Congrats indeed – the more the merrier! Well done to all.

Spot on sis Hasna - but the question remains does the sheep realise where the abattoir is to stay away! I think not! Horn - I wish that could be the case, but it hardly looks that way - George and Blair are both likely to return!

I suppose if one is not after an “overdue independence” (I always thought independence was won in 1960 – silly me), or is not being swamped locust-like by hordes of women and children bored out of their skull to miss such a social occasion, albeit sold otherwise, and one’s trip is purely for personal health reasons, then it must mean one thing only, eh! Puntland’s President meets Somali community in London AllPuntland ( London ) - Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed, the President of Puntland State of Somalia met with the Somali community in London today. Mr Yusuf who has been on a special visit to Britain for the past few days held brief, separate meetings with community leaders in London early this week. In today’s public meetings held at Hilton International, Mr Yusuf was received by hundreds of British Somalis with the general atmosphere being one of elation and agreeable experience. Conducted quite orderly, attendees had a chance to ask Mr Yusuf about the prospect and state of the ongoing Somali peace talks, severe droughts in many regions of Somalia , and the conflict between Puntland and the neighbouring break-away republic of Somaliland ( Northwest Somalia ). In his opening speech, Mr Yusuf thanked the organisers, attendees and Somalis in the UK for their warm welcome, hospitality, their unwavering support for the people of Somalia in these difficult times, and their resolve in helping find a resolution to the complex Somali problem. Our reporter in London who was present at the meeting notes the meeting to have been dynamic and very positive. On the issue of the ongoing Somali peace talks, Mr Yusuf discussed the nature of the dispute that brought the conference to standstill, previous more difficult challenges dealt with, disagreements and internal wrangling impeding the conference to advance. He mentioned that efforts are being made to address contentious issues hindering the talks, mainly article 30(i) of the provisional Charter for the transitional Federal republic of Somalia . He however stressed the issue now is not with Somali politicians, but with IGAD Facilitation Committee, and State representatives to the conference. “The process has to be all-inclusive, transparent and fair to all Somalis in order to find acceptable formula to the intricate problem of Somalia ” said Mr Yusuf. “We intend to leave no stone unturned in the quest for a lasting peace in all regions of Somalia ; and our goal is to restore stability, the sovereignty and the nationhood of the Somali republic. Difficulties will be faced, but we must remain on course and put the interest of the people ahead of that of the individual” he added. On the issue of the severe droughts and subsequent effects in human and animal lives, Mr Yusuf spoke about the hardship, loss of life and tough times of past years, and emphasised the importance of coming to the aid of those terribly impacted, in rural areas in particular. “It has been long and hard year, but we must not give up, and do all we can to help people in deep rural areas and badly affected regions” he said. Mr Yusuf is expected to return to Puntland in the next few days. It is not clear whether he will be returning to the Nairobi peace talks that seem now to have been put on hold indefinitely. AllPuntland News Desk

AllPuntland ( London ) - Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed, the President of Puntland State of Somalia met with the Somali community in London today. Mr Yusuf who has been on a special visit to Britain for the past few days held brief, separate meetings with community leaders in London early this week Link pictures

It is the "Mirror" I know, but spare a thought for a moment in contemplation, should you care, to the abysmal conduit the palpable Dubya and his ardent conspirator, the Gov’nor are heading for taking the bloody world along. One hardly could blame them for that for as is the case here – the winner goes the spoils! Solution – Slaughter the Muslim children at own pleasure, exert maximum castigation in leisure, disembowel their academia, eviscerate their nubile women, and FU the Muslim leaders whilst you are at it, the somersaultic Mosad-style. Engulf the entire region in flames, arm the Israeles to their teeth with deadly biological weapons to amass graves of Falastian “shabab”, and transport their brightest in slaves-like dhows to the Western capitals only to be applied later as acquiescent instruments to impair the social fabric with intent to dissemble future generations. And ascertain Muslims feel the pain of their brethrens, the humiliation bestowed upon them, the state of subjection and subjugation of all aspects, the objectless imminence abound, change will neither have been realised, nor deliberated. Better yet, bring them in droves to the coliseum, the Roman style, and have them oblige in performance for the spectatorial, gore-fancing, reality-show hungry Western femme fetale and transgender beings as slaughtering in the abattoir commences whilst the power-to-be sips lukewarm “caraq” on the polished, comfy terrace! Oh, then again, why bother – none have the gut instinct to riposte in kind – Alas, their finest will simply crumple like a house of cards! – The best the Muslim world could come up with are the binLadens (hiding in rat holes) and Sadrs (hiding in mosques wearing robes in times of battle) out of the millions. Thumbs up – GREAT! I AM ALL FOR IT! HELL …. I SUPPPORT THE INITIATIVE! AND WILL UP ONE LEG…..… . KICK-OFF THE CRUSADE MYSELF!!! Any volunteers! And perhaps then, and there barely is the remotest chance even then, Muslims might attempt to rise from the ASHES! As the old saying would have it …. “ Lax Weliba Shilinkay Is Dhigtaa Lagu Gawracaa” ................ A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE WORLD HE is the most dangerous man in the world. A warmonger. A crackpot fundamentalist. A fanatic and a fool who has only the barest grasp of the killing power of the forces under his command. His name is George W Bush and his main battle plan is to set the world on fire. September 11 was a crime against humanity but from Afghanistan to Iraq, and now in Israel, Bush has blazed a purposeless trail of destruction and multiplied the dangers of terrorism a thousand-fold. The War Against Terror has turned into a war of terror in Iraq as American troops butcher their way through the civilian population in pursuit of an enemy that grows stronger daily with each dead Iraqi civilian. And in Israel Bush has overnight primed the entire region for a new cycle of slaughter by backing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's illegal land-grab of Palestinian territory and offering the Arabs nothing in return only despair. Bush seems determined to unite the entire Arab world against the West. Already the mass murderer Osama bin Laden has gleefully vowed to avenge the Israeli assassination of Palestinian Hamas leader Sheikh Yassin. After September 11 Bush promised to fight terror. But the only promise Bush has kept is the promise of more terror, more terrorist atrocities, like the Madrid bombings, to come. As the American President Bush is supposed to protect democracy and make the world a safer place. Bush is supposed to be the leader of the free world, a man who directly follows in the footsteps of such great statesmen as John F Kennedy, who saved the world from nuclear catastrophe during the Cuban missile crisis. But airhead Bush is no Kennedy. WATCHING Bush stumble through a live press conference, even when he knows the questions, is like watching a stranded goldfish gasping for air. Bush is not just out of his depth, he is out of his element. If it was not so truly frightening you could almost feel sorry for him. If I was an American I would be ashamed. Ashamed that the greatest nation on earth is so badly led. Ashamed that their commander-in-chief is without purpose squandering the lives of his men, and Iraqi civilians. And ashamed too of a President who sends men to their death but does not have the courage to attend one single funeral of the 700 US soldiers killed in Iraq. Iraq and Israel might seem far away but every time you fill up your car you are taking part in the politics of the Middle East. The world economy still runs on petrol and that oil still largely comes from the Arab world. If anything should ever happen to that flow of oil - civil war in Saudi Arabia or meltdown in Iraq - we would all know about it very quickly by the US$100 a barrel price tag and the three-hour queue down at your local petrol station. The war against Islamic fundamentalism, the hunt for Osama bin Laden, is a battle for the future of the world. It is a war the West cannot afford to lose. And it is a war in which the clueless Bush is blindly leading us all towards disaster. As if the quagmire in Iraq was not bad enough, Bush has turned his destructive attention to the other regional hot-spot, Israel. At the White House Bush summarily dismissed 50 years of Palestinian claims for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. Israeli settlements in the West Bank, all illegal under international law, were the "new realities" that the Palestinians would just have to accept, he said. A couple of months ago I was standing next to one of those realities, an eight-foot high concrete wall, on the outskirts of Jerusalem in the small Arab village of Abu Dis. Abu Dis is seven miles from the centre of Jerusalem and straddles the 3000-year-old pilgrim road to Jericho. Jesus Christ himself probably walked along the same road on his way into Jerusalem. But last summer Ariel Sharon decided Abu Dis was no longer part of East Jerusalem and erected an eight-foot high concrete barrier across the middle of the road, cutting the residents off from their homes, their jobs, and their city. ON the roof of a local garage the Israeli army erected an observation post and threatened to shoot anyone who climbed the wall. The Palestinians ignored the soldiers and round the corner climbed the wall anyway. I was standing on the "Arab" side of the wall chatting to Ahmed Bahar, a street falafel seller, when without warning an Israeli soldier lobbied a tear-gas grenade. There was no shouting. No mob screaming threats. Ahmed saw the hissing gas canister, which landed about 10 feet away, and took off in the opposite direction. I ran after him but not before getting a choking whiff of the stinging gas in my eyes and lungs. After 10 minutes the wind blew the gas away and Ahmed went back to his falafel stall. The other Palestinians quietly got back in line to queue for a taxi. And life started up again. Ahmed said he had been gassed hundreds of times. He was past being angry about it. The real thing that bothered him was the disruption to his trade. He wasn't making enough money to support his family. Getting tear gassed in Abu Dis for no reason is just one of the new realities that George W Bush wants the Palestinians to live with, along with hundreds of other daily humiliations of Israeli occupation. But is not a sustainable reality. Sooner or later some Palestinian will angrily strike back. There will be more suicide bombings, more killings, more despair. To save the world from terror you have to have vision, intelligence and the ability to unlock the complex political problems. But the only ability George Bush has is an unerring capacity to make a grim situation worse. George W Bush is a clear and present danger to the world. And we are all under threat until this bumbling oaf is removed from office and confined to a remote Texas cow ranch where he truly belongs. -KEVIN Toolis is an expert on terrorism

Nicely done my man. Could not do it better mate – yet for what it is worth this, this sprang to mind: ".....Bal nin gaal la shaarugay, shaabbaddiina lagu dhigay, Oo shurugga fuudoo, shaarubbada aan xiirayn, Oo ama shukaan wada, ama shuqul kaluu qaban, Muslinkana shabbihid kule, usna waa shiddiyo hoog! “……Bal nimuu shakaashoo, u shaqeeya ferenjiga, Oo shan iyo toban beri, shaabuuga lala dhici, Shafshafana la siinayn, kolay shaata mida tahay, Oo shaaca waaberi Cadan, shacabka ugu kici, Aan shuuna oranayn, usna waa shiddiyo hoog!"

Sophist – indeed, that is inaAftag from Cardiff. By the way, I like the new nickName – perhaps you want to consider draping the name with the old man’s artistic snapshot remarkably tossed in with a signature to embellish a complete pictogram, Cheers.

Excellent pics Bari_N. Indeed Mobb_D - " The day you see kids playing ball, that is a day they are not going hungry, afraid or sick " You got me thinking there for a mo mate. Like his style though – posing for the camera all in white when not in the traditional Africana (west) dress. Nice one, Cheers.

How to generate a genuine National Discourse that may lead to a real reconciliation A remarkable reflection of a different perspective, I thought. Not gone as far as would have been expected, and indeed not as cavernous as the anomalous Somali crisis would demand in exploring its roots and nature, but a clear demonstration along with a superb grasp of a peculiar subject matter. Interestingly the author seems to be of the mindset that once conversant in contemporary politics and social studies, one would be equipped to deal a better hand in surfacing probable tenacious resolve. Or is it? Excellent point - ".... They never talk about how to seek legitimacy of the new fledgling government they will create. They usually fail to discuss what obstacles and dangers the would-be government may face. They never lay out their economical, political, social, and educational plans. Completely absent from their conferences is any serious discussion regarding how they can reinvent a totally broken society. Most of these conference participants are not nation builders. Most of the time in these conferences is spent on simplistic and very shallow issues" Is the author contradicting himself in these lines: “…. These uncompromising and ever feuding warlords are not in a position to talk about unity. They first need to unify their violent enclaves and fiefdoms before they charge anybody of being anti-Somali unity. Their claim of Somali unity is a hogwash and empty. I am not a fan of any of the existing entities at this point, but I would like to respond to these baseless pronouncements of the warlords” And “… the international community should stop keep on picking up the tab of unproductive and fruitless Mafia style conferences. I can’t even call it a conference. Where on earth have you ever seen a conference going on for over a year with no outcome at all? It is time for the UN and the international community to stop these useless conferences and start focusing on the relatively peaceful regions of Somaliland and Puntland and any other peaceful region” Is the author arguing that peace negotiations should be quick and effective at the same time? If so, could it be? “…. where on earth have you ever seen a conference going on for over a year with no outcome at all?” Am certain it shall make a good read for some whilst expectedly perhaps irritating some to the chemist. There you have it, Cheers.

