Tribalism in the Horn

tribalism in the horn

I had an interesting discussion with professor Said Samatar of Rutgers University about tribalism in the Somali society whilst working on my latest report for English to Africa. This is indeed a very vast area to summarise in a short few minute report but I wanted to shed light into the dominance of tribalism as a governing system in the Horn of Africa.

Let me know what you think.

Somalia is on Diaspora

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Somalia came through..

As in the artist Somalia aka Yasmin Mohamed, who came to the VOA studios on Friday. We sat down with her and the result is the above program. Many thanks to Somalia for keeping us company during broadcast and more importantly for the wonderful work she is doing.

once in a while...

you come across ordinary people doing extraordinary things. People who revive the hope you once had for the world and make you assess the level of valuable contribution you are making to the well-being of society.
One such person is a lady by the name of Hibaaq Osman who runs an organisation named Karaama, which started as a women's shelter in Cairo but operates now across all the Arabian countries. What's unique about her organisation (and I found this out during an interview we did with her)is that the organisation functions in a very hands-on type of approach where coordinators and researchers are involved in the communities they operate in so they are aware of social problems most women in each country face.

One of the most common problems in the Arabian lands is domestic violence, which has become an accepted culture that most women don't see as an issue to complain about. In this instance, Karama workers create public awareness and educate these women that violence should never be an accepted behaviour under any circumstance.
In the case of women in Somalia, their plight is far bigger and deeply rooted. Girls as young as 11, sometimes even younger find themselves on the streets exposed to rape, molestation, torture with no one to turn to. Some of them become mothers whilst they're still children and the list is endless.
I am happy though that there is sympathy felt by those who can make a difference and some of them are taking decisive action to promote the well-being of women.

Ahmed Omar Mohamed in Thailand

stuck between a rock and a hard place..

We often go about our daily lives complaining about trivial things like the long days at work, smelly people on the metro, too much traffic on the road, not realising how lucky we are to have those things we complain about (yes including metros with smelly people!!) lol.
I spoke to this young Somali gentleman a few days ago who lives in Thailand as a refugee. Half of his body is disabled which means he can only use one arm and one leg to get by. He has no relatives nor does he have a family to look after him. The trouble is Thailand does not recognise refugees or asylum seekers which means he doesn't have the relevant paperwork to get any kind of finacial or medical support. Furthermore he cannot work due to his disability.
long story short; He cannot survive in Thailand but he has no means of going anywhere better...

He's on the Diaspora program linked above for those of you who understand Somali. Anyone else who wishes to help him in any way his email address is diini70@hotmail.com.

Rally attempts to restore sanity amongst Americans

Today the streets of DC, in particular the NW/SW part, have witnessed a comedic historical event that attracted over 250,000 people, all vowing to be on the sane side of mind whilst stamping all over each other on the underground trains. The Rally? Comedy Central's very own Jon Stewart dubbed it 'the rally to restore sanity'. His intention? to promote reasonableness (lol).
It was a very interesting turnout of people from all walks of faith and life. The whole event had a comedic feel to it with Stewart and Colbert in character but with a periodical political twist.

"These are reasonable people," Stewart tells Colbert. "They won't be once I release the bees!" shouts Colbert. "You're deliberately created fears of things that don't exist," says Stewart. "No I'm not, I'm raising awareness," replies Colbert.

Another funny performance was the duet of Ozzy Osbourne and Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam who appeared on stage together in perhaps the world's least likely duet.Then Kareem Abdul-jabbar was produced by Stewart after Colbert jumped in and claimed all Muslims were scary ( A jab at the NPR dude that got the sack for his 'fear of Islam' comment).

Stewart had some moments of seriousness as well making statements like "We live now in hard times, not end times" and "If we amplify everything, we hear nothing."
However my favourite part of the whole day was scouting for endless signs that proved to be top entertainment by themselves.
One sign said: "Iraqi-American here. I'm afraid to get on a plane with myself."
Another one had a Tea party slogan and underneath the slogan they wrote: "Snakes, Snakes, watch out for the snakes!"
Great day!

tales from a perusing mind

A few days ago I went to visit the Indian American museum not far from where I work and came across the delightful yet under-documented culture of the people whose very land we walk on. What stood out for me was their stark resemblance of recreational dances and rituals to those of many African countries. Their culture is embedded with dances and activities that signify the changing nature of life on this earth and the events associated with it. Some of their traditional dances reminded me of some Somali traditional dances such as their dances when gearing up for war, celebrating weddings and the arrival of a revered person. Very fascinating and enjoyable to say the least.

On a different note I took part in a Somali community event held some days ago where community leaders and Somali Americans came to discuss the ongoing issues in Somalia and how they can play a role in engaging the US government to provide more support for Somalia. Some days later the CSIS held an event where Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary for African affairs at the state department, presented their new policy towards helping Somalia. Most of the material presented had all been heard before but what stood out for me was his mentioning of the lack of unity amongst Somalis living in the US, thus engaging them is proving to be a difficult task. It resonated with me because I see so many organisations springing from everywhere across this country. (Same problems by the way exist in Europe too.)While their efforts is admirable yet there is so much room for improvement.

