Carter: Sudan Faces Tight Presidential Race

Carter: Sudan Faces Tight Presidential Race

Selah Hennessy | London12 February 2010

Photo: AFP

Former US president Jimmy Carter (C) during a press conference in the southern Sudanese village of Lojora , 11 Feb 2010ll be an intensely competitive election with a lot at stake." - Former US President Jimmy Carter 

Former United States president Jimmy Carter has said he believes Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is likely to face a second round run-off against one of his opponents in the upcoming election. He also warned of increased violence in the run-up to the April ballot.

Mr. Carter, who founded the Carter Center which is monitoring the elections, was speaking in South Sudan Thursday.

"We don't know yet whether al-Bashir can get a majority at the beginning round, if not -- which I think is likely -- then there will be a run-off between him and the second person that got the most votes," he said. 

The presidential election is set to take place on April 11th along with parliamentary and regional elections. 

The presidential candidate will need to win over 50 percent of votes to avoid a second round of voting. 

Mr. Carter warned the election may lead to increased violence in Sudan, but said he hoped it would be kept at a local level.
 
"This will be an intensely competitive election with a lot at stake, and I don't think there is any doubt that there will be some altercations in the remote areas and I hope they don't expand," said the former president. 

Edward Thomas, an expert on Sudan from the London-based research group Chatham House, says there will be a large number of candidates in the election and this could serve as a boost to al-Bashir. 

But he says the election may be tight. 

"I think one of the reasons why it's an important election is that it is quite close to call. All of the big names participating in the election are quite worried about winning and in a way that's a good sign -- it's not quite the same as being free and fair but it means that there is a contest to be had," he said.

The Carter Center is the only monitoring agency to have observed Sudan's elections from the start of the process, but it will be joined in April by observers from around the world including the European Union, the African Union and China.  

April's ballot will be the country's first multi-party election since 1986.

Suuradda Almumtaxinah, Aayadaheeda 7&8 Ma sidii reer Banu israel lagu rogey ayeynu is-dhego marinna? Miyaanu Alle innagu amreyn Cidda aynu talada u dhiibanno & kuwa ka reebban?!!

Kol haddii Dastuurkii, Shuruucdii iyo Maamul wanaaggii Dawladnimo , muran iyo ku talax tag awoodeed ka bixi-waayey, Dalku saboolnimo, shaqo la,aan iyo Asaasyadii Dhabta ahaa ee Dawladnimo yeelan waayey magacyo moyee waxqabad iyo ku dhaqanba. Kol haddii Golehii Guurtada ay koox dhawr iyo afartan ah oo udubeysani ku leexeeysteen, Maamulkuna u aamusey isaga oo ay Madaxtooyadu wax ka yar 200 meter u jirto. Mar haddii Waqti kasta oo Doorasho timaaddo Madaxtooyadii Dalku go'a dhexda ugu maraneyso si aan doorasho u hirgelin, mudankii Dalkuna dhawr jeer oo hore ka ergeeyey, Mar haddii arrintu ay Dilal iyo qaraxyo arwaaxdii saraalkiisha ciidanka si aan la fahmeyn loola daba socdo remote Control lagu qarxinayo, cid fal dambiyeedyada goobtaas lagu qabanayaana jirin, Maamulka oo hore masdaaqiyaddiisa u raamsadeyna aan waxba laga dhegeysan kareyn, Bulshadu halka ay ka saldhigi la'dahay may garan.   Kutubta soo gurta oo bal akhrista Suuradda Almumtaxinah !! Aayadaha 7& 8 ee Alle idinku amrayo dadka  kaba reebban in ay talo idiin qabtan iyo kuwa ay u sugan tahay bal eega!! Ninka yidhi "Anigu kursiga ayaa la saaxiib ahay" inuu diktaatooriyad abuur yahay ayuu sheegey, Ninka hantidii Ummadda uu ka Mas'uulka ahaa , sheegi la' jaan iyo cidhib meesh ay martey layma weydiin karo ee Wasiirka ah, Mas'uulkiisu in uu jeebka ugu jiro ayuu sheegey , oo aanu waxba iskaga tirineyn isaga iyo Dastuur midna!!   Ummadda Somaliland, islaamnimadeeda inay tijaari ka dhigto maaha , waar qof kasta oo innaga mid ah waxa innala hadlaya qur'aankii Alle ee bal laba mid soo gala:   Inaad u hoggansantaan Alle oo aad fulisaan amarka Alle, sida aayadaha 7&8 ku qeexanna aydaan talo u dhiiban kuwii Dalkiinna idinkula daghaallamay, idin qixiyey ee Guryahiina idinka caydhshey, kuwii u adeegayey, kuwii u sacabtumayey iyo kuwii idinku daawanayeyba. ama ku raalligelinta diidmada amarka Alle addoon idinla mida raaca, oo haka cabanina!! Mushkilad soo noqnoqota haddaad aragtaanna, ama xaqiiqooyinka ayaa badh la qariyey oo laga tegey, ama waan loo hagar la'ayn!!   Allaa la hubaaye , waxa la yaqiinsan doonaa in aan qarax dambe iyo Argagixiso midna aan maamulkan dabadii , la maqli doonin ee qaar halkooda ku guba ay la wareegi doonaan talada. Hunuu-Hunuu hadal maaha, Madaxnimadu waa hoggaamin iyo waxqabad muuqda , run Bulshadu ku leddo marka uu hoggaamiyaheedu u sheego ee aan kalaamulleyl maa yamshii Nahaar aanay noqon sid imika taalla. Ummadda Somaliland iyo Culimadeeda sharafka lehba, waxa aanu ka eegeynaa inay sida Alle ku ogyahay uga hadlaan arrinkan. Ninka Maamlkiisa, Naftiisa iyo Cirdigiisa lagu soo weeraray in ay arrintani tahay sinabana aanay u dhaafeyn Saraakiishii NSSta Faqashta ee markuu Dagaalku qarxay ka goosanweydey, laba iskuma diidana, waana kalaamkii Alle ee mid aan samaystey Maaha!! Maannaan dulmioyin ee iyaga ayaa is dulmiyey!! Mas'uul kasta oo wax u geysta ummaddiisana , habeen muu jirin haddii uu isku qanciyo in uu sidaa kula tegayo!!   Dr. Cali Cabdi Muxumed.

