The heat is beginning to make the kettle boil. Some are waking up to the what's coming. Let's see if they can forestall the coming storm...

Somalia: Puntland administration holds talks with pirates 7 May 2009 12:56 AM BBC Monitoring Newsfile English © 2009 The British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced except with the express permission of The British Broadcasting Corporation. Text of report by Somali pro-Puntland government website on 6 May Reliable sources in Puntland government have confirmed to Allpuntland website that the Puntland administration has been holding talks with some of the pirates in the last 24 hours. The meeting, which was attended by religious leaders and government officials among them Dr Bashir Ali Bihi, Abdiwali Ali Tar and others was today held in Garoowe, the headquarters of the Puntland administration. Our sources indicate that both sides in the meeting discussed how to eradicate the problem of piracy and ensure that the youth who are seemingly joining these activities everyday do not continue to do so. Some leaders of the pirates who attended the meeting gave touching lectures and promised to end their activities and be law abiding citizens of the Puntland region. More than 80 Somali pirates are reported to have attended today's meeting in Garoowe which was addressed by religious leaders, reformed Somali pirates and government officials. Government officials said they will take all measures in ensuring the stability of the Puntland administration adding that they welcome the assurances given by the pirates that they will stop engaging in these activities. The Puntland government has said that they will hold a conference in the town of Eyl on 16 May 2009, a hub for Somali pirates causing problems along the coast. The meeting will be attended by various groups that are directly being affected by the problem of piracy. Source: AllPuntland.com website in Somali 6 May 09

Originally posted by General Duke: Muqdisho:"In la aqoonsado dawlada Somalia waxaa aad uga muhimsan in la aqoonsado Puntland iyo Somaliland" madaxweynaha Eritrea Efwerk 7. maj 2009 Muqdisho(AllPuntland )-Madaxweynaha Dalka Eritrea Afwerk ayaa wareysi uu siiyey idaacada VOD-da ee codka mareykanka waxaa uu ku sheegay in aqoonsi la siyo dawlada somalia ay ka muhimsantahay in la aqoonsado Puntland iyo Somaliland. Afwerki ayaa iska fogeyeye in dawladiisa ay aqoonsantahay dawlada Somalia , waxaana uu ku tilmaamay mid ay dhoodhoben dawladaha Jabuti , Ethopia , iyo Mareykanka. Mar wax laga weydiiyey sababaha uu u aqoonsan la' yahay Dowladda Somalia, waxa uu carrabka ku dhuftay inaysan wax faa'ido lahayn haddii ay Dowladaha Caalamka aqoonsadaan Dowladda lagu soo dhisay Jabuuti, waxaana uu sheegay in loo baahan yahay in marka hore aqoonsi Dowladnimo lasiiyo Somaliland iyo Puntland. Madaxweyne Afwerk ayaa beeniyey dhinaca kale in uu hub iyo saad milatari siiyey mucaaradka ku kacsan dawlada madaxweyne Shariif. "shariif anaa shalay Asmara ku dhisay isagoo leh dalkeygaan xureynaa laakin waxa uu noqday xukun doon been ka sheegay rabitaankisa" ayu yiri Afwerk dhawaan ayaa wasiiro dawlada ka tirsan waxaa ay si isku mid ah u weerareen siyaasadaha Eritrea ee ku aadan Somalai , waxaana ugu horeeyyey wasiirada Cumar Xaashi wasiirka amaanka qaranka oo ku eedeyey in ay hub ka soo dajisay garoonka balidoogle ee G/Sh/hoose. Xafiiska wararka Muqdisho AllPuntland Another example of why Duke's clan websites should not be trusted. Here's a more objective website (not 100% more objective, but definitely more objective than AllPuntland.com) reporting on the same story. It shows that the Eritrean President does not support Somaliland or Puntland, but rather negatively states that Sharif's government is as legitimate as Somaliland or Puntland (which he considers illegitimate!). Let's keep it real, gentlemen. Below is the story... Eritrea Says It Does Not Want to Intervene 7 May 2009 06:10 AM All Africa English © 2009 AllAfrica, All Rights Reserved Somalia, May 07, 2009 (Shabelle Media Network/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Eritrea's President Issayas Afeworki said Wednesday that it was not his policy to intervene Somali internal affairs and added that the current Somali government is not deferent from the previous governments. Speaking to the reporters in Asmara, Issayas Afeworki said it was not his policy and civilization to meddle in Somalia's affairs. The Somali government accused Eritrea of sending arms shipments to Somali rebels and called for the International community to stop "the meddling of Eritrea." "This government is not different from the Transitional National Government led by Abdikasim Salad Hassan and the federal government led by Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed, they all collapsed because of Ethiopia's intervention," Afeworki said. He said that his government did not recognize the Somali government and added that the current government is the same as the administrations of Somaliland and Puntland.

