Many of us still believe that we are Kushitic. Hamitic is an obsolete ethno-linguistic classification of some ethnic groups within the Afroasiatic (previously termed "Semito-Hamitic") language family. The term Hamitic originally referred to the peoples believed to have been descended from the biblical Ham, one of the Sons of Noah. Over history, there have been several separate, but interrelated, interpretations of the term. In the Bible, the sons of Ham include peoples who were traditionally enemies of the Jews, notably the Egyptians and the Canaanites. While the Canaanites competed with the Israelites for the same territory, Ham's sons were said to have fathered the peoples of Africa. Of Ham's four sons, Canaan, fathered the Canaanites, while Mizraim fathered the Egyptians, Cush the Kushites and Phut the "Libyans".[1] During the Middle Ages and up until the early 19th century the term Hamitic was used by some Europeans to refer indiscriminately to Africans. In the 19th century, a "Hamitic language group" was proposed by ethnolinguistics, uniting various, mainly North-African languages. A "Hamitic race" was also identified, referring to those Africans whom Europeans considered "advanced", or most similar to themselves and Semitic peoples. Today the Hamitic concepts have been widely discredited, and are often referred to as the Hamitic Myth.[2] The Hamitic language group is no longer considered a useful concept, though the phrase Semito-Hamitic is a dated term for the Afro-Asiatic linguistic group. The notion of a "Hamitic race" is similarly widely abandoned. The Hamitic Myth was used as a justification for European colonial policy in Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as the slave trade in earlier times.[3][4] As a result of this reevaluation, the term "Hamitic" took on a new, more positive connotation for Europeans. During the 19th century Europeans explored more and more of Africa. In their travels, they found many different physical types, and they valued those that appeared most like themselves or had a redeeming cultural characteristic. Soon the Hamitic theory became an important ideological instrument of colonialism, especially in German politics. The term "Hamitic" was used for the first time in connection with languages by the German missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf (1810–1881), but with regard to all languages of Africa spoken by people deemed "black". It was the Egyptologist Karl Friedrich Lepsius (1810–1877) who restricted it to the non-Semitic languages in Africa which are characterized by a grammatical gender system. As racial theories became increasingly complex and convoluted, the term Hamitic was used in different ways by different writers and was applied to many different groups, mainly comprising Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalis, Berbers and Nubians. Racial theory was very hierarchical; Europeans saw these peoples as leaders within Africa, "teaching" lesser peoples the ways of civilization, just as they saw themselves teaching the Hamitic peoples. This was illustrated, for instance, in Rudyard Kipling's poem The White Man's Burden. However, the allegedly Hamitic peoples themselves were often deemed to have failed as rulers, a failing that was sometimes explained by interbreeding with non-Hamites. For example, in the mid-20th century the German scholar Carl Meinhof claimed that the "Bantu race" was formed by a merger of Hamitic and "Negro races",[citation needed] and that the Hottentots (Nama or Khoi) were formed by the union of Hamitic and Bushmen (San) races. Such theories are now completely outdated. (In modern anthropology, the Khoi and San are grouped together as Khoisan.) In 1917 George Wells Parker founded the Hamitic League of the World. Its aims were: "To inspire the Negro with new hopes; to make him openly proud of his race and of its great contributions to the religious development and civilization of mankind and to place in the hands of every race man and woman and child the facts which support the League's claim that the Negro Race is the greatest race the world has ever known." In Rwanda, the Hamitic hypothesis was a racialist hypothesis created by John Hanning Speke which stated that the supposedly "Hamitic" Tutsi people were superior to the "Bantu" Hutus because they were deemed to be more "White" in their facial features, and thus destined to rule over the Hutus.[8] Although the actual origin of the Tutsis is disputed, if they had once been a ruling-class of invaders, they had long since lost that social position. This hypothesis is believed by many to be a significant factor in the Rwandan genocide. Because of the wide-spread tribalism in the area, and the belief among Tutsis that they were superior to the Hutus, the Hutus began to see the Tutsis as an outside invader to their land. These ideas were still in wide circulation until the middle of the 20th century. The Hamitic hypothesis is rejected by most scholars today on a multitude of grounds. Most "scientific" observations of the time were heavily culturally biased and generally returned results that suited Europeans. Many observations of the time have been corrected since then to reveal a much more complex picture of ethnic groups than was initially conceived. Nonetheless, the term Hamitic is still used in some anthropological and historical academic settings. References ^ William M. Evans, "From the Land of Canaan to the Land of Guinea: The Strange Odyssey of the 'Sons of Ham'". American Historical Review 85 (February 1980), 15–43 ^ Peter Rohrbacher, "Die Geschichte des Hamiten-Mythos." (Veröffentlichungen der Institute für Afrikanistik und Ägyptologie der Universität Wien; 96 Beiträge zur Afrikanistik; Bd. 71). Wien: Afro-Pub, 2002. ISBN 3-85043-096-0 ^ Edith R. Sanders, "The Hamitic Hypothesis; It Origin and Functions in Time Perspective," Journal of African History, 10 (1969), 521-23; William M. Evans, "From the Land of Canaan to the Land of Guinea: Michael D. Biddis, "Gobineau and the Origins of European Racism," Race, 7 (January 1966), 255-70; Frederickson, Black Image, 71-96. Source: Wikipedia