Who is Valentine's Day for?

Who is Valentine's Day for?

By Khaled ibn Abdul-Rahman Al-Shayi'

People naturally like occasions of happiness and pleasure, whether private or public, including eids (feasts or days of celebration). For the sake of this inclination, the Shari'a came with the legitimacy of the Fitr and Adha Eids: Two valid eids in the year, and Allah has legislated in them (reasonable) spending and the showing of happiness which people need, in addition to a weekly eid which is Friday. And this is part of the mercy of Allah upon this nation of Mohammad (peace be upon him). 
If we look at the celebrations that other nations have, we will find that they have quite a number of them: one for each national occasion and season, Mother's Day, Labor Day, a day for agriculture and so on, to the extent that there is barely a month without a specific eid.  All this is from their innovation.

Allah the Exalted has said (interpretation of the meaning) 
{But the monasticism which they invented for themselves We did not prescribe for them} (Al-Hadid 57:27) and for this reason the dates of the occasions have changed through the years according to political and social desires, and they are accompanied with more rituals, habits and types of amusement than can be listed, according to the details in specialized books.

Among the strange eids in the world today are those of the pagans and the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), connected to their gods, rabbis and monks, such as the days of St. Michael, St. Andrew, St. Valentine, etc.  These eids are accompanied with several acts including decorating homes, lighting candles, going to the church, buying certain types of candy, specific songs and so on.

After that it has become the habit of non-Muslim nations to celebrate birthdays in which people invite their friends, prepare special food, light candles according to the age of the person etc.. and some Muslims have imitated them in this innovation! 
After this introduction to the eids of the nations, it is worth mentioning that a Muslim should be confident that the most complete guidance and the best legislation is that which the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon him) came with.

Allah the Exalted has said (interpretation of the meaning) 
{This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion} (Al-Maida 5:3).

All the eids that the other nations have are innovation and misguidance, in addition to their disbelief in Allah. Allah the Exalted has said (interpretation of the meaning) 
{If anyone desires a religion other than Islam never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good) } (Al-Imran 3:85)

Due to the importance of this subject and the attention it should be given - I mean what has come to Muslims from the eids of disbelievers and the occasions they relate to their religion - Islam has given the matter eloquent and specific care.  Allah has described His believing servants as avoiding disbelievers in their eids: {Those who witness no falsehood} (Al-Furqan 25:72). Falsehood in this verse refers to the eids of the disbelievers.  Allah has legislated for His believing servants eids that suffice them from copying those of others: 
Abu Dawood, Nasa'i and others have authentically reported that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to Madinah at a time in which  people had two days in which they played.  He told them: "Allah has replaced these two with what is better: the days of Fitr and Adha." 
Hafiz Ibn Hajjar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "From this it is deduced that it is disliked to be happy during the pagans' eids and to imitate them." 
In what follows we will consider an eid that some Muslims have imitated and taken from the disbelievers, namely Valentine's Day, which Christians have specified as the 14th of February, according to a certain creed that they have and which we will not go into the details of.

Normally we would not have considered this eid nor given it any attention, as it is one of the tens of eids that they have, but because some Muslims and Muslimahs have become affected by this, it has become necessary to inform our brothers and sisters who attempt to participate in this occasion with its specific 'rituals' and do not know that Valentine's Day is deeply rooted in the Christian creed.  The latter - i.e., the Christians - differ on whether this is something they inherited or something inherited from the Romans, who had gods according to their desires: they appointed gods for love as they do with other gods for light, darkness, crops, rain, seas, rivers, and so on.

Some of the things observed by disbelievers during Valentine's Day include their clothes, gifts, greeting cards, red roses (they use red as a symbol for a certain obscene behavior).  They also celebrate by writing phrases of love and passion on the cards that are exchanged between young men and women, purchasing red teddy bears with hearts and words of love on them which are sold at high prices as presents that symbolize love!

One of the things that has increased the spreading of these issues in some Muslim countries is what many forms of media (whether read or viewed) - and particularly satellite channels - do by advertising this behavior using various methods, to the extent that the matter is no longer evident to simple people who do not have sufficient educational sense to protect them from these twisted behaviors, and particularly male and female students in public and higher education.

According to what has been presented, we would like to confront our brothers and sisters - fellow Muslims - who participate in any of the types of celebrations mentioned, and we say: 
Today those of you who celebrate Valentine's Day and similar do this for something within yourselves. But I think that with your instinct of the oneness of Allah, that if you knew the religious background of this celebration and what it bears of symbols of innovation, paganism, and demonstrating that there are other gods than Allah - may Allah be exalted from that - you would realize how grave your mistake is and the awfulness of the direction you have taken and how you have been effected.

Scholars have said that a Muslim should not accept any gift or food prepared for the sake of the disbelievers' eids.  For this reason, it is incumbent upon fathers and mothers to pay attention of this in their children, and particularly if they see their daughters wearing red blouses, jackets or the like specifically on that day.  Likewise, if children ask them to buy roses or greeting cards that are specific for that day, they should tell them the truth about this issue in a religious, educational and convincing manner.

We also greatly admonish those Muslims who sell symbols of disbelievers' celebrations, whether by importing or producing them.  For example, those who sell and provide flowers specifically on that day, and owners of stores that sell toys and wrap gifts.  These people are helping in the celebration of disbelievers' eids, and undoubtedly they are cooperating in vice and aggression and participating in the spreading of the beliefs of the disbelievers.  However, may Allah be praised, they have a lot of other things to sell that are not used in the celebration of the disbelievers' eids.