Many of these organisations exist by name only and few are actively engaged in the betterment of Somalia or the Somali people. They can have such a greater impact if they formed partnerships and build a united voice. On an individual level, many have much to say but few translate their words into deeds. There are for example so many Somali refugees displaced all over the East African region, many street children with nowhere to go and orphans who struggle just to make it to another day. Sponsoring them and taking care of them is something anyone can do with or without an established government. Whilst one pushes for security and stability to be brought to Somalia, he can also address the immediate needs of the Somali people. But my sense is that compassion has become a dying breed in this day and age...

The clouds reach out..

to converse with your confused state of mind
Confide in them for confusion is not a companion of the championing kind

What is confusion but a concoction of condraticting thoughts?
failing to comprehend life's true purpose is the real calamity

Seek out clarity through the conversations with your Conquerer
overstepping the cues of capitalism and cravings to buy happiness

Understand and own your capabilities
and remain consistent with the path you seek

The canvass of your life waits to be painted complete
use Lady Courage to lead you to the resilient lands of Composure
as you linger to carve out your calling

Commend yourself for conquering the clamorous noise of life
paying compliments to the most High

slipping back to reality

It's been a week since I've been back and the reality of work and DC living in general is humming its way back into my ears. For the first time though I noticed how in zinc the body is with the mind and soul. Whilst at home in the UK, I was in a serene and homely state of mind and thus slept easy, felt healthy and good-spirited. My natural bodyclock woke me up in the morning and told me to go to sleep at a decent time at night. I was eating freshly cooked home meals every day.
Back in DC, the psychology part of my brain I guess adjusted back to a temporary state of living and so the fight to fall asleep, even bigger struggle to wake up and cranky aches here and there have started to worm their way back in. I've been here for two years now but I still feel I live an urban type of nomadic life, like I arrived yesterday and will be going away tomorrow.
I am happy to be back though, and I say this with a slight sense of emotion as I am homesick already. After having a long break, I usually come back budding with energy and a 'get a million things done' type spirit so I'm excited to be back at work in particular and to contribute to the well-being of society in general.

In the world of political journalism, not much changes often especially in Somalia. I've come to yet another senior politician who resigned from his post, more violence and blasts and a rising death toll. More men fighting over power, more people talking at the same time and no one willing to lend a listening ear...

all good things, to an end they come

I am feeling a wee bit sad as my visit back home is slowly coming to an end.I am due to go back to the US next weekend and time has just flown by. I've been having a wonderful time just hanging out and chillin with the family. It doesn't feel like I've been here for a month!
Ramadan has also come to an end unfortunately. We've celebrated the first day of eid today. Ramadan for me each year is a time of reflection, a time to strive to become a better person and find ways to maintain this for the rest of the year. I pray Allah will accept our fasting, salahs, sadaqa and du'as and may He forgive all of us insha allah.

pebbles of thoughts

I remember you
your thoughts come to me
through the pages of the books I read

I remember you
your humanity breezes through my heart
everytime I perform a goodly deed

I remember you
your soothing words
induced with kindness
the relief they bring
anytime calamity might strike

And when crowds rejoice
in the arrival of my presence
I smile as the sweetness of
upholding a pleasant character
enters my heart
I still remember you

The humble nature of the one who reflects

greetings from leicester

I am enjoying some well needed rest,time with the family and ability to reflect with a clear mind. Life is good, very good at the moment, alhamdulilah. I started in London where I arrived on the morning of friday the 13th and stayed for the remainder of the weekend. London does not change. Same little kebab shops and mini markets are springing from every corner, little fish and chips houses are still at large and pollution fills the airwaves but the heart is at ease on her streets.
On Tuesday I went to Birmingham marking the first stop of the series of family visits I will embark on during my visit back home. Didn't get to do much but rest some more. By Thursday, the day I was departing for Leicester, I was so well recuperated, I could've started a one-woman revolution! But I managed to spend some good quality time with members of my family.
Since my arrival in Leicester, I've settled into making iftar, improving my siblings' Somali language skills, catching up with semi-lost friends and reminiscing on tales of yesteryear.
On Sunday we went to the masjid to catch a well-versed khutbah that left many of us with food for thought. The khutbah addressed the problems that have escalated from the breakdown of the family, an issue that is all too common within the Somali community. Although not many people were in attendance but I do hope the ones that were there, especially the parents, took away the lessons that were to be learned from that wonderful khutbah.

some thoughts...

