Mystery wrote "The majority of the people from Somalia are BLOODHOLICS." She did not say the leaders/warlords but the actual men, women and children from Somalia.

Ayoub, It's sad to see that when you feel you have lost the argument--you resort to personal attacks and name calling. I don't support any warlords--including Col.Riyaale or Col. C/Yusuf. Period. I wasn't talking about the 'recent' 2 years but history since 1991. "Somaliland speaks for itself and it was nothing to do with Bari's post." I have no idea what that means. I am not allowed to talk about Somali history? What do NW Somalis(on SOL) think of Col.Riyaale? The NSS Commander responsible for thousands of torturing and killings? Loyal to Afweyn until the last day. And now he is the 'elected' leader of those same people? How can can you say we want to put Morgan/Gaani in jail when you have the opportunity to put Riyaale in jail and dont? Justice starts at home. Also why aren't the perpetrators and instigators of the clans wars in jail? Like Tuur, Buuba and countless others. Instead Col. Kahiin(UDUB) bribes(house, money etc) Tuur to return to hargeisa for support in the elections. That means all those people died in vain and no justice. I guess justice begins outside "Somaliland" borders. As for Al Ittihad in NE Somalia. This was the only place in Somalia where they were welcomed and respected in. They were given the Bosaso port to manage and were even allowed to take a portion of the revenue. Don't forget this is the time when SSDF were fighting USC in central Mudug. But AIAI got greedy and took more and more of the revenue from the port which meant less and less was going to the 'front' with the USC. Then they cut off all revenue and declared that they had over taken SSDF/Isimo as the new leaders of NE Somalia. But they were premature and were defeated later that year. But they were still allowed to stay there in peace. But the people were shocked at how ruthless they were in fighting their own(same clan)brothers in which many died. BTW, bribing a few corrupt people(like Kahin) does not make 'Somaliland' multi clan government. P.S. Why isn't the "somaliland" shilling used outside hargeisa/berbera?

The Wonderful Land of Punt Carving of Expedition to Punt by Egyptians To the ancient Egyptians, the land of Punt, with its reed, beehive shaped houses raised on stilts above water, was the most exotic and mysterious of places to visit, and from which to receive visitors, for more than once the Royalty of Punt came to the court of the Pharaoh in Egypt. It seems to have been considered by them a most unique haven; an emporium of goods for both king and gods, and gradually acquired an air of fantasy, like that of an Eldorado or Atlantis.

Interesting discussion. I read something online and thought i'd post it. ______________________________________________________________________________ Ending the conflict in the Somali inhabited territories of Horn of Africa Samtalis Hussein Haille - hail0029@umn.edu History There is historical evidence from reliable sources to suggest that the Somali inhibited territory of horn of Africa was land of civilization, which was populated since pre historic times. Starting from the Puntite kingdom which flourished before the Common Era to Muslim sultanates that dominated the Somali peninsula and adjacent Muslim states for the last millennia. These city-states had produced tremendous wealth due to their commercial ties with the outside world particularly Arabian Peninsula, India and other Eastern societies. We were informed by both writings left by the ancient Egyptians particularly those in the temple of Dayr-el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile, and the Perpilus of the Erythrean sea that Puntites during ancient times and Berbers (a name applied o the people and the land inhibited by modern Somalis) during the Time of Christ have used their own bouts to transport commercial goods to Arabia, Egypt and possibly to the far East,to suggest that no coastal cities flourished Pre-Islamic Horn of Africa is essentially ethnocentric and biased reconstruction of history to the least. Eastern coast of Africa was center of commerce that has connection with eastern societies since time immemorial. The oldest known material with regard to the commerce was Palermo stone (the oldest written book in the Egyptian history) which informs us that there was commercial relationship between ancient Egypt and Eastern coast of Africa known at that time as Punt or land of the gods. Some time around the Christ (May Lord grant him peace) we are informed the existence of large Somali Cities by the Peripilus of the Erthraean sea, this book is considered a major reference book with regard to the ancient commerce of the eastern nations. The name of the author is not known; probably he was Egyptian of Greek origin. The Somali cities mentioned in this book are the following Zaila( Avalites), Berbera(Malao), Mosullon (Bandar Kasim, known also by the Somali as Bosaso, it is 260 miles east of Berbra)Bandar Hais (Mundus) Ras Hafun(Opene, it is worth while to notice that this is a corruption of Punt, as many historians believe, and this place is about 90 miles below the famous Cape Guardafui( known to the Somalis as Ras Asayr) Mogadishu(Serapion) Brava(Nicon). It is interesting to note that the author calls this area stretching from Zaila to the entire Gulf of Berbera(Aden, it was only recently when people started calling this Bay Gulf of Aden, in the last two Millennia people have been calling this Bay gulf of Berbera, or gulf of Zayla and therefore I chose to do so) as other Barber country, it is not coincidence that we learn from the famous Muslim expoler Ibnu Batuta who visited both Mogadishu and Zayla at 1300s mentions in his famous book Rehala or travel , that the residents of the Mogadisho were Beber origin and spoke Beber language. He farther informs us that the city housed large student population and the Sultan had writer who recorded all secret information, there are important implications to this simple assertion and they are the following. Somali coastal cities were not founded By Arabs or the Persians Mogadisho and other coastal cities in the Somali peninsula were there since time immemorial as we were informed by the Peripilus, even if we were to grant that that the foreigners once dominated the city, this was not the case certainly at 1300 AD. The claim by some locals that the city of Mogadisho was a walled city and that the local natives were not allowed to sleep at night is fabricated fantasy that has no historical evidence. But one might say that why some authors say that Somali coastal cities were founded by middle Easterners, I would answer that some authors have also propagated that the Somalis were not African indigenous but immigrants from southern Arabia, to this day Some encyclopedia (among them Colombia encyclopedia, search the word Hamites, they have version on the web) claim that that the Somalis are Caucasian decent that is they are the same racial stock that dominates continental Europe. So it is fair to say that there is underlining tendency in many authors to credit others than the native people when it comes to the history and civilization, although, they may have their own reasons which is different than ours, however, we must grant to them the benefit of doubt, thus affording to them, to present historical evidences not biased historical speculations. Article: http://www.somaliawatch.org/archivejun02/020824201.htm UNESCO, General History of Africa, vol. II. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea Talks about Somali ports starting from point #7 onward. Names: Zaila(Avalites) Berbera(Malao) Bosaso/Bender Qasim(Mosullon) Bandar Hais(Mundus) Ras Hafun(Opene-Punt?) Cape Guardafui/Ras Asayr(Cape Elephant) Mogadishu(Serapion) Brava(Nicon)

Hirsi, I feel the same way. Every time I ask other somalis if they will go back to Somalia--I get too many excuses. The economy reply is just wrong--since the Somali private sector is better then it was pre-1991. It is our duty to go back and help rebuilt our country and people. Insha'allah as soon as I finish school I'll be on the first flight HOME!!! I wonder If I get a discount if I book several years in advance?!? I can't imagine raising a family in this corrupt western country!!! Maybe it's just me... Later

Guraad, It's good to see you back. WELCOME!!!!!!