Another thing we should mention here is that Muslims who carry the knowledge or work for the media should play their role in protecting Islamic thoughts from their media counterparts who contempt Islam and Muslims.

We would like to conclude our topic with the fatwa of the great scholar Sh. Mohammad ibn Saleh Al-Othaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him).  He was asked about celebrating and participating in Valentine's Day.  His answer was: 
"Celebrating Valentine's Day is not permitted because: 
1. it is an innovated eid that has no basis in shari'a 
2. it invites people to love and passion 
3. it invites people's hearts to be busy with these insignificant issues that are against the path of the previous righteous people, may Allah be pleased with them.

So it is forbidden to perform any 'eid rituals' on this day - whether food, drinks, clothes, gifts, etc. 
A Muslim should be proud of his/her religion, and should not by an imitator who follows every caller. 
I ask Allah to protect Muslims from all temptations, both visible or hidden." [End of the shaikh's fatwa] 
Thus it is evident "who Valentine's Day is for", as this day is not of the practices of Islam nor its guidance, but rather the result of the social and educational pitfalls of the disbelievers.  Any Muslim who participates in celebrating this day does so because of whims within him/herself and because of personal defeat, inadequate educational sense, and weakness of Islamic protection in those whose own selves deceived them into imitating disbelievers and mimicking them in their unworthiness and misguidance. 
May peace be upon our prophet Mohammad and his family and companions. 

'To Israel I am stained with blood'

'To Israel I am stained with blood'

Relatives sit underneath posters of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh [EPA] Approximately 10 months ago, Al Jazeera Arabic interviewed a man in Damascus, Syria who was believed to be part of a cell that had kidnapped and killed two Israeli soldiers, Avi Sasportas and Ilan Sa'adon, in 1989.  Al Jazeera has since learned that the man - who kept his face covered for the interview - was Mahmoud Abdul Raouf al-Mabhouh, a Hamas military commander who was killed in Dubai on January 20. Al-Mabhouh had been one of Israel's most wanted people for 20 years and was accused of being responsible for a number of operations, including the kidnapping and killing of the two soldiers. Hamas has alleged that al-Mabhouh was assassinated by Israeli agents. Below is the interview conducted with al-Mabhouh last year. "I am not the only wanted man. Hundreds and dozens of people who have fought the Israelis are wanted. I am not the only one. Only God determines when people's lives end. We know the price for going on this path. And we have no problem with that. There was a [state of] awakening. The groups have continued to fight the Israelis for three or four years, but then it was over. All these groups were eliminated by assassinating and liquidating them. A new state emerged and the factions called it the 'Ikhwanjiyeh' which means 'Ikhwan' [brothers]. One of the people who used to come to our house was my elder brother Hassan, or Abu Abdullah, and Ibrahim Maqadna, one of the founders of the [brigades]. I used to know most of them, like Abu Maher Tedras, Abdul al-Hafez al-Silawi and Abdul Hafez al-Sharif. The mother of killed soldier Ilan Sa'adon holds her son's portrait [EPA] Since that time, I have had love and piety. Thank God all my family members were pious. My father created a special atmosphere of piousness in our home through some of his friends, one of them used to lecture us everyday on fiqh [Islamic doctrine], on jihad, on patience and other thoughts, he was the Mujahid Abu Idris Awda, one of those who was shot twice during the 1948 war, one in the shoulder and one in the kidney. He brutally fought with Hassan al-Banna. We lived an Islamic atmosphere in our home. I had an iron religious commitment at that time. I used to perform all prayers in the mosque, particularly the fajr [dawn] prayer, and I had good relations with all people. I had good relations with everyone, and I was familiar with weapons, I knew who sold them and who brought them from Egypt. We used to get our weapons from Egypt, not from the Israelis, to avoid getting in security trouble. We stayed like that for a long time. One of those who was very close to me and had great influence on me was Sheikh Salah Shehada, before his first detention in 1981. I remember that in 1981, I and one of my fellow brothers, who is still alive, brought a group of weapons that were not caught and supplied one of those who were held with the Sheikh, I brought the weapon and let him escape from detention. The brothers were preparing for a military act. I was very close to Sheikh Salah. He used to come to me a lot; whenever he wanted a car, wanted maintenance for the car or anything else, I used to go to Jabalya refugee camp and pray the Friday noon prayers with him. He had recently come from Egypt at that time, stayed in Arish and then came to Beit Hanoun. He then built his own mosque and we used to pray with him. He was detained in the 1980s along with a group of nine people. My relationship with him continued even after he was freed.  Detention and torture I was then detained in 1986. I did not confess to anything. I stayed there for 46 days under interrogation. They used to transfer me, either to Askalan or to Gaza's central jail. They tortured me for 33 days, then they gave a rest for two days, and then the interrogation continued, it lasted for 46 days. Steve, a well-known investigator in Askalan jail, tried along with three of his aides to pressure and torture me so harsh that I used to faint. Once I was saying the shahada, I heard him saying in Hebrew "this man will die and I am not ready" and then ended the interrogation. They then sent me back to Gaza's central jail. Thank God as he gave me the strong will and patience. We did not confess and did not tell on anyone. Of course, my relationship with Sheikh Salah was strengthened after I was released, he was even one of those who stood by my father's side and assigned a lawyer to represent him. He was one of those who used to wait for me while I was held in prison. We used to plan for every little and big step. Our work was well-planned, not random. We used to plan to kill first and then capture ones [soldiers] alive. We only needed a piece of land, usually in a farm or a in a poultry farm, and we used to dig a secret jail under the ground, and hold some soldiers or officers there, just like the case of [captured Israeli soldier Gilad] Shalit. Disguise, we were dressed like religious Jews, like the Rabbis. One of the places we used to observe was Hidaya roundabout. A car arrived, dropped passengers including Avi Sasportas who was kidnapped and killed on February 16, 1989. I was the driver, and there were boxes in the car. He got on the car and sat in the back seat. There was a special signal between me and Abu Suhaib. After we passed Hidaya roundabout, I signed to Abu Suhaib who had a gun, he shot him twice in the face and once in the chest. I heard his sigh at the first shot and he died. We then took him to the already-prepared place and buried him there. We had stripped him of his clothes and belongings before we buried him. He had a wallet, ID card, and a military card, he even had a special weapon with night-view laser light. It was an M15 weapon. The operation was discovered 11 days later. We tried to announce responsibility for the operation, but no news agencies tried to report it.  Motivation Sheikh Salah knew about the operation when he was held in jail. Some of the brothers who visited him wrote on the walls and claimed responsibility for the operation, they wrote the 'Palestinian Mujahidin movement' at that time, and other phrases that indicated it was our group. The Israelis then reported a number of names, they were trying to know who stood behind the operation, but it was all lies. We used to laugh at them. I think Sheikh Salah knew about it. Sheikh Salah Shehada used to motivate the rest of the cells and groups which were in Bureij and Zeitoun, but they were caught after the second operation and the Sheikh was then detained. Mourners carry the coffin of al-Mabhouh [EPA] Muhammad Shawatha was the link between the groups held in jails and those outside. He was ... sentenced to life imprisonment. A date was set, May 3, 1989, there were two police cars, they [soldiers] were in a restaurant near a station in al-Quds, it was after 4pm in the afternoon. A military bus stopped there and dropped two, it was clear that these two were off on their weekend, they asked us how they could reach Majdal roundabout, I told them we had a place for only one to ensure the success of the operation. As we were going on the highway to Majdal, Abu Suhaib turned back and shot him, took his weapon, we had sharp knives and I had a gun, I wanted to shoot him but Abu Suhaib was faster than me. His blood was all over the car. We reached the already-set place, put him there and left. We entered the Gaza Strip, to Jabalya, left the car in Jabal al-Kashef neighbourhood. Shawatha's mission was to close the place and clean the car. The Israelis felt that a car entered the place and started to shoot from all directions. I went west, crawled and then ran from Salah al-Din road to the camp. I had the weapons. The Israelis knew from newspapers that something had happened, but did not know what it was. It was a Wednesday. On Saturday, his comrade, who was with him, asked his parents about him, said he saw him getting in a 1988 white Subaru when he left him. They informed the police and started to look for him. They then knew he must have met the same fate like the first one, and knew he must have been in Gaza. Shawatha was then detained. Leaving home We left our homes from the first moment the car was caught. I have not spent a night at my home since that time, because the car was caught and it bore our fingerprints. Shawatha confessed after very harsh torture. The groups we used to contact were all caught, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was detained then, and they knew that Abu Suhaib and al-Mabhouh were behind the seizure of the soldier. Pursuing us started at that time. The Israelis did not try to storm our homes, they were trying to monitor them from a distance but we felt that we were pursued. We stayed in Gaza Strip for only two months, and then were told to leave to Egypt. It was worth it. Those who were held and tortured in jails know about it more than those who were not. I was detained several times, I know what it means. These people must be forced out by any means even if we would be martyred. However, it needs cautiousness, and thank God I have a very strong sense of cautiousness.  Assassination attempts The Israelis have tried to assassinate me three times. On the day Izz was martyred, I was going down to the car, they escaped, they were sticking a bomb to the car. And they tried [to assassinate me] in Lebanon in 1991. And one month after Imad [Moghniyeh] was martyred, on March 14, I saw a person watching me. He ran away when he noticed that I had seen him. I am very cautious, thank God. Eventually, only God determines when our lives end. We know the price to going on this path. God will Insha'Allah [God willing] make us stronger, and I hope to become a martyr. To the Israelis, my hands are stained with their blood, but to God? This is what matters. The Israelis are the killers and the criminals. They took our land, killed our children, the massacres that happened in Gaza. Insha'Allah the resistance will be stronger and will harshly retaliate."

