Checkmate...Iam sure these parents love their kids. None of them wish their kids any harm. Many still indulge in this practice of simply that's norm in the culture they grew up. A lot of them sincerely believe that they are doing what's best for their daughters.Nobody brutalises their kid for no reason. It would be better to show these people that there is no benefit to this rather than handing down stiff sentences. N mind you, majority of FGM victims are in Somalia/Elsewhere in Africa. i doubt that anybody would go to jail in Africa even legislations banning the practice were put into books. Eridicating ignorance through education will be more viable way of bringing about the elimination of this practice.

Originally posted by checkmate: I personally think the Swedes should clearly deport this man to the states. He belongs to rot in Guantanamo bay for the rest of his life. Nacala washaK. Wat is dat gonna accomplish? He should be punished for breaking the law, but educating these people will be only way to eridicate this practice.

``Somalia was saved because of the Somali women," Coudln't agree more. Sadly alot of the criminals who commit these horrofic crimes agianst women will never face justice, not in this world anyway.

Ghana win friends in Israel Paintsil plays for the Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv Ghana has gained lots of new fans in Israel after their 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic on Saturday. Defender John Paintsil, who plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv, waved the Israeli flag to celebrate the Group E victory. Israel's Sports Minister, Ofir Pines Paz was quick to recognise Paintsil's gesture. "We have an Israeli at the World Cup. Paintsil's gesture has warmed our hearts and many Israelis have now become supporters of Ghana," Paz said. Paintsil joined Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2002 before switching to their city rivals Hapoel. "I love the supporters in Israel so I decided to take out the flag," Paintsil said. "I have played for Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv and the supporters there always made me happy so I wanted to repay them." Fifa spokesman Markus Siegler said the game's governing had no problem with Pantsil's action. "Its like the mask incident last week when Ivan Kaviedes scored for Ecuador against Costa Rica and pulled a mask over his face to celebrate. Let's not get too petty about this. I think it's fine." Israeli soccer pundits said Hapoel were looking to axe Paintsil from their line-up for next season but the club might now want to reconsider. Hapoel issued a statement thanking Paintsil. "The club is proud of its player John Paintsil, who raised the blue and white flag at the World Cup and in so doing expressed the warm ties between himself, his club and the country," Hapoel's statement read.

^^^^Couldn't agree more the Italians need to go. MMA..I don't know wat happened Nedved's boys. Apart from the flag incident, it was an interesting, and as for other game, I hope they don't allow that referee in the game again. Sharmarkee.....I think he did for more personal reasons. He was supposedly getting axed from his club. That "gesture" might have won a spot in his club. Qleap....I can't wait either. I hope they crush da yanks real good. N wat happen to Brasil....pathetic how they played yesterday.N France need to go home too.

Did anybody catch today's matches. Group E definately provided most entertaining and conversational games in the world cup so far.Love how Ghana came back from the last defeat, and crushed the Czechs. N the USA vs Italy match was just crazy. Never seen so many red cards in game. Your predictions people, who was gonna to the second from this group? Iam betting on Ghana , and the Czechs. I know the Italians are good, but i hope they will be eliminated!!!!

If this is true, then this has to be one of saddest days in our history!!!! Mustafa Haji Mogadishu 17 June. 06 ( Sh.M.Network) Reports from Baidoa indicate that Ethiopian armed forces have reached at the town where the government is temporarily based. At least 9 vehicles with armed soldiers have been reportedly crossed into the Somali border while four of the vehicles have already reached in side Baidoa and others are likely to come. Reliable sources confirmed 300 armed men led by unnamed colonel are right now inside Somali territories. Militiamen from Punt land have been guiding them through out Baidoa to get their residing base, sources added. the arrival of the Ethiopian soldiers inside Somalia comes amid statements By Somalia president who said that Islamists must retreat from the regions they occupied to open negotiations with the government.