Not yet confirmed, but if so is verily validated, then indeed we have a problem. Shanta Qof ee loo heysto dilka Haweyneyda Kenyatiga aheyd oo ah dad u dhashay Somaliland Hargeysa - Sida maalmahii danbe ay sheegayeen masuuliyiinta Soomaliland in dilkii loo geystay haweyney u shaqeyn jirtay hayadsamafal ee fa dhigedu yahay dalka Kenya in ay ka danbeyeen dad u dhashay Konfurta Soomaliya qas ahaana ka yimid magaalada Muqdisho yaa beenoowday kadib markii aan u guurgalnay si aan wax ugu ogaano dhacdadaan la doonaayo in lagu sii kala fogeeyo dadka walaalaha ah ee Somaliland iyo Konfurta Soomaliya . Baaritaan kadib ayaa waxaan soo ogaanay in dilkaasi ka danbeyeen dad u dhashay Soomaliland kuwaas oo kasoo jeedo dhamaantood beesha ***** sida uu inoo xaqiiyiyey masuul katirsan kuwa loo xilsaaray in ay baaraan dilkaasi. Sidoo kale markii aan la xariirnay masuulka iska lahaa Baaburka la sheegay in falka lagu geystay ayaa beeniyey in uu baaburkisa ay ka iibsadeen kuwa ka yimid koonfurta Soomaliya asagoona sheegay in laga been abuurtay warkasna aysan waxba ka jirin Dadhayamaayo ayaa xoog ku galay xabsiga ay ku xirnayeen shanta qof ee looheystey dilka kuwasoo aminsanaa kuwa falka geystay in ay ka yimaadeen koonfurta Soomaliya ayaa ogaaday markii ay galeyn xabsiga in ay yihiin kuwa u dhashay Soomaliland . Arinta been abuurka ku ah dad aan wax geysan ayaa looga golahaa in lagu soo jiito indhaha beesha caalamka oo baryahaan u taag la qaraxyo badan oo aan loo abayeelin.

Is this an acceptable convention in warfare? Is it Islamic? What are the ramifications - good or bad? Was the Staff Sergeant justified in saying this? “…. would not piss on a Somali to put him out, if he was on fire. All of you hungry bast******s can starve to death. And you can do without radios. Somali people do not want to help themselves, and I am unwilling to help ” Mike Dickman, Staff Sergeant, US Army, Retired Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone 507-526-4559 email: m3425man@bevcomm.net How about the Bible bashing General of the Pentagon in his famous “my God is better than yours…. ”

Lander - Follow the link I M Lewis - there're about five articles of his posted. Good to know that you could converse in Somali – there is this hypothesis with which I had been observing for quite a while now concerning the upbringing of the proponents in the pro-secessionist camp – thus far, albeit incomplete, it is right on the money. Do not be modest, you do write well in both lingoes - French as I understand is your first lingo, technically speaking, correct? Cheers.

Lander – Brother I could not care less which term is being used - implied or expressed in the matter. We, Somalis fought hard, and honourably so rid the colonialists, it be Brits, Italians out of our territories in the 60s with the French in the 70s. And some are to this date still struggling its legacy in other parts of the region. And I do wear the Dervish emblem on my neck to this date, just to demonstrate how content of a Somali, its history past or present, good or bad, I am. As for the good professor and his usual self, perhaps you wish to read his past works. By the way Lander – do you by any chance converse in Somali?

Fair enough Ayoub. By the way, the “I” style of writing might appear narcissistic, self-absorbance on the part of the good professor, but you might be interested to learn that in the 21st century business world, the “I” factor” is a prose of penship quite admired in the western hemisphere. I will agree that his is not at par with expected academic penship, but must disagree that it is a tabloidish standard. Mediocre, written in a moment of rushed gelatinous or borrowed excitement, perhaps. Let us not forget his is as subjective of the events of the day in question, as yours and I are of him. BUT, it is the message buried in his piece that one goes for more than the style old boy, and that I must admit is masterly to be fair to the good professor. Sophist – it is always good to observe both ends of the coin, do not you agree? Cheers mate!