I was so young all I remember is runnig by the tv(playing) and seeing my dad watching boring news AGAIN and AGAIN!

SNW, It's sad to see someone as "patriotic" as Mystery and yet still don't know the history of their own region. "Somaliland" has had not ONE but TWO civil war during the 1990's(1992/1993 and 1994-1997) complete with "teknicals", khat crazed militias, roadside robbery, bandits etc.--the only thing missing were Black Hawk Helicopters. The second one had the affect of splitting the SNM along subclan lines; pro-Egal and Anti-Egal, Pro-Unity. The most destructive being the second one which was between president Egal and former president Tuur/Jama Yare/Buuba--basically between H**r A**l and G*****s(which controlled Hargeisa airport for 2+ years and collected 'tax'). The causes are many and include: control of "somaliland" between the clans, Egal's attempt to form an army against the Boroma charter, his attack on the airport, Egal's subclan's control of the Berbera port etc. The was started when ‘I****le militia fought with Egal's militia Hargeisa airport in October 1994 and on (I*****e)village of Toon. Which escalated into a reprisal attack on central Hargeisa(mainly H**r A**l) in late november 1994 which left 150 casualties. Nearly 50-80% of Hargeisa's population became displaced--mainly from south & central hargeisa. The I*****e militia took over South/Southeast Hargeisa(mainly I****e). There was heavy shelling of hargeisa by both sides--which led to hundreds of casualties and much of the city a 'ghost town'. The war led to an exodus from Hargeisa into Gabiley, Arabsiyo, Oodweyne and Adaadley and from Burco to Yirowe. Basically people fled to the subclans towns. The fighting continued from late 1994 to late 1996/early 1997. The G*****s felt they were under represented in the Boroma conference 1993 and thus in the new government. By now Tuur has renounced the "independence" of "Somaliland" and was calling for a federal state and was also getting military assistance from Gen. Aidiid and other southern factions. While Egal was getting assistance from Libya and Albania(?). The war cost thousands of lives(innocent) and destroyed(again) the cities of Hargeisa, Burco and Berbera(lesser extent). During this time(as is usual in Somalia) outside neutral clan elders from Sool, Sanaag and Awdal attempted to end the war. The war subsided by early 1997 since it was basically a stalemate. Which led to the Hargeisa conference in which Egal was re'elected. North East Somalis have had two conflicts. One was in Feburary 1991 when the USC captured Galkacyo(Mudug) and was retaken by SSDF in April 1991. After that there were skirmishes(Mudug) and stalement until a peace was signed in 1993. The second was when Al Ittihad Al Islamia(allowed to manage Bosaso) in 1992 attempted to take over North East Somalia from the SSDF/Elders in which they were defeated in 1992. North East Somalia was peaceful between 1992-2001. The power struggle between Col. C/Yusuf and Gen. Jama Ali Jama began in mid 2001 and most fighting ended in mid 2002--C/Yusuf retook Puntland. Jama's forces fled east and there were skirmishes in Sanaag. A peace agreement was signed in May 2003 between Gen. Cadde Muse(head of Puntland Salvation Council) and Col. C/Yusuf with mediation from Boqor Osman Aw-Mahamoud (Buur Madow) and Suldan Said Suldan AbdiSalan. The point is that every region of Somalia has gone through civil war and destruction. It's sad to such hate as "People from Somalia are BLOODHOLICS". Don't you know your insulting all Somali people? I can't comprehend such a thing as hating your own people like that. Hate consumes. P.S. Weren't we all born in Somalia? Aren't we all Somali?

US displays bodies of Saddam sons Independent media were allowed to film the bodies US morticians 'reconstructed' the faces of Qusay (left) and Uday The United States military has allowed TV journalists into a morgue in Iraq to film two bodies said to be Uday and Qusay Hussein, in another attempt to convince Iraqis the men are really dead. US officials said the bodies, each with more than 20 bullet wounds, had undergone post-mortem "facial reconstruction" to make them appear more like they did in real life. The new footage came a day after US forces released graphic photos showing the mutilated bodies of the men - a move defended by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. But there are still lingering doubts among some Iraqis that two of the old regime's most feared men were killed when US forces raided a house in the northern city of Mosul on Tuesday. The video footage, filmed by a select group of independent journalists, was shown on Iraqi television and Arabic satellite TV channels on Friday. No deception The BBC's Matthew Price in Baghdad says that, compared with the photographs, the bodies lying on mortuary tables looked slightly unreal. Uday's beard had been trimmed to the length he had worn it in life. Morticians also removed a large gash that had cut across the middle of his face. Autopsy incisions were also visible on Uday's left leg, where doctors removed an eight-inch (20cm) long bar that had been inserted after a 1996 assassination attempt. Qusay's beard had been shaved off leaving only his trademark moustache. A US official told reporters the aim was to make the men more closely resemble the brothers in life in order to convince people that Uday and Qusay are indeed dead, not to deceive. US military morticians and forensic pathologists told journalists there was no evidence the men committed suicide. Distrust The release of the photos and footage has caused much debate in Washington and on Arabic television, as the US does not usually publish pictures of dead combatants and objected when dead US troops were shown on the Arabic Al-Jazeera TV channel during the war. Mr Rumsfeld said the publication of pictures would save American and coalition lives and prove that Iraq's former rulers would not return. But some Pentagon generals are reported to have found the release "repugnant". An Iraqi academic, Asim Mohammad Imran, told the BBC Arabic Service in Basra that releasing the pictures showed the lack of trust between the Americans and the Iraqi people. "Presenting the photos in this direct way by the US or Iraqi television channels shows that the American Administration and the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq (CPA) had doubts about the way the Iraqi people would receive these pictures, which is with suspicion," he said. "In other words there is a mutual distrust between the Iraqi citizens and the CPA." The UK prime minister's special envoy to Iraq, John Sawers, believes the Iraqis can be convinced. "The Iraqi people wanted absolute certainty that these people are dead," he told the BBC. [an error occurred while processing this directive] "I'm not surprised they're sceptical, after 35 years of Saddam's propaganda machine, that news items that come out of voices of authority are questioned." He said these were exceptional circumstances. "These were the butchers of this regime. One was a sexual predator, a sadist; the other was a ruthless, power-hungry man, and they killed tens of thousands of people between them," he said. "It was a finely-balanced decision, of course, what to do, and I think we've found the right path here." US officials are now said to be troubled by what to do with the bodies of the brothers. Cremation is not acceptable to the Muslim faith but there are fears burying the bodies could lead to the creation of a shrine. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3097089.stm

