Yasmine, Thanks for the feedback. This is a promising grassroots development for the Somali nation. I've pasted down below part of an interesting article that appeared in a local English newspaper here in the UAE. Excerpt (Khaleej Times) Somalis make their mark in the UAE By Afkar Ali Abdulla DUBAI - The Somali community has been making their presence felt in the UAE over the last five years in the backdrop of the rapid growth of their businesses in the country, in general, and Dubai in particular. In Dubai, Somalis operate more than 30 gold and textile shops, hotels, computer businesses, money exchanges and livestock imports... Backbone Somali women have always been the backbone of Somali society. In the UAE, 30 per cent of the Somali men's income is not enough to make ends meet, and in view of that the women chip in to help their husbands in supporting the family. "The business prospects in Dubai are relatively high and it gives us a chance to earn a decent living and recover from the suffering that we have gone through in our homeland, which was dubbed as the land of sorrow," Qamar said. Aisha Geddi, owner of another textile shop, said that Somali women running their businesses was a common sight. "Somali women have gone through great difficulties in their home country - they faced starvation, humiliation and torture. These sufferings made them very strong and independent," Aisha said, adding that many women sold out their properties and made a beeline for UAE in order to generate more money and lead peaceful and secured lives. "We are trying to make our life better," she said. Sacida Hassan Mohammad, owner of gold jewellery outlet, was all praise for Dubai. "I have lived half of my life here, my children grew up here and we consider this place as our second home." Amna Osman, owner of a Typing Centre, said that since the civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, the common citizens have gone through total destruction on the social and economic fronts. Those who were affected most were women and children. The absence of basic rights for women, particularly in political field and decision-making process, remains a major impediment. "Today Somali women in UAE are not only running business to make money but also are working towards bringing a positive change to Somalia." Full article: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Displayarticle.asp?section=theuae&xfile=data/theuae/2003/august/theuae_august31.xml Ramadhan Kareem! Safi http://www.authorsden.com/safiabdi http://www.mightycollision.com

All praise is due to Allah the Lord of the worlds. Salutations be on our Master Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, on his beloved family and pious companions. After fourteen years of chaos, divisiveness, natural catastrophes and hardships, the Somali nation is for the first time set on the road to recovery. The 10th of October 2004 is a day to remember for all Somalis. Our newly elected parliament has chosen a man of strength and integrity to lead and put this nation back on track. Our heartfelt gratitude to the nations of IGAD and the International Community for their tireless support. The Somali nation will forever be indebted to their good neighbors and brothers in Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Thank you all for your patience and perseverance. For more please join me here: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewpoetry.asp?id=120215

Men account for half of Somali society, a society that as Yasmine pointed out is patriarchal in nature…even though that idea could no longer be said to hold much water, due to the facts on the ground where women are left to juggle both roles. I do agree with Yasmine that women should not wait around for men to see the light, and I for one don’t think they were given the luxury to do that. But for women to be mobilized in any effective way they need to be relieved of the heavy burden of carrying men’s share of the load. So the good question is: when are we going to see signs of maturity on the part of our men or are Somali women going to be forever doomed to a land of women only, where men are no longer "men" in the true sense of the word? This is serious dilemma facing the Somali nation and I would like to see men’s reaction. If what I cited in the write is not true, then let them prove me wrong. If true, then let’s discuss ways and means of improving the situation; before we create more Ayaans... Ameenah, Yasmine, look forward to seeing you again on this. Would also like to know if you know of any Somali women groups. Thank you! Please visit me on my website: http://www/authorsden.com/safiabdi Safi

Assalaamu alaikum! Seeing how Somali women had suffered following the destruction of their nation, I honestly believed, to function at all, a woman needed stability and governance more than her male counterpart. Fourteen years of instability have proved me wrong. Going by the sheer strength Somali women displayed as they struggled to keep the family together, fed the household and devoted themselves to their kith and kin have shown the world that the Somali woman is a much stronger person today. She proved her mettle that she can stand her ground and take care of her own, with or without government. Unfortunately, her male counterpart veered towards a less admirable tendency. With the break-up of the Somali nation, we saw Somali men buckle under the pressure. While women proved to the world they can survive by being gentle and co-operative, the men seem to thrive on the opposite. It’s as though they get a kick out of destroying themselves. Except for the few actors on stage, the Somali conflict has reduced the bulk of Somali men into pathetic bystanders; sitting on the side lines and blaming everyone else but themselves. There is a lack of confidence all around and even though they speak the same language, share the same culture there is a complete breakdown of communication. It is apparent from the way they jump at each other’s throats that the conflict has not spared even their sense of humor. This is a bizarre Somali phenomenon and is not confined to any one single clan. All the tribes are suffering from this complex. And the sooner the Somali male looked at himself in the mirror the better for the Somali nation; and the quicker he re-joined the world scene. While women kept busy nurturing the family, going about their business quietly, the men excelled each other in killing their time. Like tribalism and guns, Qaat has taken its toll on the psyche of Somali men. Prior to our nation’s total collapse, Qaat was limited to certain individuals and areas, the aftermath of the civil war has brought with it a dramatic rise in the consumption of this narcotic plant. Time, wealth, dignity, now all is lost to Qaat. Somalis used to pride themselves on their good looks, thanks to Qaat, that too seems to have disappeared from our men. Like all drug users these people have neither the time nor the inclination to look good. This is a serious social problem and one which is just as bad as the guns, as it feeds on and adds to the present situation of helplessness and anarchy. Muslims are supposed to make good use of their time and they should look good and be well-kept at all times. Teeth, hair, cloth, body, nails, every part of the Muslim human body are important. Qaat spoils the body as much as it spoils the brain. A brainless person with a wasting body is a walking dead. By using Qaat as a means of escape (from problems they should be solving) Somali men are killing their conscience and dulling their brains. While Somali women’s hair turned gray from worry and anxiety due to their country’s situation, Somali men seem like they’re enjoying life to the full. They crowd tea houses, coffee places, or wherever they can put feet…The word is out that UAE government is keeping a close eye on Somali men’s gatherings in the Dubai Souq area. Our men have created colonies of human pyramids in the narrow streets standing in threes or fours talking themselves hoarse. Their loud voices can be heard fifty meters away. They’ve also this funny habit of staring at women shoppers; a rather un-Islamic thing to do. Muslim men are supposed to lower their voices and gaze. Telling these guys to stay home with their wives and children is like telling Sharon to stop building on stolen land. Some of these guys can’t even tell who is who of their flesh and blood. But you will bet they know the names of each and every clansman and Qaat buddy. Even though they are responsible for the anarchy and desolation that engulfed our nation, Somali men are still wandering in mind. They can't understand that they are men and that a whole nation is waiting for their return. It is therefore in their best interest to come down to earth and pray for and be part of a viable State where all Somalis should enjoy freedom and healthy living. Somali men need guidance and skills to survive in the real world, and they won’t get that until they returned to Allah, laid down their arms and picked up books. As it is, life in Somalia is a nightmare for most people today, thanks to our men. Men need to get off the street, go back to work, sit in classrooms and do what normal men should be doing for their nation and families. The problem we Somalis have isn’t just the warlords, majority of Somali men are a part and parcel of that beautiful land’s demise. Should men not brighten up soon Somali women might just give up on them. As it is, the women have developed a mechanism for survival and they have the strength to sustain it. The great need Somali men have for governance can not be exaggerated.

SHOOBARO wrote: ...anything is betta than wat we hav right now anything ..... Yasmine wrote: Understandably, there's still a great deal of pessimism (about 14 layers of it) coating whatever glimmer of hope we might have hidden within the confines of our hearts, but there’s no better time than the present to sincerely turn things around… starting with oneself, of course. That's the spirit, guys: The key phrase is: Let it begin with “meâ€. Healthy individuals produce a healthy society. As is very evident from the way we think and the way we interact with each other, and others, it does seem as though our society has lost the real meaning of what it really means to be Muslim. We do have the blueprint, we do love our faith, but the good question we all should be asking is: What is it that I am doing wrong? Our country is in a mess. Our people are suffering from everything under the sun: drought, poverty, Qaat (drugs), lawlessness, corruption, lack of direction, loss of dignity, oppression, tribalism, hatred, cynicism, ignorance, violation of women's/children’s rights, you name it, and the list of evils could go on. It’s as though our land has become a hot bed of evils and our people are the carriers of these evils (irrespective of where they go), and we are here sitting on our hands and unable to do a thing. It’s sad to admit, but the only people who seem to be engaged in any sort of “activity†are the warlords themselves. The rest of us are either lame ducks, or are lined up behind one or other of these active “kinsmenâ€. We’ve given these guys the green light to rule over us or do whatever they choose to us, and this, and I say it again with a heavy heart, has convinced the international community that “they†and “they†alone are able to break the stalemate or effect any changes. And we can't blame them for thinking that way. My intention isn’t to gloss over anyone’s misdeeds but the way I see it, and I am not alone in thinking this way, the time has come for us (the masses) to rise up and be proactive. Our warlords aren’t an island unto themselves. The key to their survival and demise is in our own hands. The Messenger of Allah said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Messenger of Allah! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet said, "By preventing him from oppressing others." Believers are but "one" body, said our beloved prophet, and it goes without saying (and we’ve learned our lesson the hard way), that "body" never will get well if we don't get our act together. We have the Word of Allah and we have the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet. So we know where to go for help and assistance. Allah subhanuhu wataala is counting on us. He has given us the blueprint. All it needs is for us to look deep within us; whether this latest conference succeeds or not is altogether beside the point. Personal accountability is the key. Let’s for a moment forget about what others have done to us. There isn’t a Somali who isn’t holding grudges, and you all know what our Prophet said about people who hold grudges longer than 3 days. Every Thursday and Monday, Islam teaches us, the books of believers are opened and every believer is forgiven...except for the ones who hold grudges against each other. My friends, that should make us worried. Our people have been holding grudges for 14 long years. Some even much longer. stalemate Wa billahi tawfiiq Safi