the company’s assets in Dubai. Its director was able to return to Mogadishu as a free man in 2003 and played an important role in the Islamic Courts. 5 Intergovenmental Authority on Development, whose members include Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. 6 An opponent of Mohamed Siyad Barre as early as 1979, Abdullahi Yusuf is a member of the *****ten/***** clan and was president of Puntland (northeast of Somalia where his clan lives). 7 The only published record comes from the reports of the International Crisis Group during this period: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=1232&l=1. 8 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/cjtf-hoa.htm. 9 Ali Mohamed Geedi belongs to the Warsengeli/*****/Abgal. He is a close relative to a powerful faction leader, Mohamed Dhere, based in Jowhar north of Mogadishu and comes from the same sub-clan as Bashir Rage with whom American missionaries stay when visiting the Somali capital. 10 Roland Marchal, “Somalia” in Andreas Mehler, Henning Melber, Klass van Walraven, eds., Africa Yearbook: Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2005, Leiden & Boston, Brill, 2006. The other TFG faction was practically thrown out of Kenya in June and took up residence in Jowhar. 11 A further example to counter those who hold the simplistic view that the clan is the basic unit of analysis in Somali politics. 12 Craig Timberg, “Mistaken entry into clan dispute led to US black eyes on Somalia”, Washington Post, July 2, 2006. 13 He was rewarded since he and his associates gained around ten seats on the advisory council of the Islamic Courts. Proof that Somali Islamism is not immune to economic reality. 14 Interviews Dhuusa Maareeb, July 2006; Mogadishu, September 2006. 15 Roland Marchal, "Mogadiscio dans la guerre civile : rêves d’Etat ", Paris, Les Etudes du CERI, N° 69, 2000. 16 At the risk of shocking common understanding, a large portion of its members are more sociological Muslims or apolitical religious personalities instead of Osama Bin Laden disciples. Their true weakness was not religious devotion but the inability to work together. 17 Described as one of the most radical leaders by the international media, Hasan Dahir was not viewed the same way by the people of Mogadishu. International opinion is based on his presence on an American list of leaders of terrorist organizations and not on the concrete choices he made in 2006. Another blind spot in the international perspective. 18 Martin Fletcher, “Battle-scarred nation is at peace with itself… but still facing war”, The Times (London), December 16, 2006. 19 Roland Marchal, “Islamic political dynamics in the Somali civil war” in Alex de Waal (ed.), Islamism and its Enemies in the Horn of Africa, London: Hurst and Co., 2004. 20 Many militia members worked for the factions before June 2006 and hoped to demonstrate their “return” to Islam through this religious radicalism. 21 Early in the war, Skikh Janagow was nominated to convince the Mogadishu clans to choose the Courts over a powerful faction leader, Mohamed Quanyere. 22 Read their three latest reports, which are full of mistakes and fabrications but contributed to naming the UIT as a branch of al-Qaeda: http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/Somalia/SomaliaSelEng.htm 23 One would be surprised to see how many *********, Bantus and *** in the most radical Islamist movements. The same type of positioning took place in Puntland: the Islamists mostly come from small coastal clans that are more in sync with Persian Gulf Islam but marginalized in regional clan politics because of their small numbers and their inability to summon a significant militia force. 24 We should distinguish the Italian special envoy who was the only one during this crisis who constantly tried to bring the parties together. But the other Europeans were often absent: the French became partially involved in August, the British wavered between their analysis and their alliance with Washington, the Norwegians were fitfully active and the others did not show up. 25 The relative conversion of the armed opposition groups in Ethiopia to Islam is undeniable even though its reality in the field is less concrete. Hostility to a regime that continues to claim its national representation when it only encompasses a small clique from an ethnic minority has led to numerous ideological shifts, especially when the opposition in Parliament has paid such a heavy price for being opponents of the regime. But rather than question the local reasons that caused these changes, the Ethiopian government has skillfully played the international terrorism card. As for the Europeans, they are politely silent. 26 Unable to enact the decision of the International Court of Justice concerning the border between these two countries, the international community has allowed the conflict to persist in Ethiopia without getting involved. 27 While there are obviously no public documents that would allow us to answer this question, reading the reports of the experts delegated by the United Nations Security Council can give us a good idea of the manipulations possible. 28 Marc Lazaretti and Marc Lacey, “Efforts by CIA Fail in Somalia, Officials Charge,” The New York Times, June 8, 2006. 29 Agence France Presse, "Somalie: Al-Qaïda a pris le contrôle des tribunaux islamistes, selon Washington", December 15, 2006. 30 Interview December 2006. 31 Karen de Young, “US Sees Growing Threats in Somalia”, The Washington Post, December 18, 2006. 32 Peter Beinart, “Return of the Nixon doctrine”, Time Magazine, January 5, 2007. Vance Serchuk, “Ethiopia versus the Islamists”, The Weekly Standard, January 15, 2007.