The last moments of Saddam's grandson 14-year-old may have fought on after anti-tank rockets killed the adults Thursday July 24, 2003 Saddam Hussein's 14-year-old grandson, Mustafa, may have been the last to die in Tuesday's four-hour siege on a house in Mosul, and kept shooting even after Qusay and Uday Hussein, his father and uncle, had been killed, US military officials said yesterday. According to a detailed account of the assault on the house given by Lt General Ricardo Sanchez in Baghdad, a volley of 10 anti-tank missiles near the end of the siege "wound up killing three of the adults" in the house. But when US troops made their third and final assault on the building, a sole survivor kept firing until he was shot dead. US officials believe that the last defender was a teenage boy, identified as Mustafa Hussein, who was known to be travelling with his father. When US troops approached the villa at 10am, triggering the gun fight, there were four people barricaded into a fortified first floor apartment - Mustafa, Qusay, Uday and an unidentified adult, probably a bodyguard. According to a military official, the three men took up positions in a bathroom at the front of the building, where they had a line of fire on the streets and on steps leading up to the first floor. The fourth person, thought to be Qusay's son, was kept in a bedroom at the back of the apartment. "The three in the front were killed by TOW [anti-tank] missiles," the official said. "The fourth at the back was the last, and yes it looks like it could have been the boy." Two very different versions of Tuesday's events emerged yesterday. One, put forward by Gen Sanchez, portrayed an orderly, steadily-escalating siege, in which every effort was taken to avoid harming bystanders. The alternative version, presented by neighbours in Mosul, was of a chaotic free-for-all in which no effort was made to usher local residents to safety. There was, however, general agreement that Saddam's sons and grandson had been betrayed by an informant, who some neighbours alleged was the owner of the house, Nawaf al Zaidan, a wealthy businessman and a member of Saddam Hussein's clan. Gen Sanchez refused to identify the informant, who now stands to receive a $30m (£18.6m) reward. The general described Tuesday's assault as a "cordon and knock" operation. The house was surrounded before soldiers with a megaphone ordered those inside to surrender." US troops went up to the front door and knocked. Nawaf al Zaidan opened the door and was detained. Shalan, his son came up in a BMW and he was also detained", said Raed Mohamed, a 20-year old whose family lives opposite the house. "The Americans went back to the house and were about to break in, when people in the house shot and they were wounded and fell." Gen Sanchez said that the gunfire had come from an area on the first floor, encased in thick walls and bullet-proof glass. He said four American soldiers had been wounded in that first assault. They were evacuated by helicopter. Over the next two hours, the US troops continued to "prep the objective", in Gen Sanchez's words, with an onslaught on the hardened first-floor room using grenades, rockets and heavy machine guns. After that failed to dislodge the defenders, Kiowa helicopters were called in to target the room with rockets. At midday, a second attempt was made to storm the building. American soldiers managed to reach the ground floor but once more came under fire as they tried to move up. They withdrew and again resorted to yet heavier weapons. At about 1pm, the US assault team fired 10 TOW anti-tank missiles at the strong-room. General Sanchez insisted everything had been done to avoid harming local civilians. But several residents wondered why the American troops did not opt for a slow siege and allow people to escape in safety before the onslaught began. As it happened in mid-morning, most homes only had women and children in them. "We ran from room to room trying to find the best place to shelter. We were crying and calling out Allah Akbar (God is Great)," said Leila Mohamed, Raed's mother, a secondary school teacher who was with her daughters, aged 12 and 13. Nabil Ahmed, a local resident, had his left arm in a sling. He said he had been shot by an American soldier when he was on his way home from night duty at the town's electric power station. "An American soldier let me through, but then another one nearer to the house got out a pistol and shot at the car. My friend who was with me drove me to hospital," Mr Ahmed said. Two bullet holes are visible in the car, one of them through the windscreen. As he spoke, four US soldiers and an Iraqi civilian came into the house to check damage and offer either to make repairs or give compensation. Upstairs glass and rubble littered the bed and a huge chunk of masonry had been eaten out of the roof parapet. A hole the size of a football had been punched through the house wall. But Mr Ahmed did not want to let the soldiers in to survey the damage. "The people who shot me, I don't want them in my house," he muttered. "They should have informed people once they'd surrounded the villa so everyone could get out." Although the porticoed mansion is an imposing building on a street corner, the houses behind it in the al Masaraf district of Mosul are modest with small front yards. Umm Yahya, a mother of four, who lives two doors from the gutted mansion, recalled how eight US soldiers came into her house, did a quick search with their guns pointing at her before going on to her roof. All her front window glass was later blasted out and the black front gates are peppered with bullet holes. She displayed the twisted metal from a rocket which she found in her front garden. "I'm definitely glad that those two men are dead and I would like their father to go too", she said. "But it was terrifying. The shooting was non-stop." Gen Sanchez said that multiple techniques were used to verify that Saddam's two sons were among the dead. Pictures were shown to four members of the ousted regime, including Saddam's former personal secretary, General Abid Hamid Mahmud. X-rays of one of the corpses were also found to be consistent with Uday's injuries uffered in a 1996 assassination attempt. Thirdly, the teeth of the dead men were compared with dental records. In Uday's case there was a 90% match, Gen Sanchez said, because of injuries to his face. In Qusay's case, the match was 100%. The US military authorities were confident enough to identify Uday and Qusay on Tuesday before DNA tests, but the Pentagon was yesterday debating whether to release pictures that might help convince Iraqis that the two brothers were dead. Some officials believed the pictures were too horrific to publish. The Guardian Newspaper http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1004750,00.html

