Chronicling the two-way flow between Canada and Somalia On a Wednesday last June, I received an e-mail from Fahima Osman. Regular readers of The Globe and Mail will remember Fahima as one of the main characters in our New Canada series two years earlier. We profiled Fahima because she was on target to become the country's first Somali-Canadian doctor. In the process, we at The Globe, thousands upon thousands of our readers and pretty well the entire Somali community fell in love with Fahima and her family for their humanity and humility, among other attributes. Fahima wrote to tell me she had just returned from a trip to Somalia and had been badly discouraged by the devastated condition of the country's health system. Years of war and poverty had taken their toll. Fahima Osman at the upper right with the lovely smile "I was so, so disappointed with the situation the country is in that I felt so overwhelmed and paralyzed at the same time. The poverty is unbelievable," she wrote. She described the acute shortage of doctors and the near impossibility of training new ones. She had always intended to move back and forth between Canada and Somalia in her career, but now she felt that the medical gifts she could bring to the country of her birth would be insufficient. She has decided to pursue a master's degree in public policy and finance because the fix for Somalia's health system is more political than medical. During a series of wars, tens of thousands of Somalis sought refuge in Canada, among them, Fahima's family. Today, the flow is two-way, as some refugees try to help their homeland recover from its deep travails while others still seek the better life in Canada. In today's Focus section, we tell one of these stories. Two award-winning Globe journalists, Stephanie Nolen and Marina Jiménez, have teamed up on the Abdul Rahman family, Stephanie on the Somalia end and Marina in Canada. They are middle-class refugees from Mogadishu: a sister, Saido, now lives in the remote town of Xuddur, while a brother, Abdi, is in Toronto. Her life now revolves around the sorghum fields, while he is about to become, after Fahima Osman, the second Canadian of Somali descent to become a physician. Stephanie and Marina, working 7,000 kilometres apart, vividly explore the contrasting lives, thoughts and experiences of brother and sister. The family is, of course, also separated by 7,000 kilometres, but without Stephanie's satellite phone and computer. At least, not normally. In Xuddur, the family was thrilled to be able to send news and photos to their brother. In Canada, he receives them and weeps. As for Fahima, well, you can read her first-person account, also in Focus, of how she is handling her initial shock at the conditions at home and her plans for her future. Meanwhile, on Page A4 today, we continue our season-long chronicle of Sidney Crosby, the rookie phenom whose arrival has been (perhaps prematurely) equated with that of Wayne Gretzky. This project had its genesis on a long afternoon drive from the Miramichi to Halifax. Shawna Richer, our Atlantic correspondent and a former sports writer, was returning home from interviewing Jason Dickson, a former major-league pitcher now playing in the New Brunswick men's senior league. The car radio was tuned to the NHL draft. Shawna was thinking about how rare and how fragile is true athletic talent, and how success and failure in sport often hinges on factors outside the control of the athlete. As our Atlantic Canada correspondent, she had written about the Cole Harbour, N.S., native and had met his family, and so listened with special intensity as the drawn-out draft lottery ended with Pittsburgh claiming its prize. Soon enough, another e-mail arrived in my in-box -- this one from Shawna proposing a season-long series on the most important rookie in decades. Now, she's living in a furnished apartment in Pittsburgh, complete with Steeler coffee mugs. The question is whether Mr. Crosby can generate sales of similar paraphernalia for the Penguins. Shawna's articles will appear regularly in the paper and daily on her globeandmail.com blog (Go to http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports and follow the links) as she keeps track of the season. And while we are on the subject of the Web, let me take this opportunity to introduce Style Counsel, an e-mail newsletter that arrives on the scene Monday. We've been thinking for a while about the enjoyment that readers derive and the guidance they seek every weekend from the Globe Style section in the newspaper. We asked ourselves how we could provide similar helpful and entertaining material on fashion, decor, food and beauty on a more regular basis. The answer was a daily e-mail blast for the style-conscious audience. You can get a taste of Style Counsel today on pages L4 and L6.

wow! :eek: Good thing I change my pillow sheet at least every other day.

