Yaabka, Bro, Richard Florida has written on the subject of the creative economy where he argues that Tolerance, Technology and Talent have characterised the economies of those countries that have fared well. Guess what? According to him the USA is losing its position. This stance has been condemned!! Í will inform you when an article submitted in this regard is published. The so called knowledge economy thesis is also under scrutiny. It assumes that knowledge is a lever of competition. Wasn't it so always? argues the critics! I am not quite sure of what you mean base economy. Do you mean natural resource based economy??? If this what you mean, then you may have read about the resource curse paradigm (ISSEH is good at this). The problem with the economies of African economies (generalising) has been argued to be based on resource exploitation; where there are no value chains. Australian economy is also the same. As a consequence of the chinese economic boom, the so called resource curse (ala Sachs and Warner, Auty) etc appear not to hold!! I think we need to define what we mean by entrepreneurial; I often opt to define it using Joseph Schumpeter (when he argued that capitalism will fail if it does not renew itself), Those who bring innovations, new combinations; incremental to the market place; On the other hand, many assume that entrepreneurialism is about small business formation. India has been a capitalist society where the incentive to innovate were high. There was no government restrictions on ownership, Chinese economy was a communist one. The irony is that the once closed economy of China is what is driving the global economy! The notion that china makes inferior products; competes in the lower end is a fallacy. In fact chinese firms are more innovative than many other firms around the globe. if you think that ICT soft ware is high tech while every other is low-tech then we have a problem. To sum, the chinese economy is defying every word in economic textbooks. It wouldn't surprise me if chines becomes the lingua franca of the world. Ps. A few years back there was this american who wrote a book entitled something like "The myth of the chinese growth". Today this book has become the laughing stock of the academic community.

Yaabka, The chinese economy was a closed one less than 10 years ago. The Indian economy was always entrepreneurial. Almost every stylised facts show that the chinese economy is what is driving global demand. The Indian economy is not growing at the same rate. ICT based economy is a knowledge economy that benefits a few. In addition ICT soft ware is nothing if does not suppport other industries. You have perhaps Silicon valley in mind when you are claiming ICT soft ware is a lever of development. The reason why ICT applications have favoured the Californian economy (by the way ICT is not where most ppl are employed) is because of customers in other sectors (for instance the defence industry). Indeed India has other industries. As other sectors, this industry is protected. It is still difficult to invest in India. I have recently been to china (and I have also visited India)and there are striking differences. Chinese entrepreneurs are in every part of the economy. Universities are filled to teeth. Chinese exports are flooding the globe. The chinese companies compete globally. They have R&D facilities in every part of the world. The chinese have the ability to ensure the crash of the US economy if they wanted. What about global competitiveness of India. Indeed in ICT software they are doing well but that alone will ensure prosperity. A few weeks ago, the economist addressed this issue!!!

Endeavour, Yes, he was a somali- and he lives in the US. On the doucmentary they showed his picture (scars on every part of his body) and his face now. If tribalism could be equated with HIV, I will say there is still hope. In many European countries aids is like any other disease. Tribalism will die insha allah but you and I might not be present that day. I have a theory that it is going to end; when somalis who were born in the diaspora understand the primitive nature of this cancer; when the wadaados stop misintepreting the quran to eat a free lunch;

Yaabka, The Indians have had more than 50 years to get their economy right- and it is only with the IT boom that it is doing well. By any measurement, Indian is still a poor country (read uneven) although there has been substantial growth in the last 7-10 years. This growth was also seen in almost every country on earth ( African nations, like Uganda, Kenya and north Africa have had a GDP growth rate that exceeds that of india!!!). There are indeed several institutional defiencies including the social cohesion, class etc. There are still some restrictions on FDI; a huge government, poverty etc An economy solely based on riping ICT soft ware is bound to crush. This is not a tradeble product that is value added!!!!! On the contrary the chinese economy is based on many spheres. It is a natural resourse based economy, consumerism and very hetrogenous. ICT soft ware based economy should serve other sectors.

I like what I am reading but this sounds an enigma given the problems of somalia and somalis. Caamir, eebowgeey; The chinese economy has surpassed that of India. India has alot of catching up to do even though it was a capitalist based economy. What is driving the chinese economy is as you rightly said FDI- but also investments in infrastructure and the multiplier effects of government spending, FDI etc. Every year according to estimates there are about 4 million chinese who graduate (about 2m from engineering universities). The Indian economy has some institutional problems. It will never experience growth as China is doing. It is based on ICT (software)- and that is like laying all your eggs in one basket. As to somalis and economic development what we need is institutional building. In general (and that is perhaps true for every society) there is a reluctance on the part of somalis to pay taxes (I undertsnd those who live under dictatorship in Somalia) but there is no justification for somali businesses in Canada, UK and Europe. We need to change our mindset from being paid by the government- somalis are generally fond of earning easy money- mostly through corruptive practices. One of the major source of income for somalis in west nations is NGOs (call it Jaaliyad if u wish)- and that says alot. My humble opinion is that we need to go back to our roots (camel herding, farming and leave doing businesses to "our minorities). We should never strive to have a government. Experiences has shown that a government is an evil thing.

This must be one of the best news that I have read on Somalia!!!!! A few months ago I was watching a documentary about small pox. Apparently the last person on earth who was diagonised and survived from smallpox was a somali. I think he was a primary school teacher (1975?) and he was paraded in Mogadishu to the world press. The dude lives in Ca in the US. The next disease to eradicate will be TB and Malaria... and Tribalism. and then somalia will survive insha allah

Northerner, mmm.. Could you tell us what is good about tribalism? I have read every book on the subject; I have talked to every tribalist on earth; I have consulted wadaadod iyo waranles. Somalia's only problem is TRIBALISM. Our tribe has become the god we worship. This is usually disguised as a region, a town, a village etc. Tribalism is eating the brain cells that we could use to think of a better life, a better county and a better people. The ONLY THING THAT IS GOOD ABOUT TRIBALISM IS TRIBALISM!

Caamir, where did you read that? any link? or is that waxaa la yiri news? Isseh, I was reading about the new citizenship rules that are in the making. Very worrying indeed,

I share your pessimistic view. Almost everyone somali wants to leave somalia; The so called educated are worse than tribal leaders; the wadaads give fuel to the hatred (they attempt to justify tribalism); on top of that every somali wants to become a president. The divisions are just too large to bridge. Unless we reverse the moral decay that has characterised our people peace is going to elude us. I have been also hopefull as many here portray but the moment I check websites (see the political section of SOL), I lose hope. I hope time proves me wrong but we are doomed to be those who love power, easy leaving, passive welfare earners, abusers of every word...

Addunyo Kudos=praise/fame given for achievment(in this case your bullseye analysis on the somali maligma). Somalia and many third world countries have the unfortunate task of imitating exogenous modes of governance/economic system/etc while abandoning their own. I am not that hopefull that I will live to see a vibrant somalia. I lost hope when I saw somalis who left somalis b4 the civil war- and ppl who grew up outside somalia having the same kind of mindset as the patients of war,hatred and tribalism. It seems that ( I am generalising) that there are no good somalis standing. Work, respect for rule of law/traditions and all other positive things are alien to the way somalis think. We are so much sold to the scientific socialism-ala somali way and expect to be spoon fed. Our academics, clergy and virtually everyone have a short term perspective on every kind of development. The future state of somalia- and its economic development (the thrust of this thread by Jaalle Isseh) rests on us (the living) but everywhere I turn, every somali I meet is a victim of "show me easy money". Soon we shall be a nation of "mashaqeystayaal" "arm chair politicians" etc. The economic development of future state of somalia should based on our historical traditions that have been abandoned; the right to property; mechanisms to offset abuses; hard work etc I have to rush because I have a flight to catch... p.s There was a fantastic thread by Isseh with the title of "lets abandon pastoralism and embrace farming" have a look at that thread

Aduun iyo aakhiro, KUDOS to thee! Sincerely, I don't think Somalis are mature enough to engage in nation building; accept the rule of the law and appreciate the importance of hard work. Our people are undergoing a transistion period; Many of us are still having the mindset of earning a living by having an office of power ( corruption, making easy money, shaxaad and af minshaarnimo). This is the legacy of turning camel herders, peasant farmers int urbanised elitism ( communism). Reer miyinimadii waan ka soo dhaqaaqnay reer magaalna maba gaarin. The future somali state should be started from zero. We may need a revolution to accomplish this. I am just back from an overseas trip and the somalis I meet everywhere appear to have abandoned WORK, the rule of law and morality (Moral decay). Even the somali clergy, intellectia are engaged in enhancing our moral decay.

http://www.iladaawo.com/video-tube/gabay6.html

I have been reading various articles on this issue. It seems that she is not stable. I wonder why the headlines shouldn't have read: " A mentally unstable woman stabbed a pilot" Instead, it is about somali this and somali that.

I have watched the first part. It is a moving film. Unfortunately, it is in English. It should be made into a DVD and distributed to every somali family in big cities across the world. I think they are four underlying problems to this issue and the many other issues that have affected our people. 1: The taboo; The birth rate among somalis. It seems that somalis are still caught up in the old of tradition of producing offsprings. It is not bad to have a large family- but one should think before dipping. Because of low education; false blv that more kids more welfare etc, somalis don't understand that kids come with a huge responsibility; there is no adeer, habaryar, abti and the whole village that raised the kids. 2: The Internet is proving to be a contributing factor; I have been told mothers and fathers alike spend much of their time logging on BAAL-TOOL before they can utter a word of english and the other languages. A parent has no idea to what their kids are upto when they are attending cyber fadhi ku dirir, cyber shukaansi and the rest of the evils. 3; Qaad; Qaad, qaad. This social drug is killing our society. Fathers sit hours munching. Mothers too! and the fourth issue; Our people have attended a school called making easy mother. It seems that we defy the basic logic of there is no free lunch. I know I might be generalising and that there are thousands of families whose kids are ok- but gang mentality is like a cancer. It will spread.

Originally posted by Sue: Interesting replies, well from the little I read. I wonder sometimes why we fall into to these obvious traps. Someone belittles Muslims and the silly actions of a minority by calling us all barbaric and we reply in just the way they expected. The prophet (SAW) lived amongst non Muslims peacefully and we can't do the same on a website. AFKAAGA MALAB LAGU SHUB. and the person who initiated the thread is maybe having a jolly good laugh at how somalis fall into the set trap. The one million camel question; if somalis feel this way for their faith (and claim to be muslims), then why the hell do they keep on killing each? I have a friend who claims that somalis are not muslims; they worship a god called qabiil. He may be right.