Wasiir-kii hore ee ammanka Qaran-ka xildhibaan Max’ed Qanyare Afrax oo ka mid ahaa xubnihii ugu aas-aasay Isbaheysigii la dagaalanka argagixisada & soo celinta nabadda ayaa sheegay inay ka tanaasuleen kana baxeen Isbaheysigaasi isaga & 2 xubnood oo ku wehliyey socdaalka uu ku tegay deegaano ka tirsan gobolka Galguduud, wuxuuna Qanyare qiray in kooxda aas-aastay Isbaheysigaasi ay siyaasad ahaan fashilmeen. Maxamed Qanyare Afrax oo wareysi siiyey Idaacadda Horn-Afrika ee magaalada Muqdisho ayaa sheegay in uu ku sugan yahay tuuladii uu ku dhashay, wuxuuna xusay inuu halkaasi u joogo ujeedooyin nabadeed oo uusan wax abaabul dagaal ah wadin. “Anigu ma dhihin eray wax u dhimaya diinta Islaamka haddiise uu jiro in uu iga dhacay eray gef ah waxaan uga towbad keenay ILLAAHEY, isagana ayaan weydiisanayaa in uu iga cafiyo†ayuu yiri Maxamed Qanyare Afrax oo ay ka muuqatay kalsooni, mararka qaarna hadaladiisa ku xajinayey qosol, wuxuuna sheegay in uusan wax wel-wel ah qaban, isla markaana aysan waxba u dhibeyn mustaqbalkiisa dhinaca siyaasada haddii ay ka itaal-roonaadeen maxaakiimta maadaama uu ka mid ahaa hogaamiyeyaasha ugu hubka badan Soomaaliya “Anigu wax badan baan waaya-arag u ahaa arrimaha Soomaaliya, xilliyadii lagu jiray dagaalada sokeeyana waxaan soo maray marxalado adag, marka uma arko wax culeys ah joogitaankeyga deegaanada aan ka soo jeedo†ayuu yiri Max’ed Qanyare oo intaasi sii raaciyey. “16-kii sano aniga wax kasta ha la iga sheego laakiin waxaan hor-taagnaa dalalka deriska ah oo Soomaaliya dano fara badan ka lahaa oo ay ugu horreeyaan dalalka Kenya & Itoobiya oo kala goo-goyn ku wada dalka intii aan siyaasada ku soo jirayna kuwaas ayaan hor tagnaa marqaatiyaal fara badan ayeyna leedahay arrintaas, haddana maxaakiimta ayey mas’uuliyadaasi saaran tahay, shacabka Soomaaliyeed wixii maanta ka danbeeya haddii ay wax ka halaabaan maxaakiimta ayaa ka mas’uul ah, waayo iyagaa la diriray dadkii hogaamiyeyaasha ahaa oo waxna dalka ka ceryshay, waxna guryahooda ku ood-ooday, C/llaahi Yuusuf & Amxaaradiisana waa soo socdaan, marka waxaa laga rabaa mas’uuliyadaasi in ay caawo garabka u ritaan, shacabkuna uu kula xisaabtamo, laakiin shacabka aan waxba ogeyn oo qofka la xisaabtami karin, oo aan jid & jiho laheyn shacab fiican ma noqdaan, waxeyna noqonayaan shacabka uu sheegay Winston Churchill “Every People gets government they deserve†Mar la weydiiyey sida uu ka yeelayo hubkiisa, wuxuu yiri “Hubkeyga Xamar yaala beesha ayaan ku wareejiyey, haddana kuwo aan haayo waxaan doonayaa in aan beeshu ku wareejiyo, wuxuuna hubkaasi noqonayaa wax loogu adeegayo Qaran-ka Soomaaliyeed meel kale oo loo leexin karo ma lahan†Max’ed Qanyare ayey ka muuqatay xaalad ka dabacsan sidii uu horay ugu hadli jiray marka loo eego ereyadii uu horey u isticmaali jiray jiray, wuxuuna sheegay inuu diyaar u yahay inuu wada hadal la galo maxaakiimta Islaamiga ah haddiiba ay ogol yihiin sida uu hadalka u dhigay.

Originally posted by Reality Check: Why is the country in the state that it is today ha? What divided (and continues to divide) our country? Clanism. You are right. Clanism tore our country apart. But what have you, I and the rest of Cyber Ku dirir done to alleviate Somalia's problems. With all our resources and intellect, those of us in the west and elsewhere in the world couldn't come up anything to get our country out of its current misery. The reality is none of us are willing to risk own lives to save the lives of those at home. Soomaaliya Hal Wax lay uhaynaa and that's talk to about how bad it is, and how screwed its people are. It is good to be opinionated and have a mind of your own, but Hadal Badan Haan Mabuuxiyo. Now for whatever reason, these men (Gardheere or Gardheere wannabes) took upon themselves to challenge and oust the much hated Qabqablayaa, and it is with God's grace that they succeeded and continue to do so.Only fool will believe that the Wadaado are only here to save Somalia, and lack an agenda of their own. Their presence in the land won't bring eternal bliss either. What it brought however is an oppurtunity to end Isbaaro, Dhac, Kufsi, Dil , and all other heinous crimes commited against the Somali masses. I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt and see how this plays out. SO Lets WAIT N SEE!!!! P.S. You can't reconcile with Suudis and Qanyares of Somalia. The only thing they respect is force.

