BN Posted October 26, 2004 Originally posted by Slinger: 1980 aaa :eek: :eek: ... nigga how old is you?? i know i was in diapers that year much less sitting by the beach... Busted........... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reality Check Posted October 26, 2004 Originally posted by Classique: So Why the Middle East Pictures, Why not Africa?? Cuz some of us have been born or lived there ....and it's really nice to reminisce (sic)! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted October 26, 2004 A boy in Oman smiles cheekily for BBC News Online reader Josefine Hellgren's camera at Nizwa fort in Oman. In Saudi Arabia, two climbers seem like mere dots on an imposing cliff near the capital, Riyadh, in Andy Partridge's image. Tareq Salloum sent in this picture taken near Latakia, Syria A Cairo cab driver's car leaves reader Sarah-Eve Hammond bemused: "There is everything you can dream about in this taxi, but no sign of a map!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted October 26, 2004 AFRICA The life of an Ethiopian Herder & his family We always carry guns; and many of us still carry the curved knives called jile. We need to protect ourselves and our animals because there has always been conflict between the Afars – our people – and the Issa people nearby. There is more conflict now that there’s less land and because the Issa are pastoralists too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted October 26, 2004 Somali peace activist I started my peace activities in early 1991 when my husband, a famous Somali businessman, was killed when trying to end the war between the late President Mohammed Siad Barre and United Somali Congress (USC) rebels. I decided to carry on my husband's peace work. Clan warfare It was not easy to preach peace because everyone believed in their own clan and thought that I was also trying to promote my clan. The worst period was when warlords Ali Mahdi Mohamed and the late Gen Mohamed Farah Aidid fought in the capital, Mogadishu, from November 1991 up to March 1992. Thousands were killed and many more fled their homes. No-one did much to help the poor people. I was very happy when the United Nations decided to intervene. Market women I realized that Somali women were the real victims of the civil war. Most have never gone to school so the only thing I could was to help them start small businesses. About 80% of stall-holders at the Bakaraha market, like Dunia Moalim ® belong to the Webi Shabele women chamber of commerce, which I head. This has enabled me to get women from different clans to support my activities of peace between rival clans. Warlord trouble In 2000, I met with other Somali women peace activists, like Halima Sheikh ®. We decided to form a group to work together for peace and development. We called our group G60, as we are 60 women. We started to meet with warlords and the transitional government leaders. It was very difficult, as some warlords did not welcome peace activities led by women. Hospital We are also trying to provide social services. We are repairing Banadir hospital, a government hospital for mothers and children, which closed 10 years ago. We told the militias who were at the hospital that we needed the hospital to again provide services to the public. They handed it over to us without any trouble. Now, Fadumo Ahmed Ali ® has somewhere to treat her three-year-old son for cholera. School We opened a primary school for the children of displaced people in a camp at Mogadishu's former air force headquarters. We supplied school books and other materials to 350 students at this school. As most of the parents of these students are poor, we sometimes bring a doctor to do medical check-ups on them. The UN children's agency, Unicef, and Somali businessmen also assist the school. Militias Mogadishu is much calmer than it used to be. We helped residents of nine districts set up their own teams of security guards. We run some rehabilitation schools, such as this one in Medina, where about 400 former militiamen are learning how to live peaceful lives. We have also helped reopen roads that had been closed for the last decade. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thinkerman Posted October 26, 2004 Nice Thread and article North Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites