Amistad in the past the Powers that be invaded a poor country on a false premise such as WMD's and destroyed Iraq, and none of the alternative powers stopped them from doing so, what makes you think anyone will stand up for another poor country as its sovereignty is violated? This is a concerted effort, the more countries the better, through this method they can get away with anything.

Originally posted by Aaliyyah: MMA who cares lol... Kindly don't undermine the excellent investigation conducted by a prime Bladland detective.

^Whut?

Norwegian wolves or their Somali-”counterpart” Warabe appearing in the skin of an Ido and pretending to be a friend. What many people seem to not understand (or for specific reasons refuse to understand) is: More than half of the Somali dominion is based on the Somali seas and thus vital to the survival of the Somali people. Somalia has since 1972 as Territorial Waters (TW) and – overlaying the same area – since 1989 as Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) an area of 825,052 square km of Somali Waters and an additional 55,895 square km as Somali continental shelf zone (CSZ), forming the maritime dominion. The sum of the total internal area of Somalia with its 637,657 square km and the TW/EEZ area together give a total of 1,462,709 square km of recognized total Somali area, which with the additional CSZ is expanding to the present Somali area of 1,518,604 square km. The sovereignty over the Somali area extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as to its bed and subsoil. These figures and this outline hopefully make it also clear to anybody what importance the marine waters have for the Somali people and the Somali nation and why many try to get their hands on them, thereby trying to push the indigenous Somali interests back. Anybody, who tries to diminish that Somali space on earth and the sphere of Somalia and the Somali people certainly can not be seen as a friend of Somalia and the Somalis, and – if a Somali – must be tried for treason, based on the Constitution of Somalia and the Transitional Federal Charter. The legal regime A) Somalia has Territorial waters of 200 nautical miles (nm) based on the Somali Law No. 37 on the Territorial Sea and Ports, of 10 September 1972. This law also states clearly: “Fishing in the territorial sea (i.e. 200nm) and regular transportation of persons and goods between Somali ports are reserved for vessels flying the Somali flag, and other authorized vessels (i.e. with a licence and permission duly authorized by the legitimate Somali Government – and not e.g. by a regional governance). It doesn’t matter that states like the USA do not like to recognize and/or respect that Somali Law, like they also try and pressure other states to give up their 200nm territorial waters, which were all established by acts of law, while the U.S.A. themselves have until today not even ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) especially for reasons of national sovereignty or security and pushed for alterations of provisions, which would otherwise curb their rights. Look, many peoples and states around the world do not like that the USA do not respect many international laws or conventions like the land-mine ban and a vast majority of peoples and states want that the USA abolishes US-national laws like those imposing and executing death sentences, arbitrary detentions etc. but nevertheless the USA apply these, their own laws in their territory. Likewise they have to at least tolerate that Somalia is applying its own laws in the Somali territory. The Americans would never give up an ounce of national sovereignty unless they thought they could win it back- along with a little chunk of the sovereignty of other states within the same organization. Just look at the farce of the Organization of American States. The plan was to cow the countries of Latin America and Canada into a neo-imperial arrangement with US-America as the core and the rest of the two continents of North and South America as the economic periphery- dependent on US-American patronage to maintain export-oriented primary industry-focused economies. Disgustingly parasitic of the United States of America, but crudely efficient at dominating the world for the past 60 years, this regime persisted. It was the USA, who was the first country to expand its territorial waters beyond the common idea of the old-world states, which had claimed since the medieval times only 3 nautical miles (the distance where it could be enforced by a canon-shot from land) as their territory on the sea. Using the customary international law principle of a nation’s right to protect its natural resources, U.S. President Truman in 1945 extended United States control to all the natural resources of its continental shelf. Other nations were quick to follow suit. Between 1946 and 1950, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador extended their rights to a distance of 200 nautical miles to cover their Humboldt Current fishing grounds. Other nations extended their territorial seas to 12 nautical miles. By 1967, only 25 nations still used the old three-mile limit, while 66 nations had set a 12-mile territorial limit and eight had set – like Somalia then in 1972 – a 200-mile limit. As of May 28, 2008, only two countries still use the three-mile limit: Jordan and Palau. That limit is also used in certain Australian islands, an area of Belize, some Japanese straits, certain areas of Papua New Guinea, and a few British Overseas Territories, such as Anguilla. The visionary expansion of the territorial seas to 200 nm by Somalia and other states therefore has the same legitimacy and – though maybe belittled in today’s piracy worlds – it is also an expression of taking responsibility. Notwithstanding the present deplorable state of Somalia’s security, the vision that the Somali people would have again the strength to fulfil their responsibility to govern the Somali Seas to at least a distance of 200nm from the Somali shores should, must and cannot be neglected. The Somali Law No. 37 also governs the so-called “innocent passage” of foreign merchant vessels, which only can be seen as permitted innocent passage, if the state whose flag the vessel is flying is recognized by Somalia and if the Somali authorities acknowledge, i.e. have at least been made aware and raised no objection to the passage. Illegal weapons transports like done by MV FAINA, French research vessels prospecting for oil or foreign-flagged vessels fishing illegally in Somali waters certainly have violated also this basic Somali law governing the Somali Seas, whereby the territorial provisions in the Gulf of Aden must be seen as extending towards the line piding the Gulf of Aden 50/50 with Somalia’s “over-seas” neighbour Yemen, which is why the internationally protected shipping corridor runs on the