Dear Yasmine – to answer your initial question “ a flawed quick fix ” does more harm than good dear lady, as you quite justly pointed out, thusly is to be regarded merely as such. And most definitely, the people of Somalia DO deserve a better hand than fate [if one believes it] had dealt them thus far. “… thorough reform from ground up ” I concur is what must be sought prior to all other approaches. Here is the dilemma, and here lies the depth of the Somali problem, and in order to demonstrate the point I shall adopt a cognitive stratagem in the context of critical validation. Contrast of ideas, clarifications of myths, exploration of beliefs, arguments and theories, avoidance of oversimplifications, development of criterion, comparative perspectives and interpretations, reasoning of arguments, credibility of views, qualifications of sources and dialectic reasoning shall be adopted through this discussion for the purpose of this exercise, which might stretch over lengthy periods. For a problem of any genre to be tackled, there ought to be persons, even a few, not only qualified to seek a “fix” for it, but fully, succinctly comprehend its nature, stages, causes, and ramifications. That I dare say does not seem to be case in the Somali context. And to clarify my point, allow me to share this anecdote – a while back I recall attending a discussion delving into the fibre of the Somalia issue in the context of “Somalia Africa’s problem child” with a group of Somalis in the realm of academia. All except ONE, and believe you me all were of high calibre cerebrals, presented what he (unfortunately no sheS there) viewed to be the best resolution to the Somali dilemma. Later than evening, the ONE and I found ourselves struggling with the experience. Prior to reaching our conclusion, we asked ourselves this question: could a nurse irrespective of her revelations perform effectively successful heart surgery? A unanimous no, came the reply. Parallel, analogous to that was this question: why then expect amateur politicians to address a composite political situation which demands [with a capital D] technocratic representational approach? In other words, the Somali problem and the expertise possessed by the Somali politicians hardly match – the former requires intrinsic, genuine, cognitive approach along with technocratic expertise whilst the later lacks any such skills, hence the eternal Somali quandary. How then could Somalia be salvaged, we pondered over many hours? Conclusion – it is a political issue, therefore let the politicians deal with it irrespective of their training and backgrounds. No one is more equipped and better informed than they are to work out a resolution. That is why I do still consider the Nairobi conference to be of the second best chance to reaching a resolution to Africa’s problem child. In Somalia today there are embryonic administrative entities with promising, fledgling prospects with regional institutionalisation process taking shape in some areas more so than others. This supports your theory of “ thorough reform from ground up”, and here I trust lies the resolve for the Somali predicament, which I shall explore later in the dialogue. This merely not only recognises existing administrations, but attempts to empower those in authority – a formulae sidestepped in the Arta conference, the first government building initiative in Somalia. This served the basis for the Nairobi conference at its inception, yet lost momentum along the way arguably due to competing peripheral forces. Qudhac – I am in agreement with some of the points you raised, old chap, mainly regarding administrative styles 'ween the two sects, but how does the case of Puntland, Hiiraan, Sh/Dhexe, all in the south in accordance with colonial legacy, differ from that of Somaliland? See if you could chew on this for a while mate? Duty call my dear, so I got to dash, See if you further grind the grain, as it were, Cheers.

Kownayn - Care to elaborate on this mate: "Somalilanders are the natural peace brokers among Somalis and if they had the right spunk they would claim this role as their heritage and its sole propreitor"

Since no one here comes close to challenging the good professor on the points raised in his piece with regards to what really went on (in his views of course), would not that validate his argument? Kownayn – there are no enemies mate, just adversaries and men of different opinions at work. See if you could waddle in the mar in own style, so to speak. Angel dear –I like the new name - an observation here - would not it be more pragmatic to share your opinion, expressed or implied, rather than assuming the role of representing the whole region, the administration, and the people? And one more thing, he, the good professor, however off the mark in more times than not, is indeed an authority in these matters.

A clear breakaway from his usual line of thinking, and use of language by the good professor here. Wonder what might have influenced his newly-found paradigm. Nice reading though, Cheers.

Qudhac – Excellent idea mate. I’ve got a couple of things to throw in with regards to the peace conference. One is to do with the Somali problem whereas the other is to do with the process of the conference. With respect to the scrape in Nairobi, this is what I observe for the moment. Here you have got a team comprising of Somali political leaders [prefer it to warlords] some with political strategy and clear agenda, others with no such clear plan. The team formed, and is now in its “storming” phase – the most difficult stage of all negotiations. It is paramount for teams to go through this stage, and if an attempt is made to circumvent the process, which is what has been done by IGAD reps, then failure pursues. The cause for the “act of storming” which demands resolve on all parties has unfortunately been diminished in lieu of its being dealt with full front. IGAD reps are trying to frogmarch the process and the team to the adjourning stage, thusly the invention of the infamous retreat. This I trust was done to camouflage their failure in showcasing the balance sheet with haplessly dressed P&L appearing so poorly to anyone with conflict resolution expertise. Whilst I remain encouraged, and the longer the process continues, the likelier it nears to bear organic effect, I must disagree with the notion that the conference is a failure despite its appearance to have prematurely reached its anti-climax. More importantly, it is important to understand the nature, and root cause of the Somali infirmity [sic] prior to prescribing medication to the problem. Unfortunately, that does not seem to have happened in the Somali case to date, and as such no proposal however well-ventilated or conferred could be of much value unless the problem is objectively defined, and identified. I say so, not to rule out the proposals you put forth, but to perhaps postpone the curing of the malice, and to subject the problem to a pulverising and meticulous examination. It is a political issue which demands political resolution, and neither technical nor legal ruling. Do you agree? If no, then what do you reckon is at the heart of the problem? And what is your understanding of the Somali problem as a whole? Once we have defined the problem, then we could perhaps streamline the discussion to a greener plateau than it had thus far landed upon. Your input, please? Cheers.

Baashi – thank you for pointing that out. I am in agreement with you on the point of SYL and its political manoeuvring then of adopting as you quite rightly put it “ushaada nimaad ka qaadan kartaa loo dhiibtaa”, which supports the version of history I had adopted from various sources. Further, errors you will note, historical or otherwise, in the good professor’s piece (similar to his past works), one of which is the case of the SYL and its tactics, tacit or otherwise, then deemed within acceptable limits in the quest of independence, which itself is open to dispute. From my first encounter with the good Professor at a time when in his famous narrative he spoke of the plight of Somali women post-civil war Somalia (do not doubt his sincerity) to this date whilst fancying himself as the political champion of Somali nationalism (I do not questions his nationalistic tendencies mind you), and Samaritan voice of the trotted, if besieged ordinary Somali, I never was in favour of the good professor. However, one must admit his account of the events of the 17th of March onwards is irrefutably at par with those recounted by others at the scene – one of unprecedented proportional ignominy in a class of its own, thus far. I believe he is doing the pro-secessionist camp a big favour in highlighting their deficiencies – one would hope it shall be seen as such, and a more virtuous path in the pursuit of the missing index, as it were, shall be adopted henceforth. Nonetheless, interested I am not in the least bit the ill-preparedness, disingenuous operation on the part of the administration in misleading the public, thereby tying the hopes of the entire region on that single trip, nor do I flinch at the manner in which the delegates however erroneous made a complete Mockery of themselves, of Somalis in presenting their case on false premise. Furthermore, surprised I am not at their supporters’ failure to receive opposing views, and their conduct in the company of hosting dignitaries, but points of concern could be located herein: “The head of the Hargeisa authority, Mr. Dahir Riyale Kahin, read a prepared statement that lasted for almost thirty minutes. He reiterated a fiction that many advocates of the secession agenda have come to believe, one which celebrates British colonialism and depicts northern Somalis as people who did not struggle for independence. In this interpretation, Sh. Bashir's, Abdillahi Suldaan Tima Cade's, and Barkhad Cas' efforts, Sayyid Mohamed Abdulla Hassan's movement and other less visible northern heroes of Somali nationalism are erased from the annals of modern Somali history" And the mother of all shames lies herein: “…the audience were told that northern Somalis were British Orphans and that the British Queen was their mother. None of the speakers appreciated the irony that the Queen was alive despite their claim to orphanhood” It is apparent judging from previous postings the good professor had a point in laying into the pro-secessionist camp for their intolerance and failure in accepting difference of opinion. Perhaps the more seasoned Landers here could mount a challenge of ideas, and not the person of the good Professor. Cheers.

The Secessionist Campaign in London: An Eye-Witness Somali Report Abdi Ismail Samatar Professor of Geography University of Minnesota Introduction The debate pertaining to the integrity of the Somali nation has entered a critical phase as the northern secessionists push their agenda to convince the international community, particularly the British Government, about the merits of their claim. There has been a great deal of misinformation about the recent trip of Hargeisa political leaders to the United Kingdom. The rumor mill and related sources have widely misrepresented what has transpired during their visit in London. I was passing through London during the group's visit and attended the meeting, March 17, 2004, where the secessionist leaders presented their case to a few members of the British Parliament. It is vital to report to the public of exactly what occurred at that meeting and to briefly tease out its essence for our national integrity. This essay provides an alternative, and I dare say more accurate, recount of events. The Caucus A brief recap of the assembly is in order. First, the meeting took place in the Parliamentary office-building and not in Parliament's chamber as others have claimed. Second, Mr. Tony Worthington MP, of Clydebank & Milngavie, organized and convened the council, and some members of Parliament's All Party Group on International Development attended. Third, nearly three-fourth of those who attended were supporters of the Hargeisa authority, peppered with a few British consultants. Finally, the timing coincided with UK government budget day, an event that monopolized media and national attention and, consequently, obscured the aforementioned meeting. Mr. Worthington initiated the discussion by recounting his two visits to Southern and Northern Somalia since 1991. Although he cited Baidoa as the most tragic place in recent Somali history, his attention and sympathy focused on Somalia's former military regime's destruction of Hargeisa in 1988. His opening statement revealed an uninformed and biased reading of Somali political history. For example, he bluntly remarked "you have regretted your unification with Somalia since the beginning." These words set the tone for the rest of the discussion. The head of the Hargeisa authority, Mr. Dahir Riyale Kahin, read a prepared statement that lasted for almost thirty minutes. He reiterated a fiction that many advocates of the secession agenda have come to believe, one which celebrates British colonialism and depicts northern Somalis as people who did not struggle for independence. In this interpretation, Sh. Bashir's, Abdillahi Suldaan Tima Cade's, and Barkhad Cas' efforts, Sayyid Mohamed Abdulla Hassan's movement and other less visible northern heroes of Somali nationalism are erased from the annals of modern Somali history. Mr. Riyalle and his cohorts identified two former British Prime Ministers, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, as their heroes. Labor Prime Ministers, including Tony Blair, did not fit into this political map. Once Mr. Riyale finished reading the speech, Mr. Worthington took questions from the floor. As a chairman he indicated to those present that non-Somalilanders would have the first opportunity to ask questions, assuming that all black people present in the meeting were "Somalilanders." During this period, some of the northerners with Mr. Riyale further embellished the same contrived history. They made several incongruous statements. First, the audience were told that northern Somalis were British Orphans and that the British Queen was their mother. None of the speakers appreciated the irony that the Queen was alive despite their claim to orphanhood. Second, the advocates of sovereignty accused the British of implanting the idea of united Somalia in northern minds after the Second World War. Further, they claimed that the British forced northerners to unite with Southern Somalia, a place these speakers referred to as "another African country." Third, speakers alleged that the Somali Youth League (SYL) lobbied to restore Italian power over southern Somalia and campaigned against the unification of all Somalilands under the British rule when the Four Powers Commission considered the matter in 1948. These assertions are, however, contradicted by historical facts. British and United Nations archives contain clear evidence that demonstrates SYL's relentless opposition to Italian colonialism, and old SYL stalwarts are alive in Somalia, Belgium, and the United States to testify on the matter. Fourth, this reinvention and falsification of history did not stop here. For they proclaimed that the North unwillingly joined a South trained in the art of deception by the Italians. They stressed that Southerners used trickery inherited from Italian colonialism to hoodwink Northerners into accepting secondary status! Such clumsy distortions of the record were designed to gain the sympathy of British MPs and then prod the British Government to recognize a sovereign state in northern Somalia in contradiction to the set policy of the African Union and the United Nations. The Hargeisa contingent flattered the British and members of the House of Commons, who were present, as their long lost brothers, imploring them to revive their “old friendship.” In fact, one of the speakers declared that "Great Britain will always be our best friend." Finally, another delegate indicated that the Hargeisa authority would negotiate with the South without pre-conditions but only after the North becomes a sovereign state. The chair gave me an opportunity to ask my question after nearly all others had spoken. I introduced myself as required by the Chair. As I rose, I stated that I was a native of Gabileh, a town fifty Km west of Hargeisa. I added that I did not define myself as a Somalilander but as a Somali citizen. Not willing to wait for me to ask my question, the advocates of the secessionist agenda jumped to their feet to thwart me from speaking. It was a chaotic scene. They hurled insults at me and one of them even threatened me with physical violence. The Chair, Mr Worthington, was embarrassed and had to forcefully intervene. He ordered the crowd to let me speak. I only had a brief statement to make. I told the Chair that I had prepared a briefing for the Committee pertaining to all of Somalia which I had sent to their offices earlier. I urged the Chairman and the rest of the All Party Group present to consider the contents of the briefing. Subsequently, I asked the Chairman if he would agree that what people of Somalia needed the most is peace and development before there can be serious and legitimate discussions of future political dispensation(s). I encouraged him and his colleagues to urge the UK Government to give increased development aid to all the people of Somalia, particularly the northern regions that are most peaceful. I then thanked him for giving me the opportunity to speak. Only one other MP, the Honorable Piara S. Khabra of Ealing and Southhall briefly spoke and urged Somalis in the UK to take responsibility for their children in Britain. He expressed his serious concern about the many Somali children who were unable to appropriately adjust to Britain, and underscored the responsibility of parents. Before the question time had lapsed, a fistfight broke out between two members of the secessionist group, one from the opposition Kulmiye Party and another from governing Udub. The police had to be called in to restore order before the meeting adjourned. Final thoughts The deliberation underscored two key issues for anyone who cares about Somali interest. First, the falsification of colonial and post-colonial Somali history is most poisonous. These distortions signal the incredible length the Hargeisa authorities and their supporters are willing to go to impose their political agenda on the country. Here, one wonders why the group is reluctant to honestly present their case and try to convince Somalis and others through the logic of their argument and the clarity of their evidence. By vilifying and abnegating our true history, they humiliate all of us including the very Northerners who gave up so much to help gain our independence as well as those who dislodged the brutal Siyaad Barre military regime. Further, the erroneous accusation that SYL actively sought a re-imposition of Italian rule on Southern Somalia and fought against the unification of all Somalis under the British is tragic. This deliberate falsification of our past seems like a continuation of the earlier SNM strategy that deceived the Somali public about its intention to break up the country into two parts. The few British MPs who witnessed this affair, mainly belonged to the Labor Party, know British colonial history better than our brothers and sisters. They must have been flabbergasted to hear this Uncle Tomish rendition. Second, the attempt by senior members of the Hargeisa authority and supporters to silence me in that meeting bodes ill for the future of the region and the entire country. They claim to be democrats but could not wait to suppress, through intimidation and violence, opposing opinions, even in the shadow of the British Parliament. Such intolerance to hear dissent is symptomatic of what transpired during the so-called declaration of independence in 1991 and the recent referendum. Those who had the gun did not allow any debate in either of these formative occasions. One wonders, then, why they are so afraid to engage in open debate. After all, the opportunity for a citizen to freely express her/his perspective was the fundamental reason why Somalis hated and resisted the old regime. This is the essence of democracy and the terrain of engagement for all Somalis.

Indeed - Dawlada ingiriiska oo la kulmi doontaa xubno ka mid ah Jaalliyadda Sool Sanaag Bari iyo Cayn ee ku dhaqan waddankan Ingiriiska London (Radiolascaanod) 18.03.2004 Khamiis Warar aanu ka helnay ilo lagu kalsoon yahay ayaa tibaaxaya inay jiraan abaabulo ay Wadaan dadka u dhashay Jaalliyada SSC. Bishan dabayaaqadeeda dawlada ingiriiska waxay martiqaadyo u fidisey xubno ka tirsan deegaanada SSC ee ku dhaqan wadankan ingiriiska, isla markaasina si buuxda uga tirsan maamul goboleedka Puntland, waxaanay kulankaasi ku lafa guri doonaan arimo xaasaasi ah oo la xidhiidha masiirka Ummadaasi. Xubnahaasi ka socda Jaalliyada SSC waxay sidoo kale soo hor dhigi doonaan qaraaro cad cad oo ku muujinayaan fikirkooda siyaasiga ah iyo mowqifka cad ee ay ka taagan yihiin Midnimada Ummadda Soomaaliyeed oo agtooda ka ah Lama taabtaan iyo wax aan gorgortan gelin. Wixii ka soo kordha waanu idin la soo socodsiin doonaa Radio Laascaanood Soomaaliya

My dear Mr Sophist why O why must you burst Mr O’s & Co’s borrowed moments of joy. Most cruel, are you not mate? Mr oWeyne – where shall I begin - despite the gone astray pique passed as literary session regarding the parliamentary dealing of the H M, which one must admit the ever so disingenuous Mr oWeyne made a complete mockery of, when reality sinks in, and the huHa ala “loony Yardie team” subsides, many will have been disenchanted in the colossal malfunction in this latest endeavour. Mr oWeyne, who when not spewing putrid gaggle, as his habit has become of late in public, and in the shape of “caraq” to his adversaries in lieu of offering substance, or better yet availing leaves of verifiable material to the defence of his non-tenable objects, which he so miserably fails more often than not, Who when not committing plagiarism and concoction in proportion unheard of, remains economical in speaking of the truth, Who when not flipping his infamous rosary beads for his prophesying of the tomorrow, suffocates those around him by farting his way round the borough in a boasting somersault, Who when not hiding poodle-like in the bush lest his juicy bits pierced, rejoices painting the ocean in white, Has indeed finally thrusted "the" nail in the coffin, so to speak, Here, worse comes the finale of it all – blatant misrepresentation. Mr oWeyne writes “ 3- As to whether he had met as you put it the "Big Men" of England,....let us see as to who he had met so far of this writting,....he met the foreign secretary Mr. Jack Straw,....he met the Deputy Prime-Minister Mr. John Prescott,....he met the Mr Hillary Benn, the secretary of state for the international development, he met Mr. Chris Mullin the minister for the Foreign Office in-charge of the Africa Affairs,....he met the Speaker of the House of the commons Mr. Tony Martin,....he met the leader of the opposition Conservative party, Mr. Michael Howard,....he met the opposition's foreign Affairs Spokesman(both the conservative party and the liberal democrats),....and the spokes-persons for the both opposition parties's portfolios of the Department For The International Development(DFID),....and lastly, but not least he also met the entire members of the select committee for the foreign affairs of the house of lords (i.e. the Upper House), consisting of both the government benches and the opposition's benches, he also met the entire select committee for the Foreign Affairs of the house of the commons (i.e. the Lower House), headed by the "Chairman" Mr. Donald Anderson,.... 4- He had paid unofficial "Courtesy Call" on Mr. Tony Blair, the British Prime-Minister in his office in 10 Downing Street, without too much political publicity and fanfare in early yesterday morning,....he had also met Mr. Gordon Brown, the UK chancellor of the exchequer, which means the Finance Minister of UK, at his office in the treasury building in whitehall during the yesterday early morning meetings,.... However, as it happened, thus far a Jr minister has availed his time for the men of the flock contrary to Mr oWeyne’s belated fallacious jamboree ala fete. To hear what transpired as a result of the much hyped event: listen to overzealous minister of information, Mr Du’ale who clearly misjudges the sharpness of his audience, and that of the BBC reporter who has done his homework. focusOnAfrica Only if Mr O could have briefed the good minister to keep his mouth shut! By the way, a word of advice to Mr O & Co, do not let Riyaale out of close leash lest his self might vanish, only to be found parked at the corner of Brixton tube station if lucky, or in the nick should the old bill lay their hands on him first, after a shimmering lull with the Yardie lads and their white powder. Rumour has it el Presidante is well conversed with the white substance, and might, as tradition would have it, overindulge.