^ Connect the dots, Che... My point regarding the international news is I'm only highlighting what's already said and accepted as fact by the rest of the world. In other words, I'm not saying it, just quoting it for you In case, you missed what the world is thinking...

It's all politics, gentlemen. No need to get agitated over it. Remember, I'm simply posting international news stories from various sources. However, the stamp (shaabad) of lawlessness and governmental ineffectiveness has been internationally accepted as the public face of Puntland. Now, some might wonder what's the relevance? Well, little by little, one solution will manifest itself as the only possible solution to the Somali quagmire! Nothing personal...

Originally posted by Mintid Farayar: To Catch A Pirate Rashid Abdi Sheik is a Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group in Nairobi, Kenya; he is also Somali. Rashid offers a pragmatic remedy for piracy off Somalia. He says it takes a pirate to stop a pirate — the same way it takes a computer hacker to stop a hacker. Rashid recommends deputizing former pirates from Puntland. "These are people who know the sea. … They are bright, successful, smart and courageous, as well. This is the right material for making a coast guard. So why should we not do it?" he says. But the pirates interviewed for this report say they have little incentive to work against their brothers on the high seas — that is, unless the price is right. I wonder where this so-called analyst hails from and who he is connected to? Let's reward the pirates and their region for lawless behaviour. Very logical, indeed!

NPR In Somalia, Piracy Is An Attractive Career Option by Gwen Thompkins Morning Edition, May 6, 2009 · It is called Somalia, but to most of the world it could easily be renamed the Land of Pirates. Havoc on the high seas has become routine off the coast of this East African nation, with scores of hijackings so far this year. Last month, Navy SEALs rescued an American merchant captain after Somali pirates raided the Maersk Alabama as it was making its way around the Horn of Africa to deliver aid. For nearly 20 years, Somalia has endured political chaos and bloodshed. The impoverished country's 10 million people are living without a formal economy or a functioning central government. But, known for their pragmatism, they survive. For many Somalis, choosing a line of business is the most practical decision of all. What works is right, and what doesn't work is wrong. That is why piracy has taken hold in the country: It's a multimillion-dollar industry that works. 'A Pirate Until I Die' "I'll be a pirate until I die. We are not animals. We are human. We are normal people. We share with the people," says a pirate who goes by the name Abshir Abdullahi Abdi and the nickname "Boya." Boya, from the Puntland region of Somalia, says he knows piracy is tearing at the seams of traditional Somali values. But he says he places more value on the money — and the mouths it can feed. "We understand what we're doing is wrong. But hunger is more important than any other thing," he says. To understand why piracy works in Somalia, it helps to know some basics about the place. Roughly speaking, Somalia is shaped like the numeral 7. But the nation isn't half as lucky. On the top of the 7 is Somaliland, which is on the Gulf of Aden. Somaliland calls itself an independent republic and steers clear of the commotion in the other regions. It has had fewer problems with pirates, in part because there is peace in Somaliland. The region also has a small coast guard. On the corner of the 7 is Puntland, which is on both the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Puntland means "Land of Spices." But the region is better known for human trafficking and piracy. Most hijacked ships are moored off Puntland. And at the bottom of the 7 — and fully on the Indian Ocean — is an area known simply as The South. The capital, Mogadishu, is here, as are most of the Islamists fighting the current president. Pirate Haven In Puntland Many in Puntland's government are said to be in league with the pirates. And with more than a dozen hijacked ships off the Puntland coast, piracy clearly has some local support. Fishing villages in the area have been devastated by illegal trawlers and waste dumping from industrialized nations. Coral reefs are reportedly dead. Lobster and tuna have vanished. Malnutrition is high. Sometimes doing a bad thing is the only way to improve the situation for yourself and the people you love, says a pirate known as "Milk Sucker" — who also goes by the name Abdul Rashid Osman. His nickname suggests he became a pirate at a very young age. And it paid off. Pirate money got his siblings out of southern Somalia and gave him a different life in neighboring Kenya. Sequestered in a Nairobi hotel room for fear of being discovered by either the police or fellow pirates, Milk Sucker says he worked his way up from indigent lobster fisherman to leading an attack boat in hijackings. He says he will never go back to piracy. "I got my share," he says. Now, he says he wants to move to the West and maybe work in a chicken-processing plant. "If I were educated when I was in Somalia, then I could work at offices. I cannot do this job, and I cannot start education. What I can do is cut chickens. This is my way," he says. To Catch A Pirate Rashid Abdi Sheik is a Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group in Nairobi, Kenya; he is also Somali. Rashid offers a pragmatic remedy for piracy off Somalia. He says it takes a pirate to stop a pirate — the same way it takes a computer hacker to stop a hacker. Rashid recommends deputizing former pirates from Puntland. "These are people who know the sea. … They are bright, successful, smart and courageous, as well. This is the right material for making a coast guard. So why should we not do it?" he says. But the pirates interviewed for this report say they have little incentive to work against their brothers on the high seas — that is, unless the price is right.

I knew you weren't that deep You totally missed who I meant by the West and South. I'll give you another day to figure it out...

Xaaji, Mr.Duke is not that deep and did not get the gist of the article. Where are his older brothers, the real tacticians of Puntland on SOL? Where are Xiin and co.? Duke, read the editorial above again and see if you can figure it out in the next 48 hours. Maybe I give you too little credit...

Keep owning up to it Others will eventually get the contract to clean it up. Will the contract go to the West or the South??

The pirate king of Somalia JAY BAHADUR From Globe and Mail April 26, 2009 _____________ BOSASSO, SOMALIA — When Gilbert and Sullivan composed their melodies about the pirate king, it was doubtful they had a Somali like Garaad in mind. Yet this former fisherman, the man behind many of the recent hijackings in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, is as close as it comes to pirate royalty in the modern world. In an interview on the breezy patio of a Somali hotel, he explains how he exerts direct control over 13 groups of pirates with a total of 800 hijackers, operating in bases stretching from Bosasso to Kismaayo, near the Kenyan border. Each group has a “sub-lieutenant” who reports directly to Garaad, and none of them make a move without his authorization. An armchair CEO, Garaad is curiously uninterested in the fruits of his operation. “I don't know the names of any of the ships my men capture, and I don't care,” he says, “The only thing I care about is sending more pirates into the sea.” Garaad is a name that has grown notorious in his own time – at least within the borders of Puntland, the autonomous region in northern Somalia that has spawned the recent pirate epidemic. Garaad had agreed to the interview on the outskirts of the northern Somali port city of Bosasso, about six weeks before the high-profile hijacking of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama. The interview was supposed to take place on the previous day, but after preliminary discussions in the morning, Garaad turned off his phone and disappeared. “He's off chewing khat somewhere,” suggests Mohamed, the interpreter who arranged the meeting, referring to the leafy narcotic religiously consumed by most pirates. Much later, Garaad calls with his explanation: “I was busy,” he says. The next day, he shows up at the gated entrance to the hotel, and meets on the restaurant patio at a table separated from its neighbours by a barrier of ferns and shrubs. With his freshly ironed dress shirt, pressed slacks, and his clean, cropped hair, Garaad blends right in with the crowd of Somali businessmen staying at the hotel. In contrast to his impeccable clothing, his face looks ragged for someone in his mid-30s, his eyes scratched raw by the constant rubbing – a textbook case of khat withdrawal. Like many pirate headmen, Garaad hails from the infamous coastal pirate haven of Eyl. He began as a front-line pirate, participating directly in hijackings, but has since risen through the ranks to become one of the better known organizers and financiers in Puntland. As with most pirate handles, Garaad is a nickname, taken from the Somali word for “clan elder,” and is a sign of his status among his colleagues. He instantly prickles when he hears the word pirate. “Illegal fishing ships, they are the real pirates” he says, insisting that his operations got going in 2002, with the sole objective of defending his livelihood and that of his fellow fishermen. So far, his crusade against the “real pirates” of Somalia has netted him a total of about a dozen captured illegal fishing ships, and an untold number of commercial vessels. Garaad remains close-lipped about the dozens of hijackings he has reputedly financed, maintaining that seizing commercial vessels is a necessary evil in his private war against illegal fishing. “I've never personally attacked commercial ships,” he says. “The only one I've ever captured is the Stella Maris, and the reason for it was the financial problems we were having then.” The MV Stella Maris, a Japanese-owned bulk carrier, was seized in the Gulf of Aden in July 2008 and held for eleven weeks before being released for a ransom of $2-million. Garaad's operating expenses since then must have been high, because he insists that he is broke. “I don't have one cent,” he says. “I don't even have a house.” Despite his protestations of poverty, it's said that when he took his third bride, the wedding procession included 100 vehicles. And, there is a credible rumour that Garaad was involved with the much-reported hijacking of the MV Faina, the weapons-laden Ukrainian transport ship that fetched a generous $3.2-million ransom after a four-months hijacking. The story goes that in December of 2008, Garaad left Garowe, the region's capital, with a heavily armed convoy, aiming to relieve the Faina hijackers and bring them back to safety in Puntland. They were in dire need of his assistance; forced by the U.S. Navy to anchor the captured ship at Xarardheere, south of the Puntland coast, the Americans proceeded to encircle and blockade the pirates onboard the Faina. On shore, the environment was equally hostile; Xarardheere is rival clan land, and thus was alien turf for the hijackers. Completing the third point of this Bermuda triangle of perils was the proximity to al-Shabaab controlled territory, where militias from the Islamist group were waiting patiently inland to relieve the Faina pirates of any ransom they received the moment they came ashore. Into this melee allegedly charged Garaad with his Toyota-brand cavalry. His intention, presumably, was to escort the hijackers to Puntland once they had secured the ransom payment for the Faina. Unfortunately, on his way to Xarardheere, Shabaab militants ambushed his motorcade, confiscating his weapons and vehicles. He was unharmed, and had to make the long journey back to Puntland, but wasn't discouraged from resuming pirating. “If the international community ever pays us our rightful compensation for the illegal fishing,” he says, “attacks will stop within 48 hours.” Jay Bahadur, a freelance reporter currently working on a book about Somali piracy, can be reached at piratesofpuntland@gm ail.com Source: The Globe and Mail

The money is with AMISOM and Sharif. Puntland has been left out in the cold with no shade to hide under. Let's see if it exists in 2 years time. Sool and Sanaag have been given up just like Kismayo/Jubba. The triangle gets smaller and the noose tightens from both West and South. What to do, what to do??

I see..... OK, carry on with your recent transformation to Mother Theresa

Give it a rest, old boy. You've got enough to worry about in Puntland - what little exists of it, anyway. Let others worry about Somaliland and its democracy.

Like I told Duke and others more than 2 weeks ago, Faroole and Puntland will not/did not receive any funds from the Nairobi and related funds. While many argue from emotion in this Forum, very few actually follow the realities, regardless of whom they support.

