
N.O.R.F
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What happened in Canada is a classic example of using fear to force a population to support a war mysterious to the public. Recently, a Canadian soldier was killed in combat. She was young, white and blonde and her picture flashed across the tv screens the world over. Canadians started asking questions. "Why are we in Afghanistan spending our money and the lives of our youth?" They asked their politicans. And the death of that fine soldier coincided with the extension of the Canadian "mandate" in Afghanistan an extra two years through 2009. The public wanted answers to the death and the extension but the politicians have not the desire nor does the public have the aptitude to comprehend the answer. So to solve this problem, they find 17 "terrorists", of which 5 are children (LOL), and flash them across the screens. Ditto for Britania. Recent killings of troops, pressure on govnt to set a date for withdrawal, other high profile issues etc. Solution, arrest a bunch bearded fellas, splash it across the papers, news tv and all is forgotten.
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^^the media rules and has the power to manipulate the minds of the western population. Islam = Terror is the usual card thrown at them which they are often quick to believe.
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In 1993, the US sent in a massively armed task force, the overwhelmingly dominant member of a United Nations mission to Somalia, to smash the warlords. The end to the operation, with an American helicopter shot down, is recalled in celluloid in the endless showings of the film Black Hawk Down. By the time Operation Restore Hope ended, between 6,000 and 10,000 Somalis had died. The shock of the reversal, one of the most embarrassing episodes in the recent history of the world's only superpower, paralysed the administration of President Bill Clinton for years and was a major factor in Washington's unwillingness to intervene in the Bosnia conflict. Now the US is backing the same warlords who humiliated them the last time. Among the beneficiaries of Washington's new policy is Hussein Mohammed Aidid, the son of Mohammed Farah Aidid, on whom the Americans had once placed a bounty of $1m (£535,000). Aidid died 10 years ago. :rolleyes:
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Uncomfortable questions are being asked about Britain's Somali immigrants - and the answers are by no means easy to find. When Adam Dirir and his colleagues at Somali Voice take to the airwaves on Friday evenings, they face an image crisis. Headline after headline has talked about Somali crime gangs terrifying communities. And yet, in reality and after more than a century of Somali presence in the UK, little is known about who they are. There's a similar dearth of knowledge about the apparently very serious problems they face in adjusting to life here. And so Adam, who also produces Somali Eye magazine, goes on the airwaves on London's Sound Radio to tell it like it is - a mixture of harsh reality and encouraging words to a community he says can make it. "There is a lot of anger out there," says Adam, referring to the unrest among fellow Somalis. "We need to show the role models and we need to show other communities that we have been here for decades - and will be here for decades." Somalis have long formed close-knit communities in Britain. For more than a century, their faces have been familiar in London, Cardiff and Liverpool after the arrival of seamen and traders. But the situation changed dramatically with the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees fleeing civil war in the 1990s. Since the ousting of Somalia's government in 1991, much of the country, situated on the eastern "Horn of Africa", has been in a state of violent anarchy, perpetuated by warlords heading rag-tag armies of young men. Countries don't get more chaotic than Somalia, and many who fled are now living in Britain, having originally gained refuge in other European states. In Britain, anecdotes have percolated into wider society that suggest many of the internal disputes that have bedevilled Somali society have travelled with the diaspora. Unclear picture Telling the story of Somalis in Britain is hard because there is a chronic lack of nationwide research. The 2001 census suggested there were 43,000 Somalis in the UK. But other experts suggest at least 95,000 and as many as 250,000. While they represent one of the largest ethnicities, the only significant research has been localised case studies. These tend to show that Somalis children are widely regarded to be underperforming at school. Although there are naturally many stories of individual success, the limited statistics that are available from some boroughs are mixed, showing below average exam grades, but improvements, particularly among girls. The community is also extremely mixed, coming from different clans and different social backgrounds, including a high proportion of skilled professionals who have not been able to find work in their field in the UK. Nobody knows how many of the young Somalis in Britain have brought with them traumatic experiences of war. Until society understands the needs of those communities, they will always have problems Mohamed Ali, former Somali councillor, Liverpool The Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees (Icar), a body of experts at London's City University, recently pulled together all it could find on Somalis in Britain. Dr Chris McDowell, head of Icar, says that the experience of Somalis in the UK is extremely complex and differs greatly to comparable communities that have fled war zones. He says a key factor is the Somali tradition of nomadic and collective identity - what you are part of informs who you are. "The politics and power struggles in Somalia has had an impact on the coherence of the communities within the diaspora," says Dr McDowell. "The same thing cannot be said for groups such as the Sri Lankans because they are overwhelmingly Tamil and have a coherence and unity within themselves which keeps them together in a new place. "In Somalia, you are part of something, part of a clan along with your family, your co-religionists. If you remove that anchor, because these groups are not recreated, then people feel adrift." Crime The contrast with the Tamil communities is important because, in general terms, large and unified groups get cash for projects, such as language integration schemes, advice bureaus and so on. London has a plethora of small Somali groups, many of whom are essentially directly competing with each other for the same state or charitable funding. Other ethnic minorities in the UK have avoided this pitfall because they don't suffer from inter-communal differences. And it's in this potential vacuum of missing social networks that some alienated young Somali men have forged a defensive gang identity, say experts. Unclear of where they stand between the traditionalist clan viewpoint of their elders and the individualist creed of Western societies, between protection through community and standing alone within society, the easy answer for some is to adopt a readily available, aggressive street persona, largely based on "gangsta rap" culture. "I think many of these young people try to find a group they can ally with," says Dr McDowell. "Gangsta culture provides that identity because it's about male power, is about making people scared and it seems that some Somali boys gravitate towards it because it allows them to be in control." Mr Dirir says that this defensiveness is not helped by the under-reporting in the media of incidents where Somalis are victims, and the over-reporting of incidents where Somalis are the alleged perpetrators. Nevertheless, he says the priority has to be support for youths who have fallen out of education and have drifted apart from their community. "We need the Somali youth workers who can communicate with these kids. If you don't have the youth workers, how can you hope to understand their problems? "We need one voice, one fusion and to be more open about the problems and issues. We need to accept that we are here, not with one leg in this country and another in Somalia. "There are a lot of angry kids and we just don't know what to do. There's a lot of pain in the community." Outsiders Mohamed "Jimmy" Ali says he has witnessed that soreness - and says we need to ask questions for how Britain integrates troubled minorities. Two years ago the Liverpool social worker became Britain's first Somali councillor, although he has since lost his seat. "Somali kids just don't get any help," he says. "They come from a war zone and they have no idea about [britain] in terms of its culture, religion or even how education works. And that is why they need support." In Liverpool, Mr Ali has found Somali children unofficially excluded from lessons, sitting alone in the corridor, because teachers had effectively given up trying to communicate. This compounds the feelings of alienation, frustration and increases the likelihood of racist bullying. In turn, young Somali men on the receiving end are all the more likely to become defensive and see society in terms of "us and them". "Until society understands the needs of these communities, it will always have problems. Some asylum seekers are simply released into society without any funding or support, and one wonders how on earth they manage to exist." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The BBC News website will be featuring more stories about Somalis in the UK later in the summer. As a community development worker in central London I do not agree with many of the comments made on this page. Alan, London Although there is the element of government not paying attention to the Somali community, I honestly blame the Somali community itself. There is a Somali oganistion in every borough, town and county - what do they do to help the same community in need? Nothing. When will we change? Khalid, Hounslow, London I'm a Somali-Brit and I came here to the UK ten years ago. My father and my grandfather both lived and worked London and Liverpool. I, however, when I read your above article had tears on my eyes, the reason being that we the Somalian community does not have that unity or one vision comparing to other communities Mohamed Donyaliqe, England Bristol has a large Somali community in Lawrence hill, an area among the most deprived in the UK. Rumours are rife of huge state handouts, queue jumping on housing lists and even cash benefits for car purchases and resentment is building among other black and white communities. It's time for Somalis and the local government to speed up integration and dispel these dangerous rumours before community relations reach crisis point. Simon Bartlett, Bristol Why is the answer always to spend more money on touchy feely 'support programmes and youth workers'? If a pupil is disruptive in class the teacher has at least 30 other children to consider and shouldn't waste time on the trouble makers. If you are given a free education and don't appreciate it you should be permanently excluded whoever you are. Mike Tyrrell, Reading Belonging to a minority group is no excuse for adopting an "aggressive street persona, largely based on gangsta rap culture". When is this culture of excuses going to stop? If you don't like it here and don't feel part of the country and culture then leave. Eric Blair, London Parental control would be one way of dealing with the rude, aggressive and antisocial Somali kids that roam the streets where I live in West London. It's all well and good saying that the taxpayer needs to hand over yet more cash for another troubled minority. Is it not good enough that they live in a safe country away from the hardships they faced in Somalia? Phill, London We're demonising Somali immigrants, they have no more or less problems than other immigrant group, although like many in [my] the Afro-Caribbean community the boys and young men in particular are heading down a questionable socio-economic route. Andy, London, England This article is quite interesting as it shows people how to live life and what is happening around the world. Zahid, huddersfield The Somali communities are facing problems that are of any diaspora community - that of disposession, alienation and marginalisation. However, this problem is further compounded by the failures in planning and settlement of immigrants in British society. Immigrants are segregated and holed up in sink estates and deprived area with existing problems of crime, poor educational attainment and high rates of unemployment. Aren't these communities simply adapting to the new environment that they have because they don't know any better? Layli, East Ham, London The asylum system is a joke - it does no one any favours. It is absurd that someone can come all the way from a remote region such as Somalia to claim asylum in the UK. The Geneva Convention was written in the entirely different circumstances following WWII. At some point we will have a Government which will have the guts to withdraw from the Geneva Convention so the process can begin of negotiating a refugee system appropriate to the circumstances prevailing in the 21st Century. Until that time comes, the present chaos will continue with predictable results. Richard Marriott, Kidderminster, England The report talks about Somali, but there is NO mention about Somaliland?? Does this report include the Somalilanders struggle in the UK. I have visited Somaliland once in 1999 and more recently in Jan 2006. I feel the country is improving without major funding from the EU and the USA. But feel more could be done for a country that is stable and is NOT run by so called WAR LORDS!!!! Mr Carl Clarke, Crewe England To a higher degree, the articles holds some truth. Particularly when it mentions the sub-communities. Whether it's a disadvantage or not, the minority Bravanese community has maintained the relatively close and tight links with each other over the years we have been in the UK. But on the wider view, true to the report there is a serious problem of identity and 'fitting' in. Whether this will infiltrate even the tightly knit communities like the bravanese communities remains to be seen. Omar Ahmed, Ilford I was friendly with a Somalian who came to the UK to train for a couple of months in 1979. I remember about the class differences because he was extremely proud of the fact that he came from what had been British Somaliland rather than the Italian part. He was well educated and had a sister who was married to a British seaman and lived in Cardiff. He worked for the State Insurance Company and in those days there was virtually no crime in the country, even in Mogadishu. Having lived in Africa for many years I realise what teerible problems have been caused by tribal and religious differences, but this seems to be one of the worst cases in Africa. Organisations in Britain need to understand these problems and help all Somalis living here. Lyn Cooper, London, UK The situation is not all doom and gloom as they are now second and third generation Somali kids who have integrated into society very well. If anything is a problem with the Somali community it is that of clan rivalry. We must forget our differences and become united. Mohamed Ibrahim, North West London I am sick and tired about our own community blaming other forces in "society" for not helping us or understand our culture. I just came back from Mogadishu after fleeing my birth city 23 years ago. What I witnessed is appaling. I had always blamed outside interference being responsible for most of our problems. NO NO NO. I have concluded that we have to shed off all our backward cultural/societal practices and only retain our positive attributes and move forward. I am infinitely grateful for the golden opportunity that I got from the UK. For the rest of you out there who prefer to whine and protect your lazy khat chewing lifestyle my only message is don't bring Somalia to the UK, bring out the old and true Somali decency. Kassim Jibril, Toronto I think the problems and challenges of this group adjusting to British Society is really no different to that of any other immigrant community and in the long run like the Asians before them they will show themselves to be hard working and productive members of society, immigrants in general being more hard working and inventive than the native community. Trevor Huckstep, Tunbridge Wells, UK My city has a fairly substantial number of Somalis, the majority of which are loathed by the other ethnic communities - Asians and Afro-Caribbeans. The general feeling is that they "big trouble". This is probably based mainly on their appearance and not on what they actually do. Norman Day, Birmingham We should try to remember when we are criticising the behaviour of African immigrants in Britain that many of the problems in Africa itself were a direct result of British colonialism and carving up of the continent without consideration of tribal borders. Although I hate gang violence, we always forget the brutal legacy of our colonial past, on which our wealth is built. Maybe we are paying our dues. Simon Rowe, Norwich, England Richard calls the present asylum system absurd. He may be surprised to learn that the countries with most asylum seekers are those that directly border conflict zones. The UK has a tiny, tiny proportion of refugees when compared to places like Guinea. We should be proud of the 1951 convention. The gutsy decision is not to pull out, but to stick with it. Mark Pallis, London Fifty Years on and the British authorities have not learnt from previous experience. Being of Caribbean descent and born in England, I wonder why the British government continues their policy of multiculturalism when the results seem to destroy both the lives of immigrants as well as the indigenous population. You just don't have the will, or apply the means to make it work right. Mervelous, Norcross USA I was amazed, even disgusted, when I saw graffiti in North London from rival gangs openly threatening one another and those from other ethnic backgrounds, white, Asian etc. They were basically dividing the local area up into their own territories. Richard, London I find this quite odd. I am an 18-year-old Somali male "Born" in London. Growing up here the issue is much larger than the Somali community. I have witnessed first hand from all areas of the community drug dealing crime and unemployment. Though it's a sign of weakness on our part most of these young men have tried to get legit means of making an income only to have the door slammed on there face. Luckily for me I was able to get my self to uni but considering out of about 50 people I grew up with only two have reached this stage and the rest just "chill" on street corners. Something needs to be done but where do we start? Abdul Egeh, Islington, London Having worked for extensive periods in both Southern Somalia and the autonomous region of Somaliland it comes as no surprise to hear that Somali's struggle to integrate into British society. What does surprise me is the willingness for so many in the UK to go for the soundbite and put this down to a combination of 'post traumatic stress and gangter rap'. Britain has had gangs and crime since Boudicea was in pigtails, these problems didn't arrive with nor are they exclusive to Somali's.! Some of the Somali community are clearly trying to work towards a solution and it is these people who need recognition and assistance. Southern Craib, Hargeisa, Somaliland I worked in a GP surgery for a year, where about 10% of the population of the surgery is Somailian. In those 10% I saw wildly contrasting people, I saw the young teenage boy who spoke clear English and read the Guardian newspaper. I also saw other teenage boys riled by violence, unable to fit in and tormented by the horrors of their homeland. Mo Salam, Manchester, UK here
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Is African Islam changing? The courts were set up several years ago, funded by businessmen who preferred any semblance of law and order to complete anarchy. They want to set up Sharia law to end the years of lawlessness. Nigeria, where there are about 60m Muslims, has already seen a strict Islamic law adopted across its northern states, leading to tension and violence. What is Islam like in your country? As a Muslim, have you noticed a change? Is militant Islam on the rise in Africa? If so, why is this happening? Do you think that Sharia law could end the lawlessness in Somalia? Warlords in Mogadishu have killed and maimed thousands of people they have opposed every opportunity presented to Somalis to find a solution and restore order. The Islamic Courts were initially set up by group of business men to protect their trade. They also run schools and settle local feuds and disagreements by way of Sharia law and the public trust them. The warlords do not want to lose their grip and they have formed a coalition to fight the courts. But the public has backed the courts and now the warlords are driven out of the city. It is a way out for thousands of people. Rashid Karshe, London, England African Islam is not changing or is not different. All the Muslims of the world believe in only one God 'Allah ' and follow His Prophet Muhammad. Islam is peaceful. Ahmad khan, Monrovia, Liberia Sharia is there to uphold the laws that govern the way of life of the Muslims. Laws govern all aspects of life. Unfortunately, commentators always draw their conclusions from criminal aspects of Sharia, which constitute only a small proportion. Aspects of Sharia that deals with trade, for example, is not discussed. An ideal Islamic state that has an ideal Sharia implementation doesn't exist in today's world. Dr. Falalu Dahiru Danwata, Preston, UK What do you mean African Islam? Why is it that the West, and the media especially has to categorise Muslims from Africa differently from Pakistani or Arab or Chechen. There is no such thing as African Islam just as there is no such thing as African Christianity or African Judaism. Mohammed, Leicester The Sharia law is a fair law. If it was something negative then surely people wouldn't so readily accept it. Islam is a religion of peace and that is enforced into the law. It takes away the dictatorship that rules so many African countries. I truly believe that it is for the best. Ilwad, London Islam is all about "PEACE". A Muslim should always remember it. Anyone taking the law into their hands by killing innocents are not Muslim. YUSUF YEBBI, Abuja, Nigeria Islam in my home country is very peaceful compared to Nigeria and Somalia. Most of them attend Christian schools, attend church services and even learn Christian prayers which I doubt happens in Nigeria or Somalia. Sierra Leonean Muslims are really showing the others that Christians and Muslims can live together peacefully. Victor Chambers (S/Leonean), Accra, Ghana I think Islam is on the rise in Africa because people are looking for better alterative to dictatorship, Islam will improve the lawless Somalia because that's what the people want. Ali, London The word `ISLAM` means complete submission to the will of ALLAH. People who are involved in wars should not use the word as far as i am concerned. I known when they die hell fire is the only place for them. Moreover, the introduction of Sharia will not end the lawlessness in Somalia considering the culture and the different tribes in the country. MOHAMED KEN SESAY, FREETOWN , SIERRALEONE The evolution of the nation-state over time has generated the notion that the state is the guarantor of peace and security. The inability of the state to ensure the safety of its citizens, is the main cause of the anarchical nature of Somali politics. Anarchy breeds discontent to such levels that any society would seek alternatives to restore what it considers as norms and values. Pauline Agumba, USA The western nations have not paid attention to the drastically changing Islam in Africa. Even in Ethiopia where the Christians and Muslims lived peacefully for centuries, now signs are featuring that the Muslims do not want to associate with their Christian neighbours. Chalew, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Muslims form the Majority in the Gambia, but the cordial relationship is just exemplary. I do believe that militant Islam is rising . Kemo Cham, Serekunda, The Gambia Because of the changed international geopolitical situation, the role of Islam has changed too. The west sees the Islamic world as the main threat where it used to be the Soviet-Union. Because of this, Muslims see themselves as opponents of the west. I think we have to go through this islamisation of politics for years to see that it won't work, just like communism didn't work. Moussa Aynan, Nador, Morocco As a Muslim i have noticed a change for the better in my country with the re introduction of Sharia. Whatever the West say about it Sharia, it has come to stay for life. Period! Hamisu Salihu, Hadejia, Nigeria It seems where ever Sharia law is 'Imposed' there is tension and violence. It also nearly always signals a reduction in women's rights, and the rights of other religious groups. Chris, Slough, England 20 years ago Muslims in Africa were at peace with others. They inter-married and protected their neighbours irrespective of their religion. Now, they ostracize themselves and attack others who don't share their views. There has to be a foreign influence and we have to stop this influence. Nike, Nigeria Islam is not a religion, it is a way of life. So when Muslims become disenchanted with their so called "leader", they turn to what they know best, ISLAM. Perfect example is Palestine electing Hamas. In fact, if you let any Muslim nation choose who they really want, they will always choose the Islamists over the so called "democrats". Sharmarke Said Issa, Ottawa, Canada bbc.co.uk
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Say they believe voters would look beyond religion Guled Kassimis - a Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates for District 19 (Montgomery County, Maryland, USA). Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, May 24, 2006 – Political rumors are nothing new, but one about a Muslim candidate’s chances among Jewish voters in District 19 is drawing fire from all sides. “There are a lot of subterranean prejudices rolling through this campaign,†Del. Henry B. ‘‘Hank†Heller (D-Dist. 19) of Leisure World said. ‘‘That bothers me.†The anonymous rumor, or whisper campaign, as some describe it, speculates that Guled Kassim, a candidate for one of three District 19 delegate seats in the Democratic primary, will turn off Jewish vote because he is Muslim. District candidates are lining up in opposition to what they describe as an offensive rumor that smacks of intolerance and fails to give voters credit. ‘‘I’m a member of a minority and I hate to hear that about anybody,†said retiring Sen. Leonard H. Teitelbaum (D-Dist. 19), who is Jewish. ‘‘It smacks of bigotry.†Kassim, 30, came to the United States from Somalia with his family in 1985. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps after becoming a naturalized United States citizen. The rumor surfaced early on, Kassim said, when he was considering his candidacy. ‘‘Instead of the whispers, I would love to get direct questions,†he said. ‘‘I would love to answer them directly.†The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, an umbrella group for regional Jewish communities and organizations, has denounced the rumor. ‘‘I think the rumor is without any credibility whatsoever,†executive director Ron Halber said. ‘‘It’s preposterous saying the Jewish community would not consider voting for a man simply because of his faith. The Jewish community has been at the forefront of strengthening relationships between groups, largely stemming from our own historical persecution.†Candidates say they do not know where the rumor started. Wherever the rumor came from, it is an issue Kassim will have to deal with, said Del. Carol S. Petzold (D-Dist. 19) of Aspen Hill, who is running for Teitelbaum’s vacated Senate seat. ‘‘It is something the people will look at, but I hope they can overcome it and base their judgment on his real qualifications,†she said. ‘‘I would expect folks in District 19 to be above that. Montgomery County rejoices in its diversity.†Accusations of another form of prejudice, ageism, surfaced last year in the District 19 race. John P. Mahoney, 37, while running against Teitelbaum before the incumbent senator announced his retirement, drew sharp reactions from district incumbents when he offered himself as an energetic, fresh alternative to the senator, who is twice his age. ‘‘He’s been a sleeping senator, only to be awakened, after all these years, by a serious challenger,†Mahoney had said. The statement drew accusations of ageism from delegates Adrienne A. Mandel (D-Dist. 19) of Layhill and Heller. Mahoney later switched to the House race and then withdrew his candidacy altogether, citing new business opportunities requiring his attention. In Kassim’s case, whispers concerning the impact his faith may have on voters really questions his ‘‘Americanism,†he said. ‘‘I think in the 21st century, as country, we have reached a point where we should look at a candidate on his or her merits,†Kassim said. Source: GazettNet, May 24, 2006
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BY LINZI WATSON May 18, 2006 – A FORMER Euro MP from Tongland, Kirkcudbright, had a narrow escape from war-torn Somalia last week. John Corrie, who is involved in international development, was working in the African country, in which 130 people have recently been killed, to help them set up a new democratic parliament. He and his colleagues left Somalia at the height of the latest spate of violence after a few close encounters with the local militia. For fear of being shot at or kidnapped he was forced to befriend and pay gun-wielding insurgents for “protectionâ€. Mr. Corrie said: “You have to get friendly with these people or you are in trouble. There are thousands of them and they are trigger happy. “The chartered plane we were using to get out of Somalia was surrounded by militia who aimed a large machine gun at it from their truck and demanded money from us.†He added: “We also had to pay them to protect the plane from other militia groups.†The capital city Mogadishu has become the hub of a civil war which was further inflamed last week and is still in a height of violence. The majority of the 130 dead are said to be civilians caught in the crossfire. The fighting is between Islamic fundamentalists and secularists who believe that religion and state should be separate. The Islamic warlords are fighting for the introduction of Sharia law, which permits stoning women to death and cutting the hands off of thieves, among other punishments. Mr. Corrie said that he was told by various people in Somalia that the rivals of the Islamic warlords are being given weapons and money by the American government. As a white western male in a country where around 20 kidnappings take place each day for ransom, Mr. Corrie feels he would have been seen as a target and he added: “I have worked in Africa before so I am familiar with hostile situations but it is still very unsettling.†Mr. Corrie added that he was shot at in 2000 while visiting the Solomon Islands as his chartered plane tried to taxi down a runway. Somalia is divided in half with the north-western part seeking independence as Somaliland. This was originally under British control and is the more peaceful of the two areas. The southern part of the country is still known as Somalia and is home to capital Mogadishu, the scene of the recent violence. Mr. Corrie first visited the city of Hargeysa in the Somaliland region. He said: “The poverty is not too bad in Hargeysa and we stayed there until we were advised by the United Nations that it was safe to go into southern Somalia.†Mr. Corrie stayed in Baidoa, closer to the fighting in Mogadishu, for the maximum allowed stay - two days. He slept in a UN camp with minimal facilities and no water. Mr. Corrie said: “The parliamentary headquarters in Baidoa are part of an old warehouse with cattle wandering about the grounds.†He explained however that these lodgings were a significant improvement on those endured by the majority of the population. Mr. Corrie continued: “It is heartbreaking. People are living in very poor conditions. There is no sanitation and disease is spreading, it is very sad.†He added: “This is a beautiful country with sunshine and rivers but no one would even try and plant anything because it would be stolen.†Mr. Corrie admitted that his hope of instilling democracy under such a corrupt regime seems impossible. He said there are too many people who want control and added: “I can not see a settlement. “Most people don't want a war but the warlords are doing very nicely and making plenty of money from bribes and violence.†The eastern coast of Somalia is under constant supervision by armed militia who, Mr. Corrie said, approach all ships who get close to the country and demand £100,000 dollars. He said that there is £260 million of aid which has been frozen because it unsafe to build anywhere. Now retired as a member of the European Parliament after 11 years, Mr. Corrie is continuing his work in international development, which has seen him visit over 130 countries. He is now honorary president of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific/European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly after presiding on the development committee for many years. Source: icDumfries
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Youngest Muslim Reverts in The World. Children in England Turn To Islam. Some of the World's youngest Muslim reverts. Two sisters, aged 9 and 12 show a keen interest in Islam. It all started when they went to the Local Mosque after hearing the melodious Adthaan (call to prayer). Soon after they decided to go to classes at the mosque after school, and have bought and studied many books on Islam, and have even managed to learn and read the Quran in the Arabic language. Unlike other children, the girls spend their evenings reading books and memorising Quran as well as praying in their rooms. All of which is very new and strange to their mother. Video
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Islam in Latin America
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^^^ Don't you know this is about dawah? So why bring Brad Pitt and spouse into the equation? Very interesting. But check out Islam in Brazil. Islam reached the shores of south America way before the so-called elite travellers of Europe. Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. Although there are no official statistics, the Muslim population in Brazil is estimated to be approximately 1 million people, with a total population of more than 170 million. This number includes converts to Islam, Arab immigrants and their descendants. Brazilian converts make up for no more than 1% of this number, about 10,000 people. Therefore, within a population of over 170 million, the small number that make up Brazilian converts to Islam have very little power. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. However, in Latin America, and specifically in Brazil, this is not the case. Why? One could argue that this is due to the strong influence of the Catholic Church. Brazil is considered to be the largest Catholic country in the world. However, a closer look proves that this is not true. Despite its strong presence, Catholicism has been losing followers in Brazil to other religions. The argument has also been made that it is due to the Latin culture, which encourages Brazilians to always be playing, dancing and engaging in activities that are not lawful in Islam. As such, it is assumed that Brazilians simply aren't fit to be Muslims. This is generally the excuse used by those responsible for Dawah work in Brazil for their failure. It is, of course, not true. Brazilians are, by nature, very religious and have in the past been an easy prey to all sorts of innovative religious movements. So, what is really happening? Through the statement of sheikh Khalil Saifi, coordinator of the Center of Divulgation of Islam to Latin America, we can easily identify the real problem. The Center is located in Sao Bernardo do Campo, in the most important state of Brazil: Sao Paulo. Its president is Mr. Mohammed Saifi, a Lebanese immigrant who came to Brazil several years ago. Mainly his relatives and close friends compose the Center's