We shall wait and see!!

Most of the news content from private sites are indeed difficult to verify or vouch for its veracity be they SPR, HorseedMedia, GalgalaNews or AllPuntland, (passions are very high) What is really true of these events is that the man is local, supported by his clan over the administration of their resources and peace. Someone with substantial authority in Bosaaso and environs. But that fact had seemed to challenge the authority of Puntland in its goal to monopolize voilence not through political legitimacy but through coercion, intimidation and outright lies about the intentions of its opposition. Puntland has never been under attack. The people of Galgala of Bari region and by extension of Sanaag made significant contribution to the PL's competitive position and progress. They harbor no ill designs to commence hostility or destroy its fragile peace and infrastructure nor exacerpate the division. It is their country that Puntland declared unjust war to usurp power under the false pretext of "terrorism" in order to subjugate its inhabitants. This is how immature PL politically has been in using the "terrorism" against an indigineous group. The correct term is insurgency just like Americans employed in Iraq or as SL used against the people of "SSC". Atom and his militia is an indigenous group. You can't call them "terrorists" hiding in caves and jungles. I am being neutral with the whole fiasco, for my goal is to cut short the miscalculation of short-sighted political leaders in leading a State that is at war with its people. PL was established based on the consent of its inhabitants. If the elders from this region asked the PL authority to investigate the allegations and come up with some solution that should prevent this war, why has PL ignored and decided to label a whole a region as harbouring "terrorists". How will the indigenous group of this land react to such development. What PL should have done was to win the hearts of the people through developments, promotion of human rights, etc, not through land expansion and empowering one group at the expense of the overall goal of the state. That is called pathology engaging in behavior against some ideal policy. Gen. Ilka-Jir has yet to come forward and speak. His silence is disingenous at best and dangerous at worst. As an interior Minister, he should have come to the media, esp the local ones or the BBC--a neautral one, and explain to his community what is truly at stake. Whether he agrees with his billigerent Boss about allegations and what actions are in store to resolve the issue as opposed to resorting to violence and bloodshed, Or whether he is cooking something like the allegations by the UN that he took some of the spoils of the Pirate Money, WE DO NOT KNOW!!!

or whether he is cooking something like the allegations by the UN that he took some of the spoils of the Pirate Money, WE DO NOT KNOW!!!

Duke, Atom and his militia is an indigenous group. You can't call them "terrorists" hiding in caves and jungles. I am being neutral with the whole fiasco, for my goal is to cut short the miscalculation of short-sighted political leaders in leading a State that is at war with its people. PL was established based on the consent of its inhabitants. If the elders from this region asked the PL authority to investigate the allegations and come up with some solution that should prevent this war, why has PL ignored and decided to label a whole a region as harbouring "terrorists". How will the indigenous group of this land react to such development. What PL should have done was to win the hearts of the people through developments, promotion of human rights, etc, not through land expansion and empowering one group at the expense of the overall goal of the state. That is called pathology engaging in behavior against some ideal policy. Gen. Ilka-Jir has yet to come forward and speak. His silence is disingenous at best and dangerous at worst. As an interior Minister, he should have come to the media, esp the local ones or the BBC--a neautral one, and explain to his community what is truly at stake. Whether he agrees with his billigerent Boss about allegations and what actions are in store to resolve the issue as opposed to resorting to violence and bloodshed.

I don't think any one of these reports is verifiable. Most news sites that Duke and Sakhar used are considered by majority of Somalis to be private sites for Puntland in promotion of a clan agenda. They carry no weight than those websites such as Dhahar, SPR radio, GalgalaNews, and LaasQoray. But what is really true of these events is that the man is local, supported by his clan over the administration of their resources and peace. Someone with substantial authority in Bosaaso and environs. But that fact had seemed to challenge the authority of Puntland in its goal to monopolize voilence not through political legitimacy but through coercion, intimidation and outright lies about the intentions of its opposition. Puntland has never been under attack. The people of Galgala of Bari region and by extension of Sanaag made significant contribution to the PL's competitive position and progress. They harbor no ill designs to commence hostility or destroy its fragile peace and infrastructure nor exacerpate the division. It is their country that Puntland declared unjust war to usurp power under the false pretext of "terrorism" in order to subjugate its inhabitants. This is how immature PL politically has been in using the "terrorism" against an indigineous group. The correct term is insurgency just like Americans employed in Iraq or as SL used against the people of "SSC".

