Thursday, March 31, 2011

Syria leader dashes hopes of end to emergency rule



31/03/2011

DAMASCUS (AFP) – President Bashar al-Assad of Syria dashed hopes of an end to decades of emergency rule Wednesday in his first speech since protests erupted two weeks ago, instead blaming conspirators for the unrest.
Syria has been ruled with an iron grip by the Assad family for 40 years but has now been reached by the wave of popular demonstrations that have swept the Middle East.
In a highly anticipated address to parliament that lasted almost an hour, Assad warned that Syria's "enemies" were targeting its unity.
He failed to deliver the expected announcement that he was ending the 48-year-old emergency, prompting rights groups to express disappointment.
Washington said the speech lacked substance, and two senior US lawmakers urged President Barack Obama to get behind the opposition to Assad.
Following the speech, gunfire broke out in the Syrian port city of Latakia, with conflicting reports as to what was happening.
Syria's emergency laws authorise the arrest and interrogation of any individual and restrict gatherings and movement.
Key Assad aide Buthaina Shaaban had told AFP on Sunday that the government intended to lift the state of emergency, but she could not say when.
Assad, who appeared relaxed and exchanged jokes with parliamentarians, echoed that statement on Wednesday, saying that talks were underway on new laws on the media and political pluralism.
"The emergency law and political parties law have been under study for a year.
"There are more, unannounced reforms ... but giving a timeframe is a logistic matter. When we announce it in such circumstances, it is difficult to meet that deadline."
The president warned that Syria was going through a "test of unity". Its foes had taken advantage of the needs of the people to incite division, he said.
"This conspiracy is different in shape and timing from what is going on in the Arab world," he said. "Syria is not isolated from the region... but we are not a copy of other countries."
While acknowledging that the Syrian people had legitimate demands, Assad warned that people's desires had been used to "trick them into heading to the streets."
"We are all for reform. That is the duty of the state. But we are not for strife," Assad said.
"What we should watch out for is starting reforms under these circumstances right now, this passing wave."
But Amnesty International said Assad had "missed a crucial opportunity" to lift the emergency laws.
Pinning the blame on a foreign "conspiracy" was a "dangerous diversion" Philip Luther, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa deputy director, said.
Nadim Houry, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, described the speech as "extremely disappointing."
"President Assad simply repeated the same vague promises of reform that he?s been uttering for over a decade," Houry told AFP.
US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Assad's speech "fell short."
"It's clear to us that it didn't have much substance to it," Toner said, adding that he thought the Syrian people would be disappointed.
Republican Senator John McCain and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman said Obama's effort to engage rather than shun Damascus had "little to show for it".
Now it was time to back protesters against Assad's rule, they said.
Gunfire broke out in the port city following Assad's speech, with state television blaming "armed men" for opening fire in the southern neighbourhood of Sleibi.
City residents reported a drive-by shooting at a sit-in, while another eyewitness, contacted by telephone, said security forces had opened fire to disperse demonstrators disappointed by Assad's speech.
Syrian human rights activists have accused security forces of killing 130 people in their crackdown on the two weeks of protests. Officials put the toll at some 30 dead.
It is a period of unprecedented domestic pressure for Assad, who succeeded his father Hafez in 2000.
Demonstrators have defied the state of emergency with street gatherings, emboldened by the wave of dissent that has rocked the Arab world since December.
The protests were quickly contained in Damascus, but took root in the tribal region of Daraa, south of the capital, and in the confessionally divided city of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast.
The government of Prime Minister Mohammed Naji Otri tendered its resignation on Tuesday and a new cabinet is expected to be announced by the end of the week.
Facebook group The Syria Revolution 2011, an anonymous yet wildly popular page, has called for nationwide demonstrations on Friday.
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Yemen: Saleh's offer to transfer powers rejected by opposition



31/03/2011


Sanaa, Asharq Al-Awsat – Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh put forward a new political initiative to the opposition, offering to transfer his powers to an opposition-led caretaker government, in return for them ceding their demand that he immediately resign the presidency. Saleh put forward this offer as hundreds of thousands of Yemenis took part in anti-government protests throughout the country, calling on Saleh to step down.
Well informed political sources in Sanaa revealed that President Saleh held intense meetings with a number of prominent opposition leaders over the past 48 hours, particularly the Yemeni opposition Islah [Yemeni Congregation for Reform] party, with the aim of reaching a political settlement. The sources indicated that Saleh offered to cede his powers to a caretaker government jointly made up of the ruling General People's Congress and the opposition parties, with this government being led by a figure nominated by the opposition, in return for Saleh being allowed to remain in his position as a figure-head until the end of his current presidential term in 2013. Saleh's proposal also included Yemen's government ministries being divided between the ruling party and the opposition, with his party retaining the ministries of defense and foreign affairs.
In the first official response to Saleh's proposal, head of the opposition Yemeni Socialist Party's parliamentary bloc, MP Eidarous al-Naqib, played down the importance of the presidential proposal. Al-Naqib told Asharq Al-Awsat that "during the previous efforts, there has been division over the issues of [President Saleh] stepping aside and surrendering his powers and authorities to the vice-president, so how can we agree to form a government and accept powers [whilst he remains in power]." Al-Naqib stressed that the dispute is over "the entire cake" so "why should we accept half the cake?"
Naqib also told Asharq Al-Awsat that "nobody can delude themselves about the demands of the Yemeni people, who are in the streets and public squares in their millions, demanding the departure of the regime." He described Saleh's offer as being "unacceptable" and called on the Yemeni president to step down immediately.
A group calling itself the Youth Revolution also issued a statement on Wednesday saying that it did not intent to end a sit-in taking place near Sanaa University until Saleh is removed from power.
The group issued a statement calling on "a temporary presidential council of five individuals known for experience and integrity" to be formed "to run the country for an interim period (of six months)"
Whilst parliamentary opposition spokesman Mohammed Qahtan, accused Saleh of carrying out political "maneuvers" in order to remain in power, telling Agence-France-Presse [AFP] that "there's no choice for Saleh but to resign…the oppositions stance is tied to that of the protestors." He added that the opposition intents to "escalate its civil peaceful movements until the regime falls."
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When the regime lies



31/03/2011


When statements issued by government officials and spokespersons are inconsistent and contradictory, then this means that the regime is lying. When a regime desperately tries to disprove a certain incident, this confirms that the incident took place, even if the regime is trying to blur the reality of the situation by spreading lies and distortions.
This is what happened with regards to the Gaddafi regime attacking Libyan lawyer Iman al-Obeidi, who courageously exposed the Libyan regime and the practices of its soldiers and mercenaries, brining the crime of her rape to the attention of the world, and bringing the regime and its practices to trial in the court of public opinion. It seems that the Libyan regime has told many lies, particularly in the recent period when it began to feel the noose around it tightening, however its desperate attempts to distort the truth and destroy the reputation of this young Libyan woman represents the summit of its moral and ethical collapse. Perhaps one could not expect anything else from this regime whose leader described the people of Libya as rats and stray dogs, calling for their extermination.
The Libyan regime attempted to confront the young lawyer that challenged it utilizing all of its security and media tools, however Iman al-Obeidi faced this without any such weapons, breaking through the fear barrier and any feelings of shame in order to publicly confront the regime and tell her tragic story, which freezes the blood of any respectable human being. Iman al-Obeidi entered the hotel where the foreign journalists were staying under the watchful eyes of the regime which prevents them from freely traveling around Tripoli and speaking to its citizens without supervision to tell her story. Libyan security officials rushed to silence her after she began to tell how she was arrested by Gaddafi forces at a security checkpoint and imprisoned for two days during which she was raped a number of times. We saw hotel staff reveal themselves to be undercover members of the Libyan security apparatus as they rushed to forcibly and violently silence the young Libyan girl. When foreign journalists attempted to intervene to protect Iman al-Obeidi against the attempts to forcibly remove her, they too were beaten, and their equipment destroyed by security forces in their frenzied attempt to prevent any pictures or footage being taken of the scene.
This scene disgraces the regime, however the greatest disgrace is what happened afterwards. Libyan officials and spokespersons rushed to tarnish the image and reputation of the young Libyan lawyer for daring to talk about her suffering. In the beginning, the official Libyan spokesman said that the investigators informed him that the girl "was drunk" and that she was mentally ill. This is the standard response of the Gaddafi regime. Did we not heard Colonel Gaddafi himself say that the Libyans who rebelled against him were drunks and on drugs? After this, a Libyan television presenter fronted an entire program on Libyan television which aimed to undermine Iman al-Obeidi's reputation, describing her as a liar and accusing her of "selling out her country and the Libyan people." She criticized Iman al-Obeidi saying "even prostitutes can be patriotic." This "revolutionary" presented wanted Iman al-Obeidi to keep silent about what happened in order to preserve the reputation of Libya, so is this justice in Gaddafi's Jamahiriya? The presenter revealed her stance when she said "our morals in Libya is that a girl should not talk, parents would rather die than reveal that their daughter had been raped, indeed they might kill the girl [to prevent this being revealed]"
The few minutes in which the young lawyer told her story to the journalist was enough to challenge the regime and ensure that all international media and internet websites covered this story which has horrified everybody, revealing to the world some of the practices being carried out by the agents and supporters of the Gaddafi regime away from prying eyes. This regime which is utilizing mercenaries to kill its own people has allowed for the country's women to be abused, the entire world saw a glimpse of this during the early days of the crisis when a video-clip shown on YouTube and television showed mercenaries forcibly entering a residential building with women screaming "they want to break into our homes and kill us" being heard in the background. In a situation such as this where the regime is pushing its battalions and mercenaries to kill people, it is not strange for us to hear about a doctor in a city in eastern Libya revealing that after the regime's forces were expelled, a number of women came to hospital for treatment after being raped. So Iman al-Obeidi is not alone in suffering as a result of the regime's crimes, and the violation of all values, particularly the values of the Libyan people.
The Gaddafi regime spent a great deal of time trying to destroy the reputation of the young lawyer, with a Libyan official spokesman coming out to claim that she was a prostitute. He then attempted to play down this story, telling journalists – who showered him with questions about Iman al-Obeidi's fate after security men forcibly arrested her – that she is well and is being treated well. He then said that she had been released and was with her sister and family, and that four people had been arrested and questioned about this incident. However just hours later, this same official spokesman said that the Libyan authorities" had questioned the girl and the circumstances surrounding this case" and that "the other party (i.e. the party accused by Iman al-Obeidi of rape) is being sued by her alleged attacks for libel and slander.
With the intensification of the regime's campaign against Iman al-Obeidi, her parents came out to defy injustice and attempts to intimidate and silence them. Iman al-Obeidi's father defended his daughter in an interview broadcast by Al Jazeera, in which he confirmed that his daughter did not suffer from any mental illness or mental deficiency, as the regime has attempted to claim, revealing that she is a lawyer and has graduated from the Faculty of Law. Whilst Iman al-Obeidi's mother tearfully revealed that the regime asked her to intervene and convince her daughter to change her story, in return for money or a house. However even if the Libyan regime has sold its honour and values, Iman al-Obeidi's mother refused to sacrifice her daughter, and told her to be steadfast. The bereaved mother said that she was not ashamed of her daughter, but that she was proud because her will did not break in the face of the security elements.
Iman al-Obeidi's tragedy is another chapter in the fall of Colonel Gaddafi's regime, which has lost all of its legitimacy after it resorted to killing and extermination to subdue the public, stripping itself of all values and ethics.

Video: Savagery and Moral Depravity

Europenews

Gates of Vienna 28 March 2011
Melanie Phillips is a well-known British anti-jihad author and a columnist for The Spectator. On March 13th, concerning the Itamar massacre, she wrote the following in her column:



Today the massacred Fogel family was buried in Jerusalem. And as anticipated, the moral depravity of the Arabs is finding a grotesque echo in the moral bankruptcy and worse of the British and American ‘liberal’ media…
So to the New York Times, it’s not the Arab massacre of a Jewish family which has jeopardised ‘peace prospects’ — because the Israelis will quite rightly never trust any agreement with such savages — but instead Israeli policy on building more homes, on land to which it is legally and morally entitled, which is responsible instead for making peace elusive. Twisted, and sick.
The progressive intelligentsia and their Muslim friends immediately went into apoplexy over Ms. Phillips’ words. To say such things about our friends the Arabs — how racist! How Islamophobic!
In Modern Multicultural Britain, one doesn’t just get angry at Islamophobia — one files an official complaint with the appropriate law enforcement authorities. And sure enough, that’s what happened shortly after the column was published. On March 18th the Grauniad reported:
A Melanie Phillips blogpost on the Spectator website which referred to the "moral depravity” of Arab "savages” is being investigated by the Press Complaints Commission.
The online comment piece, headlined "Armchair barbarism”, focused on media coverage of the murder of five members of a Jewish family in the West Bank settlement of Itamar by Palestinian militants earlier this month.
[…]
The column, which also referred to coverage of the murders by CNN, the BBC and the Guardian – part of the group that publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk – prompted two complaints to the press watchdog, one of them from Engage, a group promoting Muslim engagement in British society.
Inayat Bunglawala, chair of Muslims4UK, said: "Her words went far beyond just denouncing the killings. It was a far more generalised racist outburst against Arabs as a whole…”
Bunglawala said he had also complained to the police about the column.
In the video below from an Israeli news program, Ms. Phillips defends her use of the phrases "moral depravity” and "such savages”. She also discusses the dereliction of the British press in its refusal to air the whole truth when reporting on Israel.
Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for YouTubing this video:In a post datelined tomorrow morning, The Independent expresses its disappointment that the police have been so busy with anarchist riots that they have not yet managed to act on the complaint against Ms. Phillips.

Muslims File Complaints over Melanie Phillips Column

Arutz Sheva 29 March 2011
By Gil Ronen
A scathing column by British pundit Melanie Phillips on Western silence regarding the murder of Jews has caused British Muslim groups to file complaints with the police. In the column, which appeared in The Spectator after the massacre of the Fogel family at Itamar, Phillips wrote that "as anticipated, the moral depravity of the Arabs is finding a grotesque echo in the moral bankruptcy and worse of the British and American ‘liberal’ media – a sickening form of armchair barbarism."
Phillips lambasted the New York Times for a piece that blamed Israel for throwing "already shaky peace efforts into a new tailspin" when it decided to build 500 housing units in Judea and Samaria after the Itamar massacre. (...)
 

Danish minister: Become like us or stay away

Europenews

Jyllands-Posten 9 March 2011
Danish MP Søren Pind had hardly assumed his new position as minister for integration from Birthe Rønn Hornbech before he declared himself prepared to tighten immigration laws further. Foreigners are to become Danes, or refrain from settling in Denmark entirely.
This is the clear message from the newly appointed Minister for Integration, Søren Pind (Venstre), who believes the time for integration has passed.
From now on it should be crystal clear that Denmark has space for foreigners adopting to and respecting Danish values, norms and traditions, or they should not be here at all.

My approach to this is that when one actively chooses Denmark, one chooses Denmark with the clear intention of becoming Danish,
says Søren Pind.
Misunderstood integration
He points out that misunderstood integration, where Danish values such as equal rights for women and the right to choose marriage partners freely, have been bent in an attempt to accommodate foreigners.
But this is no longer a viable approach, for this policy threatens Denmark as a nation.

In my view, multi-culture, and what comes in its wake, has reached a breaking point – and I will fight this trend in every way I can,
he says, and declares himself ready to implement tougher immigration laws.
Rejoicing from the Danish Peoples' Party
Vice chairman of the Danish Peoples' Party, Peter Skaarup, rejoices on the news:

There are several areas where thougher laws are needed. These messages from Søren Pind is exactly what we want and need, he says.
 

Non-Islamic democracy is impossible in the Arab world

europenews

MWC News 30 March 2011
By Khalid Amayreh
Many westerners are quite gloomy about the prospects of democracy in the Arab world, following the historic revolutions that have taken(and are taking) place in several Arab countries. They are worried that true democracy in Arab lands might bring to power Islamic democrats who would seek to reconcile human rights, civil liberties with the Islamic rulings. In other words, they dread seeing the Islamization of democracy.
Some of these critics are quite ignorant of the truth about the Arab world and Islam, and with a good reason. Decades of anti-Islam incitement, spearheaded by Zionist circles, more or less succeeded in tarnishing the image of Islam in many western countries, portraying it as tyrannical and anti-democratic.
Others are quite malicious. They know that the adoption of Islam, even the reinstitution of the Islamic political authority, is the "natural way" for Muslim people. After all, Islam has always been the soul of Arabs. Indeed, asking Muslims to abandon Islam, in favor of imported western ideas and ideals, would be tantamount to asking them to abandon their human and cultural identity.
Many, probably most, westerners seem to lament the demise of despicable tyrants such as Hosni Mubarak, Zeinulabedin Bin Ali. Some are expressing consternation about the imminent downfall of Muammar Qaddafi, the eccentric Libyan dictator who has impoverished and murdered his people in order to appease his megalomaniac tendencies. (...)
 

'Israel hit with Japan-linked radiation'

PRESS TV
Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:55PM
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File photo of the Dimona plutonium- and uranium-processing facility in Israel's Negev desert
Israel has reportedly detected unthreatening radioactivity in its environment that it claims to have resulted from Japan's nuclear blast earlier in the month.


Israel's Soreq Nuclear Research Center said it had detected the radioactive material in the air, Xinhua reported on Thursday.

The substances are alleged to have reached Israel in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in central Japan, the center added.

The density, however, is 400,000 times lower than what the amount diffused after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, thus eliminating any health or environmental risks.

"The public can continue its daily routine as usual," Israel Atomic Energy Commission said in a statement.

Radioactive fallout from the Fukushima disaster has been identified in numerous parts of the world in recent weeks. Moderate concentrations were reportedly found in Siberia, the Pacific and North America.

Low levels of radiation from the explosion have also reached most of the provinces in China, but the concentration was similarly found to be nowhere near the hazardous levels.

Government officials are pleading with the Japanese people and the world to avoid overreaction to what they say are still low-threat levels of radiation away from the plant.

Israel's Negev desert is home to the Dimona plutonium- and uranium-processing facility, at which it is reported to have secretly manufactured scores of nuclear warheads since 1958.

HN/MB

Yemenis pay tribute to killed protesters

PRESS TV
Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:24PM
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Yemenis on Thursday, March 31, commemorated dozens of people killed in weeks of street protests.
Tens of thousands of Yemenis have once again taken to the streets to pay tribute to those killed in anti-regime protests as more soldiers defect to the opposition.


The anti-regime protesters on Thursday thronged the streets of capital Sana'a marching toward Change Square to commemorate dozens of people killed in weeks of protests and called for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Tens of thousands also took to the streets in the town of Ibb, 190 kms southwest of Sana'a, calling for Saleh's ouster.

Saleh, who has ruled with an iron-fist for 32 years, has been refusing to step down as demanded by the protesters. Opposition groups complain that the government has failed to meet the basic needs of the country's 23 million people.

They said that he must be tried for mass murder of anti-government protesters. Nearly 100 protesters have been killed since the uprising began in Yemen in mid-February, of which 52 alone were killed on March 18.

They also called for fresh protests on Friday.

Meanwhile, a large number of soldiers, politicians as well as top military, religious and tribal figures have joined the protests calling for the ouster of President Saleh.

Defections from Saleh's regime have multiplied since a bloodbath in Sana'a on March 18 when protesters were gunned down by Saleh loyalists. Around 20 new army officers on Thursday also joined the protesters, who carried banners calling for the “peaceful ouster” of the regime, AFP said.

They called for a six-month transition period during which parliament would be dissolved, the constitution amended, and an interim committee tasked with running the country's affairs.

FTP/MGH

“The coalition is going too far in Libya” - Russian envoy to NATO

Nolol aan Geeri Dhaamin!

This young man needs your help !!
Waxa si silic ah ugu nool xaafadda Xamar Jab-Jab  ee magaalada Muqdisho Cumar Cali Cumar  oo ah wiil uu dhalay Cali Xamari oo ku caan ahaa bah-weynta Sportiga Soomaaliya sannadihii dalku nabadda ahaa.
Cumar waxa ay xabbad wiifto ah ka haleeshay dhabarka qeybtiisa hoose sida sawirka ka muuqata. Dareenka oo dhan baa ka maqan qeyta ka hooseysa halka dhaawacu ka gaaray. Bal qiyaas sida aad ku noolaan laheyd haddii xaalkaagu sidaa ahaan lahaa? Ma jelcaan laheyd in qof wax uun kuu awooda inuu kugu fiirsado dhibaatada noocaani ah?
Fadlan walaalkaa fadhiga ka kici oo u suurto geli inuu musqusha aado, salaadda Ilaah ku waajibiyeyna uu si daahir ah ku tukado. Arrinta noocaani ah naxariis iyo in loo calool xumaado oo kaliya uma baahna, balse ficil geesinimo ah in la raaciyo ayey u baahan tahay. Ha quursan wixii aad awooddo. Qof aan adiga aheyn ha ku halleyn inuu wax qabto. Cumar qof kasta oo Soomaali ah oo dareen Islaanimo leh ayuu u baahan yahay.
Dhammaan bulsho weynta Soomaaliyeed jeebka gacanta geliya xoolihiina Allaha idiin barakeeyee. Qofkii wax u diraya fadlan ha ugu hagaajiyo emailkan safaari07@hotmail.com oo laga helo Cumar iyo Aabihii Cali Xamari, ama ha ka waco telefankan 252-6-271-5420.
Cumar daawadadiisu dibadda uun bey taallaa, in la geeyona lacag ayey u baahan tahay. Cumar qof aan adiga iyo Ilaah aheyn uma maqna. Ilaahna dadkiisa uunbuu wax isugu dhiibaa si ay isugu naxariistaan marka arrintu sidan oo kale tahay.  
MAR KALE IYO EMAILKA  safaari07@hotmail.com  TEL: 252-6-271-5420.
U sheeg shirkadda xawilaadda magaceeda iyo inta Ilaah ka soo qaaday inta ay dhan tahay maantaba.
Jazaka-Allahu Kheyran

Somali Diasporas call upon the UN and the UN Security Council to Stop Ethiopia’s Aggression and Meddling in the Internal Affairs of Somalia


Concerned Somali Diaspora
Tuesday, March 15, 2011

We, the undersigned members of Concerned Somalis in the Diaspora, are deeply dismayed by the international community’s indifferences to the unfettered menacing involvements of Ethiopia in the protracted civil conflict of our country.  We urge the UN Security Counsel and the AU to condemn Ethiopia’s repeated violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and the killings of hundreds of innocent civilians.

During the past two decades, Ethiopia has covertly and overtly contributed to the destabilization of Somalia, arming warlords as well as carrying out devastating militarily campaigns inside Somalia in violations of international laws (Chapter 1, Article 1 and 2.4 of the UN Charter). 

Consistent with the previous aggression and destabilization of our country, Ethiopian armed forces have once again joined a yet new armed conflict between two Islamists groups:  extremist Islamists groups of Al-Shabaab and the Ethiopia-backed Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jameeca (ASWJ).  In this most recent mindless war between these competing armed groups, the Ethiopian armed forces, in support of the ASWJ militias, have subjected the border town of Belad Hawo (Gedo) to indiscriminate artillery bombardments that caused countless losses of civilian lives, displacements of thousands of families from their homes, and the destructions of the already battered infrastructures of the town.  Similar Ethiopian army incursions into Somali soils have also been on-going for nearly two years in Bakool, Hiiraan, and Galgaduud, with devastating humanitarian consequences for the Somali civilians of the affected towns/cities. 

The latest Ethiopian policies-of-destabilization by means of military incursions into Somalia comes at a time when the Somali people in the border regions (Gedo, Bakool, Hiiraan, and Galgaduud) are devastated by a severe draught that caused unspeakable humanitarian crises and sufferings of which international aid and response are still desperately needed. 

The Somali people (both inside and outside the country) feel betrayed by the International Community's complacencies or indifferences to our protracted conflict and Ethiopia's established aggression, destabilization, and disproportionate use of violence against Somali citizens. The world community should understand that the solution to Somalia’s protracted conflict could only be reached through genuine internal reconciliation process and dialogue among the people of Somalia without interferences from neighboring countries as the case has been for the past two decades.     

We, the undersigned members of Concerned Somalis in the Diaspora with roots across Somalia, including activists, educators, intellectuals, and professionals:
·         Condemn the deliberate and indiscriminate artillery bombardments of the heavily populated Somali town of Belad Hawo by the Ethiopian army and demand Ethiopia to stop immediately these unprovoked hostilities and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Somalia's territory.
·          Condemn and denounce the mindless violence, deplorable tactics and policies pursued by Ethiopia, Ethiopian-supported militias, and Al-Shabaab all of which are collectively tantamount to genocide and War Crimes against the Somali people.
·         Call upon the International Community to equally condemn the Ethiopian aggression on innocent Somali civilians and the violation of international human rights laws committed by all groups in the current hostilities in Belad Hawo, Belad Weyn and Galgadud.
·         Request from the UN Security Council to establish immediately an inquiry into the violations of International laws arising from the recent and the previous wars that were waged in Somalia and on the Somali people.
·         Bring the attention of the World and the UN to the deleterious ramifications of Ethiopia’s unimpeded meddling in the affairs of Somalia.  In our view, the Somali people are entitled to account for and reparations for the Ethiopia’s documented aggressions towards our country and atrocities committed against our people.
·         Ask that these destructive policies/strategies of Ethiopia against Somalia end immediately and the regime in Addis Abba comply with international laws/resolutions vis-à-vis the Somali conflict. Equally, we request that the people of Somalia be allowed and assisted in determining locally crafted solutions to their internal conflicts. 

Lastly, we remind the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia to show restraint on its military operations in Mogadishu, especially when civilian cost is too high. The increased bombardments of civilians under the TFG’s name correlates directly with the shrinking legitimacy that have thus far hindered TFG’s domestic policies and denied any breakthrough to occur during its transitional period.  On the way forward, we call upon the TFG to show leadership in devising innovative means and methods of achieving comprehensive reconciliation.  There are no military solutions to the protracted political problems of our country.   