Endnotes 1 Prejudices are hard to erase, and not only in the West. The Muslim community in Ethiopia is the largest religious community in the country but it is not a majority. The Ethiopian regime is secular, as reflected by its leaders, Marxist-Leninists from Tigray who converted to free trade policies in the early 1990's. 2 “Africa: U.S. Official Sees 'Credible and Capable' Force As Key to Peace in Somalia” at http://allafrica.com/stories/200701180980.html. 3 Full of errors and incredibly biased for those who know Somali politicians and businessmen, a book from the period demonstrated this idea: Medhane Tadesse, Al-Ittihad. Political Islam and Black Economy in Somalia, Addis Ababa: Meag Press, 2002. 4 More than five years later, no proof of these accusations has even been given despite the seizure of the company’s assets in Dubai. Its director was able to return to Mogadishu as a free man in 2003 and played an important role in the Islamic Courts. 5 Intergovenmental Authority on Development, whose members include Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. 6 An opponent of Mohamed Siyad Barre as early as 1979, Abdullahi Yusuf is a member of the *****ten/***** clan and was president of Puntland (northeast of Somalia where his clan lives). 7 The only published record comes from the reports of the International Crisis Group during this period: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=1232&l=1. 8 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/dod/cjtf-hoa.htm. 9 Ali Mohamed Geedi belongs to the Warsengeli/*****/Abgal. He is a close relative to a powerful faction leader, Mohamed Dhere, based in Jowhar north of Mogadishu and comes from the same sub-clan as Bashir Rage with whom American missionaries stay when visiting the Somali capital. 10 Roland Marchal, “Somalia” in Andreas Mehler, Henning Melber, Klass van Walraven, eds., Africa Yearbook: Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2005, Leiden & Boston, Brill, 2006. The other TFG faction was practically thrown out of Kenya in June and took up residence in Jowhar. 11 A further example to counter those who hold the simplistic view that the clan is the basic unit of analysis in Somali politics. 12 Craig Timberg, “Mistaken entry into clan dispute led to US black eyes on Somalia”, Washington Post, July 2, 2006. 13 He was rewarded since he and his associates gained around ten seats on the advisory council of the Islamic Courts. Proof that Somali Islamism is not immune to economic reality. 14 Interviews Dhuusa Maareeb, July 2006; Mogadishu, September 2006. 15 Roland Marchal, "Mogadiscio dans la guerre civile : rêves d’Etat ", Paris, Les Etudes du CERI, N° 69, 2000. 16 At the risk of shocking common understanding, a large portion of its members are more sociological Muslims or apolitical religious personalities instead of Osama Bin Laden disciples. Their true weakness was not religious devotion but the inability to work together. 17 Described as one of the most radical leaders by the international media, Hasan Dahir was not viewed the same way by the people of Mogadishu. International opinion is based on his presence on an American list of leaders of terrorist organizations and not on the concrete choices he made in 2006. Another blind spot in the international perspective. 18 Martin Fletcher, “Battle-scarred nation is at peace with itself… but still facing war”, The Times (London), December 16, 2006. 19 Roland Marchal, “Islamic political dynamics in the Somali civil war” in Alex de Waal (ed.), Islamism and its Enemies in the Horn of Africa, London: Hurst and Co., 2004. 20 Many militia members worked for the factions before June 2006 and hoped to demonstrate their “return” to Islam through this religious radicalism. 21 Early in the war, Skikh Janagow was nominated to convince the Mogadishu clans to choose the Courts over a powerful faction leader, Mohamed Quanyere. 22 Read their three latest reports, which are full of mistakes and fabrications but contributed to naming the UIT as a branch of al-Qaeda: http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/Somalia/SomaliaSelEng.htm 23 One would be surprised to see how many *********, Bantus and *** in the most radical Islamist movements. The same type of positioning took place in Puntland: the Islamists mostly come from small coastal clans that are more in sync with Persian Gulf Islam but marginalized in regional clan politics because of their small numbers and their inability to summon a significant militia force. 24 We should distinguish the Italian special envoy who was the only one during this crisis who constantly tried to bring the parties together. But the other Europeans were often absent: the French became partially involved in August, the British wavered between their analysis and their alliance with Washington, the Norwegians were fitfully active and the others did not show up. 25 The relative conversion of the armed opposition groups in Ethiopia to Islam is undeniable even though its reality in the field is less concrete. Hostility to a regime that continues to claim its national representation when it only encompasses a small clique from an ethnic minority has led to numerous ideological shifts, especially when the opposition in Parliament has paid such a heavy price for being opponents of the regime. But rather than question the local reasons that caused these changes, the Ethiopian government has skillfully played the international terrorism card. As for the Europeans, they are politely silent. 26 Unable to enact the decision of the International Court of Justice concerning the border between these two countries, the international community has allowed the conflict to persist in Ethiopia without getting involved. 27 While there are obviously no public documents that would allow us to answer this question, reading the reports of the experts delegated by the United Nations Security Council can give us a good idea of the manipulations possible. 28 Marc Lazaretti and Marc Lacey, “Efforts by CIA Fail in Somalia, Officials Charge,” The New York Times, June 8, 2006. 29 Agence France Presse, "Somalie: Al-Qaïda a pris le contrôle des tribunaux islamistes, selon Washington", December 15, 2006. 30 Interview December 2006. 31 Karen de Young, “US Sees Growing Threats in Somalia”, The Washington Post, December 18, 2006. 32 Peter Beinart, “Return of the Nixon doctrine”, Time Magazine, January 5, 2007. Vance Serchuk, “Ethiopia versus the Islamists”, The Weekly Standard, January 15, 2007.

