Duke, you think my comment was wrong? Wasn't personalizing anything. OG-GIRL'S father is somali and her mom is an arab, so how can she be an Arab? I mean, what she thinks of her is obviously quite different from what a somali person would think of her. And that is what I was getting at. In any case, I shouldn't dispute people's claims Duke, hadda adiga reer abtiyaa laguu yahay but you consider your real tribe to be the one of your father. Why is that saxib? LOL. See the point? The same goes for me. Reer abtiyaa la ii yahay but no somali is going to accept if I tell them I am from the tribe of my mother even though biologically speaking, a mixed person has the blood of both parents. Anyways, there is a lot of confusion and sometimes culture contradicts reality.

OG_GIRL, I think you are somali according to both arab and somali tradition. Your father counts more than your mom does in both societies when it comes to identity. I am thinking that is how Arabs treat you anyway unless your skin tone is little lighter and you can blend in without notice. Btw, Do arab countries give citizenship to people whose mothers are arabs but not their fathers? if they were born there? I know Saudis don't give citizenship rights but what about Egypt? Or Gulf countries? Kinda weird, but mothers don't count somehow in these societies. You think you are an Arab but I wouldn't treat you as an Arab and I suspect an Arab would treat you as Somali. You are lost in between societies.

Femme I hope it is not the "I will kill you" smile but "Oh*So*enchanted" smile.

Wind.Talker, self-reflection and looking into your own deeds are noble acts everyone is required to practice. For that same advice you gave, I hope you are not a sinful victim yourself immersed in what drove you out of your hometown. I am not in denial of problems that exist but don't think the solution is found in more wars. Anyway, don't take pains replying if you think it isn't worth it. I don't want to feel that I have twisted your arm bro. Samurai-Warrior. Yes, delighted I could write such a PR that made you come out of your fox-hole

Wind.Talker, did I hit a raw nerve? Don't get so upset. I stated what Mistakes A/Y made personally which are true. Mistakes that undermined him already and will undermine all efforts in the future if not corrected. A/Y is the president elect and I think people are entitled to follow his steps critically all the way. Perhaps you should put a sock on your tribal feelings and accept that not everyone will forgive him and blind themselves to what he does. Besides, who is to say he would have been killed if he went to Xamar? That fear is based on profound distrust right? Then what business did he have dealing with the warlords to begin with wasting our precious time for two years? Anyone, including him, is really out of their mind if they think someone is going to come to help them wage a war in Xamar against these men. That thought is really as demented as the mind that harbours it. As for the difference between Jowhar and Xamar, they are two different towns, one named Jowhar and the other XAMAR. Unless you were thinking along your usual tribal lines and saying subtly that there are people who shouldn't be in Xamar, All somalis today feel A/Y is their president and he should address them. Try to separate Men whom A/Y fears and can't trust, and the average camel-herder who feels left out. That is, if you really can go beyond your tribal sentiments against a particular tribe(reer hobyo). PS: Tell us how you foresee A/Y coming to xamar with an Army, fighting these warlords and then ruling in peace? You think such scenario is possible? that lines won't be blurred and once a bullet is fired people won't devide themselves along tribal lines? What beneift will you and get from community wars? And how far are youwilling to go to get what you want? If XAMAR isn't so safe for A/Y to come, he should wait till conditions change. Foreign troops, if not welcome, won't help, He and the Warlords who support can't invade town to over-power men they don't like. If you can't see all these problems on the horizon, keep on dreaming brother.

