I hold a vision of peace for Somalia Amanda Lindhout

[Khayr]

Originally posted by Naden:

 

I don't even know why they kept this inconsequential woman for all these months. They could have hijacked at least 5 ships or kidnapped 10 people. Somebody needs to brush up on their Six Sigma methodologies.

 

Oh don't worry, they are more efficient beyond anyone's expectation. There accuracy and efficiency brings them "boat loads" of accalades.

 

Sheerbeen, can we call you Daniel Pipe?

[sheherazade]

hello, Catro.

 

S, you still love me though, donchya? Go on be the better person. LoL.

[Castro]

^^^^ Catro ku qaniintay. You went nomad on Shabeel today. He's a cool young'un. Pick on people like the guy above you.

[Complicated]

Talk about muran for the sake of muran!

[Sherban Shabeel]

Originally posted by Benson and Hedges:

Shebel with his western liberal attitude and his lack of understanding of Somali affairs and psyche are a deadly mix. shebel are you on a civilising mission to save somalia?

My western liberal attitude? My lack of understanding of Somali affairs? My civilizing mission to save Somalia?

 

Comments such as these are part of why this forum has gone downhill in the past couple of months.

[Sherban Shabeel]

As for the comparison with Daniel Pipes...

 

I fear my skin is growing a bit too thin for these jokes lately.

[Cara.]

^Never mind, Sherban. Basic courtesy is not so basic for certain individuals.

 

*Note to self: no more off-color jokes, there are youngsters around*

[ailamos]

You guys are too hard on Sherb here. Granted the media went crazy when one of their own survived a hostage ordeal, but it's interesting someone mentioned Daniel Pipes as it has become a shaky world in conflict-journalism after his unfortunate death and anyone coming out of the clutches of the phsycoignoramus Islamists is deemed (rightly or wrongly) as a hero. I glanced over the story of this lady a while back and I didn't think much of it, heck, I didn't finish reading her story because it went down the same old glorification route...

 

Then I read this http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/business/media/30somalia.html ... notice that she went there without any specific assignment and not only did she lack training, she was on a mission to carve a name for herself while bypassing the necessary steps to be an effective journalist... this might have been necessary considering the competitiveness of the journalism profession but Somalia is a place that's dangerous even for seasoned journalists, so I guess that was the lure for her.

 

I think it is excessive to call her a hero, it would be more apt to refer to her what she really is "a survivor"... there are several journalists in Somalia any given time, some have died and as far as I recall they were not labeled as heroes even though they sacrificed the ultimate price for their professions. Others, such as Robert Draper here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/09/somalia/draper-text have not be given that prestigious label simply because he's a professional who has planned his excursion rather carefully and avoided getting kidnapped.

 

Or what if photojournalist Farah Abdi http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1723&Itemid=257&bandwi dth=high ... got kidnapped and then released after a couple of years? Do you think he would receive the same amout of media hoopla as Amanda? I think not. Partly because he is not of the same skin color as Amanda and partly because he has no country that would voice concern over his kidnapping like Canada or Australia did for their own people.

 

In the end I think journalists (real ones, not wannabes) are doing a fantastic job in uncovering stories and matters or social/world importance that would otherwise go unreported or would be at the ends of rumors and unconfirmed BS. Some report from dangerous situations and we appreciate that very much, but I think this glorification has to stop as they are just doing their jobs and some like CNN reporters get paid a decent amount for their efforts. They are no different than MSF doctors who are passionate about their work.

[Ibtisam]

Wow everyone is up in arms here. I agree with the last poster, explained my view very well.

 

Sheh; wilka yaar maad iska daaftiid huuno. :eek:

 

Sherb: Love for her job maybe, Love for the Somalis I don't think so, she is just following her job. Most war/conflict reporters are forced to go to countries that everyone else is trying to get away from, and in this case she went under no obligation and despite the warnings. Nevertheless I would have been impressed and maybe even thankful if she produced some significant information to the world, but it was not to be and she got kidnapped and now she will capitalize and build her career on how she was a daring journalist who reported (never saw one report) and got kidnapped by Somalis. As a Somali I can't help feel that she is yet another one of the many who stepped on my head on her way.

 

P.s. If as you say it is out of love for Somalis, I’m sure we’ll see her specialize on Somalis or even East Africa.

 

P.s.s. As Somalis in the West, this new trend of saying Sorry you got kidnapped iyo Dahab, iyo campaigns is all going over my head at the moment. It is like we don't have enough to do as it is.

[sheherazade]

^Ibts, wiilka claims to love us. Love is unconditional. He'll get through it.

 

I'm not sure why there is a need to go easy on the kid's reasoning. He says the woman did it out of love for us. Please. One he doesn't know that. Two, It's an argument that is often used to perpetuate and hide behind ego, gain and evil. I don't care or know why she did it(love, ego, gain) but why dump the love burden on us? And expect us to be grateful as a result.

 

Castro, shall we send him a belt buckle saying hero in Somali for choosing to be here and participating in this thread? Go ahead. I'm sure you'll find a Texan cowboy willing to create a bespoke leather belt.

[sheherazade]

did you call me huuno?!! LoooL.

[Complicated]

War Moderatoradu dhib badanaa horta.

[sheherazade]

^ma ila aragtey?

[Cawaale]

Originally posted by Castro:

[QB But it's more likely whoever ordered that necklace spoke English as a second language and has no clue what the word means. [/QB]

I totally agree with Castro on this.

 

Somalia is the most dangerous country in Africa to work as a journalist, with five journalists killed last year. i mean come on, this lady knew what she was doing.

 

Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe of Shabelle Radio was killed along with the news Editor Ahmed Omar Hashi. and he was the third Shabelle journalist killed last year

 

Former HornAfrik director, Said Tahlil Ahmed(Somali Canadian) was killed too and i didn't hear any tributes from the Canadian Somalis. do they even know he existed?

 

On a side note, Bashir Makhtal lawyer deserves gratitude, recognition and admiration for the job he is doing and his a Canadian too. so i suggest they acknowledge him and support him to end the suffering of the fellow nomad.

 

 

I am Glad she is save and sound and soon will make money of her suffering. despite her suffering, she's not bitter tho and for that too she deserves to be given credit.

 

 

"My wish for Somalia is to experience freedom. To become free from poverty, free from hunger, and free from the violence which imprisons it's people. I hold a vision of peace for Somalia." Amanda Lindhout

 

this would make a good Sol signature.

[Sherban Shabeel]

Originally posted by sheherazade:

^Ibts, wiilka claims to love us. Love is unconditional. He'll get through it.

 

I'm not sure why there is a need to go easy on the kid's reasoning. He says the woman did it out of love for us. Please. One he doesn't know that. Two, It's an argument that is often used to perpetuate and hide behind ego, gain and evil. I don't care or know why she did it(love, ego, gain) but why dump the love burden on us? And expect us to be grateful as a result.

 

Castro, shall we send him a belt buckle saying hero in Somali for choosing to be here and participating in this thread? Go ahead. I'm sure you'll find a Texan cowboy willing to create a bespoke leather belt.

Apparently I'm not the one who needs to grow up.