The World bank along with the IMF were the international institutions that destroyed Somalia's agricultural industry. Today they released an outdated report specifically to harm Somalia's prospects at getting foreign direct investment from multiple countries, and funds for reconstruction at the Istanbul Conference, this is not a coincidence This is the same organisation that for the last 20 years kept its mouth shut about the widespread donor corruption rampant in Nairobi, where billions in the name of Somalia went missing, yet now the World Bank wants to demonise the new Somali administration (with its anti-corruption committee) for mistakes a previous administration made. The Turks changed the game, and all these organisations collecting money in the name of Somalia are feeling the heat. Erdogan has demanded them to relocate to Mogadishu, and I believe the sudden propaganda based on 2009-2010 data by the World-Bank is a form of retaliation. This is why Somalia under no circumstance should take loans from the World Bank or the IMF, because these are predatory organisations doing more harm than good.

Here is another example of one of Africa's largest fortresses baking in the Somalia sun, with not a single person giving a damn about it. We're supposed to have the highest number of world heritage sites on the continent, something the UNESCO crew would be unable to deny, but instead we did the work for them and denied this for ourselves: (google-earth) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botiala

Don't bother walaal, I was in the situation you're in the 2006-2009 period, where I kept finding massive Somali fortresses and ancient cities in literature, but there was not a single representation to find on the net, and the books that did have pictures were out of print. Since the place is so inaccessible, it will leave you only super-frustrated, because we have a wonderful rich history and this is another area where Allah(swt) blessed the Somalis in abundance but we have not preserved or honoured that heritage at all. I made a list once of places I would like to see in Somalia in the next five years: SOMALI HERITAGE : S-land : First destination: Hargeisa -There should be an old giant Fortress in the city(i think its best if you asked a local Hargeisawi knowlegdeable of the area where the precise location of that large fortress is and he/she might show you even more historical sites which are still unexplored) -Laas Geel rock painting Cave complex Second destination: Amud and Abasa -Two large stone cities(you can see some ancient ruins of Amud if you type ''Amud,Somalia'' in google images) (^ both of those cities are situated in the Borama area which is close to Hargeisa) Third destination: Saylac - Sa'ad ad Din Island and the medieval ruins and shrines - Old City walls - Ruins of the old quarter of the city - Qiblatain Mosque and others (Saylac is in the Awdal province and close by Borama) Fourth destination: Bulhar -Ancient Port city with lots of historical relics (close to Saylac) Fifth Destination: Berbera -Old stone city of Biya Guure - a few miles east of Berbera(again ask a local Berberawi to show you the way) -Ancient Dubar aquaduct (Berbera is next to Bulhar) Sixth Destination: Heis -Ancient city with lots of relics (close to Berbera) Seventh Destination: Mait -Ancient city with many ruins (next to Heis) Eighth Destination: Erigavo - Ancient Stone city of Maduna in Eel Afweyn which is close to Erigavo(type in Maduna, Somalia in google images and you will see some interesting remains of that city) - Dervish Fortresses in Erigavo P-land Destination: Bosaso -Old palaces of the Alula dynasty -Several Forts -Historic mosques and shrines -Old port Destination: Taleex -Fortresses of Taleex -Shrines of Sayyid's mother and father Destination: Las Khorey - Palaces of the Gerads - Several fortresses - Old port Destination: Qandala - Old stone city - several palaces and forts Destination: Hafun - ruins of Ancient Opone - ancient harbour - 18th century forts Destination: Hobyo - Many 19th century ruins such as forts and palaces - Ajjuuraan Palace with seven arches. There are also several other important sites and places such as Bargaal, Botiala and Bandar Beyla with lots of historic heritage. South Destination: Warsheikh - Historic mosques and shrines - Pillar tombs - City walls - Ruined houses Destinations: Merka and Barawa - Many old mosques, palaces and shrines - The old sections of the cities have houses four or five storeys high - Stone Towers Destination: Gondershe - Old citadel - many historic mosques and shrines Destination: Luuq - Old city - ruins of historic mosques and tombs Destination: Bardera - Old citadel Destination: Mogadishu - 13th century Arba Rucun mosque - Fakr Ad din Mosque - Jamia University - Almnara Tower - City walls - Shingani - Hamar jajab - old lighthouses - etc There is much, much more, but if I could visit at least these areas one day, with a HQ camera, I would consider myself a very happy man.

Paragon;836004 wrote: Guys, thanks alot. AT&T iyo chimera I know there is a net connection globally and will keep you updated on what happens on the ground - I hope to write on life back home, the social and policy reality on the ground and what its like for someone returning for good. Thanks, that will be an interesting read!

Paragon, I'd appreciated it if you stayed on SOL and gave the ins and outs of what's happening on the ground, especially if you're heading back to the Pearl. I probably will have many questions to ask you related to business and commerce, and more importantly would be interested in knowing whether you feel a slight culture-shock, or melt right in when you're there.

Nice, the collapse of the institution that was the Somali Armed Forces allowed all kinds of alien organisations to take root in Somalia (pirates, Islamists, warlords), and induced bravery in the hearts of our neighbours, where before they feared crossing the border. The fact that Somali military capacity is being steadily upgraded and increased is very welcome. You guys keep on focusing all of your attention on irrelevant mortal figureheads instead of the institutions that are necessary for long-term stability.

^Why do Somalis always grind upon their singers with hugs, and start dancing next to them like they part of the show? Imagine, Michael Jackson at Motown 25 doing Billie Jean and then see random characters jump on the podium trying to hug him and doing moonwalks while he is singing, that would have ruined the show LOL.

LOLWUT? I didn't even know I had 9 stars lol.

Sheekada meel kale aad geesatay sxb, waxaas wa afxumo ninyahow, isku xishood, are you drunk now? LOL.

Haha, ging ik te ver? Yeah I'm a man of many fantasies and dreams, LOL at your latent anger to my fabolous life, like Mahubo would say: I lead life full of dreams and positive thoughts. Regrets and negativity are BANNED from MAHUBOSVILLE. --- catch the memo, your words aren't welcome to CHIMERAVILLE...........LOL Agreed, the warm gold-copper coloured skin of a real Somali lady is priceless, but all those dutch girls have made you impotent, you will never know.

Carafaat;835508 wrote: In my teenage years(between 1999-2004), teenagers used to get high and have oral sex. Computers were used to make school assignments and play card games. But these kids nowadays have even their friends, social life online, caajiib. No wonder you still don't have a driving license yet! Ya Carafaat, in your teenage years you were drunk on vodka, high as kike and getting O-S from Dutch girls, while I kept myself pure for my future queen by attending the mosque on fridays and renting films on saturdays. When I was engaging in innocent internet flings throughout the rest of the week, you were doing the real thing, and look where it got you? Chasing a Dutch girl like Bluelicious on the net LMAO! Indeed good things come to those who wait.

LOL

LMAO, I never said that! Where is the rest of the S-life crew 2006-2008 class: Doctor Omer, Cannon, Deeq4life, Hyder, Xalimo-Xaaqo, Warya-no-luuq, Abdirizzaq, Sista-faithful, Prime-minister, Young-gun lol etc

idol;835239 wrote: OMG finally someone recognized, I missed that blur chatroom lol. Thank you, care to share your nick in Slife The Mullah, I was a bit mad back then, teenage hormones lol.

The Puntlanders that keep saying Turkey didn't spend a penny, are they forgetting about the new hospitals build by Turkey? The Turkish doctors that provided medical care to thousands of Puntland civilians? The many scholarships awarded to Puntland students? The planned largest Polytechnic institute, and other colleges to be build by TIKA? The planned Galkacyo airport? Turkey opened a Development Office only a few months ago, there is no construction company in the world that builds colleges, hospitals and other infrastructure in such a small amount of time, you guys need to display patience and gratitude. A missed opportunity indeed, and Duke understands the bigger picture.

Ah, the little princess from S-life. (with the blue chatroom lol) Welcome.

Jacaylbaro;834584 wrote: Today in 1988 ..... Burco was on the news. It is when the SNM heroes stormed the city and teach the Somali army an unforgetable lessons. That was the beginning of the end of the Somali regime. The end of the second strongest army in Africa. The end of the dictatorship & Socialism in Somaliland and Somalia. Those were simple Somali soldiers serving for a paycheck to feed their families. Remember this is the same Somali military that destroyed the entire imperial army of Ethiopia to the point that the Soviet Union had to rebuild a whole new one, yet they never showed the same passion when facing their own. The same military that mass-defected once they were given orders to kill their own blood, the same military whose entire airforce with the strongest airstrike capability crashlanded in the Red Sea, Djibouti, Kenya, Indian Ocean and Italy when they were ordered to bomb their own blood. To say you taught the 'Somali army' a lesson is tantamount to cutting off your left hand with your right, and proclaim you taught that hand a lesson. The Somali military destroyed the Somali military.