Yemeni side of the Gulf of Aden, though it had not been really agreed between Yemen and the international community. Article 10 of the Somali Law No. 37 also stipulates since 1972: “Foreign warships are not allowed to pass through the territorial sea (i.e 200 nm) unless they are authorized by the Somali Government”. That was and is the rule, was internationally respected and enforced from 1972 until 1991 and is still valid until today – despite the temporary, occupational rules made by the UN Security Council. However, a non-existing letter, allegedly signed by former TFG president Abdullahi Yussuf, or the illegally signed later version – signed by the non-Somali Ould-Abdallah, who anyway held no Somali governmental powers – , certainly do not bear any legal significance concerning any such “permissions” or requests, which makes the present occupation of the Somali water territory by the naval armada likewise illegal. Though everybody clearly agrees that piracy has to end and sees the necessity to curb piracy and other crimes on the High Seas – as well as inside the Somali territorial waters-, one has to realize that one injustice can not be curbed with another injustice, while it has become clear meanwhile to anybody that piracy deriving from the Somali coasts and maritime crime committed by Somalis can not be exterminated by a naval armada violating the rights and sovereignty of Somalia and the Somali people. Law are made and should be enforced to avert and fight injustices, but not to create new injustices. B) Somalia has an Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 nm (based on UNCLOS, the United Nations Common Law of the Sea derived from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Somalia was one of the first 40 signatories and which had been ratified by the Somali parliament on 24. July 1989 – five years before the required number of countries signed on to make it applicable. The Convention came into force on 16 November 1994 and thereby is binding now for all signatory states – even if they would not have recognized any of the subsequent Somali governments after the 06. January 1991. Even when certain flag-states argued that there would be no “legitimate and recognized Somali Government” in Somalia, this does not mean that the legal regime of persisting national legislation and the relevant international laws – like UNCLOS – concerning the Somali waters would no longer be applicable. It is very simple to understand: If you knock on a door of a house, which is not yours, and nobody welcomes you inside, you certainly do not have the right to enter, just because nobody answers you. Likewise, if e.g. the captain of a fishing vessel would want to enter the Somali waters and believes that it would not be necessary to have the permission required by national or international law, because the flag-state of the vessel hadn’t recognized the legitimacy of a given Somali governance or simply nobody would respond to the request to be allowed to enter, he would be certainly wrong, and that vessel has to stay outside the Somali waters – no matter what. It doesn’t matter that certain states and groups repeatedly try to create the impression that Somalia would not have an EEZ, because they just play the argument that the relevant maps are not shown on the UN website. The Somali government had declared its EEZ (the legal protection and recognition of the rights and interests of the Somalis in their waters of 200nm by the international law actually was the only reason to sign on) and the relevant charts were in Mogadishu and also with the UN offices before the war – so where are they now??? It certainly is not the fault of the Somalis, if the UN misplaces them. However, the key issue here is that Somalia did declare its EEZ based on and together with its signature and ratification of UNCLOS in 1989 – but ALWAYS: “Notwithstanding the regulations based on Somali Law No. 37″, which stipulates that not only the Somali rights based on UNCLOS and the Somali EEZ, but also the further Somali rights based on the Somali Law on the Sea have to be respected. The concept of the EEZ can not and should not be tried to be misused to diminish the rights of Somalia concerning its waters. C) Somalia has a Continental Shelf Zone of 350 nm , based on international law and Somalia’s claim documented and handed in by Somalia on 17 April 2009 to the UN and the International Seabed Authority before the deadline of 13 May 2009. The establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles is the right of all coastal States under international law. That there again might be issues how the law will be used and interpreted to elaborate binding agreements concerning specific boundaries – like in the case of Socotra – is notwithstanding to the fact that the boundaries e.g. between Kenya and Somalia or between Djibouti and Somalia have been and are clear since Somalia signed and ratified UNCLOS in 1989. Attempts to bend or alter such by – legally anyway irrelevant – memoranda, which like in the case of Kenya were instigated by Norwegian interests, should be a warning. The Somali Sovereignty, marine and maritime rights While the African Union and states like Indonesia, Germany etc. respect the Somali Law of the Sea and the Somali EEZ, countries like Spain or Italy only respect this legal regime just indirectly by having told their (state-flagged) vessels to stay out of the 200nm waters of Somalia (while Spanish or Italian owned vessels flying flags of convenience – like many others – continued fish-poaching in the Somali waters). But even states like France, who tried at first to maintain the line that since the UNCLOS-EEZ maps would not be shown on the UNCLOS website (a simple omission which should have been rectified since long) and therefore Somalia would not have an EEZ, has by a declaration of their president Nicolas Sarcozy – given during a meeting in Libya – officially stated that now also France would respect the 200nm zone of Somalia. The fact that the European Union (the conglomerate of old-world countries) shares its economic zones was a big reason is their problem and does not affect Somalia, but was interestingly the reason, why Norway itself did not enter the EU as a member. But what Norway (and other players like the EU and IMO) try to manifest now and here with the “re-establishment” of the Somali EEZ and their unwarranted “help” is not only to follow the line set by the USA, which would force the Somalis to abolish the Somali Law on the Sea and its 200nm territorial waters, but also that all the cases, which have been documented over the last 20 years as a clear violation of the Somali Law governing the 200 nm Somali territorial waters as well as the provisions set by UNCLOS and the Somali EEZ shall and would be brushed under the carpet and forgotten, because if Somalia and Somalis