Regarding this thread, some days during each year, Duke wakes up on a different side of the bed and 'Afkiisa ayaa Runta ka xada'.

Mr. Pirate, Word to the wise: Please refrain from your usual 'my mother told me this and my father said this back in the day'. I realize you're young, but I'm just trying to save you from the mocking of other posters as they read your posts. We all have family with their various opinions. State your opinions clearly and try to back your positions with any objective sources you may find. Don't be hurt by my advice - take it as brotherly 'advice'.

^^ A much needed part that's missing! Somali women make up more than 50% of the population. It would help dilute the irrational 'Sanka Ka Taabo' mentality that we men continuously engage in (including yours truly ). Let's see what you bring to the table.

April 12, 2009 Negotiations Break Down in Standoff With Pirates By THE NEW YORK TIMES Negotiations over the American captain taken hostage by Somali pirates broke down on Saturday, according to Somali officials, after American officials insisted that the pirates be arrested and a group of elders representing the pirates refused. Somali officials said the American captain, Richard Phillips, and the four heavily armed pirates holding him hostage remained in a covered lifeboat floating in the Indian Ocean about 30 miles off Gara’ad, a notorious pirate den in northeastern Somalia. The negotiations broke down hours after the pirates fired on a small United States Navy vessel that had tried to approach the lifeboat not long after sunrise Saturday in the Indian Ocean. It was the first such approach since the standoff began on Wednesday, and the vessel returned to a nearby Navy destroyer, the Bainbridge, after the pirates fired warning shots in the air, according to an American military official. The American boat did not return fire and “did not want to escalate the situation,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The developments surrounding the fate of the captain came as his ship, the Maersk Alabama, a 17,000-ton cargo vessel, pulled into port at 8:30 Saturday evening in Mombasa, Kenya, with its 19 remaining American crew members. In Norfolk, Va., John Reinhart, the chief executive of Maersk Line Limited, said at a televised news conference: “The crew is relieved, obviously. It’s been harrowing for them.” He added, “They won’t consider it done until the captain comes back.” Mr. Reinhart also noted that the crew was not allowed to leave the ship because the F.B.I. — whose New York office has been charged with investigating the seizure — considered the vessel a crime scene. Crew members indicated in brief, shouted exchanges with reporters that Captain Phillips, 53, had given himself up in order to save the crew, which was able to regain control of the Alabama. “He saved our lives!” said Second Mate Ken Quinn, of Bradenton, Fla., as the ship was docking, according to The Associated Press. “He’s a hero.” In Captain Phillips’s hometown of Underhill, Vt., just outside Burlington, yellow ribbons adorned fences and trees as residents of this town of about 3,000 reacted with dismay when they heard that talks had broken down. Michael Willard, who is also a merchant seaman and is a friend of the Phillips family, said: “It’s obviously of concern because we are not trained for being kept captive for hostage situations.” He added, “He is their safety card.” Not far from the Phillips home, at the Wells Corner Market, an owner, Laura Wells, said: “If the Navy is going to do something, they better do it now, because they cannot let him get to shore. Once he gets to shore, he is lost, because we don’t know where he would be taken.” The pirates — demanding $2 million in ransom — seized Captain Phillips on Wednesday and escaped the cargo ship in a motorized lifeboat. According to a senior military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the continuing talks, Captain Phillips is still alive, and the pirates have put him on the phone roughly once a day. On Saturday, a group of Somali elders from Gara’ad, mediating on behalf of the pirates, spoke by satellite phone to American officials, according to Abdul Aziz Aw Mahamoud, a district commissioner in the semiautonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia. The elders proposed a deal in which the pirates would release Captain Phillips, with no ransom paid, and that the pirates would then be allowed to escape. But Mr. Abdul Aziz said that the Americans insisted that the pirates be handed over to Puntland authorities, and the elders refused. By noon local time, the Americans cut off communications with the elders, he said. Puntland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Faroole, said that he was working closely with American officials to free the captain and “we’re really concerned about the recent attacks.’’ “We’re committed to reorganizing our security forces,’’ he said. "We want to do more to crack down on piracy.’’ Mr. Abdirahman also said that the pirates holding the captain hostage were not headed for Puntland but for farther south on the Somali shore. The four pirates, according to the district commissioner, were split between two clans, one from southern Somalia and one from Puntland. Mr. Abdul Aziz said he had heard reports that when the attack on the Alabama took place, the pirates were coming from another ship that they had hijacked. The pirates saw the American ship nearby and sent one of their small dinghies to commandeer it, which may explain why there were only four pirates aboard the Alabama. In previous hijackings, pirates have swarmed merchant ships with four to five boats. Captain Phillips is one of about 250 hostages being held by Somali pirates. Although the Gulf of Aden is heavily patrolled by a international fleet, pirates hijacked another ship on Saturday. Maritime officials in Kenya said that pirates seized an Italian flagged tugboat, the Buccaneer, with 16 crew members. The foreign ministry in Rome confirmed that 10 of the tugboat’s 16 crew members were Italian citizens. Reporting was contributed by Serge F. Kovaleski from Underhill, Vt.; Mark Mazzetti from Washington; Liz Robbins from New York; and employees of The New York Times from Somalia.