I had the privilege of attending the second annual Somali Diaspora youth conference here in the DC metro area a week before last where I gave a short presentation on the role of ethics and integrity in the media. This topic has been floating through my mind ever since then as I ponder on the situation of the Somali media. There is no denying the fact that there are many issues wrong with the Somali media but I intentionally made sure I didn't dwell too much on pointing these issues out during my presentation because I realised that, above everything else, these outlets were a result of the ongoing civil strife in Somalia, just like many other issues that affect the community today. Instead I opted for informing the community on the role of ethics in the media and how the community can play a role in shaping the stories covered.
In terms of the mainstream media, the most important asset for journalists and any media company is reputation. Behaving ethically in a consistent manner and remaining impartial and unbiased is therefore at the fore front of attaining good reputation with the target audience. This allows the media to connect with their audience and establish a sense of trust which will ultimately contribute to the growth of that news agency. This is why most if not all media agencies in the western world have a code of ethics. Some go a step further and establish their own self-regulatory bodies such as ombudsmen or industry wide bodies that ensure the code of ethics are adhered to.
However in many countries without freedom of the press or good governance, the majority of people who report the news may not follow the above-described standards of journalism. Non-free media are often prohibited from criticizing the national government in many countries and in some cases are required to distribute propaganda as if it were news. Various other forms of censorship may restrict reporting on issues the government deems sensitive.
But remaining truthful is especially important when news sources cover conflict stricken areas or areas where there is limited access to sound information, a place like Somalia. What’s even more pertinent here is that Somalis’ main form of obtaining information is through word of mouth and there is a heavy reliance on media outlets such as radio stations.

Ever since the collapse of the government, there has been an outbreak of media outlets in forms of radios and websites as well as TV. These have all been individually created with most of its owners having no previous experience or training in media. Consequently a surge of individuals claiming to be journalists broke out since there is no way of double checking the validity of their claim.
On the other hand, since Somalis became dispersed across the world fleeing the civil war, these media agencies grew to fill the communication void that was created by the war and Somalis had a means of staying informed of the happenings in their homeland. However many of these media outlets also served as a propaganda tool to promote personal, political or tribal goals and as a result fueled the ongoing war.

These media agencies commit ethical and integral offences on numerous levels including those based outside the country but with ignorance towards what ethics really is and the role it plays in the media, one can hardly blame the individuals committing those offences. The journalism industry in the Somali context has become devalued with everyone aspiring to be a journalist without seeking the knowledge or training.
Those outlets based within the country can only be held accountable with the return of good governance and judicial institutions that can regulate the industry. In additio these institutions can train them as well so that the quality of the local media is raised.
The ones based outside the country, in my opinion, suffer from a self-rightous type of ignorance in the sense that they believe they know what they're doing without having that knowledge. Or more scarily, they are aware they ought to seek experience in the field but are afraid to admit (believing that admitting one has weaknesses is automatically classified as failure).

Having said all of that I believe the community has an important role to play when it comes to images portrayed of the Somali community by the mainstream media.For example, by establishing a relationship with the media and keeping them informed of the issues the community cares about whilst giving them an angle relevant to them, ensures awareness is created. Once this takes place on a community wide level, the media in question will have a voice to reckon with.

On a more personal note, I am gearing up for Ramadan and my trip back home. Pray for my safe and sound landing and return, please. I've been working back to back shifts for the past 2 months if not more, so I could really do with a break.

countdown to August 12 has started

Counting down to when I get to fly back home to the good lands of Britain, I miss home. Looking forward to resting, spending quality time with family and friends and a break from the mayhem known as Somalia.
Another disaster struck the country today as militias reported to have links to Al-Shabab waged a war against Puntland security forces not too far from the Bosaso side of Puntland. Fighting ensued throughout most part of the morning coming to a halt in the early afternoon but casualties continued to mount, most of them civilians.
I did a crossfire discussion based on this latest incident which followed up on several security related incidents that were occurring in Puntland and given the fact that Al-shabab has spread its wings towards Uganda and more locally Puntland, it is undeniable that they are a force truly underestimated by most authorities. Furthermore the untold story of Al-shabab is that they have a lot of support from many Somalis, especially those living in the areas under their control where they have secured its peace and stability.
We often overlook the fact that when a people haven't had any sense of stability for almost 20 years, they'll appreciate the minute things we take for granted such as the ability to go to the market and buy food without fearing a grenade landing on your head, children going to school and establishing a means to support your family whether it is trading in the local market or having a farm whose produce you can sell. The chopping of limbs and terrorist attacks is what we see whereas those on the ground have a different image of Al-Shabab. This is where they have masses of support and that's where the real danger can come from as a civilian upheaval is one of the most detrimental things that can happen especially if it is in support of a group like Al-Shabab.

Gearing up to go back to school I have been studying for the GRE exam which I am due to take this coming Saturday. I've been studying for the past three months so I am somewhat confident but I can feel the build-up of butterflies in my stomach as the exam date draws closer.
Wish me luck:)

living the night owl lifestyle..

These days I seem to be permanently fixed on the night shift, working during the night and sleeping during the day. I find myself answering emails at 3am and updating my facebook status at similar times. The tricky day is Friday when I have to switch back to day shift reporting to work at 7am when I finished at 1am! I come back home feeling like an overcooked chicken lol. But the good thing is my bodyclock is now getting some sort of regularity whereas before it was totally discombombulated( as in all over the place).