Hey abaayo(Juxa), you made it seem so easy. But here is a personal question for you, hope nobody asked you before, adiga raalli maku noqon leheed in gabar kale lagula guursado? Ninka hal naag ka badan guursan karo waa nin qalbi adag oo aan suuro suuro aqoonin. Guys like me waa fuley They just talk the talk and can't walk the talk lol. If jealousy wasn't an issue and women wouldn't care who shares their husbands with them, life would be lovey dovey despite the crowd, I tell ya, many guys would do it. All men entertain more than one wife but only few of them do act on their secret wishes. Runtii, gabdho badanaa dayacan some with kids and they are young. Ilaahey ha u gargaaro. Back in somalia, my uncle who had been there told me the same problem exists. Men have no jobs, No income and can't afford for their families, most them irresponsible Qat-drug addicts, when life gets a little tough for them, they move on and marry another woman. Consequently, You see a woman with many kids from different husbands. But then again, waddanaan waxba ka jirin, oo dadkii ninkii wax heesto maahane kuwa kale meel iska fadhiyaan mexey kaloo sameeyaan but marry lol? Allah sahlo arrimahaan. Take Care. PS: Those girls who are too independent and think a man is just a necessary burden need not be offended with my statitistics My observations of the numbers could be wrong but I see more women than I see guys lately lol.

Somebody should be wise enough to let the beheaded men's story die and be buried within the forums

Sky.African, anyone who was happy with mohamed dheere's threats and talk of war are the ones who think foreign troops are actually gonna help the war against specific communities. Besides, the question Hadrawi was asked was "if"(in the future), to which he gave the correct answer. That is what will happen if there is a war, people will side with their communities and tribesmen. In my personal opinion, foreign troops can be effective only if people welcome them and host them. The benefit to that is to get armed men who don't trust each other to submitt their weapons to a third neutral party. They can also help with logistics and rebuilding. The mistakes made by A/Y and his group were: A- Requesting troops Ethiopia was going to be included. That set off all kinds of conspiracy theories and aroused the passions of some who look at ethiopia with contempt. If A/Y really cared about this government's stability, he should have acted different. Indha adeeggiisaan la yaabey. I would be careful if I was him and only requested what I know would not give advantage to anyone who opposes this process. No opportunities for potential spoilers and no need for controversial decisions which the government can be or do without. B- Not coming to town even once. That spoke volumes to people and said "I, A/Y, don't think will be safe in Mogadishu and need troops to be there". I sympathize with him for my understanding of his lack of sacrifice and that his life being more important to him (and to his supporters) than this process, at the same time, he and others must acknowledge that such acts send only One message: There is no TRUST. Given such situation, how does he(A/Y) and his supporters expect people to assume the best about the troops coming? If He gave them no confidence, how can they give him one? People want government and that is why they demonstrate in support of anyone coming from Nairobi to Mogadishu. Plus you have to hear anyone denying A/Y's presidency or the legitimacy of this government AS OF YET. Anyhow, officials better walk a fine line if they want this to work. They have to win people instead of losing them to others. PS: Imagine if A/Y came along with the men who pledged their support in front of Somalis and the International Media to Xamar. Just once, and he talked to the residents to remind them how he was elected by the men standing next to him. On his way out to attend conferences to ask for help to the world, He could simply put the focus on Yalaxoow, Atto and all Men who have influence in the town and told them: When I come back, I want this city to be ready for government. Saxib, Caqliyaa loo baahan yahay. Perhaps I am giving more credibility to A/Y and his ability to make this government work. Or I may sound gullible or foolish, but the reality is one that requires self-sacrifice and for A/Y to be a little more daring or honest It is not time for perfection if that is what drives so many to blame others in mogadishu incessantly. The question and motivation should be, how can we make this work without useless talk and making people feel ignored by the government they threw their support behind. Show some love please and you will find many supporters on your side.

Nin rag ah waaye. A true patriot who understands that No amount of troops will make Somalis comply to any thing unless they wanted to and it is a war you got if you ignore their stance. Inta kale riyey ku jiraan and calculating wrongly. They think you can go to war with some somali tribes and then have peace in the aftermath. Allow yaa yiraahdo dadkan waashey you need to sleep on a dog's skin for the good of the country and people.

If A/Y goes to another town for temporary base, kolleyba Xamar shaqaa laga qaban lahaa right? So what is the fuss and all these criticism? What do you think if all officials from the president down to parliamentarians stay in another town while there is no one in mogadishu? What kind of message will that send to the people who reside in that town? That they are left out of the process? That the government isn't for them? There should be a compromise. A/Y can go to what town he pleases in, he and those like-minded officials who can't or don't want to come to Xamar untill they deem it safe. For the rest, they are responsible for making the town conducive for government business. I hope these officials who went there act on their promises and clean house. People welcomed them by the thousands which is a good omen. It is so silly to criticize people for doing what they are expected to do anyway, come clean their house. If every action people take is dealt with as if A/Y was disobeyed, man, that REALLY SUC-KS.