would get tired of that persistent game and say “ok, then just do it again” all the cases of clear violations of the existing legislation since 20 years – during which Somalia hardly could defend its rights – would be thrown out with one stoke of a pen, because it would be argued that this – newly done – “formal establishment of an EEZ” would manifest that there had been no 200nm EEZ before, which is simply not true. Many of you and some of our members were present in Mogadishu in the years before 1991 and they are still living as key witnesses to events, when delegation after delegation from other countries tried to coerce or convince the Siad Barre government to do away with the Somali Law on the Sea and its 200nm provisions, because they wanted unhindered access to the Somali waters and resources – alas the former government remained strong and did not give in. As a matter of fact, the Laws of the Sea of states like Somalia, Peru etc. actually did give reason to the international community to realize that it would be a good idea to have the adjacent marine waters governed by the coastal states to which they belong, and that gave rise to the legal provisions found today in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the basic idea of creating a 200nm Exclusive Economic Zone for all coastal states, and to make provisions even for those who hadn’t declared a 200nm zone yet. To turn this now around and actually against one of the founder nations of such a regime must be seen as an outrageous act of aggression. Today, after 20 years of civil war, and while the Somali governance and the Somali population – which never in Somali history has been so weak and vulnerable as right now – is in distress, the outside forces believe they have an ideal moment to press for such twisting of legal history and these pseudo-alterations again – solely in their own, foreign interest. Let us not forget that the only interest the Norwegian state machinery has in Somalia are the potential oil reserves and fisheries, and especially concerning the off-shore oil-concessions they believe that they could get an added advantage over e.g. the French, who had secret contracts concerning off-shore drilling in the Somali waters already. That the Norwegians actually did help to beat the deadline 13 May 2009, which the International Seabed Authority had set for the declaration of interests in the CSZ, should not lead to a situation, where Somalis could be blindfolded to give up other rights, like it was tried with the rather confusing signing of that (meanwhile revoked) Memorandum of Understanding between Somali and Kenyan politicians on the – until then and based on UNCLOS clear, undisputed – boundary between Somalia and Kenya in timely and legal connection with the claim on the 350nm seabed rights of Somalia. Though with the new 350 nm continental shelf regulations further Somali rights have been manifested, this should not lead to a situation where an expansion of certain, limited rights is traded in for a weakening of core-rights in the rear. That especially the USA is not happy with states, which based on international and national law can refute the US-Navy from sailing right up to the shores of a sovereign state is clear and was recently manifested by a near-deadly stand-off between China and the USA in the South-China Sea. Likewise Indonesia’s UN delegate stated at the UN that the South-East Asian nation had joined Security Council efforts only to address the piracy incidents off the Somali coast by adopting Council resolutions 1816, 1836 and 1846, but stressed that while those texts tackled the scenario unfolding off the besieged coast, they must not affect the rights, obligations or responsibility of Member States under international law, which first and foremost is to respect the sovereignty of a nation – here Somalia – in the first place. Somalia has a 200nm zone of territorial waters, like the recognized nation states of Benin, Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, El Salvador, Liberia and Peru. In Peru these provisions are even enshrined in the constitution. Such Maritime Dominion and the right to exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction should not be given up by Somalia, especially also because the 1952 Santiago Declaration in its preamble affirms that “governments are bound to ensure for their peoples the access to necessary food supplies and to furnish them with the means of developing their economy”. The declaration also affirms how the economic zone should extend no less than 200 miles from the coast. The 1970 Declaration of the Latin American States on the law of the sea further added that the decision to extend the jurisdiction beyond the former territorial sea limits is a consequence of “the dangers and damage resulting from indiscriminate and abusive practices in the extraction of marine resources” as well as the “utilization of the marine environment” giving rise to “grave dangers of contamination of the waters and disturbance of the ecological balance”. The respectfully, wisely and in a sustainable as well as socially acceptable way used natural resources of Somalia’s seas are the only sound assets left for a prosperous future of the Somali people, which is why even the African Union already during the 90′s and at the Maputo and Cape Town conferences on the coastal development of Africa already clearly and expressedly urged the world to respect the Somali EEZ of 200nm. Anybody saying now that Somalia has no EEZ slaps not only the Somali people but also all nations of the African Union straight into the face. Let us beware of Norwegian wolves or their Somali-”counterpart” Warabe appearing in the skin of an Ido and pretending to be a friend. Let us stand and stay strong in defending the sovereignty of Somalia as a whole as well as defending Somalia’s territory including the waters and all of Somalia’s natural resources. That we might have to go through a phase of sorting out our internal issues by strengthening regional and local governances first in order to regain our former unity, well, these are issues of our internal affairs and do not affect the internationally relevant legal provisions, must not give reason to disrespect our commons or shall not weaken our common defence against any outside aggressor. The so-called international community has to first and foremost respect Somalia’s sovereignty and laws before they can be accepted as friends on a peoples-by-peoples and state-by-state basis – even when we are down on our knees and have to beg sometimes for help. But gifts in form of Trojan horses must be rejected and those colluding with such scams must be seen as that what they are: Traitors and enemies of the Somali people! Please spread this to all honest Somalis – all over the world. Salaams Dr. Abdulkadir Salad Elmi abdialidiriye@gmail.com

