Waxaan ninka shabakadaas magaca xun [taloow magac kale uu ula baxo muu waaye shabakadaas?] leh ayaa iska aliftay, oo intuu isleeyahay the Frail Stooge of Xabashadda iyo taageeradiis ku xumey ayuu qadiyadii Soomaalinimo gaday xataa. In the same voice, waxee leeyihiin Soomaalinimo ayaan u dagaalameynaa oo Xabashadda kasoo horjeednaa, and in this same voice, without a hint of irony, is performing the very wishes Xabashadda want to do: Dismembering our country. Does he -- or whoever wrote that -- really think dismembering Soomaaliya would bother Stooge of Xabashadda and his few xulufo? Does he really think it is the interest of Xabashadda to see a fully, united powerful Soomaaliya? Maxaa la jahwareeray. Soomaalinimadii waxee noqotay in qof ama shaqsi mid kale ku xumeeyo, oo meeshii lagu gado. Ar maxee Soomaali dhimatay.

Is this same danjire ku sheeg in this clip? "Muhiim ma'aha inaan dadka ka dhaadhicino ama...aan dadka 'convince' gareyno (waxaan sameyneyno)..." because, aan u dhameystiree, dowlad ku sheegaan mid tabar leh ma ma'aha oo awood Xabasho aan ula hadalno xataa ma awoodno. In other words, too: "We don't need to convince Soomaali people..." what we the stooges and Xabasho masters are doing, things like the destruction, the massacre, cleansing of civilians from the city, et cetera, et cetera.

Salaan sare. Horta ereyadda Carabiga inaad fahantid waaye, oo micnaha weyn ka dambeyso. Aan wada soo qoro the first part of the whole phrase: Laa Illaaha ilallaah [ila'allaah]. Ereyga 'illaah' Carabtii hore waxee u aaminsanayeen 'a god' ama si kale aan u dhahee, a 'lesser' god. At the time, however, Allah [Al-Illah (The God)], was the Supreme God -- absolutely nothing ka sareyn karo. So, Carabtaas jaahiliinta iyo jaalintiinta kale adduunka ku wada fidsan oo caabudi jiray illaahyo yar yar iyo mid weyn ay aaminsanayeen, walina caabudo si loogu sheego in a fully succinct way and without complicating those corrupted minds, Eebbe ayaa Nabigiisa kusoo dejiye in uu dhaho: Laa Illaaha Ilallaah [ila'allaah]. Its roughest English meaning would therefore be "There is no god but The God" [the One and the Only]. However, in time the two words of 'illaah' and 'allah' became intercheable terms, referring to Eebbe, especially by Soomaalis. This is where your confusion stems from. It is simple, just the terminologies ayaa ku wareertay. Also in the Ingiriis language they use 'a god' as equivalent of an 'idol.' All idol-based, pagan religions follow that way, having many 'lesser' gods and goddesses.

Jidkee? Ciyaal Siigaale maa ahaydna? Mise makiinadaha cajiinka meesha ku yaalay ayaa shukaansi u tagi jirtay?

Soomaalidda iyo dacaayadooda dalac bilaashka ahayd. Taas waaba la filaaye. Ar Eebba ha naga asturo dambigeena. I hope that sister forgives us, too.

Originally posted by Geel_Jire12: Somalia was a colonial creation anyway... How? Don't tell me beentii ugu weyneed laga sheego Soomaaliya inaad ku aamintay.

Each deegaan had its own version. Ciyaal Xamar and its vicinity had this version: Kuun kuun, laminaa Laminaa, tabaarika Sata'uuna, baarika Siyeedlaa, muuminaa Wacelaa Kisiyaa Baxayaa!