There is a reason for Zestful enthusiasm... Too many Somali women to choose from. But then I sometimes worry for them. Intee niman somali looga wada heli doonaa aan is dhahaa LOL.

What Famous Leader Are You? personality tests by similarminds.com I answered all 45 questions.

Jumatatu, waa runtaa, consensus and reconciliation that means reconciliation is the way to go. A/Y was given the confidence and the vote as the president of Somalia, so he better be inclusive and talk to everyone, be friends with them instead of inviting unnecessary confrontations that serve no one. The man surely needs a speech-writer of some sort who expunges all nonsensical inflammatory rhetorics from his speeches. I am hoping A/Y gets good lataliyayaal who aren't emotional or self-centered, people who put country first and tribe distant 100th. He might succeed with the right people although I really doubt whoever he confides in will tell him what is best, but rather, I am afraid, in hopes of scoring big in his book, they tell him what makes him smile sheekadana hadhoow noqoto libaaxii inta dawacada neefkiiyoo dhan wada siisey cabsi darteed qosol la dhacay oo yiri: "Dawaco qeyb wanaagga waa taqaan" You can't trust somali polititians. They are out there for themselves. Dadkaa lagu salladey.

Jumatatu, Adiga kacaan diidaa tahay Saxib. Dowladda iney hagaagto dadkoo dhaney dan ugu jirtaa. Ninkii isaga u dhaqmaaya in Adeerkii Aabihii la dhashey ama Aabbihiiba madaxweynaha yahay, oo dadka kale ka xigsado oo colaadiyo, isagey jirtaa. Adiga dantaada ka raaco. You need Dowlad in Xamar. You are most in need of it.

Wiil_Duco, orod adeerkaa A/Y u sheeg Xikmaddaas Xamar haddey hagaagto siyaasad ahaan, Kismayo dhib maleh. Xamar is the key, he should focus on there with the diplomacy and goodwill you talked about. It isn't that difficult to outsmart opponents. People want government if A/Y and his supporters can demonstrate willingness to go beyond unfounded fears. First government, then justice. You work with whom you can without introducing steps that undermine the common cause. That is how it works. Xiinfaniin. Politics were personal for me when ethiopia had the chance to be voted for. I have my own reasons to object to their inclusion irrespective of what you or someone else might think of it. Now that that is taken care of, adiga iyo dakdaad heysatey idinka dhexeysaa Aniga I support what seems to me supportable regardless.

I got your point bro. Thanks.

They are engaged in a noble cause trying to give life to a government its president is out of his mind. He should have worked with people like these instead of showing lack of confidence that manifested itself in the extreme form of "No visitations" though he is their president, and "contempt" by requesting troops Ethiopia was a party to it. I sometimes question how serious he was in wanting this job so bad throughout the years that he abondoned a Normal life.

NGONGE, What did you like to see addressed in the article that wasn't there? PS: Taking the shortcut saxib, I haven't read a single line of the article lol.

Originally posted by Che-Guevara: Somalis are screwup. Forget peace , I say nuke da place. Atleast that would put the masses out of their misery. Bro CHE, I don't know where you want to live in Somalia, but where I am headed, we got Human-Nukes already aka Warlord dhiigyacab yaal who belong to the shooting-pole. If there was a reason I still want and always wanted this government to work, irrespective of what I thought of A/Y, it was to see these men go down and never wake from the fall alive. Hadda iyagaa na sugaayo kolley. Puntland is cool so is Somaliland saxib. The only losers in this game are People like me who are basically Nolanders. Thanks to A/Y yusuf and his prime minister who abondoned little guys like me. And they are not the only ones to blame. I opposed ethiopian troops because I could foresee the problems they would introduce politicalwise. The talk of temporary Capital and Ethiopian troops served no one else but anyone who didn't want this government to work. The government, like some of the brothers in here, embarked on a campaign of talking about how Mogadishu is this and how Mogadishu is that. They hoped such talk would get them what they wanted politically. The concept of sacrifice is so alien to them. Anyhow, Hadda dowladdaan ma u dhammaatey?