Saddam's grandson in last stand July 25 2003 By Jonathan Steele Mosul Saddam Hussein's 14-year-old grandson, Mustafa, may have been the last to die in Tuesday's attack on the Mosul mansion that ended with the deaths of Saddam's two sons, Qusay and Uday. Mustafa kept shooting even after his father Qusay and his uncle Uday Hussein, had been killed, US military officials said. According to a detailed account of the assault given on Wednesday by Lieutenant-General Ricardo Sanchez, the coalition ground commander in Iraq, a volley of 10 anti-tank missiles near the end of the siege "wound up killing three of the adults" in the house. But when US troops made their third and final assault on the building, a sole survivor kept firing until he was shot dead. US officials believe that the last defender was a teenage boy, identified as Mustafa Hussein, who was known to be travelling with his father. When US troops approached the villa at 10am, triggering the gunfight, there were four people barricaded in a fortified first-floor apartment - Mustafa, Qusay, Uday and an unidentified adult, probably a bodyguard. According to a military official, the three men took up positions in a bathroom at the front of the building, where they had a line of fire on the streets and on steps leading up to the first floor. The fourth person, thought to be Qusay's son, was kept in a bedroom at the back of the apartment. "The three in the front were killed by TOW (anti-tank) missiles," the official said. "The fourth, at the back, was the last, and yes it looks like it could have been the boy," the official said. Interviews with witnesses and US military officials described a carefully co-ordinated strategy that first attempted to capture the brothers without bloodshed, but then escalated into a full-scale assault when American troops were repeatedly attacked by the home's occupants. About 9.30am, a group of US soldiers arrested Shahlan al-Zaidan, 20, as he left the villa where he and his parents live. Seeing the commotion, Nawaf al-Zaidan, Shahlan's father and the man suspected to be the informant, also left the house and was placed in custody. By 10am US soldiers approached the villa with loudhailers and three times asked the occupants to surrender and to let women and children leave, a neighbour called Tahseen said. Four US soldiers were wounded in the first attempt to enter the villa and were evacuated. During the next two hours, the Americans fired grenades and rockets at the structure and riddled it with .50-calibre machine-gun fire. At noon, the Americans tried again to enter the house but were fired on and withdrew, General Sanchez said. After spraying the building with more .50-calibre machine-gun fire, the American commander of the operation called in a strike of 10 TOW anti-tank missiles fired from Humvees. The assault appeared to have killed three of the four suspects. The battle ended when soldiers stormed up the stairs to the first floor and shot the remaining suspect, Mustafa. Although the mansion is an imposing building on a street corner, the houses behind it in the al-Masaraf district of Mosul are modest with small front yards. Umm Yahya, a mother of four, who lives two doors from the gutted mansion recalled how eight US soldiers came into her house, did a quick search with their guns pointing at her before going on to her roof. All her front window glass was later blasted out and the black front gates are peppered with bullet holes. She displayed the twisted metal from a rocket that she found in her front garden. The Age http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/24/1058853197313.html

An International Reconnaissance Mission Arrives In Garawe. July 23, 2003. HornAfrik, Mogadishu, Somalia. An international reconnaissance delegation for disarmament has arrived on Tuesday in Garowe in Puntland as part of its visit in Somalia. The six member delegation from the African Union IGAD Arab League and the disarmament committee of the ongoing Somali peace talks in Nairobi will collect information on ways of disarming Somalia armed militias. During its visit to Garowe yesterday, the delegation toured through the town and met with officials from Puntland authority. According to one member the delegation it will pave the way for the eventual deployment of African Union peace keeping forces in Somalia, after the formation of an inclusive government in Kenya. The delegation has flown on Wednesday to Kardo and Bosaaso in Puntland. _________________________________________________________________________ Kenyan Mediator Holds Talks With Somali Traditional Leaders. July 24, 2003. HornAfrik, Mogadishu, Somalia The Kenyan mediator of the ongoing Somali peace conference in Nairobi, Bethwel Kibligat, has held talks today with the Somali traditional leaders who are currently there. The talks were centered on the ways of selecting members of country’s future parliament. The mediator has expressed his gratitude to the elders describing them as peace makers. Mr. Kibligat said the aim of his meeting with the traditional leaders was an attempt to establish an inclusive parliament for Somalia that in turn will elect a head of state. He said that the 351 member parliament will be based on clan system. Mr. Kibligat called for the Somali traditional and political leaders to hold consultations to from the parliament. “We asked the African Union and IGAD to deploy peace keepers in Somali when an inclusive government was formed” he said ____________________________________________________________________________ TNG Condemns the Burning Of Egyptian Flag in Mogadishu July 24, 2003. HornAfrik, Mogadishu, Somalia The transitional national government of Somalia has fiercely condemned on the Thursday a recent demonstration that has taken place in Mogadishu in which the Egyptian flag was set on fire. The second deputy chairman of the transitional assembly, Ahmed Abrone Amiin, said that those behind the burning were illiterate people. He made this speech in a large meeting took part by ministers and MP’s from the transitional authority that has taken place in the compound of the former ruling party. Mr. Amin said that he apologizes the Egyptian government for that act. Late last week, supporters of the faction leader, Mohamed Omar Dere held a demonstration in Mogadishu to condemn the Egyptian role in the current peace talks in Nairobi. ____________________________________________________________________________ TNG President Promises to Hand over Power. July 24, 2003. HornAfrik, Mogadishu, Somalia. The president of the transitional national government of Somali, Abdikasim Salat Hassan, whose mandate is abut to end with in a week, has said last night that his government will hand over power if an alternative one is established in Kenya where the Somali peace conference is currently underway. In a wide range interview with the Arabic television channel, Al-jaszira, Mr. Salat described his task as an uphill one which needs patience and courage. He reiterated his accusations to Ethiopia saying his government in Mogadishu could have done far more in the three years of its existence had it not been daily interference of Ethiopia in Somalia’s international affairs. Speaking about the issue of the self declared republic of Somaliland, Mr. Salat said that Somalia’s unity was unassailable. “It rests with Somali’s to choose what ever system they want” he said in reply to a question put to him about federalism. When asked how his government managed all foreign funds it received the president said. “We got not funds from the European Union, we only received a little from the Arab league and we used it to reinstate the country’s army for the first time in ten years” Mr. Salat has underlined the necessity to deploy an international the peace keeping forces in Somalia to disarm and rehabilitate the country’s armed militias. He was elected three years ago at Somalia’s peace conference in Djabuti with a mandate to restore peace and stability in the country but there has been a little one the ground. They accused Egypt of trying to undermine the peace process.

LANDER, That's what I was thinking. BTW, wasn't the US/US media condeming Aljazeera for showing dead american bodies?!? Talk about HYPOCRITS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halkaan ka fiirso sawiro la xiriira safarkiisa