Source: Al Jazeera

I thought Switzerland was a Christian state

By Ahmed Arwo

During the festive holiday of end of the year, I encountered a friend of mine in a shopping mall in Cardiff, Wales. After warm seasonal greetings, we started to chat about current affairs. Switzerland and its eccentric decision to ban minarets presented itself. My friend a devoted Christian cannot believe a Christian state could ban a symbol of another heavenly religion. He suddenly said... "I thought Switzerland was a Christian state", hence, the title of this article.

Islamic minarets were and are in all over Christian countries and for centuries. The minority vote that overturned this harmony put into questions this country's wisdom and even its religion. As common to the West, the abundance of freedom and peace diminished the need to involve in politics. That indifference undermines the spirit of democracy and gives un-proportional share of power to extremist few. Direct impact of this trend is the result of the so called referendum of banning Islamic Minarets in Switzerland. The approval of this Stone Age suppression of minority rights is passed by 57% of 53% of the registered electorates. That means 30% of the eligible voters. Democracy rather than majority rule is becoming a minority rule. Well focused minority kidnaps the Western democracy and if that bigotry is unrestricted, we will lose all the rights associated with democracy

Why Switzerland is different than all other Christian nations? Do they concoct a unique religion of their own, as they sculpted their country from three nations? Switzerland has distinctive history and in many ways it is an odd state in a vibrant continent. Its people are weird in nationality. They are the Germanys that rejected their German identity, the French that refused to be French, and the Italians that kicked out their Roman heritage. What a bizarre arrangement! Yet each one of these three mini states functions individually and haphazardly in unity. They share more with their original countries than with themselves, making Switzerland a token state. Geneva sees France as its country, sharing them with common language, culture and convention. The papers they read, the media they watch and listen is that of France. Lugano sees Italy for the same and also Zurich looks at Germany. There is no Swiss language. No common heritage, they do share neither culture nor history.