Workwise South Africa has dominated much of our coverage lately. Football fever has finally worn off and although my team did make it to the finals, the boys unfortunately failed to close the deal. I still give them thumbs up for getting that far and reigning unbeaten for 25 games on a row.
The reality on the ground now is that security in South Africa is back to normal and xenophobia is feared to resurface with many immigrant business owners closing their shops down after receiving threats from local criminals. Many Africans fear for their lives as some South Africans have recently become known for killing African immigrants they consider are reaping off the resources of their country. This hatred-filled targeted killing has now reached another level where locals are willing to kill anyone as long as it is financially profitable for them.
Just last week 2 Somali shop owners were slaughtered in the Capetown area by local men who were apparently paid by Bengali rival business owners. Witnesses said the victims had cheaper prices than other businesses and refused to put their prices up.
It is a sad phenomenon.

On a more personal I was listening to a story the other day that left my mind with some food for thought; A young Saudi man survived falling off the 7th floor of a building without a scratch. As he got up he felt like the luckiest man on earth. He felt if he had survived that kind of an incident, he was meant to live a long, flourishing life. As his thoughts were filled with happiness, relief and an overwhelming sense of joy, he continued on his way crossing a two-way road without looking at both sides...He was struck by a car coming from his left and died on the spot.
Perhaps death doesn't cross our minds that often so I wanted to share this with you for those of you that contemplate.

Somali islamists and their impact on the lives of women for VOA English

Education history of Somalia

Somalia is fifty years old

Today Somalis all over the world celebrate the day they gained their independence from Italy and Britain in 1960 and joined to form the Republic of Somalia. To mark this occassion we at the VOA Somalia service have been preparing historical programs of Somalia's history over the past fifty years from the educational, social, political and economical perspective. I prepared the education part and have uploaded it above.
With that I bid all my fellow Somalis a very happy anniversary and may things improve for those in the country.

some journalistic humor in Somali

birthday bird!

So I aged another year over the past week and as is accustomed to unspecial birthdays I celebrated with a pile of work on my desk and conducting interviews highlighting the plight of Somalia as we do everyday at the VOA. Some co-workers took pity on me and took me out to dinner just so that I can say it wasn't yet another day gone by lol! On a more happier note mother can be proud her daughter is growing and moving forward!

To share the comedy that sometimes takes place in the studios and general journalistic hiccups resulting from ridiculous news, I have uploaded a newspiece that a colleague and I were working on not too long ago dealing with the Somali pirates that were captured by the US. It is the unedited version full of sinus, cold, coughs and laughter! Enjoy at your own discretion...

aspiring globetrotters start their travels on a small scale

That small scale being travels within the US. Since moving here I've been lucky enough to see the streets of Atlanta, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, New York, Elizabeth, New Jersey and more recently the Somali lands of the US also known as Ohio and Minnesota. I spent a few days in each city gathering info on the Somali youth in US prisons and the reasons behind their run-ins with the law.
I was firstly taken aback by the sheer number of Somalis that live in Columbus and even more so in Minneapolis. Communities are well established with many Somali malls, shops, caffees and restaurants as well as various community organisations. Sadly there is very little being done to tackle the problems Somali families are facing. Somali families in those states often consist of single parent households where the mother is tackling everything within the family by herself and more often than not does not speak the English language and has very little understanding of how things work in the US. Their children on the other hand are educated here and have a broader understanding of the US system so the family ends up suffering from a role-reversal syndrome where the child becomes the defacto parent as they have to explain everything to their mothers. Furthermore children often face educational difficulties and struggle to cope with the classes they're put in so a high volume of Somali students drop out of school and the mother wouldn't know until much later.
Many of these children then find comfort on the streets where the local gangs offer them a regular income and a sense of belonging. Soon this membership leads to them committing crime and ending up in prison.
I came across several youngsters who've been in prison and have led a turbulent gang life. Their stories were a mixture of heartbreaking sadness as well as tolerance. The mothers of these youngsters were particularly touching to listen to.

Working on a similar prison report as the one I did on the UK detailing the stories of the different individuals that have an insight on what happens when one breaks the law in this country and how this affects each and everyone of them.

May 23d Ethiopian elections report for VOA English to Africa

Atlanda circumcision case report for English to Africa

thou shall strive to praise me...

In the midst of covering news and often speaking to political figures, I couldn't help but notice the rampant self-righteous attitude that plagues many of them (also known as 'the self-righteousness syndrome').
Taking a closer look around I also noticed people's readiness to praise those in power and senior level positions (as they too are looking for favours in return that can bring them praise of their own).
Granted it is a human nature for people to like being praised and adored but the psychological impact this creates is the feeling of superiority to the point where those being praised feel above average people and only willing to accept further praise and admiration from them. They become less inclined to take advice and constructive criticism and thus truth becomes lost, morality will be destroyed and a pavement to a corrupt society is formed.
This is the syndrome that unfortunately many African intellectuals suffer from.
It baffles me however as I always believed that knowledge brings enlightenment and therefore broadens the minds of those seeking knowledge. In today's age it seems there is a cap on the amount of knowledge one attains in the sense that once the seeker of knowledge acquires a certain level of knowledge that brings him praise from society, he feels accomplished already and gradually transitions from being a knowledge-seeking individual to a praised intellectual who falls in the pit of the self-righteousness syndrome.
Humility is a dying characteric amongst today's people.

