Stoic, you're guilty by association, mon ami. Somalis don't have individual thoughts and ideas. It's all controlled and telepathically communicated from the clan HQ. Xiin, LOL, such wild ideas you have, adeer. :D

This event was not about recognising SL or forcing it back into the union, so give it a rest people. Indeed@Che. I felt only the Turkish Govt had a clear plan and showed commitment to the issues raised by placing a Somalis at the centre of the process.

That was a curious conference. ' We won't tell Somalis what to do' but we're going to give them a task list. An interesting piece from the BBC.. Now that the world's leaders have swept out of Lancaster House in their shiny black limousines, all we are left with is two pieces of paper, printed on both sides. This is the final communique, and it is time to take stock. There appears to be something of a contradiction in the communique. On the one hand, in bold type, it says "decisions on Somalia's future rest with the Somali people". As Britain has constantly reiterated, and as Prime Minister David Cameron said after the London meeting, "this is not about telling people in Somalia what to do". However, much of the final communique and many of the words spoken in Lancaster House seemed to be precisely about telling Somalis what to do. The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, was almost bossy in tone when she said there would be no negotiations with al-Shabab and that the time for political transition was over. The final communique details several areas where the outside world will have control over Somalia. Watching funds A Joint Financial Management Board, staffed by Somalis and non-Somalis, will ensure "transparency and accountability in the collection and efficient use of public revenues, as well as international development aid". Mr Cameron said the conference was not about telling Somalis what to do Somalia's budget will, to some degree, be managed by outsiders. Mr Cameron said foreign powers would ensure that there was no more political transition, and that they "would hold Somalia to this". The communique said the international community would "incentivise progress and act against spoilers to the peace process". This is not leaving Somalia to the Somalis. Mr Cameron seemed very pleased that, the day before the London Conference, the United Nations Security Council had voted to increase the number of African Union peacekeepers from 12,000 to 17,7000, to expand its mandate, and to secure funding. Although the peacekeepers have helped clear much of the capital, Mogadishu, of the Islamist group al-Shabab, they are a foreign force, something Somalis have not taken to kindly in the past. Kenya and Ethiopia also occupy substantial parts of the country, and it is likely that if they stay for too long, even those Somalis who currently tolerate them will turn against them. A two-pronged policy now seems to have been adopted towards al-Shabab. On the one hand, smash them militarily, on the other, lure them away from by inviting those who abandon the movement into the political process. Al-Shabab, which was not invited to the conference, issued a press release on the day of the gathering. It accused the conference of "carving up Somalia" and "bolstering the invading African forces that are prolonging the instability in Somalia". Distant dream It is not only al-Shabab that is worried about the "carving up" of Somalia. Other Somalis are worried that the conference has given too much prominence to the more stable northern areas such as Puntland and Galmudug, let alone the self-declared republic of Somaliland. A new Stability Fund has been established to increase foreign support to these areas. There has been explosion of mini-states in Somalia, some, perhaps not coincidentally, established just ahead of the London Conference, maybe because they want a share of the new money. Somalia may be entering another phase of violence and instability, this time between its regions. There were no less than four Somali presidents at the conference, one representing the transitional federal government, the others the more stable regions in the north. And outside the conference there were no less than three small but noisy demonstrations, all shouting and singing for different causes. This suggests that peace and unity may be still be a distant dream. Some Somalis I spoke to expressed unease that the final communique gave a lot of attention to ending impunity for pirates, and setting up a new Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecutions Intelligence Co-ordination Centre in the Seychelles to track pirate money and help prosecute what it described as "the kingpins of piracy". "What about ending impunity for the war-lords who have killed so many of our children? What about the African Union peacekeepers who shelled residential areas in Mogadishu? What about al-Shabab and even our transitional government soldiers?" asked one man. Although the conference was, as Mr Cameron said, "the largest and most influential gathering that has ever come together" on Somalia, it is unclear how much will change in the country as a result. Doubtless there has been real progress in the fight against al-Shabab and piracy. The expiry of the transitional government's mandate in August offers an opportunity to establish a better kind of politics for Somalia. But there is a huge amount to do before what the final communique described as a "new era of Somali politics" that "supported by the international community, will bring peace to Somalia". The delegates from 55 countries and international institutions said they "looked forward to the day" when an international conference could be held in Somalia. It is not clear that this will happen in their lifetimes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17144557#TWEET84514

LOL LST. Ameen, waa wax laga yaabo.

Islaamaha cay for unity ayaa talo noqotay. Shame!