This strange co-existence was admired worldwide. We all thought Switzerland as a model of cohabitation, tolerance and accepted its existence as a model of human unity. People united in destiny despite huge difference in tongue and tradition.

This false appreciation rewarded Switzerland unwarranted benefits. They secured the distinction of being the site for many United Nations goodwill and administrative offices, despite its atypical behaviour of not been a member state. The UNO employs thousands in this non-member state, occupying the most lavish and expensive buildings at the cost of member states.

Ironically the Human Rights headquarter is based in Geneva. How that can be justified with its harsh treatment of minority citizens? It is high time to move these offices out of this renegade state. Switzerland has a unique value to worldwide thieves and corrupt governments. We all know that those who pillage meagre wealth of developing countries give top priority to Switzerland when it comes where they can hide the looted treasures.

Most Arab elites and businessmen consider it, as their number one priority for safety and tolerance, when investment decision arises. Muslims were proud to send their children for higher education, to them Swiss certificate of education, was a license for wisdom and quality knowledge. All these positive attributes, true or false are lost by a decision of minority voters who opted for further isolation. That isolation will soil their reputation and eventually lower their quality of life when disinvestment of Muslims takes place. Be assured that will happen, sooner than latter. With modern communication and technology, we live in the same village. There are series of campaigns to give Switzerland its own medicine. To quote one Facebook Campaign click and join this page: Boycott Switzerland for Banning Mosque Minarets http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=190590376903

Muslims and Christians co-existed and would maintain that neighbourhood attitude for ever. I am British and proud to be Muslim. My country gives full rights to its entire citizen, regardless of colour, greed and gender. I never felt discriminated by law. There is racism and discrimination but none is beyond administrative procedures and old practices. There is no law that categorizes a sector of its citizens. It is the law which counts. In Britain, we are all equal under the law. No nation would be proud of democracy if not upholding the rights of its minority. Peace and unity are fundamental needs of nations to flourish, to develop and to exercise their duties of providing its citizens shelter, employment and education, and that cannot be realised without equality and justice.

Historically, do you ever ask yourself why there is no Muslim Spanish after over three hundred years of Muslim rule? During these centuries of Muslim rule, no one was compelled to convert to Islam. Jewish and Christians were left at their choice. Their rights were safeguarded in the first Human rights convention, which was established in Al-Andalusia, stating everyone is free to exercise his or her religion in free and safe environment. The state used to pay Priests and Rabbis as well as Imams. The opposite happened when Christian invaders conquered Spain. People were given a bible and dined with pork, if rejected their heads were severed. Thousands were slain and all compelled to convert into Christianity. That is why all grand mosques were turned into mansions and museums if not into churches. The tiny Jewish and Muslim survivors of this genocide immigrated to Morocco.

Equally contemporary Muslims respect places of worship, regardless of the religion. Do you know there are more synagogues than Jewish in Syria, all safeguarded by the state. The Christians enjoy of having more than their proportionate share of power and wealth in Iraq, Syria, and Egypt and even in Bahrain. There is one single family of Jewish origin in Bahrain and that family has one representative in national Assembly and a high level Ambassador in USA. Compare that to what the Swiss are doing and contrast that with Spanish phenomena. Having said that, in many Islamic states, all citizens are subjected to injustice by corrupt and undemocratic governments and nothing is specific to non-Muslims.

Current discriminatory acts against Islam emerged from President Bush's speech after 9/11 atrocity. He stated; "War on terror...this crusade is going to take a while..." He was not good at history. The crusades were parade of depravity in the name of Christian religion. According to Jonathan Philips in his book: Holy Warriors: a Modern History of the Crusades, The first crusaders careered through Europe, slaughtering Jews in Germany, attacking the Hungarians and pillaging the land around Christian Constantinople..."When they captured Jerusalem in 1099 the slaughter was immense, with piles of heads lying in the streets while crusaders seized babies by their feet and dashed their brains against the walls.." Compare that when Muslims captured Jerusalem and forgave all its residents, leaving Jews and Christians to worship their religion in peace and freedom.

WE have to endeavour together and stop this propensity of prejudice and annihilation of dignity of one of the greatest religions on the earth. Those of us who share in believing one God ,heaven, hell and life after death, let us unite and safe our belief which is threatened by atheists and those who define religion as a social opium rather than fighting one another. Freedom of worship is both human rights and God's command. Do not let us detached by fanatics who are tiny minority in every religion. They thrive in death and destruction.

I hope the silent majority of Swiss will regain their dignity and world status by reversing the minority decision that sullied their reputations.

Ahmed Arwo

samotalis@gmail.com

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

join SAMOTALIS:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/SAMOTALIS/238585618589?ref=nf

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS FOR PAKISTAN’S DISPLACED FAR FROM OVER – UN OFFICIAL

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS FOR PAKISTAN'S DISPLACED FAR FROM OVER – UN OFFICIAL

The top United Nations humanitarian official in Pakistan has called on the international community not to forget the vulnerable civilians displaced in the country's northwest, urging donors to contribute to a $537 million appeal launched to meet immediate relief needs.

The Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2010, put together by the Government, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other aid actors, will enable continued assistance in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) for at least another six months.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan Martin Mogwanja urged the international donor community "to keep up their invaluable contributions to enable the humanitarians to continue assisting the people in need in Pakistan."

A total of 3.1 million people from NWFP and FATA were displaced in 2009 due to Government operations against militants in these areas. The funds sought for the response plan just launched will not only response to the needs of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), but also support those who have returned to their places of origin, those who never left and the families who opened up their homes to host the displaced.

"Considering that the number of IDPs from Orakzai Agency has risen nearly tenfold in the last two months, the emergency in Pakistan seems far from over," said Mr. Mogwanja.

In addition to providing relief to the IDPs, the main humanitarian activities in 2010 will include the distribution of food, the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure and assistance to farmers who lost their crops due to hostilities and displacement.