Turkey never had the economic and political clout it has today in the 18 years it stayed out of the conflict(though it was part of UNOSOM) and today Turkey won't abandon Somalia, for Turkey is the only trillion dollar economy that is adament in seeing a strong Somalia return to the stage, and become a regional power once more, because such a Somalia is actually a positive for a country like Turkey that doesn't have to appease to sugarbabbies like Kenya and Ethiopia, like in the case of the USA. This a modern country you're referring to, they didn't just jump into the Somali pool without being prepared. They have an entire army of intellectuals who carefully dissected the situation occuring in Somalia, from the recent history to the present day dynamics. They know precisely who is adding fuel to the fire, be it foreign or domestic and who is trying to revive the country. They know exactly what the country needs to get back on its feet, and through which channels to deliver it. The Turks want to expand into Africa, and they want to do it through Somalia, (the gateway between two continents and several seas), hence under no circumstance will they lose Somalia and therefore the continent just because a few prima-donna chieftains can't see the forest from the trees. They know the Somalis are between a rock and a hard place, and that there are many foreign saboteurs who wish the conflict is prolonged for another decade or two, but the Turks will persist. They have the full backing of the 70+ million Turkish people that elected them to spend whatever is necessary to facilitate the resuscitation of the Somali State. Their civil-society and business-class likewise is in full co-operation with their government, and nothing will dissuade them from investing into the country. A Somali-Turkish Business Club has already been set up, a $100m Urban renewal project is in full swing, and with the Istanbul Conference businessmen and entrepreneurs from around the world will be discussing ways to invest into Somalia's various infrastructure sectors, be it energy or transport. What is happening in Somalia right now is basically politicians trying to get as much out of the Turkish Wolf as possible, but they are ignorant of the Turks' M.O, because spread-out development was always on their agenda, as you can see from the development offices they opened in other regions. Their main-focus this year however is Mogadishu, the engine of the Somali world. Once that city is in better shape and standing on its own feet proudly, the focus will shift to other regions because Turkey's involvement in the end is to get a piece of the Somali fruit, be it oil, uranium, gold, gemstones, aquaculture, construction, and for that they need a presence across the entire country. Galmudug and Puntland in this case have really shot themselves in the foot, considering the type of conference this is. A savvy team of Puntlanders and Galmudugians consisting of politicians and entrepreneurs would be rubbing shoulders with the wealth of the world at that conference. They would have been able to win many interesting construction deals for their regions. At the four forums of the conference, through presentations of the resources and potential of those regions they would have been in a position to attract FDI from companies that might still equate Somalia with Black Hawk Down. Indeed this is a major missed opportunity on the part of Puntland and Galmudug that will backfire in the coming months, but the South is attending, Khatumo is attending and so is Somaliland. That's good enough for the Turks.

LMAO@ Somalia's claim that 50+ billion has so far been spend on Mogadishu in the last 20 years through donations. Walee, its sad that the Somali Republic has lost individuals such as you and XX with such amazing propagandist skills to the clan-states, you guys could transform Somalia's image in a single week. Fact however is, that figure you claimed above covers 22 billion spend on piracy-insurance and ransom (a problem originating in Puntland), billions in failed foreign interventions, 11 billion in countrywide aid and another 10 billion send back by the diaspora. Therefore such a vast amount of money was never spend on Mogadishu. In terms of corruption, notice how all of their examples is pre-Anti-Corruption Committee, where are the 2011-2012 figures?

Dabrow;834752 wrote: Its not an insult its only describing the reality. Im taking to the heart since unlike Chimera I want to see Somalia back(as a whole) This is bad political move. . Excuse me, but I'm probably the biggest proponent of a Unified Somalia on this board, and have promoted these regions in a positive light on the net and outside of that for that very same reason. However, I have become sick and tired of war, and political b.s. We have already wasted two decades in development and construction, and I sure as hell don't want this third decade to go lost as well. If that means seperation, and not tied by unnecessary baggage, than hell yeah I take that option.

The Istanbul Conference will be a success, with or without their participation, because this conference is 10% political refinement for Post-August, and 90% development and reconstruction. If the clan-chieftains don't want to be part of that, no problem, we can shift those upcoming projects to the recovering South and the Capital, which I believe will end up being the boundaries of the Somali Republic, when the clan-states have been given their independence (This is why I feel no affinity to these so-called ancestral regions of mine, because they seem Anti-Somali Republic in agenda). No need for this prima-donna bs at the behest of our foreign enemies. The Turkish State has been the biggest spoiler to their long-term project to keep Somalia in conflict, these are the last cries of a dying horse as the Turkish Wolf and the Somali Phoenix feast on its flesh. God Bless Somalia!

Bluelicious;833951 wrote: Chimera - Forgive and forget? I promise I wont hunt you down for the rest of your life, and murder you in your sleep, now untie me please: (Iska jir waan so socda)

Those presidential guards looked sharp, that white military attire should be re-instated. I will try to clean up the last image.

I agree with Oday, most of you live in a bubble and have no idea of how other communities perceive you, or how those who feel ill-will towards your people would like to promote a certain view, or stereotype, and thus cloak it in the form of comedy, or biased surveys and studies. They piss on your head, and you think its raining.