Originally posted by General Duke: quote: Not a good move but expected. You guys [/b[ need to wake up and smell the coffee. Meeshu ciyaar maaha . This is not your suburban street with friendly neighbours. Who is you guys? As usual NORF gets the whole thing mixed up, adeer the pirates in this instances are not Puntlanders as you wished and was happy about. The men murdered were based in and from the clans Haradheere [do you know where that is]? Thus one undertsood why you took the contradictory stance, to your ususal fake "Mujahid" of Arabia stance. Sgt. Duke, Actually 2 of the pirates were your cousins and 2 were from South Mudug. Get your facts correct, saaxiib

Ignore them, Xaaji. When one is unable to build a house and lives in a festering quagmire, yet continuously calls your already-built house defective, what can you say in return? How does one reason with the criminally insane? You can't. Munaafiqnimo and Xaasidnimo are the hallmarks of certain groups within the former Somalia (not all, but some groups)! One more attempt to take attention off their glaring deficiencies by pointing to the 'Somaliland' boogieman that rallies the clan. Unfortunately, the days that will continue to rally the clan are limited and coming to a close. What then?

Like I predicted earlier, this got really ugly and it's going to get a lot uglier for a lot of Somalis...

This will have a terrible ending for all Somalis of that region. There's no positive outcome from this. And Somalis will be further reviled by the world community. I gather from the writings that many posters haven't been anywhere near the Horn for a while. Life is miserable for Somalis even if you're the most honest, law-abiding individual when you travel to other people's lands. There's a certain pause in the conversation when you announce you're a Somali. If you hold a Western passport with all its protections, what about your mother, brothers, sisters, cousins, and other kin who don't? What happens when they fall sick and need advanced medical treatment in another country? One by one, visas to Somali nationals are being outlawed in the region. The particular American ship in question was carrying food aid for Somalis (ironically). How many children died because of the delay in food arrival due to piracy? Somehow those significant effects never get discussed in this Forum! I'm still waiting for the Puntland "Amiin" corner to propose some solutions on this thread instead of the reflexive my clan is better than your clan response.

SomaliPirate, which Burco did you visit, son?? While all of Africa is under-developed and poor, Burco is certainly better off as a city today than under Ina Siyad Barre. While your Johnny-come-lately Somalinimo is endearing to some, you have a lot of facts to catch up on...