Say what you want to say about any of the governments pre-1991, they all understood the importance of having a exclusive maritime zone, and all rejected previous attempts to take away what's rightfully ours, or atleast what rightfully belongs to future generations. There are currently powerful forces at work setting in motion the machinations to reduce Somalia's territorial waters from 200 nautical miles to 12 nautical miles. Main powers at work are also the biggest perpetrators of marine theft in Somali waters i.e France, Japan and Spain, the reduction to 12 nautical miles would prevent a future established Somali government from persecuting these countries at the UN and receiving reparations. On a similar note, representatives from shady European powers are trying to force Somalia while its weak to cement its maritime borders with Kenya, with the former country losing out big time in terms of natural resources, you can't negotiate with economic predators, nobody here would accept a contract that would give them a Blackberry but take away from them their house and car. Take note that none of the countries currently contributing to the naval task force (to prevent Piracy) actually have the intention to help Somalia re-establish it's navy, they clearly prefer the current status quo, because a Somali navy would render their own presence obsolete, and hence their influence would go with it. Commonwealth experts help Kenya prepare for maritime boundary negotiations with Somalia Clear boundaries will have important implications for maritime security, shipping, environmental protection, fishing and offshore resource exploration The Commonwealth Secretariat is assisting the Government of the Republic of Kenya to prepare for maritime boundary negotiations with Somalia. Establishing clear maritime boundaries with Somalia will have important implications for maritime security, shipping, environmental protection, fishing and offshore resource exploration in the region. The assistance follows the successful lodgement of Kenya’s extended continental shelf submission in 2009, and focuses on building knowledge and expertise concerning the delimitation of maritime boundaries. As part of the project, a workshop for government officials was delivered by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s maritime boundary specialists. The workshop was opened by the Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Professor George Saitoti MP, and hosted by the Kenyan Solicitor-General, Wanjuki Muchemi. The workshop was also attended by several departmental heads as well as other senior officials, academics and business figures, and drew substantial media attention. Paul Hibberd, who leads the Kenya project, praised the commitment of the government in supporting the workshop. “Reaching agreement on the boundary with Somalia will be critical to securing Kenya’s territorial integrity. It also opens up opportunities for the future sustainable development of the country,” said Mr Hibberd. “The support of all government agencies in preparing for and conducting negotiations will be essential to maximising the strength of Kenya’s negotiating position.” The Secretariat’s participation at this workshop drew praise from the Kenyan Government, including at the recently concluded Senior Law Officials Meeting held at Marlborough House, in London, where the Secretariat outlined the recent achievements of the maritime boundaries programme. - Source

No I found it like that on a forum, did you see something you like? btw: This member is not accepting private messages. LOL She hits you as fast as she disappears.

These f^%%%%%%$££$^%^&* :mad: m$%%$£"$& :mad: Somali militants execute 2 girls as spies; town horrified MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia's most powerful Islamist insurgents, al-Shabab, executed two girls Wednesday after deciding they were spies, officials and witnesses said. The two girls — one 18, the other 15 — were shot by firing squad in the town of Belet Weyne, in western Somalia, near the border with Ethiopia, witnesses said. Pickup trucks with big loudspeakers drove into the town, ordering the residents to watch the execution. Residents were also told to switch off their cellphones and warned not to take pictures. An al-Shabab official in the town, Sheik Yusuf Ali Ugas, said, "The two girls were found guilty of spying for the Ethiopian government." Relatives of Ayan Mohamed Jama, 18, and Huriyo Ibrahim, 15, said they were uneducated, usually stayed at home and could not have spied for anyone. Al-Shabab is linked to al-Qaida and has carried out whippings, amputations and executions to enforce its own strict interpretation of Islam. As the two teens, wearing veils and blindfolds, were mowed down with assault rifles, they shouted "There is no God but Allah," said a witness who asked not to be identified. Ethiopia invaded Somalia in 2006 to oust an Islamist movement that had taken control of much of the country, including the capital, Mogadishu. Thousands of Ethiopian soldiers remained for three years, and some Somali government forces fighting al-Shabab in the Belet Weyne area are still supported by the Ethiopian government. The Somali transitional federal government condemned the execution, saying the two girls had not been given the right to a legal defense, nor had their parents been informed. Material from The Associated Press is included in this report. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013287235_somalia29.html

United Foreheads of Bladland.

Well said, Juxa! Aaliyyah, lol, you sound like those Korean fangirls who cry in the comment section of every Korean melodrama movie circulating on Youtube. You cry that easily?, me it would take a relative/friend's death for me to cry, lakiin a simple song? lol nope!

