Ainashe.net

Apee Ojulu editor of Gambela Today writes:

There has been a sort of unanimity among various advisors in Prime Minister Meles Zenawi government that in an all-out-war they will defeat the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) within few days. Zenawi’s Foreign Ministry warning to the UIC that his administration “will not tolerate an Islamist regime in neighboring Somalia” is an indication of that confidence (see MCT, /22, 2006). But hubris is not a military strategy to win a war. It is a risking scheme. Having mechanized forces, countless warplanes, weapons, backing of the international and capacities to destroy every house in Somalia do not prove to win the war. Recent war between Israeli mechanized army forces against a lesser tech wired Iranian and Syrian backed Hezbollah forces have proven this, that technology is not the only mean to win wars. American involvement in Iraq is the other. Both conflicts have proven public support is the key to military success in guerilla wars, not traditional military power alone.

Mr. Apee Ojulu concluded by saying:

Zenawi might have his envisioned his gamble in Somali civil war as an important strategic decision to extract more monetary from Americans, divert attentions of both domestic and international from his authoritarian rule and prolong his regime. Likely outcome of that conflict may come at a price of losing very elements that has kept alive and embolden the already emboldened opposition parties at his expense.

Click here to view article on the Sudan Tribune.

Islamic Courts Union spokesman Abdi-Rahiin Ali Mudey was quoted as saying:

Ethiopia has recently asked us to start talks with them so the deadline was basically meant to tell the Ethiopians to withdraw from Somalia, then talks they offered would be possible.

Does this mean that the threat of all out war is receding? I am not so sure but I hope that is case. We must give peace a chance.

Click here to view the full article on the BBC News.

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reports:

An Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has reaffirmed support for the ongoing initiatives to promote dialogue for sustainable peace in Somalia. However the meeting at State House Nairobi today under the chairmanship of President Mwai Kibaki, the noted that the prevailing situation posed a threat to peace and gravely undermined the ability of the Transitional Federal Institutions in Somalia to consolidate the gains made so far to achieve long-term stability. The meeting, attended by President Abdulahi Yusuf of Somalia and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia re-affirmed support for the Transitional Federal Charter and Federal Transitional Institutions as an embodiment of the common will of the Somali people. In a communiqué issued at the end of the consultation, the IGAD forum expressed support for the ongoing dialogue between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and encouraged both parties to strive to overcome any differences by actively pursuing genuine reconciliation. The forum further reiterated that any dialogue must be based on the will of the Somalia people and preserve the sanctity of the Transitional Federal Charter and Federal Institutions which provide a solid political framework to achieve a lasting solution to the Somali problems. They endorsed the revised Igad Mission to Somalia (IGASOM) deployment plan as approved by the African Union (AU) peace and security council and further called on the AU to provide the requisite funds to enable the implementation of the first phase of the plan.

IGAD is a dysfunctional organisation run by depots, dictators and the enemy of the Somali Nation (Ethiopia and Kenya). Hence, no one should be surprised by this act! They want the tragic Somali conflict to continue!

Click here to view the full article.

According to the UN News Wire:

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Prime Minister of Norway, as his new Special Humanitarian Envoy for the Horn of Africa, in response to recurrent drought and food insecurity devastating the region. More than 40 per cent of the population are currently undernourished in the Horn, one of the most food-insecure regions in the world. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that severe drought is threatening the lives of an estimated 11 million people across Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia. This compounds what is already a dire humanitarian situation in countries beset by years of high rates of malnutrition and morbidity, chronic food insecurity and the effects of conflict. 

Time permitting, I will write more about this later this week but suffice it to say that I believe that the appointment of Mr. Bondevik as a “Special Humanitarian Envoy” for the draught devastated Somalia and the rest of Horn of Africa is the only sign of hope the starving people have received thus far! I believe Mr. Bondevik will bring in positive political weight and influence that will certainly be beneficial to the starving Somalis. More importantly, his proven track record of humanitarianism and a genuine care for those who are crying for help will have far greater positive impact than any other candidate could have ever mastered. In Short, I am not a big fan of Kofi Annan, but I must say that he did the right thing this time by appointing Mr. Bondevik for this position. 