reconstructing history

Last weekend I attended a lecture on the history of Islamic civilisation in Africa and Western Europe and was amazed at how history that is taught to us today has been used to maintain the status quo of the Euro-centrics. I remember in school when the history of Spain and their invasion of Latin America was being taught to us and the Islamic civilisation was always portrayed as a bunch of Moors that came to invade Spain for a little bit and were chased out. Furthermore they were depicted as barbaric baboons that weren't literate but were only strong and characteristic, a clear reflection of portrayals of black people on modern day TV and cinema.
Bearing in mind that history is usually regarded as a record of past events I realise that historians will always arrange available information according to their understanding or mandate and thus never objective. Consequently history is used to tell the stories of the conquerors.
If one switches its lens to the other side of the coin, it quickly becomes obvious that America for example was not 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 as this would indicate that no one lived there but rather was lost on his way to India and stumbled upon the land of the Native Indians. But when history teaches this invastion as a discovery, it allows the invaders to fulfil their intentions and deny the existence of the original people.
Going back to Spain the Islamic civilisation lasted for over 700 years leaving many historical facts such as a thriving economy, literacy across the Iberian region, public services and generally advancing the standards of living whilst the rest of Europe lived in the dark ages. Another amazing fact was that most of the Muslims that lived in that region were the indigenous people that willingly accepted Islam, not the Moors, and it wasn't forced on them.
As I sat through the lecture, I started to wish I knew this information during my history classes back in my school days. What also dawned on me is the fact that youngsters in school today are still being taught this history from a Euro-centric perpective and thus come out of school with their minds filled with historical facts that withold some of the information and don't paint the full picture.
There is a need for a movement to create awareness and tell the stories of Islamic civilisation and African history accurately.

time flies when one is having fun

The past few weeks have literally flewn by. Bodyclock is still getting to grips with haphazard shifts that sometimes seem to double and roll into one another! But I had a moment to myself last weekend and went to see 'why did I get married too'! Hilarious, absolutely funny, I was in histerics especially at this lunatic psychopath of a wife who is suspicious of her husband's every move. And her voice phew! She can scream and kick up a real fuss! But I liked the drama side to it as well. Perry has a good knack to explore the multiple layers of human behaviour and emotions. However he always leaves one with questions regarding certain scenes that have been abruptly cut. The ending also left me wondering was that it? I'm assuming there is a third part coming. All in all though it was a good watch.

I've discovered this smoothie place around Dupont that I've become addicted to; they make the best smoothies hands down. They have these cute names too like 'escape to the bahamas' which is a mix of pineapple, lemon, ginger ale and strawberry icecream! I must've gained 50 pounds since my 'fattening discovery' lol!

On an intellectual note I've taken a liking to the works of Dr Ali Mazrui, a Kenyan african history scholar who's works are a unique blend of chronicles of the evolution of African history and a biographical take on life under colonial rule. What's fascinating is Mazrui's generation itself who were growing up in the midst of African nationalist rhetoric between the 1930's and '60's during the political battles of historical figures such as Nkrumah, Toure and Kenyatta.
Reading some of his material particularly his life story is highly recommended.

'discombombulated' bodyclock

As some schedule occurred this week my body has given me many raised eyebrows and question marks. I tell my body to stay up for work on monday night and sleep at 1am then wake up at 7am and work during the day on Tuesday. Body adjust at some point on Tuesday evening all hyper and full of energy thinking work has been changed to evenings only to be told again to sleep early to go to work Wednesday morning! I found myself very sleepy at some point this morning but then entered zombie mode so now am home having no work till Thursday evening but no sleep in sight...

I came across a story on NY times that disturbed me; the story of young Polish girls who solicit themselves as prostitutes in the shopping centres in exchange for designer clothes. Although the girls themselves do not consider this prostitution as no cash is exchanged, they nevertheless agree with strange men to exchange sex for a particular item. These girls known as mall girls are typically between 14 and 16 and come from a family with a single parent. They often abuse drugs or alcohol, and sell their bodies in search for self-esteem. The writer of the article said the girls did not accept money and called their clients “boyfriends” or “losers” to preserve the illusion that they are not prostitutes.
A film made to highlight this issue tells the story of four teenage girls who turn tricks in the restrooms of shopping malls to support their clothing addiction. The film has attained such cult status that parents across the country say they are confiscating DVDs of the film for fear it provides a lurid instruction manual.
The revelation that Catholic girls, some from middle-class families, are prostituting themselves for a Chanel scarf or an expensive sushi dinner is causing many on the streets of Warsaw to question whether materialism is polluting the nation’s soul.
In the film, the character Milena, the knowing and vampish queen of the mall girls, explains to Ala, her innocent protégé, how to target an affluent sponsor: “Look at a guy’s shoes, his watch, and his phone and you can tell if it’s expensive. It’s a start, right?” she explains. Love doesn’t exist, she adds, what matters is what you can get for sex.
The real-life mall girls say that after choosing a benefactor, they follow him into a shop, and seduce him by trying on clothes. Sex is exchanged only for an agreed item like a blouse, never for cash. It usually takes place in the stalls of bathrooms at the mall or in a car in the parking lot — a fact that has prompted intensified security at malls and forced the mall girls to seek out alternate venues.
What is particularly disturbing is the fact that this is taking place in a developed country with a considerably affluent government compared to third world countries.

latest thoughts racing through my head..

So I've been away from the blogosphere for a wee bit now and for a good reason; I had an awseome time in Atlanta last weekend where the days were somewhat busy but nevertheless eventful. I was working on a story dealing with a Somali lady who was detained by the Atlanta police because she had circumcised her 10-month old baby. Now circumcision has been a longstanding practice in the East African community but what is a recently increasing development is folks carrying the practicie out in the US. Some of them take their children back to Africa and others make arrangements with local doctors/nurses or anyone known in the community to be familiar with circumcising children. This lady is still awaiting her sentencing but she is looking to do some time in prison since circumcision is illegal in the US. But many community members aren't aware of this and also seem to be unaware that this practice isn't a religious requirement.
I connected with some friends of mine in Atlanta who work with East African communities and run local health projects and radio shows who put me in touch with women who underwent circumcision as well as local doctors and district attorneys who have come across these cases. It was interesting to find out that circumcision breaks not 1 but 2 of US aggravated battery laws. Furthermore if the child was taken abroad a kidnapping charge could be filed against the parent/guardian. This story will run as a two-part report on my Diaspora program next week Monday and Wednesday.
Whilst there I went to the CNN center which is huge! They have their own shopping mall. I also went to the olympic park where the Olympics were held when Atlanta was hosting it in the late 90's. The flags of all the participating countries are still waving. I also went to Stone mountain which is a 5 mile hike upwards but when you get to the top and you look down, the scenery is simply breathtaking! You can see the whole city. Definitely a place to go back to.

UK prison system report for the VOA

reflections on this week

I was reminded of an important lesson this week; personality and the ability to get along with people goes a long way. It is useless if one is the most gifted person on earth but has no personality to deliver that gift and share it with others. May Allah beautify all our characters and make us get along with each other giving each other the respect and appreciation we all want for ourselves.
With that out of the way, I have a funny story to share with you; I went to my local store earlier on this week and as I was walking past the ladies' I saw a trail of tomato juice leading up to the ladies'. Shortly afterwards security as well as the store workers came to the scene and guess what; some dude who must've been bored out of his skull thought this was a funny trick to pull. He was apparently so bored shopping with his wife, he psyched himself up to be the store entertainer for the day! Message to all married men; Don't agree to go shopping with your wife if it bores the living daylight out of you!
At work I had a particularly busy week, I re-edited and extended my report on the UK prison system and the Somali youth locked up in it. After some longwinded office politics, it has finally been scheduled to air this Sunday (March 14) as part of the sunday discussion program. It is the longest investigative report I have done so far for the VOA and I sincerely enjoyed doing it. I hope listeners enjoy listening to it as much as I did putting it together.

Stay blessed folks :)

getting to grips with Americanism..

For the first time today I noticed I'm slowly getting accustomed to American culture. I went shopping for soup and found myself instinctively reaching out for chicken noodle soup! Back home I would've grabbed tomato soup or a veggie one but kids like lil' mama keep singing songs like 'chicken noodle soup and peanut butter jam' and I find myself frowning at first but slowly getting in line for a taste..
Anyway I then leave the shop all wrapped up with my hoodie on my head and my gloves on and some knucklehead crosses the street only to stop and stare at me hurling ' you're the eskimo lady'! I hurled right back 'Yes I am'! (whatever that means). I've embraced folks shouting about whatever they feel like, only in America though. Another indication I'm getting to grips with American culture.

On a more serious note I saw this video on youtube the other day that really made my heart tremble; young Cameroonian girls whose breasts get 'ironed' with hot stones as soon as they start to develop to prevent them attracting men and getting pregnant. Apparently this has been a long practiced tradition in the rural areas but there's just as much practice in the cities.
And then there is the case of orphaned children who become too old for the orphanages that took care of them i.e. they become 16+ , and the centre needs to create space for new orphans but yet these 'grown' orphans have nowhere to go, no family to support them, most of them can't stay in school once they're out of the orphanage and thus end up being on the street exposed to god knows only what. Who is responsible for these children's welfare if society keeps drifting their attention to whatever the media portrays as important? It's often the under-reported, ignored cases that really matter in terms of aiding humanity.
We keep seeing devastating pictures and portrayals of man-made destruction and civil strife and the world is urged to intervene but who vouches for the children too old to stay in orphanages or for those who end up being smuggled from East africa to the Middle East sold for pittens because they're hearts or livers or kidneys are useful to some spoiled family with an ill child? their little bodies are slashed into, their kidneys are taken and then they are discarded on the streets of Saudi Arabia.
What about the abused and maltreated East African maids working in the Middle East in places like Dubai and Jeddah who's bodies get tossed out of a window if they don't perform their duties well enough, forget being paid? They're illegal and that means in those countries they have no human rights. One has to wonder, who is looking out for these people if all members of society turn a blind eye? May Allah bring relief to them.