Xiin Faniin: HOME TO US????? KENYA has never been home to us. Somalis live in the NFD (their God granted homeland), where they are still called shiftas, waryaas, lete-kipande etc. That is an insult sxb. Jamaal; As you know bro, the NFDians don't blv that they are part of kenya. The so called election is a farce- and has always been the catalyst in tribal wars. The NFD is still marginalised; underdeveloped, human rights abuses are still rampant; various ACTS from the 1960,s are still in place to curtail basic rights. The whole of the NFD is under 40 years of emergency where rape; beatings, killings, false imprisonment etc are daily sights. Nothing has changed since the Wagalla ( over 2000 people perished), Garissa (thousands were killed in Garissa; hundreds of school girls were raped?, and malka re massacres (over 970 were murdered). On the contrary, because of the lack of a coherent somalia state, the NFD is slowly suffocated. Check this .. http://abjadxudayi.blogspot.com/2005/06/wagalla-massacre.html There are currently 68 roadblocks between Mandera and Garissa. Those that are "elected" are puppets kind of the somali ********** somali government. However, four somali MPS have tried to change things:The late Aabejanno and Ahmed Khalif (Ilaahey ha u naxriisto).Farah Moalim appears to be a great guy, let us wait and see whether he is willing to speak out. Billow Keerow was "beaten" by 1100 votes (He was a pan somalist). But I think he lost because he was talked about somaliweyn, islam and justice for the dead. Kibaki and Odinga waa dameer iyo labadiisa dhegood. It does not matter who comes to power , somalis and the NFD would remain a colony. Kibaki was the vice president when the massacres took place: Raili's dad was equally responsible in the sixties. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS INDEPENDENCE for the NFD i.e. North Eestern province, northern part of eastern province (moyale, Isiolo) and the northern part of coastal province. Read this from Reuters: "The process of vetting Kenyan-Somalis, Nubians and Kenyan Arabs ... is discriminatory and violates the principle of equal treatment," it said in its report. Members of these communities were often subjected to unusually lengthy checks by the authorities, it said. Officials often demanded to see alternative proofs of citizenship, like land titles or grandparents' IDs, even though this was not required by law, the commission said. "For a long time Muslims have been complaining about marginalisation. ... This report confirms the allegations ... the cries about victimisation are actually true," commissioner Hassan Omar Hassan told journalists. Mistreatment of Muslims had happened in Kenya for decades, the commission said, but had worsened since 2001 under the U.S. "war on terror" -- and it said officials sometimes used suspicions of terrorism to hold up the registration process. RIGGING CLAIMS Opposition challenger Raila Odinga has been at the forefront of those accusing President Mwai Kibaki's government of plotting to steal victory at the ballot box on Thursday. In his latest allegation, Odinga said some 20,000 police had been deployed in his Nairobi constituency to intimidate voters and rig the election in favour of his rival. The government denied it, saying extra police were deploying to all districts -- and that Odinga was not being singled out. Odinga has maintained a narrow lead in opinion polls over Kibaki, with less than a week to go before what are shaping up to be the closest polls yet in east Africa's biggest economy. Some 14 million of Kenya's 36 million people will be eligible to vote, and campaigning officially ends on Monday. Despite their widely different personalities and leadership styles -- Kibaki is seen as reserved while Odinga is outspoken -- the pair differ little on policy. Both are vowing to boost Kenya's economic growth, create jobs, tackle poverty and provide free secondary education. Civil society activists have accused both Kibaki's Party of National Unity and Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement of bribing voters and other electoral frauds, which both deny. In some areas -- particularly western Mount Elgon region and central Kuresoi -- the campaigns have been accompanied by violence forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. © Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved P.s I know I sound nostalgic and idealist but the NFD and somalis in Nairobi are treated as second class citizens.

Dabshidow, I agree 100%. But what is the solution? We are already the laughing stocks of communities in the west; viewed as a people not ripe enough to agree, live in peace and not fit to rule and ruled. That hurts isn't it? In my opinion there is something wrong with the god we worship (qabiil). We should castrate him; at least those of us who live outside somalia and who have an ounce of intellectual thinking should fight him. We have to question the foundations of the somali tribal tree.

Eebowgeey, Waa runtaa laakin Lane iyo Enron, Worldcom iyo kuwa kale sidaasi iima xanuunsiyaan. There are not our flesh and blood. If a system cannot be used (abused) it is not a system. Why don't you blame her for what she did? She is guilty of a crime (a heinous one) because she thought she will get a free lunch. This kind of behaviour is why our people are not achieving any progress. In her case, she has shamed us (she claimed to be related to the great Abdirashid Ali sharmarke- whose name she has tarnished). THAT ALONE SHOULD HAVE discouraged her. People should earn their money instead of fraud. I hope she gets life in prisonment for bringing the name of sharmarke into a mess; and for setting a bad example to somalis.

A sad story. She is a fraudster and should pay for the crime. I hate to say somalis think they are smart enough not to be caught. Somalis are becoming common scenes in criminal trials. But I can't see the connection with the late Abdirashid Ali Sharmake. Every criminal has a relative. In that case Adam and Eve are also guilty by association.

What role should the state play? Waa suaal adag saaxib. Many somalis are used to the communist system where the state provided employment bu nationalising private enterprises. The state in our state of mind is one which comes with power. It is about misusing public funds, no accountability and surpression of opinions. As far fetched as it sounds, I think the somali economic solution lies in small scale enterprising. Let every village find its own way of statehood. I was recently in the NFD (despite the colonial hand at work) there are two things that are workship; private entrepreneurship and conflict solutions. The people in the NFD hardly see "a state".