The largest share of the requested funds – $195 million – will be needed for food-related projects, since a large part of the affected population will continue to depend on food aid. Other priority areas include shelter and non-food items, health, water and sanitation, agriculture and the coordination and management of IDP camps, among others.

As of 31 December 2009, last year's $680 million appeal was 71 per cent funded. Those funds enabled the humanitarian community to reach more than four million people in need of assistance with vital relief including food and drinking water.

Med Xasan Mataan’s article : The Dogs Park, the Caravan Passes: Aydu hayska ciddo, geediguna ha socdo

Med Xasan Mataan's article : The Dogs Park, the Caravan Passes: Aydu hayska ciddo, geediguna ha socdo

Hadalka ka soo yeedhay Maxmad Xasan Mataan,oo ah tiirarka ugu weyn ee UDUB, waa mid xaraf xaraf u tibaaxaya ereyadii Daahir Rayaale isticmaalay markuu amarka siinaayay nimanka Minnesota u jooga isagoo farayay inay baabiiyaan shirweynaha Samaroon u balansanyahay April Kowdeeda. Waana warbixin muqaal ahaan wayd ah, gun ahaana madhan.

Waxaa mudan inaan idin ogaysiiyo in Rayaale lafahaantiisu ku dhiiraday inuu toos ula soo hadlo dhowr nin oo Minnesota jooga isagoo ku amraya in shirka la baabiiyo oo la arqaladeeyo. Wuxuu talo mooday inuu raga qaarkood u caga jugleeyo isagoo si toos ah ugu yidhi "Soomaliland isugu iman mayno ninka ka qayb gala shirkaas". Wuxuu ku andacooday in shirkaasi Siiraanyo u hiilinaayo Isaaquna odhan doonaan Samaroon Soomaliweyn buu noqday, sidaana dorashada uu ku waayi doono. Ereyada diciifka ah waa ereyada warqadan ina Xasan Mataan laftiisu soo xiganayo isagoo iska dhigaya inuu gudbinaayo fikir isaga u gaar ah balse waa laga wada dharagsan yahay inay yihiin kalmadihii Rayaale isticmaalay. Waxaa kale oo laga warqabaa in Ina Xasan Mataan laftiisu isagoo ku hadlaya afka Rayaale wacay dhowr nin isagoo ku adkaynaya inay guntiga u xaytaan siday shirweynahaa u baabiin lahaayeen.

Bal aan eegno haddaba guniyo muuqaalba waxay xambaarsanayd warqada ina Xasan Mataan oo ah weerarkii u horeeyay ee xaaga saxaafada..

1. Muuqaal ahaan

Warqadu muuqaal ahaan waa wayd, waana warqad la odhan karo waa mid uu soo diyaariyay arday heer elementary ku sugan. Sharciyada u dajisan qoraalka iyo nidaamka la tixraaco waa warqad aan haba yaraatee ixtiraamin, waana sawirka u horeeya ee qof kaste ka riixaysa inuu xiiso u helo akhriskeega. Inuu si qurux leh u soo murtiyeeyo codsiga Rayaale ka soo yeedhay ,Maxamad wuu seegay,Markuu wax isku geegeeyayna hadalo is qaban Karin iyuu soo bandhigay isagoo siyaasada u haysta in waxaan jirin layska sheego. Waxayse manta arintii kaga laalantay geed dheer oo geesiyada beeraya cambaarayn kula dul kufay. Waa warqad hiil loogu tafaxaytay balse sawir fiican ka bixinayso mugga shaqsiga qoray hadday noqoto xag aqooneed iyo xag fikirba

Waxaa halkaa kaaga soo baxaya tayada shaqsiyaadka Rayaale adeegsado ama talo ka qaato. Ismana diidayaan natiijada laga hayo intuu xukunka ku magacownaa iyo dadka ku meersan tayadoodu. Malaha taas iyaa ka mid ah sobobta reer Hargaysa ugu mitideen in laga ilaaliyo shaqsi Samaroon ah oo masuuliyad ka qabta Madaxtooyada. Haddayna sidaas ahayn ma waxaan odhan karnaa Rayaale laftiisaa og inayna ag joogin wax Samaroon ah oo tayo leh oo uu ku aamino inuu la taliye u noqdo.Waa arimo la is waydiin karo waayo cid kastaa waxay ogtahay in Madaxtooyada wax Samaroona oo fadhiyaa jirin waxaan ka ahayn Rayaale, Xaaskiisa iyo oday dabaakh u ah.  

1. Gun ahaan iyo nuxurka

Warqadu waxay ka hadlaysaa shirweynaha Samaroon ugu balansanyahay April kowdeeda magaalada Minnesota. Waxay sheegaysaa dhowr arimood oo ka turjumaaya fikirka Daahir Rayaale ka qabo shirka Samaroon 

1. Shirka waxaa lagu beegay Doorashooyinka oo Siiraanyuu u hiilinayaa, waa ereyadii ina Xasan Mataan ka soo xigtay Rayaale laftiisa

Warqadu waxay tilmaamaysaa oy xiganaysaa in Guulwadeyaasha Maamulka hargaysa ku leeyahay Minnesota inay ka soo wargaliyeen in shirku ujeedooyin gaar ah leeyahay oo barbar marsan danaha Samaroon. Afhayeenka doorka guracan dheelayaa, wuxuu sheegay in "Guulwadayaasha" soo wariyeen in shirka lagu beegay doorashada. Siduu Rayaale laftiisa laga soo wariyay, wuxuu ina Xasan Mataan naqdiyay in shirku rabo inuu Rayaale lugta u qabto Siiraanyo. Waa yaab! 

• Waxaan ognahay in "Guulwadayaasha" ninkan u soo waramay inay laftoodu ku jireen kuwii gooyay taariikhda shirka loo cayimay.
• Waxay ogyihiin in marxalada keentay in shirkan laga fikiro inay ahayd dhacdadii 07/11 ee rag Samaroona lagu gowracay jidgooyo waxashnimo ah, dhacdadaa oo Rayaale maamulka lagu sheegaa ku fashilmay wax ka qabadkeeda.
• Qadiyadii iyo xaqiiqadii keentay shirka oy hore u ogaayeen una raacsanaayeen, waxay ku dafireen markay Rayaale ka heleen telefoon. Away sharaftii shaqsigu lahaa? Away raganimadii? Away dadnimadii?
• Waxaa nacasnimo iyo ardaalimo ah in laga been abuuro ujeedooyinka iyo ajandaha Shirka iyagoo ogaa dulucda ajandaha.
• Waxaa fulaynimo ah siyaasiga gabay waajibaadkiisii inuu ku calool fayoobaan waayo war farxad leh oo ah maqalka qabashada Shirweyne kulmiya Samaroon.
• Waxaa wax lala yaabo ah shaqsiyaadka sida ina Xasan Mataan ee wali taariikhda dhanka khaldan iska taaga inay sharaf moodaan ku galgalashada danaha guud ee tolka iyagoo ka doorbidaya dano shaqsiya oo arqalad ku ah horumarka dadweynaha.

 

Sida la wada ogyahay waxaa cad in sobobta shirka keentay iyo ula jeedada laga leeyahayba ay yihiin qodobo muqadis ah oo ka turjumaya danaha Samaroon.  Malaha waxay u haystaan waxa garaadkoogu garansiinwaayay in Samaroon oo dhan ka dedan tahay. Malaha, waa kas aadamiye, waxay u haystaan inaan Samaroon qaangaadhin.

Siyaasad xumada Ilaahay baday kooxda ina Xasan Mataan daafacaayo,waxaad ka garan gartaa markay leeyihiin shirku wuxuu lugta ii qaban kulmiye. Miyuuna ogayn Kulmiye laftiisa ka soo jeedo musharax Samaroon ah oo Rayaale la tartamaya. Wali ma wuxuu u haystaa in Samaroon taaganyahay halkii ay taagnaayeen markuu doorashadii u horaysay isu soo taagay. Miyuuna ogayn in wajigabax laga qaaday sideedii sano ee loo hanweynaa? Ma hurday ka soo tooseen? 

1. Wuxuu sheegay in shirka natiijo fiican ka soo baxany isagoo hoosta ka xariiqay in dad dibada joogaa ka talin Karin arimada dalkii, go'aamada shirkuna saamaydoonin dalka

 

Nasiib darada u horaysay waxa weeyi Ina Xasan Mataan iyo inta la garaad ah oo Gadabuursi u qaba inuu ku koobanyahay Awdal. Waxaa halkaa ka cad siyaasada Rayaale ee ku waajahan gobolka Salal iyo gobolka Gabilay oo maamulkooda dibada laga dhigay Samaroon. Siduu hadalka u dhigay iyo aragtida ka dambaysaa Waxaa cad in jahawareer ku habsaday kooxda ay isku mabda'a yihiin qoraha warqada. Haddii siduu isagu sheegay shirku saamayn ku yeelan doonin ummada, muxuu isku waydiin waayay waxa cabsida shuushka ah ku riday Rayaale ee ku kalifay inuu ka soo hanjabo Hargaysa. Waxaa cad inuuna aqkhriyin wuxuu qoray. Aqoonyahanaduna waa kuwii horay u yidhi ninka wax qorayaa laba jeer iyuu wax akhriyaa… Markaad daafacayso waxaanad fahansanay amba aad ka hadlayso wax kaa mug weyn haddaladu weyd bay kaa noqdaan,  waa sida Maxamad Xasan Mataan ku dhacdee.

Waxaana iga waana ah inaad Udub ahaan xooga saartaan sidii aad dadka uga iibin lahaydeen faras indhala. Xogna aan idin siiyee raaca murtida maahmaahdan Jarmalka ah ee tidhaa: "ninka raba inuu gado' faras indhala, wuxuu faaniyaa adimadiisa" 

Wuxuu aaminsanyahay inay guul ahayd siyaasadii daad-is-raacinta loogu magac daray ee danaystalyaal la mid ihi Samaroon karaamadiisii dhaafsadeen nolol maalmeed. Wuxuuna ogayn in caalimo hore yidhaahdeen: "ninka badbaado maalin ah dhaafsaday xoriyadiisa waa nin aan gayin badbaado iyo xornimo toona." Karaamada Samaroon inayna micno u samayn waxaa ka markhaati ah faalkiisa beenta daacay ee uu ku sii malo-awaalayo natiijada Shirweynaha isagoo og in aqoonyahano dabadood la hadal ku kulmi doonaan amba daadihinayaan. 

Waxaa horay loo yidhi: "markay cadceedu godka ku dhowdahay, dhagaxa uugu yar iyaa hadh yeesha oo wax is mooda oo geedaha waaweyn la ficiltama".Waana sobobaha keentay inay aflagaado ku bilaabaan birima-gayda Samaroon ee u tafa xaydatay inay aqoontooda iyo kartidooda iyo dadnimadooda ugu hiiliyaan tolkood. Waxaanse kaga gam'aynaa ficiladooda xagxagashada ah mugga weyn ee ay leeyihiin aqoonyahanka Samaroon oo Soomali ideylkeed ka markhaati tahay iyo dadkeena oo ka dharagsan xaqiiqada siyaasadeed ee ay ku jiraan. Aqoonyahanka Samaroon oo ku caan baxay run sheeg iyo anshax wanaag waa rag ka miisaan weyn hanjabaad Hargaysa laga soo diro. Awooda Minnesota loogu soo hanjabayo hadday awood tahay waxbay ka qaban lahayd dhiigii Samaroon, dhulbalaadhsiga loo isticmaalo ciidanka lagu sheego inuu qaran yahay iyo dhulka muqadiska ah ee shilimaadka la dhaafsaday iyo waxyeelooyin badan oo masuuliyadeeda la ogyahay cida iska leh. 