ABWAAN HADRAAWI OO KU SOO LAABTAY MUQDISHO MUXUU KALA SOO KULMAY SOCDAALKIISII NABADDA EE UU KU TEGAY GOBOLLO KA TIRSAN K/SOOMAALIYA? ABWAAN HADRAAWI: " Guul darro weyn weeye, micnana ma sameyneyso in Xamar tegisteeda ay dambi noqoneyso, Mareykanka, Ingiriiska iyo Israa'iil oo aan tagana lagu farxo" "Waan jeclaan lahaa in aan tago xabsigii aan ku xirnaa ee Qansax dheere oo aan ku jiray muddo shan sano ah sanadka markii uu ahaa 1978-kii" =SHIR JARAA'ID= Arbaco, 23 July, 2003 Abwaan Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame (Hadraawi) oo xalay ka soo laabtay safar dhinaca dhulka oo uu ku tegay gobollo ka tirsan K/Soomaaliya ayaa waxaa uu galabta shir jaraa'id ku qabtay Hotel-ka uu ka degan yahay magaalada Muqdisho ee Amiira. Halkaan ka fiirso sawiro la xiriira safarkiisa Abwaanka oo ay hareer fadhiyeen guddoomiyaha Hay'adda isku xirka nabadda iyo xuquuqda aadanaha Dr. C/llaahi Xaaji Dayib, guddoomiye ku xigeenka hay'addaas Drs. Faadumo Cusmaan Xaaji iyo weliba sarkaalka hay'addaas u qaabilsan dhinaca tababarrada iyo warbaahinta Md. Axmed Kiimiko ayaa waxaa uu ka warbixiyay safarkii uu ku tegay gobollada Shabeelaha hoose, Jubada dhexe iyo Jubada hoose, wuxuuna ku cel celiyay in socdaalkaasi uu u ahaa mid taariikhi ah oo uusan hilmaami doonin abid. Abwaanku waxaa uu sheegay in socdaalkiisa laga bixiyay fasirro qaldan, isaga oo beeniyay hadal horay loo shaaciyay oo sheegayay in aaney soo dhaweyn fiican ka helin wafdigii uu horkacayay magaalada Kismaayo, isla markaana loo diiday in ay dadka la hadlaan, wuxuuna Abwaan Hadraawi sheegay in deegaanadii ay booqdeen dhamaantood looga soo dhaweeyay si niyad sami iyo kalgaceyl ku dheehan yahay. Intii aad socdaalka ku guda jirtay ma dareentay wax cabsi ah ayay ahayd su'aal aan Abwaanka hordhigay, wuxuuna ku jawaabceliyay "haddii ay cabsi jiri lahayd koleyba wey I saameyn lahayd, laakin wax cabsi iyo cabsi gelin ah midna ma dareemin bal waxaa la qaadayay isbaarooyinka laga maagay ee waddooyinka yaala markii aan ku nimaado, iyadoo xitaa maleeshiyooyinku ay na ixtiraamayeen". Siduu ahaa, maxaadse ka wada hadasheen madaxweynihii hore ee Soomaaliya Md. Aadan Cabdulle Cusmaan (Aadan Cadde) oo aad hoygiisa Janaale ku booqateen ayaan mar kale weydiiyay Abwaanka, wuxuuna mar kale yiri "marka qof madaxweyne noqdo oo uu hadana da' noqdo hadalka tirada badan wuu iska yareeyaa, sidaas darteed hadal badan oo aan is-weydaarsanay ma jirin, kaliya waan wada duceysanay si alle Ummadda Soomaaliyeed dhibaatada uga qaado, waxaase nasiib wanaagsan noo ahayd in uu noo ogolaaday in aan la kulanno". Abwaan Hadraawi waxaa uu ka dhawaajiyay in uu aad ugu faraxsan yahay socdaalkii uu dhawaan ku tegay qaar ka mid ah gobollada Jubbooyinka iyo Shabeelaha hoose, isaga oo tilmaamay in dadkii ay la kulmayeen ay si xamaasad leh waddooyinka ugu soo dhaweynayeen isla markaana uga hor imaanayeen meelaha qaarkood, "waxaanu ahayn dowlad rasmi ah oo dalka iyo dadka dhexmareysay, laakin nasiib darro kama jawaabi karin baahida tirada badan ee ay dadkaasi u qabaan in ay helaan dugsiyo ay wax ku bartaan, goobo caafimaad, biyo, koronto, isgaarsiin iyo adeegyada kale ee lagama maarmaanka u ah nolosha aadamiga" ayuu yiri Abwaan Hadraawi oo ay socdaalkaasi ku wehliyeen ka sokow mas'uuliyiinta Hay'adda INXA abwaano caan ah sida abwaaniinta kala ah Mustafa Shiikh Cilmi, Cabdi Dhuux Yuusuf Xasan, Cabdi Muxumed Amiin, Axmadey Cabdi Gaashaan, Sahal Macallin Ciise, Maki Xaaji Banaadir iyo kuwo kale . "dadka aanu la kulmeynay waxay u badnaayeen dad beeraley ah oo nabad la'aantu ay aad u saameysay waayo dadka beeraleyda ah wey ka nabad jecel yihiin dadka xoolaha dhaqda, tusaale ahaan dadka xoolaha dhaqda haddii nabad la'aani dhacdo xoolahooda ayay ul ku dhufanayaan meeshii nabad ka jirto ayayna ku maalayaan, laakin dadka beeraleyda ah meel ay beerahooda ka aadaan ma garanayaan" ayuu yiri Abwaan Hadraawi oo sheegay in xiligan dhulkii ay mareen uu ahaa mid barwaaqo ah oo doog leh. Abwaan Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame Hadraawi waxaa la weydiiyay cabsida uu ka qabo in xabsiga loo taxaabo marka uu Somaliland ku laabto bacdamaa uu booqanayo K/Soomaaliya, isla markaana olole nabadeed ka wado, wuxuuna ku jawaabay "guul darro weyn weeye, micnana ma sameyneyso in Xamar tegisteeda ay dambi noqoneyso, Mareykanka, Ingiriiska iyo Israa'iil oo aan tagana lagu farxayo". Abwaanka waxaa la sii weydiiyay markii aad soo aadeysay K/Soomaaliya fasax maka soo qaadatay maamulka ka jira Somaliland, wuxuuna yiri "fasax kama soo qaadan waayo umaba soo socdaalin meel fiiso loo soo qaato waayo dadkeyga iyo dalkeyga ayaan dhex joogaa. Abwaanka waxaa uu sheegay in uu jecel yahay midnimada Soomaaliweyn laakin ay howl badan u baahan tahay sidii Soomaalida la isugu keeni lahaa, isagoo intii waxgarad ah ee ka damqaneysa dhibaatada Soomaalida heysatada maanta ugu baaqay in ay u sara istaagaan samata-bixinta ummadda Soomaaliyeed. Abwaan Hadraawi waxaa la weydiiyay sababta uu u booqan waayay xabsigii lagu xiray ee ku yaala Qansax dheexe bacdamaa uu horay BBC-da laanteeda afka soomaaliga uga sheegay, wuxuuna sheegay abwaanku duruufo jiro aawgood in uusan xiligan booqan karin, "waan jeclaan lahaa in aan tago xabsigii aan ku xirnaa ee Qansax dheere oo aan ku jiray muddo shan sano ah sanadka markii uu ahaa 1978-kii, waxaana socdaalkaa iga baajiyay nabadgelyo la'aan, waxayna markii aan dadka wareystay ii sheegeen in aanan garan doonin haddii aan tago Qansax dheere is-bedelka ku dhacay aawgiis" ayuu yiri Abwaanka oo ku cel celiyay in uu goor ay ahaataba uu booqan doono deegaankaas. "Waan aaminsanaa in sidaas iyo ka sii fiican la iigu soo dhaweynayo deeganadii aan booqday waayo dadka Muqdisho ayaaba horay iigu muujiyay kalgaceylka" ayuu ku gaabsaday Abwaan Hadraawi oo ka jawaabcelinayay weydiin ahayd ma fileysay in aad dadkii aad booqatay aad kala kulmeyso soo dhaweynta ay kuu sameeyeen. Abwaanka waxaa la weydiiyay in socdaalkiisa uu intaan ku kooban yahay iyo in kale wuxuuna yiri "socdaalkeyga dhinaca dhulka wuu sii soconayaa, waxayse ku xiran tahay Hay'adda INXA ee aan martida u ahay". Wejiga labaad ee socdaalka nabadda Abwaan Maxamed Ibraahin Warsame Hadraawi waxaa la filayaa in uu ku wajahnaan doono qaar ka mid ah gobollada dhexe ilaa uu ka gaaro gobollada Waqooyi, iyadoo ay socdaalkiisan dhinaca dhulka kharashka ku baxaya ay bixineyso hay'adda isku xirka nabadda iyo xuquuqda aadanaha ee INXA. Salaad Iidow Xasan (Xiis) Hiiraan Online saladxiis@yahoo.com Mogadishu, Somalia http://www.hiiraan.ca/2003/july03/july_23.htm