Puntland oo Dhaliishay Dowlada Soomaaliya By VOA News Washington 01-May-2009 Dowlad-goboleedka Puntland War Saxaafadeed ay soo saareen dowlad goboleedka Puntland ayaa waxay dhaliil ugu soo jeediyeen xukuumadda Federaalka iyo Ergayga Gaarka ah ee Qaramada Midoobay Axmadou Wallad Cabdalla. Wasiirka Warfaafinta Dowlad Goboledka Puntland Warsame Cabdi Shirwac oo isagu weriyayaasha u aqriyay war saxaafadeedkaasi ayaa sheegay in maamulkiisu ay dhaliilsan yihiin deeqaha kala duwan ee dowlada Federaalku dibeda ka hesho oo uu sheegay inaan si cadaalad ah oo isku mid ah loogu qeybin dhamaan qeybaha Soomaaliya. Wasiirku wuxuu sheegay in ay soo jeedinayaan in deeqaha wadanka soo gala si hufnaan ah loo qeybiyo oo Puntland Qeybtooda la soo gaarsiiyo. War Saxaafadeedkaasi ka soo baxay Maamul-Goboleedka Puntland waxay kaloo dhaliil u soo jeediyeen Ergayga Gaarka ee Qaramada Midoobay Axmadou Wallad Cabdalla oo ay sheegeen inaanu ku ixtiraamin ka qeybgalida shirarka caalamiga ah ee Arrimaha Soomaaliya looga hadlo. Dhinaca kalena, Wasiirka Warfaafinta Dowlada KMG Farxaan Cali Maxamuud ayaa Wareysi ay VOA la yeelatay ku sheegay in dowladda KMG ay tahay tan xaqqa u leh ka qeybgalida shirarka Caalamiga ah, balse arrimahaasi aysan wax shuqul lug ah ku lahayn maamul-goboleedyada ka jira Gudaha Soomaaliya. Midigta Sare ee Boggan ka dhagayso Warbixinta Wareysiga Wasiirka Warfaafinta dowlada Soomaaliya iyo Warbixinta Weriyaha Garoowe. Link

^^ Forgive them. Some have Rayaale-itus on the brain these days...

^^ Xiin, When all else fails, change the topic and spin yesterday's happenings. Your strategies never change, Xiin. Just the other day, you & co. were claiming it was a false story completely fabricated by the Somaliland gov't for election purposes. When your own side reports the same story, then switch to arguing on the intensity of the event rather than the occurrence of the event. The days of the mighty spin are coming to an end for all Somalis. It came to an end more than a decade ago on my side of the woods. It's now coming to an end on your side. The question is: 'What will you do then?'

^^^ With a sense of humor like that, you're welcome any day to come cross the border with an official residency visa waiting for you at the crossing point

No war,saaxib, just policing of the border just like the past week.. It's a lot of work with very little thanks for those policing it. A border teeming with bandits from failed states...

Originally posted by Pilgrim: Mintid Farayar - in your attempt to sound wise to expose your foolishness. You clearly have no understanding of the game at play! ^^ Enlighten me. I'm always willing to learn

Originally posted by Belial: Mintid Faryar: Somaliland belongs to Somalia and vice versa. You cannot seperate them. The rude awakning will be harsh but a good lesson for people like you. When the Somali army stands proud again. and march...oh..I wonder what guys like you would do. There is a Somali army standing tall and proud right now. You don't have to wait for tomorrow, it's already there. It's called the Somaliland Armed Forces . Yaa Rabbi! These students are slow...

^^ You miss the point entirely. I'm almost tempted to defend Faroole The issue is: Make your point without resorting to rage, anger, or name-calling.

Originally posted by Che -Guevara: ^You didn't answer my questions-how was the mass massacres of the Somalis by Ethio army and AMISOM an excuse? Che, don't be emotional. No one is condoning the presence of Ethiopians on Somali soil. But the question from a Somaliland perspective (I say a Somaliland perspective = Somali living in total physical peace) is who's massacring Somalis now that the Ethiopians have left? Who was massacring Somalis since 1991 in the former Somali Republic? It wasn't the Ethiopians and AMISOM. It's a lot of the same actors and related groups. Now, politicians and aspiring leaders will have their deep addictions to power, but is it worth this price?? This is the question that's never resolved in the South! How many must die in order for you to sit on the chair one more time?? Somalinimo is not the answer, Muslimnimo is not the answer neither. Both are deep in the cultural psyche of the current killers yet they still kill. This requires a much deeper reflection on the part of the society - to look deeply within one's own culture and recognize what's rotten (for no culture is perfect in Allah's world). Then to cut it out by efficient surgery!

Originally posted by Che -Guevara: What objective third party-Somali sites are hardly reputable. We're in agreement there! Originally posted by Che -Guevara: But my thing here is-great you pointed the difficulties faced by your neighbor, but to what end? It will all make sense in due time. I have some very obstinate students!!! Originally posted by Che -Guevara: As for citizenship,I'm Somali and that's all anyone needs to know Much more balanced than the last few days. You resorted to a lot of name-calling during that time - which actually was highly amusing from my angle I realized someone must have really gotten to you...