His always dhoolacadayn lama ilaawi karo. Gafaajo Eebbe ha u naxariisto. Timajare quman oo ixtiraam iyo nidaam badan ayuu ahaa, aadna u kaftan badnaa. I remember back in a couple years ago when I asked marxuumka at a ruwaayad for something and couldn't hear me well from buuqa, thinking I was asking a free ticket for my friend, and immediately suggesting, "Haa, soo bax isoo tusi saaxiibkaa wuu soo gali karaa." I told him that was not what I had in mind, which was qof magaciis in uu ka sheego the speaker maadaama meesha mugdi wada ahayd. Now, maadaama ninkii isku haaye meesha ka tagay, that baarbiyeerigii Jiifka [The Chief] ahaa waa laga kala guuray, even Baadari meel kale ka shaqeeyo now.

I have been strongly considering learning more of the language, buying property and living in Somalia some years from now, once I had been able to secure a bit of security. I love liberty and seek out the nation of people who love it most. So, this is one way I have been trying to figure out how much liberty the Somalis want for themselves. I've also been quizzing a local Somali who has not yet grown tired of my questions. By all means, go ahead. Before you venture in that journey, a little advice, though: Hire a few tikniko [or 'technical,' an improvised fighting vehicle] with a dozen of moooryaans [freelance militias] and you are ready to go. Join your ranks, the warlords.

Originally posted by rudy: this title should have been CIYAARAHA DHAQANKA!! just to be politically correct. and why nikis is not included in here and its the most popular of ciyaaraha! they do it in every somali weeding.... i just love this ciyaar called nikis!! War maanta Rudy ayaaba Afsoomaali igu saxay. Bababa. Qatari saana, runtii. Sax waaye, duqa, naxwe ahaan ciyaaraha dhaqanka ['the cultural plays'] ayaa saxsan, inkastoo aan ogaa, oo kas ugu dhigay ciyaaraha dhaqamadda ['the (many) cultural plays']. Tan kale ku saabsan niikiskana, si fiican ma u aqrin liiska ayaan filaa maadaama niiko ku jirto meesha. Kabeebey [niiko] waa ku jirtaa, kor fiiri.

I just realized some of you dalkiina jecel frequently use that non-existent entity's official suuqa caalamka ugu qaraabato name, which has a 'dowlad' word in its phrase. I completely erased it from my vocabularly list since Xabashadda air-bombed Beledweyne in December 24 of last year. To me, there is no dowlad, only dowlad ku sheeg, that dishonours the very word of it. Those dowlad ku sheeg u horboodaayo murderous thugs, led by the octogenerian Stooge of Xabashada, are not 'dowlad' and far from anything that has to do with 'dowlad.' They do not, in strictest and lowest flatter terms, deserve a regime titlement, either, and nor a junta. Those at least rule their countries and lands. They don't even control their own kastuumooyin; they are a loose group of genocide-committing crooks and bandits calooshood u shaqeystiyaal Xabasho u adeego, shacabkoodana ku laayo, una daran a few doolars. Do not legitimize pawns, puppets Xabashada usoo adeegay and still u adeego, in the process committing the senseless carnage that Xamar became -- by legitimizing and giving this fictitious, illegitimate, non-existent entity dowlad ku sheeg a 'dowlad' title, we are unwittingly -- and allow me to liberally suggest -- condoning the massacre Xabashada did commit in Xamar. We are also disrespecting the word 'dowlad,' and a bunch of Xabashi assembled and selected war criminals, led by the a frail Stooge of Xabashada, cannot and will not be a 'dowlad' iyo wax u dhaw -- in fact far, far from it. In the name of these innocent and massacred civilians, and forced residents of Xamar since the Xabasho invasion, the least you and I can do for them is directly acknowledging who committed the massacre: Xabashadda oo adeegsanaayo the stooges. Not any 'dowlad' or wax la mid ah. We need to address our real culprit enemy: Xabashadda, who are the real taliye of the occupation forces. At least knowing well our age-old, historical foe, nemesis baa dhaanto than honouring an irrelevant, treacherous entity overwhelming Soomaalis do not acknowledge at all. Someone called this group recently a maqaarsaar thugs. That person was on the point. They indeed are, and if may I suggest more: They are xaaqin.