SOMALIA: Peace talks to move to third and final stage NAIROBI, 24 Jul 2003 (IRIN) - The organizers of the Somali peace talks in Kenya say a plenary session will start early next week to conclude the second phase of the conference and move on to the third and final phase. James Kiboi, political and diplomatic liaison officer of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) technical committee, which is steering the conference, told IRIN that an interim charter would be submitted to the plenary session of the conference next week "for discussion and adoption". Kiboi said that a consensus was emerging on the controversial issue of a charter. "We have "87 per cent agreement, and are currently working on the remaining 13 per cent. We want to ensure that once we present it at the plenary session we have as much consensus as possible", he stressed. Kiboi told IRIN that once the charter was adopted, the talks would move to the third and final phase, "hopefully by next week". In this phase, members of parliament would be selected "on the basis of the 4.5 formula, the clan formula", he said. This final phase involves the contentious issue of power sharing, and "will be the most difficult", a Somali delegate told IRIN. "Every faction leader and every clan here wants a bigger share than they will probably get," the delegate noted. "It will take a great deal of effort to convince all of them to settle for less than what they expect." Meanwhile, IGAD had started transporting Somali traditional elders to the venue of the talks, Kiboi told IRIN. "So far over 30 have been brought in and the rest will hopefully be brought in by this weekend". Kiboi said that Somalis should feel confident that the mediators "will bring to the talks all legitimate and real traditional elders", adding "all clans will have equal representation". Kiboi said the elders would have a two-fold role in the final stage of the peace talks. First, they would participate in the selection of future parliamentarians, in which "they will have a significant and important role and their presence will give legitimacy to the process". Secondly, their presence "will contribute to the reconciliation of the various political leaders". The third and final stage of the conference would last "three to four weeks", by which time an interim government would have been formed, Kiboi said. The IGAD-sponsored talks on Somalia began in October 2002 in the western Kenyan town of Eldoret, but were moved to the capital, Nairobi, in February this year. [ENDS] http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=35584&SelectRegion=Horn_of_Africa&SelectCountry=SOMALIA

MMA, Thanks for the pictures. Good to know you made it back ALIVE May Allah bring peace to xamar. amiin. To nomads/aliens who don't see the pictures: 1. Right click over the picture that isn't showing up and select properties. 2. Copy the URL Address in the pop up screen. 3. Past that onto the URL address of your internet explorer. VOILA! It worked for me anyway

BCES SCHOOL IMAGES Bacadweyn Village IMAGES Mudug Hotel Bacadweyn Main Street

The Centre is located in Bacaadweyn village, which is located 62 km north of Galkacyo town in Mudug region of the Puntland State of Somalia. BCES is a co-educational, private elementary school and skills training Centre established to serve the Community in Mudug Region of the Puntland State of Somalia. BCES offers solid up-to-date educational program in English from preparatory 1st grade to 8th grade. The centre also provides individualized skills training programs designed for young adults who missed their chance to have formal education during the past decade that Somalia was in civil war. The skills programs will include reading and writing, English as a Second Language, Computers and Technology. The Centre is also planning to include industrial skills and apprenticeship programs such as welding and other skills that will create employment. How You Can Help B.C.E.S. SPONSOR A CHILD FORM

Ameenah/Bachelor, Thanks. If only we had people like him leading us rather then these selfish warlords we'd be much better off. I really admire him for his courage and bravery in putting his life at risk by leaving his peaceful home in Burco and marching for peace in Southern Somalia. May Allah protect him on his journey. Amiin. Hadraawi: "I shouldn't put myself into a small enclave when I can enjoy the life with all my people," Mr Hadraawi said. "The country has been fragmented into pieces, and I don't want to become a part of any of the fragmented pieces, but Somalia would be my real place."