Another excerpt: [...]As noted above, Hasan Dahir first appeared to be an extremist. However, to use two examples that are usually at the heart of American diplomacy, he is the one who proposed including women in the advisory council and he participated in a civil ceremony for World AIDS Day. It is always possible to distinguish the moderates and radicals at a given instant over a given problem but these divisions are not permanent and do not apply to every major question. Finally, there is the idea that the United States purposefully heightened the divisions for an American-made fitna: instead of encouraging dialogue, the American position prevented it.[...] After creating the conditions for the crisis, the United States is now turning to the Europeans to manage a situation for which the Americans are responsible and to finance the African force that is supposed to stabilize Somalia. As neo-conservative Robert Kagan put it in 2001, “superpowers don’t do windows.” It is also revealing to see Washington call for an African force in Somalia at the same time as it criticizes the failure of African Union soldiers in Darfur. But with the administration living out the final days of its reign, contradictions are not its concern[...]

Another excerpt: [...]As noted above, Hasan Dahir first appeared to be an extremist. However, to use two examples that are usually at the heart of American diplomacy, he is the one who proposed including women in the advisory council and he participated in a civil ceremony for World AIDS Day. It is always possible to distinguish the moderates and radicals at a given instant over a given problem but these divisions are not permanent and do not apply to every major question. Finally, there is the idea that the United States purposefully heightened the divisions for an American-made fitna: instead of encouraging dialogue, the American position prevented it.[...] After creating the conditions for the crisis, the United States is now turning to the Europeans to manage a situation for which the Americans are responsible and to finance the African force that is supposed to stabilize Somalia. As neo-conservative Robert Kagan put it in 2001, “superpowers don’t do windows.” It is also revealing to see Washington call for an African force in Somalia at the same time as it criticizes the failure of African Union soldiers in Darfur. But with the administration living out the final days of its reign, contradictions are not its concern[...]

Who should we trust, Christian or Atheist Somalis whose limited intellectual abilities make them allergic to anything remotely Islamic, one one hand or brilliant, neutral and erudite academicians with recognized experience in many relevant spheres and who, most crucially, do not busy themselve with lobbying in Washington for ruthless, genocidal dictatorships, in the other? Fellow Somalis, I let you be the judges through this excerpt of "Somalia: A New Front Against Terrorism", by Roland Marchal; a must read which burst the balloon of prejudices inflated here day in, day out. Conclusion: Analysis of the American-Ethiopian intervention argues in favor of a series of political decisions that will probably never be considered since they require the international community to display some measure of self-reflection and realism. The first thing to be done is a modification in the regional framework.The Algiers Agreement must be enacted. The Ethiopian regime can no longer claim the role of regional police officer as an excuse to imprison its parliamentary opposition and sometimes physically eliminate its opponents who take refuge in neighboring countries. By the same token, Eritrea can no longer play the regional spoiler as it has done with diligence since 2002. Its behavior can only be explained by the ambiguity of its relations with Washington.We should note Jendayi Frazer’s silence concerning Eritrean influence in the Islamic Courts: suddenly criticizing the most secular state in Africa when attempting to condemn radical Islam might be confusing. The European Union cannot accept the current TFG and Ethiopian blackmail passing through Washington: pick us or chaos, an African force that we control or the return of al-Qaeda. An African or UN force with no concomitant political process is doomed to fail. We can see the frightening results in Darfur and there is no need to submit the African Union with its American pressures and institutional solidarities (like the IGAD and others) to a further major failure. Instead of discussing the composition of a military force, it would be better to establish a political context where it makes sense. The countries of Europe must convince themselves that a realistic solution is not one that rubber stamps Ethiopian wishes. Ethiopia has benefited from the lack of security on its southern border: it has been promoted to the status of strategic ally with Washington for that very reason. If the region were normalized, the Ethiopian regime would appear as the fading authoritarian government that it is. By bowing to American and Ethiopian interpretations, Europeans would establish the framework for a lasting crisis. But what political process is needed? At present, if nothing is done, we run the risk of seeing the people responsible for the failure of the Islamic Courts return as leaders of an armed opposition to the occupation. This would bode ill for Somalia’s future. We need to deal a new hand. That means organizing a new reconciliation conference where the TFG would be reduced to its component elements without particular support or recognition from the international community and where the different Islamic organizations excluded in 2002 and the other groups already represented in 2002 would be full participants. Political dialogue without exclusivity, dialogue that does not take a shape dictated by a foreign occupying force is now the only, albeit difficult, way to prevent the return of war and a new front between the United States and the Jihadists. Research Fellow CNRS/CERI marchal@ceri-sciences-po.org Roland Marchal holds his first degrees both in Mathematics and Social Sciences from the University of Strasbourg and the higher from the Ecole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHEES/School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences) and University Paris VI. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the quarterly Politique Africaine.

Who should we trust, Christian or Atheist Somalis whose limited intellectual abilities make them allergic to anything remotely Islamic, one one hand, or brilliant, neutral and erudite academicians with recognized experience in many relevant spheres and who, most crucially, do not busy themselve with lobbying in Washington for ruthless, genocidal dictatorships, in the other? Fellow Somalis, I let you be the judges through this excerpt of "Somalia: A New Front Against Terrorism", by Roland Marchal; a must read which burst the balloon of prejudices inflated here day in, day out. Conclusion: Analysis of the American-Ethiopian intervention argues in favor of a series of political decisions that will probably never be considered since they require the international community to display some measure of self-reflection and realism. The first thing to be done is a modification in the regional framework.The Algiers Agreement must be enacted. The Ethiopian regime can no longer claim the role of regional police officer as an excuse to imprison its parliamentary opposition and sometimes physically eliminate its opponents who take refuge in neighboring countries. By the same token, Eritrea can no longer play the regional spoiler as it has done with diligence since 2002. Its behavior can only be explained by the ambiguity of its relations with Washington.We should note Jendayi Frazer’s silence concerning Eritrean influence in the Islamic Courts: suddenly criticizing the most secular state in Africa when attempting to condemn radical Islam might be confusing. The European Union cannot accept the current TFG and Ethiopian blackmail passing through Washington: pick us or chaos, an African force that we control or the return of al-Qaeda. An African or UN force with no concomitant political process is doomed to fail. We can see the frightening results in Darfur and there is no need to submit the African Union with its American pressures and institutional solidarities (like the IGAD and others) to a further major failure. Instead of discussing the composition of a military force, it would be better to establish a political context where it makes sense. The countries of Europe must convince themselves that a realistic solution is not one that rubber stamps Ethiopian wishes. Ethiopia has benefited from the lack of security on its southern border: it has been promoted to the status of strategic ally with Washington for that very reason. If the region were normalized, the Ethiopian regime would appear as the fading authoritarian government that it is. By bowing to American and Ethiopian interpretations, Europeans would establish the framework for a lasting crisis. But what political process is needed? At present, if nothing is done, we run the risk of seeing the people responsible for the failure of the Islamic Courts return as leaders of an armed opposition to the occupation. This would bode ill for Somalia’s future. We need to deal a new hand. That means organizing a new reconciliation conference where the TFG would be reduced to its component elements without particular support or recognition from the international community and where the different Islamic organizations excluded in 2002 and the other groups already represented in 2002 would be full participants. Political dialogue without exclusivity, dialogue that does not take a shape dictated by a foreign occupying force is now the only, albeit difficult, way to prevent the return of war and a new front between the United States and the Jihadists. Research Fellow CNRS/CERI marchal@ceri-sciences-po.org Roland Marchal holds his first degrees both in Mathematics and Social Sciences from the University of Strasbourg and the higher from the Ecole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHEES/School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences) and University Paris VI. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the quarterly Politique Africaine.

What is more shocking, Large-Scale Depravation or Constantly Re-inventing the Wheel, Thus Squandering Ressources on Redundant Studies Instead of Focusing On Diseases Which Kill Millions Every Year? Just By Concentrating On Cancers, Metabolic Syndrome (which include Type 2 Diabete), Cardio-Vascular diseases, Arthritis, STDs or Alcohol related pathologies like Liver Cirrosis (rare transplants, the only cure, are spared for more deserving patients), One could easily have a glimpse On how Western Materialism and the acculturateds are eating, drinking, fornicating, and "entertaining" themselves into early grave preceded By easily avoidable disability and physical As Well As Mental suffering, not without destroying poor communities worldwide And ruining our collective environment in the meantime, wether it be through unjust trade, Sky-rocketting obscenes "Debts" through proxy regime (not mentioning unprecedented inflation which litteraly starve entire countries as cereals are turned into "biofuels")...

Editorial Teenagers with grown-up diseases Last week, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that more than one in four teenage girls in the USA has a sexually transmitted disease (STD). This jaw-dropping news was exceeded only by data showing that African-Americans are even more severely affected: nearly half (48%, compared with 20% in young white women) are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes simplex virus, or trichomoniasis. Around 3·2 million American girls aged 14–19 years have an STD, with the most common disease being HPV (affecting 18%), followed by chlamydia, which accounts for 4% of infections. The study, presented at the 2008 National STD Prevention Conference, used data from the 2003–04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It is the first documentation of the combined national prevalence in adolescent girls of the most common STDs. The findings are especially chilling in view of the devastating long-term effects of untreated STDs, which include infertility and cervical cancer. The findings also vividly show that prevention measures have failed. Prevention, however, is a life or death matter, and a more pressing priority than ever. Obviously, doctors who take care of adolescent girls need to take on board this new reality. But the high prevalence of STDs in teenagers is not just a clinical concern, it is a societal wake-up call. As Hilary Pert Stecklein, a paediatrician in Minnesota, observed, this study “should be headline news”. Her solution is three-pronged. First, children must be educated about pregnancy prevention. Second, they must understand the reality of STDs—that they can cause long-term silent damage, and that they can be fatal. Third, they need to be seriously engaged in conversation about whether they are emotionally ready for sexual relationships, and whether they have the strength and maturity to make the right decisions for their health and their future. Assessing judgment and maturity is at least as crucial as the provision of methods of birth control, and not only for individual children. As the American psychiatrist Karl Menninger said, “What we do to children, they will do to society”. The Lancet

IFAD Country Programme in Somalia: Knowledge in Action 2005-06

More often than not, living overseas is like a mirage. For instance, many people abondon their loved ones and their maids in Djibouti, claiming to be from other clans and other parts of Somalia, even though they may seems to have it all (a trend among the "upper class" and professionals, copied by the rest). Acculturation, Depravation, Stress, Pollution, Racism and Islamophobia take a heavy toll on both parents and their children as a consequence, a downward spiral (Alcoholism is rife, let alone Qat and other Drug abuses). Only those who fulfill the obligatory Hijrah from kufars are safe, hence why more and more families are opting to move back to Muslim Lands or at least rescue their children from the widespread lack of values. Most crucially, how to discipline a child when Teachers, "Friends", Medias, Marketing experts, so-called "Role Models" like mannequins displayed even in schools etc encourage him to abondon any sense of self-restraint (Somali Children may even be at greater risk of obesity and other life-treathening or disabling chronic diseases typical of these countries like Diabete, Cardio-vascular Diseases, Cancers or Arthritis)?

To set the record straight once and for all, I justified nothing and I am no more related to any party than the other. Stressing it again, what I wrote need not be taken personally, and my last line was added in response to yet another tantrum those of doubtful "Muslimness" have the secret, as it is hardly a mistery many atheists, agnostics and other Non-Muslims use this medium to vent out their prejudices. As long as clan-and-properties worshipers promote the agenda-setting of Islamophob, audience-seeking, frivolous Medias, our challenge as Muslims to them should be crystal clear: where are your Dalils (all the more better if they can dissociate Ahaadiths according to their grading)? Likewise for this very precise Issue of beheading captured Muslim Ethiopian allies (no need for additional diversions, eg graves digging); everything else is poetry and emotional waste of time. Last but not least, even more urgent than anything else, we desperately need to gain a basic understanding of our Deen as well as its original sources (Qur'aan and ahaadiths interpreted by Ulamas, their Ijma's etc), most importantly Aqeedah (many would be surprised how "Un-islamic" their writings are, to the extent of possibly nullifying the Islam of some!)...

Originally posted by NGONGE: Abu Salman, Your logic does not differ much from the Yahoodis. Spin it as much as you like. It is your lot that drags corpses around the streets (why blame it on the civilians now?). It's your lot that beheads prisoners. It was your lot that dug up graves. The list of savage acts is piling up, my confused mullah. Does doubt never creep into your mind when you count up all this nonesense? Do you not at all wonder if things should be done differently? Why the blind support? Frankly, and in all honesty, I do have much more respect for Orthodox Jews, focused on their agenda according to their priorities, and that calmly advocate for the killing of the whole Palestinian Government (albeit Hamas was "democratically elected" and operate in one of the highest density area of the world, but this is not "Terrorism" one may guess) than traitors with neither principles nor values. But then again, apart from personal attack and displaced emotions (are you running for the label of liberal, so-called "modern" Muslim?), you opted to not analyse the root issue, ie beheading of collaborators, while hinting at how you came to the conclusion that it was "Un-islamic" . Why are you muddling that core issue with unwarranted puerilties or "your lot did that and this"? Are you not Muslim yourself, why singling yourself out of Somalis, Palestinians or others, whaterver their mistakes that you are allowed to warn against through Islamic knowledge and the proper terminology (Haaram, Makruuh etc) instead of "spin", "savage" etc? Last but not least, only a Jaahil or Non-Muslim would separate Islam, or submission (to Allah's Shariah), from "politics" as it is well known that Islam encompass every sphere, if only as a starting point...

Yet another fruitless polemic without neither definitions nor starting point, only revealing the extent of our acculturation by Western inconsistencies. First of all, those referring to Islam should better enhance their Fiqh & Aqeedah basics. Without justifying anything, who said beheading traitors during a Jihad (as declared by some Ulamas, ie in Somalia) is against Islam to begin with? Which Aaya or Hadith should we refer to? If the latter, through which Isnad? Who collected it? its grading? Of course, killing children, women, priests in their temple etc is against our prophet's Sunnah even when the enemy has no such scruple. Nonetheless, The Muqaawama (Resistance) never targeted defenceless babies with heavy artilery or other sophisticated weapons (foreign NGOs confirmed Ethiopian use of phosphorus, incendiary rounds in the capital' densely populated residential areas) intentionally neither could it be legitimately held responsible for corpses' mutilations done by traumatized Muqdishaawi crowds; hence the indecency of the comparison with Israel or Ethiopian crimes and that is indeed the bottom line...

dp

Both Islam basics (Caqeedah above all) as well as fostering empathy, wether through islamic schools and curriculums or preaching (in Masjids as well as medias) will go a long way towards mitigating our Moral crisis, the root cause of such wide scale, unprecedented suffering when authority shifted from respected Ulamas and traditional elders to arch-corrupt politicians which promoted the then acclaimed military communist regime and warlords sponsored by foreign colonial interests. Here is a little contribution I've just submitted to the current relevant BBC "Have your say" program. When the Ethiopian ruthless dictatorship, gunning down countless civilians in broad daylight in its own capital during the last rigged elections, decided that invading Somalia will discourage Somali rebels in its Darfur-like ****** province, a colonial gift from Britain (Somalis were divided into 5 countries), the US hailed it as a "success against terror" (as Islamic Courts restored order and unity). Predictably, both ****** and Somalia have now dethroned Darfur leaving AlQaeda vindicated It may well be a long struggle, especially if we persist into acculturation, but no nation has been indefinitely oppressed without its consent as amply confirmed by our forefathers' glory during the last centuries through their unwavering Islamic faith and concomitant discipline (the "Sayid", Ahmed Gurey etc)...

Somalia: What the News Failed to Report by Ramzi Baroud The people of Somalia are enduring yet another round of suffering as Ethiopian forces wreck havoc in the capital, Mogadishu. Apparently in response to an attack on one of its units, and the dragging of a soldier’s mutilated body through the city’s streets, an Ethiopian mortar reportedly exploded in Mogadishu’s Bakara market on November 9, killing eight civilians. A number of Somalis were also found dead the following day, some believed to have been rounded up by Ethiopian forces the night before. Nearly 50 civilians have reportedly been killed and 100 wounded in the two-day fighting spree between fighters loyal to the Union of Islamic Courts and government forces and their Ethiopian allies. A report, issued by Human Rights Watch, chastised both Ethiopian troops and ‘insurgents’ for the bloodletting. Peter Takirambudde, the watchdog’s Africa director, was quoted as saying, ‘The international community should condemn these attacks and hold combatants accountable for violations of humanitarian law - including mutilating captured combatants and executing detainees.’ Of course, one cannot realistically expect the international community to take on a constructive involvement in the conflict. Various members of this ‘community’ have already played a most destructive role in Somalia’s 16-year-old civil war, which fragmented a nation that had long struggled to achieve a sense of sovereignty and national cohesion To dismiss the war in Somalia as yet another protracted conflict between warlords and insurgents would indeed be unjust because the country’s history has consistently been marred by colonial greed and unwarranted foreign interventions. These gave rise to various proxy governments, militias and local middlemen, working in the interests of those obsessed with the geopolitical importance of the Horn of Africa. Colonial powers came to appreciate the strategic location of Somalia after the Berlin Conference, which initiated the ‘Scramble for Africa’. The arrival of Britain, France and Italy into Somali lands began in the late 19th century and quickly the area disintegrated into British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. Both countries sought expand their control, enlisting locals to fight the very wars aimed at their own subjugation. World War II brought immense devastation to the Somali people, who, out of desperation, coercion or promises of post-war independence, fought on behalf of the warring European powers. Somalia was mandated by the UN as an Italian protectorate in 1949 and achieved independence a decade later in 1960. However, the colonial powers never fully conceded their interests in the country and the Cold War actually invited new players to the scene, including the United States, the Soviet Union and Cuba. One residue of the colonial legacy involved the Oga-den province of Somalia, which the British empire had granted to the Ethiopian government. The region became the stage of two major wars between Ethiopia and Somalia between 1964 and 1977. Many Somalis still regard Ethiopia as an occupying power and view the policies of Addis Ababa as a continuation of the country’s history of foreign intervention. The civil war of 1991, largely a result of foreign intervention, clan and tribal loyalties, and lack of internal cohesion, further disfigured Somalia. As stranded civilians became deprived of aid, Somalia was hit by a devastating famine that yielded a humanitarian disaster. The famine served as a pretext for foreign intervention, this time as part of international ‘humanitarian’ missions, starting in December 1992, which also included US troops. The endeavour came to a tragic end in October 1993, when more than 1,000 Somalis and 18 US troops were killed in Mogadishu. Following a hurried US withdrawal, the mainstream media rationalized that the West could not help those who refuse to help themselves; another disfiguration of the fact that the interest of the Somali people was hardly ever a concern for these colonial philanthropists. Since then, the importance of Somalia was relegated in international news media into just another mindless conflict, with no rational context and no end in sight. The truth, however, is that colonial interest in the Horn of Africa has never waned. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 provided an impetus for US involvement in the strategic region; only one month after the attacks, Paul Wolfowitz met with various power players in Ethiopia and Somalia, alleging that al-Qaeda terrorists might be using Ras Kamboni and other Somali territories as escape routes. A year later, the US established the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) to ‘monitor’ developments and to train local militaries in ‘counterterrorism’. The US contingent was hardly neutral in the ongoing conflict.Reportedly, US troops were involved in aiding Ethiopian forces that entered Somalia in December 2006, citing efforts to track down al-Qaeda suspects. The Ethiopian occupation was justified as a response to a call by Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG), whose legitimacy is questioned. TGF, seen largely as a pro-Ethiopian entity, had been rapidly losing its control over parts of Somalia to the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) which came to prominence in January 2006, taking over the capital and eventually bringing long-sought stability to much of the country. Their attempts engage the US and other Western powers in dialogue failed, however, as a US-backed Ethiopia moved into Somalia in December 2006. On January 7, 2007, the US directly entered the conflict, launching airstrikes using AC-130 gunship. Civilian causalities were reported, but the US refused to accept responsibility for them.. The last intervention devastated the country’s chances of unity. It now stands divided between the transitional government, Ethiopia (both backed by the UN, the US and the African Union) and the Islamic courts (allegedly backed by Eritrea and some Arab Gulf governments). Recently, the UN ruled out any chances for an international peacekeeping force, and the few African countries who promised troops are yet to deliver (with the exception of Uganda). This situation leaves Somalia once more under the mercy of foreign powers and self-serving internal forces, foreshadowing yet more bloodshed. Our informed support is essential now because the Somali people have suffered enough. Their plight is urgent and it deserves a much deeper understanding, alongside immediate attention. -Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.n t) is an author and editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His work has been published in many newspapers and journals worldwide. His latest book is The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People’s Struggle (Pluto Press, London).

Looking after one's health is essential (the prophet scw used to run with his wife and recommended garlic ect); it is now confirmed that Garlic is important for preventing many diseases and is widely prescribed in Germany to strengthen the immune system etc.also, Honey, Xaaba sawda (Black Cumin seeds) is promising in treating resistant infections for instance.Olive, mentioned in the Qur'aan as well as the Sunnah, with prophetic medicine being so full of wisdoms that those relying solely on "Scientific evidence" miss, is also powerful, especially when most natural (ie: organic extra virgin olive oil). Particularly noteworthy is that regular handwashing as well as toothbrushing has been found as most powerful tools in terms of overall prevention, preventing conditions as diverse as Atherosclerosis or Chest Infections and Doctors diagnosing cardio-vascular pathologies look at gum diseases for reliable information ([...]research suggests that gum disease may be a more serious risk factor for heart disease than high blood pressure (hypertension), smoking, high cholesterol, gender and age[...], Academy of General Dentistry ) while we know that according to a saheeh Hadith in Bukhari that the prophet scw said he would have made Miswak compulsory at each Wudu (the Sunnah is to use briefly Miswak in mouthwashing during Wudu) and that we are used to be proficiency in hygiene (ie rules about using the left-hand when cleaning in the Toilets or washing one's feet during Wudu and the right-hand for food and drinks, social contacts as well as other activities). It is also somehow amazing that diets rich in meats (major surce of agricultural pollution and waste of calories, as 1kg of healthy Maize or Soya is needed for the equivalent in terms of much unhealthy bacon, for instance) are also particularly damaging, increasingly around the World as Western norms are adapted (a major strain on public finance, health systems and economic burden more generally, through associated pain and disability such as in the arthritic conditions so prevalent in the West). Crucially, limiting one's intake of food to the bare minimum is a most powerful way of preventing medical conditions of all sorts besides optimizing Khushu in Acts of Cibaadah, particularly during Salats, and minimizing distractions or lusts; little wonder that many studies with animals confirmed that a 30-40% reduction in terms of calories intake boosted very significantly their lifespan and, although delicate to replicate in humans, Okinawa Japanese Residents were found to live generally much longer, around a century with much less chronic conditions such as metabolic syndroms which includes the nw all to common type 2 diabete, cardio-vascular diseases etc). Indeed, the pattern of Allah's Justice (punishing lack or weakness of eemaan) and Wisdom (providing us with the most reliable guidance for both worlds, without room for futher revision or update) invites us to adapt new yardsticks and while belief in Al Qadr or predestination as a Key element of Eeman is a central part of our well-being in every sphere (Muslims rely on their creator, ie the concept of Tawakal, instead of the stock exchange or health insurance). Financial well-being, which is closely linked with both one's mental as well as physical well-being, which are in turn seriously enhanced through regular spiritual activity as widely published and recommended by experts, limiting consumerism to bare essential could do the other part while marriage play a pivotal role as a study published last year in The Economist confirmed that married men earned and saved significantly more. Therefore, what point is there in trying to "insure" yourself against "residual risks beyond your control" as a believer in Al Qadr, especially when our Deen make it compulsory to assist each other in those cases thus establishing strong reciprocal solidarity (much unlike in the West when even close relatives are unaware of each other let alone neighbours)? Surely, the best way to educate one's children is to set the right example, be available for them and making them the priority over work, instead of relying on a "saving for scholarship scheme" of dubious efficacity (albeit there are many free scholarships available everywhere for serious students). In conclusion, yes, saving and refraining from frivolous consumerism (shopping has been described as yet another form addiction in an elusive quest to happiness) should be encouraged; Insurances, certainely not, and constantly stressing about future risks is the surest way as not to miss them (Stress and anxiety, are closely correlated with overall health, and depression has already been predicted as the primary cause of disability and morbidity in the West by the WHO)...

Morality is intimately lied with one's faith, which provide a basis for values as well as priorities. In that light, one may well disregard so-called "interests", by tolerating some real or imagined "unjustice" due to our imperfect nature as humans. More important in the Context of Bro Isse Part One, yes, of course, there is an unshakable moral foundation for Unity in Somali Context as well as among Muslims in general as Allah commanded us in the Qur'aan and the prophet's SCW applied it through his Sunnah. In conjunction with all those moral foundations, so-called specific interests are almost anecdotal compared to the need to end Ethiopian Occupation of the Hawd (largely populated by "Northerners") or the Reserved Area etc. Thus, the very concept of "Specific Northern Interests" is a gross simplification and impossible to define...

A Corrupt Governemnt can hardly better the overall quality of life, especially when that Corruption surpass any known record (ie Gedi allowed by the US to repatriate in california the misappropriated Saudi 30 m $US for the "reconciliation"). However, as long as that authority still abhor some Islamic appearance, and is not actively anti-Islamic by attacking core Islamic teachings, everything else is less crucial and Muslim rulers should be obeyed as long as they don't transgress over the Shariah and scholars insisted upon that obligation in order to prevent disunity and anarchy, hence indirect strengthening of Allah's enemies. Ulemas could advise and actively lobby that government while occupying strategic posts in Education (of paramount importance) and Justice for instance (ie Saudi Arabia) or have some authority, wether directly or indirectly, through control over Tribal Areas etc (Malyasia, Yemen, Pakistan etc). Obviously, when a so-called "Anti-Terror, Secular Government" is cobbled together by the very same historical enemies who armed and financed those Warlords, people have no choice but defend themselves as their forefathers always resisted gloriously Crusaders (Afghan tribes, Somalis under Ahmed Gurey or the "Sayyid" who averted the worst or acculturation). In that light, indeed, nothing under the Sun could be worse than foreign-sponsored Warlords keen to destroy the nascent Islamic awakening widely witnessed in Muqdisho under the Shariah courts or througout Somali Areas when Islamic Preaching and Education flourished...

The Economist spearhead Western Capitalism and linked Judeo-Christian values and the article's interpretation is vividly clear: colonial legacies (compromising moral foundations and traditional authorities, sponsoring corrupt politicians, Hawd & reserved areas given to Ethiopia which aggravated nationalism, particularly in the North ) directly led to moral decay and acculturation with Westernized politicians inviting military into power by their sheer corruption, the latter becoming increasingly unpopular as they seek to implement a thorougly irrelevant Communist agenda under another form of foreign sponsorship, not without adopting the same clanish rethoric as the evicted "democratically-elected"politicians(Egal & co were widely accused of literally buying off votes while abusing public institutions); this finally deliver into a society torn apart by mutual mistrust, rivalries s well as past unjustices... Laymen' interpretation: the South was greedy blabala...

Ignoring all the local priorities like training health workforce or clean water, irrigation & agriculture, areas in which they've got expertise, they opted for their usual cheap diplomacy and cultural imperialism. Not even a talk about Hargeysa Hospital or they didn't include it on their visit?

Frankly, I am very cautious even about getting involved in secular political parties at home; the mere fact of a meeting without Allah's mention is severely reprimanded and a punishable sin for Muslims, with Shariah regulating from personal hygiene and worship to transactions as well as politics (Islam, or submission to Allah is not a selctive pursuit!)... After voting in Djibouti in 2005, a relative confided to me that she choose neither parties for avoiding the resulting responsibility (there is no Shariah-compliant party) and I suddenly realized how misguided I was about my enthusiasm (I voted for the opposition knowing full well the realities in Djibouti). Likewise, I'm also sceptical when relatives says they have voted for a Western group or get involved with such criminal outfits, debating about local hospital nosocomial infections when they sponsor the most deadly weapons overseas without the slightest thought or care (birth malformations and other enduring cancerigen effects are soaring in Iraq and a Western NGO confirmed Ethiopian use of phosphorus rounds in the midst of the Somali Capital etc)! To the extent an Islamic party (like the ICU) is available, the dilemma would be solved and corruption & nepotism finally tackled without endorsing worse evils; in that light, we should actively promote our Islamic Values whenever the opportunity arise. Nonetheless, one has to admit that politics never had the power to metamorphose societies; not only do "democracies" actively promote the statu-quo or typically opt for the path of least resistance (badly needed socio-economic reforms in France are indefinitely delayed, policies diluted etc), just like populist regimes, but, even more insidiously, they never take other communities into account (not to mention the environment or global eco-systems); hence why american policies are invariably biased in favor of established economic interests or absurdly Israel-friendly even when this undermines US citizens' interests in flagrant ways as voiced by many high-ranking US academicians (medicines are widely advertized through medias, public health regulations influenced by Business' lobbies etc)...

Toure, the Conservatives may seem the lesser evil when you consider the big picture of immorality (family values, crimes, homosexuality etc). Also, the Labour, the very same who legalized same sex marriage invaded Iraq, Afghanistan and applauded Somalia genocide by Ethiopian troops, is devalued even more, now that Conservatives seems to have "adapted" their policies (for example, reform in the NHS etc). At any rate, it is much safer to stay away from any party, unless expressly specified by Ulamas (such as in exceptional cases)...

Closer links between France and Somaliland appeal to some but what exactely does Somaliland has to offer to an economically weaker France (French politicians are even considering to dismantle their biggest military base overseas, ie Djibouti given the enduring low growth coupled with record deficits!), especially when they are recognizing the self-proclaimed "government" or the puppets-warlords ring as part of the so-called "war on Terror"? But most crucially, why some people are favoring a French school in Hargeysa when even Djibouti is planning to switch from that largely redundant langage (even Chinese, Swahili or Amharic are more relevant, let alone Arabic)? Besides, French Curriculum is particularly Secular by nature and hardly of any use in a Somali context (French Langage, History, Litterature, Ecology, Geography or Philosophy are hardly a priority!). There is also this British school in a dilemma that a relative reported to me; how did they manage to follow the British curriculum in an Islamic context (where Islamic Education should apply even to sciences)? Sometimes, I wonder where we should draw a firm line whatever the offered prize...

UDUB party, althought it has a very poor domestic record filled with corruption and humanrights voilations, you have to give credit where credit is due. They have a very successful foreign policy and also the issue regarding Somaliland's eastern regions particularly Sool issue is a huge coupe for Daahir Riyaale. A last minute change of heart by Habsade & co and the so-called "war on terror" have little to do with "achievement". Even if the US allowed few more millions, this would hardly translate into clean water and minimal health services for the masses, precisely due to the corruption you mentioned (not mentioning the greater probability of a devastating war of attrition)! More seriously, how are Kulmiye leader more "tribalist" (whatever that may mean)than UDUB which had ample time to prove how unprincipled they are? I always thought that they had more decent leaders like Silanyo, especially now that the recently liberated Dr Gabosse and eng M. Xaashi of Qaran that served the country unlike some newcomer like UCID's Faysal Warabe (who found refuge in Finland)rallied our only hope for change; of course, they are far from perfect but what other alternative is there? Are we going to fail for last minute shows (like the recent trips of Riyaale)? As for UCID, Warabe reminds me of European facists like Gianfranco Fini, have you read when he says something along the lines "Reer Koonfurtan soo qaxay kharkooga iyo sharkooga way wataan, Allah ha naga badbaadiyo sharkooga" (posted on Hadhwanaag) or his relentless paranoiamongering against Djibouti or provocations against other Somalis? Does he deliberately copying Western right-wing extremists, albeit with altogether different circumstances (a shame that few support him out of clannishness)? At any rate, we should indeed all be relieved that this lunatic Ciyaalasuuq is not seriously considered for the sake of our hard-earned peace...