I just realized some of you dalkiina jecel frequently use that non-existent entity's official suuqa caalamka ugu qaraabato name, which has a 'dowlad' word in its phrase. I completely erased it from my vocabularly list since Xabashadda air-bombed Beledweyne in December 24 of last year. To me, there is no dowlad, only dowlad ku sheeg, that dishonours the very word of it. Those dowlad ku sheeg u horboodaayo murderous thugs, led by the octogenerian Stooge of Xabashada, are not 'dowlad' and far from anything that has to do with 'dowlad.' They do not, in strictest and lowest flatter terms, deserve a regime titlement, either, and nor a junta. Those at least rule their countries and lands. They don't even control their own kastuumooyin; they are a loose group of genocide-committing crooks and bandits calooshood u shaqeystiyaal Xabasho u adeego, shacabkoodana ku laayo, una daran a few doolars. Do not legitimize pawns, puppets Xabashada usoo adeegay and still u adeego, in the process committing the senseless carnage that Xamar became -- by legitimizing and giving this fictitious, illegitimate, non-existent entity dowlad ku sheeg a 'dowlad' title, we are unwittingly -- and allow me to liberally suggest -- condoning the massacre Xabashada did commit in Xamar. We are also disrespecting the word 'dowlad,' and a bunch of Xabashi assembled and selected war criminals, led by the a frail Stooge of Xabashada, cannot and will not be a 'dowlad' iyo wax u dhaw -- in fact far, far from it. In the name of these innocent and massacred civilians, and forced residents of Xamar since the Xabasho invasion, the least you and I can do for them is directly acknowledging who committed the massacre: Xabashadda oo adeegsanaayo the stooges. Not any 'dowlad' or wax la mid ah. We need to address our real culprit enemy: Xabashadda, who are the real taliye of the occupation forces. At least knowing well our age-old, historical foe, nemesis baa dhaanto than honouring an irrelevant, treacherous entity overwhelming Soomaalis do not acknowledge at all. Someone called this group recently a maqaarsaar thugs. That person was on the point. They indeed are, and if may I suggest more: They are xaaqin.

What is this 'socialist republic' you speak of again? Do you really mean parliamentary democracies? And since when did UK and Sweden become 'republics?' Modern socialism followed by those countries such as Kanada, Sweden, Denmark and host of others, is a policy at most, not a system, that is followed by many other countries, both East and West, regardless of their governmental systems. PS, I did not vote since there is not a single indigenous, Soomaali-invented system that is unique to Soomaalis on there.

[Oh, if you are confused...click the emoticon.] Saas ayaa qurux iyo qaayo la dhahaa, inte kale been. Someone is elegant, indeed.

This gentleman is misinformed if he thinks Soomaaliya is a casebook study. Sorry to disappoint, but the reality is otherwise. Hundreds of thousands of lives had been lost and millions displaced in Diaspora in this ideal 'beacon' and 'unique' you speak of. Once again, Soomaaliya and Soomaalis are not a casebook academical study. Soomaalis may be 'libertarian' in your eyes, due to their natural nomadism and fierce loyalty of paradigm to ancient concept of laws, which it seems you are familiar with -- xeer and later substituted by pseudo-Islaamic laws. We however yearn a government, governing laws with a sound justice and equality and liberty.

Ani ma'ogi ciyaaraha iyo meelaha ama deegaanadda laga ciyaaro. Koley dhaanto oo Soomaali Galbeed laga ciyaaro waa ogahay iyo kabeebeey Shabeellooyinka iyo Jubbooyinka laga ciyaaro. Laakiin ciyaaro badan oo Koonfurta laga dheelo ayaa ka maqan oo beeraleyda ciyaaraan. Ma xasuusti hadda, haddaan arko soo xasuusan karo kaliya.