Iyagoo sideedaba ka naxa karaamada Samaroon, "Guulwadayaasha" Maamulka Hargaysa waxay daciifnimadooda afka soo mariyeen ereyo cay qaawan ah oo loola dan leeyahay in dadka lagu jahawareeriyo. Balse waxay moogyihiin in manta la soo gaadhay waxtigii kooxda hanka yar lala xisaabtami lahaa. Intay been caruureed ka faafinayaan  Shirka Samaroon nuxurkiisa iyo sharafta daadihiyaasha Shirka waxaa habboooneed inay sii darsaan waxay isku daafici lahaayeen ee ay ku qancin lahaayeen reer Awdal & Salal oo karaamadoodii dhulka ay ku simeen.  

1. Waxay sheegeen in shirku yahay mid Soomaliweyn ah!

Waxaa nasiib daro ah "Guulwadayaasha" Maamulka Hargaysa inay hub ka dhigtaan eedaymo lagula kaco cida ka soo horjeeda Maamulka ay gariyo gardaro daafacayaan iyagoon wax werwer ah ka qabin dhibaatooyinka taariikhiga ah ee Maamulkaasi gaystay. Waxay ilawsan yihiin markay ereyadaa sheegayaan inay wixii sharaf ku hadhay ay iska xayuubinayaan, ereyadaa meel ka dhaca ah oo wax ka ifinaaya miisaankooga siyaasadeed. Balse waxayna garan cilmiga siyaasada iyo maamul dawladeedka dadka bara dunida horay u martay inay yihiin aqoonyahanada Samaroon. Waxayna garanay in dalka iyo dibadba kuwa wax la weydiiyaa inay aqoonyahanada Samaroon yihiin. Shaqsiyaad horayba ay ugu haraadeen inta horumarka Samaroon neceb, waxba ma yeeli karaan niman aan ogayn halka looga taliyo Maamulka ay difaacayaan. Hadday inuun u dhuun daloolaan siyaasada mandaqada iyo waaqiciga ka jira Soomaliland manta ereyadaa kulamay dul kufeen shirweyne aayaha qoomiyad dhan ka hadli doona. Haddalka Ina Xasan Mataan ee xaqiiqada ka fog wuxuu markhaati ka yahay inuu si ula kac ah oo raqiis ah uga been sheegayo ajandaha Shirka Samaroon. Maahmaah reer Yurub ah iyaa tidhaa: "Aduun waxaa u liita nin qaawan oo isku qaba inuu huga uugu fiican xidhanyahay". Ina Xasan mataanow, Samaroon waa ka mug waynyahay meesha xanjada laguugu dhajiyay. Been abuurka aad isku xidhiidhisay shirka iyo Somaliweyn jawaabteedu waa murtidii Cilmi Dheere ee ahayd:" Cilmi Dheeraa i kufsaday war ha ka dhigatee…" 

1. Mashruuc jitaabo ah iyuu qoruhu ku tilmaamay Shirweynaha Samaroon mudo ka soo baaraadagaayay.

Guusha walaalkeed doqonbaa ninkale u loogtee, ina Xasan Mataan hadduu u haysto in aqoonyahanada Samaroon wax la faro, ha ogaado inay aqoonyahanadaasi yihiin kuwa habeen iyo dharaar la baryo si ay siyaasiinta wax ugu iftiimiyaan. Intuuna hadalku afkiisa soo dhaafin malaha waxaa fiicnayd inuu qoruhu u badhigo caruurtiisa oo xaqiiqo ahaan ka joojin lahayd inuu la xishoodo wax aan caruurtuna iibsan Karin. Dhowrka la fikirka ah mooye waa ayo cidduu rabo inay dhagaysato waxaan is qaban Karin? Mashaariicda jitaabo ee marmar loo turo sidii tii diiwaangelintii miyuu mooday Shirweynaha qoomiyad idili ku balansantahay? Maahmaah turkiya iyaa tidhaa: "Carrab dameerbaa ka roon carrabka beenaalaha". Mashruuc jitaaba ah waa wuxuu ina Xasan Mataan iyo dhigiisu aaminsan yihiin taniyoka 1991, mashruucaas oo ah mid uuna waxba ka ogayn ujeedada laga lahaa iyo halkay ku dambayn doonto. Mashruuc jitaabo ah, Maxamadow,idinkaa fuliyay oo ku qancay in Samaroon qoomiyad ahaan hoos loo dhigo iyadoo lala simayo jilib hoosaad. Waa jitaabadaan hirgaliseen ee natiijadii ka soo baxday Samaroon saamigiisii siyaasadeed ku lumiseen. 

1. Gabogabo

"Maalin u noole isma xisaabiyo mana xisaabtamo",waa murti ruugcadaa Habar-cafaan ihi Gabilay ka yidhi qarnigii inaga tagay bilowgiisii. Samirku xaduu leeyahay. Way soo gudhay in loo dul qaato amba loo dabranaado  koox danaystayaal ah oo qadaraas ku qaata burburinta talooyinka asiibaya danaha mustaqbalka iyo aayaha ummada Midna inay ogaadaan waa lagama maarmaan: waxba wakhtigu yuuna idinkaga lumin arqaladayta Shirweynaha Samaroon iyo biri-ma-gayda Samaroon, waayo shirku wuu qabsoomayaa intii qoomiyad leh ee iimaanku u fayowyahayna way ka soo qaybgali iyagoo haysta taageerada Samaronweyne. The Dogs Bark, the Caravan Passes. 

Jaamac Cusmaan

Canada (Ottawa) 

warqadii Med Xasan Mataan: http://harowo.com/2010/02/03/shirka-loo-abaabulayo-reer-awdal-ee-minoseto-yaa-ka-danbeeya-maxaase-awdal-uga-faa%e2%80%99ido-ah/