The Interview

^^^ I don't believe illiteracy and backwardness comes to mind of a man who successfully completed his studies at the Staff College in Modena, the School of War (Staff & Command) in the Soviet Union and a degree in the Somali National University's Law School.

LOL No OLOL I'm not laughing, I'm talking to you. So listen! You are Eitrean aren't you and just for 1/8 Somali? Do us a favor and discuss the dictatorship of Isaias Afewerki in eritreaonline.com and put up a good word for the Somali people there since we are your Reer Ayeeyo or something. Your contribution was well appreciated, but my dear boy we can no longer hold you here, for your ideas are more needed among your own countrymen. It saddens me as well, but we must let you go.

Well we all know the stories behind short men. There is always something up with those guys and Cadde is no exception.

^^^ Why thank you, my sentiments exactly. Now let's just hope the new Mod won't execute your marvellous idea to silently liquidate me.

Originally posted by 7 0f Nine: Be afraid...be very afraid. Rahima, I think you need to make a grand entrance... why dont u delete Sky and call him 'a punk'? It will be the kinda of publicity you need to let every1 know you're here. 7 of Nine Try me! :cool: My martyrdom will cause public outrage throughout SOL. It won't have its desired effect. You'll turn me into a symbol of freedom.

To marry a man for his money is shallow, similarly to marry a woman so that she can cook and clean for you is shallow. Indeed one should marry her for the body. What is this? Qabees daanyeeer? My average qabees--and it isn't a bath--takes at least 35 minutes minimum and one hour maximum. I ain't a girl either. Yours seems like the old qabees one caag biyo la isku shub shubi jiray. What!?! :eek: A minimum of 35 minutes, my God do you want your skin to fall off? 10 - 15 minutes is more than enough. Tolow, how much are your water bills? Women are more organized when it comes to household affairs – they’re more caring, look at every Somali household those back home and those in the west during the morning rush of scrambled legs – you will find the mother organizing and directing traffic, even in western societies. There are culturally prescribed roles and duties in the family structure – although in the modern era those boundaries are becoming irrelevant. Don't beat around the bush mister. You're lazy, no excuses. *Thinking out loud>>Mashallah,my 16yr brother knew how to cook chapati,maruq,bariis,baasto since he was 12yrs, sighs, I love my mum teaching the boys how to survive. Oh, forgot my other brother cooks awesome omelettes so far havent eaten anything like it, I miss him Masha Allah, but here is a guy who made his first Lasagne past summer and - Hello! - everybody thought it was delicious. I can also make Corn Flakes. But if you want it hot, you have to ask my mum.

Originally posted by Brown: Maya Wallahi; I thot it was quite civil, i mean i was kinda harsh. Understandably of coz sky,come on we dealing with you here What is that supposed to mean? Why does everybody think that I'm some kind of boogieman? SOL is full with frightened sissies if you ask me. Lexus So evidently you have put a Machiavellian sheme on us when you declared your 'departure' some days ago. To look how much you would be missed? Well don't think that I missed you, I was just being kind. Had I made such a topic, damn it, it would be 9 pages long full with grieving nomads. So please Lexus, do leave this time, not because you have 'exams', as if we all don't. Leave, because everybody is laughing at you. PS. Hoogaa, since when did you have Moderator status Rahima? :eek:

This author wraps it all up in a nutshell. My sentiments exactly regarding this article from Garowe Online --------------------------------- The Dubai Deal: The People vs. Cadde Muuse The debate over the Dubai Deal has once again highlighted the incompetence of the Puntland Parliament, officially known as the Council of Representatives (Golaha Wakiilada). Halkan ka akhri isaga oo Soomaali ku qoran IT WAS WRONG FROM THE START. The announcement that Puntland President Cadde Muuse had signed a deal with a foreign company to search for natural resources in the region prompted a direct reply from Professor Ali Mohamed Ghedi, the Somali premier: the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) considers any such deal unlawful and will not recognize it. According to Premier Ghedi, regional administrations must await for the TFG to ordain laws governing the research and development of Somalia’s natural resources. In Article 67 of the TFG Constitution – to which Puntland is a signatory – natural resources are legally considered “national property†(hanti qaran). If Puntland is part of the Federal Republic of Somalia, how does one explain its unilateral decision to research and develop “national property†found in the region? Cadde’s unilateralism I actually expected more from Cadde Muuse – the same man who made all that empty talk about introducing accountability and transparence into the Puntland administration. Or was that merely an election gimmick? Cadde should realize that he can only lead by example. When accountability and transparency are practiced at the top tiers of government, then those same principles will eventually trickle down to the lower tiers and create an opportunity to reform the system. There was neither transparency nor accountability in the way Cadde signed a mysterious deal in Dubai (henceforth down as the Dubai Deal) last month. Cadde has overstepped both presidential and State power by signing an international deal the exclusive realm of the federal government. If every State is allowed to have its own government, security apparatus and sign foreign deals, then what is the use of a federal government, one wonders. We are undoubtedly in the early stages of our nation-building process. The powers between the federal and State governments have not yet been completely separated because the TFG is busy building its basic institutions in Jowhar . However, more was expected from the Puntland leadership – as the role model State of a federal Somalia , Puntland was theoretically supposed to reflect TFG policy. And TFG leaders – both President Abdullahi Yusuf and PM Ali Ghedi – have openly expressed the illegality of the Dubai Deal. Premier Ghedi , a career academic, was right in refusing State governments from signing agreements with foreign entities. Without rules and regulations governing the development of Somalia’s natural resources, we will leave too much room for catastrophic error on a grand scale. The violent conflict in Nigeria between the national government and local tribes is fueled by misunderstanding over profit distribution between the two parties. This is a sad example of the many problems that can arise without an all-Somali (Soomaaliweyn) consensus on the use and distribution of our nation’s natural resources. But Cadde Muuse doesn’t seem to be concerned for such trivial matters. He has not even introduced a bill into the Puntland Parliament. Isn’t Parliament supposed to debate over and vote on important issues, such as this? Or does the law grant President Cadde the ability to make unilateral decisions on this scale? Last time I checked, Puntland is not under the rule of a dictatorship. Puntland Parliament: Where art thou? The debate over the Dubai Deal has once again highlighted the incompetence of the Puntland Parliament, officially known as the Council of Representatives (Golaha Wakiilada). As the representatives of the people in government, one of Parliament’s primary duties include keeping a balance of power between the legislative (Parliament) and the executive (President) branches. The Puntland Parliament is either wholly unaware of such a responsibility or unwilling to step up to the administration. It seems the job of holding administration leaders accountable for their actions has been delegated to the free press – it’s the press, not Parliament, which is putting pressure on Cadde Muuse to come clean about the terms of the Dubai Deal. So where is Parliament? Not a single parliamentarian has spoken publicly about this issue of eminent importance to the people, to the region and to the Somali nation as a whole. If the Puntland administration is allowed to continue to push its own independent agenda and Parliament remains silent, then the people of Puntland will not forget Parliament’s treason (by being quiet, Parliament is agreeing to Cadde’s policy). Sad to say, but the Puntland Parliament seems to have forfeited its right to question administration policy, especially with regard to the Dubai Deal. Can the people of Puntland depend on such an ineffective institution (Parliament) to deliver their concerns to the administration (President)? The Dubai debate rages on The debate is gradually heating up. Even within the ranks of the Puntland Cabinet, there are some ministers who oppose the Dubai Deal. Strangely enough, Cadde Muuse – as signatory to the Dubai Deal – has yet to publicly speak about the deal he signed. As of today (September 12, 2005), the people of Puntland don’t know what their elected leader signed on to. They are not informed of the terms of the agreement, of the parties involved and are utterly unaware of its consequences. Everyone in Puntland is wondering: What’s in it for us? Natural resources found on Somali soil are national property, as expressed in the TFG Constitution. Puntland is part of Somalia and, therefore, natural resources found on its territory are Somalia’s national property. The use and distribution of Somalia’s natural property is in the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. For Cadde Muuse, the Dubai Deal controversy is the first real test of his embryonic administration. There are opposition figures both within and without his government. The final outcome of this controversial issue will undoubtedly reflect on his political career. But Cadde seems like a man ready to risk his career for such a deal. But is Puntland ready to risk its future? Yusuf M. Hassan-Mire GaroweOnline.com Column