Anyway shifting the focus back on to me I am finally picking up my French lessons again as I've met a sister who's French and willing to help me practice so I'm back in the swing of things. I previously stopped cos I got tired of conversating with myself hehe but all is good. Danc j' aller coucher maitenant (which I hope means I am off to bed now otherwise I'll be needing more polishing than I thought lol).

saluting my recent form of good company...

Aka operation solomon authored by Stephen Spector, a book that chronicles the rescue of Ethiopian Jews as they journeyed back to the homeland of their ancestors; Israel. Operation Solomon was the mission that Israel undertook in May 1991 when they airlifted over 140000 Ethiopian Jews. The book details the rescue mission itself which took around a day and a half and caused many sufferings and degradation to the Ethiopian Jews, who longed for a 'time of redemption' wel over a millenia.

So I've finally finished my UK prison report about a month ago but still waiting for its airtime, I felt like I gave a small birth; I had to sit through 3 hours of audio much of it being ramblings and folks offloading their complaints about the British justice system only to extract a half hour report but I'm happy with the end result.

A new envoy has been appointed by the Somali government to the US; Abukar Arman. He's a writer and very active within the political/activism sphere but in all honesty I can't help but remain watchful from a pessimistic point of view. I have a lot of respect for Arman and his many accomplishments pave the way for him to be a role model for many aspiring Somalis looking to give back to their communities. However it seems the tide is against him and given the fact that the US has only ever been orally supportive or from a humanitarian perspective, one must look at what the potential progress is that this appointment can make. The task at hand seems extremely overwhelming and with the Somali community known for their lack of unity, I wonder how much support he can rally up to achieve any of his goals.

My humouristic love affair with Americans continued as I stood in line not too long ago to withdraw money from an ATM machine. The lady in front of me approached the machine and as she withdrew her money she started screaming on top of her lungs 'I won, I won' and skipped away! Was she on something, dared to do that as a crazy joke or was it just for the sheer amuzement of her fellow cash-withdrawers I don't know, but everyone in line sure had something to laugh about for a long while lol!

set the bar and then kick it up a notch America

A sound-minded friend once told me if you keep lifting the same weight every day, you'll never make any progress. In fact at some point you'll get so comfortable, you'll feel you've reached the peak of your comfort zone. This will give the illusion that you've reached your potential, you know everything you need to know. You're at the top of your game but you've lost sight to the fact that you haven't made any progress for however many years.
I wanted to touch on the necessity of ongoing personal growth today. I see many people here in the States that are surrounded by ease and comfort doing the same role they did for donkeys' years. People remain in their positions for 20, 30 years only moving up when it is absolutely necessary and don't feel the need to push their boundaries. The thought alone is scary, imagine not having the drive to escalate onto greater things and levels of personal progress but yet be surrounded by all the opportunities of the world. The need to grow and challenge oneself should be an innate human instinct so that you can look back every so often and be proud on the challenges you've overcome and progress you've made.
Here in the US the common mentality seems to be the other way round. People celebrate the fact that one remained at the same company doing the same job til retirement day, it's an honour! One is proud he/she was able to do a job at 55 that he or she was doing at the age of 25. Anyway that's my rant for the day.

I had the most delightful day at work. Working on the Friday youth series, I interviewed a young, dynamic lady who had a rare approach towards Somali nationalism and literature. She's as young as 26 and spent most of her life in the West but had this unique connection to her homeland writing, composing and reciting poetry in Somali, an uncommon attitude amongst most Somali youth of today. Look out for her story as part of this week's youth series...

bring on the February fury

Also known as the snowstorm wreaking havoc in the DC metro area. We're flooded under! The office has primarily been occupied by ghosts and some destitute journalists (myself included). All normal people were off chilling at home, unwinding and perhaps listening to those poor destitute journalists telling them what's happening outside lol!
The city has come to a stand-still. Nothing known to function is functioning normally. Forget about government agencies, all of them are shut down. Buses, trains, cars all swept under and side to side. I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up tomorrow morning and saw humans flying!
It's funny though how a grand city stops functioning just by the sight of some inches of snow. I wonder what states like Minnesota and North Dakota are thinking, they're probably sitting back, sipping a beer and having a laugh at the good ol' capital's expense. It snows there all the time and things still run smoothly, people still go about their businesses. You think a country would be aware of each other and exchange useful tips from region to region (clearly not in America).
I suppose it gives them something other than the Obama healthcare plan to talk about on the news and a good piece of comedy for those all-year-round snow-stricken Alaskans lol!
All for now, catcha laterzz.