staff. In an interview with "Istoé" magazine, one of the most important magazines in the country, sheikh Khalil Saifi said: "Our main concern is to attend to the Muslims who descended from Arabs to help them preserve their link to their language and culture." And, continuing in his statement: "The Brazilians who come to us come through the contact with Muslims out there." Based on such statements, we are lead to conclude that a group of persons, who are supposed to make "Dawah," have decided who has the right to be Muslim or not. When a Brazilian decides to go against their "plans," he or she is treated as an intruder in the Arab-Muslim community. All his/her misbehaviors concerning religious teachings are highlighted and pointed out, even if the same mistake is occurring among the Arab-Muslims. Normal mistakes due to lack of experience in the religion are presented as "proof" of an "incapacity" to practice and understand the religion. Little attention is given to the fact that the right teachings are not easily available to converts. The new converts then have to fight alone against the criticism of his/her family, friends, the Brazilian society and worst: fight against the criticism of their own fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. The feeling of isolation leads some to abandon Islam after a while. Others keep insisting and all these difficulties just increase their faith and search for knowledge. For those who persevere, they face another problem - the lack of good books about Islam available in the Portuguese language. The other Latin people are Spanish speakers and can depend on good works translated to Spanish. However, Brazilians are the only Portuguese speakers among Latinos and this fact increases their difficulties. The Center of Divulgation of Islam to Latin America provides the few books available. The books that have been chosen for translation are often of poor content quality. When a good book choice is made, a bad translation often destroys the work of its author. And even these few and badly translated books are difficult to find. The lack of interest in spreading Islam is quite clear when one observes that the institution which is responsible for "Dawah" not only in Brazil but in all Latin America, doesn't maintain a website about Islam. When such a resource is available nearly for free to everyone and day-by-day more and more Muslim individuals and institutions are using the Internet to inform about the Islamic teachings, this attitude is undoubtedly proof that the Center fails to fulfill its most vital function. Brazil: A Muslim History? Next April, Brazil will celebrate 500 years of its discovery, and a major controversy is surrounding the event. In traditional Brazilian history, the discovery of the country is attributed to a Portuguese navigator named Pedro Alvarez Cabral. New historical sources however, seem to offer another fact: that the discoverer might have been a Spanish navigator. More and more historians, both Muslim and non-Muslim, are becoming aware of the strong Muslim presence in the early Americas. Many evidences of the Muslim presence in Brazil, including inscriptions with the name of Allah, have being found. In the language of the Native Americans, words of Arabic origin have been identified, and even the names of some Brazilian cities which were supposed to be related with the native American language, seems to have Arabic origins. If all this information is confirmed and introduced officially as part of Brazilian history, it means that faithful Muslims were the first ones to discover Brazil more than 500 years ago. Also, through the Muslim slaves brought from Africa, we can easily identify the influence of the Islamic culture, although greatly distorted nowadays. This is especially evident in the northeast region of the country. All of this proves that Islam is not an alien to the Brazilian culture. It's indeed an important part of it. Presenting Islam to the Brazilian people in a comprehensive manner is important not just to preach one religion; it is also to help them to restore their original culture, carefully erased due to political and religious interests in the past. Unfortunately, political and personal interests in the present coming this time from Muslims themselves seem to be preventing or at least delaying such tasks. Let us hope and pray to Allah that faithful Muslims of the present could "rediscover" Brazil and give to its people the chance to know the beauty and wisdom of Islam Maria Moreira is a Brazilian convert now living in Egypt. She has worked with the Muslim Beneficent Society of Rio de Janeiro, giving speeches about Islamic teachings, women and family. She also taught an extension course entitled "The Changing Situation of Women in Arabic Society Through the Quran," at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. You can visit her website at http://www.geocities.com/islamicchat. Here
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^^but the Chechs are not a 'surprise' team. I hope the argies fall flat on their face again along with the Germans. Lookout for Zakora of Ivory Coast
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^^you havnt named your 'surprise' team 189
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Libralism people, libralism. Give it 15 years,,,,
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While they represent one of the largest ethnicities, the only significant research has been localised case studies. These tend to show that Somalis children are widely regarded to be underperforming at school. Thats where it all boils down to - Education. I believe that 75% of parents just do not realise how important getting an education is for their kids to progress in life. Moral education is severly lacking amongst us. Most of the article is irrelevant - we are past the immigration/war scars stage. We have 'acclimatised' and should be persuing our individual and collective interests. The differences in Somalia (political/cultural) should not have been exported to the shores of western countries as it has led to communal disintegration.
