God Rest His soul. That picture is going to huant me. How could they??? Walahi and then they wanna pass as our brothers. I loathe that regime and its supporters with menace. Lander, my sentiment excat. How dare anyone question our motives for seccession? Do you need more evidence...I think not. A friend of my mother has a son in his late teens. He attends deaf school even though he was not born deaf. He witnessed his father and brothers being slaughtered infront of him in Hargeisa....he has not uttered one word since. Heartbreaking what has happened to our country. Full power to Somaliland. Peace (through out Somalia) AD

Brothers and Sisters Please read this attached article taken from the BBC MiddleEast desk and lets have your input/thought /feelings :- The trial of prominent Palestinian Marwan Barghouti has started in Tel Aviv. Israel accuses Mr Barghouti, secretary general of the Fatah Movement, of heading a terrorist organisation responsible for the death of 26 Israelis. Mr Barghouti refuses to recognise the competence of the Israeli court. 'Forgery' Mr Barghouti was arrested almost a year ago but only now, after a series of initial hearings, is his trial is finally underway. This is like a football match, not a trial Prosecution witness He was led into the small courtroom in Tel Aviv in handcuffs and brown prison uniform. He smiled and waved at the public gallery, then the session began. Mr Barghouti tried to get the court to dismiss his state appointed defence lawyers. "This court represents the Israeli occupation," he said in Hebrew. "I will not participate in this forgery." But the court ruled against him and the prosecution then opened its case. The lead prosecutor told the court Mr Barghouti was the head of a terrorist organisation responsible for many murders. The defendant interrupted her. "I am the secretary general of Fatah, this is not a terror organisation," he said. Witness defiance The prosecution went on to call as witnesses three Palestinian prisoners convicted by Israel of acts of violence and accused of acting under Marwan Barghouti's command. The first, Nasser Abu Hamid, refused to testify. He then put his fingers in his ears and refused to listen to prosecution questions. The second tore up a confession of his when it was presented to him and shouted: "This is like a football match, not a trial." The third, Bilal Barghouti, also refused to testify and said in Arabic: "Jerusalem is ours." He then demanded to leave. The court then asked the public to leave while intelligence witnesses testified in camera. The trial continues. _________________________________________________- I was personally overjoyed when I read this article. I think these brothers who are sticking together in the face of such adversity and the presence of thier most feared enemy, thier actions are nothing short of Horoic. May god bless thier soul and may god deliver Palestine "infinate justice" ---Ameen. Peace in Palestine.

Hello Matkey and Jeenyo. Brothers, although I suggest Sharia as a expellent of some of our unruly ways in Africa, the main proposal I want to make is EDUCATION....a massive undertaking concentrating on educating our people. One reason I say that is you will agree with me that most people unite on interests. If we are to take Somalia as a case study here, now the only thing that our people unite under is sadly "qabil". Each child is thought he or she is this and that instead of being sent to school to learn and broaden his/her horizons and drive thier imagination. Now Education will group people under interests ie environmentalists, scientists, economists. etc Oh and this is so my dream for my beloved homeland and equally beautifull people despite thier short comings (mainly Qabil). I think we can be great nation again "insha allah". Ideas People we are after all today's people and tomorrow's hope and yesterday's history so lets dream and build a strong foundation that one day a strong nation can stand. Angel dust :Peace every where (insha allah)

Matkey, Salaam, Although I agree with you on all the points you raised above, I wish to add on to your suggestions. But before I do so, may I clarify one point. The question of Sharia law. I indeed suggested this in my earlier postings but to the point of where applicable. I accept the argument of it not being imposed on others. I believe in Islamic nations adopting sharia law. I also know that within Islamic state it will still proof to be too severe, maybe even barbaric and to a large extent contraversial. This brings me to my first point. As you advised, the question of practising sharia law within our socities rule of law needs to be addressed by those knowledgable of Islam. Now, as a Islamic nation and muslim people should we not be ALL knowledgable of Sharia law; what is faul and what is fair? Isn't a poor excuse to say we are a muslim nation and yet we can not practise sharia law becuase we are not knowledgable about it. And, in all honesty, isn't sharia law basic common sense. Dont drink--becuase when one is drank he or she is not responsible for thier state of mind,thus one can argue they were under the influence of toxins --now in sharia law that person is still guilty becuase Islam bans drinking for this very reason. Isn't Sharia basic common sense. Dont steal becuase if its not your propert, it should not be in your possession. And the main reason, I suggest Sharia law, is its oppossed to killing in vain. Now we as Somalis have had first hand experience at killing each order ruthlessly. If we were all conversant in Islam and sharia law, do you think those massacres in Hargiasa, Buroa and am sure several states even in the Southern part of Somalia would have taken place. I think not. I will be the first to put up my hand and admit that I am not knowledgable of Islam and that is why perhaps most people don not refrain from these crimes and sins. This brings me to my second point. If I may divert from the discourse of "democracy" on whcih we both argee on it being " how one sees it fit". Before Somalia and all the other African nations attempt of adopting a system that translates to thier way of life and thinking and therefore in the end benefits their society, should we not have a a common ground? How can a continet with a vast population with such astonishing illitracy rates-expect to develop on this platform when say 90%of the Somali Ppl are Illtrate. Should we not, before we adopt any elobrate ideas concetrate on having a common base and building a foundation and should this foundation not be a fast concentration on Education? And in the case of Somalia should that educational underatking not include Islam and Sharai law principles as a compulsary thought subject from an earl age? Over to you ppl--what do you think and propose? I propose Education as a problem solvant for Africa's distressed state. Dusty.

My sister I thank you for welcoming me in. I have grapped my seat, made my cuppa tea and feel right at home. Wad mahadsantihin Dusty.

Dearest Brothers and Sisters, I would like to take a minute here and show much appreciation to the Somaliaonline team and Community. This praise is for all involved not just the mastermind behind the site, not just the admin team but to you disciples or shall I say Nomads. Almost every Somali site I come across seems to be either too boring ,too serious or too vulgar. But no not this site, you have a perfect balance, sauve with a touch of humour and so much love to intoxicate one -lol- you know---THAT NOMAD LOVE> Now, lets upkeep the Nomad tradition of peace (Napad)and respect (sharaf). That said lets keep the Nomad Love following. This is Angel _Dust thanking you all for giving me a community that fits the bill. Peace - Love -N-Respect (now wouldn't that be an ideal world). AD>

I Could not have put it better than Matkey. Africa needs to wake up and adopt a "system" that suits and meets her needs. The root of Africa's evil lie within this fatal "democractic" ideologies. Look at Somalia or former Somalia I should say, if you look closely you will see that we are people operated by sadly qabiil and on the positive side tradition and culture. Now when you put a government in place that claims to be "Democratic" yet at the heart of it lived by the old rule cited above you will undoubtly have clash of interests. What Africa needs to do is scrap these theories and methods of goverance put in place by former colonists and start living on good ol common sense and where as the law is concerened than I say "Sharia" all the way. Democracy is nothing more than a "state of mind". Honestly, there is not one place in these world where countries are "run by the ppl for the ppl". Look at America, land robbed of its natives, built on slave labour and currently run by "fictious" president who won by cheating the system. Where is the democracy in that? Lets pray for Africa for it will need to take a large leap of faith to go from the dark ages to the millinum. Angel_Dust.