loooooooooooool@Qooqaani and Taabta. Anywhere but Mogadishu Hadda dowladdaan ma u dhammaatey? Mise waxaan dacaayad waaye? A/Y and his government missed the opportunity big time when they didn't come to Mogadishu. I knew maalinkuu isku adkeeyey Nairobi oo uu dhahay Ciidamo la'aan ma baxaayi, in waxaan sidaan ku dambeyneyso. That was complete shocker because everyone was waiting for A/Y and Government to come visit the town. Somali hadey nabad rabin, in la isaga dhax baxaa fiican. Qasab iyo dood dhibaato keeneyso horaa looga soo daaley. If A/Y had two things in Mind, he shouldn't have wasted his time running for presidency: A- That he wasn't coming to Xamar without troops, and of all troops, troops ethiopia has a presence in them, B- He was afraid for his life and thought Coming to mogadishu without troops would get him killed. Naf Jecli and A Job that requires sacrifice don't go into one place. He would have been a Hero by just visiting the town. These warlords would have surely but slowly lost clout. A/Y screwed all up basically. I am hoping this is not the end of the process and Something, which I have no idea what it could be, materializes on the ground that can save this government from the fate of others.

One thing for sure, A/Y side-stepping Muqdisho and treating it as a denizen of evil costed him. I wish he knew that his success and support in the town was more than 95%. His opponents capitalized on his mis-steps and it is spiraling out of control if God doesn't save this process. Amxaaro request was wrong, not coming to town was wrong. I would have suggested to Reer Muqdisho that A/Y made mistakes but minor ones WHICH where corrected by a system. Better support that same system and ensure its success rather than letting it fail only later to deal with the same tribal hobgoblins who buried them people alive. That is more frightening scenario than dealing with an obstinate A/Y who can be corrected by a system. He is a better choice than Aidid Jr, Yalaxoow, Atto or whoever blood-sucker in town masquarading as a responsible man. The dissapointing other fact is A/Y-supporters on the otherside of the spectrum getting emotional about everything A/Y does or say. They are equally wisdomless.

I saw a vidoe once where sheekhs had done a superb job in the farmlands, made the tribal leaders part of the ruling elite, set up courts where these tribal leaders with the assistance of Sheekhs managed the towns. People who were interviewed expressed a relief from the maruading gunmen who wreaked havoc on their lives and who basically robbed them through taxation and whatever. However, when these sheekhs gained popularity in parts of Xamar and in the farmlands, Warlords Aidid Jr being the head of them, started accusing them of terroristic deeds, got on the media to wage his own campaign against them, finally, the sheekhs were weakened by tribalism and slowly disappeared from the scene. They were supported by Businessmen to begin with, so I am guessing once the support from these quarters siezed, the whole hope people had changed. They did what they could while they were there, so let us not be emotional and accuse only one part of a total losers. Blame should also go to anyone who introduces controversial issues just because they want it. Shirwac. Adiga ma diin neceebey kaa tahay warkaad qortey? Waaban kaa shakiyaye.

