UK Somalis rally behind pirates' British hostages

[AYOUB]

The kidnap of Britons Paul and Rachel Chandler by pirates of the coast of Somalia has shocked the world - and the British Somali community is keen to show the couple their support.

 

Sensitive to their homeland's reputation for civil war, piracy and lawlessness, Somalis across the UK have mobilised behind a campaign to release the pair.

 

TV and radio stations serving the community are broadcasting regular appeals for the Chandlers' release, while demonstrations and public meetings demanding their freedom have been organised by Somali leaders across the country.

 

They hope that the pressure will be felt back in their mother country - and that the strength of feeling among Somali Britons will be felt by the pirates themselves.

 

 

'Very angry'

[Ibtisam]

It pisses me off that Somalis are spending more time united for these couple than they have ever been for anything Somali. Even the demo for the Somali students in the bomb spilt into clan lines and who should have the organizing “honor/ responsibility” depending on what clan lost the most. In the end they had one cancelled demo and one for a specific clan. :rolleyes: Stupi*dness and a half.

 

They should spend more or their time and energy on their falling apart community and the hopeless situation of their people.

 

That does not mean I don’t have sympathy for the couple and their family, but they are only two individuals and therefore insignificant in the face of the problems back home. I guess because they are white their life’s are more important and worth more than the other innocent Somalis.

 

Very very angry iyo baad weliba.

[N.O.R.F]

^PR dear, PR.

 

Agreed.

[Ibtisam]

^^Really, PR is fine but to use all your resources?, a small press release would do to state your position. They've been falling over each others feet to get on the news and papers to speak of this issue, not one of them has used the opportunity to highlight the multiple problems that people face back home. Each one with his bad English (Where on earth are the ones who speak English?)just says this is very bad and we are against it, we are working to end this (doing what I'm not sure) and we are sorry (unless they are getting kick backs from the priates I hate the apologist) for this. :rolleyes:

[Juxa]

aah you dont get it, money is to be made by elders and community leaders going to offer their connections in somalia.

 

plane ticket plus unlimited expenses paid for their trip to somalia.

 

i do feel sorry for the poor couple tho

[NGONGE]

^^ This is a doable campaign with a chance of achieving an end result. It's not a futile demonstration about Somalis beheaded in Saudi Arabia or an Ethiopian invasion.

 

I'm surprised Ibti is angry here!

[N.O.R.F]

Edit

 

Ibti, the methods will always be bungled and the intentions will never be 100% correct but if this bit of news gets wide publicity this week then that’s good PR. It’s needed.

[Ibtisam]

^^It is not good PR because they are dragging the issue out in the media for weeks now as each community center wants their bit, and Somali problem becoming a priates issues is not what we need.

 

Ngonge: Nevertheless I don't see why it takes the whole community who are otherwise useless come out in full force for an issue that is easy enough to slove.

 

Pay the damn money instead of paying the oldies here and the couple are free to go. Much do about nothing, It just annoys me to no end. And I'm pissed off coz everyone I've ever worked with kept calling me for a demo or meeting or type this or the other. Get lost!. :mad:

[cynical lady]

You’re missing the point Ibtisam. Take emotions out of this and look at the bigger picture.

 

p.s please lets not blame the demo faillure on clan lines…….stup1dityalways wins and thats what happend here/ and lets not discounts the organisers lack of strong commitment/organisational abilities.

[N.O.R.F]

What demos are you guys on about? Fill me in. Ngonge ma tagay tolow?

[Ibtisam]

CL it was clan lines, I was there when they split right down the middle between Wed-Friday the coalition fell apart and the major clan split off to do their own one the following weekend, which they had to cancel in the end because of the snow. I agree stup1dity did win.

 

I'm not missing the point, I get it, we are showing we are humans, but how often must I read "we as the Somali community in the UK are sorry and deeply shocked yad yad ya"

[NGONGE]

Originally posted by *Ibtisam:

^^It is not good PR because they are dragging the issue out in the media for weeks now as each community center wants their bit, and Somali problem becoming a priates issues is not what we need.

 

Ngonge: Nevertheless I don't see why it takes the whole community who are otherwise useless come out in full force for an issue that is easy enough to slove.

 

Pay the damn money instead of paying the oldies here and the couple are free to go. Much do about nothing, It just annoys me to no end. And I'm pissed off coz everyone I've ever worked with kept calling me for a demo or meeting or type this or the other. Get lost!. :mad:

The issue is easy enough to solve only when it becomes a BIG issue. They are doing it and this might result in the couple being released. You say pay the money but who will pay that seven million? The British Government?

 

Too much noise will eventually reach the ears of those that matter in this case and the couple may get released as a result.

 

The 'community' coming out for dead students in Xamar, an Ethiopian invasion or Saudi beheadings is, as I always said, stuff and nonsense. It serves no purpose and achieves no end result. This is different.

 

Norf,

This is the first I've heard of the whole thing to be honest, which tells me it is not as big as Ibti makes it sound. But then again, she gets the news before us anyway (considering her demo past).

[cynical lady]

Snow & clan etc are nothing but excuses. Even if 3 people tuned up, that would have counted for something. But anyhow that was then and this is now; and believe me Somalis need to galvanise and leverage on such opportunities by demonstrating they wont tolerate such lawlessness. Yes the couple aren’t Somalis; so what? The impact is currently being felt by the whole community inside and outside and if the community doesn’t counteract the backlash then Somalis are the only ones who stand to lose out.

 

Everything has a reaction dear, so just think of the bigger picture.

[Ibtisam]

^^^Backlash for the community, there is more likely to be a backlash about the benefit fraud dude rather than this CL. That is the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that we have turned this into a massive issue and it does not earn us any brownie points, and we have rolled all our problems aside and apologiesed for something we have no control over. IF and I know it is unlikely but IF they kill the couple, do you think it would matter if we were against it or not. The media have a very short memory and we are free game- it will be open season.

 

Lol, you are funny Ngonge, Aside from our inability to unit for anything else, Somalis in the UK have never bothered to do anything about the bashing they get in the media, even small media campaigns that need less than 100 people to make a difference we have not managed. Does it not bother you that the one time we are able to do or say anything about something that is not even for our well being. Does it not bother you that these two individuals take precedents over a whole country which is standing on its head and has been for 20yrs. Some organizations were talking about raising money from the community for the couple’s family. :eek: Really? as if we don't have enough starving people of our own.

 

As for the demo, you would never have heard of it, even if it was on your door step.

 

The couple will be free regardless of what drums we beat or not, if Binyum Mohammed made it out of the US and Gbay because of demos and pressure I assure you that these will too.

[cynical lady]

Really this isn’t a bigger picture? And how do you know it hasn’t/won’t earn Somalis the much needed brownie points? My dear stop looking at things in isolations, and how did they roll Somalia’s entire problems aside? And by the by their not apologising but are merely calling for the couples realise. And yes Somalis do have a control over it, since it’s an issue that has occurred in Somalia and stands to impact the community/the community alone. Standing aside and doing nothing isn’t an option, especially when the stakes are very high.

 

p.s dear, since your not supporting it, why don’t you just wish them well and see what happens? Why the negativity?

 

p.s.s Somalis are a free game because they’ve allowed themselves to be. Lets not pass the bucket here and this is a perfect demo of how.