Wax in laga quusto horta maba fiicno. Dhibaatada hadda jirtana dal walba wuu soo maray, Soomaaliyana ma ugu horeynin mid lagu soo duulo, siiba mid few waxmagarada, qabyaalad-obsessed u horseedo inay dalkooda iyo dadkoodaba cadow u qabtaan. Marka yaa laga quusan dalkeena hooyo. Mustaqbalka waa isbadali karaa bari. Xabasho waxba ay naga qaadi karto ayaa iska yar haddaan gacmaha iswada qabsano. Midnimadda, iskaashiga, isbaheysidda, wada xaajoodka, walaaltinimadda, kalsoonidda, qabyaalad la'aanta iyo wixii lamid ah waa waxa kaliya loogu bixi karo xaalka maanta jiro. Tuulo yar oo kaligeed istaagi karto ma jirto. Waaba aragtaa tusaale hakuu noqdaan kuwa kumeelgaarka isdhahay kaligiin ayaa istaagi karo in Adisababa loogu taliyo, oo maalinba mid u siyaarto Xabashtaas. Maxaa Soomaali u diiday inay magaalooyinkoodda iyo degmooyinkoodda isku buuqdaan, intee the Master Sanlaawe Adisababa u fadhiyo marba mid soo caabudaayo? Ayaandarada ugu weyneed iyagii ayaa cadowgii aan loo baahneen ugu horeeye isku noqday, kii dhabta ahaana oo dalkii wada qabsaday ma u jeedaan, ama iska indhatirayaan. Soomaalidda dhan ma'aha laakiin waxa saan wado, waa in yar qabyaalad qurunkeeda dishay, qabyaalad ka doorbiday qaranimo iyo dalwadaagnimo. Runtii, miiska aan wada fariisano, geedka hoostiisa aan wada fariisano. Maxaa xal eh? Ma Xabash cadow noo ah, oo waligeena baacsan jirnay, ayaa xal inoo ah in aan ka cabsano, mise iskaashi iyo isbaheysi aan ugu hortagno? Dhulkii yaraa aan xoreysanay ayee ku dagaalamayaan, tusaale dagaaladaas soo noqnoqdo fooshaxun ee Sanaag ugu soo qaad. Mid leh 'xuduud' beenaad Ingiriiska ka tagay waaye oo waa qeyb anaga naga mid ah, kan kalena leh maya, ehelkeyga ayaa degan. Waligeed mala isweydiiye, Soomaaliyee, maxaa Soomaali Galbeed loogu dagaalami waaye maadaama dhulkaas Soomaaliyeed gumeysii Ingiriiska siiye Xabashadda, mise Xabashadda waa laga cabsanaa? Soo 'hawd' mahaan jirin dhulkii Ingiriiska xukumi jiray ee Soomaalidda oo Xabashada la siiye 1954? Taas waaba midii u dambeysay, iskaba dhaaf Soomaali Galbeed dhan.

Afrika iyo Afrikaanba iyagaa isdhigay meeshee yaalaan. Dhulka ugu barwaaqeysan, ugu sooreysan ayee leeyihiin, oo ayuu nooc waxba walba ka baxo, lagana helo. Shidaal, dhir, qudaar, xoole, macdan, malaay, bad aan qaboobsanayn, well-liked climate -- you name them. Aawey dadkii ka faa'ideysan lahaa hee?