1.           Gen. Jama Mohamed Ghalib
2.           Abdiwahab Tarey, Los Angeles, CA, USA
3.           Abdirizak Mohamed, Toronto, ON, Canada
4.           Ibraahim Iimaan, Boston, MA, USA
5.           Faisal Roble, Los Angeles, CA, USA
6.           Ahmed Hamud, Toronto, ON, Canada
7.           Said M Shire, Toronto, ON, Canada
8.           Abdulaziz Hagi Mohamed Hussein, Minneapolis, MN, USA
9.           Mohamed Hassan (Gudbaaye), Minneapolis, MN, USA
10.       Basto Ahmed, Virginia, USA
11.       Prof. Hassan Mohamud (Jaamici), Minneapolis, MN, USA
12.       Haji Abdikarim Haji Abdi Buh, London, UK
13.       Mohamud Khalif, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
14.       Prof. Hassan Mahadallah, Louisiana, USA
15.       Mohamoud A Gaildon, Pennsylvania, USA
16.       Abdikhayr Soofe, Columbus, OH, USA
17.       Mohamed Ali, Washington DC, USA
18.       Dr. Nur Farah, Minnesota, USA
19.       Con. Cabdullahi Cali Macow, Charlotte, NC, USA
20.       Ali M. Omar, North Carolina, USA
21.       AbdiShakur Ali Mire, London, UK
22.       Bashir Ali, North Carolina, USA
23.       Mohamud M Uluso, Michigan, USA
24.       Amira Khalif Addaawe, Minnesota, USA
25.       Abdulkani rage barrow, Ottawa, ON, Canada
26.       Abdirahman Abdulle Siad, Toronto, ON, Canada
27.       Alinur Hussein Boodaaye, Toronto, ON, Canada
28.       Abdulkadir Ali Abdi (Xuurka), Ohio, USA
29.       Fowsia Abdulkadir, Ontario, Canada
30.       Farid Omar, Toronto, ON, Canada
31.       Dr. Abdi Greek, London, UK
32.       Zakaria Mohamoud Haji
33.       Khadija Mohamoud Sheikh
34.       Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud
35.       Salah Olow Gaabow.
36.       Abdullahi Osman (Carays), Toronto, ON, Canada.
37.       Abdirahman abdi, Maryland, USA
38.       Abdulkadir M. Ali, Virginia, USA
39.       Prof Liban Egal, Virginia, USA
40.       AbdiRasaq Hashi, Indiana, USA
41.       Dr. Qasim Hirsi Farah, Toronto, ON, Canada
42.       Hussein N. Darwish, Virginia, USA
43.       Dr. Ali S. Faqi, Michigan, USA
44.       Mohamud Mohamed Musse, Toronto, ON, Canada
45.       Ali Shariif Ahmed, London, UK
46.       Ambassador Osman Abshir Egal, London, UK
47.       Osman Abokar Mohamed, London,UK
48.       Guled Osman Abshir, London, UK
49.       Abdiwali Osman Garad  London,UK
50.       Abdia Sheikh Ahmed, Virginia, USA
51.       Mustafa Yasin Salwe , Ohio, USA
52.       Abdi Robleh, North Carolina, USA
53.       Abdikarim M. Ali (Diish), Boston, MA, USA
54.       Hussein Warsame, Virginia, USA
55.       Ali M. Artan, San Diego, CA, USA
56.       Abdirahman Abdulle Siad
57.       Warsame Jirde, Toronto, ON, Canada
58.       Faduma Awow Mohamed, Toronto, ON, Canada
59.       Mohamed Ali Aden, Toronto, ON, Canada
60.       Qamar D. Hassan, Toronto, ON, Canada
61.       Mohamed M. Makaraan, Ontario Canada
62.       Abdirashid Gayre, Michigan, USA
63.       Abdikhaliq Omar Mohamed, Manchester, UK
64.       Mumin Barre, Virginia, USA
65.       Suad D. Hassan, Seattle, USA
66.       Dr. Ali Mohamed Tifow, London, UK
67.       Hibaq Gelle, Toronto, ON, Canada
68.       Faiza Abdulle Gure, Stockholm, Sweden
69.       Abdifatah Hassan, Seattle, USA
70.       Mohamed Heebaan, Richmond, BC, Canada
71.       Sadia Ali Aden, Virginia, USA
72.       Farhia Nur, Virginia, USA
73.       Mahad Sheikh, Toronto, ON, Canada
74.       Mohamed Yusuf Shariif, Stockholm, Sweden
75.       Mohamed Abdulkadir, Cairo, Egypt
76.       Aden Hussein, Massachusetts, USA
77.       Fowsia Baana, Washington DC, USA
78.       Mohamed Omar, Seattle, Washington, USA
79.       Mohamed Abdi Dahir, Nairobi, Kenya
80.       Abdinor Ali, California, USA
81.       Mohamed Deeq Taakilo, Massachusetts, USA
82.       Abdikarim Ahmed, Massachusetts, USA
83.       Burhan Mohamed, Washington, USA
84.       Su'ad Abdullahi, London, UK
85.       Qaali Ahmed, Minnesota, USA
86.       Anwar Maxamed Diiriye, Minneapolis, MN, USA
87.       Ali Said Haji Aliyow, Melbourne, Australia
88.       Ali H. Abdulla, Abu Dhabi, UAE
89.       Jama Ali Jama, London,UK
90.       Ibraahim Mahadalla Dhuxulow, London,UK
91.       Abdilaziz Abdullahi    Virginia, USA
92.       Huda Yusuf, Massachusetts, USA
93.       Khalif Y. Ahmed, Minnesota, USA
94.       Faiza Aziz, Minnesota, USA
95.       Abdinasir Egal, Massachusetts, USA
96.       Basra Aden Salad, Virginia, USA
97.       Rowda Olad, Ohio, USA
98.       Abdulakdir Aden Mohamud (Jangeli), Washington, USA
99.       Mohamed Ahmed Farah, Virginia, USA
100.   Abdulkadir Esse, Virginia, USA
101.   Aden Sarhan, Maryland, USA
102.   Mohamed Awad, Virginia, USA
103.   Abdirizak Raghe, Virginia, USA
104.   Eyni Cisas, Virginia, USA
105.   Faisal Osman, Virginia, USA
106.   Faisal Abdi, Woodbridge, VA, USA
107.   Abdikarim Osman, Virginia, USA
108.   Imam Omarr Abukar Mohamud, Washington DC, USA
109.   Id Farah, Virginia, USA
110.   Yusuf Sarur, Virginia, USA
111.   Abdi Hassan, Maryland, USA
112.   Ahmed Mohamed, Virginia, USA
113.   Raghe Siyad, North Carolina, USA
114.   Zaid Mohamed Yusuf, Washington DC, USA
115.   Mohamed Hassan Hussein, Maryland, USA
116.   Ahmed Yusuf, Virginia, USA
117.   Omar Douled, Virginia, USA
118.   Abdullahi Yusuf, Virginia, USA
119.   Abdinasir Ali Abdi, Virginia, USA
120.   Abdiaziz Hussein, Virginia, USA
121.   Abukar Mudey, Virginia, USA
122.   Mohamud Hassan Gamur, Virginia, USA
123.   Said Shidaad, Columbus, OH, USA
124.   Prof Hussein Warsame, Calgary, AL, Canada

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Horn of Africa to double livestock exports to Saudi Arabia

SomalilandPress.com logo 
Last updated: March 31, 2011
BERBERA — Livestock traders in Somaliland welcomed the latest development in Saudi Arabia after the kingdom announced on Friday it will increase livestock imports from the Horn of Africa by two-fold by 2012.
A press release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Water said Saudi Arabia plans to import close to 2 million heads of a livestock that comprise of sheep, goats, camels and cattle. These imports will targets markets in Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia. The decision to increase imports follows after Saudi Arabia’s quarantine officials at the Port of Jeddah declared animals from the Horn were disease free, great in quality and strong demand in the local market. Furthermore, the decision was designed to stabilize the local meat market with many Saudis complaining of rising food prices.
Saudi livestock importers already operate a major quarantine facility in the port of Djibouti, two in Somaliland’s Berbera port and one in Somalia’s port of Bosasso.
The two facilities in the Red Sea port of Berbera in Somaliland’s Sahil region have the combined capacity to house 2-2.5 million heads. A third facility owned by Saudi livestock tycoon, Mr. Suleiman Al-Jabiri is currently under construction that will cost $2 million and will hold 1.5 million heads. About four months ago, a Saudi delegation consisting of doctors and vets visited the Berbera facilities and declared both quarantines meet international standards.
Malaysian investor from Burao-based Emerging East African Corporation (EEAC)

Similarly, Somaliland is currently pushing forward with plans to export processed meat and livestock to Malaysia after Malaysian investors agreed to explore business opportunities in Somaliland with some already establishing abattoirs in the country. They say its part of the over all plan by Malaysia to become a “global centre for Halal food and related products”. Malaysia imports over 85 percent of its meat needs except poultry and desparetely needs a Halal market its citizens can trust. Two-third of its meat imports currently comes from India.
Students in Sheikh Technical Veterinary School flaying a camel during their research project
Students in Sheikh Technical Veterinary School flaying a camel during their research project

In December 2010, a team from IGAD, an East African organization focusing on drought control and development, led by Executive Secretary, Eng. Mahboub Maalim visited the Sheikh Technical Veterinary School (STVS) in Somaliland during a graduation ceremony. Mr. Maalim said, IGAD would take over the management of the school from Terra Nuova, an Italian NGO. Mr. Maalim told local media, IGAD plans to develop the capacity of STVS by bringing on board technical teams and institutions such as Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Makerere University, one of the leading universities in Uganda.
The news was well received by livestock traders and animal farmers alike across the Horn of Africa but a devastating drought savaging the region might hurt the current demands.
In October 2009, Saudi Arabia relaxed a eleven-year ban on Somaliland livestock and Somaliland animals have been steadily on high demand in the Saudi Kingdom ever since. Livestock market is estimated to be worth $250-million annually in Somaliland. The main markets for livestock from Somaliland are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and Yemen.
Video: Showcasing Somaliland’s rich livestock industry; Abdulrasak Mohamed Mohamoud is the driving force behind  Somaliland’s new ties with Malaysia.





Somalilandpress | 26 March 2011