^LoL@Chai Wallah

Allah yarxamu.

^Good choice. Why am I not surprised A&T is talking about Ginola? This guy was on about Romania winning the Euros

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8m5jufJibM Commentator goes mad

The world waits for a Muslim voice Jihad Hashim Brown * Last Updated: January 24. 2009 12:24AM UAE / January 23. 2009 8:24PM GMT This time “the revolution will be televised”, to turn Gil Scott-Heron’s verse on its head. We’ve witnessed revolutionary change on our television sets and the expectations are that much more accountability and transparency will be expected of all. As we move beyond our misty-eyed “moment of history” and down to the heady business of sorting out the brash circumstances that confront us, we analyse what this all really means. As I set about honing in on the thrust of my column this week, I found my own sentiments succinctly laid out by a notable cultural icon. Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, better known to my generation as Chuck D, said this week: “Obama challenges us all.” In an amazing introspective shift, he told a BBC forum that if Barack Obama was able to put some of his own “blackness” aside to effect change, “you know he will be putting a number of other affiliations aside for the sake of progress”. He went on to identify the inaugural speech as being a “citizens of the world address”, going beyond national boundaries to challenge all people to be accountable and responsible. This will be an administration of firsts as it has been a campaign of firsts. This is the first time that the Muslim world has been addressed so robustly and directly in an inaugural speech. “To the Muslim world,” he said, “we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.” Mr Obama has shown a readiness to move beyond the old ways of American business. The question is – whether or not he follows through – is the Muslim world ready to step up with a new way forward? Can we let go of the hollow diatribes, blaming others for the messy bed we sit in or spineless political manoeuvres? Can we show a face of Islam that is refined, elegant and meaningful, ready to be a part of the 21st century, yet principled and grounded in a rich tradition? Transparency and clarity are going to be the order of the day. Our postmodern condition, to quote the French philosopher Lyotard, and its egalitarian sensibilities do not permit hidden agendas. It didn’t let Cheneyism get away with it and it’s certainly not going to let anyone else get by, hedging around a position that they don’t want to be forthright about. Just see Mike Huckabee confronted by Jon Stewart on gay marriage. As well-spoken as he is, he couldn’t sustain an argument. Muslims will have to develop positions on issues of relevance that can stand up to scrutiny from every angle. The challenge will be to do that while ensuring substance at the heart of the policy position. It is disingenuous and frankly cowardly to just go with the easy flow. It is how you end up with market meltdowns, Jim Crow, societal obesity and global warming. Allah says: “You may dislike a thing yet it is good for you; and you may desire something that in reality is harmful.” Clarity of message; what do you stand for? What on God’s good Earth do you want? Can you say it in five words or less? Do the Muslims have anything significant to contribute to the global conversation? Or are they more like the Maasai people, seeking no more than to hold on to what remains of their land preserves with some semblance of indigenous culture intact; not having much more relevance to anyone other than themselves, the tourist industry and a handful of anthropologists? Jihad Hashim Brown is director of research at the Tabah Foundation. He delivers the Friday sermon at the Maryam bint Sultan Mosque in Abu Dhabi. http://thenational.ae/article/20090124/OPINION/100 878641/1080

^I'm still waiting for the pics of the weapons.

LoL, an SOL version would be good

I don't believe a word of it!

^here too. Raining buckets

Alot of Indians have voiced their displeasure at the movie showing the Mumbai slums and life within them.

Leave Sheikhunaa alone. Waa rageedi'e.

t/p

d/p

^Answer what? Ibti is a Kulmiye member. Poker, it looks as though what the press release stated was no correct. But who cares? It has had it's intended effect and people have taken note

Just realised why FB is an Obama fan. Show ninku waa Kenyaati

^Why?

^LoL, ha saxib. Poker, let me read the thread

^I haven't been keeping up to date saxib. Maxaa jira?

Can you two go and fight elsewhere? This is a SL election thread :rolleyes:

Very surprised by this movie. Went to see it last night and it was great. Captures Mumbai very well. a must see. Where is Urban?