Somalia: Military supplies flow in Baidoa Mustafa haji Baidoa 15 June. 06 ( Sh.M.Network A plane carrying military supplies has landed at Baidoa Airport where Somalia Transitional Federal Government is based. Abdulahi Yusuf, Somalia President Sources in Baidoa told Shabelle Radio the plane was the third of its kind bringing such supplies. The military supply is the biggest rumor in the town today while people are asking military shipment that poured into Baidoa where the government based. The Cargo plane landed 10:00 am local time yesterday and being unloaded last night, sources confirmed. Ordinary local airport staff have been temporarily suspended in order to keep the activities secret. No more details are available about where the supply has been brought but independent sources confirmed the plane marked with Yemeni Flag. Shabelle Media Network, Somalia

Bosaso:- Dowlada Puntland ayaa markii ugu horeysay digniin kasoo saartay dhanka amniga iyo isbedalada ka socda Koonfurta Soomaaliya. Warsaxaafadeed kasoo baxay Wasaarada Arrimaha Gudaha iyo Amniga ee Puntland ayaa lagu sheegay in heegan la geliyey ciidamada Amniga iyo kuwa Daraawiishta. Warsaxaafadeedkan ayaa lagu sheegay in maamulka Puntland uu adkeyn doono amniga gobalada Puntland, isla markaana aan la aqbali doonin waxkasta oo khal khal gelin kara amniga. Taliyaha Booliiska Puntland Gen. Yusuf Ahmed Khayr iyo Wasiir kuxigeenka Wasaarada Arrimaha Gudaha iyo Amniga Md.Ibraahim Cartan Xaaji Bakiin ayaa warsaxaafadeedkan maanta kusoo bandhigay xarunta gobalka Bari ee magaalada Bosaaso. Puntland ayaa sheegtay in ay isha ku heyso dhaq dhaqaaqa ay Maxkamadaha Islaamiga ah ka wadaan qaar kamid ah gobalada koonfureed, isla markaana laga hortagi doono wixii wax u dhimi kara amniga Puntland. Warsaxaafadeedkan ayey mas'uuliyiinta Amniga ee Dowlad Gobaleedka Puntland ku sheegeen in shacabka Puntland iyo Ciidamada Amniga ay illaalshan doonaan amniga deegaankooda, isla markaana laga hortagi doono cidii khal khal la timaada. Is yeey and Pland next on the Courts agenda? Xassan Ciise HorseedNet.com

Looooool@ Zafir....unorthodox indeed or is it kinky. Nail clipping fetish.....looool

Yeey is finished!!!!!!!!!!!! n so is tribal fiefdoms. Beware Pland n Sland.

I think it would be actually safer to bet on the Australians. The English team is just hyped up. P.S love how the Aussies trash da english in cricket, rugby, et.

I guess Togo has to go like da rest them.

^^^^Iam afraid say too.

Togo is one up.Hopefuly it will win and put an end to the African misery. Atleast one of them gotta make to the second round.

Watever happen to da African teams...None of them made an impact. I thought atleast Ivory Coast might do some damage. Da Czechs are too good for da Yanks. We are down by three goals already

PS: For all you Somalis out there that don't consider themselves "Black" I got news for you buddies, go ask any white person to categorize you into an ethnic group, they will call you BLACK. So you are black cuz the white man says so. You gave too much credence to how others see you. Would have been better if you came to your own conclusions about your identity.

It is unlikely the warlords will come back after this historic defeat. If the courts play their cards right by ensuring peace and security in Benadir, then they will have overwhelming support of the Somali masses.Any attempt by warlords to reinstate themselves by appealing to our qabiilistic inclinations will hofully be met with stiff resistance. It all hinges on the court's course of actions. As for Yeey and Aweys, well every town has boy and if there is two boys in the town. Thats one too many. I guess Yeey would be the one to go. He has proven to very incompatent to say the least and lacks any resources/support in koonfur. The courts seem to be politically mature and might keep him entertained for awhile, atleast till his mandate is over.Hopefully, we will be hearing da last of Yeey too. P.S n I hope they dispose of Indacade n Dheere as well.

Militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, blamed for killing thousands of Shias and US forces in Iraq, has been killed in an air raid. The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq died in a strike against an isolated safe house about 8km (five miles) north of Baquba, the US said. US President George W Bush said the death was a severe blow to al-Qaeda. The news came shortly before the Iraqi parliament approved the key posts of defence and interior ministers. The two crucial roles had remained unfilled despite the formation of a coalition government last month. Fingerprints "We have eliminated Zarqawi," Prime Minister Nouri Maliki told a news conference in Baghdad, sparking sustained applause. The head of US-led forces in Iraq, General George Casey, said the strike took place at 1815 (1415 GMT) on Wednesday. It was a co-ordinated attack involving US and Iraqi air and ground forces, a US military spokesman told the BBC News website. Watch the speech Jordanian-born Zarqawi was said to have been in a meeting with associates at the time. Several other people were reported to have been killed in the raid. General Casey said Zarqawi's body was identified through fingerprints, facial recognition and known scars. He promised to give more details on the raid later on Thursday. Reports say a statement on the internet attributed to an umbrella group for jihadi organisations including al-Qaeda in Iraq has confirmed Zarqawi's death. Tip-offs Correspondents say it remains to be seen if one man's death will bring a breakthrough in Iraq. ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI US $25m bounty on head Linked to Iraqi bombings, assassinations and beheadings Merged Iraqi insurgent group with Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network in 2004 Emerged in Iraq as Tawhid and Jihad group chief Linked to Casablanca and Istanbul blasts, in 2003 Foreign fighter against Soviet forces in Afghanistan in 1980s Jordan petty criminal in youth Obituary: Zarqawi Zarqawi in his own words Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was not a global mastermind like al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, says the BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner. Instead he was a bloodthirsty and violent thug, who made enemies and several mistakes that might have contributed to his downfall. These included ordering a triple suicide bombing against hotels in Amman, Jordan, last November, that killed 60 people, our correspondent says. A Jordanian official told the Associated Press that Jordanian agents had contributed to the operation against Zarqawi. Mr Maliki said intelligence from Iraqi people had helped track down Zarqawi, who had a $25m (£13m) price on his head - the same bounty as that offered by the US for Bin Laden. 'Justice' In Washington, Mr Bush said the strike had "delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq". He acknowledged it would not end unrest in the country, but he said the "ideology of terror has lost one of its most visible and aggressive leaders". Violence continued on Thursday as 13 people were killed and 28 injured in a bomb on a Baghdad market, police said. Zarqawi was accused of leading the rash of kidnappings and beheadings of foreign workers. It has been suggested that he appeared personally on one video posted on the internet, cutting off the head of an American hostage. web page

MMA....I guess we will wait and see how this plays out. Lets hope for the best!!!!

I think they will go as far consodilating their power in the Benadir region, and then engage peacefully with the rest of the country. They know perfectly they can't take on the US armed forces, and have already sent press release reassuring the big players.Hopefully, they will stick to what they stated, and bring about peace in the south rather casting themselves as the defenders of the faith taking on the infidels.