I say: Velkommen Herr Bondevik! 

Click here to view the appointment announcement by the UN.

According to the BBC News: 

A small community in wintry Norway wants to help a group of East African refugees back to work by importing a flock of camels. 

As someone who takes a great pride for being Norwegian “camel man” who happens to be originally from Somalia, I am quite excited to hear that camels are being brought to Norway. However, the camels we are talking here are NOT real camels; they are from Mongolia! 

Click here for the full story on the BBC News. 

According to Norway Statistics (Statistisk sentralbyrå-SSB), Somalis are the fifth largest foreign minority in Norway and largest none-western group totaling about ten thousand . As the saying goes, “allahayow dhib baddanaa nin ka tagay dhulkiisii”.

Majority of Somalis in Norway are under-age children.

Click here to view the full report on SSB. You may like to click here to find similar statistics for Somalis in Sweden. And here for Denmark.

The government of Norway in association with Norwegian Refugees Council is helping Somali refugees returning back to Somalia by offering financial incentives.

Click here for a full report (Kun på norsk!)

In this weeks NY Tid’s editorial, Dag Herbjørnsrud says:

…Problemet ligger heller ikke i Hagen som person, han gÃ¥r jo av som partileder til vÃ¥ren. Den blÃ¥ fare er sÃ¥ veldig mye større enn mannen kong Carl. Det er snarere den gradvise veien til politisk makt, til innvirkning pÃ¥ det norske samfunns ideologiske tenkemÃ¥te - den snikende kraften i høyrepopulismens evne til Ã¥ pÃ¥virke vÃ¥re barns og vÃ¥re barnebarns framtid – som burde skremme. Vi mÃ¥ ikke bli sÃ¥ kortsynte at man gleder seg over en knepen rødgrønn seier i dag, uten Ã¥ ta utfordringen fra den overveldende maktdemonstrasjonen fra Frp-bevegelsen pÃ¥ det mest alvorlige. Det er selve den forrÃ¥ende brutalitet som følger i dens høyrepopulismens kjølvann som burde skremme. ”Alle vet” hva Frp egentlig stÃ¥r for nÃ¥r det gjelder synet pÃ¥ minoriteter, innvandrere og de sÃ¥kalte myke verdier – derfor trenger heller ikke partiet si det eksplisitt. I bensinprisenes, bilavgiftenes og brennevinets rike kan selv rÃ¥kjørende mopedister uten hjelm bli kronet til konger.

I agree with Mr. Herbjørnsrud that Frp’s progressive accession to an influential political position must give Somali immigrants and other minorities in Norway a cold feet. It is scary to contemplate a political scenario whereby Frp forms a government in Norway with Carl I. Hagen as the Prime Minister.

Click here to view the full editorial on NY Tid.

There is a debate about the Female Genital Mutilation practice among the African and Arab (mainly Somali) immigrants in Norway. Amazing how some ignorant Somalis are still trying to defend a gruesome practice from the dark ages.

Poenget er at man ikke kan kontrollere om jenter har sex uansett. Jeg er omskåret to ganger. Det har ikke stoppet meg, sier Safia Yusuf Abdi

Click here for the full article on Dagbladet (Norwegian only)

Can anyone beat the heavenly taste of the Norwegian “Geitost”-Goat Chees! I guess not. Well, I did indeed miss my home City of Oslo!

Picture: Courtesy of www.norway.org

Dag Herbjørnsrud har takket ja til å bli Ny Tids neste redaktør. Han har overtatt etter Anders Horn.

There is a great mind behind the serious look on the picture!

Click here to read more about Dag’s editorship of Ny Tid.