Gold and Green baby! To a peaceful election IA

Somalia: Somaliland Election Heats Up Ahead of March Vote Elections in Somalia's separatist republic of Somaliland are heating up ahead of the March 29 vote, when the breakaway region's next president will be elected, Radio Garowe reports. Somaliland President Dahir Riyale was recently accused by fellow members of the ruling UDUB party of "illegally" naming a committee to organize the party's upcoming conference to select a single nominee for the election. Mr. Abdullahi Hussein Darawal, a former Somaliland health minister, held a press conference last week at Imperial Hotel in Hargeisa, the breakaway region's capital and Somalia's second-largest city. "Riyale has used an authority he does not have by appointing an illegal committee, and [he] even made his deputy Ahmed Yusuf Yasin the chairman," said Mr.Darawal while referring to Somaliland's vice president. Fellow UDUB member Ahmed Sandon Hassan, who held a joint press conference with Mr. Darawal, suggested that President Riyale is planning to "eliminate competition" within the ruling party. Both Darawal and Sandon are seeking UDUB's party nomination for the presidential election in March. Somaliland's leader has not responded to the accusations. Skirmish Fighting was reported early Wednesday morning in Awr-bogeys village, in disputed Sanaag region. Local sources reported that a gunfight erupted after Somaliland officials brought voter-registration materials to the village, with pro-Puntland native militia reportedly attacking a house where the Somaliland officials stayed. Conflicting reports emerged following the battle, with unconfirmed reports saying local militias burned one of the Somaliland armed trucks. The Somaliland officials were led by a politician from the native clan in Sanaag, named Hayran Hagar Dirir, local sources said. Somaliland's separatist government claims legality over Sanaag region under colonial-era boundaries. Efforts to bring Somaliland election boxes to disputed Sool and Sanaag regions have been met with violent opposition from locals. Neighboring Puntland, a relatively stable self-governing region within Somalia, claims ownership over Sool and Sanaag due to kinship ties to the native clans. Politicians and traditional elders from the disputed regions are mainly in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, where they participated at the peaceful parliamentary vote on Jan. 8 that brought President Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole" to power. 2009 election The upcoming election is a major test for democratic progress in Somaliland. The breakaway republic has held parliamentary and presidential elections before, but the March election is an opportunity for the region to elect a new president who can lead the region in a new direction. President Riyale is widely criticized for illegally extending the office term for the Guurti, the upper house of the bi-cameral Somaliland parliament. In return, the Guurti gave Riyale an additional year in office after his five-year mandate expired in May 2008, in a move strongly condemned by the opposition Kulmiye party as unconstitutional. The political crisis was resolved peacefully weeks later, but Riyale's term-extension damaged the young democracy's ambitious statehood agenda. Relevant Links East Africa Somalia Ahmed Silanyo, the Kulmiye party chairman and Riyale's likely opponent, is a rebel veteran who fought against the Gen. Barre regime in the 1980s when Riyale was an intelligence agent for military dictatorship. If Silanyo loses the election, as he did in 2003 by a small number of votes, there are lingering concerns that an insurrection might erupt in Burao, the opposition stronghold. With the Ethiopian occupation of Mogadishu coming to an end, and the Puntland parliament electing a new president, Somaliland is poised to embrace the wave of change that is gradually sweeping Somalia. http://allafrica.com/stories/200901220005.html

Oodweyne My comment to Xiin was not intended to be taken as some sort of consolationary brush off with regard to future SL/Somalia relations. It is the truth saxib. Not only is it prudent to have and maintain dialogue with Somalia (regardless who is in charge on both sides) but it’s also good for Somaliland’s image both at home and internationally. If Somaliland considers itself independent then it must act as such. It is already doing that when talking to its other neighbours so why not do the same with regard to Somalia? Is Somalia not a neighbour? A reluctance to do this only results in Somaliland still being viewed as part of Somalia. Such dialogue does not mean Somaliland is compromising any of it’s goals of gaining independence/recognition. I believe it furthers that cause and at the same time gives the opportunity to say ‘we are not coming back’. Having said that however, there will be the risk of being talked around and enticed by what Somalia has to offer as a larger state with membership of various respective organizations (UN, AL, AU etc). Such an enticement with guaranteed autonomy, greater political involvement and the chance to shape what goes on around you can also be tempting. This of course will come after a few years of stability in the south. Talking to Somalia is a good thing for all sides. Whatever the outcome, a mutual agreement/understanding is a must. DISCLAIMER This is the opinion of the writer and should not be equated with the political views of his right honourable Mr A Silaanyo or the Kulmiye Political Party.

Ngonge, fair enough. ps i meant GCC when I said khaleej. Basra is part of Khaleej i suppose Give us more of those peoms (full poems translated) :cool: