The Somali untouchables

[Jacaylbaro]

Ilhaan is the lady next to him in the above picture in case you don't know ,,,,,,,

[Sharmarkee]

^^and who asked you what become of Ilhan yaa JC, or you explaining water with water

[Ms DD]

Why is this news foreign to me? I have had several friends from this tribe at school back home. We ate together and invited into each other's houses. No one threw up and no one made derogatory remark. Okey, marriages maybe off the menu (which i vehemently disagree with) but the treatments Goth mentions in his piece wasnt what I experienced. There is a big room for improvement but it wasnt as bad as Goth is making out to be.

[A.J.]

MS Dhucdhuc&Dhelo,

 

Sis, it probably isnt as common in the western based somali diaspora but there are disgusting treatments of our own brothers and sisters back home. it is an age old disease that is very hard to get rid of. In this you dont really experience the Somali culture at its most prevalent so you wont notice the many negative aspectes of it.

 

However i do commend Hadraawi&others for their conference to bring this issue out in the open. that is very good step forward and must continue on similar scales if is get the awareness this issue deserves

[Blessed]

I've a friend in London whose mother hails from the said tribe, whenever her eedo gets mad at them she starts calling them all these names and says that they get such bad manners from their **** mother.

 

Somalis in diaspora might be a bit more PC, but many would rather marry a foreigner to their girls and they still use their name to insult.

[AYOUB]

Xiin and Sharmaarke it was a bleasure was but all credit goes to the good poet for highlighting the issue. Rumour has it, he chose this subject as his final piece before he "retires" (his penultimate being Mayal- dheer ). I also like his suggestion 1st May should be a day Somalis dedicate to highlighting the campaign against the caste problem . Bashir's article was written 2 days after this event, is this just coincidence or has the old man started the ball rolling? I hope the later.

 

Another May 1 suggestion is "positive discriminations" or guarantees which secures employment and educational positions for the victims of centuries of this practice. (What's that American phrase for this again?) This sounds very interesting as long as it does not end up like Arta/Mbagathi's 4.5 formula which reduced these clans to .5 of the rest.

 

 

Originally posted by NGONGE:

Good article. But I wonder if his remorse will go far enough as to allow him to accept someone from those clans as a brother-in-law?

Interesting question Ngonge. I've a friend in London belonging to one the clans that are victims of our caste problem . Even though I've known him for over two decades, we've hardly discussed this caste issue mainly because he keeps his "identity" secret. He'd even misinform if cornered by "curious" inquisitors. On one of our first London reunion, he indirectly told me not to reveal his "identity" to others. I'm not perfect but I too enjoyed fantastic meals at my mates' house and find the vomiting guests story over the top. The strange thing is I remember my friend's uncle (AUN) being racist against what he used to call "adoons". My friend uses derogatory words to describe other black people and Indians.

 

To cut a long story short, my friend moved to the other side of London and his "lifestyle" made it impossible for us to be as close as we used to be. Few years later, he was to get married after a few failed attempts because of, you guessed it.. his "identity". On the wedding night, I sat with other friends of the groom and after a few whispers I was finally asked about the bride's "identity". I had no idea. When the time came for the groom's family to be photographed, a few of us from different "identities" stood with him which left my friend visibly emotional. Next day I phoned one my sisters to tell her about the wedding and after a few questions she asked the bride's "identity", to which I replied I didn't know for sure but her family photograph will be full of "reer X". A few hours later one of my sister's friends also a "reer X" called to ask me why I didn't expose the groom's "identity" to the bride's family. She claimed he lied about his "identity". A strange conversation followed which included me asking: "..if my friend's 'lifestyle' was no issue to the bride and her family, why was his 'identity'.." and lots of "none of my business".

 

The caste problem is a weakness most Somalis suffer from. Judging from some of my friend's family, they are no innocent of some form of "racism" either. There's no fair game in this sport, not the Amxaaro nor the Yuhuud. You're either wrong or right. I'm in the wrong and ashamed of it. The good thing about Hadrawi's May 1 event was the victims presented their experiences and hopefully it will be a start of good things inshallah.

[Ms DD]

^^ Shouldnt you have told her? If I was the bride, I would have liked to be told the truth. That marriage is disaster from the off as it is based on lies. The issue isnt about the qabiil but the dishonest invloved. Bit like when my friend found out that her hubby fathered a child in a previous relationship and she wasnt aware. Sad to say that they are no longer together. One will wonder..what else did hide from me.

 

Somalis whatever qabiil are racists. My dad told me a story when he was young. He visited his uncle in small town somewhere Puntland (cant remember). He met the most beautiful woman in the world and he wanted to marry her. His uncle refused to let my dad marry her cos of the said qabiil. My dad didnt care, he said till the uncle pointed out that you may not care but your kids will suffer from the awful Somali prejudice.

 

We somalis are racists to anyone who isnt our qabiil. It is pathetic. Even those here who completely disagree with this prejudices, they wont allow the said qabiil to marry their daughter of sister. This is something bigger than us.

[AYOUB]

^^Why? I didn't even know her.

[rudy-Diiriye]

all ppl are created equally! u aint no better or less than any other human...! this 21 century wake and get your head outta of the ignorance and warlord mentallity..!

 

i see ppl are still intrapped in low level clan mentality... history tells, that all somalis were equally before the arabian cultural invasion of the somali culture!! u ever heard that?? :mad:

[AYOUB]

 

Abwaan Maxamed Ibrahim Warsame, Hadraawi, oo Soo Booqdey Madaariska Quba....