OK, enough with the name-calling, gentlemen. So, Puntlanders, what's the solution? The West will not give any money to Faroole or his "administration" b/c it doesn't believe in its functionality. Nor will it give a contract to private Puntland companies for coast guard duties as previously proposed by some enterprising individuals(from Puntland). For those living in the States, you've probably observed the usual public opinion being worked into a frenzy to do something muscular soon (just watching the American news media in the last few days). So what's the solution? Who ultimately holds power in Puntland - the local elders of Nugal? It's obviously not the administration as admitted by Adde Muse in one of his last interviews with VOA ("they have far more money and arms than us"). Do you see where this can lead? Bombings of coastal villages where innocents are killed? More foreign troops on sovereign Somali regions? Are there any local solutions to this? While most from Puntland are busy pontificating on how other Somali regions should be governed in their postings on this Forum, let's hear what your local recipes for Puntland are.

This whole situation has dangerous consequences for "Puntland". The chickens have come home to roost.... If the navies in the area take action against the coastal bases, how many innocent Somalis will get killed in collateral damage? We're all well aware of the overwhelming force U.S. forces use once they are primed for action. Insha'Allah, kheyr!!

The final death toll for the Puntland administration has been this pirate scourge. If one looks logically at the situation, Puntland's undoing in the past few years has been an inability to pay civil servant and militia salaries. The Puntland administration can not even pay the salaries of a Garowe police force, hence the need for politicians to come with their own security and technicals during the recent tribal-enclave elections. The pirates on the other hand due to their handsome profits from their loot are able to hire thousands, making thousands(in US Dollars) weekly. You do the math - who would the normal 'Waranle' work for in the region? Work for Puntland administration = get plenty of promises but no pay Work for Pirates = get paid regularly and handsomely, build a villa in Kenya, marry a pretty young lady Hmmm, tough choice... You be the judge?!?

UN chief says concerned by complicity between Somalia pirates and Puntland 19 March 2009 Sudan Tribune English Copyright © 2009 Sudan Tribune - All rights reserved. March 18, 2009 (UNITED NATIONS) - The UN chief expressed concern today about links between the red sea pirate groups and the officials from the breakaway territory of Puntland. In a report published Wednesday, Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General, mentioned an increasing complicity between the Somali pirates and members of the Somali region of Puntland administration. The study prepared by Ban's office identified two main groups located in Eyl district, and in the central Mudug region, where pirates operate mainly from the fishing village of Xarardheere. The UN chief pointed out that by the end of last year, the "Eyl Group" was holding hostage six vessels and their crews and was expected to have earned roughly 30 million dollars in ransom money. While the Mudug network had held the Ukrainian MV Faina vessel, and three other ships, for about five months from September 2008 to last month. The Faina with a crew of 20 was released on February 5 in exchange for a ransom estimated at 3.2 million dollars. However Ban Ki-Moon said it was "encouraging to note that both the former and current leadership of (Puntland) appear to be taking a more robust approach in the fight against piracy and armed robbery at sea" off Somalia. Pirates have been seizing vessels in the Gulf of Aden, which connects Europe to Asia and the Middle East via the Suez Canal, hijacking dozens of ships last year. The International Maritime Bureau reported an unprecedented 11 percent worldwide increase in piracy and armed robbery at sea in 2008. Of the 293 incidents worldwide, 111 occurred off the coast of Somalia "an annual increase of nearly 200 percent in the critical trade corridor linking the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean." In the first two months of 2009 there have been seven reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Somali region. The report said there is a "critical need" to tackle the problem of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia in a coordinated way - by promoting political reconciliation and the establishment of an effective government, supporting African Union peacekeeping efforts, and strengthening law enforcement institutions. It encouraged U.N. members to help promote development and good government in Puntland and another breakaway region, Somaliland. Somalia has had no effective central authority since the 1991 ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre touched off a bloody cycle of clashes between rival factions. --------------- The story has legs! It's spreading fast, just at the North tip of Sudan, about to reach Egypt. All these countries' critical shipping traffic/trade has been affected by the high insurance costs associated with the Puntland piracy. Damage control, boys, where is your famed damage control?