Siigaale was xaafad kamid ah degmadda Hodan, a crowded, slum-like, small-housed xaafad with a large makiinaddo cajiin dominating its suuq. Why Siigaale? And what does it has to do with politics? In a minute, baliis. Siigaale was also what caused a junk of Xamar permamently destroyed in late '91 and early '92, thus ominously later becoming known as Bermuuda. Those 'junk' parts of Xamar, including its very heart, consisted from many xaafado from the four degmo of Hodan, Waaberi, Hawlwadaag and Wardhiigleey. Half of H/wadaag was completely destroyed in the process of death and destruction. Many xaafado in Hodan as well, from Isgoyska Bakaaraha to Isgoyska Dabka, to Lambarafar to close Isgoyska Kaasa Balbalaare, and every xaafad in it, including Siigaale. Back to Siigaale, it was where the 'uprising' of Ciyaal Siigaale kusoo kaceen against Caydiid's militia in that infamous prolonged battle of four months offensive war against Cali Mahdi and his militias. Caydiid ignored them at first, considering pushing Cali Mahdi on the fringes of nothern Muqdisho, at Kaaraan and Huriwaa. At his own peril. Later when the ciyaal xaafad boys turned militia fighters became more than an annoyance, Caydiid decided to siege them, completely encroaching, enclosing from every point of entry and giving a final devastating push. From Sayidka and Masaajidka Isbaheysiga on the north to Lambarafar in the south, to Isgoyska Bakaaraha in the west and Isbitaal Martiini in the east, all and in between becoming a flash point of daily carnage for several months. It was an ugly urban war, involving the last remaining and functioning tanks Caydiid had from the fallen regime. The offensive and siege did not work, but the stragedy completely destroyed and dhulka dhigtay a third of Xamar, which to this day not a sane soul lives in. To this day, it is a ghost, uninhabited, a vast wasted, derelict land; indeed, an ugly part of Xamar, which always reminded its residents that ugly useless four-month old war, which neither side had won, only bleeding Xamar and its soul. Will now Towfiiq be the new Siigaale? Will it be where the new Bermuuda is born? I'm afraid to say it seems likely that. Aad iyo aad ayaan ugu xumahay another third of Xamar in dhulka la dhigo today, its downtrodden residents lagu laayo, lagu ciribtiro. Iyadoo Xamar jabjabsanayd, haddana loogu sii daro tan cusub. Will Hoteel Towfiiq be the old destroyed Hoteel Maka Almakurama? Will Hoteel Ramadaan be the like the old ruined Hoteel Wehliye? Will Jidka Warshadaha be the old abandoned Jidka Maka Almakurama? Will Isgoyska Cali Kamiin be the old ghost-like Isgoyska Dabka? Will Wasaaradda Gaashaandhiga be the old waxba ka tagneen Dabdamis [Oto'oto]? Will Isbitaal Xayaad be the old Isbitaal Martiini lagu dagaalami jiray? Will Shaneemo Buntilaan be the old wretched Shaneemo Hodan? Will Baar Ayaan be the old now-derelict Baar Raaxo? Will degmadda Yaaqshiid be the new half-abandoned Waaberi, H/wadaag and Hodan? I cannot put words how completely ghost-like Bermuuda is, but here is what Bermuuda looks and looked like, on the fringe [God knows how it looks like in its centre, like Siigaale]: I took this picture in 2003 and not a house was standing from Isgoyska Bakaaraha, passing Isgoyska Dabka of Hodan to Isbitaal Martiini and beyond of Waaberi. A few yards away from Isgoyska Bakaaraha. Cidladda waa aragtaa oo maanta meeshaas iska haawaneyso used to be a vibrant, lively xaafad, and why once again reminding you it the doomful name of Bermuuda. If you stand on the street and look straight ahead, you can see Indian Ocean, which is far and was not possible pre-war, courtesy of geedahii iyo guryihii la isla wada dumiye. Xabash now wants to make another junk of Xamar and its residents, our beautiful Xamar saan camal.

Of course, Stooge Xabashada and his little ilmo'adeero uu u magaacabay jagooyin ku sheegaas and anybody Xabasho u shaqeeyo will be -- what else -- butchered and demolished what little they hold. Meel ay ku taagan yihiin ayaaba iska yar. Carabta are not ignorant, either.

Yea, Daa'uudoow, laakiin it will take time. You can photoshop. I will try mar kale. NB, You want sawir inaad ku dartid meeshii about Soomaalida miyaa? adiga iyo meeshaas halgan weyn ayaa iskula jirtiin. Magaca Soomaaliyeed sidaas ku wad u taagnaantiisa. Oh, I found another one. Darn it, it too has some 'copyright' label imprinted.