somalipride I know the editor of the Shacab newspaper that got arrested in Garoowe, Cabdulqaadir Farey, and although a very controversial figure, he wasn't wrong in criticising the PL government. Granted, the man committed some character assasinations here and there, but the newspaper needs to sell. AfQurac has put him behind bars. I still have nothing to provide when asked about the positive aspects of AfQurac in office. Yoonis You misunderstood me. I said if this charade of Cadde continues, than even bring back Yeey if there is the need. But you claim Cadde is a man of development. How so? I mean, does he have a history of working for or heading NGOs or participated in any kind of community development. We are talking about a man who came from Toronto to wage war for his clansmen, shipped in technicals taxless from Berbere port and set up base in Somaliland. Now I'm being too hard on him, but a saint he is not. Yoonis, Awood Qaybsiga Beelaha Puntland is long albeit gone. Everybody can become whatever. And hopefully the multi-party system will come sooner rather than later. This tribal system is too dangerous. I agree with Xiin Finiin , I believe there should be another Grand Shir in Garoowe to reconsider the initial arrangements in order to gain a rocksolid foundation. Puntland is balancing itself momentarily on a onelegged chair and its just a matter of time when it will collapse. windtalker Indeed Cadde was extremely lucky to beat Xaashi in the last presidential elections. Xaashi was destined for it and deserved it, but his fued with Faroole and the dissatisfaction of the SSC regions has costed his neck. Faroole undoubtedly has a solid support in the Nugaal region, that's his undisputed territory. Combine that with the decreasing popularity of Cadde in the SSC regions and the council of representatives and indeed we can conclude that that process has already started. How long was a president's term in Puntland again? Furthermore, I don't understand why a moron like Gaagaab is the minister of Finance, while Faroole was the General Manager of the Somali Commercial Bank.

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar: So, where are the pictures, Gabarta isku dhaceyso ? I've never seen a photo of Naaso Caanood, marka meeshaas na tusi sawirkooda, koleey bus iyo boor lee kasoo horeeyo yaa ogaado. Hayee Quruxleey maad iska celisid? Sawiradii meeye? Bal horta adiga kumee?

Yoonis I'm sick and tired of this shit. One moron comes crawling after another. When will it end? When will we see the light at the end of the tunnel? Ask yourself these questions. How can Gaagaab (A Nobody turned Somebody) say without shame that the company they dealt with has no investment capital to drill the mineral resources and seeks to sell chickens (OMG!) in order to acquire the money to exploit 'our' resources? And how is it possible for Cadde to at the one hand allow the injustices in Puntland; detaining of journalists (Whom are often quite right) and at the other hand be reluctant to enter new stages of the Puntland democratisation process? All added with the incompetence Cadde is showing. With all due respect if this continues than please bring back Yeey, because Cadde is all empty promises. Listen up, HAFZA is bullshit, Consort is bullshit everything is bullshit. And I'm in peace with that. I don't expect to see a wealthy Somalia, all I want is no further damage to what allready seems irreparable. I'm with the minister of planning; Cabdiraxmaan Faroole on this. Even if its true, I'm against this deal. Puntland is too weak and unstable to manage this deal, we need to let the central government sort this out as soon as it sorts itself out. And may Cadde go back to Toronto and Faroole become the new president.

Wa Caleykum Salaam. Omar, welcome to SOL, enjoy your stay here and please feel free to participate in the ongoing discussions.

These respectable wadaads are far from wrong, yet turned a mouse into an elephant unnessecarily. Somali parties are with few exceptions sausage parties (parties with a men-women ratio favoring men), so by all means my dear spiritual warriors single out those few ladies and send them home. Than note the gentlemen present and you'll have quite something to tell to the fathers after the friday prayer. Its 2005 Beardos, a nose for effectiveness and efficiency are prerequisites for successful mutadawaciin surveillance.

Originally posted by Aeronwen: Eh ? What's this gibberish then, SKY ? Have you suddenly tranferred to Oxford Uni, or something? Oh mi lady, with the utmost rarity one feasts his eyes upon irreproachably written posts that smells as though it was penned down with ultimate perfection.