Isseh, you will agree with me that a total rejection of the current system and institutions to which the TFG is based on can't be done overnight, but a gradual change is possible if the courts accept to work with the TFG or capitulate to the end of its its mandated time. In the Bare's era, we used to have the Ministry of religion (Wasaarada Diinta iyo..) that used to deal with matters such as family affairs, inheritance, divorce cases, marriage, etc.. all done in conformity to our religion. We can't completely isolate our nation and country from the rest of the world just because the system(used by all Islamic states) is not compliant with Shariah system. Tell me how we can conceive of or make both systems, Islamic, democratic governance and international laws, work together?

Originally posted by LayZie G.: Somalida are so judgmental. You can't even recognize good even if it hit you in the face. Take the man for what he has become and not for what he use to be. Well said Layzie.

Al-Shabab is one organization among many. Certainly, Kulmiye and Al-Shabab's base of political and economic support are not the same but they share the same roots.

They came to aid Riyale counter Al-Itihaad Kulmiye

Jimcaale, what I like about your views is that you always see things from a rational and neutral angle contrary to what the self-interested individuals here preach to us every day. Be our respected judge.

English Pirates like Drake and Sir Henry Morgan had once commanded a big force that used to robb and plunder the Spanish Gold Fleets under the tacit agreement of their government. They strike their country rich from these fleets.

Originally posted by General Duke: Sad really, these politicians should not destroy the peace of North West Somalia. There is no peace in the North. The peace ended when they invaded Lascaanood and displaced thousands of civilians.

When the Islamist lacks organization, hiararchy and a chain of command, it is impossible to check the discipline of his forces. Therefore, Abu-Mansur is faulted by saying he can set the standards of his forces or he can predict their actions. An important thing to note is that the Al-Shababs have proved to be archaic throwback to our moral values

About Riyaale This quite challenges the secessionist political taboo that we were wronged. Who is their current governor? Raakiya Omar, director of international human rights organization takes Riyale to task? http://www.somalitalk.com/editorial/riyale.html

Slash, they are my people but I have to be critical of what slows the pace of their struggle. Constructive Criticism is good saxib. Clan names are what destroyed Somalis along with other factors. Tell me Why we don't want to refrain from whatever that promotes radicalism. Let us be honest with each other.

Guys, don't be deceived by these towers. What if they are Corporate offices in partnership with Government Halls? The glimmer of City skylines are mostly illusion and does not capture the socio-economic condition of majority of the people.

Both guys plus Bruce Lee are from Hong Kong.