Dabshidow, Waan ku fahamay- but falling for tribal temptations (like the qaaraan) is what is killing our people. I have relatives (close) who were killed in the conflict in somalia; Can I bring them back? no. I have also had qaraabo qurac approach me and ask me for qaaraan; but I told them straight that I don't belong to their clan; I told them it is a lie that we are from the same geed qansax; and after calling me all kinds of names, they accepted. I don't think it is a survival of the fittest- it is rather the survival of the brainless. What bothers me is not how people back in somalia react (they are rational and would do anytthing to survive). It is how somalis in the diaspora (many of them educated) react. It seems that we are not progressing. It seems that our eduated folks, our muslim scholars are not adressing the real causes of our problems. Read what Ngonge wrote above. Most of the people of Las Anod don't care if they live under an adminstration called puntland, somaliland or Somalia. They need peace; and ****** somalis ask who first before they come to how and what!Afterall many of us live in other countries than ours. The conflict in somalia is a silly thing. Imagine klling for a small stretch of an arid land. It does not make any sense. If we don't speak out who will do? What we need is a coalition of people who question the god somalis worship; Tribalism. We have to get to its fabric. It is not based on science (Ngone might say it is based on common sense), religion or anything. It is a primitive mode of governance that might work on nomads(no disrespect to my heritage- but today many somalis lead some form of urban lifestyles. Why should someone who lives in London for 12 years, who hardly saw the conflict in somalia, who went to a university support this disease, worship this god of doom? Afterall, many of us are doomed to end up in graves in western metropols! Even if peace prevails in Somalia, (leaving the fadhi ku dirir talk of going back aside), many of us would never go back to live in that country. Of all those approximately 200 people I have known for 17 years, only 2 moved back. The rest are living a dream- telling their children of a nation that exist in their fantacies. Come on bro, somalis defy any logic one might associate with leading a life. We are parasites who love talking the talk´; and there is where tribalism comes in; it gets us going; it gives us a sense of belonging; it gives us some of sense of elusive power. We have to kill this god that brought us havoc.

Jamaalow, waa runtaa. Ngoge "You believe in your clan but don't use it. " Read again saaxib. I don't blv in that c-rap. Blv you me. I am sincere. I don't think it has to do with fear. It has to do with power. I don't see how constant clanish rants is a healthy thing!!!!!! There is no improvement, no progress, no learning- just statuo quo. If anything the constant rants is a harzard to our health.

Ngonge, Oh yeah, I was introduced to belonging to X-tribe when i became an adult and sought my roots (not the tribal one) in Somalia. To be honest, it was then that I realised the whole thing was a fake. It was like "St Clause". I disowned them (that was the bravest thing I ever did), chided them and in recent days decapitate them intellectually. It is only (sijuis) who are brave enough to disown their "tribes".Walendos on the other hand (and I assume this is your point), never disown their tribe- but theý make the bold claim of not using it. Surely there is a difference in believing and using- don't ya think? I don't think I am confused; I am just an angry bugger. Check this .. we are many http://www.hiiraan.com/op2/2007/dec/are_you_a_mercenary_or_a_patriot.aspx