SNW, Thanks. I try to add what I can. ________________________________________________________________________ Foreign Powers Stalk Peace Talks Ken Opala Nairobi Somali delegate Hawa Kheri protests after being thrown out of the talks at the Kenya College of Communications Technology, Mbagathi, Nairobi. She was one of the 170 delegates ejected for allegedly using fake cards to register. It is about 11am on Friday. Somali delegates are clustered in groups. The ambience is relaxed yet the voices are mere murmurs. Four groups are in the tea room on the second floor of the Kenya College of Communication Technology (KCCT) hotel while outside at the entrance, on the tarmac parking bay, are perhaps half a dozen people. About four diplomatic cars are parked outside the hotel. The "observers" are from Egypt, Italy, Djibouti, United Nations, Arab League, Ethiopia, the UK, and the US. In low tones, these diplomats coach the delegates on how to influence the deliberations. This is characteristic of the Somali peace and reconciliation talks at the KCCT, Mbagathi, in Nairobi's outskirts, nine months after former President Daniel arap Moi assembled protagonists around a ceasefire table. But who are are these "observers"? "People are here to pursue own interests. In fact, one would say that Somalia is up for grabs," says a delegate from Somaliland, the renegade region whose "head of State" has snubbed the Nairobi talks. Mr Awad Ashara, spokesperson for Puntland region, talks of vested interests at play "outside the meeting rather than inside". Kenya is impartial, he told this writer earlier in the week. "Kiplagat is a very, very compassionate and respectable, conciliatory person, he is an all-inclusive," he says of the Kenya Government's appointed mediator, Mr Bethuel Kiplagat. As the Somaliland delegate talks, an Italian envoy in Kenya emerges from the building sandwiched between five elderly Somalis, all chatting away in Italian. This writer tries to stop him for a question or two but he says he is in a hurry. "Call me in the office and let's see whether we can set up an appointment." A representative of the Arab League gestures, saying: "The talks are going ahead all right but there are little things here and there we feel strongly about." He abruptly pauses, stealing a glance at an approaching delegate. Then his voice drops, and he momentarily stops mid-sentence until the passer-by disappears. "We are not comfortable with the federal system and we want Arabic language to be retained in Somalia. These two issues are top on our agenda". He adds: "The unity of the Somali people has to be highlighted. This is very important". The observer has made it known to the delegation that Somalia's continuity in the Arab League depended on whether or not the country retained Arabic as the official language. According to a British envoy, the Somalia negotiations "show a bit of a way to go". But there was hope, he said. Interestingly, the presence of the US at KCCT has been erratic. However, an American of Somali origin has been constantly monitoring the discussions. The ghosts of foreign interference have refused to leave the backyard. Last Tuesday, a number of delegates accused the Egyptian ambassador to Somalia of backing the current President of the Transition National Government, Mr Abdikassim Salat. Mr Salat has been the lone voice against federalism, a stance that has infuriated his critics. In a letter to the just-concluded African Union summit in Maputo, Mozambique, dated July 9, 2003, a number of delegates asked the Union to banish Mr Salat for "being against" Nairobi negotiations. About 21 signatories said since the Nairobi talks had made breakthrough in adopting a charter and laid the structure for a transition government that would guide them for the next four years, Mr Salat should not speak as president. His mandate, they said, had been cancelled by the new charter. "The TNG president failed to implement the charter (that asked for federalism) for the two years he has been in power. In fact, that is why he is opposed to the charter," says Mr Ashara, who is also Puntland's minister for Justice. But Mr Salat blames his predicament on neighbouring Ethiopia which, he says, has sponsored Somali rebels to frustrate his reconstruction efforts. "In short, Ethiopia's strategy is to undermine the re-emergence of a strong, united and vibrant Somalia," he says. Some people call the negotiations "the scramble for Somalia", the Horn of Africa country reduced by militia to a clutter of regions. The ousting of strongman Siad Barre on January 26, 1991, opened a pitched struggle of sorts. His adversaries went for the spoils on failing to agree on power-sharing. They grabbed regions populated by their own clans. Unlike other African countries strewn by multi-lingual and ethnic loyalties, Somali is of one tribe: Somali. Islam is the only religion while the culture is distinctly homogeneous. Yet its own survival is in the hands of a social order knit together by clan loyalties and political disorientation, all wrapped up by decades of dictatorship since independence in 1960. Soldier Barre seized power on October 21, 1969, following the assassination of then President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke a week earlier. According to From Barre to Aideed, a book by former Somali ambassador to Kenya Hussein Ali Dualeh, Somalia's political order is based on kinship clans, namely: ****** , **** , Dir, ***** , Digil and ********* . And, the clanship is a weave of sub-clans. Thus conflicts in the population is traced to the multiplicity of political parties, each of them drawing support and loyalty from specific clans or alliances. Currently, 60 clan-based political factions straddle the country. So obvious have been fears that the clan loyalties threaten to balkanise the country, and historically, some of the big groups, such as the ****** , have insisted on cessation. Now without a central administration, Somalia is balkanised into 16 regions, each led by a warlord. Mr Asmara estimates the militia force at 100,000 soldiers. The peace talks enter a crucial phase tomorrow. The 400 delegates will nominate 351 MPs who will in turn elect a transitional president and Speaker of the House and two vice-Speakers. These officials will have four years to oversee the disarmament of the militias, pursue reconciliation and lay the ground for a popular government. Somali leaders expect the international community to fund the transition. Yet to be worked out is the amount of finances required to bring order in the country, but if the apparent involvement of foreign nations in the mediation indicates their interest, the assistance should be readily available. Puntland President Abdullahi Yusuf wants the federal forces to be blended with an international force with the mandate to mop up illegal guns. "If we do not do that, we will fall in the way of Salat. He has been holed up in Mogadishu and he cannot administer because he is unable to implement the charter," he says. "Well, we want to immediately establish a government here and immediately disarm people and pacify the country". The President of Somaliland snubbed the talks. Mr Kiplagat says Somaliland leaders declined reconciliation overtures. His predecessor, Mr Elijah Mwangale, travelled to Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital to convince the leadership to take part in the negotiations but they declined. Mr Kiplagat himself sent a letter to the Somaliland administration but he received no reply. Yet the talks are riven with fears that some delegates and non-governmental organisations are uncomfortable with the likely end of hostilities because that would threaten their easy money. However, Kenyan scholar, Prof Ali Mazrui, says Somaliland should be let to go its way, for it has resources to sustain itself. "The situation in Somalia now is a culture of rules without rulers, a stateless society," he said last week. "There is order there, they have the potential to survive". One day, he says, Somaliland will organise and get back to the larger Somalia. http://allafrica.com/stories/200307211224.html

