SalamAlikum!!! Juxa :D :D looool I need investment horta baal suug waan ku so socda eh! Some new Canadian people opened a cake shop, a friend got me a massive cake from it- its was okay laakin they baked with subag sixiin ah and it just over powered all other time., I didnt like it but others might! Juxa Im expecting when u visit me soon your bags of wiixi aan ku heeshiney!

Seriously? Its a women- not a bahal- deal with her like a normal human being- she might be good or bad, depends but it wont be because she is a women! Stop being scared and deal with it once you meet her- all this worry

W salam Ngonge- that is how rumours start you know!!! before you know it people will be like tii ibti qaadeykey cunta!! They messed up my life routine- i know work on sat and sun- wat is the use in remember days if u dont even have sunday off??? iiish

Salamalkium people. What day is it horta???? Hope you are all well

Looool @ people seriously considering why they dress in certain way. Im with Val. Who cares if it is clean, practicale, bright and cheerful!?

Dont know what he has become, but I really enjoyed his talks back in the day 1998-2002, he also modernised shikh approaches to dawa, this man's blog was one of the most interest and thought provoking, he took religion out into social networking/blogging, he questioned everything and debated with everyone- he made it cool to seek your own path rather than blindly following a shikh, asking your own questions and he was approachable, accessible (you could comment on any of his articles and he would answer) and not a snob like some shikh's who the more knowldgeable they become you can only find them sitting in the mosque with their fans or standing on stage. I hear he is alive after all, nevertheless he will get what he deserves, bad or good. All yarxum.

SalamAlikum Wr Wb Trollers. How I miss mindless chats, cake sessions and my easy job. I hope you are all well and life is treating you good. Do the girls still have cake session planning on here? miisse that went with me?? See you when I see you inshallah. Salamah

That is the NGO workers and male somali Diaspora returnees who are taking local jobs, spreading HIV/STD and engaging in illicit activities with Somaliland women rather than penniless Oromo's. Ban the NGO workers and dysfunctional Somali western men if you want to address those problems. :cool:

I saw the IMO taking back 500 Oromo's last week tuesday by road. Hargeisa is visiable empty without all the Oromo's and no has picked up my rubbish for 2 weeks, nor can i get usual karyeeno guy to bring my shopping. Considering 60% of Somalilander have been refugees at one point or another it is sad we cannot give others the same basic right. But I do find it hypocritical that as a none recognised state it is still expected to somewhow act like a state and comply with international regulations. :cool: Duur was a little off with the ONE month thing- impossible (no funds or resources), and now a replacement workers are needed who are as cheap and hardworking- who knows guys might stop chewing and start working.

waali.com

Loool, I can't watch the video, but I can guess from the comments! lol I agree with Juxa and co, really it is nice for someone to be caring, respectful and loving, but nice is a different thing altogether. Nice guys, are just that nice, they treat you like you are disabled (insist on doing everything for you, as if before them you didnt exist)worry and talking about your issues more than you, they suffocate you with their feels, who wants to know how you are feeling every nano second of the day and generally just make you wanna become a runaway bride. It is a horrible feeling to be nearly worshiped or put on a peddle stool, constantly complimented or adored. Everything is good in moderation, you will just end up feeling suffocated, overwhelmed and resent such nice person- and probably feel guilty for being ungrateful too. I would divorce him too- unless of course she married him like that in which case why is she surprised? :confused:

The bottom line is UK is coming to Somaliland for their own economic gains and advantage, they are not giving handouts or aid as such, they are looking for involvement that benefits them. The best in this is that they consider Somaliland as stable and economicly viable/advantage, they see the SL diaspora shifting back and they want to trace and gain from the movement of these shared citizens. Somaliland and the Somalilanders that lead foreigners back need to ensure the locals benefit and that foreigner’s agenda FIT in with our development and progress as people. This of course needs state level planning and monitoring. It worries me to have seen so many foreigners from all over the place, all here in Hargeisa looking at business opportunities and teaming up with the Diaspora returnees. Ownership and monopoly on business and ownership/shareholders need to remain with the Somalis. P.s. I find it tedious that you guys are still debating about SL vs S, visiting here instead of there; Bottom line is this is something that could potentially benefit Somali people [particularly if they invest in Water resources & agriculture) and alleviate the situation of drought we associate our people with; Who cares where or what or how? Yes he came to Somaliland (with 5 other representatives), yes he knew he was in Somaliland and yes he did address the issue of recognition and how Somaliland can achieve it several times during his visit; but the silver lining is, formality or otherwise they are not only increasing their Somaliland contribution but they want to know how to use this wisely and effectively to the locals benefit at the same time engaging the Diaspora. THAT is positive!

Duke- he was talking about Somaliland VERY much and he was clear on WHERE in the world he was. Ha ku wararin Bellingham has a baby project which is close to his heart and depends on SL 90%. Google it hadaba

I saw him yesterday asago media ey dabo oordayaan! Get rid of the mad mad!

^^^Xaram, please delete that picture!!! JB, it might work for the following two reasons: All the other networks (3) have agreed a shared tariff for interconnectedness which is the same current rate as Somtel, and Telesom has agreed to allow other networks to call their customers at a higher rate while their customers pay the lower shared fee to call out of their Telesom line. Secondly as there are only two stake holders rather than 4 it should simplify things and the law requires them to obey no? I hope it works, sucks carrying two sim cards around!!!

Taleexi and Oodweyne maad waxan inaga deysan?? This thread nor this trip was about LA, it was one of the many places we passed through so pages and pages on LA is hijacking the project. If I can clarify, through out the trip (from Hargeisa, Berbera, shikh, Burco, Ceerigaabo, LA and back) we had two askaris with us as part of our convoy. As for LA, based on what I read online and SOL, I was really worried about going to LA, I genuinely thought I was going to be ducking bullets, or will be shot, kidnapped or blown to pieces in a military occupied war zone! Subxanallah, reality was very different and LA is a normal fully built functioning city, with market, new university and few good hotels. It was not the war zone I had imagined it to be, people were going about their business working, studying, shopping etc. The locals and mayor said for the most part it is assassinations that important people fear, but the locals and visitors come and go safely. I was also expecting to meet none LA clan members in key positions to enforce the will of the state, however the people I met with the titles were native to LA. All in all, as I was expecting the worse and I was pleasantly surprised, however with that said, there is a noticeable presence of people walking around with guns in their holsters-!!! On a side note, I noticed Saado Ali didn't have much impact with her song, a certain money transfer company had signs and offices all over town. Now can we let LA pass please. What strikes me the most is the proximity, LA is 2hrs drive from Burco, while Awdal, is 2.5hrs from Hargeisa, I was really expecting some far away distinct places, considering Ceerigaabo is 12hrs drive from Burco!!! :eek: :eek: As for pictures;- Bless I'm putting them up on FB- SOL is a struggle as I have to host them somewhere first.

“Moving Library” Diaries 14th & 15th July: Hargeisa, Gabiley and Borama Gabiley is the heart of political Somaliland, the depth of agriculture and the beauty close to the city, beautiful greenery, farms and vegetations spread as far as the eye can see, people working hard on their land or tending livestock. Inside the town, the green, red and white colours highly visible, the flags flying high. In Gabiley, I met the quite, observing educated kids, women wearing beautiful traditional dresses, and for the first time I met the women in power (The Mayor and Military Commander). The youngsters packed into the hall, filling the chairs, leaning against the walls and sitting on the floor to read their chosen book. The town is gorgeous, the people educated and responsive, the women empowered! There are not enough words to describe the beauty of the landscape that leads out through Dila waiving through the mountains taking you to Borama. As you head in, between two mountains is a spot known as the window into Borama as it gives you a perfect overview of the city. Borama is popular for its educational institutions; Amoud University is one of the best and largest educational institutions in Somaliland. I had the opportunity to meet the locals, see the sultans and clan elders as well as meeting former government officials and Professors at the university. At short notice the locals turned out on a Friday in great numbers. More accustom to the function of a Library, the attendees sat in silent for an hour reading, forcing us organisers to tip toe around and minimize the noise. In Borama I met the most cooperative readers, who did not require an introduction to books, nor a facilitator between them, instead each individual picked up a book and started reading. I witnessed a glimpse into how a public Library will be utilized, I witnessed people adopting the culture of reading quietly at a library long before they have a public library built in their city. Looking at them, I saw our vision, the belief and motivation behind the “Moving Library”; most importantly I see the need to ensure this vision becomes a reality. I am confident that should the Mayor and local government deliver on their promises and fulfil their duty, each town and each city the “Moving Library” visited will not only benefit from a new Public Library but also it would be a step in facilitating the dreams of so many who don’t even know the extent of their yearning and the gap in their life without books. Our responsibility as those who can read, who have access to books, who maybe even have a mini library in our homes, our duty is to follow up and ensure these officials deliver on their promise, so that others can have similar opportunities in discovering the world through books. From Berbera, Shiekh, Burco, Ceerigaabo, Yufleh, Laascaanood, Gabiley, and Borama, they are all accountable to us in the Diaspora and the locals they govern. We should follow up the progress of the Mayor or the deputy Mayor and all the local officials we met who welcomed us, saw our vision and promised to facilitate it becoming a reality.

“Moving Library” Diaries: Travelling with Academics and Artists I am not a groupie, nor do I stalk celebrities, my thoughts never intrude into their life and my interest does not extend beyond their artistic ability. Nevertheless I was thrilled to have Ahmad Awale, Saeed Jama Hussein, Jama Musse Jama and Mohamed Warsame Hadrawii as part of our convoy! As published authors and artistic royalty they are all an asset to our campaign, an asset to my own development and a credit to Somali literature. I was a little apprehensive, partly because I have so much respect for them all and spending so much time with them [sometimes 8-6hrs long drives] is plenty of time to make a fool out of myself, perhaps I was use to dealing with western who are usually quite aloof and distant, perhaps I was worried that as a young individual and as a women, they may treat me differently, but as it turned out my worries were baseless. I developed a separate and unique relationship with each and every one of them and I am deeply indebted to all of them for the tour of the country, the knowledge and views they shared and most of all for the entertainment and easy going environment they facilitated. Courtesy of Ahmad Awale I learnt the landscape and depth of Somaliland, Saeed Jama Hussein offered me a glimpse into life in Yemen, Europe and Africa, Jama Musse Jama introduced me to great books and ensured we stopped at every beautifully mind blowing spot he knew on the way, while Hadrawii’s insight into life, poetry and the Somali language is truly inspiring. I could not have had better guides for my first trip across Somaliland, I mingled with locals from all clans and sects of society, travelled with some of the most inspirational and successful Diaspora returnees and reunited with my friends from London. I am deeply honoured that I had the opportunity to interact, travel and share so much with such knowledgeable and talented individuals. I am sad that the tour has ended and I have not taken full account of all the things I have seen and heard, but they will forever remain engraved into my memory; I will always remember seeing a young child and her mother picking up a book for the first time, an old man regretfully wishing he had learnt to read and the facial expressions of students who, for the first time saw the biggest collection of books they have ever been exposed to in one place. I remember their hungry, how they hurriedly jumped from one book to another unable to settle for one. Most importantly I remember Mayor of towns and local officials who promised their people a public library, I hope they remember too! Literature and Somali authors do not often get the credit and recognition they deserve, on this tour people mobbed us, from Hargeisa, Berbera, Burco, Ceerigabo, Laas Anood, Borama and tiny little villages in between, they wanted to meet the person behind the book, they told us their own stories and ambitions to read, study, and write.

“Moving Library” Diaries 10th July- 12th July: Ceerigaabo to Laas Anood After the event in Ceerigaabo we were pleased and so proud of the reception the books generated that the next morning we decided to take some books to the nearby Dallo Mountains to have breakfast and do some reading of our own before starting our long journey back. Armed with breakfast and our books we went to the most beautiful display of natural beauty, layers of mountainous rocks covered with trees and grass cascading down to plunging distance, sweet smelling flowers and plants we have not seen anywhere else, moist freezing breezy damping the greens and playing havoc with our clothing’s. By 8am it was warm and bright, the fog and breezing wind slightly lifting, for the most part we gazed at the beauty in silence, some of us did manage to read and we all sat down and had breakfast. We came down the mountain and passed by the famous rocks of Somali Queen Arawello and local farms before starting our journey back. We headed to Yufley to fulfil our promise, but before we reached the village, we were met by the Mayor and his convoy; they welcomed us with cars, horses and rows of people lining the path waving, clapping and singing! In utter shock we stared at the small quite village we passed only a few days ago transformed into nearly 500 cheering crowd. The procession reached the newly labelled Yufley Library, inside there was already a host of cultural and traditional handcrafts hanging from the wall and on the tables; they gave us fresh camel milk. Outside, a dancing battle broke out between the men and women playing the durban (make shift drums) singing traditional Somali songs and dancing. With so many things going on, my camera darted from one action packed corner to the other. We provided Yufley with the 50 books to start filling their library. We were sorry to leave Yufley, they had stolen the show and the crown for the most organised and enthusiastic crowd we met and they are the first of all the places we went to, which now has a functioning, fully built library. The first library established as a result of the moving library tour, the first success story. The cars and horses escorted us out of the town, they profusely thanked us and waved us off chanting and waving. Truly where there is the will, there is a way, for the town of Yufley now has a public library! I didn’t notice the long distance or the rough roads or anything else on the way back, I even forgot to take pictures for a long while, I sat lost in my own thoughts reflect about Yufley, about their dedication, how fast they pulled everything together, how generous and welcoming, how talented and skilful they were in their dance, speech and articulating their wishes and passion. I wish we could’ve stayed longer but we were already delayed and would not reach Laas Anood for the night but rather end up sleeping at Garadag and reach Laas Anood the next day. We left Garadag the next morning at 4.30am, and we reached the beautiful hilly outskirts of Laas Anood at 8am, once again we were met by a convoy made up of the mayor’s office, the media, security and various other groups including women groups. We stood along the road and chatted for a while before returning to our cars and driving into the city. As we drove along the main road people waved to us, some enquired about the procession of 20 cars and all the media, I heard shouts of congratulations to wedding, others thought it was a local celebrity, while others joked that maybe it is an escort for the president. The Ismail Mire Reading Club and the Mayor of Laas Anood had prepared the event well, it was attended by a mix crowd of young and old, male and female, we met retired professors and teachers who expressed their support and were delighted that Laas Anood will now commence the building of their library, as the home of many poets they took pride in being at the forefront of literature and at the heart of this campaign. I was particularly impressed at how vocal the women groups were and the attendee reads us poems that they had penned for the event. They prepared for us a mighty feast after the event and a tour of the city on our way out, we left Laas Anood content and confident that not only will the library be created as promised but judging by the number of educated locals we met, it will used and preserved.

I am in Boram tonight, will have the event tomorrow. Will post my review of Laas Anood and Borama tomorrow!!!! LSK loading pictures is a bit tricky but you can follow the development on Red sea online and Cable TV (they have followed our Journey fully) As for the books- Taalexi it is a general- we are just highlighting the importance of reading and writing- and providing 50 books to each town mostly health, enviroment or poetary related. So Dont get your knickers in a twist- this is not political related.

“Moving Library” Diaries 8th July- 10th July: Burco to Ceerigaabo Burco is where the essence of moving library truly materialise, it is where the audience turned their backs to the speakers and faced the books, it is where they sat in small groups and examined individual books, it is where the honoured guest of Hadrawii and Ahmad Awale and Saeed Jama, sat around the table with the attendees and discussed books with enthusiastic youngsters. Burco is the firstly place were the crowd was too large, the readers too many, it is where people stood outside straining to hear, peaking through the windows to catch glimpse of the speakers amongst the crowds. Burco is where we were forced to extend the allocated reading slot to give people the chance to browse longer, it is where we saw for the first time the immense interest the BOOKS generated, it was where I saw five niqabis reading together out loud, it is where I saw a group of 8year olds reading the Animal Farm out loud, it is where I saw the volunteers tested with a queue of people enquiring about specific books. On the 8th of July I stood at the Burco event, feeling overwhelmed with emotions, thinking that this must be the peak, the essence of the tour and the heart of this campaign. I thought that it could not get better, it cannot be out done or out shined- I was proven wrong. The road to Ceerigaabo is long, longer than I had imagined or ever contemplated, along the path lay villages and towns, some home to few people, some deserted and some teaming with residents. On the road to Ceerigaabo I saw wildlife and animals, I saw well fed livestock, I saw vast green land, enormous mountains that stretch as far as the eye can see and as high as the clouds (literally), I saw the beauty of Somaliland and the potential of Somaliland. My mind was trying to record and register everything, my fingers could not snap enough pictures! It was rough, far and tiring but absolutely stunning. On the way, we briefly stopped in the town of Yufley for tea, the elders of the town demanded their share of the moving library, they wanted an event held for them, they too wanted to meet the books. We promised we would pass on our way back from Ceerigaabo for a brief introduction and they promised to be prepared. On the outskirts of Ceerigaabo at 8pm we were welcomed and met by the Ceerigaabo Reading Club, packed into four cars they blared their car horns, playing popular anthem they took us on a driving tour around Ceerigaabo before taking us for dinner and then leaving us to rest. Completely surprised and so grateful for the welcoming gesture and enthusiastic youngsters we met, we forgot about our tiring journey and prepared for our morning event before going to sleep. On the 10th of July at the Ceerigaabo event I was looking at a perfect replicate of Burco’s event, they wanted to read; as individually, as groups, they circled the tables flicking through the pages, looking at the pictures, they enquired about authors, translations and most importantly how soon they can have access to their library. The crowd was so large we had to move the speakers outside so the people who could not get inside can still hear the speeches, we extended the reading slots and moved two tables of books outside, and there under the trees people sat and started reading. They were grateful we made the journey that not many people make, they were thrilled that the moving library will have a base in Ceerigaabo and like all other events, a place was secured for the public library. After the difficult journey we found our reward in Ceerigaabo, in a young crowd that is desperate to read, passionate about having the opportunity to read and overwhelmed about meeting some of the authors. Once again I stood back reflecting, looking at the buzz created by the books, looking at the queue of people waiting to speak to the authors; surely it cannot get any better? Surely we would not see a more vivid display of passion and interest in our journey!

“Moving Library” Diaries - day 1 It is a wonderful and beautiful surprise for me that for the first time I am taking part in Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF). For the past three years, I was teased with videos of beautifully put together events, book launches and awareness campaigns conduct in a faraway place. I eagerly searched the web for news articles and reviews of the events, following it as closely as the distance would allow me to do so. Faraway in London I wished I could be home, in warm, sunny Somaliland discussing the merits of literature and history with my fellow Somalis, who are equally passionate about the promotion of literature in Somaliland. I was jealous that I had yet to meet the Somali authors, people in the videos joked and laughed with, I was sad for the locals that Hargeysa International Book Fair was only a week long, and I was immensely proud of the people who spend six months of the year organising these precious days. This year, all my emotions meet at once, my hopes and dreams have been fulfilled, for here I stand in the heart of Hargeysa International Book Fair’s preparations, watching and participating, gearing up for our travels across Somaliland on a moving library tour, as part of the build up to the largest celebrations of books in East Africa. Today is a big day, it is the day we leave Hargeysa on our nine days book tour across Somaliland; it is the start of our journey, it is the start of a new era, a new way of Somalis promoting our rich cultural heritage and literature. It us, as young people saying we no longer want to be just an oral society, we want our piece of history written and protected, our own pages that we can fill, even if we fill it with our young history, even if today is the first day of that history. We want to write it or read it. Our first stop is Berbera, where volunteers and members of Berbera Reading Club eagerly await to receive us, it is where we will showcase our books, participate in group readings and start our public celebrations in honour of our books. It is the start of books visiting Somalis, the launch of new public libraries in all cities we tour. In short it is where we introduce our people to our books and a beautiful introduction it shall be! For me, it is the start of a deep and personal relationship; between me and Somaliland, for I see it, all of it for the first time, and between me and Somali books, for I read and travel with it for the first time, meeting the authors behind the words. So here I am conveying our collective experiences and sharing my journey, for I was once faraway craving for news and updates to keep alive my hopes and dreams. I hope my subsequent reviews can do the same for you! Departing from Hargeisa at 5am, totalling 27 volunteers, consisting of six Land Cruises, one bus, and a camera crew, our procession set off in an orderly manner, our banners firmly pinned to our cars, our books packed and stacked in the back of the bus, our drinks and snacks on our lap. A little nervous but full of expectations we made our way to our first stop in our “Moving Library” tour. We soon arrived in hot, humid Berbera, despite the souring temperature, the locals came out in numbers, curiously eying up our banners and convoy as we advanced into the city and headed for our destination. The volunteers from Berbera Readers Club waited for us at the entrance, faces beaming and happy, and the girls dressed up beautifully, welcoming us with kisses and hugs. The event produced a mix crowded, both young and old, men and women, literate and illiterate, overall one thing was clear, the ambition to advance Berbera, to produce poets, authors and intelligent youngsters who value literature was overwhelming. We heard beautiful and eloquent poetry and slogans they wanted us to use for the rest of our campaign, welcoming speeches by youth organisations, and most importantly a promise and commitment secured from the town mayor for the building and maintenance of Berbera Library! The books met the locals; the locals delighted and excited turned each book over, flicking through the pages, some got into some serious reading quoting back some passages to us, predominately from the Somali version of the Animal Farm (George Orwell 1954) Beerta Xayaawanka by Yusuf Artan. They examined the cover pages and pictures, mouthing or even reading out loud the various book titles! We drove through the city, past the Russian architectural ruins, past the old British Empire government buildings to see the site for the library which happens to be right in front of the oldest mosque in Berbera, built by the Turks. This was the start of a beautiful effort, the volunteers pulled together, adopting a systematic and efficient approach to the event and in planning for the future development of literature in Berbera. We headed out of Berbera and drove past the beautiful sceneries including Sheikh Mountain for our afternoon session in Sheikh Veterinary School, much like Berbera, the local organisations received us with open arms, the event was larger, the audience enthusiastic and educated. The process and outcome of the two events were the same, but the youngsters in Sheikh demanded more support, they demanded training and mentoring for their writers, and they vowed to triple their reading Club membership by next year’s event and they too shared with us a passage from Beerta Xayaawanka. The dialog in this book has captured the young audience in the reading clubs so far, the translation flows like poetry, the animals fascinate them, and particularly the intelligence associated with the pig- an alien notion in the Somali culture, while the message appeals to them. Perhaps throughout the duration of our tour we will complete Beerta Xayaawanka and I can review it in its entirety, but for now I cherish the segments that shared. We left Berbera and Sheikh satisfied with the knowledge that the promise of building a public library and managing it will be handled by the local governments and the locals will keep up the pressure to ensure the completion and the maintenance of Public Library once it is complete! 15hrs after setting off from Hargeisa, tired, exhausted but excited we reach the city of Burco, third on our route, with the plan to sleep and recover for the night and start our Burco campaign the next day.

REDSEA-ONLINE Cultural Foundation and its partners Kayd and Ilays, in collaboration with other Somaliland cultural organizations, are eager to present the “moving library” tour as an integral part of the upcoming Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF) 2011. Commencing two weeks before the launch of HIBF on the 6th July 2011, Buses will depart from Hargeysa carrying books and representatives of 9 regional Readers Clubs destine for three different routes to cover Somaliland. The moving library tour promises to transport literature and benefits of HIBF to the wider Somaliland community by introducing and promoting books, providing easy access and encouraging participation of local citizens in embracing literature. The aim is to develop a local library in each city with the help and collaboration of the local authorities’, thereby leaving a lasting legacy and influence which the locals can benefit from throughout the year. Dates: 6th - 14th July 2011 Times: 7am Sat – Fri Duration: 9 days Rout 1: Hargeysa → Berbera → Shiekh → Burco → Hargeysa Rout 2: Hargeysa → Gabiley → Borama → Hargeysa Rout 3: Burco → Ceerigaabo → Laascaanood → Burco → Hargeysa This year I went with the Moving Library tour and below is my review of my experiences;

I must be the only black person who gets sun burn, skin peeling, heat rash, going purple, shid house!!!! SalamAlikum people

Juxa, I was working hard and becoming slightly depressed. I am finishing one of my projects tomorrow- yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah then I am going on holiday to Erigavo, Dallo Mountains and wherever else the wind takes me to get away from this heat and everything.