Ethiopian army accused of horrific rights abuses in Gambella Thu Mar 24, 1:11 PM ET World - AFP NAIROBI (AFP) - Ethiopia's army has committed massive human rights abuses that may constitute crimes against humanity against the indigenous Anuak population in the country's southwestern Gambella region, a leading rights watchdog charged. AFP/File Photo New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the army had launched a systematic campaign against the Anuak beginning in late 2003 and that a recent announcement that six soldiers would be tried for their involvement fell far short of addressing the matter. "The Ethiopian military has committed widespread murder, rape and torture against the Anuak population in the remote southwestern region of Gambella since December 2003," the group said. "The abuses ... could amount to crimes against humanity," it said in a 64-page report entitled "Targeting the Anuak: Human Rights Violations and Crimes against Humanity in Ethiopia's Gambella Region" released here. The Ethiopian government angrily denied the accusations, saying the report was based on "lies" and was politically motivated ahead of May general elections. "Human Rights Watch has produced a completely unfounded report, based on lies," information minister Berekat Simon told AFP by phone in Addis Ababa just hours after the group unveiled the scathing report. HRW said the campaign against the Anuak community -- ostensibly part of a crackdown on armed groups responsible for brutal attacks -- was launched after the massacre of some 400 civilians in Gambella town by mobs and soldiers. It said the military was treating "Gambella's entire Anuak population as a legitimate target for attack." In the days that followed the massacre, "the military launched a series of attacks on Anuak villages that destroyed well over 1,000 homes and left several dozen villagers dead," the report said, citing testimony from witnesses to and victims of the abuses. Many smaller incidents ensued in which Anuak men were routinely beaten and sometimes killed, women raped and houses looted during sweeps of villages that forced thousands of people to flee their homes, it said. "Many of the victims were shot down from behind as they tried to flee attacks on their villages," the report said. "Beatings and torture of Anuak civilians by soldiers have become such common occurrences in much of the region that many of the victims ... said that they consider it to be a normal part of their existence," it said. The group dismissed as inadequate last week's announcement by Addis Ababa that six soldiers would be tried in connection with the violence in Gambella, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) southwest of the capital, that continued through early 2004. "The Ethiopian government must address its responsibility for the horrific crimes that the army has committed against Anuak civilians in Gambella," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Africa Division. "While serious abuses have continued, the government has focused only on prosecuting a handful of soldiers involved in the December massacre," he said. Throughout the troubles in Gambella, Ethiopia's government had denied allegations that the army was involved despite widespread skepticism from international donors, including the United States and European Union (news - web sites). Officially, the government has said a total of 253 people were killed and blamed the majority of deaths on fighting between the Anuak and so-called "highlanders" or people originating from other areas of Ethiopia. Last week, though, the results were released of an official investigation that found enough evidence to try six soldiers involved in the December 13, 2003 killings. But Human Rights Watch said the prosecutions should be expanded to cover the entire period of violence. "The attacks on December 13, were not isolated, rather marked the turning point of a situation that was tense in Gambella, when Ethiopian troops entered into the conflict and attacked civilians," said researcher Chris Albin-Lackey. In Addis Ababa, Berekat accused Human Rights Watch of colluding with the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), which he said had ties with an opposition political party, to smear the government ahead of the May 15 vote. "They didn't verify these figures on the ground, they have just grabbed false reports from newspapers and politically motivated reports from EHRCO," he said. The report "cannot be taken seriously," Berekat said. "Especially at the time where elections are coming nearer. Human Rights Watch works hand in glove with EHRCO, so we have no doubt that it is a politically instigated report." http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050324/wl_afp/ethiopiagambellaunrest_050324181154

Wiilo, Bishaaro "beyzani" dhinaca qaldaney u fasiratey. The word has a bad connotation sometimes, laakiin aniga waxaan ka wadey, qof caqli leh waaye oo taqaanno sida loola dhaqmo clueless somali males. Wey ku sax san tahay according to her understanding. Waxaan ka heley markey dhahdey ninka la diidaa ugu daran oo ka daba ordo gabadha diidey. Dadkaa isku groupka eheedeen waa kuwaan, Ay Kutubo iyo Ay bishaaro. take care.

Ay Kutubeey, saan haddaa tababar ugu jirto, markaa kasoo baxdid ha isoo marin lol. Besides, Bishaaro waa inkirsan tahay her worth. in laga dido ma rabtaan u maleenaa si hadhoow lama filaan ugu noqoto war jire moogga madaxa la galo. Duruus dhigoow qof ka cayaareyso warkeeda ma sahlan yahay? Bishaaro. Haddaadan iga cabsanin anaa kuu cabsan lahaa Caqliyaa leedahay.