You do realise that you're posting this 3 weeks after the closing date?

I don't expect much, it's just a brainstorming session in my view. I'm hoping that the need for reaching out to the Somali grass roots will take prominence .. and not to see a repeat of last weeks BS qabiil bashing.

Thanks for the links. Hope something constructive comes out of this.

In two years and 7 months, InshaAllah. I'm taking myself off the job market and onto the entrepreneurial ladder.

Some women lose themselves in the glits and glamour. They love the money more than themselves... then again, you see average women put up with ridiculous men who also cheat on them and you wonder if they are missing a few brain cells.. urgh!

even Ibliis doesn't make Sarkozy look decent! Strauss Kahn is a sick man though, how he gets away with it is beyond me..

Sarkozy is such a ciyaal suuq, look at that smirk on his face. It ins't a wonder that he is obsessed with unveiling muslim women.

^that's your secret is it? LOL. Her reaction was spot on. Give him a stern look, put hand over cleavage and look over at his wife.. haha. Silly old man, serves him right for ogling at her like an imbecile. .

^The UAE has got to be the worst Arabic country for learning the language, not only has English replaced it as the lingua franca, native speakers have this annoying habit of dumbing it down and messing it up with Urdu and English - which are messed up versions of these languages. I envy the young man in the video. He probably has the added advantage of relating to different cultures, as cultures are impeded in language. How cool is that!? It must be said that he has a special talent, learning a language is not an easy process for the average mind. Apart from the obvious three, I've only been interested in Spanish which I've learned in school (I know about 10 words.. haha) and Malay because I just love everything about Malaysia -- would love to live there for awhile. I think it's useful to immerse yourself in a language,the classroom is not a very natural environment and only offers a superficial experience with a language.

Love it! They've got to be my favourite 'political' couple , after the Obamas (off course!)

I know how you feel Sam. I actually spent some childhood years in SL and grew up in a very traditional Somali house but felt a bit foreign my first time back. I do feel that Somalis back home have changed culturally and that's what I couldn't get my head around.

Well said, Chimera. Aaliyah, you do raise some valid points with regards to Islamic ettiquette. However, I feel your definition of friendship is a little narrow. No one has time for constant phone sheeko and hanging out and really that's not what friends are all about, well not to everyone anyway.

Sighnomore;791173 wrote: lol. Are some of you guys new to the internet?! This girl posted this picture on the internet she meant for it to be for public consumption. I'll only take it down if she pms me and asks me to do so. Walaal, did it occur to you to send her an advisory PM? What was your reason for starting this thread apart from gossiping about a young girl? You're only earning yourself some danbi on here.

LOL. Some of these posts makes me wonder if nomads live in the Square (Eastenders). Anyhoot, friends. Does that include the inadeers, habarwadaags and Ilmaabtis who really aren't?

Duh!! hahaha. I guess this is like knowledge and wisdom in relation to a tomato.

Shaqo la'aan dot com!! Faarax Brawn, Have a look at this bro. http://abdurrahman.org/women/Awrah.pdf

Honesty to be truthful, frank, sincere in word and conduct. Naivety is something else all together!

Blah, JB, I actually thought you were going to define you trademark 'ehem' which you include on all your statements and status updates. I always wonder waxaad ula jeedid.

^then they start back at 1. Somali dagaal kama ilbaxdo!

I was around 5 in Burco. There used to be this old lady who lived across the road from us. She was 'Cadaniyad', wore an abaaya and come home every day just before maghrib. Being fat, she had this funny little walk. Everyday, I'd wait for her outside our house, everyday I'd run up behind her and mimic her walk. Weli wey ii sawiran tahay, this short carab looking islan, chubby islaan and me behind her, with my arms out, leaning from side to side. LOL. Bless her! Another memory was also in the same house, probably around that same time. There was a tall tree just outside our house and we'd sit / lay under it as one of our older cousins or aunts told us a story. One night myself and older brother and sister we lying down just looking at the sky, counting the stars. Suddenly, they both screamed, ran to the front door and shouted for me to get up, run, soo bood. I was baffled. I got up slowly and realised this mad man who used to walk around xaafada had decided that he too will lay next to us and count the stars. LoooL. I used to be so scared of that man, when I saw him next to me I went numb. I couldn't talk, scream or run. I sat there dumbfounded, staring at him like he was a jin until my older cousin came out, carried me in and told my bro and sis off shouting, then going back out and sitting down with the madman to make conversation. Hahaha!