Pride in NZ's first Somali soldier

[Che -Guevara]

Waikato Times

By DEBORAH CUMING

Friday, July 11, 2008

 

KELLY HODEL/Waikato Times

 

Ajiil Farah's entry to the New Zealand Army did not go quite to plan he broke his collarbone playing rugby soon after enlisting.

 

But yesterday the Hamilton Somali community proudly celebrated Mr Farah's recent graduation from the Waiouru Army training centre as New Zealand's first Somali-born soldier.

 

They "ambushed" Ajiil Farah, 23, throwing a surprise party at Hamilton's Waikato Migrant Centre. There were speeches by Somali community leaders and officials, including Hamilton East MP David Bennett.

 

"I didn't know it was going to happen," a shy Ajiil said after the speeches and formalities. "I didn't have anything prepared."

 

Despite the surprise, Ajiil said he was proud to have the opportunity to thank his community for their support, and praised New Zealand for the opportunity he was given when he and his family moved from war-torn Somalia six years ago.

 

"The biggest success for me is being able to show my community that they can do anything in this country that they want to to do, especially the young people coming up," he said.

 

"It was good to hear the community is proud of me because, in the beginning, people were saying `oh you are crazy to join the army'.

 

"But now they see that I have done it. If I can do it, they can do it.

 

"It was really hard for me to get into the army because of the language barrier and they had never seen a Somalian person come to them and say they wanted to join. They thought it was a joke.

 

"They gave me the form and said `okay, come back next week and we will see what we can do'. I went there the next morning and they saw something in me, that I was ready."

 

A New Zealand Army television advertisement sowed the idea of joining up and Ajiil gained the support of Somali Friendship Society president Mohamed Khalif Abdi and the Migrant Youth Training and Work Service.

 

Mr Abdi said the community was proud of Ajiil and that he was an inspiration for young people.

 

"Most of my community do taxi driving and things like that," Mr Farah said.

 

The collarbone break did not slow Ajiil down, and now is considering the offer of a tour of duty in Afghanistan next year.

 

 

 

Source: Waikato Times, July 11, 2008

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

"Most of my community do taxi driving and things like that," Mr Farah said.

 

The collarbone break did not slow Ajiil down, and now is considering the offer of a tour of duty in Afghanistan next year.

First of all, nothing wrong driving a taksi, ninkaaga Faarax la dhahoo ismooday balaayo already. Tan labaad it is an honour to drive a taksi than kill a fellow Muslim in their occupied country.

[Geel_jire]

"The biggest success for me is being able to show my community that they can do anything in this country that they want to to do, especially the young people coming up," he said.

^ when i read that i had to go back & make sure i didnt skip something in the article .. you know the part where he cured cancer or something.

 

to say that .. after becoming a soldier..... this guys cup is 3/4 full

[nuune]

Kama qasno, marshadaa ugu jirto Faarax Duureedka

[Fabregas]

Driver a Taxi any day mate, then fight for raycest armies!

[Som@li]

Waa ugu jirtaa, Laakin Taliban baa ka horaysa!

[Malika]

To aspire to be a killing machine,toloow muu iska joogo Somalia,atleast maanta Xabashiduu noo diliil laha..Lol

 

Lakiin why do we like disrespecting the hard working taxi drivers?

[Xidigo]

Aqli xumaa tan layiraa.

 

He will probably die with friendly fire

[Castro]

Originally posted by Malika:

To aspire to be a killing machine,toloow muu iska joogo Somalia,atleast maanta Xabashiduu noo diliil laha..Lol

This is the kind of fool that brings Xabashi. Probably born in NZ but has dadboDh!l!f genes in him.

 

Uff

[Buuxo]

Malika ,Taxi drivers waa xor and they belitte that. :confused:

 

Of all things he could have become, he chose to become a soldier :eek He probably didn't need any training in the art of killing.

[Thierry.]

Easy now folks this man is smatter than most, he clearly remembers that NZ army were the cast (orges) in Lord of the Rings, the brother wants to be in the next Peter Jackson movie

[Xidigo]

^ lool

[Kool_Kat]

Qandho fanax dheer, allow yaa ii keeno aan kabteyda taakadeeda afka uga dhuftee!!! Taxi driver kuyeh, with them kinda teeth dad shaqeysanaayo wax maba ka sheegeen hadaan isaga ahay... :mad:

[Fabregas]

eazze now, don't be bunch of hayterz!

[Malika]

Wilka dayaa bisinkaa!,with the kind of role models in our community no wonder he feels all special to have stepped out just a bit to the left..Heh