Quotes from Yoweri Museveni, Somalia's best friend. “IGAD is going to increase soldiers in the short-run by about 2,000 or 3,000 and then build up (the) strength of (the peacekeeping) force to 20,000 so that we can work with the transitional government of Somalia to eliminate these terrorists. These terrorists are sponsored apparently by some elements in the Middle East. We are going to get more information about that. "These groups in the Middle East have a wrong and confused orientation both in terms of aims but also in terms of methods,” he said. The president said that in terms of aims, they seem to aim at very narrow goals, chauvinistic goals, which have caused so much harm in the Middle East which is always a hot bed of extremism, narrow-mindedness and quite futile and directed to sort of violence. When it comes to methods, he said they obviously use terrorist methods. “Terrorism means when you use violence without discriminating the targets. Targeting non-combatants, children and women, people just enjoying themselves, like was what happened the other day. These Middle East groups seem to be the ones pushing their programmes in Somalia, which is part of Africa. And this one is not acceptable to IGAD and I believe to the AU. "This force in IGAD will be expanded and we shall be able to clean up that place,” he said.The president said families, whose relatives were killed or injured, will be assisted while foreign nationals will get support from their respective governments. The compensation process will be implemented after clearance by the attorney-general`s office Compiled by Biyokulule.com

Chief @ his best satire. Keep it coming.

=Zero.

Trafigura fined €1m for exporting toxic waste to Africa By Rob Evans guardian.co.uk News Fri 23 Jul 2010 20 Dutch court convicts oil trader of illegally exporting waste to Ivory Coast and concealing its hazardous nature in Amsterdam. The oil trader Trafigura has been fined ¤1m (£840,000) for illegally exporting tonnes of hazardous waste to west Africa. It is the first time the London-based firm has been convicted of criminal charges over the environmental scandal, in which 30,000 Africans were made ill when the toxic waste was dumped in Ivory Coast. A court in the Netherlands also ruled today that the firm had concealed the dangerous nature of the waste when it was initially unloaded from a ship in Amsterdam. Eliance Kouassi, president of the victims' group in Ivory Coast, said: "Finally Trafigura has been called out in a court of law. It's a real victory for us." The fine is, however, only half the amount sought by the Dutch prosecutors. Amsterdam district court judge Frans Bauduin also convicted a Trafigura employee and the Ukranian captain of the ship that carried the waste for their roles in the 2006 scandal. The seven-week trial centred on Trafigura's initial attempt to get rid of the waste cheaply in Holland. Look Bougert, prosecuting, told the court that Trafigura had put "self-interest above people's health and the environment". The prosecutor said Trafigura initially tried to conceal how dangerous the waste was, adding that the firm wrongly described it as routine slops from ordinary tank-cleaning. Residents complained about the foul smell. The company hired to dispose of the waste in Holland wanted more money for the job. Trafigura then pumped the toxic waste back on to its tanker. The vessel, the Probo Koala, was sent to Ivory Coast, where the cost of getting rid of the waste was much lower. Instead of disposing of it properly, Trafigura "dumped it over the fence" in Abidjan, Bougert said. "Cheap, but with consequences," he added. Last year, amid an international furore, Trafigura was forced to pay compensation totalling £30m to the thousands of Africans who needed medical treatment. The payments settled out of court a civil legal action brought by London lawyers Leigh Day. Three years ago, in another settlement, Trafigura paid £100m to the Ivorian government to help clean up the waste. Read More

Majority of IDPs in Sanaag are of Maakhirian origin from places like Mogadishu, Bay and Lower Juba. In fact, Laas Qoray employs more of IDPs from the South than the natives. The Governor along with the esteemed elders understand the economic consequence of such arbitrary and unlawful measure designed to depopulate the region from its people. The UN has already condemned it.