Originally posted by Che -Guevara: I don't know who's convincing who what? As matter of particularity, there's no effective opposition from Somalia as far as the issue of Somaliland secession is concerned. Seriously, no one in Somalia can legaly, militarily or economically stop Somaliland from seceding. The only spoiler here could be Puntland and if Sarwaal gaab decide blowing up places. I think the lads in here from Somaliland are simply taking frustrations out on the southerners for failure to secure recognition. What southerners want or think is irrelevent since we are in no position to do anything to stop secession as long as we are self-destructing. Che, you come across as a true unionist sometimes (not always, sometimes). We can have a civil discussion about future relations after we clear the decks of those hiding behind Somaliweyn to pursue their myopic attempts at power-grabbing. In the meantime, stay out of the crossfire!

dp

Originally posted by xiinfaniin: quote:Originally posted by Mintid Farayar: A)if being the only failed state in the world, B)having the worst infant mortality rates anywhere, C)being labeled by UNHCR the greatest humanitarian disaster in the world, D)serving as the hub of human-trafficking for the entire region, E)having the most pirate-infested waters in the world, surpassing the Straits of Malacca, F)a place where human-body parts are harvested from living humans E)where the global evil of illegal drug farming has been introduced, contrary to the traditional religion and culture - Check Mintid's list. These yaa Jammaacah are the secessionist talking points. This is what they give to their hired pens. These were Riyaale's bullets points in his effort to be granted old Queen’s audience. Mintid’s identity crisis is incredible. Xiin, Previously, you compared Somaliland to a wife whose husband refuses to give her the divorce papers. Your chauvinism against women and misogyny aside, a better comparison is a banished husband who's been thrown out of their marital house begging to be let back into the home and continue the failed marriage Ma Doqon Baad Moodey?!?

Many in this Forum point out in a childish pique that Somaliland has failed to gain recognition since 1991, while Somalia is still at the UN General Assembly. Well, A)if being the only failed state in the world, B)having the worst infant mortality rates anywhere, C)being labeled by UNHCR the greatest humanitarian disaster in the world, D)serving as the hub of human-trafficking for the entire region, E)having the most pirate-infested waters in the world, surpassing the Straits of Malacca, F)a place where human-body parts are harvested from living humans E)where the global evil of illegal drug farming has been introduced, contrary to the traditional religion and culture - Then I think I will take the non-recognition of Somaliland over the recognized failed-state status of our brothers down South. How's that for a REALITY CHECK???

The mentioned Faisal Roble is from the Somali-region of Ethiopia/Somali Galbeed/Killilka Shanaad. Notice while obsessing about Somaliland's unity with Somalia (both in person and on his website), he never mentions/contemplates unity of his region with Somalia proper. Oooh, the hypocrisy of the so-called Unionists!

After a long essay cloaked in Somalinimo and Unity, the whole piece comes down to this desperate plea: After nearly one and a half years of occupation of Sool, at huge financial cost it could hardly spare, and with the goal of recognition still as far as ever, the time has come for Somaliland to rethink it strategy and policies. For its own sake, and the rest of us, the best course for Somaliland is to undo the damage it did, and withdraw immediately from Sool and Lascanod. That would be more productive than a costly and open-ended occupation of Sool which could lead to war. If that was to happen, the gulf that would divide the SSC people from Somaliland would be unbridgeable for the foreseeable future, a sure way to forfeit a harmonious united people of the North. Why not just call the essay: 'Please let Las Anod Go'

Originally posted by Xamar-Gale: What is the # 1 export commodity Somalia has? Over 70%, even back in the days of functioning government. Is it livestock or banana? It's good to diagnose and examine the bane of Somalia's seemingly endless catastrophe and deal with it in manner that identifies and addresses the root cause. Hargeisa is part of Somalia and it's very stable city. Careful, you might get arrested if you come to Hargeisa without a visa