See how Abdiqasim, the former TNG continued supporting his clansmen's subjugation of the defenseless clans. Marginalized Somali

^You are blinded by the shadows of the past and false presumptions. The Habashi's once hegemonic power was marginalized that they lead today the main opposition group, the Coalition of Unity and Democracy (UCID) in Ethiopia who does not permit the decentralization of Ethiopia into federal states. Anyway the Ethiopian factor into this conflict does not explain a lot why we are in this mess. Even your self-righteous spectacle may understand the subtleties of the source of this current situation. In other words, you would be forced to elucidate objectively as contradictory how did Ethiopian come into the aid of RRA in Baidabo, an occupied town by the same group. It will give you the crystal ball. I have said it before that we are in this mess for several reasons. The deep south, the most fertile part of Somalia, has been in captivity to a group of allied clans from central Somalia and who benefited from the lack of Somalia's government: 1. Financing warlords with money intended for relief and development and coming to each others' aid. 2. Suppressing and driving out the indigenous groups from their homes and farms. 3. Contracting with foreign companies (eg. Abdiqasim has at many times contracted with several companies and he was main guy behind the creation of the Islamist-garbed warlords) 4. Employing the divide and rule tactics in many parts of Somalia. (For instance, Puntland, Jama vs Yusuf. Kismayo, the traditional settlers vs JVA-a coalition of unrelated clans) 5. The so called Al-Itihaad-turned-courts, remained powerful and influential in Mogaidisho over the years, but they have never attempted to challenge Qanyare , Caato , Suudi, Raage and their likes, until these latter guys intruded into their turfs and challenged to oust them of their strongholds, basically trying to hoodwink the CIA agents and their money. You might have already known that CIA goes after and implements her country's blueprint of secrecy pursuing terrorist guys linked to the two US embassies in Nairobi while in reality not seeming to understand the complexity of Somalia's root problem: Clan Hegemony and Land expansion over the richest regions of Somalia. Since TFG, things have dramatically changed. Many clans under brutal captivity feel today joyous and liberated. They tasted for the first time since 1991 what is like to be masters of their own affairs, being mayors, governors, legitimate representatives of their own territories. Believe me, there are so many unheard of clans that are so numerous in these regions, more numerous than the whole population of Northern Somalia, according to reliable stats and studies by International NGOs.

Jimcale, read this article. During their heydays, the Somali language was reduced to a secondary status besides adopting the "Abu" names. http://www.somaliaonline.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/9/14677

Abu-Geeljire, your secessionist agenda makes you sympathise with those whose aim is to cut off the government's lifeline by severely disrupting the security. The government and Ethiopian troops won't kill unless they are aggressed or attacked. What happens when you fire a police unit investigating a crime scene. You can't escape from the truth. The Alshababs kill and murder civilians to sustain their war with the TFG. This is part of their war style and strategy to survive and overtake the Somali government in the future. It is a dangerous trend when the likes of you laud and knight the Al-Shababs despite their murderous and plundering activities.

The Courts and Al-Shababs wanted initially to Arabicise us. They are angered by their downfall and the rise of Somali people against their underhanded techniques..

Dabshid, i will try to get copies of all these documents and write on it in the future. The docs indicate a high probability of oil beneath the surface.

Why would they kill teachers? Somalia needs serious intervention and help.

Che, please differentiate politics from humanitarian aid. I grieve with the innocent people affected by the sideeffects of war, but my principled position is to condemn who in fact causes the misery of the innocent civilians and thus exploits it.

...

Jimcaale, You are absolutely right it is not ethically sound for the seperatist apologists to politicise such dire humanitarian situation. I would never exploit the dire circumstances of affected population. Contrary to this news, A charity org of Kuwait, Almanhal Al-Islami came to Dhahar and provided essential aid.

Get your propoganda news out of here.

Jacaybaro, the UCID chairman said that Riyale and his party has been plundering the "state" worse than 17 years of anarchy. What do you have to say about that? We can no longer ignore both camps' rally for a "power".