kenya...

is still arresting Somalis and has now started deporting some of them to Somalia. The trouble occurring is that the talk and actions of the government are condradicting one another. On one hand they are stating they're aiming to rid the country of potential terrorists and other individuals that can pose a threat to the national security of the country but they've arrested and deported 9 Somalis today alone and 8 of them were women, mothers with children. In addition to this so-called security threat there is a crackdown on the immigration issues as well as the increasing number of Somalis coming to live in the country. I think there might be a motive to have an impact on the many businesses Somalis have established there. What the government isn't addressing is the looting and raids that are being done to the Somali businesses. Furthermore there are reports indicating torture and rape is taking place by bandits hiding behind the police or the police themselves.
Kenya has an unstable political reputation in the eyes of the international world with corruption and violence erupting from elections still vivid in the minds of followers of Kenyan affairs. This is an additional blow to their deteriorating conditions that they will live to taste the bitterness of in the near future if they do not put a lid on it.

Reporting from my happy place!

Being able to sleep early has done me wonders, the military style discipline is the most productive step I have taken so far in 2010 lol (I'm hoping there's some productivity tucked back here). I wake up just after 4am a wee bit tired but once I'm up and about I run around like a new born spring chicken on prozac lol (don't laugh).
This month for me will be remembered as the month of Haiti; when the world shook its earth and I pray may Allah subhana wata'ala be with them as they strive to find their loved ones. Though it has been a while since the earthquake took place, people are still being dug up from underneath remnants and collapsed buildings and therefore the search quest te reunite families missing members still continues. Children have lost their parents and extended family members leaving them orphans with nowhere to go. Mothers have lost their husbands in the quake and are left to take care of their children with businesses lost and no income.
Insha Allah lets keep them in our prayers and do as much as we can to help and support them. There are many charities on the ground providing emergency relief. There are around 1 million Haitians that need shelter who have lost their houses. The number for those in need of food, water, sanitation facilities exceeds all possible equasions. The Haitian government is currently planning to relocate 100,000 people just outside of the capital Port-au-Prince but even there the basic needs still exist. The long term needs to rebuild the capital and areas of the island that have become damaged as well as the infrastructure of the country and people's businesses rely on the hope of the world reaching out. Let us do our share, lets give regularly as much as we can to any of the relief agencies operating on the ground.

gazaholism

means when one practices the art of gazing a bit too excessively! lol that cracked me up. I was watching wife swap a few days ago and the swap was between a hunting family that eat anything from rabbits to horses and a vegan family of which the mother gazes at the sun for energy. She believes this can replace food and thinks this could be the answer to world hunger....
then she goes back to the kitchen to raid the fridge! lol, says she hasn't figured out the knots and bolts yet. She was a very active animal rights campaigner only to show up at the door step of a family that believe animals are made for human consumption! What I couldn't get over was how this woman was so adamant about the sun being able to replace food then jump right back to the kitchen to eagerly devour some serious food and not feel silly.
She would argue if people in places like Africa knew of sun gazing they could become independent and not starve and at the same time not wonder why she's still hungry even though she 'stares at the sun' every morning. Americans never seize to amaze me.

Today for the first time in a long time I am putting myself to sleep at 7pm, need to get some serious discipline happening in my life. I find myself struggling to get up every morning because it's so early but not try to sleep early enough to get enough rest. And so my severely delayed new year resolution is to militarise my sleeping schedule lol! Good night :)

new year, new hopes

A very belated happy new year to each and everyone of my family and friends. 2010 has brought a very chilly start but of course each new year brings new hopes and so we're diving in with heads held high and remain grateful for the blessings of 2009. I am in particular in a humble and grateful state of mind. 2009 has been the year where I got accustomed to DC and the VOA and though it was a scary and anxious time for me but I've had a tremendously fulfilling and welcoming time so far. So I'm driven to accomplish much more this year hopefully. WEBR's show has officially started airing each and every Tuesday at 4pm and Patrick and I are having a great time hosting the show. Come fall time I'll also hopefully start my Phd either in African Studies at Howard or Philosophy of journalism at Maryland, I'm still in two minds.
At the VOA both my horn series and the prison report are still in the editing stage. It's dragging on a bit now so I'm hoping to bang it out soon. Still thoroughly enjoying producing the Diaspora program which airs every Mnoday and Wednesday.
On a more personal note, as I was still struggling with adjusting to the cold here I went out on Sunday and bought the biggest northpole type jacket I could get my hands on lol! I now look like a tall domesticated eskimo!
In terms of Somalia, the situation is just going from bad to worse and I'm really worried it will just be wiped off the world. People are fleeing to wherever they can get to and those who haven't been able to leave are displaced within the country. There is literally not a safe area at all as explosions and suicide missions are being carried out in all parts of the country. There is talks that Britain and the US might send troops to Somalia alongside Yemen in the vain hope they might strike lucky this time given the previous failure attempt of Operation restore hope. We live to see insha Allah, I just hope some form of normality might come about for the civilians.