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Well if the Elephants progress they may go as far as the 4trs. The Argies or the Dutch will be going home early. I think the Serbs or the Elephants will be the other team. I saw the Dutch the other night vs Cameroun, they look very ordinary to me.
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How did i make such a gaff. I will stick with the Serbs going far,,,, Italia will finish 2nd in their group and then lose to Brazil in the 2nd round,,, Or will they?,,,,
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if so how many are you lot many in some particular cities arent you loooool
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I worked as a Cashier for a few months in a bank and I remember overpaying a lady by £900 and the bank had to investigate as was policy. Thankfully the Arab lady came back a week later saying I overpaid her by £900 and she couldn't come in any earlier. Phew. If you worked at HSBC i would say typical :rolleyes:
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Yet another earthquake hits Indonesia Already savaged and rendered homeless by the first quake, panic once again returned to the survivors of Saturday's Indonesian earthquake after a temblor, which measured around 6.0 on the Richter scale rocked the easternmost province of Papua at 0328 GMT today. An official at the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in Jayapura said the quake was felt strongly in the town of Wamena in the mountainous Jayawijaya district, 78 kilometers (48 miles) west of the epicenter. So far there have been no reports of damage or injuries, but people ran out of their offices and houses said a police officer in Wamena. The quake was also felt in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, which is about 3,300 kilometers (2,050 miles) from Bantul, the area worst hit by Saturday's powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake that killed more than 5,400 people. Earlier today Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer said that they would be stepping up their aid effort by sending more than 80 disaster experts and medical personnel to the worst hit areas around Yogyakarta. Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific 'Ring of Fire', which has 76 volcanoes, the largest number in the world. GN
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Many 'new' homes in Somaliland have a 'rig' reaching some 200m below with an endless suplly of water. Some homes use this to irrigate their surroundings and grow whatever they can. I'm conducting some research into irrigation systems being used in the middle east in the hope of purchasing and sending one back home. Any advice would be much appreciated,,
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Once had to climb a 6 storey scaffolding in wind and rain to measure stucco render on a victorian building in west london. It was nearly gale force wind
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A Somali TV station relevant to kids in the west? I can see a late afternoon slot - barnaamajki dalinyaraha loo talagalay,,,
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Yes a minority get mistreated but why dont we focus on the bigger picture. We all know bad news is whats always spread but the majority of maids are treated well and many of them become muslims as a result. But hey this is not reported,,,
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^^I dont think you are allowed to watch soaps in Sharjah NG Our problems as Somalis will never be absolutely eradicated but understanding as a community is whats severly lacking. We have an 'everyman for himself' attitude within our communities which needs to be tackled. We are all in the hope of our brothers and sisters not being involved in any of the above problems but that hope can easily be shattered. The older generation of Somali ‘Ex-pats’ grew up/spent some time back home or in places like the middle east. This short period of time was enough to engrain some sort of value - religious, family and responsibility into our minds. Where we seem to have failed is the expectation that these same core values would automatically rub-off onto the younger ‘western grown’ generation. With MTV, Tim Westwood and Garage Music taking over. I think the surroundings in which these kids grow up in also plays a prominent role in their mental make-up. I know that the kids in the north of England are not exposed to as much street ‘hype’ as the kids in London. This ‘hype’ becomes the norm in the school/college corridors aswell as on the streets. Before they know it they become obsessed with defending their ‘ends’ while the kids up north are busy playing football. Replacing your culture with that of others has become almost ‘accepted’ wherein kids feel the need to be ‘hard’ or part of a gang is the only way to be accepted. Yes we have major problems, but we are not communicating and this (not communicating/sharing info) is leading us further down the road to perdition.