I am sorry to have to burst the bubble for the western Somaliland camp here, but there is no such thing. And so far as the story from Horseednet is concerned, well what can I say, even when the Dervishes are there to collect their monthly salaries, it almost always never fails to capture the imagiantion of the opposing groups in spinning it - yes, you guessed it ... the city bank is being taken over. Next thing as we know it, it shall read sth along the lines of .... the whole State is being occupied by none other than the dark forces that had been on their way since..... What are they on? Bloody donkeys. Desperado attempts, by a desperate lot! Read along ..... War Been ah oo Lagu soo Qorey Somaliweyn.com Radiolascaanood - War Been ah oo lagu soo qorey Websiteka Somaliweyn.com oo sheegaya in Ciidan degaanka u dhashay Gobolada Sool Sanaag &cayn ay cadowgooda u galeen warkaas oo sal iyo raad toona lahayn. Anaga oo hada joogna Magaalada Laascaanood ay nagu noqotey wax lagu qoslo xaqiiqdana ka fog. warka ay qortey shabakadaas aya ah mid naf la caari ah beenta dadka ku maaweeliya ama ay ka tahay war uun ba ala qoraa ee wax uun qora. Mar aanu Saleebaan Xaaji Yuusuf waraysi la yeelanay isagoo oo jooga Hudheelka ku yaal magaalada laascaanood oo la yidhaa Dhiif Hoteel (Surely, it cannot be, he cannot be in Lasanod; he must be on his way to Hargeisa. Or better yet, it must be his ghost that had crossed the floor) ayaa Cofee interka uu ka akhriyey warkan lagu soo qoray somaliweyn.com ku sheegay ruwaayadaha xiligan laga matalo somaliya, ,hadalkiisu waxuu ku siidaray Saleebaan xaaji Yuusuif. midnimada Soomaliya inay tahay lama taabtaan war lagu soo qoro websitena uu dalka kala goynayn taasna ay ogaadaan dadka wax ma garadka ah ee ka baayac mushatara wararka beenta sida somaliweyn.com warkii beenta ahaa ay qortey Somaliweyn.com qofkii doonaya inay akhriyaana wa kan ee Halkan Riixa si aad u aragtaan