I think they will go as far consodilating their power in the Benadir region, and then engage peacefully with the rest of the country. They know perfectly they can't take on the US armed forces, and have already sent press release reassuring the big players.Hopefully, they will stick to what they stated, and bring about peace in the south rather casting themselves as the defenders of the faith taking on the infidels.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006 To: United Nations Political Office in Somalia, UNDP Resident Representative, The League of Arab Nations, African Union, Organization of Islamic Countries, IGAD, European Union, Department of State, United States Government, United States Embassy in Nairobi, Italian Embassy, French Embassy, British Embassy, German Embassy, Djibouti Embassy, Norwegian Embassy, Swedish Embassy, South African Embassy, Egyptian Embassy, Nigerian Embassy, Saudi Embassy, Yemen Embassy, Sudan Embassy. Date: June 5, 2006 The Union of Islamic Courts in Mogadishu, have decided to break the silence between us and the international community. We made this decision in order to clarify the situation in Mogadishu and to bring the true picture of the conflict in the city and present it to the international community. Background: The Islamic courts have been established in Mogadishu in mid 1998 and are clan-based that serve their particular communities. For example Polytechnic(for Shabelle sub clan), Ifka Halane (for the Eary Sub-Clan), Yaqshid (for the ***** -Abgal sub clan), Circole (for the Saleban Sub-clan), Milk Factory (Duduble sub-clan), Al-Furqan (Sa’ad sub-clan) Xariryale and Daynile (Murusade clan), Balad (Wabudhan-Abgal Sub-Clan) etc. The main objectives of these courts to provide a minimum security, law and order to the communities that established them. The courts assume these responsibilities out of patriotism and service to our people, country and communities. The Present Conflict A Retrospective analysis of why the Somali Federal Government could not locate in the capital city, Mogadishu was due to the “warlord†ministers of the Somali Federal Government who refused to be engaged in the Somali peace process and choose to keep the country hostage. These warlords refused to disarm, surrender their illegal checkpoints and transform to be national leaders. The present conflict has been fueled by the wrong information given to the US Government by these warlords who have denied their basic human needs for security and development and kept the Somali people hostages and terrorized them for the last 16 years. Their expertise is to terrorize people and they were able to use it and terrorize the American government by misinforming them about the presence of terrorists in Somalia. These warlords are allegedly supported by the American government ignores the long criminal history of these warlords and the war crimes they committed against their own people. The alleged support of the US government to these warlords has considerable contributed to the recent fighting in Mogadishu and the killing of the Somali people who has suffered so long in the hand of these warlords. Finally, after 16 years, the Somali people have decided to liberate themselves with the leadership of the Islamic court. The present changes were brought by the appraisal and refusal of the Somali people the anarchic situation installed by the warlords and said enough is enough! We would also like to address some of the misinformation and accusations fabricated by the warlords and wish to provide the international communities with accurate information that will assist them to support the desires and the will of our people who wish to be free form violence and anarchy, International Terrorism: 1) Somalia is a homogenous society, and any outsiders can be spot immediately. We are Muslim 100%, speak the same language and have cultural heritage that is very hard to understand for outsiders. We have a complex clan based system that is not easy for non-Somali to understand, let alone hide in the country. We categorically deny and reject any accusation that we are harboring any terrorists or supporters of terrorism in the areas where the courts operate. 2) We also confirm that our goals and objectives are to establishment law and order in our country and free our people from oppression. 3) We share no objectives, goals or methods with groups that sponsor or support terrorism. We have no foreign elements in our courts, and we are simply here because of the need of the community we serve. 4) We invite the International Community to visit the area where the court operates and see for themselves if there are any terrorists elements being harbored or living in this area. We commit ourselves and our clan elders to this position: to be open and honest in order to spare the Somali people the violence and the suffering being perpetrated by the warlords. We have nothing to hide from the international community and we strongly believe that, once they realize what we do and what we have achieved, they will support our initiative and efforts to bring peace and stability to Somalia. 5) There is also the accusation that we intend to establish an anti-US and Western government in Somalia. This is not true. Such an agenda is against our objectives and goals since this would contradict our wish for there to be a peaceful Somalia. This falsehood is being fabricated to get support from US Government by groups who have terrorized the people of this country for the last 16 years. 6) We want create an environment that could enable our people to decide their future. We want the Somali people to decide which form of governance they want and choose their leaders for the first time in decades. We would like to summarize our goals and objectives as follows: 1) To establish a system of governance in Mogadishu, and remove all the checkpoints and terror points that the warlords have set up and disarm all criminal elements that endanger the peace in the city; 2) We want to contribute to the rebuilding of our country and create a peaceful environment and a country that is at peace with itself, and with its neighbors and with the international community. 3) To rehabilitate and rebuild all the city infrastructures specially those that belong to the city governments, including its sea ports, airports, road, bridges, schools, hospitals, universities and have committees of the intellectuals running and operating of these facilities; 4) We would like to establish a friendly relationship with the international community that is based on mutual respect and interest and seek their support for the Somali peace process and respect their desire for peace. 5) We seek support for our communities who have been denied all the basic human needs such as security, liberty and development as accepted universally and in accordance to the human rights laws; We thank you in advance for your kind patience, understanding and support. Sheikh Sherif Sheikh Ahmed Chairman, Islamic Courts Union Source: The Union of Islamic Courts in Mogadishu, June 6, 2006 hiiraan.com