Guinea, Djibouti to Send Troops for Peacekeeping Djibouti and Guinea will both send troops to the Somali capital of Mogadishu, said AU commission President Jean Ping. The Peacekeeping mission is authorized to send up to 8,000, but Mr. Ping said the number may eventually rise to more than 10,000. Source: AP

Zack,well said, my friend. There's no evidence that the said man espoused the Islamic version of al-Shabaab. Even Farole has falsified on BBC the accusation that the man waved the black flag, a propoganda coined in a way that would commence hostility or burden the region with another image of insecurity detrimental to its development. I'm also surprised that some less-informed from the region would take the fabrications at face value and advance it. Lbaahe, dhulkani waa dhul Maakhir, east iyo westiba wa dhulkood. Adiga "somaliland" arrimaheeda ka hadal. This is Maakhir. Sheekadaan iyadaa iska dageysa

I think we should be wary of the terror card accusations. A great source of info for the general public. "The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors." Puntland Puntland is part of an anticipated federal state of Somalia and the government is largely considered weak, inept and corrupt. Although Yusuf became TFG president in 2004, he governs Puntland from a distance. Puntland’s current president, Mohamud Mussa Hersi, usually known as ‘Adde Musse, is believed to defer to Yusuf on major issues. Its economic resources are derived primarily from taxes obtained through the port of Bossaso. Additional sources of funding come from frankincense and livestock exports to the Middle East and mineral rights granted to various international companies. Many businesses in Puntland are owned and operated by former AIAI members who turned to business after giving up the armed insurgency (see discussion of AIAI below).18 These businessmen—who make up what could be called a religious private sector—have stepped in to provide education, health, and social services to the population. Many of the privately run schools in Puntland are owned and operated by former AIAI members. These schools teach a curriculum borrowed from various Arab countries and espouse a Salafi understanding of Islam. In filling the social services gap left by both the Puntland government and international aid agencies, religious business groups have earned a great deal of support. Although not active politically, these groups are believed to be biding their time to reenter the political arena.19 Map of Somalia

I'll put this case as an opportunity or mechanism to withdraw western tax-payers' money, the terror-card money, as a friend of mine once put it. War is not the answer!!

I totally agree with Thankful this time.

Jaaliyada Gobolada Sanaag, Haylaan iyo Bari ee ku Dhaqan Wadanka UK oo Soosaaray Baaq ku Wajan Go'aankii Odayaasha Beesha...

Baaq ka dhan ah dowlad goboleedka Puntland oo ay soo saareen waxgaradka Gobolada Haylaan iyo Galbeedka Bari

