Blessed Posted January 25, 2009 Women's basketball event excites war-weary Somalis By Ibrahim Mohamed MOGADISHU (Reuters) - The stadium was packed for the women's basketball tournament in the bombed-out capital of staunchly Islamic Somalia. Sports events are an unusual and welcome diversion for many residents of Mogadishu, torn by a two-year-old insurgency of suicide bombings, assassinations and indiscriminate artillery attacks. But women's tournaments are even rarer in the Muslim country, attracting droves of eager spectators who filled the seats of the crumbling, colonial-era Italian stadium of Ex Lucino more than an hour before the start. Supporters of two rival teams from the city -- Heegan and Horseed -- began cheering "Defeat them! Defeat them!", long before the players appeared on court for the semi-final of the contest that ends this week. Faduma Yareey, 22, plays for Heegan. Two years ago when she started playing basketball, she told Reuters, some of her neighbours had condemned the practice as against the Koran. "But now there are no problems," Yareey said, warming up for the game in a headscarf, soccer shirt and tracksuit pants. "We're improving. We exercise every morning and afternoon, and we'd even like to play in the evening too if there was electricity. I hope we will make it to the national team." The Horn of Africa nation is a failed state. Islamist insurgents have waged an Iraq-style campaign against a weak Western-backed interim government that has killed more than 16,000 civilians since the start of 2007. Another 1 million Somalis have been driven from their homes. The United States has long feared the anarchic country could become a safe haven for radical militants, and it says Somalia's hardline al Shabaab rebel group has close ties to al Qaeda. But most Somalis are traditionally moderate Muslims -- there was huge pride last August when the impoverished nation was able to send a 10-strong team to the Olympic Games in Beijing. Aden Yabrow Wiish, chairman of the Somali Basketball Federation, said the current competition was funded by Somali businessmen overseas who wanted to promote reconciliation. "We are encouraging the youth to put down their weapons," he said. "You can see how the people ... are applauding their local neighbourhood teams, not their clans." Venturing out onto the Mogadishu streets is dangerous, said Musa Abdullahi, one 68-year-old closely watching the game. A suicide car bombing aimed at African Union peacekeepers missed its target on Saturday and killed at least 14 civilians. Abdullahi said the near-daily bloodshed was dismaying. "As an old man, it hurts my head to hear such stories," he told Reuters. "But when I come here and see young people playing sports together in such harmony, it is refreshing. That is how life should be. That is how I remember my upbringing here." © Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved Link Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dhimbil Posted January 27, 2009 This must been great for Hamar. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-Lily- Posted January 27, 2009 ^^Thats assuming the Taliban, I mean AlShabab don't get wiff of this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Posted January 27, 2009 ^ , they would be there in a jiffy tooting their cumamadaas, hadee maqlii lahayeen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dhimbil Posted January 28, 2009 ^are you guys serious? the wadaads didn't know about this event? LOL its more interesting now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahima Posted January 28, 2009 ^^Thats assuming the Taliban, I mean AlShabab don't get wiff of this. It has nothing to do with any group Lilly, but the sisters are inappropriately dressed in a place where men are present. It's one thing for someone to do something, totally different to condone it or justify it. Wrong is wrong, nothing to do with Alshabab. The event would be great, if all the spectators were women and no photographs for world viewing were taken. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Resistance Posted January 28, 2009 ^ Point well made. The motives of those who organised this event should be questioned, cause this has the potential to only cause conflict. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-Lily- Posted January 28, 2009 Rahima, I agree with you but then again there is no compulsion in religion. If these girls choose to play in shorts and tank tops & people wish to watch the game it’s between them & their Lord. Resistence, it is ridicules to assume a simple basketball game having an ulterior motive or intention. As if a girl basket ball game is the most serious issue facing Somalis :rolleyes: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahima Posted January 29, 2009 Rahima, I agree with you but then again there is no compulsion in religion. If these girls choose to play in shorts and tank tops & people wish to watch the game it’s between them & their Lord. Sister, people always misuse the ayah