Originally posted by -Nomadique-: What an achievement! I await your next report GD.. 'President Yusuf & PM Geedi have an uninterupted MEAL' lol

Shirka ay isugu yimaadeen qurbajoogta soomaaliyeed, xubno ka tirsan baarlamaanka ku meelgaarka ah, iyo mas’uuliyiin ka tirsan maxaakiimta Islaamka ah ayaa waxaa ka soo baxay baaq ka kooban dhowr qodob. Baaqa ka soo baxay kulanka Anagoo ah ka qaybgalayaasha shirkaan, kana kooban dad badan oo ka kala yimid dunida daafaheeda, waxaan isku raacnay arrimaha soo socda: 1. Waxaanu si buuxda ee aan hagar lahayn u xusaynaa qaranimada, midnimada iyo jiritaanka umadda Soomaaliya. 2. Waxaanu ku baaqaynaa in ay Itoobiya si deg-deg ah ee aanay shuruudi ku xirnayn uga bixiso ciidamadeeda oo dhan wadanka Soomaaliya. 3. Waxaanu cambaaranynaa u soo jeedinaynaa duulaanka iyo qabsashada sharcidarrada ah ee ay Itoobiya ku dumisay qarannimadii ummdadda Soomaaliyeed. 4. Waxaanu cambaaraynaynaa kufsiga, dhaca, jir dilka, xariga lidiga ku ah xaquuqulaadamka, duqaynta aan aabayeelka lahayn ee loo gaysanaayo deegaanada rayidka, isbitaalaada, iskuulada iyo goobaha ganacsiga. Sidookale, waxaan cambaaraynaynaa gumaadyada kale ee uu gumastaha Itoobia ka samaysay waddanka iyo shacbiga Soomaaliyeed. 5. Waxaan codsanaynaa aduunwaynaha in la sameeyo maxkamad khaasah (War Crime Tribunal) ee oo soo baarta xad gudubka iyo xasuuqa kabaxsan bini-aadanimo ee lagu sameeyay shacbiga Soomaaliyeed. Waa in dambiilayaasha iyo gacankudhiiglayaasha dambiyaadaa galay lagu soo oogo dacwad lana soo hor taago maxkamaddaas. 6. Waxaan cabaaraynaynaa hor-istaagga iyo joojinta gargaarka bini-aadanimo ee loogu soo gurmaday maatada dulman ee ka barakacday deegaankoodii kaasoo oo uu sababay gumaysiga ku soo duulay oo xasuuqay shacabka soomaaliyeed. 7. Waxaan taageero hiil iyo hooba ah la garab taaganahay shacabka Soomaaliyeed ee ka dhiidhiyey gumaysiga itoobiya. 8. Waxaan ugu baaqaynaa codsina u soo jeedinaynaa ruux kasta oo qadiarinaya jiritaanka Soomaaliyeed iyo dadwaynaha adduunka ee nabadda iyo cadaalada jecel in ay u fidiyaan kaalmo bini-aadamnimo si ay uga xoroobaan gumaysiga waxashnimo ee itoobiya. 9. Waxaa calool xumo ah sida aduunwaynahu isaga indho tiray qabsashada ay itoobiya qabsatay Soomaliya iyo xasuuqa maatada iyo waayeelka, taasoo si cadaan ah uga soo horjeeda jaartarka qaramada midoobey iyo qaraarkii golaha amaanka ee uu tirsigiisu ahaa 1725 iyo shuruucda caalamiga ah. 10. Waxaan ummadda Soomaaliyeed ugu baaqaynaa in laga waantoobo dagaal iyo colaadaha lagana shaqeeyo sidii nabadgelyo loogu soo dabaali lahaa wadanka loona dhamaynlahaa is-afgaranwaaga iyo is-tuhunka ku kala dhexjiray walaalaha Soomaaliyeed. Sii aqriso