If Somalia only had a patriotic government we would be out of this predicament in no time. This government would inspire a patriotic Somali military and police force providing security and stability, and then: Originally posted by Somali Psycho: Somalia will be the dark horse in future Africa, the phoenix that everybody dismissed, only for the phoenix to surpass them in the span of a few years: quote: How Somalia Thrives Amid Anarchy To the surprise of many, there are numerous sectors of Somalia’s economy that have remained robust or have turned better than they were before the war. This is the Somalia you don’t get to read about. Even more striking is the fact that a number of these sectors are more upbeat than those of the neighboring countries that have enjoyed relative peace. One of the economic areas enjoying robust growth amid the volatility in the country is trade. Abdullahi Abdi is a shop owner in Mall 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He specializes in selling imported clothing and shoes. A citizen of Somalia, Abdi makes frequent journeys to his homeland to visit with his parents and siblings and clinch deals for his businesses in Somalia. He also runs retail outlets in Kenya. Part of the businesses he runs in Somalia and Kenya include selling apparel, which he and his family import from the Middle East and Far East Asian countries. The seasoned businessman told Afrika News that while both countries have vast markets, profits are larger in Somalia than in Kenya. While Somalia has not known peace for close to two decades, Kenya has never been in turmoil since independence from Britain 43 years ago. "There is a good market in Kenya, but the taxes levied on imported goods such as clothing and electronics are unbearably high. Somalia, on the other hand, is a free port that levies no taxes on goods. This makes commodities cheaper in Somalia,” said Abdi. A pair of pants that costs two or three U.S. dollars in Somalia would cost double that amount in Kenya after tax. In addition, rampant corruption among police and immigration officials in Kenya who demand kickbacks for clearance of Abdi’s wares guarantee a rise in costs, which necessitates the hiking of prices “If you understand the system, there is a friendlier investment environment in Somalia than in Kenya or Ethiopia,” said Abdi. Another sector that has survived the war and thrived beyond expectation is communication. It is one section of the economy that Somalia is well ahead of its neighbors, including Kenya-the strongest economy in the Eastern Africa region. In November 2004, the BBC website reported that it takes only three days for a customer to get a fixed line phone in Somalia while it takes years to get the same service in Kenya. Abdullahi Black, a journalist with Mogadishu-based Somali-language Tifatiraha Wargeyska Ayamaha daily says that fixed line calls within Mogadishu are free while it costs 10 cents to call a cellular phone. In Kenya, there are no free phone calls, mobile telephone calls on the other hand cost up to 75 U.S. cents a minute. Also, internet service providers are rushing in to cut their piece of the Somali pie. “The cyber cafes in Somalia are charging less than 30 U.S. cents for an entire hour,” adds Black. This is in contrast to Kenya and other countries in the region where internet services cost twice as much. The vast numbers of businesses are in a huge mall located in the heart of the city called Suuqa Bakaraha. Sahal Abdille, a Somali-American photojournalist in Mogadishu, said a new development after the civil war is the establishment of the city's biggest shopping complex. This mega structure, which covers more than a square mile, houses hundreds of stores ranging from clothing stores, restaurants, financial institutions and telecommunications outlets,” Abdille said. “And like many other malls around the world, it runs all day.” Many observers have pointed the success of Somalia to the big and largely patriotic Somali Diaspora community which they say has played a big role in keeping this country’s economy booming. It has kept in touch with its people back home calling and sending money using a highly effective traditional banking and money wiring system called Hawala. Many members of the community living abroad, especially in Western and Middle-Eastern countries, are the source of livelihood to their relatives at home. A money wiring agent in Mall 24, Minneapolis, MN, who requested anonymity said he is usually busy throughout the day helping Somalis send money back home. "I serve people sending money to Somalia daily. The Somali community living in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul alone sends money running into thousands of dollars to their relatives in Somalia and other parts of the world each day,” he says. The businessman said that on an average week, he helps send between $60,000 and $ 80,000 to Somalia. In a month, he helps transfer between $1.8 to 2.4 million. However, he said that his Hawala is relatively new and he doesn’t have as much customers as the more established ones do. He said there are Hawala networks which send up to two hundred thousand dollars in just a week. Unlike other services, money-wiring can extend to the remotest villages in Somalia, a trade many of Somalia neighbors are yet to muster. Perhaps even more intriguing is the speed with which the money is received. “If money is sent from Minneapolis today, the receiver can collect it the following day even in the remotest villages in Somalia,” he adds. Furthermore, the Hawala money wiring system is cheaper than other international money wiring services with a $100 costing a paltry $5 and $50 costs $2.50 to send. Regarded as one of the most dangerous countries in the world, where institutions of governance collapsed for years, Somalis have devised a way of making the very best out of a bad situation. It makes one wonder whether a lawless nation may be what some parts of Africa may just need to deliver affordable goods and services to their people. http://afrikanews.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=26

Some issues the Private sector should focus on: - Literacy rate to atleast 65% (special attention to the enrollment of girls). - Electrification rate to atleast 50%. - Construction of a Satelitte city somewhere on the peninsula to attract investment - Zeila, Ras Hafun or Ras Kamboni are good contenders. - Establish a transnational Somali Stock Exchange. - Construction of many hospitals with maternity departments serving new mothers and their babbies.

