Amiin. He needs du'aa more than anything else for the day of judgement patriotism, nationalism, and other -isms have no weight in ur Camal.

Gediid, The designer of the flag was Marxuum Mohamed Cawaale Liibaan. He was the sole designer of our flag. Unconditional acceptance of the idea of this Greater Somalia proponent by both colonies is another testimony the 'Pan-Somalist' we once were. There were several other ideas around. They were rejected on the grounds that they had colonial symbols embeded in their design. Former governments had not properly given him the recognition he deserved. During the civil war, he was injured (just cuz he was PL-er) in Mogadishu by misguided clannish youngesters in a looting rampage. Old and homesick, M. C. Liibaan died in Toronto in 2001.

Gediid, Thanks for confiding that secret in... U could be right but I beg to differ and say the 'silent majority' sing the 'vocal minority's' tunes and they regrettably dance their music. The media is not in the hands of the 'majority' but in the hands of a few elite group. Would u agree with me that both (SL and PL) administration and their subjects are vulnerable to negative triblism. The civil wars in Somaliland (94/96) and the one in Puntland in 02/03 were fought along clan lines...right? Now! Let me assert that the aspirations (namely secession) of the silent majority in SL are not as strong as their loyalty to their respective clans. Preview of that movie is being shown in that region in the run up of the elections and the aftermath dispute that followed. In PL's Yusuf...subjects are under his iron rule...there are no dissidents in the region due to the fear of presecution. That should tell us where we stand and how triblism is alive and well...it has been institutionalized in both regimes. Sxb waa inoo beritoole...scw

Gediid, Let me elaborate...in terms of the tribal ratio Puntlanders and Awdal residents are a minority in the former british colony according to the records. The majority in SL are loyal to the Hargeisa administration. But when it comes to the secession...the majority are not fanatic or chauvinistic about it...they are content the peace and the stability they have and they are proud of the progress they've acheived so far. The residents of Burco, for instance, didn't celebrate 18th may according to Jamhuuriya due to the contested election. I used the word 'vocal minority' to refer the folks from the diaspora (like u) as well as the elite class in Hargeisa/Berbera area.

Gediid is right in implying PL-ers are a collection of clans from same ancestory. He is also right about Galkacyo of being divided city. This corner of Somalia is a recovery zone where citizens share geography, ancestory, and desire to be in peace. In their 'finite' wisdom, they created a political entity based on consent of its citizens. They see a future of Somalia on the horizon and they committed to be a part of federal states of Somalia when and if it emerges. One third of Galkacyo didn't wish to be part of PL and PLers respected the wishes of their neighbors in exchange of peace and stability. That is a good thing. Gediid, u are also right that Somaliland borders encompases diverse clans. But u are wrong if u thought that all these clans are for seceding from Somalia Or all of them are part of the Hargeisa administration. What the secessionist fail to envision is the cardinal rule that the wishes and aspirations of vocal minority can not be imposed to the silent majority without completely defeating and subjugating them. As there is no way of acheiving that...Secessionist are reduced to make unsubstantiated claims.

Originally posted by Che-Guevara: Anaa kaa xoog badan iyo anaa kaa xoog badan...lol I guess something never change....Anyone who thinks the issue of SSH can be settled through the barrel of a gun is sadly misguided. Akhyaarta Nin aysan Xabad karan malaha.....!!! Baashi......Lets me see this....You call Sland a tribal state and yu want a Puntland State from Buhoodle & east sanaag to Galkayo.....I wonder wat you call such state?....lol....You are honest and right about one thing , who gets SSH is gonna be very influential in any future united somali adminstration. A.J Tuch....I can't help laugh at irony of the statement you wrote above...You actually believe the somaliland army can go through puntland.....lool...Siyyad Barre must have been thinking the same thing in 88!!!!.....Don't be dellusional bro. Che sxb I've never claimed strength in that post...I wonder how u arrived the comparison of 'anaa...iyo anaa' There is only one-sided arrogance in that exchange...read it again plz. Puntland is another tribal state! No one claimed otherwise...and nothing to laugh about there. It is based on clan kinship whose interest lay in forming state of their own until inclusive government emerges. mafhuum!