Introduction The European Union (EU) and the United States have “urged” Somalia’s weak and illegitimate Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to negotiate with ‘moderate’ elements of the Islamic Courts and other stakeholders in order to form a broad-based and inclusive transitional authority which can advance reconciliation and secure the peace. Such a push by the USA and EU is a tacit recognition that the TFG is illegitimate. The EU, unlike the United States which has supported Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia and which has endorsed the TFG, informed the latter that it was not prepared to release funds to help the country unless the latter committed itself to the creation of an inclusive government. In response to the EU’s demand several TFG ministers traveled to Brussels and reported to the EU that the regime was ready to organize the reconciliation conference in Mogadishu. Although all the details are not known it is clear from the regime’s proposal that it will invite 3000 delegates and manage the convention.[ii] The EU appears to have accepted the proposal and the ministers returned to Nairobi/Baidoa in a cheery mood. Since then, the TFG leader has declared that the invitees will be solely clan elders and representatives, and a sprinkling of others. These developments have generated some excitement among the TFG and donors, however, if the reconciliation project proceeds along the lines imagined by the TFG and the funders it is highly unlikely that the affair will bear fruitful peace and garner legitimacy for the regime. This dim prospect for reconciliation has been destroyed by the indiscriminate mass murder of Somalis by the Ethiopian forces in and around Mogadishu The Ethiopian offensive has completely shattered any possibility for the TFG gaining any acceptance from the Somali people. In other words, the TFG is dead but Somalis must move forward with positive reconciliation. More Cabdi Ismaaciil Samatar Professor of Geography University of Minnesota samat001@umn.edu

Stop the Current Brutality and the Indiscriminate Slaughter Campaign in Somalia Abriil 5, 2007 In light of the brutal and indiscriminate slaughter campaign unleashed last week by the Ethiopian occupational forces backed by militias loyal to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that left hundreds of corpses decaying in the streets of Mogadishu- an atrocious carnage described by the ICRC (International Committee for the Red Cross) as “the worst in the past 15 years”; In light of the horrific first-hand testimonials and reports of gross human rights abuses against civilians who were raped, looted, and cruelly beaten; In light of the thousands more who were left in a helpless anguish, suffering the pains of their injuries amidst the ruins, in back allays, and in the corridors of hospitals operating over capacity; In light of the tens of thousands more who were forced onto mass exodus-- fleeing to other Somali regions already declared disaster areas for dire food shortage and rampancy of cholera as a result of recent floods; In light of the manifest failure of the Ethiopia’s artificial mission of “stabilizing Mogadishu” and “enhancing security” as it caused unfathomable human sufferings, aggravated old wounds, and made matters more volatile than ever; In light of the lack of political will on the part of the international community (save sporadic symbolic gestures) to stop the unfolding humanitarian disaster in Somalia- a matter that Simon Tisdall of the Guardian newspaper aptly described as “the hidden shame of the world”; We, the Steering Committee of the North American Somali Diaspora, call upon the international community; namely, the United Nations Security Council, the United States, the European Union, the African Unity, the Arab League, and indeed the International Contact Group to help resolve this matter before it evolves into a deadly sectarian catastrophe that affects the entire Horn of Africa. We believe that a viable resolution is attainable, especially since the emergence of certain intra-Somali dynamics. In recent months, upon witnessing the difference that a six months of peace and relative order have made in war-ravaged Mogadishu, Somalis, by and large, became motivated out of their paralyzing sense of cynicism, particularly, the previously detached Somali Diaspora. The Somali Diaspora is now more organized than ever before- they are awakened from their deep slumber and are now reclaiming their rights as stakeholders who could help shape the political, social, and economic future of their country. In conclusion, we believe, unless and until the following steps are taken, any proposition for attaining political resolution and lasting peace would be, at best, a costly political mirage… 1) Lasting ceasefire that is monitored by the UN is established. 2) Ethiopia is ordered to pull all its troops out of Somalia as stipulated in UN Security Council Resolutions 1725 and 1744. 3) The Ethiopian forces are promptly replaced by an international, Blue Beret troops that include contingents from Islamic countries. 4) The upcoming “reconciliation conference” being organized by the TFG is suspended, and instead, a genuine Somali-driven reconciliation process with the supervision of the international community is sought. 5) An independent reconciliation commission is assembled to manage the conference. 6) The opposition members of the Transitional Federal Parliament members are brought back and are provided security to carryout their duties as elected members of the legislative branch of the Transitional Federal Institutions. 7) Moderate leaders of the Islamic Courts Union are secured seats in the reconciliation process. 8) The TFG (not the TFI) partakes in the reconciliation as a party in the conflict; not as the host or the mediator. Striving for peace, Faaduma Awoow Max'ed Chair, North American Somali Diasporaa nasomalidiaspora@googlegroups.com Xigasho