HADRAAWI’S PEACE MARCH IS A GOOD START FOR A VIABLE PEACE MOVEMENT By: Ahmed Hussein Kahin This week was of great significance in the daunting attempts at restoring peace to Somalia as the well acclaimed Somali poet and lyricist, Mr. Hadraawi, arrived in Mogadishu, his first stop on a mission named the peace march, and it is reported that Mr. Hadraawi came close to tears as he was given a heroes welcome by well wishers chanting “Muqdisho ku soo dhawoow, wiilki magac dheerayoo.” And ‘’Nin lagu seexdow ha seexan, xilbaad sidaayee ha seexan.” This respected poet is to the Somalis what Shakespeare was to the English and his poems and literary works reflect on all aspects of life such as social ills, politics, love, peace and the agony of the Somali people. Hadraawi who had last seen Mogadishu 21 years ago when it was a beautiful city and one of the most peaceful capitals in sub Saharan Africa, must have been p! rofoundly shocked to see how it was been reduced to rubble by more than a decade of factional fighting. Like his compatriots, Hadrawi also suffered the hardships of the past turmoil and he was imprisoned by the former dictatorship of Siad Barre from 1973 to 1978 because his literary works were deemed to be anti-government by the regime. He had refused to tow the line of a dictatorship that forced all poets to compose poems and songs in praise of the regime and its leader. After his release from the infamous Labaatan Jirrow prison Hadraawi was again constantly harassed by the Barre’s dictatorship and in 1982 Mr. Hadraawi went into exile in Ethiopia but his expectations of a quick return to his homeland after the overthrow of Siad’s dictatorship suffered a set back as the country descended into factional conflict amongst the my! riad number of groups all vying for power. It was only in 1999 that the prevailing peace in Somaliland permitted Hadraawi to return back to his homeland where he settled in the town of Burao. But Hadraawi’s noble instincts told him that he could not just sit back in the relative calm of Somaliland while Somalis in other regions continued to live in anarchy. As a fellow Somalilander, I share Hadraawis view and strongly believe that we Somalilanders have a moral obligation to assist our fellow Somalis in the path to peace and the best method of trekking on this road is by restoring people to people contact and it is undeniable that no matter how much stability we have in Somaliland it is also a loss for us everyday a Somali dies of fighting in Mogadishu or other areas. The past record of the factional leaders shows that they can not be relied ! on to make the peace and what we need is peace from the people, by the people, for the people. In this context, Hadraawis mission got off to a flying start and during his first few days in Mogadishu, the first stop of the peace march, there were many ceremonies held in honour of Hadraawi and his peace activists. These activities took place across all the divide lines of the city irrespective of the controlling faction and it is reported that Hadraawi and his peace entourage even ventured into some of the most lawless areas of Mogadishu that are controlled by freelance bandits. The warm reception that the peace movement has received in Mogadishu, a city whose residents have been deprived of the right to live in peace for the past 12 yrs, is a remarkable testimony to the fact that the people! of Somalia are craving for a return to peace. Already many people from all walks of life in Mogadishu have joined Hadraawi’s peace march and although vehicles traveling between most towns in the south require armed escort, Hadraawi and his entourage have made it clear that they will travel without any armed protection as they deliver their message of peace from to all towns and villages along the way. All members of this peace movement deserve praise for their display of courage in undertaking a mission that is full of challenges and danger but surely a noble task. It is highly hoped that this nascent peace movement will quickly gather momentum and play a pivotal role in the quest for peace which has seemed so elusive for quite so long. For the past decade the international community’s efforts on bringing peace to Somalia have concentrated solely on convening conferences abroad for the innumerable faction leaders. Unfortunately, past experience shows that the faction leaders were able to break whatever ceasefire agreements they had signed because they had under their control fighters who had been brainwashed into thinking that their survival and that of their sub-clan was based on their ability to kill and weaken other sub-clans. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Peace, like charity! , begins at home,” and with a peace movement on the ground the desire for peace will get the grass roots support that is so essential and as more people embrace the idea of peace it is certain that a breeze of peace will sweep through Somalia. Once the peace movement inspires in the minds of people that 12 yrs of conflict has left all of us as losers and that as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye leaves us all blind,” I am sure that even the faction leaders will be forced to make peace with their rivals when they see that the tide is against them and that the people they once used to carry out their violent agendas and hypnotized have regained their consciousness. Amidst the mayhem of the past 12 yrs the peace march that began this week in Mogadishu is indeed a positive development and an encouraging sigh that we may again see the light of peace. Let us hope and pray that the long extinguished light of peace which Hadraawi and his peace activists have illuminated through the peace march will herald the first steps towards the dawn of peace in Somalia.

Djibouti "fully engaged" in Somali talks NAIROBI, 21 Jul 2003 (IRIN) - The Djibouti government has denied allegations that it is adopting a passive role in the Somali peace talks, currently underway in Kenya. Reacting to reports published on Somali websites last week, Djibouti's foreign ministry spokesman Siad Duale, told IRIN his country remains "actively engaged" in the Somali peace process. "We will remain fully and actively engaged and with keen interest in the process," he said on Monday. "Any suggestions to the contrary are simply not supported by the facts." He added that the overall responsibility for the success or failure of the talks "remains with the Somalis". "This can only be achieved through hard work, intense negotiations that entail a process of give-and-take, compromise and tolerance," he said. A separate Djibouti foreign ministry statement recalled that the role of the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) technical committee, which is steering the peace talks, was that of facilitator. "Djibouti has played a crucially positive role hailed by both Somalis and the international observers as supportive, constructive and most importantly neutral," the statement stressed. It went on say that Djibouti had "constantly supported the view that the technical committee should remain neutral. We dropped loud hints and occasionally made statements on that often-crucial point at important fora". The statement reiterated Djibouti's commitment to resolving the Somali crisis.

This is not directly related to the peace conference--but good news that more somalis are heading home! UN refugee agency resumes repatriation to Somalia’s Puntland 21 July – The United Nations refugee agency has resumed the repatriation of Somali refugees from Kenya’s Dadaab camp to Puntland in north eastern Somalia after a two-month suspension due to a lack of funds for the flights. More than 80 Somali refugees have left Dadaab camp since Saturday when the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) restarted its return operation to Puntland, which is only accessible by air because it is not safe to travel by road in large parts of central and southern Somalia. A total of 2,880 Somalis have signed up for voluntary return, and UNHCR is trying to encourage more to follow through on “go and see” visits to Puntland, an economically vibrant part of Somalia that many of the refugees have not seen before. Even those whose parents or grandparents came from Puntland are not familiar with the boom that has transformed the area's economic and physical landscape. Puntland's economic development is being fuelled by former refugees who are bringing their education, money and business skills home after years spent in Canada, the United States or Western Europe. To allow the refugees to make informed decisions, UNHCR on Saturday took four leaders on a three-day visit to Bossaso, Puntland's economic centre, Garowe, the capital, and Galkayo, another booming city. They will report their impressions and experiences to the refugees in Dadaab. "Much as we admire the communication system that exists among the Somali people from inside Somalia to every corner of the world, there is always a difference between receiving oral information and seeing it with your own eyes," said Simone Wolken, UNHCR representative for Somalia. "UNHCR wants refugees to make truly informed decisions," Ms. Wolken added. "They need to know what to expect and how to prepare while still in exile. Meeting the people in Puntland will help the refugees to make a realistic decision" about whether to accept UNHCR's offer of help to settle in Puntland.

Somaliland Warns Against 'Declarations of Sovereignty' UN Integrated Regional Information Networks July 21, 2003 Posted to the web July 21, 2003 Nairobi The authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland have issued a warning against anyone trying to represent the region at the ongoing Somali peace talks in Kenya. In a statement, received by IRIN on Monday, Somaliland warned Somali leaders and the international community to "abstain from any unfriendly declaration or acts against Somaliland". "In the event that any person claims to be representing the government of Somaliland and/or its people in the ongoing Somalia Peace Conference, and in the event that such person or persons are accorded such status, the government of Somaliland hereby officially states that this will hinder any possible future dialogue between Somaliland and any future legitimate government of Somalia (former Italian Somalia) [brackets as received]", the statement said. The Somaliland minister of information, Abdillahi Muhammad Duale, added that Somaliland welcomed any peace deal between the parties "in the former Italian Somalia", but added "this has nothing to do with us". Some Somali leaders attending the peace talks in Kenya have, in the past, proposed that extra delegates be allocated to represent Somaliland and have repeatedly called for the region to be brought into the process. Duale told IRIN that Somaliland's position was well-known. "Our position has always been constant," he said. "We have never been part of previous processes and we will not be part of this one or future ones". "Any claims or declarations of sovereignty over Somaliland by a future Somalia government will be viewed by Somaliland as an indication of hostile intent," he warned. The Somaliland statement said the authorities were prepared to take part in a dialogue with Somalia "as equal partners, when and if a legitimate, democratically-elected government is established in Somalia (former Italian Somalia) with the full support and mandate of the people of Somalia". Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, but has received no international recognition.