Somalia will be the dark horse in future Africa, the phoenix that everybody dismissed, only for the phoenix to surpass them in the span of a few years: How Somalia Thrives Amid Anarchy To the surprise of many, there are numerous sectors of Somalia’s economy that have remained robust or have turned better than they were before the war. This is the Somalia you don’t get to read about. Even more striking is the fact that a number of these sectors are more upbeat than those of the neighboring countries that have enjoyed relative peace. One of the economic areas enjoying robust growth amid the volatility in the country is trade. Abdullahi Abdi is a shop owner in Mall 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He specializes in selling imported clothing and shoes. A citizen of Somalia, Abdi makes frequent journeys to his homeland to visit with his parents and siblings and clinch deals for his businesses in Somalia. He also runs retail outlets in Kenya. Part of the businesses he runs in Somalia and Kenya include selling apparel, which he and his family import from the Middle East and Far East Asian countries. The seasoned businessman told Afrika News that while both countries have vast markets, profits are larger in Somalia than in Kenya. While Somalia has not known peace for close to two decades, Kenya has never been in turmoil since independence from Britain 43 years ago. "There is a good market in Kenya, but the taxes levied on imported goods such as clothing and electronics are unbearably high. Somalia, on the other hand, is a free port that levies no taxes on goods. This makes commodities cheaper in Somalia,” said Abdi. A pair of pants that costs two or three U.S. dollars in Somalia would cost double that amount in Kenya after tax. In addition, rampant corruption among police and immigration officials in Kenya who demand kickbacks for clearance of Abdi’s wares guarantee a rise in costs, which necessitates the hiking of prices “If you understand the system, there is a friendlier investment environment in Somalia than in Kenya or Ethiopia,” said Abdi. Another sector that has survived the war and thrived beyond expectation is communication. It is one section of the economy that Somalia is well ahead of its neighbors, including Kenya-the strongest economy in the Eastern Africa region. In November 2004, the BBC website reported that it takes only three days for a customer to get a fixed line phone in Somalia while it takes years to get the same service in Kenya. Abdullahi Black, a journalist with Mogadishu-based Somali-language Tifatiraha Wargeyska Ayamaha daily says that fixed line calls within Mogadishu are free while it costs 10 cents to call a cellular phone. In Kenya, there are no free phone calls, mobile telephone calls on the other hand cost up to 75 U.S. cents a minute. Also, internet service providers are rushing in to cut their piece of the Somali pie. “The cyber cafes in Somalia are charging less than 30 U.S. cents for an entire hour,” adds Black. This is in contrast to Kenya and other countries in the region where internet services cost twice as much. The vast numbers of businesses are in a huge mall located in the heart of the city called Suuqa Bakaraha. Sahal Abdille, a Somali-American photojournalist in Mogadishu, said a new development after the civil war is the establishment of the city's biggest shopping complex. This mega structure, which covers more than a square mile, houses hundreds of stores ranging from clothing stores, restaurants, financial institutions and telecommunications outlets,” Abdille said. “And like many other malls around the world, it runs all day.” Many observers have pointed the success of Somalia to the big and largely patriotic Somali Diaspora community which they say has played a big role in keeping this country’s economy booming. It has kept in touch with its people back home calling and sending money using a highly effective traditional banking and money wiring system called Hawala. Many members of the community living abroad, especially in Western and Middle-Eastern countries, are the source of livelihood to their relatives at home. A money wiring agent in Mall 24, Minneapolis, MN, who requested anonymity said he is usually busy throughout the day helping Somalis send money back home. "I serve people sending money to Somalia daily. The Somali community living in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul alone sends money running into thousands of dollars to their relatives in Somalia and other parts of the world each day,” he says. The businessman said that on an average week, he helps send between $60,000 and $ 80,000 to Somalia. In a month, he helps transfer between $1.8 to 2.4 million. However, he said that his Hawala is relatively new and he doesn’t have as much customers as the more established ones do. He said there are Hawala networks which send up to two hundred thousand dollars in just a week. Unlike other services, money-wiring can extend to the remotest villages in Somalia, a trade many of Somalia neighbors are yet to muster. Perhaps even more intriguing is the speed with which the money is received. “If money is sent from Minneapolis today, the receiver can collect it the following day even in the remotest villages in Somalia,” he adds. Furthermore, the Hawala money wiring system is cheaper than other international money wiring services with a $100 costing a paltry $5 and $50 costs $2.50 to send. Regarded as one of the most dangerous countries in the world, where institutions of governance collapsed for years, Somalis have devised a way of making the very best out of a bad situation. It makes one wonder whether a lawless nation may be what some parts of Africa may just need to deliver affordable goods and services to their people. http://afrikanews.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=26

Intended to be a short story, not finished though.

My Bladland brother is right, Mr Libaahe you have shown nothing that backs the aforementioned claims you made. Agreeing to ease tensions is not the same as 'signing off'. If this was the case, the current border wouldn't be stippled.

You racist! I have a story about a notorious Somali poacher known for catching exotic animals across Africa for money. He makes a lucrative contract, with a rich Chinese owner of the Beijing Museum, for the capture of the mysterious beauty that is the Maltese Tiger:

Aaliyah seriously we have been in the "One day Somalia will be..." boat for only 4/5 years, our optimisim is still skyhigh, but imagine you were in that boat since 1993? I've seen many and their souls are decomposing, these individuals you saw in the video, their souls will decompose in 2020 because all of them are waiting and not doing anything at all to change the situation. If one man like Wasuge can establish a system that allows ten thousand Somali children to go to school, imagine if there were ten more of his type, that would mean one hundred thousand Somali children going to school, imagine a hundred Wasuge types, that would mean one million Somali children having a chance to go to school. How big is our diaspora? Exactly!