A.T, i think you TRYING to be sarcastic and hiding your real purpose for posting some of your postings is not helping you to get your message across. next time try to be more clear when posting something Sarcastic...not at all! I'm not so sure if u understood the gist of that post. Why don' u read it again without having the misconception that I'm hiding something or I'm having sinister purpose in posting my pieces. One more thing! don't u have high expectation of getting others validate ur own delusional, for lack of better word, claims. For instance, Hargeisa can march, with 50k militia, through Puntland territories like a thunder...with the puntlanders as part of Northwest crusaders .

A. T., Bro U misunderstood me. I'm sure Somaliland has a militia of their own...well-equiped, well-paid militia. I'm not that arrogant, however, to say this tribe can finish up that tribe. My point is clans that reside Toghdheer and western Sanaag are not in mood to pick a fight with their neighbors as that will translate a civil war in the region. The same is true the other side of the fence. And civil war is not their interest despite what political interest in Garowe/Hargeisa may be.

^^Well! Let's see why Chauvinistic elements in Hargeisa kept claiming Sool, Buuhoodle district, Hawd, and East/South Sanaag is cuz these territories are within the former colonial border. As things stand now, every clan has his own territory except few houses and farms in Sanaag...and insha'allah it will be resolved peacefully. Secessionist camp are in a box...on the one hand they shy away to declare a Tribal Bantustan state - that would be the former british colony without Puntland clans' territories. On the other hand, they hastily declared the whole former colony and now they can't substantiate their claim nor do they have the muscle and the will to fight Puntlanders with land that is not theirs. The statement: 'if Somalia is divisible so is Somaliland' is so true...and there is no way around that. The real battle is fought in the former colony...every letter in search of recognition there is a letter against it...all addressed to the same office. Residence in these areas are relatives in every sense of the word. It is very disappointing to see nomads dis, belittle, and wish harm their own mothers, uncles, and cousins. Negative tribalism is so intoxicating that folks are reduced to hate their blood relatives just to see their clan emerge glorious. Akhyaareey ha laga waantoobo waxaase waa ayaan darre e. As to why they want to secede. One reason is the power sharing scheme in any Somalia government based on clan qouta does not favor Hargeisa. The current scheme will give them 22.2% of the parlaimentery seats. Even though their population is 19% ('92 political map of Somalia by US State department), they are very educated, ambitious, have history of their own parallel with that of Puntlanders and they felt dominated by Southerners and puntlanders in particular in all former governments - that is a very legitimate concern but what u do secede?!! Now! Ethiopia (our enemy), Britain (former colonial power), EU, AU, US, UN, and Muslim world are all committed to respect territorial integrity of Somalia. Somaliland futile quest of secession is even now understood by the elites in the region. The trip of Riyale to Senegal is presented to the public as step closer to recognition. What's not presented to the public is the trip itself had been arranged by Djibout's Guled whose opposition of secession is well known. Guled is the very guy who secured the France's support of Somalia at the UN...in the wake of Arta conference. Egal's cozzy relationship with South Africa has been presented as step toward recognition but the fact is that Mpeki has promised to help Egal in rebuilding effort but he invited personally Qasim (with 2 bloc at his disposal) to the AU conference and recognised as the president of Somalia including Somaliland. Marxuum Egal has unsuccefully lobbied to get 50% of the parliamentary seats (30% for his clan and 20% for Awdal and Puntlanders in SL) before Arta and when he couldn't get his way he boycotted. The sad thing is folks back home are being lied to, indoctrinated, and instilled a sense of patriotism (SL patriotism that is). If you tell a lie long enough and loud enough people will believe it and that's exactly what had happen. The real problem is not the SL seceding, the problem is the warlords failure to reconcile and the implicit understanding that their criminal conduct is rewarded with legitimate power in the future government of Somalia. Secessionist are not going anywhere but I guess they have a point if they keep pointing out the warlords who are poised to become the next leaders of Somalia.

Jazakallah kheyran Ilhaam. Much appreciated.

FirstLady, There are many people with whom u can be happy with. Start seeing things from that prespective sis.

Muraad, Civil war and anarchy has same effect on population regardless the country. The only differece is ours in not based on religion or ethnicity.