regarding the issue of no compulsion in religion, this is only as it applies to someone becoming Muslim. But once a person decides to embrace Islam, they are (in public) required to follow the tenants of Islam, and were an Islamic state to exist, they must follow or suffer the consequences. Today in the UK, if you are caught stealing, you will be punished for the crime you have committed. Similarly, in an Islamic state, a Muslim woman not covering is a punishable offense (after ample warning of course). In the case of Somalia where there is no Islamic state, i guess you can't punish the people, but that still doesn't make it right. It doesn't mean that you condone their sin. Like i said, wrong is wrong and no need for us to jump on the bandwagon of attacking any group because it has nothing to do with that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-Lily- Posted January 29, 2009 I agree but that group has everything to do with the comment I made because they assume a religious authority nobody has assigned them. As we know it, Somalia is not an Islamic state (yet). Granted that doesn’t mean wrongs suddenly become OK but right now the correct apparatus (learned scholars, courts) to carry out Islamic justice are not in place. Therefore we can’t assume dressing inappropriately will result in a punishment (apart from Allah’s). I am more annoyed with AlShabab’s lack of credibility than the game itself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahima Posted January 30, 2009 ^I appreciate what you're saying sister, laakiin i feel that in the current climate of Somalia, there is no need for every Halima and Farah to be attacking overzealous (perhaps) youth that mean well, when we have a million other groups/individuals to be targeting and directing our anger at. I'm sick of the bad rap this alshabaab group is getting. I believe that we can disagree respectfully with some of their tactics, but the attacks are just going too far. Next people will be blaming them for droughts and floods. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lame Radar Posted January 31, 2009 Originally posted by Rahima: quote: ^^Thats assuming the Taliban, I mean AlShabab don't get wiff of this. It has nothing to do with any group Lilly, but the sisters are inappropriately dressed in a place where men are present. It's one thing for someone to do something, totally different to condone it or justify it. Wrong is wrong, nothing to do with Alshabab. The event would be great, if all the spectators were women and no photographs for world viewing were taken. How self righteous we are, sitting in our living room with the world at our fingertips..everything a few clicks away and you question the intentions of this basketball tournament? Would you rather they stay at home until someone bombs them in their bedroom or they get sold to an elder man who wanted a 6th wife. Religious anything begins with you, the individual. If you believe people should be restricted and go without, then START WITH YOURSELF. I am happy for them that they were able to organize something for the community to come together to view in peace. As for what they are wearing and who is watching, since when did Somalia become Saudi Arabia...Isn't the Diraac the women's national dress. LOL...oh the hypocrisy of the haves in comparison to the have nots. Wrong is wrong? What's wrong? Getting exercise and doing something with yourself since you don't have cable television, internet, electricity and all the other forms of entertainment you consume daily? Honestly, must everything be restricted because of a perceived and individual stance on Islam and it's laws? :rolleyes: I hope those ladies get to play more often.... Salaam to all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahima Posted January 31, 2009 ^As a Muslim who believes that the hijab is compulsory (as dictated in the Quran), the dirac (alone) to me is not attire to be worn outside for all to see. If that my friend makes me self-righteous, then that i am . You and I don't even agree on the basics, at least Lily and I are on the same page on that matter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kool_Kat Posted January 31, 2009 Originally posted by Khaalid: Bless their hearts masaakiinta, at least they are trying...Can you imangine them playing in a tent like jalaabiib? I rather they play in this uniform rather than blowing themselves up and killing innocent people in the name of Islam, like our young illiterate AlShabaab brothers are doing... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abyan Posted January 31, 2009 Originally posted by Kool_Kat: Bless their hearts masaakiinta, at least they are trying...Can you imangine them playing in a tent like jalaabiib? I rather they play in this uniform rather than blowing themselves up and killing innocent people in the name of Islam, like our young illiterate AlShabaab brothers are doing... Tent? ar maandheey xaa kuugu dhacay saan waa karooneed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