Ladies and gentlemen, Lately I have been doing some real thinking; Somali (a)- once a revered concept in my neck of the world- is in shambles. The nation which once evolved after divisions by white and black colonial masters (and which was a school book example of homogeneous dynamics) has disintegrated. There are differing opinions when it demised but I strongly feel that it started in the seventies – and the eighties when Siyad Barre and his thugs directed the armed unites against our own kin. The nineties saw the evolution of warlordism and conflict entrepreneurship; the 2000 brought the pigs to power. Every Somali has been affected by the wrath of brother-against-brother. The causes of the Somali problem are many; poverty, transition from nomadic way of life to urban governance; political indoctrination (every Somali appears to have a PhD in politics- sc Fadhi-ku-dirir), the absence of institutions, tribalism, the inertia of religious scholars (if there are some worthy the title), foreign interventions, justice for the dead (my favourite). Finding a solution for our problems is a mammoth task; the optimist would say Ilaahey wax waliba waa awoodaa. True says the pessimist laakin ilaahey waan ku caasinay. I must admit that raw tribalism as practised by most of the Somalis is alien to me and many of the people who I grew up with. I have never been raised to know what tribe I am from. From our horizon (that of living under colonialism) we were brought up as equal brothers and sisters whose task was to help our society. I have had the opportunity to live/work with Somalis from Somalia. I have also worked with other communities (some from the developing world, and some from relatively affluent western societies). I have witnessed the lack of brain power from Somalis. A Somali from Somalia is quick to take to the first queue in the mosque (recite the Koran), speaks of somaliweyn, somalinimo and other abstracts; but is a dynamic creature whose views are coloured by an allegiance to the tribe. One of my best friends was studying for a graduate degree- and in my opinion a religious guy illustrates this point. This guy was my favourite to become a Somali leader. He was against Ethiopia, the warlords, the killings of innocent Somali women and children in the north. He always blamed tribalism for the Somali case. When the TFG came to power, my friend was a chameleon. Just before the warlord-led Doofaareey conference was about to choice the quisling to lead them- my friend was a vocal opponent; Once, a president was elected, the dude changed his demeanour; he was on every fadhi-ku-dirir gathering (he avoided them and branded them as being anti-islam before the TFG), he was talking about a new dawn. He started wearing tie, and was urging me to support them too! He started calling the IUC (which he supported and I shunned) a tribal gathering! For many of my brethren in my town this dude was the authority on islam. He was the person to come to if you had misgivings about anything- and you wanted a religious opinion. The last few months my friend was on the move; he went to some parts of Somalia; he is rumoured to be an ambassador or advisor to the economic ministry! On a related development, I have travelled a lot; The Somali diaspora ( I have been to 11 big cities where Somalis live) is at the lowest strata of immigrant statistics; vices, welfare abuses, school drop outs, lack how to interact with humanity, armchair nacnacs etc. What is happening to Somalis is the Armageddon. We have only ourselves to blame! I sought refuge on SOL where experience taught me provided hope. For the six years I was a member, phrases, words, sentences, newsreels that contained tribal connotations were censored. This was a paradise for Somalis tired of Daynile.com, Allpuntland, somalilandpost etc. The owners’s policy was anything does not go; I once told a friend of mine that SOL was the place to log on for getting ideas. It was the domain to identify yourself with if you were asked which sites you visited. The doofaarey conference changed the place and hell broke; It became the mouthpiece for the TFG. Notions that were not tolerated before (such as tribal connotations) became the norm in several threads. It was ok; it appeared to call the IUC for representing one tribe- while the censors were ready if someone said the president comes from tribe X. On Somaliland issues you see people who were hibernating coming out. Introduce a topic on Somaliland and I can assure you tens of replies hurling abuses, calling for war etc. The onslaught of the Habashi in Muqdisho brought forth a new breed of Somali internet users; the so-called neutrals; seemingly educated Somalis whose ideas and wisdoms were a read were silent when women and children were massacred. Silence is a crime! How the hell can I share a nation with the dogs of war that celebrate when my Somali brethren is killed? All of a sudden I am alone; a lonely grumpy old chap whose world is collapsing; abandon long held conviction of somaliweyn shouts an inner voice! Never give up says another. There is no somalinimo. It is dead. It has been killed by those who can write pseudo-religious scholars and the Internet websites. It was killed by Afweyne, the countless warlords, and now by SOL! GALABTAy ALLOW KUU GARGAAR; GARABKAAGA ILAAHEY HA GALE! Maybe I am paranoid! Quraan ha la I saaro! So long

Jamaalow, Good essay. The success of the tiger economies defies alot of conventional wisdoms on development; Despite lacking natural resources we have witnessed two waves of asian ( I don't want to use the term pacific because the explainations of why Aus and NZ succeeded could be found elsewhere). The first one took place following the second world war; Here one major reason was foreign direct investments to Japan and Korea)- Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Hongkong have also benefitted. Indonesia and malaysia are natural resource based industries. The second wave (which is still going on) could be attributed to different kinds of innovations (ICT in particular). The catching up process (leapfroging-och flying geese) of China and Vietnam in particular is based on the issue of scale. India which has been democratic for decades (and in which there is a free market in theory) has not benefitted except in the ICT sector. later... sac ayaa qoobka igu haayo