No tears! Poet Ali Xuseen depicted Somalis as people whose akward predictment brings compassion out of birds like the "Fiin". I guess this poem is a fitting tribute to these dates lest we celebrate... Fiin yahay adaa ololayoo oohin ciirsadaye Haddii aan laguu imannin waad aamusi lahayde Maxaad aragtay waan kula qabaa uurkutaallada'e -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxay tiri Ilaahaa haddaad aad u garanayso Oo aad Islaan tahay i daa waan irdhays nahaye! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxaan idhi qofkii ahbiyaa wuu ammaan heliye Ashahaadda iyo waan aqaan aayaddii Nebiye Ha yeeshee ilmada kaa dhacdiyo umalka guudkaaga In yar iiga sheeg waxaan rabaa in aan ogaadaaye -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxay tiri inkaar buu ku go'ay odaygi Soomaale Awlaaddii uu dhalayna waa sida adoogeede Hadday ul iyo diirkeed yihiin rag iska eegaaya Afrikadan ma joogeen nimaan Aabe ku lahayne Ayax kuma dhaleen keymihii ubaxa weynaaye Anna aydi aan joogi jirey kama abraareene -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxaan idhi irdii nalaga qaad aad ahaan jiraye Waa taa lakala iibsaday, nala ogeysiine Ooddaaba laga goynayaa idhanki Laasoode Meeshaad ilmaha dhigan lahayd uun kalaa degaye -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxay tidhi dhulyahaw eheladaa malaha iimaane Illaaleeyay oo dunida waa ugu il liitaane Iyagaa amleyda isu sida Eebe xoog badane Intay Ayro kale qaadayaan aarsan mahayaane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxan idhi nin tiisaba anfacay agab haddaad mooddo Umul iyo gaajo adoo qaba oo col ku eryaayo Haddaad aqalka ugu soo gashood magan ku soo aaddo Ul buu kaaga reebaa ruuxii kaa itaal badane Ha ku oomin doqon kaama rido aar ku sii sida e -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxay tidhi Or' beenaad waddaa Ina-Xuseenow e Ugaas iyo qabiilnimo kuwii ubax ku faanaayey Abtirsiinadoodii kuwii lagu alhuumeeyey Waa taa albaabkii la yimid agabtu noo tiile Miyaan maanta aafaadka dhacay amarkan loo sheegin? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxan idhi ilaaq bay hayaan edebna lays waaye Afkuun bay ka tookhaan sidii ooryahoo kale e Bootada ardaayada haddii aan asali moodo Aduun baa awaaraha ku lumi oo indho-caddayne -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxay tidhi Ilaahay hadduu qoon arrin u diido Oo uu Ibleys gebi ka rido sooma ururaane Qalbigii engagay waanaduu orod ku dhaafaaye!!! Goormaa inkaartani heshay ee lagu alhuumeeyey? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waxaan idhi arbiyo laguma oga geesi aynaba e Iniinaha kelyaha iyo wadnaa iini kaga taalle Aaanada tolkood bowga roon uumiyaa kale e Maxaan ararta kaga daalayaa edeg naloo gooye!

What is the advantage of doing this ? I wonder. The owner is very shrewd businessman and I doubt he has anything to do with this. Probably the chauvinist elements who work for him made the calender without his knowledge. It just shows how nationalistic impulses can affect sound judgement. Happy Independence day,

Nuh! By the way, the author is propably addressing different audience whose norms are not quite same as ours. There are 1000+ reasons u should get married. If u r looking...just keep in mind that no one is perfect in this world. Perfection is an attribute of Allah. TAKE A RISK WITH SOMEONE. Go for fishing to the libraries, to the muxaadirada, to aroos, to a new city...in extreme cases take a retail job in shopping malls where nomads frequent . Rule of thumb...be approachable and accessible...don't be arrogant. Have nice weekend folks .

Xayat, Abaayo I have friend who had the same operation...nothing went wrong. Insha'allah u will be fine. I wish u luck sis.

SL Chauvinism is so blinding to its practitioners and at times too selective so much so that Ali Tuur, pro-unity politician, gets warm reception and handshake at the presidential palace…Jama gets deported. So much of justice! Once words, and the thoughts they reflect, are subject to retribution, North-westerners are no longer entitled to the description ‘democratic’ province . The concept of a free society is predicated on the absence of any restriction on thoughts and words Jama was imprisoned and deported for holding opinions and speaking words that the rulers of the day – ex-NSS officer and his handlers considered undesirable, which is the definition of political crime - the use of power to reproduce structures of domination. With 97% of voters in favor of independence, a loner, discredited, pro-unity politician should not pose any problems to the government...or so we were told! All this upstanding Somali citizen could count on was his sub-clan's support...they delivered, the nomadic way, but they were overwhelmed by the government militia.