President’s Visit Is Hype - Ali Gulaid — CA,USA The visit, President Rayaale is paying to the United Kingdom (U.K.) is more of a hype than substance; and Rayaale is the wrong guy for the right spotlight. The visit is neither historic nor is it a reward for skillful diplomacy nor for democracy and rule of law, nor would it lead to recognition, much to Somaliland’s dismay. Bluntly, it is no more important than the one Rayaale paid to Senegal and worse yet it may prove to be as one sided, less beneficial, as the Djibouti visits. It might as well be a dream comes true, but the realized dream wouldn’t be Somaliland’s recognition; rather it would be detention centers for the British. Before anyone touts the prospects of this visit as historic and elevates it to government-government Presidential visit, it is important to know the facts, the agenda and how it came about. The SL government created the impression that, as a gesture of good will, the parliamentarians who visited SL have invited the President to reciprocate the friendly reception they have received in SL but others claim that it was the SL government who initiated the request. Now that is irrelevant but the question is what is his agenda? When asked about his agenda, true to his nature and background, the President refused to divulge the items on his agenda but without his help, here it is: a) Short speech in front of a select committee for international development b) Meeting with low level Foreign Office officials c) Meeting with low level Home Office officials –immigration officers d) Meeting with the International Development Minister, not yet confirmed e) Meeting with Somaliland Forum (SLF) representatives f) Meeting requested by Amnesty International g) Dinner hosted for the delegation and the parliamentarians by the London Community h) Brief session of questions & answers with the diaspora. j) Meeting with UDUB Party members k) Meeting with the Mayor of Henley City, the twin-sister City of Borama With that agenda, it shouldn’t’ be difficult to foretell and assess what the outcome could be. In my assessment, it wouldn’t live up to the hype. To start with, two things are crystally clear: that the government of United Kingdom hasn’t invited Rayaale and his entourage; that Rayaale isn’t addressing the British Parliament contrary to what Rayale claimed in his interview with Awdal News Network (ANN), website run by the talented poet, and journalist, Mr. Good. Rather, Rayaale is speaking in front of a group of Parliamentarians, most of whom he met before when they visited Hargeysa. This is the highpoint of his visit and it is truly important but unfortunately Rayaale is the wrong guy at the right spotlight. This type of setting, where style matters over subsistence, Rayaale would be at a disadvantage. With due respect Rayale isn’t known for style nor clarity. He is uninspiring, inarticulate and unpolished. But more importantly he is less comfortable in the limelight and more comfortable with dark glasses, leather jackets and amid his ilk - security agents. With these traits, Rayaale would gasp for breath and the chance of him impressing his audience is very slim. This setting would have been an opportunity that Late Egal would have cherished, dazzled and shined with style. Egal was charismatic, affable, articulate, and sophisticated and would have performed under the spotlight. But Egal is no longer with us, May Allah rest his soul, so we are stuck on the mud. This visit means different things for the two countries. To Somaliland, the President’s short speech and his audience are dubbed as the “event” but to the British, the “event” is the Home Office meeting and here is why? As a background, the reader should know that the British government was for sometime trying hard to recruit countries that would set up detention centers for the rejected SOMALIS as well as the hopeful asylum seekers. To the delight of the British, Somaliland has already accepted and signed to set up such detention center. As you recall, the Foreign Minister, Edna has already signed an agreement with the British in this regard and this meeting is a follow-up to formalize and zeal the deal and to further lay out the details of the program. If this is UDUB’s dream, it isn’t mine. The question is what is in for Somaliland? Recognition, some might say, others might say few bucks. The latter might be closer to the truth. The idea of hosting a detention center would lead to recognition is a non-starter. This isn’t a negotiating situation; rather Britain has enough leverage and bait to win-over Somaliland. It is misleading to indicate that the British would trade recognition for the detention center. That wouldn’t’ happen, mark my word. At any rate, by judging the outcry from the Somaliland diaspora, this agreement is misguided and ill advised and would have deleterious effect on the country economically and culturally. Those who qualify for the detention center are mostly mentally disabled and hard-core criminals that no one wants to take back. This policy of accepting the British rejects sets bad precedent for the asylum hopefuls. In fact, this agreement has given the British bona-vide license to reject dully-qualified asylum seekers and that portends ill for Somaliland, a country whose economy is based on the remittance from the refugee. As a result of this policy, SL would become a poorer place if one can fathom such a place. Additionally, there is a risk that the addition of people of criminal background and people of no skills would infiltrate the moral fiber of the community and might resort to undesirable activities. One might call this a raw and unpalatable deal but wait. Djibouti has received similar treatment to repatriate all SOMALI refugees to Somaliland without any appreciable compensation. One would think the high-profile killings, which the government blamed on the refugees if memory serves me right, should have been a lesson for Somaliland. When do this administration learn? The Amnesty International item on the agenda is a reflection of Somaliland’s deteriorating human rights record. According to reliable sources, Amnesty International has requested an appointment and Rayaale has reluctantly accepted after Amnesty Pressured him. Amnesty International is a human rights organization and the reason for the meeting is to highlight the human rights violations, the lack of due process, the documented torture and the inhumane treatment and the condition of the inmates. A grueling and grilling session; No wonder this item hasn’t been publicized. I can only hope that Rayaale realizes that human rights abuse doesn’t pay. Equally, the Somaliland Forum has been granted an audience, after request. As I understand it, the purpose of this meeting is to advise if and where applicable, to get to know the President and his clique in person but more importantly to raise the concerns that the members have about the direction the country is heading to. Nothing to publicize either! As to the Foreign Office appointment, it would, I assume, be brief and diplomatic but it might itself be equally embarrassing for the President. The issues of Parliament election, corruption, Sool and Sanag dispute and human rights would come up. And if the question of recognition is raised, the Foreign Office would repeat the answer it has given before, which is Britain wouldn’t be the first country to recognize Somaliland like Ethiopia, like Djibouti and many others have said (vicious circle) but that doesn’t preclude Britain’s willingness to dole economic development to Somaliland. First on the list, parliamentary elections, Mr. President, when would you hold? Embarrassing, isn’t it? The Priorities of the delegation are out of focus. With that bleak assessment on the political front, one would think, the economic front should have been focused but that isn’t the case and the meeting with the International Development Agency, if at all it takes place, has been relegated to the back burner. Such negligence, incompetence and lack of vision and priorities are costing Somaliland the opportunity to harness fully the available aid to her advantage. Somehow, Somaliland is either unable or unwilling to identify where it hurts most and that increases the chance of misdiagnosis. By accepting the hosting of the detention center, SL have slightly scratched their back and this should be an opportunity for Somaliland to demand the British to scratch Somaliland’s back fully and forcefully till SL stops itching, economically speaking. SL could demand the British to increase considerably the financial aid it gets via the British NGOS, to select the type of projects, to demand some supervision and above all to pressure the NGOS to reduce the soaring overhead charges to an acceptable level and more disclosure. About your questions? For those of you who are itching to ask the President and his delegation as many questions as possible don’t bet on it. You are right, like a reasonable person, to assume that the President would use this opportunity to level with diaspora and entertain your concerns with pleasure but the clique that advises the President aren’t reasonable. This clique, so they say, guards the President against exposing himself to an avalanche of uncensored questions and according to their mindset, the President performs better under a much more controlled environment and they have taken all precautions. Here are some of the tactics they normally apply: limiting the venue, the questioning and the timing, prolonging and belaboring on the answer to frustrate the audience and circumvent oncoming questions. All in all, for the reasons outlined above, this visit would hardly advance the quest for recognition. Worse yet, like the Djibouti visits, Somaliland would end up with the short end of the stick. More rejected refugees and asylum seekers. A pattern is emerging and the more one comes to think of the policies of this administration, the more one realizes that Somaliland is being promoted, not as a country worthy of recognition, but as a safe heaven for rejects and detention centers. Give me your tired, give me your refugees, and give me your poor appear to be the dominant motto and if anything this visit confirms that. No one should be surprised, after all, the British has a practice of sending their rejects to far away places like Australia but this time it is Somaliland. Welcome to the detention center of the World, Somaliland. What a disgrace!