Where is the literature that would corroborate the above claims?

I wonder why Siad Barre never attempted to take that little piece of rock. He had a strong army of united Somali men and women. One squadron of Migs from Hargeisa and a navy backed battalion from Kismayu could have easily secured this place. Yemen was in little pieces because of their civil war, wax ma sameenikareen back then.

True sis. Safari restaurant, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia

Safari Express, Minnesota - USA Safari Express success The proprietors of Safari, the Midwest’s most adventurous African restaurant, have opened a spin-off in the Midtown Global Market. Safari Express offers fast food based on the innovative menu of the original Eat Street location, but with its own signature style. The new restaurant is a buffet serving much of the eclectic menu popularized by Sad-e Hashi when he opened the original Safari on Nicollet and 15th Street in 2000. Safari quickly gained notice by adding a gourmet touch to East African dishes. Safari Express is the brainchild of younger brother Jamal Hashi, who has worked alongside Sad-e the past several years. “I got the idea in 2004 on a visit to Europe,” said Jamal. “I was in Stockholm, Sweden, and there was this amazing international bazaar. I thought Safari would really fit a mix like that, and when Midtown Exchange opened, I knew I had to get in there.” And get in there the Hashis did, with considerable help from the African Development Center. ADC provided training, extensive technical assistance and financing over the past two years to help launch Safari Express, its fifth client business to open inside the Midtown Global Market. That opening came in mid-September of 2006, after much anticipation. Jamal acknowledges that he had hoped to open in June, catching the wave of the Midtown Global Market’s grand opening. However, the financing and construction came together slower than anticipated. “Challenges like that are what teach you,” Jamal said. “You’ve got to expect the unexpected. Adapt.” He said traffic was brisk during Safari Express’ first week. At one recent dinner hour, the restaurant had a steady stream of customers, Jamal’s outgoing personality drawing people in, and the food — including a Safari Express signature dish called “green chokula” — bringing them back. Mr. Jamal Hashi is serving one of his clients “It’s different, it’s new,” Jamal says of people’s interest in Safari Express. “I think when you open a restaurant you need to ask yourself, ‘Why should people eat at here?’ For Safari Express, it’s the uniqueness. For most people, we’re exotic because we’re serving African fare, but even then we have a twist because we have our own taste that adds new flavor to traditional recipes.” Indeed, with its fusion of ethnic dishes and a contemporary style, Safari Express has the catchy menu and brand awareness that has launched other immigrant-owned start-ups on Lake Street into local chains. Two such expanding brands, Manny’s Tortas and La Loma Tamales, are Jamal’s neighbors in the Midtown Global Market. Jamal says proximity to other growth-oriented entrepreneurs is one of the perks of being part of the market. “It’s great meeting these guys and hearing their stories,” he said. “They’ve walked in my shoes, and I take inspiration from what they’ve done.” Jamal said Safari Express has five employees on its busiest shift. He himself is a constant presence, working from 7 am to 9 pm every day, a schedule made a bit easier because he lives upstairs in an apartment at the Midtown Exchange. http://www.adcminnesota.org/page/success-stories/safari-express

You think with all that trashing I received for my Af Somaali I wouldn't learn? Safari Restaurant, Australia

^Is it true when they say, all you need is just love, Is it true? What about those who have loved Only to find that it's taken away And why do they say that the children have rights to be free, To be free What about those who I've known Whose memory still lives inside of me. Aaliyah, What did the Young Man say Before he stole you away On that fateful day Aaliyah Aaliyah, Did he know your name Or the plans we made, To go to New York City, Aaliyah -

Originally posted by The Zack: Dabshid, I once went to this restaurant in Nashville and we had to walk out War magacaacka Maqaayada Soomaali ha jibiniin sxb. Fiiri Reer Shiinaha iyo cuuntadooda badda ka iimaatay, malayka tobban iil uu heesankara lakiin wey iska amuustan nonetheless. Cuun waxii la ku sameeyay warya!

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar: Best visual restaurant I had seen waa maqaayada Idman in London, Ingiriiska. I hope its cunto as appealing as its interior design. Oehhhhhhh that is just sexy.

Yep first child, he found a good IT job not long after his daughter was born, so he is alright. and I didn't mean all married people, why are you so defensive? Did you get hitched during your absence here, and forgot to tell us about it? mmmmmmmm....Bladland detectives need to be called in.