Originally posted by Animal Farm: As thinkers on this site, our aim should be refined and establish concrete goals. What can we do, can we set something up --- we have got the people together and their attention, so I urge all of you to always think about the collective responsibilities that we have. This is the place to exchange theories, ideas, concepts, and plans. Let us plot together for the post-conflict reconstruction of Somalia. Like the AdBusters brand, SOL seeks to gain popularity through socially conscious communications, which will have inshallah some positive outcomes in the future. I therefore firmly believe that the moderators should start threads of importance to the post-conflict reconstruction of our country. Turn the nomad mass a little bit into the right direction, away from the superficial chitchat and redundant topics. I've seen you returning interesting threads of yesteryears to stimulate more productive discussion. That's exactly what I'm talking about, but that alone is not enough. SOL is losing its community village feel time after time. It would also be highly recommendable to take up the burden of inviting young, energetic and future-minded columnists from different Somali newsportals to enter the SOL Fora. About the concept of the SOL brand. Even though commendable for its simplicity, functionality and wide array of archives. SOL must give its logo and layout a new breeze conforming to the demands of 2005. phpBB understood that and SOL should better modernize its unique style sooner rather than later. Instead of the white background, a greyish silver background could be used instead and emoticons rejuvenated. Just an idea.

Originally posted by Brown: ********Please respect others************ My boy, coulnd't you keep it civilised and sophisticated. Obviously it was too much to ask for this old manchild.

Good to see the wadaads are alive and kicking.

Oh Brown I'm terribly sorry, you must have mistaken me with someone who gives a shit about your 'humble opinion'. Bear in mind old boy that when you speak, speak of profound things. Something entirely absent in your line of debating and reasoning. The beforementioned thread was some inside information I desired the nomad members to know, as to realise that the man they cheer for isn't a gentleman of heroic stature at all. I'll cease, for I probably have lost you and your limited ability of grasping a simple message a solid few seconds ago. It probably explains why you enjoy reading dhoocil chitchat with the utmost delight as much as you do. Again, your humble opinion means nothing to anyone, sorry to burst your bubbles. Good luck with observing how this young dhoocil (Nazra my sincere apologies) procreates, as you put it, with an infidel. What an exciting life you have there my dear old boy. I believe I'm done here.

Depressing...

Who is this lady if I may ask? She looks interesting, to say the least.

^^ You talk too much garbage my dear. Adminow , please my dear old chap ban those that are lowering the quality of the SOL fora.

Ileen the old Generalissimo was having non other than the disease Emiratisis when escaping the unruly but depressingly clueless nomads in the Land of Punt time after time. The disease Emiratisis is evidently infectuous as some of his ministers have catched it. Other ministers are still in tune and most willingly have an admirable defense mechanism. Gone is the promised transparency. Accountability, democracy and freedom have all disappeared in the same manner as the rhinoceros and elephant from the Somali grasslands. Totally within reach and beyond imagination. As far as I'm concerned Canadian Cadde is playing with fire and shall witness the wrath unleashed upon him and his bar buddy Gaagaab in their mission to fatten their allready oversized stomachs with money under the banner of a Gentleman's Agreement. I have been reading HornAfrique's book "Politics for Dummies" much to his oh so valuable advise and imagined how the $200.000 dollars would be spend for Concort's (Or Consort, Concorde, Concert, Concard etc.) security of its new facilities in Majayahan and Dhalan south of Bosasso, the former location of operation of the Bulgarian Mining Company Geomin in the 80s. I could very well imagine that a group of the heavily armed boys called Daraawiish would be sent to cover the fat bottoms of these Australians, while Gaagaab is enjoying the money, dollar by dollar. Walee Buntilaan inayn meel uu soconin haddii ragga caanka ahaa oo wadanka oo dhan laga yiqiin oo dhulkooda laga eryey (By Yeey) ayn nimankaan caaqa ah naga qaban. Ironically Puntland chose Cadde, because the state was desperate to wash itself from the stank of Yeey's legacy. We can safely conclude that we were fooled. Kor iyo hoosba Korneyl Yeey is running the show, how could we forget that.