Unfair! Nah! Yes there are side effects and unpleasant implications inherent in this policy. After all it is a law drafted by men…and men are imperfect creatures. Every now and then, some sort of corrective action is desirable. This policy created conditions adverse to fairness and conservatives took advantage of the Michigan case and branded this unintended effect as being reverse discrimination. They may have a point in addressing that issue but that is not what is being contested here. Opponents are contesting the very existence of the 'Afirmative Action' itself…remedial action that addresses past wrong-doings. This is very complicated subject ‘black-and-white polemics turned gray’ kind of topic so I won’t bore u with its never-ending pro/con assertions. Consider this: 350 years of slavery, 100 years of segregation, and institutionalized perception of blacks as being inferior race. With that perception lurking in the shadows, try to compete with well-established, well-represented whites (with 450 years of opportunity to get educated, make money, etc) in housing, employment, education, etc. And don’t you forget they control resources, they wield power, and they make decisions. In a society where race matters very much, it is a moral imperative to enact laws that ensures underrepresented minorities not be discriminated when enrolling in the ‘selective’ higher education institutions. If music aptitude, athletic aptitude, other aptitudes can give you points that determines whether you get in or not, why not use race? The mere fact of being women will give you points! The GI bill that created American middle class as well as baby-boomers was selective process sponsored by the US government and guess what! blacks missed that hand-out. Anyway, I can go on but the fact of the matter is the Judges ruled in favor of the policy and opined that Government has a compelling and vested interest in seeing underrepresented minorities enroll higher education institutions. It is not unconstitutional to use race, they said, as a plus factor in evaluating the students in the enrolling process (e.g. borderline minority students). With that, white angry male has one more chance to realize that America is changing and the courts continues to hand down decision after decision that tears down his castle. From now on, admission offices in these schools won’t be liable if they take into account race as a factor (among many) in the admission processes. There are so many quota system practiced in America but the neo-cons tend to focus on the ones minorities benefit from. The court was with us this time around. I’m elated in hearing the verdict!

Taladaan la ruugin waa lagu rafaadaa Rati diraac qooqey weyd ma aha Note: weyd = caato; diraac = abaar/jiilaal. 'Laba qaawan isma qaadaan' or as MMA would put it 'labo qaawan waa u toostey'

Entrepreneur, siyaasada waan ka baxey! C'mon now! Admin waxa uu qaarta u qaatey ee uu kala yaaciyey addigu kumaad jirin dee Mise Admin. wuu yare ilduufey oo waxa ka dhacdey: "Dube kaa dhilqadey duul kale yuu daqar u yeelaa" -dii shaacirku ku gabyay. Anyway, odaygii matkay ahaa haduu noo yimid xaajadu waa hagaageysaa oo waxay noqon xaajo ikhyaar. Mobb-deep-na waa referee-gii dee . Gediidna markii horeba fara-baxsi yuu ahaa oo xagaa iyo 'bilcaamaha' yaa hawshiisu u badneyd. Hadase hadii golaha la cidleeyey oo waliba Xasan nasra Allah la masaafuriyey, waxay ila tahay inuu tashan doono oo uu qallanjadii Samygirl meelahaa ka heybin doono. Yaase yidhi meeshu waa la cidleeyey oo afkii baa juuqda gabay? Sow iyadaa Horn iyo ilmatic xogta durbadiiba noo keenay.

hilarious! A. A. Garas gacan aan u taagey! Folks, give it up...that's what I call 'Kaftan-dhable'. Heesta yaaba wax-kale ah Habar adyad miidhana, Ibtiliyo waxyeelo ah, Aabaheed dab lagu dhufay Asli ay lahaayeen, Ayuunbaa ayaamahan, Odaygan caynkana, Adiyad iigu timidoo, Heeso igu asqaysoo, Waxaan yaabay igu tidhi. Afxumadu ma fiicnee, Indhaale habartaaay, Hooy hooy afyuubooy, Intikhaabyadii iyo Arrimihii dhacaayiyo, Malaa elegshankii baa, Islaan yahay wax kuu dhimay Oo kuugu wacan asaasaqa. Habarta waxuu ula jeedaa...??? Dowlada ina-Kaahin miyaa?