While the news of gathering dark clouds of war is with us, Dhahar elders said their names were used on deliberate false allegations by Garoweonline and AllPuntland, and they too warned against any unilateral action/strike by Puntland amid ongoing talks between Sheikh Atam himself and the elders on how to normalize the standoff or close the gap purported to be a fundamental misunderstandings. It seems the elders do not see Mr. Atam in the same way as by Puntland officials. Theirs perchance reflect a sentiment of support for a man whom they believe has done nothing wrong except for unconfirmed and politically motivated allegations. I think the growing support for Sheikh Atam is not without an explanation. Ever since PL's creation, the clan in western Bari region do not acquiescence to the whole system of Puntland and has accordingly exericised a total economic and political independence. The aggressive posture of reer Galgala and by extension of western Bari was created in part by alienation and gradual encroachment on their territory. Carmo is a case in point. A traditional grazing area for the clan was turned into an experiment of a land distribution or gerrymandering process of default. Carmo was soon transformed into a District that could host the base for Somalia's police academy whereas Galgala with relatively high population was almost treated as it were part of Sanaag region. The latter city is actually closer to Bosaso than Carmo. Similar grievances arise from the inhabitants of near farming settlements such as Marajo and Hamur. Then came the illicit mining and oil agreement signed by PL and the Range Resources, Ltd. on the Majihan and Dhalan area without the consent of the inhabitants. The result had been a disastrous for some politicians and an opportunity for others like the current president, Farole and his Interior Minister. It was this conflict that Sheikh Atam rose to popularity for his resolve to build disciplined local forces and stop the exploration by Range Resources, which they did after a two weeks of gun battle and dozens of human casualties. On the contrary, ICG's report came only with contradictory account, one that solely relies on Somaliland and Puntland. ICG's report implicated him as the man in violation of Somalia's weapons embargo eventhough the UN Monitoring Group alleges a different person. My solution is to send a neutral party into the region, for example, a UN commission, that should meet with the local traditional authority, women activists, and civil society groups, and investigate all the allegations concerning this issue and come up with their findings.

Really nice Somali ad. The connection of Miyi iyo Magaalo is Dahabshiil.

I like her logic and many examples in revealing the weak policy argument made against the ban of the Hijab. This article attracted loads of responses from diverse readership (mostly in agreement with her thesis) that she felt impelled to write a follow up piece.

Classic is my game. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=okqEVeNqBhc"> Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up! Ladies and Gents, would this thread not floating up during the Holy month.

^When did he propose? So you believe he is a "Pirate" whirling in waves of mystery and acting on evil designs just to convey the wrong impression of certain groups and confound us here in the process.

^He might be Darwiish, who knows?

Jacphar, Aaqil is either a Somalilander in disguise of Maakhir identity or he is the latter who has drunk from his uncles' prejudices and bed time stories. I even have friends from one of the major clans in Jigjiga Region. They were born and bred in Berbera but unfortunately harbor such ill-fed rumors about the people of Puntland. They also consider themselves as 'Somalilanders', a people and country distinct from the rest of Somalia. (Aaqil seems more unionist than my friends) I do not intend to patronize Chief Aaqil but I believe his ideas and beliefs of certain regions shall change for the better as he engages with SOL members' diverse perspectives.

JB, the temp solution could be how to drain the swamp. Somalia is a country long neglected by the International community. Compare that to how Ethiopia was saved from ethnic wars. Read this story. Weak States and Ethnic Conflict: Secessionism and State Collapse By Prof. Ray Taras & Rajat Ganguly ..While Soviet efforts to prop up the Dergue in the 1970s and 1980s are well known, it is surprising to learn the pivotal role played by the United States in engineering the downfall of Mengistu, his replacement by Meles, and the change in political status of Eritrea. In the last days of war in May 1991, the United States announced for the first time that it would support Eritrea's right to self-determination. With the sudden collapse of Africa's largest army , the Ethiopian communist government forces, in April 1991---due primarily to the withdrawal of political and military support for it by the Soviet Union---the United States entered into secret diplomacy with Mengistu. To begin with.....In May 1991, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Herman Cohen, chaired a peace conference of contending Ethiopian forces in London. He sought to ensure an orderly transition process involving both the removal of Mengistu and the secession to Eritrea, consistent with the facts on the ground. Once Mengistu had safely departed the country for exile in Zimbabwe, the United States next tried to create conditions for a peaceful takeover by the Tigre rebels. Efforts were made to ensure the Amharas in Addis Ababa that the Tigre forces entering the city on May 28 would do them no harm. Accordingly an American statement was broadcast announcing that Tigre rebels would be entering Addis Ababa the next day with Washington approval. In addition, U.S. envoys secretly asked Eritrean rebel leaders to hold back on their announcement of a referendum on the region's independence, in this way postponing the dramatic news that Ethiopia was to be partitioned....