Russia: Africa plane crash "likely" result of missile hit 15 March 2009 05:30 PM BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union English © 2009 The British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced except with the express permission of The British Broadcasting Corporation. The Il-76 heavy-lift transport - with a Russian-Ukrainian crew - that crashed into Lake Victoria overnight from 8 to 9 March is "likely" to have been shot down with a missile, the airline's owner has said, as reported by the Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS on 15 March. In a report from Pretoria, the news agency quoted Yevgeniy Zakharov, Aerolift owner, as saying that the Somalia-bound plane, with military personnel and cargo on board for the African Union peacekeepers, was "most likely to have been shot down with a missile". "There is almost nothing left of the aircraft and its cargo. All the fragments the divers found take up an area roughly of six metres by six ashore," Zakharov told ITAR-TASS in a phone interview. The "only" thing that can produce an effect like this is "if a plane is hit by a rocket from a grenade launcher or a Stinger missile during take-off, when its tanks are virtually full, with tonnes of fuel aboard. Then, when it explodes, virtually everything burns down," Zakharov, fresh from a visit to the scene of the crash, said. The ITAR-TASS report went on to quote Uganda's media about rumours of an imminent "Islamist" terrorist attack and of a subsequent claim of responsibility in the Internet by the "Islamic militants". Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1130 gmt 15 Mar 09

Kildhiga maxaa karka ka keeney??

Originally posted by Mintid Farayar: Now just like all humans that Allah has created, I could be wrong so I await an official Ethiopian source or world newswire covering the Meles meeting! Should I write my point in 'Far waaweyn'?? I guess 'Far waaweyn' is needed for some :confused:

Che, Nothing was forced from me 'in admission' as you put it earlier - I was just being gracious in order not to raise the blood pressure of my brothers from Puntland The point of the original post is to further put to rest the equating of Somaliland and Puntland that so many try to make both in SOL and the larger world (as two federal entities within many federal entities). That bridge was crossed by the world when A)it was decided that all transitional governments are for the South including Puntland, and B)when a functional gov't has been established for the former Italian Somaliland/South then the two (former Italian Somaliland/South and Somaliland) shall discuss their future relations. This was first decided in 1993 with UNISOM, when the foreign troops landed and set up bases everywhere including parts of Puntland but did not include Somaliland in their nation-building. It was continued and stressed to Abdelqasim with his Arta gov't (even though he attempted to change that, he was muzzled in order to receive international financial assistance). Finally, it was solidified in Eldorat/Mbegathi where A. Yusuf was crowned. Hence the verbal acrobatics by A. Yusuf and Ghedi whenever asked about Somaliland. They usually deferred by stating 'we'll deal with that issue once the South has been pacified/governed' (repeating the international community's stand). Contrary to what you and others might think, Ethiopia does not change leaders in Somaliland, unlike Puntland, where it lent armaments and troops to A. Yusuf when it didn't like the ascendency of Jama A. Jama in the early 2000's. Ethiopia often offers to mediate the disputes within Somaliland but the offer is politely declined by Somaliland (not wishing to let the wolf into the barn when you're still relatively weak). That's a lesson that our Somali brethren elsewhere have yet to learn. The meetings with Meles (which are now quite common for Rayaale) are significant in terms of diplomatic protocol in that heads of gov't in an official capacity meet with other heads of gov't. Following this protocol, Meles will meet with A. Yusuf and Sh. Sharif as heads of the TFG but not with Adde Muse or Faroole. Now just like all humans that Allah has created, I could be wrong so I await an official Ethiopian source or world newswire covering the Meles meeting! Should I write my point in 'Far waaweyn'??

Oodweyne, singing to the deaf, singing to the deaf, my friend. I posted two articles from the official Ethiopian media (translated by the BBC) and others post back propaganda from the official Faroole family website! Notice the picture with the Ethiopian Prime Minister is no where to be found on the Puntland websites (where's the beef, fellas?). A meeting with Seyoum Mesfin is impressive in its own right, though...