Entrepreneur, Sxb introduce the thread. Just do it ...don't let others dictate or impair ur judgemenet. I trust it is very interesting stuff.

Samurai Warrior, On the parliament: since ‘we’ were rendered irrelevant by the sheer tenacity of warlords and their determination to get a piece of the pie, I say let’s put their political monopoly in check by empowering the issimada. Elders should be the ones who are entrusted this power. The problem would be who are the ‘true’ recognized elders. It seems that itself could become a thorny issue. Let me put my kumi: There is choice we are making here or rather warlords and co. are making for us. It is true that majority of the individuals congregating in this conference are criminals. As some of you may know there are no many other opportunities left to get the reconciliation effort moving. It seems to me that the delegates are the ones who benefited the civil war, committed untold heinous crimes, and bickered how to share power…much too long. They don’t have our consent or support yet they are powerful enough to disrupt peace. In addition to that there is no other organized political or military group ready to challenge them. Two most likely groups were ikhwan and traditional issimo…and they’ve been naturalized. That being the case I don’t see any other option but hold our breath and wait the outcome of this one…and wish all the best. Besides they need to be mediated as they are the ones who have been bickering all along. I haven’t read the two charters bari_nomad posted (I was enjoying the wkend), nevertheless I can assure u that any document in which its central tenet is based on Tribalism is bound for failure…Allah forbid. This tenet now enshrined in our future constitution will reinforce the existing culture of entitlement and nepotism. As before, justice will require political support. As before, loyalty to clan will take precedent over national allegiance. We should have learned the mistakes we’d made in previous governments instead we are repeating it. I’m very disappointed nomad! Entrepreneur, I challenge u to picture us a scenario in which these warlords can be brought before justice. I for one agree that they deserve to be tried but I say our inability, unwillingness, lack of institutions with such capacity, and whole gamut of other reasons compelled us to swallow our pride for now and look Ethiopia, Kenya, and international community for help…to mediate us. You agree with me, I assume, Ethiopia/Kenya won’t help us on this one by opening their courts for our problems. Unlike Liberia, it is not one leader, or two, or three…it is much more complicated than that. Unlike Rwanda, ours is not stable enough to ponder on such moral questions. There will always be tomorrow, and we will nail them tomorrow, one day they will be dealt with. We are not the first country that descended so low and we won’t be the last one. The history is full of examples. What we need is to get the process moving…we can perfected it later when it is convenient.

I agree with Lakkad and opinionated. I would like to add: 1.Appeal to all as ur customers not only Somalis. Put out an add on the local newspaper and use exotic names like: Qaxwe, waarikoow, casariye They will come to taste just don't dissappoint them. 2.Free newspapers and free parking will attract many customers. 3.Consistency! Time: Open/close as u said u would. Taste: Should taste same all the time. 4.Employees must speak the language. 5.Go to Barnes and Nobles book stores or starbucks and observe how businnes is done. They r doing well so they must be doing it right. Copy some ideas from there. 6.Be different than other Somali Coffee shops. I commend ur entrepreneur spirit. I pray u attain the financial freedom u r after. If u r short of money there is Islamic bank in the States that can loan u interest-free loan. Yup! go to www.lariba.com or call them 1-888-LARIBA1 or 626-449-4401. Read, read, read business magazines and or get new ideas from www.franchise.com, www.entrepreneur.com. Good luck sis.

I agree with Lakkad and opinionated. I would like to add: 1.Appeal to all as ur customers not only Somalis. Put out an add on the local newspaper and use exotic names like: Qaxwe, waarikoow, casariye They will come to taste just don't dissappoint them. 2.Free newspapers and free parking will attract many customers. 3.Consistency! Time: Open/close as u said u would. Taste: Should taste same all the time. 4.Employees must speak the language. 5.Go to Barnes and Nobles book stores or starbucks and observe how businnes is done. They r doing well so they must be doing it right. Copy some ideas from there. 6.Be different than other Somali Coffee shops. I commend ur entrepreneur spirit. I pray u attain the financial freedom u r after. If u r short of money there is Islamic bank in the States that can loan u interest-free loan. Yup! go to www.lariba.com or call them 1-888-LARIBA1 or 626-449-4401. Read, read, read business magazines and or get new ideas from www.franchise.com, www.entrepreneur.com. Good luck sis.