FaridNet

Somali-Canadians Set Prioritized Famine Response Plan.

2011-09-05T22:00:00.001-07:00

By Farid Omar.

Concerned Somali-Canadians in Toronto converged at the Alliance Neighbourhood Services on Jane Street on the evening of August 17th for a community consultation meeting to map out an effective response plan for the ongoing famine in Somalia.

Called by Aran Somali-Canadian Relief, stakeholders from various organizations strategized on how to formulate an operational response for the ongoing crisis as well as build viable partnerships with credible organizations in the regions of Somalia hardest hit by the famine.

Attention focused on the Somali map dotted with regions targeted for priority action. During the gathering, five famine struck regions were designated as priority zones that require urgent help from the Somali-Canadian Diaspora. These include Bay, Bakool, Gedo, Middle Jubba and Hiiraan where the severity of famine is classified in that order. Reports indicate that 30,000 Somali children have died in the famine zone. The Lower Shabelle and Mogadishu areas are also affected. The major problem in Mogadishu is the increased influx of people affected by famine who have been flocking to the restive capital.

“The case of Bay is particularly troubling as this area was the epicentre of the 1991-92 famine, where the region’s capital, Baidhabo, was dubbed the city of death with the famine of that period taking 300 lives each day,” said Abdifatah Maroyare, co-ordinator for the Centre for Youth Development and Mentoring Services that provides academic, social and recreational supports for at risk youth.

In the ongoing crisis, 100,000 people displaced by the famine in the hardest hit areas have found their way to recently established camps in the Mogadishu area.

Abdifatah noted that “it is important for Aran to continue with its outreach activities and maintain contact with among other groups, the faith community where fundraising has been going on.

The Dundas Square public outreach campaign was a successful event and Aran should build on such initiatives”.

Participants at the meeting noted that the people trapped in the Al-Shabab controlled famine zone are the most oppressed communities in Somalia and progressive forces should therefore stand up for the rights of these people and fight against injustices visited upon them in what is essentially a man-made famine.

In the wider context, it was observed that it has been difficult for aid to reach people in Al-Shabab controlled regions where aid agencies are banned and in Ogaden region, which is under a blockade by the Ethiopian regime.

According to forum participants, the Mogadishu area is also in crisis. Although Mogadishu has water wells and government exists there, it has recently experienced heavy rainfall where the outbreak of cholera and other water-borne diseases are a major risk factor that can impact negatively on the health of people housed in makeshift shelters in the surrounding camps.

“The hardest hit areas should be the priority for famine relief. It is in these areas where people are dying in large numbers, where people’s livestock have been wiped out by the drought and where weak mothers are forced to abandon their children” said Hassan “Karate”, anchor of Ogaal Radio, 88.9FM adding that “In the absence of external help, the strategy here is for Somalis to help their folks who are suffering. Whatever Somali people can bring in terms of resources, expertise, fundraising, media exposure etc should form part of a cause inspired by self-help initiatives. The young generation has been doing an excellent work on this front and should continue to double their efforts.”

Suad Aimad, an organizer with Aran, said that “Aran has brought people together since 1994 for the purpose of delivering aid to Somalia. The community consultation meeting is meant to map out a plan for an expanded humanitarian response especially in priority regions while working in partnership with like-minded organizations”.

Dahir Galbeti, a community developer, underscored the need to have an effective partner on the ground.

“We need to partner with a local organization inside Somalia that can be trusted with logistics and overall delivery of aid” Said Dahir.

Suad said that Aran has people on the ground and informed the gathering that “Aran’s President has left Kenya for the Bay region. Aran has reports from the ground- from places like Hiiraan, Bay and Gedo etc.”

Aran has been monitoring the situation on the ground closely.

“We have reports from Bay, Bakool, Hiiraan and Mogadishu that we would share with donors. We need to prioritize along the 5 mentioned high priority famine areas. No one is in the Bay and Bakool area due to blockade by Al-Shabab. Even the media says that these are places where urgent aid should be taken. Our plan is to set out priorities that would make the delivery of aid accessible to the worst hit areas. ” said Hassan Sheikh, Aran’s relief co-ordinator who maintains a daily telephone contact with people on the ground in the Bay and Bakool regions.

It was observed that Turkey, a major contributor to famine relief in Somalia as well as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E and Kuwait, are among the countries that have delivered aid to the Somali capital of Mogadishu. While these efforts are laudable, participants said it is time for Somali-Canadians to do their part by delivering aid supplies directly to areas designated as priority regions inside Somalia.

“The youth are significant contributors to the relief cause and we would greatly rely on their efforts. We need to distribute aid equally to the 5 or 6 worst affected areas. We call for an independent delivery of aid while relying on credible partners on the ground. We need to take humanitarian aid to the hinterland where it is most needed” said Abdi Hashised, the Executive Director of the Jane Alliance Neighbourhood Services.

In its ongoing efforts to establish a solid presence on the ground, Aran will soon send a representative to Mogadishu and other affected areas to assess the situation on the ground. The representative will gather information from people in Mogadishu who arrive from priority regions. While in Somalia, the travelling member would update Aran on regular basis. This will help the organization formulate effective response plans and lay the foundation for an extended action on the ground.

For more information, Aran Somali-Canadian Relief can be reached on the following phone numbers:

Hassan Sheikh (416) 837-1948, Suad Aimad (647) 703-7229.

Feed Somalia Subway Drive Raises Funds for Famine Relief.

2011-09-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

The campaign to feed Somalia’s starving hit Toronto’s underground as an energetic team of young volunteers descended on the TTC subway system to raise much-needed funds for their famine ravaged homeland.

Deployed in nine select subway stations along the Yonge-University-Spadina and Bloor-Danforth lines, the mostly student volunteers from the Feed Somalia youth-led international aid initiative collected money from Toronto commuters, between 7:00am – 9:30am and 3:00pm – 6:30pm during the Monday, August 8 and Wednesday, August 10 morning and evening rush hours.

By the end of the two-day subway funds drive, over $24,000 was raised for the victims of disaster in Somalia. Thanks to Toronto and Canada's culture of giving as well as the tireless efforts of dedicated volunteers and coordinators doing their best to alleviate human suffering in the disaster zone.

Feed Somalia is working in partnership with Human Concern International (HCI), a Canadian, charitable organization operating in 34 countries including Somalia. All proceeds from the subway blitz will go toward famine relief in Somalia.

Facing its worst drought in 60 years, the war-torn Horn of African nation is gripped by a devastating famine that is threatening millions of lives. The UN says 12 million people in East Africa are affected by the famine with conflict-prone Somalia being the hardest-hit country.

Latest reports indicate that 30,000 Somali children have already died in the last three months. If immediate action is not taken by the international community to curtail the preventable famine, over 600,000 severely malnourished children on brink of starvation may perish in the next few weeks.

Displaced by drought, famine and conflict, thousands of people are forced to trek under scorching hit for hundreds of miles across the Somali desert to refugee camps in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia. Children, the weak and elderly, have succumbed to the harsh terrain while emaciated mothers and babies have reportedly died at the doorsteps of refugee camps. Those who survive the harrowing journey end up at the inhospitable Dadaab camp, located in northern Kenya. Nearly half million Somali refugees are crammed in squalid conditions in what has become the world’s largest refugee camp.

“The response has been good as people have been donating” said Elham Ashkar, the co-ordinator of Feed Somalia’s subway campaign who on Monday evening, led the drive from St Andrew Station. She was joined by volunteers Muna Rage, Mahad Mohamed and Suad Abukar. The Toronto fundraising drive follows a similar event in Edmonton where volunteers recently raised $14,000 during a walk for Somalia, exceeding their $10,000 target.

The well-co-ordinated funds drive has received a good share of media attention with reports that CP24, CBC and OMNI TV had conducted interviews at the Kipling and Yonge/Bloor subway stations.

According to Elham, Feed Somalia started in Toronto but has quickly grown into a global movement. Thanks to social media as tweeting and facebooking activists helped create other chapters in Edmonton, Winnipeg, London, Ottawa, Nairobi and California etc. The Feed Somalia website includes tabs for all chapter cities where potential donors can submit online donations via HCI. The youth-driven initiative has partners in different parts of the world.

Elham urged the Canadian public to donate even beyond the subway blitz saying that “the Canadian government will be matching donations dollar for dollar till September 16th”.

“Donations are tax deductible with no overhead cost to donors as hundred percent of money donated will go toward local NGOs. HCI is also donating additional money from its own budget” said Elham adding that “donations are directly channeled to two reliable partners on the ground; the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation and Himilio, another local NGO. These organizations are engaged in food distribution initiatives.”

Elham notes that HCI and Feed Somalia are reputable organizations that are transparent and accountable to the public.

“We monitor the situation closely and our partners update us regularly on the operations on the ground. This serves as a proof that we are openly accountable to the donors.”

Apart from the ongoing famine, Elham says Somalia is facing long term development challenges. In the interim, concerted efforts should be taken to alleviate the humanitarian crisis but the world should keep in mind Somalia’s long term needs.

“Right now, our main focus is the famine. Later, in the long run, once stability returns to the country, we would help with infrastructural development and other needed projects” said Elham.

In addition to raising funds, the campaign is also raising greater public awareness on the unfolding crisis.

“People have been asking questions and I think the public has a right to know where the money goes and what’s happening on the ground. It is our duty to inform and enlighten potential donors. The more people get informed, the more they are inclined to donate,” said Elham.

Armed with pamphlets, photos, placards and sound knowledge of the crisis, volunteers in nine TTC subway stations were doing precisely the same - inform and enlighten.

“We give out fact sheets to potential donors and explain to them what they are donating for” said Suad Sidow, a grade 12 student planning to pursue university education. Her grade 12 colleague, Halla Ahmed, reached out to commuters at the Yorkdale station chanting, “Feed Somalia! Help Save Lives! Children are affected most by the drought!” Both Suad and Halla were born in Canada. Their parents fled at the onset of the Somali civil war in the early nineties to seek refuge in Canada.

As Halla chanted, a smiling commuter placed a donation in the collection box.

“People in Somalia are in desperate need of help, that’s why I am donating” said John Dickenson, a Torontonian preparing to catch a subway train during the evening rush at Yorkdale station.

Another commuter, Muhammad Al-Hashti, handed a donation to the volunteers. “I have an obligation to help my brothers and sisters in Somalia” said Al-Hashti, originally from Saudi Arabia.

At the Dundas station on Monday evening, Hassan Abukar led volunteers Mahad Mohamed, Leila Ibrahim and Roda Abdi.

“People are donating. We have had a good response so far. Commuters have been placing all types of donations; $5s $10s, $20 bills etc. In the first 2 hours of the morning rush on Monday, we collected approximately between $500- $700” said Hassan.

Non-Somali volunteers at Dundas station were pitching in as well. Vimo Kumar, a Canadian of Sri Lankan origin said “I want to help Somalia. I have lots of Muslim and Somali friends.” Sennai Russom, an Eritrean-Canadian volunteer, concurred with Vimo, saying that he came out to lend support to the Somali cause.

“Help Somalia! Please Donate! Any Change would Help!” chanted the volunteers as concerned commuters chipped in their donations.

Maimuna Diop, a Senegalese donor said that “it is unfair we have everything in Canada while people in Somalia are starving. I would encourage everyone to donate”.
Valerie, a Torontonian, made a donation noting that she understands Horn of African issues well having lived and worked in Eritrea and Ethiopia in the past.

At Yonge & Bloor station, Sahra Mohamed and Shukri Abukar were very busy reaching out to potential donors during the Monday evening rush. “Torontonians are giving” they said.

The Wednesday evening rush was abuzz with hundreds of commuters milling around the busy Downsview station. Ibrahim Ali, a Feed Somalia co-ordinator, was upbeat and felt that things were going pretty well.

“I am impressed by the generosity of Torontonians. They empathize with our cause and seem to be aware of the issues. It is good to be generating bucks for this often overlooked cause” said Ibrahim.

Khadija Ahmed, a volunteer at Downsview, said that “nobody should be starving. I am here to help the cause for our country.” The Canadian born, York University Liberal Arts student hopes to visit Somalia in future once peace and stability returns to her homeland.

Ibrahim notes neighbouring countries are also suffering but Somalia remains the hardest hit stating that that the current crisis is affecting all of Somalia, not just the south.

“The only difference is that the northern and central regions of Somalia have relative stability. In the south, there is no stability and no effective central government. That’s why HCI is focusing its attention in the south but we invite other big NGOs to help northern parts that have regional administrations, but albeit, fledgling ones and hence still need help” said Ibrahim.

Ibrahim reminded the public that fundraising for Somalia goes beyond the subway blitz.

“We understand that not everyone can make it to the subway stations to donate. People can still donate online by visiting the HCI website or by contacting the organization directly” said Ibrahim.

Dahaba Hassan is a student at Seneca at York. Overseeing fellow volunteers during the Wednesday evening rush at Dundas station, Dahaba said that “a lot of people are generous. They realize that the humanitarian crisis is an issue not just for Somalis, but for the entire human race. That’s why we are reaching out to non-Somalis”.

New Documentary Film Highlights the Plight of Somali Refugees.

2011-09-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

Somali-led initiatives to raise greater awareness on the plight of Somali refugees took to the silver screen in Toronto and other western capitals with the recent screening of the acclaimed documentary, "Dadaab: Get There or Die Trying".

The documentary is the work of Somali filmmaker, Ahmed Farah, who has documented the life of Somali refugees for several years, and Abdisalaan Aato and Deeq Afrika. It highlights the plight of Somali refugees who endure hardship and untold suffering in a hellish journey that has claimed numerous lives, notably children, weak mothers and the elderly.

In a public screening organized by Aspire 2 Lead, a youth-group, Somali-Canadians and members of the general public thronged the Nat Taylor Theatre at York University on Friday, July 29th to watch the documentary and hear Professor Mohamud Siad Togane and other featured panelists speak.

The documentary traces the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees into the world’s largest refugee camp, in Dadaab, Kenya where close to half million displaced Somalis live in squalid conditions.

The combination of two decades of a devastating civil war and recurring humanitarian disasters including the ongoing drought and famine ravaging much of the Horn of Africa region is pushing more refugees to trek under scorching heat on a lengthy and dangerous path across the Somali desert to the inhospitable Dadaab camp.

Displaced by conflict, drought and famine, Somali refugees are left with no option but walk hundreds of miles to Dadaab camp where upon arrival, their ordeal turns into another nightmare.

Media attention is focused on refugees arriving at the Dadaab camp while those who can’t make it through the Liboi-Dadaab corridor, which can take days to cross, are left with nothing. The documentary highlights the need to reach this unserved segment of refugee population through the provision of immediate relief under the banner “survival backpacks for Somali refugees”. In part, the filmmakers hope to fundraise for the Survival Packs campaign: www.globalgiving.org The typical backpack relief supplies would include blanket, shoes, canteen for water etc.

During the shooting, the filmmakers embarked on a backpack trip across the harsh corridor that stretches from Liboi, located at the Kenya-Somalia border, to assist refugees making their way to Dadaab. Like most other Somali analysts, the filmmakers are urging those willing to help the refugees to go beyond Dadaab.

The producers of this documentary not only uncover the perils of the killer path (road to Dadaab) that is taking lives but mistreatment of refugees in Dadaab camp where unprocessed, emaciated refugees, are forced to wait for days without food and shelter.

Refugees interviewed by the filmmakers give disturbing accounts of their harrowing journey to Dadaab with grisly tales of elderly and infants dying along the way and weak mothers forced to abandon their children who inevitably succumb to the harsh terrain. The refugees also speak about the appalling conditions in the Dadaab camp such as the lack of assistance for new arrivees who endure lengthy waits for relief help.

Speaking to the public during his keynote address, Professor Togane recounted how he was driven out of Somalia in1973, blaming his forced exile on the then military regime. Saying that the Somali crisis has been in the making since 1973, Togane said that unnecessary “enmity (within Somalis) produces obscenity like this” adding that Somalis should now “better dwell on what they can do than dwell in the past”.

Stating that war and famine go hand in hand, Professor Togane, who is known for his stern rebukes, blamed Somalia’s crisis on local, regional and international actors. At the national level, he castigated Somalia’s political class that has driven the war-torn nation into ruins.

“This corrupt leadership is accountable to nobody. These leaders have no vision beyond their bellies. When there is no vision, people perish” said Professor Togane.
At the regional level, Mr. Togane highlighted how neighbouring countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and to some extent Djibouti that are fueling the Somali conflict, are responsible for the ongoing mayhem. It is not in the interest of these countries to see peace and stability return to Somalia.

At the international level, Mr. Togane blamed the US for destroying Somalia’s agricultural sector having flooded the local market in the past with food aid. Prior to that, Somali farmers were harvesting enough food sufficient for local consumption.
Mr. Togane also hit out at the UN and other international aid agencies saying that they are equally culpable for Somalia’s misery.

“The UN and the aid industry are making money out of Somalia. This Nairobi-based cabal has never set foot inside Somalia for the past 20 years” noted Mr. Togane. The best solution is for " Somalis to put the UN and Museveni (Ugandan Leader) out of the meetings". President Museveni is one of the architects of the divisive Kampala Accord, which Somali observers say places their homeland under an illegal trusteeship.

Unity, Mr. Togane emphasized, is the only viable avenue out of the current political stalemate in Somalia.

“If we don’t unite and overcome our petty differences, nothing will work. The ongoing suffering is largely due to lack of unity. This has made Somalia become the country of death” Said Togane.

Somalis, Mr. Togane argued, should learn from the experience of Cambodia.
“In Cambodia’s killing fields, over one million people perished. But the people of Cambodia got up and said no more death. We want life!”

Invoking Bob Marley’s “one love, one heart” philosophy, Professor Togane called upon Somalis in North America to come together and organize the biggest demonstrations ever in New York in September, “to shame Somali and world leaders” who will converge at the UN during the upcoming summit of the General Assembly for "allowing Somalia to descend into further chaos".

Somali-Canadian Rally Drums Up Support for Beleaguered Homeland

2011-09-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

The stifling summer heat was no deterrent for the concerned Somali-Canadians who converged outside the US Consulate in downtown Toronto to galvanize action for their drought and famine ravaged homeland.

“Help Somalia!” “Save the Children of Horn of Africa!” “Stop the War!” and “No Peace, No Justice!’ were powerful chants that greeted the public, pedestrians and onlookers alike as motorists honked to express solidarity with members of the Project ARAN Canada, organizers of the Saturday, July 30th rally and march and the multitude of demonstrators waving banners and placards clad in white and orange T-Shirts emblazoned with “Help Somalia” slogans.

More chants of “Stand up Canada! Open Your Hearts! Open Your Wallets!” rang across the downtown Toronto streets. ARAN stands for “prosper” and “grow” and the nascent organization is credited with galvanizing action within the Somali-Canadian community and in mainstream Canadian circles.

With latest UN reports indicating that tens of thousands have already died and hundreds of thousands are at risk of starvation in the Horn of Africa, Somali-Canadians are stepping up efforts to raise greater awareness about the crisis as well as expand relief campaigns for their beleaguered nation.

Somalia is experiencing the worst drought in 60 years and the UN has declared the unfolding humanitarian disaster “the worst crisis” in the world today. Close to 12 million people in the region are affected while hundreds of thousands of children in Somalia are severely malnourished. The UN has officially declared a famine in the epicentre of the crisis – the worst hit regions of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle while the rest of the country is classified to be “on brink of a famine”.

Compounded by ongoing conflict in South-Central Somalia, thousands of people continue to trek hundreds of miles in scorching heat across the Somali desert to overcrowded refugee camps located in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia. The majority of these refugees end up in Dadaab camp, in northern Kenya, the largest in the world where over 400,000 people are crammed in squalid conditions.

Nawal Isse, a social worker and Project ARAN organizer based in Toronto, arrived in Canada at the onset of the Somali civil war. She is determined to set foot on the ground to help in the relief efforts. Despite her unwavering commitment to support her homeland, Nawal, who arrived in Canada at only age 4, admits that going back to Somalia can be a challenge.

“The only country I have known since childhood is Canada. I consider myself the lost generation. Canada is the only place I can call home. I feel lost in the middle but still have small, lovely memories of Somalia” said Nawal, adding that “I wish I could have been returning to Somalia on a pleasant, fun-filled vacation, but that’s not the case. The situation on the ground puts tears in my eyes knowing that I am going back for reasons of crisis. I can feel the pain from here already. I feel obligated to help my brothers and sisters back home who are dying. I want to help. I want to be their voice. I urge every Somali-Canadian to do the same.”

Nawal equally expressed her solidarity with the entire Horn of African community that is engulfed in this crisis saying that victims of disaster in this region should be accorded all the help they need. A strong proponent of Somali-Canadian centred response , Nawal observes that self-reliant, self-directed action is the most viable mechanism of alleviating the human suffering in Somalia.

“ We need to take the initiative to act on behalf of our people. We shouldn’t rely on others to fix our problem. Somalia has a new generation of young people like me it can count on. We need to take back our country. Somalia has been led by others for far too long. It is time Somalia takes the lead. I can see Somali youth in North America, Europe, Middle East and elsewhere mobilizing and taking action. For Somalia! By Somalia! should be our motto.”

But it would take more than action to tackle Somalia’s intractable problems. Unity, Nawal noted, should be the cornerstone of the struggle to rebuild the war-torn nation.

“We don’t want Somalia to disintegrate. If we unite and consolidate our ranks, we can conquer all the ills and misfortunes in Somalia and the Horn of Africa at large. You can never underestimate the power of unity. We need to band together as one people. For that to happen, we must transcend tribal and regional loyalties. I don’t believe in petty tribalism. Those who have the same ideas and share the same goals to help Somalia are my tribe. The same is true of like minded youth in the Diaspora."

Like Nawal, Fahima Artan arrived in Canada at a young age. Fahima stated that Somali-Canadians are grateful to Canada for providing a safe heaven, re-settlement programs and education for those fleeing the protracted conflict and wished that she could one day “go back home to a peaceful, stable Somalia”.

“The reason I came out today is that I am disturbed by the fact that children are dying. We must show the world we can get together as a people and take action of our own. If each individual, young and old, donates $1 each, that would make a huge difference. I will do everything in my power to alleviate the suffering of the victims of the disaster” said Fahima.

Her views are echoed by youngsters Aisha Mohamed and Iman Issa who said “every penny, every dollar counts”. Aisha says that Canada is doing the best it can but hopes that it allocates the bulk of the aid geared for the East Africa famine relief to Somalia, the hardest hit nation in the region.

“Every 6 minutes, a child dies in Somalia. We must raise awareness to get people to join and donate generously toward our cause” adds Aisha. Hawa Kin Mohamed concurs with Aisha and Iman stating that “kids and women with no food, water and shelter are dying. Every penny counts! We must stand up for Somalia.”

Suad Aimad, an organizer with ARAN said that the organization came up with the initiative to encourage every Somali-Canadian to participate directly in relief efforts to rescue their beloved homeland. But Suad is increasingly concerned that the ongoing crisis and overall political instability in Somalia could have far reaching implications that may potentially threaten the very existence of this nation.

“The protracted conflict in Somalia and recurring crises are creating a disturbing pattern of exodus and depopulation which in the long run, may drive this nation into extinction. If Somalis don’t unite to end the ongoing mayhem, we may end up in the annals of history as a nation that was driven into extinction by disunity and societal fragmentation” said Suad.

She issued a stern warning that if Somalis are not careful, “Historians will teach future classrooms that once upon a time, a prosperous Horn of African nation called Somalia collapsed and never recovered, its people were dispersed all over the world and lost all traces of their identity and the entire nation was wiped out from the face of the world map.”

Suad said that she doesn’t want to sound pessimistic about the future of Somalia but thinks that it is time someone raised the alarm. “Like no other country in the world, Somalis are being driven out of their country or choose to leave voluntarily on a massive scale. We have never seen this level of exodus in recent memory. If our people continue to flock in large numbers into Kenya and Ethiopia, they will down the road, become Kenyanized or Ethiopianized. The foundations upon which we can rebuild and save our country are rooted in Somalia, not neighbouring countries. To prevent the situation from turning calamitous, we must unite.”

Sagal Ahmed, ARAN’s assistant co-ordinator, said that unity and action on the ground hold the key to unlocking Somalia’s dilemma.

“Our people must stick together and unite in the face of the unfolding crisis. We are obligated to help each other and must do everything in our power to facilitate relief operations on the ground. The most effective way to alleviate the suffering is to step up disaster response inside Somalia. In the next 3 months, 3.5 million people may perish if immediate actions are not taken to halt the famine. It is imperative that Somali-based initiatives and global relief campaigns establish a solid base inside Somalia to directly assist the victims of the disaster” said Sagal.

While Project ARAN Canada calls upon Somali-Canadians to stand up for their country, Hassan Sheikh, an organizer with the dynamic group says that it is encouraging to see Canada taking a prominent role at state level response.

“We thank the Canadian government for its excellent response and the Canadian citizens for doing their part. Canada and its people are known for their culture of giving and commitment to help others. There is no better way and time to demonstrate this level of generosity than in the current crisis” said Hassan.

Of late, development analysts have criticized northern-led NGOs for taking an easier route - turning the Dadaab refugee camp into a hub of relief efforts. Like many other concerned Somali-Canadians, Hassan is calling for aid agencies to go beyond Dadaab by reaching out to victims of disaster trapped in the epicentre of the ongoing crisis.

“Right now, 3.5 million people in the Bay, Bakool, Gedo and Lower Shebelle regions are at risk of perishing in this famine struck zone. When it comes to humanitarian response, the UN and other international aid agencies can’t pick and choose where to operate. They should go beyond Dadaab by reaching out to the worst hit areas inside Somalia. While emergency disaster response can be tricky and complex, humanitarian intervention should have no borders” said Hassan, adding that “Project ARAN Canada is ready to help aid agencies navigate around language and cultural barriers and facilitate the smooth delivery of aid to where it is needed most inside Somalia while coordinating closely with local communities”.

Stating that ARAN will act as the voice of the voiceless, Hassan believes that the ongoing crisis should not be solely seen as a Somali problem but an issue for entire humanity.

“This should be no different than the disaster responses for Haiti and Japan where people from across the world acted together. Regardless of their race, colour, religion or creed, we want everyone to participate in the relief efforts, not just Somalis, or Africans or Canadians but entire humanity in general” said Hassan.

Apart from calling for international humanitarian appeal, protesters also felt that everything should be done to bring the devastating Somali civil war to a halt.

“While we are here to demonstrate to fellow Canadians that Somalia needs help, Somalis must do something to stop the bloodshed. The ongoing crisis is compounded by the 20 years long political turmoil. We don’t want Somalia to go down further than this” noted Mohamed Omar.

According to Mohamed, only an end to the political upheavals can save Somalia.

“People are needlessly dying of war and hunger. There had been no stable government in Somalia for 2 decades now. We better put in place a stable, competent government. Somalia would be in better position to tackle any impending crisis if it re-establishes a functioning government.”

Karim Nur also emphasized the unity project. “The saddest thing to ever happen is for an entire nation to be struck by a famine. We must come together for the future of our homeland. We can make a difference if we work together as one people.”

Project ARAN Canada has been hailed in media circles as an initiative of Somali-Canadians of the Lawrence and Weston neigbourhood, the commercial hub of the community. Nasro Sheikh Hassan, the proprietor of Golden Hair designs, is a member of group of mothers who pioneered community mobilization that culminated with the founding of ARAN. Nasro would like to see an end to the influx of Somali refugees into neighbouring countries where they are often mistreated and forced to live in deplorable conditions. She also confers tangible solutions to check the flow of refugees across borders.

“We must stop the influx of the displaced into refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia where they are often abused. Worse still, the weak, including children, mothers and the elderly, lack the energy to walk hundreds of miles in difficult terrain. They mostly end up dying on the way. The solution is to set up three refugee camps in the border areas inside Somalia in places like Bulla Hawo (Beled Hawo) and Doble while an interior camp should be opened in the Kismayo area. We also want the establishment of transit camps where aid workers operating on the ground can provide temporary relief for the displaced people who are trekking long distances in search of help” said Nasro who decried the actions of NGOs that profit from the suffering of Somali people.

Nasro would like to see more direct action from her community insisting that it is an obligation to help the suffering. Saying that every single dollar counts, Nasro feels that even minimal steps can produce results.

“If mothers who feed their children with MacDonald can cut back on that and every individual cuts back on their daily intake of coffee, it would free much needed dollars that can be re-directed to the needy in Somalia.”

Her fellow community activist and organizer, Suad Aimad, recently told Ogaal Radio (88.9FM) that “Canada is the land of plenty where people throw food into garbage while people in Somalia are starving.” These calls for food recovery models that have been applied elsewhere are now finding some traction in the Somali community.

Nasro believes that the ultimate solution lies in the establishment, of a strong, united, and competent national government in Somalia. Since parents are more concerned with the disintegration of a homeland they may not have the ability to rebuild by themselves, she sees hope in Somali youth who are mobilizing and taking action across the world.

“Without peace, there is no life. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been pumped into what the international community calls a government in Somalia. No one knows where the missing dollars end up. Somalia should rely on the youth who were born and raised here in the diaspora to rebuild our homeland. These youth are free from the scourge associated with clanism. They are the best asset we have today. They are here to build Canada and they have the potential to rebuild Somalia as well” said Nasro.

Like everyone at ARAN, Nasro is of the view that Somalia is both a problem for Somalis and entire humanity.

“Canada is our home and we are all Canadians. Our primary objective is to help our people and Somalis should take the lead in the ongoing relief efforts. But the crisis we see today is also a call for humanity to act. Humanity came together for Haiti’s sake, which is laudable. It must also do everything to help rescue Somalia” said Nasro.

The mere mention of her name sends cold chills running up the spines of the Ford brothers. During her last year’s municipal campaign for Etobicoke North’s Ward 2, Dr. Cadigia Ali gallantly took on the Ford brothers (Mayor Rob Ford and Councilor Doug Ford) and won the public debates hands down. Despite missing out on City Hall, Dr. Cadigia Ali is still fighting to stop Rob Ford’s agenda. Protestors were encouraged to see Dr. Cadigia plying her familiar territory- grassroots community mobilizing and on this particular day, the rally for Somalia.

“In 1993, I was at this venue (outside US Consulate) for a famine relief rally for Somalia. It hurts me that almost 20 years later, I am back at this very venue for the same reasons” lamented Dr. Cadigia.

“I am upset and tired of the leadership vacuum in Somalia. The people of Somalia are caught in between a corrupt and ineffective government and the deadly Al-Shabab insurgency wrecking havoc on Somalia. Instead of helping Somalia’s children at this hour of need, these forces are still battling in the streets. We have had warlord MPs and Ministers who are not accountable to anyone and the reckless Al-Shabab who are blocking aid while innocent people starve” said Dr. Cadigia.

“Our children are being abducted, drugged and forcibly recruited as child soldiers by the insurgents. Our women and children are paying a heavy price in this protracted conflict. Blocking humanitarian aid is a serious crime. For whom does The Hague exist? asked Dr. Cadigia.

Dr. Cadigia says Somalia is technically under “a forced trusteeship that has illegally placed its sovereignty in the hands of member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) notably, Uganda and Ethiopia. It is basically run by outsiders. Good people who went back to help their country are not allowed to work” noted Dr. Cadigia, emphasizing that “Somalis must come together and build effective security in Somalia. Without security, nothing will work.”

To donate money toward humanitarian relief in the Horn of Africa, donors can reach Project ARAN Canada by phone at the following numbers:

Hassan Sheikh (416) 837-1948, Suad Aimad (647) 703-7229.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/309241#ixzz1U4l3Ds1O

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/309911#ixzz1X8v6w6He

Miss Teen Canada- World Gives Voice to Somali Humanitarian Cause.

2011-09-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

The UN has declared the humanitarian crisis in Somalia “the worst disaster” in the world as the war-torn nation faces the worst drought in 60 years.

Days after U2’s Bono, and Somali-Canadian rapper, K’naan, met with Minnesotan Somalis to raise awareness on the ongoing famine and drought afflicting Somalia, Lauren Howe, the newly-crowned Miss Teen Canada -World gave her voice to the victims of the crisis calling upon Canada and the international community to expand relief efforts for the humanitarian disaster in the Horn of Africa region.

On July 16th, Lauren Howe beat a strong field of 74 other contestants to be crowned the 2011 Miss Teen Canada-World in a colourful pageant held at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, in downtown, Toronto. Stunningly beautiful, Lauren won the competition because of her strength in the live interviews and her prowess at blogging.

Rightfully the teen queen of beauty and brains, Lauren will now represent Canada at the Miss Teen World pageant in Houston Texas August 1 – 5. The big night is the pageant’s final on August 5th when she could become an international celebrity. This year, there are 24 other contestants from countries all over the world in what promises to be an eventful pageant.

In an exclusive interview with FaridNet, Lauren, 18, outlined her national platform of raising awareness on hunger and homelessness in local communities, where untouched wasted food could be given to the homeless. Stating that the prevalence of hunger is also a global issue, the Miss Teen Canada-World called for concerted international action to address the unfolding crisis in Somalia, the epicentre of the drought and famine affecting millions in East Africa.

At the Minneapolis event, Bono, the U2 front man and K’naan, the Somali born rapper and poet performed a duet of “stand by me,” in solidarity with the people of Somalia. Minneapolis, Minnesota is home to the largest Somali community in America.
Likewise in Toronto, which is home to the largest Somali Diaspora community in Canada, Lauren said that the victims of the humanitarian disaster in Somalia and East Africa in general require urgent help.

“Given the scale of the crisis in Somalia, the population affected by the ongoing disaster should be accorded hundred percent support by Canada, the United Nations and the international community” said Lauren.

Aid agencies observe that the humanitarian disaster in Somalia is taking its toll on its youngest generation with the majority of the population affected by the monumental crisis being children and young people under 18 years of age.
A news maker and a high profile teen, Lauren ’s humanitarian appeal to the international community brings much needed attention to a crisis that is threatening to decimate Somalia’s future generation if swift action is not taken to curtail the ongoing suffering. The UN says that malnutrition rates among the over 2 million children affected by the crippling drought are severely high.

The majority of Somali refugees displaced by the drought and conflict end up in the Dadaab camp, located in neighbouring Kenya. Built to house 90,000 people when civil war broke out in Somalia, the Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says that Dadaab is now home to more than 400,000 refugees making it the world's largest refugee camp.

UN officials state that 12 million people in East Africa are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Lauren notes that the “flow of thousands of Somalis displaced by the drought into refugee camps in neighbouring Kenya attests to the gravity of the situation on the ground.”

David Mitchell, the British Minister for International Development recently decried the slow international response to the crisis calling it “derisory and dangerously inadequate”. While Canada has pledged over $60 million to help alleviate suffering in the drought and famine zones of East Africa, Lauren states that the “burden of relief efforts should be divided among all countries in the world and especially the wealthy nations in the West that are better endowed”.

“Canada may have budget allocations for different priorities. But with the worsening humanitarian situation in places like Somalia, I think it is time Canada re-directed more aid and resources to this crisis” said Lauren.

Known for her blogging prowess and commitment to social justice, Lauren further calls for progressive initiatives to combat negative stereotypes attached to certain communities.

“In Somalia, media depictions focus on the negative such as reports on the scourge of piracy and pirates” says Lauren adding that “droughts and famine are disasters that need to be tackled, but they can often be associated with images that can depict affected population in negative light. In the ongoing crisis, the media should refrain from dwelling on negative stereotypes and focus on the important issues being raised; helping those who need help most”.

Having visited Ghana in the past, Lauren notes that Africa is unfairly being presented in the global tourist sector as an “exotic” continent full of wild animals.
“Africa is not a wild place. It is like any other continent that has its own state structures. Although it faces challenges, there are many things that Africa can always improve on” says Lauren.

In her campaign to fight hunger and homelessness, Lauren is an ardent advocate of food recovery initiatives. In Canada, a lot of good, unused food that goes to waste is often discarded. According to the food recovery model, non-perishable foods such as rice and other canned, dried foods can be recovered and redistributed to the poor.

Lauren’s platform of food recovery is echoed by others in the Somali community. In a recent interview with Ogaal Radio (88.9FM), Somali-Canadian activist Suad Aimad stated that “Canada is the land of plenty where people throw food into garbage while people in Somalia are starving”. The food recovery model has been used by the UN during the Haiti crisis and Lauren feels that communities can apply a similar model to Somalia by working closely with the UN.

Lauren’s social activism is not limited to fighting poverty and homelessness. She is in the forefront of advocating for the still underway Patent Pool, an initiative that could make available affordable HIV/AIDS drugs to patients in the developing nations who can’t afford antiretroviral drugs priced beyond their reach.

Having explored this concept in one of her school projects, Lauren, a scientific researcher, observes that the Patent Pool concept is a possible solution to the pandemic as it allows for the “voluntary licensing of intellectual property, where companies and researchers may access the patent pool to retrieve the patents in exchange for a royalty payment to the inventors. This is a win - win situation because more people would access the pool and more manufacturers will gain the right to sell HIV drugs to the public” says Lauren.

Planning to pursue a biochemical degree at University level, Lauren hopes to bring her expertise and activism to this issue in pharmaceutical circles at an appropriate time. The sky is the limit for the energetic, outgoing and optimistic Miss Teen Canada-World who is set to take the world stage by storm.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.missteencanadaworld.com

Somali-Canadians Launch Humanitarian Appeal on Ogaal Radio.

2011-09-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

Shocked by the unfolding humanitarian disaster that is afflicting their war-torn nation, Somali-Canadians are taking action to help alleviate the ongoing suffering in Somalia.

The Abar Project spearheaded by ARAN Somali-Canadian Relief Organization, has launched a fundraising appeal during a live broadcast on Ogaal Radio, 88.9FM on Sunday, July 17th. Ogaal is the largest Somali language Radio Program in Canada reaching over 150,000 listeners in the Greater Toronto Area and across Southern Ontario every Sundays, 10:00 p.m. - midnight and millions throughout the world over the internet.

Abar is Somali for draught and the project hopes to mobilize Somali-Canadians to take direct action to help mitigate the humanitarian crisis.

Anchor Hassan “Karate” was joined in the studio by two prominent Somali-Canadian activists from ARAN, Suad Aimad and Hassan Sheikh Adan to appeal to Somali-Canadians to donate generously toward the relief campaign for the victims of the humanitarian disaster in Somalia.

Somalia has been hit by the worst drought in 60 years and seniour UN officials have declared it “the worst humanitarian crisis” in the world today. Approximately 3000 refugees cross into neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia each passing day while thousands others are displaced inside Somalia. 450,000 Somalis are crammed in the world's largest refugee camp located in Dadaab, Kenya, near the Somali border.

Clearly emotional over the airwaves, Suad Aimad spoke of the horrifying conditions facing the victims of disaster saying that children are dying on the way to refugee camps and called upon the Somali-Canadian community to urgently lend a helping hand. She said that "we live in the land of plenty (Canada) where people throw food into garbage while poor people in Somalia are starving".

“The most vulnerable in Somalia have no voice. This crisis is a wake- up call for all of us. We must take immediate action to help the needy. We call for a Somali-led Initiative to confront the humanitarian disaster. We don’t have to wait for others to act. We should take action of our own to rescue the suffering masses” said Suad.
Hassan “Karate” urged Somali-Canadians to support the Abar Project, an initiative of the ARAN Somali-Canadian Relief Organization.

“The human suffering stemming from this disaster is beyond comprehension. Left with no food and water, people have been trekking long distances in search of help. Many have fallen on the way. As Somali-Canadians, we must do everything in our power to alleviate this suffering” said Hassan “Karate”.

Hassan Sheikh reminded the public that donations toward the Abar Project are tax deductible as ARAN has a charitable status.

“The Abar Project is an initiative of the Somali residents of Lawrence and Weston neighbouhood of Toronto. ARAN is an autonomous organization that promotes self-directed, community-based action. There are no aid organizations on the ground in the worst affected areas in Somalia such as Bay and Bakool regions etc. We must start by utilizing our own resources to help our people” said Hassan Sheikh.

The Somali people are caring says Hassan Sheikh but more needs to be done. He noted that ARAN has launched a letter writing campaign targeting Canadian government officials and urged Somali-Canadians to help bring about policy changes so that Canada can respond more effectively to the humanitarian disaster that has hit Somalia hard. ARAN is planning to organize a number of fundraising events to assist the victims of disaster in Somalia. The organization is also launching a clothing drive as part of its ongoing relief efforts.

Earlier in the broadcast, Sheikh Abokor of Toronto's Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque appealed to Somali-Canadians to donate generously toward the humanitarian cause stating that it is a moral and religious obligation to help the vulnerable in their most difficult hour.

Local mosques, including Khalid Bin Al-Walid and IMO are collecting donations for the victims of disaster. These donations are being channeled through Human Concern International, an NGO that operates in 34 countries including Somalia. The Somali money transfer company, Dahabshiil, is also accepting donations that are being sent directly to victims of disaster housed in the Hager Dheer refugee camp.

During a phone-in session that solicited the views of Ogaal Radio listenership, Somali-Canadians expressed their concerns and pledged to take action. Many callers emphasized the significance of Somali unity in addressing this monumental crisis afflicting their beloved nation. A united front that transcends clannish and regional loyalties is key to resolving the crisis, they said.

To donate money toward humanitarian relief in Somalia, potential donors can reach ARAN’s Abar Project by phone at the following numbers:

Hassan Sheikh (416) 837-1948, Suad Aimad (647) 703-7229.

Ogaal Radio is also involved in the relief efforts and people can reach anchor Hassan "Karate" at (416) 278-2944.

Helping Somali Refugees: An Appeal for International Aid

2011-09-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

The Somali refugee crisis is worsening by the day as thousands of people displaced by conflict are crossing into Kenya and Ethiopia.

The majority of these refugees end up at the Dadaab refugee camp, the largest in the world, hosting half a million Somali refugees and counting. Located in Kenya near the Somali border, Somali refugees in this camp live in squalid conditions and require immediate resettlement in western nations that are signitories of the Geneva Convention.

Superstar Saado Ali Warsame, Somalia's most iconic artist and international figure and the Somali Refugee Awareness Project led by Hodan Nalayeh, are in Nairobi, Kenya, today, for a press conference to raise awareness on the humanitarian crisis and drum up international support for Somali refugees.

Both Saado Ali and Hodan would later travel to the Dadaab camp to meet the refugees and call for concerted international action to alleviate the ongoing suffering. They have recently held discussions with Honourable Farah Maalim, the Deputy Speaker of the Kenya Parliament. Mr. Maalim is also the MP for Lagdera constituency in the Garissa county where the Dadaab refugee camp is located.

According to a comprehensive Press Release issued by the Somali Refugee Awareness Project, the newest refugees are arriving in large numbers from the Sool, Sanaag and Cyn regions in northern Somalia and there are calls for the Somaliland government to end the military occupation in that region and for international community to intervene on behalf of the affected population.
The press release also states:

As someone whose heart belongs to the well being of the Somali people, Saado Ali wants Somalis to unite. Saado says, “We are at humanitarian crisis and this is the time for Somalis to unite and stand up for the dignity of our people.” Saado became a household icon in 1975 as young girl and she has continued to influence Somalis with her music the past thirty-five years. Saado’s popularity is not only due to her magnificent voice, but her pro-unity stand for Somalis, political courage and bravery to speak for the disadvantaged. She currently resides in Minneapolis, MN and has traveled to Kenya to help Somalis effected by the drought. Although, she is lives thousand of miles away from her birth country of Somalia, the power of the Internet has helped Saado to reach millions of Somalis on YouTube and social network sites to unite Somalis. Her hit latest single, “Somaliweyn” or “United Somalia” describes passionate call for all Somalis to come together as one and stop the country and clan divisions.

JCopia Captures Flash Video and Audio from Websites

2011-09-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

Increasing and building video and audio collection from websites and into your computer can be frustrating and time consuming. But a product called JCopia is changing all that. The simple and easy to use Jcopia can capture flash videos from almost all flash sites like Youtube, Google Video, MySpace, DailyMotion, Metacafe, Break etc.

Just play your media online and watch as JCopia saves any clip / music / movie to your computer.

JCopia detects and begins to download any clip, video, music, radio stream, video stream, Flash game or presentation that is played in your browser.
For audio content, JCopia, captures MP3s from audio Flash sites like: MySpace, Pandora, Last.fm, vkontakte, etc.

More importantly, JCopia has met Microsoft testing requirements for compatibility with Windows XP, Vista, Win 7.

It is a very convenient tool for collections video and audio files on disk.

For more information, please visit:

http://jiteco.com/jcopia.html

15 Startling Facts about America’s Infrastructure

2011-07-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

Posted on July 25, 2011

The infrastructure of a nation is what holds civilization together. It includes roads, water supplies, sewers, electrical grids, and telecommunications — things without which the world might prove a difficult place to navigate. While Americans enjoy a better infrastructure than many places in the world, the reality is that it is outdated, inefficient, and — in many places around the nation — currently crumbling to pieces.

Sadly, things are only going to get worse before they get better, as roads fill with potholes, bridges collapse, and electrical grids brown out with more regularly, all unable to provide for the needs of the populace. If you had any doubts about the sad state of the American infrastructure, read on to learn just how bad things really are.

1. More than 25% of bridges in the United States need significant repairs or are handling more traffic than they were designed to carry.

This translates to a whopping 150,000 bridges that aren’t up to snuff. In recent years, bridge and overpass collapses have even led to death. One of the most notable of these was the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis, which collapsed in 2007, killing 13 and injuring 145. If bridges are not updated or repaired, these kinds of accidents could become more common.

2. An inefficient, heavily overburdened electrical grid results in rolling blackouts and losses of $80 billion a year.

In a world that relies heavily on technology for everything from health care to business, losing power can be a big deal. In the past decade, huge blackouts have left much of the Northeast and Florida without power for several days. This costs money, time, and can create unsafe conditions for residents.

3. Over 4,095 dams in America were deemed “unsafe” by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

This means that they have deficiencies that leave them more susceptible to failure, especially during flooding or earthquakes. The number of dams in the United States that could fail has grown 134% since 1999, and now comprises 3,346 dams nationwide. More than 1,300 of these dangerous dams are considered “high hazard” because their collapse could threaten the lives of those living nearby.

4. More than a third of all dam failures or near-failures since 1874 have happened in just the last decade.

The rate of failures is increasing at a disturbingly fast rate, as America’s dams age and deteriorate. Can’t remember any recent dam failures? In 2004, 30 different dams in New Jersey’s Burlington County failed or were damaged after a period of particularly heavy rainfall.

5. Nearly a third of all highway fatalities are related to substandard road conditions, obsolete road designs, or roadside hazards.

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that poor road conditions play a role in more than 14,300 traffic fatalities each year.

6. By 2035, highway usage (and shipping by truck) is expected to double, leaving Americans to spend an average of 160 hours a year in traffic.

If you think traffic is bad now, just wait a few years. Over the next quarter-century, experts estimate that traffic on American roads is going to be much, much worse. Commuting between work and home could be a nightmare for many, taking up nearly a week of time over the course of the year. Also, keep in mind that this number is just an average, and in high-traffic urban areas, the estimates are much higher.

7. More than half of America’s interstate miles are at 70% of traffic capacity, and nearly 25% of the miles are strained at more than 95% capacity.

Americans love their cars, and the roads are clogged with drivers as a result. Much of the interstate system in the U.S. is struggling to keep up with the number of people who use it each day, leading to traffic jams and accidents at much higher rates.

8. It is estimated that over one third of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

If you hadn’t already noticed that the streets in your city were littered with potholes and cracks, this stat will let you in on the secret: American roads are falling apart. With many states teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and unable to keep up with maintenance, this situation isn’t likely to change soon.

9. Traffic jams caused by poor transit infrastructure cost Americans 4 billion hours and nearly 3 billion gallons of gasoline a year.

Highways designed to carry fewer cars that they’re currently managing, poorly timed lights, and awfully-designed transit systems all help contribute to traffic jams. These jams keep drivers on the road for longer, wasting gallon upon gallon of gas and hour upon hour of time.

10. A study by the EPA exposed the dirty truth about America’s aging sewer systems: they spill an estimated 1.26 trillion gallons of untreated sewage every single year.

Not only is this a health and environmental concern, but it’s also a financial one. Cleaning up these spills costs an estimated $50 billion every year.

11. The United States must invest $225 billion per year over the next 50 years to maintain and adequately enhance roads and other transportation systems to meet demand.

Currently, the U.S. is spending less than 40% of this amount, which will make it impossible to effectively keep up with and expand the transit system.

12. In 2005, U.S. infrastructure earned a D rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

This was down from a D+ in 2001 and 2003. It’s no joke that the infrastructure of the U.S. is getting worse and worse. In some areas, quality of water, electricity, and roads have been compared to those of a developing nation. Major changes need to be made to keep up, modernize, and allow America to remain competitive in the world market.

13. By 2020, every major U.S. container port is projected to be handling at least double the volume it was designed for .

Imports and exports are major, major business for the U.S., and in the future, this isn’t likely to change. Yet the ports we use to do our trading are going to be seriously overloaded and will need a major overhaul to adequately deal with the number of ships coming in and out.

14. Costs attributed to airline delays related to congestion and outdated air traffic control systems are expected to triple to $30 billion from 2000 to 2015.

Sitting on the tarmac waiting to take off or deplane isn’t just annoying — it’s costing businesses billions of dollars each year. The amount of time lost or wasted on flights is continually rising, up to 170 total years (15 minutes lost on 1.6 million flights) in 2007 from just 70 years lost in 2003.

15. Railroads are expected to need over $200 billion in investment through 2035.

Railroads are a viable, if not quick, means of transporting people and goods the world over — but in the U.S., many lines are painfully inefficient and falling apart. While money is being poured into modernizing train systems (most notably high speed rail on some Amtrak lines), much more will be needed to keep pace with the amount of rail traffic in coming years. Not to mention everything it will take to make rail travel an appealing option to notoriously phobic Americans.

Source: www.carinsurance.org

Nasra Agil: A Canadian Civil Engineer rises to next level.

2011-07-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

Breaking into civil engineering, a profession considered the exclusive preserve of men, maybe a tall order for many women including those in western nations.

But Nasra Agil, a young Somali-Canadian civil engineer of the highest calibre, is one accomplished professional who has shattered this long-held myth.

The highly determined and supremely confident young lady has not only conquered the realm of civil engineering but has taken her pursuits in this field to a new level.

Having arrived in Canada at a young age alongside her family from war-torn Somalia, Nasra decided from early on that civil engineering would be her chosen career path in future. And all this despite prevailing perceptions in her community and within Canadian society in general that this highly coveted field is a turf only befitting the ingenuity of technically-oriented men.

In 2005, Nasra attained the unimaginable as she graduated at the top of her civil engineering class at Ryerson University posting a 4.22 Grade Point Average (GPA) from a possible maximum of 4.33 to earn a Honours Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng ) degree to become the first ever female of Somali descent to achieve this important feat in the western world. Her shinning accolades in academic circles also include numerous awards such as the prestigious Golden Key International Honour Society Award, in recognition of her outstanding academic excellence.

Since age 15, Nasra had demonstrated exceptional leadership skills being a young activist in community organizing in her Jamestown Crescent neighbourhood, a housing project inhabited by a significant number of Somali-Canadian newcomers in what used to be a crime infested area mired in gang activity. For seven years, Nasra was at the forefront of community-based crime prevention strategies and was recognized for her contribution to community service with the Duke of Edinborough Award. Receiving this honour from Canada’s Governor-General only served to inspire her some more as she embarked on other important initiatives that helped transform her community’s fortunes for the better.

As a young activist, Nasra played a leadership role in the Leave Out of Violence (LOV) Program aimed at guiding youth caught in cycle of violence to pursue a positive, healthy lifestyle and stay on the right side of the law. At high school, Nasra completed 60 community hours and was engaged in promoting physical activity skills such as basketball, swimming and survival skills including setting up tents for dwelling in camps meant to familiarize young people with the rigidity of Mother Nature.

Nasra was also instrumental in promoting acting skills that saw her produce educational plays presented to audiences in schools. She completed bronze and silver levels for the set of skills but had to forgo the gold as she became busy with her academic pursuits at university and future career goals.

Upon graduation from her civil engineering program from Ryerson’s Faculty of Engineering, Nasra landed a job as a roads inspector with the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services. This challenging position required the skills of a qualified engineer of her stature.

Recounting her experience at Ryerson, the stunningly beautiful engineer states: “Even in a place like Canada, civil engineering is a tough field for women to get into. In my graduation class of eighty students, only six, including myself, were female students while the rest were male students”.

After working for a period of two years with the City of Toronto, Nasra was drawn into the lucrative labour market in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which became the international hub for real estate development. Qualified engineers, especially those with high profile credentials like Nasra, were in huge demand and it was not long before Nasra set her foot in the red hot real estate market in the Emirates.

In 2007, Nasra was hired by Cansult, a Dubai-based Canadian engineering firm considered one of the biggest operating in the Middle East region. Working in the position of Traffic Engineer/Planner, Nasra was tasked with designing complexes to determine the transportation infrastructure needs of emerging, rapidly developing communities. She sat at a roundtable full of male engineers providing her expertise in design and development.

“While this can be a very challenging position, I had the advantage of being a young, female, engineer of colour, presenting cutting edge proposals for mega development projects” says Nasra. Always an illustrious engineer on top of the game, Nasra stood out as a hard working, brilliant and a rare female engineer in the Gulf region.

As her reputation grew in Dubai’s rapidly developing market, Nasra caught the attention of Nakheel, the largest real estate developer in the UAE who offered her a key position as an advisor, where she evaluated and rendered decisions on proposals prepared by consultants. Nakheel, the world famous real estate developer, is known for constructing the classy and glittering, man -made palm islands built to the shape of the worlds. The palm islands are credited with being the architectural wonders of the modern world that has mesmerized visitors and tourists from across the world.

According to Nasra, working in Dubai has other advantages.

“Being strategically located at the centre of the world, Dubai lies at the crossroads of surrounding regions and offers a short and convenient flight distance to destinations lying within close proximity such as India, rest of Asia, Europe and Africa” observed Nasra.

But eight months into her high profile job, the Dubai real estate market went bust as it was hit hard by the global economic recession. Many in her company that employed thousands of people were laid off while only two out of thirty employees in her department retained their jobs. Nakheel, the giant real estate developer was on verge of collapse, almost pushed down by a slumping economy virtually dependent on the foundations of the real estate industry. Despite corporate meltdown elsewhere, Nakheel survived.

The dawn of the global recession meant that Nasra found herself out of work and pondering her next move. Once again, her well-established reputation in this market helped save the day for Nasra as she received a call from the Roads Authority in Dubai, which recognized that only few people possess Nasra’s skills in this sector. She was interviewed and then hired on the spot as Seniour Traffic Engineer and has now been working in this enviable position for the Dubai Government in the last two years. Dubai has since recovered from the downward spiral with its re-structured economy back on its feet.

Undoubtedly, Dubai offers any prospective engineers their dream jobs.

“One year experience in Dubai’s real estate development sector or any other booming industry is equivalent to ten years experience elsewhere” says Nasra in reference to the fast paced, ultra modern development environment in the wealthy gulf emirate.

One of Nasra’s favorite pastimes includes international travel. Dubai’s central location has allowed her to globe-trot to her favourite destinations.

“Since landing in Dubai, I have travelled to over 50 countries within four short years” says Nasra.

In terms of future outlook, Nasra aims to become an entrepreneur one day. This won’t pose any problems as she comes from a business savvy family known for their successful entrepreneurship. Nasra sees a huge potential for growth in the African continent which is ripe with international business opportunities. From an engineering business perspective, she would like to play a significant role to build roads, bridges, airports, seaports and other forms of infrastructure that Africa badly needs. A Nasra owned engineering firm would be an ideal starting point to venture into the ever expanding African markets. Nasra points to the growing presence of Chinese investment in Africa as a motivating factor driving the emergence of new trade ventures in Africa.

“China’s entry into the African markets is significant and the world has taken notice. It has offered the continent a new type of trade relationship that is mutually beneficial. For example, China’s investment in Africa includes the development of infrastructure such as the construction of roads, highways, seaports, dams, power plants etc which helps stimulate regional economies. But it equally raises key questions in terms of gaining a direct foothold in exploiting Africa’s resources” says Nasra.

“China’s rapidly growing economy requires access to Africa’s resources such as energy and raw materials. I have travelled to China to places like Shanghai and Guangzhou and have seen first hard the industrial and technological transformations taking place there” says Nasra.

But Nasra also believes that African-centred development should be a priority in strategic sectors of the economy. As such, Nasra is determined to enter the fray by taking her much needed engineering skills to help build and stimulate Africa’s emerging markets that offer vast potential for development.

When peace eventually returns to Somalia, Nasra hopes to play a major role in the reconstruction project as she can utilize her unique technical skills and expertise to rebuild her homeland. Apart from the need for expanded infrastructural development, Nasra states that Somalia’s environmental degradation that has worsened over the last two decades owing to ongoing conflict, needs to be checked.

“While it is understandable that global attention on Somalia has focused on the conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis, virtually no one has been paying attention to the environmental disaster afflicting Somalia” says Nasra, adding that “ Somalia is a country prone to drought and deforestation not forgetting the fact that it has suffered a great deal from toxic waste disposal that has contaminated Somalia’s territorial waters and the depletion of fish stocks stemming from the plunder of Somalia’s marine resources.”

Nasra points out that “with environmental degradation and deforestation, the top soil is lost. Many people don’t realize that it can take upto 750 years for the top soil to regenerate. Unfortunately, the level of degradation taking place in Somalia today is quite alarming”.

Nasra may be well known for her engineering and technical skills. But her well-informed assessment of Africa’s state of affairs and global events, clearly reveal Nasra’s other strengths; her intellectual prowess and political consciousness. This is not surprising given her level of social activism dating back to her high school years. Apart from her engineering profession and a knack for entrepreneurial ventures, Nasra is truly a social justice oriented person. She would like to see the emergence of a free and democratic, vibrant society in Africa where the suffering masses are treated equally and fairly. This calls for political freedoms and social justice for all.

For Nasra, the sky is the limit as she looks to consolidate her successful civil engineering career, embark on business ventures in the near future as well as provide opportunities for her community in various fronts.

For further enquiries, Nasra can be reached by email at : nasra3@yahoo.com

Somali-Canadians Denounce Kampala Accord, Support Farmajo.

2011-06-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar,

Somali-Canadians joined Somalis from across the world in voicing their vehement opposition to the June 9th Kampala Accord, which observers say undermines the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFI) and infringes on Somalia’s national sovereignty.

In direct contravention of Somalia’s transitional charter, the controversial and illegal accord extends the mandates of the Somali President, Speaker and Parliament till August 2012 when elections will be held and called for the resignation of the Prime Minister within 30 days. Struck behind the scenes without any prior consultation with the Somali parliament, the dubious deal is a total mockery of the democratic aspirations of the Somali people.

The architects of the Kampala Accord, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and the UN special representative for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, claim it was meant to resolve long standing political wrangles between President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden. But the accord, which has orchestrated the removal of popular Prime Minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, is a backward step for the nation and will likely plunge war-torn Somalia into deeper crisis.

A close examination of the full text of the agreement reveals that the accord has transferred Somalia’s sovereignty to the seven - member East African regional grouping, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the international community. The most contentious clauses read as follows:

“Both Government and Parliament shall work together with the international community to establish a road-map with benchmarks, timelines and compliance mechanisms for the implementation of the priority tasks”.

“The Heads of State of the Region (IGAD and EAC) shall constitute a Political Bureau with participation of the UN (UNPOS) and the AU, similar to the Burundi Regional Peace Initiative. The Bureau shall oversee and monitor compliance of the TFIs with agreed benchmarks and timelines to implement the transitional tasks and to advance the Somali Peace Process”.

“The international partners and the Regional Bureau reserve the right to evoke appropriate measures with consequences to ensure compliance with the benchmarks and timelines by the TFIs including the application of appropriate sanctions against spoilers.”

Based on the above, it is clear that for the first time in the history of modern international relations, the sovereignty of a nation has arbitrarily been transferred to foreign powers with the UN playing a direct role in such a sinister move.

Like their fellow countrymen across the world, Somali-Canadians reacted angrily to the Kampala Accord. In a well-attended event organized by Somali youth activists in Toronto, hundreds of concerned Somali-Canadians converged at the Days Inn Hotel located at Wilson Avenue West on Saturday, June 18th, to denounce the Kampala Accord and pledge their support for the deposed Prime Minister.

The PM, who was forced to resign, was seen by Somalis as the best hope moving forward, having made significant security gains against the insurgency as well as gaining the trust of the Somali public through his direct and concerted consultations with civil society groups.

Protests broke out in Mogadishu and globally as Somalis took to the streets and held public forums to condemn the Accord and rallying their support behind Farmajo, the first head of state who had obtained important results in twenty years. His removal has only precipitated the ongoing power struggle between the two Shariffs with latest reports coming out of Mogadishu pointing to a fresh row between the president and the speaker. Analysts fear that this mindless power struggle may wipe out Farmajo’s gains and actually provide the Al-Shabab insurgency with a bonanza and regain all the grounds it lost in the military offensive under the Farmajo government.

Outraged Somali-Canadians were unequivocal in their condemnation of the Kampala Accord. “From a Somali stand point, this is tantamount to modern day colonialism” said Adifatah Warsame Maroyare, a youth activist and one of the organizers of the Toronto event. “The so-called international community is complicit in this. On one hand, they preach the virtues of democracy, on the other hand, they practice hypocrisy” said Abifatah.

Abdifatah, a prominent co-ordinator of the Centre for Youth Development and Mentoring Services that provides academic, social and recreational supports for at risk youth, further noted that it was “the Western world that has contributed to state collapse in Somalia in the first place and is still meddling in the internal affairs of the country” labeling Somalis “pirates”, “terrorists” and “anarchists” and “not allowing Somalia to stand on its feet.”

While the young generation was detached from Somalia’s state of affairs in the past, Abdifatah is of the view that there is now a growing sense of awakening among the Somali youth who are demanding positive change in Somalia free from external meddling.

“The youth and Somalis in general are taking action against the ongoing infringement of Somalia’s sovereignty. The reactionary elites who are financed by UN dollars have sold out the country. They indulge in expensive overseas trips in the oil-rich Gulf countries and western capitals often lavishing in five star hotels” said Abdifatah. The prominent youth activist called for Somalis across the world to “rise above clannish politics and confront those responsible for the ongoing mayhem in Somalia”.

His views were echoed by Somalis artists, Nakruma and Daleys who urged the global Somali community to take back their country from external forces that are reigning havoc on the their belegurerd nation saying that the “Somali artists will always support the Somali people and lend voice to their struggles.”

“Down with the Kampala Accord! Down with Mahiga” chanted Nakruma on the stage in reference to the UN Special Representative to Somalia, who is directly complicit in the ongoing destabilization of the country. As part of the artistic and cultural component of the evening program, the celebrated Somali divas led the enthusiastic crowd in singing the Somali national anthem and patriotic songs in a scene awash with blue and white, the national colours of the Somali flag.

Abdijabar, a youth activist seen as a rising star in the Somali-Canadian Community and a potential future leader for Somalia, doled out humorous rhymes correctly depicting the reality of Somalia’s state of affairs today.

The Mississauga-born master rhymer rocked the house highlighting Somalia’s past greatness and its current nadir status “our ancestors were free and uncolonized. But in today’s reality, our people are dispersed with a serious case of mistaken identity” rhymed Abdijabar to a thundering applause from the floor.

Khadijah Ali, a radio host and youth activist, said that the deposed Prime Minister “was a competent leader who placed Somalia’s national interests above external agendas”. The York University Social Work major also noted that “Prime Minister Farmajo had given Somalia a second chance. The country has suffered for far too long and we don’t want another 20 years of anarchy. Farmajo’s vision represents a true hope and the best way forward for Somalia”.

Professor Mohamed Siyyad Togane, a Somali scholar and poet known for his stern rebukes, called the gathering “ a historic event” saying that Somalis must be willing “to shed blood, sweat and tears” to re-take their country. Professor Togane said he flew all the way from Montreal to join Somali-Canadians in Toronto to express their outright opposition to the Kampala Accord.

“Rebuilding Somalia requires sacrifices from its people. For the last 20 years, we were moving in circles. Farmajo initiated a viable process for the country and the people of Somalia rallied behind him” said Professor Togane who recited a powerful poem titled “Enough”, which portrayed Prime Ministers who came before Farmajo as “tools” employed as a “fifth column” by a UN system bent on keeping Somalia down.
Professor Togane also highlighted how Somalia was directly governed from Nairobi by foreign UN personnel, observing that Farmajo was determined to relocate the UNDP office to Mogadishu.

“Farmajo, an emerging national hero, said hello no. We won’t go to Nairobi. Come to Mogadishu” said Togane.

“No more Nairobbery” chanted Togane in a philosophical reference to the Kenyan capital where Somalis believe their country’s sovereignty is being stolen and dismembered by external actors operating within an increasingly unpopular , corrupt and inept UN establishment.

Hibaq Guelleh, a Somali youth activist, told participants that the Somali people are a homogeneous entity “who share common identity, culture, language and religion and yet caught in a turmoil.” She emphasized the fact that each concerned Somali has “an important role to play to ensure Somalia takes its rightful place in the world” and called for “a tribal-free, united and prosperous Somalia”.

“We are tired of tribal-minded leaders, warlords and power hungry individuals. Somalia needs practical solutions and it can only be built by Somalis themselves.” said Hibaq.

She also underscored the greatness of Somali youth pointing to the fact that it was “the Somali Youth League (SYL) initially comprising of 13 youthful leaders who gave independence to Somalia,” reminding the public of the contributions of Somali freedom fighters the likes of Sayyid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan, Hawo Tako etc. “Let’s help our brothers and sisters back in Somalia. And by the will of God, let’s move swiftly but together.”

Shadya Yasin, a longtime youth leader, poet, performer and organizer said “Somali things should be done Somali way”. Noting that the situation affecting Somalis is traumatizing, Shadya provided grim statistics on the Somali humanitarian crisis with “1.6 million refugees living in desperation and continually on the move, 1.5 million of internally displaced people inside Somalia (half the Toronto population) and 2.2 Million people classified as living in need and concern.”

“Imagine being born and growing up in a refugee camp. Imagine getting married in a refugee camp, giving birth to a boy or girl in a refugee camp. That’s the reality facing our people”. Said Shadya.

“Somalis are now taking action. Similar events (in opposition to Kampala Accord) are taking place in Mogadishu and across the world. The silent are speaking again. Revolutionary events are taking place in the world today and Somalia should be no difference,” said Shadya who pledged to return to help rebuild Somalia in the near future.

“Corrupt leaders need to be stopped. Once you have no country, you have no self-esteem. Unity should be the reality of the Somali Diaspora. We need to start here to help those back in the motherland. We have to take back Somalia by ourselves. No one will give it back to us. Power to the people!” chanted Shadya to another round of thunderous applause.

Still jet-lagged from a long trip, Dubai - based civil engineer, Nasra Agil, whose visit in Canada coincided with the Toronto event, said that “Young people represent hope for Somalia” adding that she was concerned with the plight of her people.

But the young engineer offered a message of hope stating that Somalis can borrow a leaf from Dubai, U.A.E. “Twenty years ago the residents of Dubai only looked to a solitary, high standing tower that dominated its skyline. Today, Dubai has not only the tallest tower in the world but boasts of the best of the best in almost every category of development. By the same token, we can rebuild Somalia from its 20 years of anarchy to a thriving nation”. Said Nasra.

In the concluding remarks of the evening, Abdi’qani Farmajo said that the Kampala Accord effectively places Somalia under external control.

“Mahiga is not our ruler. The UN is not our ruler. Museveni is not our ruler” said Abdiq’ani who noted that the deal was aimed at “orchestrating the downfall of the PM and his government, muzzle the Somali parliament and place Somalia under direct control of (IGAD).”

“How can the UN and IGAD tell us who should rule us” queried Abdi’qani who pointed to a Nairobi –based cabal of UN opportunists who have turned Somalia into a profit-making venture, raking in millions in donor funds while perpetuating and prolonging the suffering of the Somali people.

Rightfully describing this cabal as the “Lords of Poverty” Abdi’qani observed how the manipulation of Somalia by these external forces has turned the country into the third largest refugee producing nation in the world after Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The largest refugee camp in the world is located in Dadaab Kenya. With a capacity of 60,000 people, this camp is home to 450, 000 Somali refugees who live in squalid conditions. Somalia is also home to the largest camp for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) while 1 out of 7 babies born in Somalia die before reaching age 5” said Abdi’qani, adding that disruptive external forces have contributed to societal disintegration in Somalia.

“No one wants Somalia to develop. External forces have conspired to destroy Somalia. Only Somalis can resolve Somalia’s crisis. The Diaspora should play a role to fight for Somalia. If we want freedom and liberty, we must fight for it” concluded Abdi’qani.

For Somali-Canadians, the fight to wrestle control of their beloved nation from external forces continues and many have pledged to from the rank and file of this important struggle.

The New Africa: A Frontier of Innovation, Technology and Sustainability.

2011-06-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

Africa is fast emerging as a global south trend setter in social innovation and sustainability. While cynical western observers have often depicted what they deem "the dark continent" in negative light, Africa has proven skeptics wrong by turning its fortunes around amid adversity to present opportunities in virtually all sectors of development, be it technology, education, manufacturing, real estate development, media, arts, agriculture, transportation, telecommunications etc.

The world is now taking notice that in the coming decades, Africa is poised to take the centre stage in terms of economic growth and infrastructural development, providing investment opportunities for world governments and international business. It is now common knowledge that modern day investors from across the world are seeking to do business with Africa.

An international conference held last year in Ottawa, Canada, was rightfully titled;" Africa's New Frontier: Innovation, Technology & Prosperity". The organizers of the conference, Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC),agree that "Africa is a continent of exciting possibilities", which in the 21st Century, is "emerging as a dynamic and innovative continent".

The official website of the conference positively depicts ´this new Africa" as a continent that boasts a reservoir of young talent, a growing market for cutting-edge technologies, and a source of fresh ideas".

Overall, the conference aimed to enrich Canadian conversations about Africa, highlighting "good news stories from Africa, and drawing on lessons learned, projecting trends, and focusing on the many ways in which Canada can support innovation on the continent".

On the media front conference themes focused on how to re-brand Africa for the 21st century, Africa´s place in the digital age and the cellular evolution in which mobile phones are making African markets work better. The film ´Nollywood Babylon´, a documentary from the National Film Board of Canada, was screened at the conference and later re-screened at Toronto´s National Film Board Theatre. The film presents an "electric vision of a modern African metropolis and a revealing look at the powerhouse that is Nigerian cinema".

On the economy, experts shed light on Africa´s Local Direct Investment, which sounds as a new concept to many and especially to those who in the past could not see beyond the northern-led calls for Foreign Direct Investment as primary source of capital inflow into Africa and the best available means for economic stimulation, growth and development.

For a continent that has suffered a large share of brain drain, the conference included a theme on "The health care brain gain: Networks, technology and access to care". In terms of education, a large number of Africa´s future generation of leaders now increasingly has access to post-secondary education.

Despite ongoing security challenges, African economies have experienced an accelerated growth over the last 5-6 years. The picture is getting rosier each passing year as three African countries, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt, have made the list of the Emerging Economic Report, published by India´s Bangalore-based, innovation consulting company, the Center for Knowledge Societies (CKS).

The CKS notes that "Emerging Economies are those regions of the world that are experiencing rapid informationalization under conditions of limited or partial industrialization". This new development according to CKS, "allows us to explain how the non-industrialized nations of the world are achieving unprecedented economic growth using new energy, telecommunications and information technologies"

Key regions of the world, the report states, are being transformed by the phenomenon whereby soft infrastructure -especially, mobile phone networks - is installed despite the absence of hard infrastructure (such as roads, or nation-spanning power grids). This is a crucial element of what Ezio Manzini, the Director of Unit of Research Design and Innovation for Sustainability at the Politecnico di Milano calls the "leapfrog hypothesis" in which developing countries jump over the environmentally most damaging stages of industrial development.

In sum, what the CKS report implies is that countries like Kenya, South Africa and Egypt, have joined four other emerging economies in the world such as India, China, Brazil and Indonesia as economies that will sustain global growth. Key findings of the CKS report indicate that Indian and Chinese Investments will drive Africa´s growth and that Africa´s once dysfunctional informal economy is now driving user innovation. More importantly, the report found that alongside other emerging economies, the three African nations are innovating environmentally efficient modes of energy consumption.

Africa is making important strides in innovation and technology and a brighter future that will usher in an era of prosperity is certainly on the horizon. The world is waking up to this important reality and strategic investors are eager to get on board Africa's New Frontier that promises unlimited opportunities.

Superstar Saado Ali warsame Receives Gold Record Award

2011-06-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

In a historic event held in Toronto on Saturday, June 4th, diehard fans of international superstar, Saado Ali Warsame, thronged the upscale Taj Banquet Centre to see their iconic national hero perform and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Gold Record Award, the first ever to be awarded to a Somali artist, was presented to Saado Ali by Hodan Nalayeh, the media relations and international co-ordinator of the Somali Refugee Awareness Project. The Somali Refugee Awareness Project is an advocacy group designed to bring mainstream media attention and action on the current Somali refugee crisis in Africa. The prestigious award is in recognition of Saado Ali Warsame's impressive 35 years in music and Somali social activism.

Singing the Somali national anthem upon entering the packed arena, Saado Ali, singer, composer, poet and song writer, was mobbed and hugged by hundreds of supporters as she was ushered to the stage to a raucous welcome. As she took the mike for the opening act, the ecstatic crowd rose to its feet greeting their beloved superstar with sustained, thunderous applause in a splendid ceremony filled with pomp and colour.

The milestone event attracted close to one thousand Somali-Canadians of all generations and walks of life and Canadians in general. Participants travelled from as far as Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Windsor and from across southern Ontario. It featured who is who in the Somali-Canadian community including community leaders, social activists, artists, media personalities and members of the business community.

The ceremony was a fundraising dinner to help The Somali Refugee Awareness Project to advocate and educate the mainstream media about the current Somali refugee crisis in Africa. Saado Ali will be traveling with the Somali Refugee Awareness Project to Kenya this summer for a video documentary project. June 20th is World Refugee Day and Somali Refugee Awareness Project is asking all Somalis to join together in humanity for Somalis in refugee camps around the world.

For the global Somali community, Saado Ali Warsame is not only an accomplished international performer but a national icon revered for her unwavering stance on human rights, freedom, justice and equality in the entire Somali Peninsula. More importantly, she has emerged as the pre-eminent symbol of national unity for a beleaguered nation torn by a protracted conflict over the last two decades.

In celebrating Somalia´s most iconic musical personality, renowned social activist and leading proponent of national unity, Hodan Nalayeh said that Saado Ali "is not only a superstar with international appeal, but a brave and courageous woman who has demonstrated a great leadership for her community and commitment to the suffering masses including the victims of the civil war, refugees, the displaced, women and kids etc."

Speaking to the Digital Journal's Farid Omar, Hodan said: "Somali professionals and community leaders in the West should advocate for Somali refugee rights. There are over 1.2 million Somali refugees scattered in camps in neighbouing Kenya, Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world".

"While refugees in Sudan are backed by Hollywood celebrities, Somali refugees are not a priority for re-settlement in safe countries in the West including Canada and the US. Saado Ali can bring that level of awareness to the global arena. She is a great symbol of activism and we are here to honour her as a Somali woman and a great human being" said Hodan.

Addressing the massive gathering, Hodan said: "Tonight, we celebrate Saado Ali and the resilience of our people. We recognize Saado for her historic contribution to music, art and culture and for her advocacy for peace and refugee rights in Africa. We should work together to create awareness on the dying and the unfortunate and the woman who can help change that is Saado Ali."

"We are not part of the qabil (clannish) movement. We have one flag, the Somali flag. We must help the helpless. Let´s wake up, twenty years is far too long" said Hodan in reference to the devastating civil war in Somalia.

In her eagerly awaited acceptance speech, Saado Ali Warsame thanked her supporters and called upon the global Somali community "to unite and rise above clannish divisions". She appealed to her supporters not to antagonize her detractors but strive to bring them back to the Somali fold. Despite death threats and vicious attacks by those who oppose her unity project, Saado Ali, true to her national colours, has always extended an olive branch to her misguided detractors. She urged her followers to do the same.

"For those who hurl insults at Saado Ali, don´t respond in kind, simply tell them thank you" said Saado Ali to a cheering, enthusiastic crowd.

Saado Ali also recounted her persistent struggles to speak on behalf of the downtrodden and oppressed across Somalia. During the military regime, she defended the people of North West Somalia (present Day Somaliland) against the regime´s excesses. When fellow Somalis in the North East region (present day Puntland) and Southern Somalia suffered a similar fate, she was equally vocal in defending their rights.

"Whether it was SNM, SSDF, or USC, I supported all folks who were at the receiving end of the regime. I was thrown in jail for standing up to the regime in defence of the oppressed" Said Saado Ali. "I am hurt today by the fact that folks, whom I defended in the past, are engaging in a smear campaign against me."

"Why all these double standards?" Saado queried. Always taking the high road, Saado Ali asked her supporters to refrain from accosting her slanderers. "Whoever engages in defamatory acts directed at my person, don´t fight them. Invite them back to the Somali fold with open arms."
"The majority would praise me, others would scorn me. I know I am on the right path and I will always stand for justice and the truth."

Saado Ali also paid tribute to Hodan Nalayeh of the Somali Refugee Awareness Project, a prominent professional working for a major corporation in California. A rising star in her own right, Hodan is poised to play a significant role in international development and refugee advocacy circles.

A diverse global movement that includes a burgeoning youth constituency is increasingly rallying behind Saado Ali´s national cause for Somali unity, peace, and justice and equality. Ayat Musse, a new young admirer of Saado Ali says she and her peers "adore Saado Ali, listen to her music and are motivated by her consistent message for the Somali people".

Donning colourful traditional attire set in Somali national colours, Samia Mohamed, only 15, expressed her utmost admiration for Saado Ali, stating: "Saado Ali is an amazing singer who is inspiring the younger generation".

Another ardent fan, Hodan Adan Caamiye, said that Saado Ali "is the best national artist and the true voice for all Somalis regardless of their regional or communal affiliations".

Hassan "Karate", the event Co-MC and anchor of Ogaal Radio, 88.9FM Toronto, paid a glowing tribute to Saado Ali´s contributions to Somali arts, social activism and national unity project.

"Saado Ali has been steadfast in her desire to unite the Somali people. Her persistent message of peace, justice and national unity is resonating well with all Somalis. She is a priceless national icon who has enriched our cultural landscape through her patriotic, socially-conscious music. Being the champion of the downtrodden and voice of the voiceless, her social activism defends the rights of the vulnerable while calling for peace, love and unity for her long suffering people." Hassan "Karate" said.

During the historic event, Saado Ali entertained the audience with her hugely popular, chart topping nationalist and patriotic songs and other musical tracks spanning her illustrious career. Her artistic expressions form a unique brand of edutainment in utterly thrilling songs loaded with socially-conscious lyrics that are equally entertaining. Her unique style that combines a dose of social commentary and esthetical variations has taken Somali music to a new level.

Throughout the concert, the sold-out crowd stayed on their feet as the pulsating beats lent a carnival atmosphere to the event sending the Toronto revelers into near delirium. Her gigantic Toronto fan base is demanding the prompt return of their beloved superstar and a July 1st concert simultaneously coinciding with the Somali National Day and Canada Day is already in the works in what promises to be the concert of the century.

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath at Somali Community Event

2011-04-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar.

According to Somali-Canadian demographers, Ontario is home to over 100,000 Somalis with the Greater Toronto Area alone accounting for 70,000 Somali-Canadian residents.

In a well attended community round table held on March 3rd at Toronto’s Eagle Manor located at 1901 Weston Road, members of the Somali community thronged the meeting hall to hear Ontario NDP leader, Andrea Horwath speak and engaged in group sessions that set forth their vision for tackling such critical issues as housing, employment, youth violence and education.

Stating that she came to hear from the community rather than do the talking, Andrea Horwath noted people in the community are taking action on issues affecting them and would like to see important changes take place but lamented community efforts have been hampered by lack of response from government circles.

“The community wants to take action but government supports are not there. It is not acceptable that there are no opportunities for young Somali-Canadians because infrastructure available does not meet the needs of the Somali community. I hear this level of frustration when people are willing to make change but can’t get help,” Said Andrea Horwath, adding that the NDP is committed to help solve problems facing the Somali community in Ontario.

“People in the community have solutions but response is not coming from the Provincial government” Said Horwath who pledged to work with Paul Ferreira, the NDP’s York South-Weston candidate for the upcoming Provincial elections to push for a real change and bring attention to concerns that have been ignored for some time. The largely immigrant and working class riding where the community round table took place, is home to a large number of Somali-Canadians who analysts say face high poverty levels and rising unemployment.

Faisal Hassan, the NDP's York South-Weston Riding Association President, a Somali-Canadian, underscored the significance of the forum which allows leaders to come and listen to community concerns with view of working collaboratively with stakeholders to tackle critical issues affecting the community at large by employing effective implementation plans.

Muse Kulow, the Somali-Canadian publisher of Immigrant Post observed that in the land of milk and honey (Canada) people in his community are still struggling to adapt to their new home, saying that Somali families never received appropriate settlement services.

Ferreira, an immigrant who arrived in Canada at a young age, recounted how members of his Portuguese community strove hard to overcome similar barriers faced by Somali-Canadians.

“The community we live in is not reflected in our institutions. People doing excellent work need full support of the NDP and the government. Institutions have to change and the only way to go forward is to combat racism head on” said Ferreira who noted the Somali community has a lot of role models and should stay engaged to bring positive change.

For a community that has traditionally looked to the NDP for solutions at policy level, forum participants called for a return to the NDP-era job creation programs such as Jobs Ontario and the Employment Equity legislation under the previous Ontario NDP government that were axed by the Mike Harris Conservatives. Both Andrea Horwath and Paul Ferreira pledged they will fight to bring back Employment Equity legislation and job creation programs.

Khadijah Salal, a York University graduate and a political analyst with Ogaal Radio, 88.9FM expressed her concerns over the status of Post-Secondary education in Ontario.

“Post-secondary education is being prized beyond the reach of Somali and other immigrant students. Mounting student debt loads means university graduates like me are still struggling to re-pay these loans.” Said Khadijah.

Her sister, Iman Salal, a current York student enrolled in the International Relations program concurs with Khadijah.

“Even second generation university students face similar challenges”. Said Iman, adding that “It is imperative grant programs to finance post-secondary education be put in place to help mitigate the effects of sky rocketing tuition fees”. In the interim, Somali university students are demanding tuition freeze.

A participant who declined to be named said the community and policy makers should move beyond “talk issues” and place “more emphasis on concrete steps to be taken by building on available resources since the community is thriving with talent and energy and ready to contribute to its own development”.

On youth issues, Abdifatah Warsame, a prominent youth leader and organizer said urgent action needs to be taken to address the staggering 37.7% high drop out rates among Somali high school kids.

“Parents should be equipped with resources they so desperately need to support their kids who are falling through the cracks” Said Abdifatah. He called upon the community and school system to work hand in hand to address gaps between poor communities, schools and educators.

Deeply involved in the provision of after school and sports/recreation programs intended to help high school kids make a successful transition to post-secondary education, Abdifatah pointed to another barrier to education:

“Prospective post-secondary students are not only faced with rising tuition but also the moral dilemma of tapping into students loans that do not meet the requirements of students from a predominantly Muslim community where interest-based loans are forbidden”.

‘We would like to see a return to a grants-based education system, which would eliminate financial barriers and improve access to post-secondary education.” Said Abdifatah.

Access to safe, affordable housing is a major problem in the community. It was noted that a Somali lady has been on the waiting list for rent-geared-to-income housing since 1996. Favouristm, bribery and other malpractices at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), Canada’s largest public housing landlord, mean that community applicants are often overlooked and in some cases, pushed down the list by unscrupulous staffers who accommodate very recent applicants whose files are unfairly expedited at the expense of neglected ones.

For Somali tenants already housed in TCHC buildings, they face security issues and live in deplorable conditions where deteriorating units go unrepaired. Families find it very difficult to raise children in an environment where public safety is lacking in an increasingly ghettoized sub-standard housing.

On employment, it was revealed that qualified community members face barriers to employment such as systemic racism. Even Canadian-born, young Somali University and college graduates are finding it difficult to secure decent jobs in a labour market rife with nepotism and cronyism.
Barriers to employment include the so-called “Canadian Experience” and lack of good paying jobs in a hidden job market where the majority of available positions are not advertised to the public.

Job networking is another barrier as job hunters in the community cannot afford expensive networking conferences and workshops. There are simply no networking opportunities in a closed job market that favours the well-connected.

Representatives of Somali seniors informed the forum that they constitute one of the most neglected segments of the community whose problems include isolation, lack of services, leisure space and housing. But they have taken matters in their hands having formed their own organization in the Toronto area, which advocates for services and programs and better resources for seniors.

Overall, community members reiterated the call for re-enactment of the Employment Equity legislation at provincial level, revival of Jobs Ontario Program, affordable child care, second career programs and incentives for employers that hire Somali-Canadians. Access to quality affordable housing, better educational prospects and services for women and seniors are equally important. It was felt that the community must stay engaged and working together is a collective responsibility that would bring positive change.

Blazing the Trail: Eastern Canada High School Sets Higher Standards

2011-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

Establishing an innovative, goals-oriented, supportive learning environment in high school education can be a tall order for many public schools that are ill-equipped to deal with the needs of culturally diverse students.

A significant number of students of visible minority background in the Toronto District School Board including those of East-African descent not only find it difficult to complete school, but fall on the wayside as drop outs with diminished prospects of making the transition to post-secondary education.

But the Eastern Canada High School (ECHS) located at 36 Colville Road ( Keele and Lawrence Area) is changing all that. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Abdinoor, the Principal of the high achieving school that is blazing the trail in community-oriented, private, high school education.

Principal Abdinoor holds a BA in engineering from Ryerson University and over a long span of involvement in the education sector; has served as a teacher in the public school system and operated a tutoring service tailored to the needs of Somali-Canadian students.

Mr. Abdinoor has been deeply involved in numerous community development initiatives. It was through his teaching and tutoring experience that he identified gaps in the public school system and embarked on a mission to seek viable alternatives for his community. He was concerned by the fact that the progress of high schoolers in his community had been hampered by a school system that did not understand the socio-economic and cultural dynamics of a community living at the margins of society.

To fix this problem, Mr. Abdinoor took the initiative to set up the Eastern Canada High School that in many regards is a shining example of an alternative, private school model – that efficiently meets the needs of its students, expectations of parents and overall educational goals of its respective community. Parents who feel let down by the public school system have turned their attention to Eastern Canada High School to secure their children’s academic future.

Mr. Abdinoor pointed to the uniqueness of the school stating that unlike the public school system, “Eastern Canada High School provides a safe, healthy, supervised environment” adding that it challenges its students “to a higher academic standard and rigorous work ethic to meet more criteria to keep up their grade point averages”.

The ECHS is an accredited private high school offering credit courses for grades 9 to 12 students who are aiming to complete their Ontario secondary school diploma. It provides students with numerous learning options as they can enroll in full time day or evening classes, earn extra credits to catch up on or earn credits not offered by local high schools when students need it most. Students can earn these credits alongside their regular semester courses.

Students also have the options to enroll in online courses and to take additional credits during the summer while tutoring services are available at evenings for those who need it. With a student-teacher ratio at less than 10 students per teacher, students have greater access to teachers, and this guarantees a one-on-one teacher instruction. Such is the quality of the school, which also boasts of teachers holding advanced PhD and MA degrees.

When asked why parents should chose a private school like ECHS where they are expected to pay tuition over public schools that are tuition free, Mr. Abdinoor said” public schools can help students succeed if they want, equally, if they want students to fail, they can help them fail.” Eastern Canada High School is different because “our goal is to prevent students from failing, by deploying caring teachers who understand the needs and challenges of the students”.

“We engage the students’ families on day to day basis and parents are here most of the time” says Abdinoor. “If students experience personal problems, they are not left alone; we have support groups in place to ensure no kid falls behind”.
As a big school with small classes offering a wide range of subjects, Abdinoor observes that Eastern Canada “is goal-oriented and instills students with the expectation of attending university”. As a result, students have higher rates of acceptance to universities and colleges.

The sky is the limit for students in this school. Hibo Machel, a grade 12 student, expressed her optimism of attending a post secondary institution and pursuing a successful career in a management and executive level in future.

“I plan to enroll in a marketing and advertising program at Ryerson and complete a Bachelor degree in business” Hibo confidently said. “I hope to work one day as a production manager or advertising executive for a major corporation like Coca Cola or Dove” says Hibo, adding that her ultimate goal is “to become a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a major corporation”.

Hibo speaks highly of her school. “I like the one-on-one approach here, which is unlike regular schools that rush students”. “Teachers here help you till evening. They are productive and precise in what they teach”.

“This is a good school, and I like it here. Even though there a number of students in a given class, you can always count on a one-on-one teacher support you can’t get elsewhere”. Says Hibo who forsees a bright future ahead.

For young Hibo and many other students here, ECHS is the foundation upon where they build their academic goals and make a successful transition to universities, on the path to successful careers in future. To register students, parents can call Eastern Canada High School at (416) 567-4404.

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

2010-04-17T23:14:00.000-07:00

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Somali Journalist Farhia Absie Explains Why She Resigned from VOA

2010-03-01T19:22:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar.

In a much anticipated interview that aired on Toronto's Ogaal Radio 88.9FM, Farhia M. Absie recounted the circumstances surrounding her resignation from the Voice of America (VOA) Somali Service to anchor Hassan Abdillahi Omar “Karate.”

Farhia, a renowned Somali journalist and documentary producer, joined the VOA in January 2008 as a contractor working on various assignments but was forced quit on January 27th 2010 over allegations that she was subjected to discrimination, mistreatment, harassment and intimidation at the hands of her immediate boss at the VOA.

In presenting her case to the Somali public and wider society in general, Farhia, who has been at loggerheads with her boss almost right from the beginning, told Toronto's popular Ogaal Radio that the VOA is rife with nepotism, being dominated by an agenda not conducive to the national interest of Somalia.

Farhia is among the Somali nationals who left the country to settle in the west prior to the outbreak of the civil war. On her life in exile, Farhia informed Radio Ogaal that she migrated to the US at a tender age and had obtained both her high school and post secondary education in America.

Having left Somalia at a time when the country enjoyed real statehood and nationalist feelings were abound among the citizenry, Farhia had escaped the ravages of civil strife that has led to social disintegration, divisive politics and the anarchic chaos that has torn apart the Somali social fabric over the last 19 years.

Far removed from the protracted Somali conflict, Farhia grew up in an environment free from communal fragmentation that unfortunately, is the common place in war-torn Somalia. On this note, she told Ogaal Radio that at the VOA's Somali Service, she found herself in an unfamiliar territory and the tension prevalent there eventually prompted her exit from the station.

Prior to joining the VOA, Ogaal Radio detailed Farhia’s impressive academic and career record and more notably, her employment at reputable institutions such as the University Of Washington State in Seattle, WA, and JFS in Columbus Ohio. On record, Farhia holds a joint degree in Information Systems and Human Services and has spent over ten years working in the field of human services. She also holds accredited journalistic credentials both as a writer and documentary producer.

A true social activist, Farhia is not only a long time advocate for social and community development but has also developed a passion for journalism in which she has demonstrated to her peers and the public, her brand of objective and progressive journalism that the Somali people have been yearning for so long.

In the phone-in session that followed the interview, the majority of Ogaal Radio listeners heaped praise on Farhia for her courage and honest assessment of the situation, describing her as a Somali nationalist and a true professional in the service of her community. Since her resignation, Farhia has been overwhelmed by the massive support she has received from the Somali community and the general public, being inundated with countless emails, phones and other forms of correspondence.

Certainly, Farhia’s exit from the VOA does not signal her departure from public limelight. In her concluding remarks, she told Ogaal Radio’s listenership that she is embarking on a documentary production project and would continue to work as a journalist to highlight the challenges facing both Somalia and its Diaspora communities as well as bring to the fore positive developments in the global Somali community. In fostering unity among Somalis, she calls for all concerned to transcend clan divisions.

Farhia represents a glowing example of the hard working, articulate Somali women whose contributions are rarely acknowledged in the community. Her steadfastness for the truth and persistence in calling for soul searching among Somalis speaks volumes of her courage and personality and by extension, the courage and determination of Somali women who on daily basis, work against all odds to support their families, build their communities and strive for a progressive agenda that can chart the way forward for Somalia. She is indeed, a perfect role model worth emulating.

Maradona's Argentina Remains a Potent Force

2010-01-29T22:19:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar.

As the qualifying for the FIFA 2010 World Cup slated for South Africa was winding down in the COMNEBOL, South American zone, Argentina's near peril of missing an automatic qualifying spot dominated soccer headlines from across the world.

Of course, a world cup without Argentina, a major soccer power house, would be unimaginable. Add this to the fact that Argentina is led by their beloved Diego Maradona, arguably the greatest soccer player to ever play the game, alongside Brazil's Pele. Worse still, Argentina boasts of the finest soccer player on the planet today in the name of Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona, the 2009 FIFA world player of the year

Last season, the Barcelona playmaker led his Barca team to an unprecedented six titles having won the Spanish La Liga and Copa Delray, UEFA's Champions League title, the Spanish and European Super Cups and the 2009 FIFA World Club Championship. But during the 2010 World Cup qualifying rounds, Messi has been but a shadow of himself, finding it difficult to click in an Argentine side bereft of ideas.

Since taking over, Argentina's overall competitive record under Maradona is four defeats and four wins, with 13 goals conceded and only ten scored. Certainly, this is a damning indictment for a man who has at his disposal, world class strikers like Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Agüero and Gonzalo Higuaín and stalwart defenders in Javier Mascherano, Javier Zanetti and Gabriel Heinze.

The Messi factor has puzzled many in the soccer world. Ossie Ardiles, a world cup winner in 1978 and a former team mate of Diego Maradona recently said "It's another problem we have. How can we have the best player in the world and he cannot perform?" As Argentina precariously hung on a thread, Ardiles described his country’s prospect of missing out on South Africa 2010 as “catastrophe, disaster, unthinkable”.

In an embarrassing campaign, Maradona's Argentina suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at the hands of lowly Bolivia. The loss went into the records as Argentina's heaviest defeat in international soccer in 51 years. Maradona's shaky team also suffered a high profile 3-1 home defeat to arch rivals Brazil in Rosario.

Against all odds, Argentina finally emerged from the doldrums in its last two crucial qualifying matches, securing a last gasp 2-1 win against Peru and a late 1-0 decider away to Uruguay to clinch the fourth and last automatic qualifying spot for the COMNEBOL zone.

The less than inspiring qualifying campaign has important lessons for Argentina. First, Maradona is a living proof that being a world class player does not necessarily translate into being a great manager. For Argentina to do well in South Africa, Maradona should solicit the advice of Argentina's soccer legends, the likes of Mario Kempes, Ossie Ardiles and Daniel Passarella.

Another key problem is Maradona's inability to motivate and inspire his players. As a coach, Maradona must demand a 100 percent commitment from his players and adopt a no nonsense approach to the game. These, combined with correct tactics and team line-up, could elevate Argentina to its traditionally potent, technical and efficient game that has been the hallmark of its attractive soccer for decades.

At the peak of his career, Maradona had the ability to change the game by himself without having to depend on his coach or teammates. As a coach, Maradona should not approach the game the way a striker does. He should learn to draw a clear line between coaching and playing and focus on coach-driven tactics and techniques that can help deliver the game in his favour.

Apart from the media, most of Argentina's influential soccer personalities including former coaches, past and current soccer administrators and his former world cup team mates have mostly shied away from criticizing Maradona's tactics. This is understandable, given that Maradona enjoys a near deity status in Argentina.

For the interest of Argentine soccer, Maradona should not be immune from constructive criticism, and especially from the upper echelons of Argentine soccer that has the power and influence to shape the national team's fortunes.

His poor record at the qualifiers notwithstanding, Maradona can count on Messi, who in the eyes of many pundits, remains a playmaker of the highest calibre. Messi definitely has the opportunity to redeem himself in South Africa by guiding his team to world cup glory.

AC Milan and England’s David Beckham has heaped praise on Messi proclaiming that the Argentine is one of the best players he has ever seen. He went on to compare Messi’s trademark style to that of Maradona, saying “He’s the closest player to Maradona that you can get, and he even plays in a similar passionate way too”.

No doubt, Maradona remains one of the biggest names in the game and his iconic status in world soccer is unquestionable. With the right team selection, tactics and of course psychological and mental edge, Argentina under Maradona has the potential to take South Africa 2010 by storm and even secure its elusive third world cup title. By doing so, Maradona will earn the distinction of winning the world cup both as a player and manager.

Cabinda Shooting Should Have no Bearing on the FIFAWorld Cup in South Africa

2010-01-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

The timely decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) not to call off the African Cup of Nations (ACN) tournament in Angola despite the deadly gunfire by secessionist rebels, who targeted the Togolese national squad two days before kick off, should be hailed as a brave and bold move by the continental football authority.

In a grisly incident that shook millions around the world, the bus ferrying the Togolese players came under heavy fire from rebels shortly after crossing into Angola’s Cabinda enclave from Congolese territory. The restive enclave is cut off from the rest of Angola by a strip of Congolese land on the Atlantic Coast. The Cabinda Enclave Liberation Front (FLEC) has been fighting to breakaway from Angola in attempts to establish an independent homeland in the oil rich enclave that accounts for 60 percent of Angola’s oil production.

The Togolese contingent suffered heavy casualties as the bus driver, assistant coach and team spokesman all died in the attack while several players were injured. The reserve goalkeeper, reportedly in critical condition at the time of the incident, was airlifted to South Africa and is now listed as stable.

When news of the attack started trickling in, skeptics called for an outright cancellation of the ACN, citing security concerns. But calling off the event, expected to be the continent’s largest ever, would be seen as giving in to political violence as this would encourage violent militants to target other international sporting events in future.

Despite the deadly incident, the ACN went ahead and kicked off to the best start it could ever dream of, with the Freddie Kanoute’s marshaled Mali, wiping out a massive 0-4 goal deficit in spectacular fashion by scoring four times in the last 11 minutes to tie with host nation Angola 4-4. It was an explosive opening game that elevated the spirit of a tournament overshadowed by the tragic event.

It is understandable that Togo had to pull out of the tournament to allow its players who are in state of shock, to mourn their dead. But it would be pointless to ask CAF to scrap the competition as it would reward the cowards behind the attack and mean that any competition is stoppable at any time. The Cabinda incident should be seen as an isolated one and participating teams should certainly put their faith on reassurances by Angolan officials who have vowed to guarantee their security.

The ACN is the largest football showpiece in the continent and it is unfortunate that the attack in Cabinda came less than six months before the continent hosts Football’s biggest tournament, the FIFA World Cup, slated for South Africa in June.

In some footballing circles, the Cabinda shooting has raised security questions for the FIFA World Cup. But given South Africa’s successful hosting of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, it is clear that the land of Madiba has already passed the World Cup test. It is worth noting that the rainbow nation has elaborate security measures in place and can guarantee the safety of all world cup teams.

Following the Cabinda incident, detractors were quick to attack South Africa’s security credentials for the FIFA World Cup. There is no reason why the incident in Cabinda should have any impact on the World Cup in June. In fact questioning South Africa’s security capabilities speaks of double standards.

Speaking to the BBC, Danny Jordaan, the South African World Cup boss, was clear on this. "When there was a bomb in London no-one said we should not have 2012 (Olympics) in London so we cannot have double standards."

Certainly, South Africa cannot bear any responsibility of what has happened in Angola. Jordaan noted that the majority of the world is not influenced by a distorted understanding of the African continent. He told the BBC that "If there is a war in Kosovo and a World Cup in Germany, no-one asks if the World Cup can go on in Germany, everyone understands the war in Kosovo is a war in Kosovo”

"The world must be balanced and must not apply different standards when it comes to the African continent. Our World Cup is secure and we are confident because we have employed a lot of resources to safeguard the event in our country." He said.

South Africa should not be singled out for any perceived lapse in security. This is because terrorism and political violence in general are global and no single country in the world can offer 100 percent guarantee against any security threats.

President Obama described the botched Christmas Day airline bombing as constituting a “systemic failure” and a “catastrophic lapse in security” - an indication that even the most sophisticated security systems in the US and Europe where the Detroit bound plane originated can be breached

The 2010 ACN is poised to live up to its billing as the continent’s most spectacular tournament ever. And come June, South Africa is ready to host the world in what promises to be a scintillating World Cup to remember.

Ogaal Radio's Hassan Abdillahi Receives Media Award at NEPMCC Event

2009-11-26T08:28:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar.

Members of the Somali-Canadian community and Canadians in general continue to congratulate Mr. Hassan Abdillahi "Karate" the Founder, President and Host of Ogaal Radio (Somali Media), FM 88.9, for being presented with a NEPMCC media award by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, at the November 21-22, 2009, National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC), Development Training Seminar at Seneca College.

Mr. Hassan Abdillahi has clearly emerged as an influential media personality in Canada and his increasingly popular Ogaal Radio has joined the ranks of the most progressive and highly recognizable ethnic media outlets in Canada.

Popularly known as “Karate”, Mr. Hassan Abdillahi is a respected journalist and community leader with twelve years experience in community radio programming.

OGAAL RADIO is the largest Somali language Community radio in Canada and it's weekly broadcasts reach a large, diverse audience in the GTA and other parts of Southern Ontario and millions worldwide through the internet. It broadcasts live every Sundays on CIRV Radio, 88.9FM, 10:00pm – 12am.

The mandate of Ogaal Radio is to meet the news, information and entertainment needs of the Somali and all Somali speaking communities in Ontario and rest of Canada. The Radio's potential audience is estimated at over 150, 000 listeners, comprising mainly of Canadians of Somali and East African descent as well as immigrants and newcomers to Ontario.

From Coast to Coast, the Somali-Canadian and North American Somali Diaspora community in general have rejoiced at the news that an important, hardworking member of their community has received such an important recognition.

Mahad Isaniye, the Executive Director of the Somali Community of British Columbia, said that it is“wonderful news, to see a Somali person who cares about his people receives an award. It is a deserving gesture from the Prime Minister to recognize such a person who created a radio station and supported his community with his effort and dedication”.

Speaking at the NEPMCC training seminar, Prime Minister Harper called upon journalists to “shine light into dark corners and assist the process of holding governments accountable” adding that “Members of the ethnic press and their readers understand what it's like in countries where truth is only what the state says it is and journalists are co-opted as government mouthpieces or threatened with their lives”.

The NEPMCC is a non-profit media organization made up of journalists representing editors and publishers of diverse cultural media across Canada. The organization promotes excellence, understanding and cooperation among its members. The purpose of the seminar is to provide training on best practices in Canadian journalism and skills development for the NEPMCC members.
The NEPMCC media training conference brought together more that 150 members of Canada’s ethnic media who traveled from across Canada to attend the historic event held at Seneca’s Markham College.

The event was also attended by a large number of dignitaries including Honourable Jason Kenney, M.P., Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Honourable Peter Kent, MP., Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Canada, Honourable Bob Rae, M.P, Honourable Justin Trudeau, M.P, Honourable Gerry Phillips, M.P.P., Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Timothy Hudak, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and Mr. Scott Shortliffe, Director, Policy and Program, Canada Magazine Fund.

Seneca’s President, David Agnew, was delighted that the conference gives the College the opportunity to share its expertise from several programs with “an important industry, whose members reflect the diversity of our own staff and student population, and to provide them with information to better serve their communities.”

Thomas Saras, President and CEO of NEPMCC, hailed the important partnership between Seneca and NEPMCC saying that Seneca College has developed sessions designed “ to meet the needs of ethnic media, tying together our objectives of better marketing ourselves, encouraging and recognizing excellence in content, and encouraging professional and business development in the field.”

Ogaal Radio will continue to play an important role in NEPMCC circles. The lively Radio informs, engages, delights and empowers its target audience through original programming that include news analysis and commentary, interviews and interactive on air discussion with and between listeners.

More importantly, Ogaal Radio provides a forum for extensive cultural, musical and artistic expressions along with socially progressive ideas which arise from communities who are socially, politically and economically disadvantaged and whose access to mainstream media is limited.

Overall, it provides a progressive voice for the socially disadvantaged including women and other marginalized sectors of society whose views and artistic expressions are not represented in the mainstream media.

Ogaal Radio makes programming decisions based on the area's listening needs and encourages listener participation in all activities. Every week, the radio receives a large volume of phones from its listeners throughout the GTA and southern Ontario.

Global Poverty on the Rise

2009-10-16T16:23:00.001-07:00

By Farid Omar

On Saturday, October 17th, social justice activists and concerned global citizens from around the world will observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Since the 1990s, the eradication of poverty and destitution in all countries, in particular developing countries, has become one of the priorities of development, considering that the promotion of eradication of poverty and destitution requires public awareness.

First observed on October 17, 1987, when over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly through resolution 47/196 adopted on 22 December 1992, declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and invited all States “to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution”.

The Resolution further invites intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations “to assist states, at their request, in organizing national activities for the observance of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, paying due attention to the specific problems of the destitute”

According to the UN, October 17th presents an opportunity to acknowledge the effort and struggle of people living in poverty, a chance for them to make their concerns heard, and a moment to recognize that poor people are the first ones to fight against poverty. Participation of the poor themselves has been at the centre of the Day's celebration since its very beginning. The commemoration of October 17th also reflects the willingness of people living in poverty to use their expertise to contribute to the eradication of poverty.

With the global economic crisis, the food crisis and the impacts of climate change combining to reverse the gains made over the past few years in reducing poverty, redoubled efforts by world leaders are required if nations are to continue to move forward on achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

As the gap between the super rich and the poorest communities on the planet continues to grow, global poverty, more than ever before, is alarmingly on the rise.Throughout the world, it is mostly women and children who bear the brunt of poverty. The year 2009 coincides with the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,which will be marked on November 20th. UN figures show that each year, nearly 10 million children die from preventable causes before their fifth birthday, and that that some 1.2 million children are trafficked worldwide.

In recognition of this, the 2009 observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on the plight of children and families living in poverty and the need to fulfill children's rights in partnership with them and in keeping with the Convention.

When it comes to global poverty, the statistics are grim. Every 3 seconds, a child dies of extreme poverty. Over 1 billion people around the world live on less than $1 a day while in Canada, over 1 million children live in poverty. In addressing these challenges, anti-poverty groups in Canada and beyond demand a more and better aid for developing nations, trade justice, debt cancellation and an end to child poverty.

Despite rapid economic growth in the last two decades, it is estimated that a large number of Canadians still live in poverty. But a Pan-Canadian Movement to combat poverty is fast building as activists are mobilizing across the country to spearhead a united front to eliminate poverty in Canada. Dignity for All: The Campaign for a Poverty-Free Canada, was founded in 2009 by Canada Without Poverty and Citizens for Public Justice. The campaign notes that freedom from poverty is a human right and that all are entitled to social and economic security.

In combating the structural causes of poverty in Canada, the Dignity for All Campaign calls for a sustained action by the federal government including a federal plan for poverty elimination that compliments provincial and territorial plans, a federal anti-poverty Act that ensures enduring federal commitment and accountability for results and a sufficient federal investment in social security for all Canadians.

On the international front, concerted efforts by social justice and anti-poverty groups, international organizations and governments from around the world are needed to make poverty history.

London is Profiting from Somalia Piracy

2009-02-19T16:09:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

Since the collapse of central government in Somalia in 1991, pirates have reigned supreme over the Somali high seas, hijacking commercial vessels and ships carrying humanitarian supplies. In the latest incident, pirates have released the Ukrainian freighter, MV Faina, walking away with an estimated $3.2 million in ransom money.

Piracy is a lucrative business in war-torn Somalia. Last year alone, pirate gangs were paid an estimated £35million from holding 40 ships and hundreds of crew members to ransom. Some sources claim that Somali pirates may have collected as much as $150 million last year although this figure could not be independently verified. While piracy continues to be a menace, it is was the pirates who hijacked the MV Faina, loaded with 33 tanks, artillery, grenade launchers and ammunition who captured global attention. The pirates had no idea that their booty was an estimated $30 million worth of deadly weaponry, heading for South Sudan via Kenya.

While the western media has often focused its attention on Somali pirates, the international community has paid a blind eye to the ravaging of Somali seas by foreign vessels that either fish illegally or dump toxic material, including nuclear waste in Somali territorial waters in flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the beleaguered East-African nation.

Sugunle Ali, a spokesman for the pirates on the just released MV Faina, once told the New York Times that in the eyes of the world, the pirates had been misunderstood.

"We don´t consider ourselves sea bandits," he said. "We consider sea bandits those who illegally fish in our seas and dump waste in our seas and carry weapons in our seas. We are simply patrolling our seas. Think of us like a coast guard." In Somalia, pirates claim that they only impose heavy "fines" as opposed to claiming "ransom" when seizing ships that illegally enter Somali seas.

Col. Gaddafi, the newly-minted African Union (AU)chairman, recently told Kenya's Daily Nation that he doesn't believe that Somalia's piracy was a crime.

" It is a response to greedy western nations, who invade and exploit Somalia's water resources illegally". Said the Libyan President. " It is not piracy, it is self-defence.It is defending Somalia children's food". Col Gaddafi argued.

After the collapse of the Somali state, there were no patrols along the shoreline and Somalia´s tuna-rich waters were soon plundered by commercial fishing fleets from around the world. Somali fishermen armed themselves and turned into vigilantes by confronting illegal fishing boats and demanding that they pay a tax.
However, things later got out of hand as the vigilantes in the high seas quickly transformed themselves into pirates hijacking any vessels they could catch.

But unknown to most in the rest of the world, Somali pirates are not the only ones benefiting from this high stakes industry. Last month, the BBC reported that the hijacking of ships off the coast of Somalia has created a mini-industry for a business entity based in the UK. An investigation by Simon Cox, a BBC reporter, on how ransom is paid ,has revealed that money trails lead to one destination: London.

According to Cox, securing the release of hijacked ships and crew members is "the responsibility of a hidden mini-industry of lawyers, negotiators and security teams based nearly 7,000km away, in London, UK, the business capital of the world's maritime industry".

Simon Beale, a marine underwriter, says that all these specialist services don't come cheap in the UK. He adds that by factoring in the cost of lawyers, risk consultants, security advisers, as well as the fixed overheads, and delivering the money to the pirates , all these "can lead to doubling the ransom amount."

Cox adds that this hidden mini-industry thrives because paying a ransom is not illegal under British law unless it is paid to terrorists. It has long been established that piracy in Somalia does not constitute a politically motivated act as pirates simply hold vessels for ransom. As such, they are treated as criminal gangs in the high seas, not terrorists.

Cox notes that last year, Somali pirates pocketed an estimated $50m. "Not all of this is going to British lawyers, negotiators and security teams but a fair chunk of it will be". Says Cox. "This has led to some criticism, particularly in Spain, that London is profiting from crime".

In dealing with piracy, the best solution is for the international community to put to an end the illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste in Somali waters as well as reign in on the mini industry in UK that is profiting from this criminal enterprise.

More importantly, piracy can only be rooted out if the international community supports the creation of a peaceful and stable state in Somalia. This would entail the promotion of an inter-Somali dialogue that would bring together all parties in the Somali conflict in direct negotiations on the way to finding a lasting solution to the political crisis in Somalia.

Zimbabwe : Coalition Deal Finalized

2009-02-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

After months of bitter wrangles on how the most powerful cabinet posts were to be shared out in Zimbabwe's coalition government deal, Southern African leaders, who have been mediating for a durable settlement have persuaded Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to join a joint administration despite their concerns over Zanu-PF's commitment to sharing power. The power-sharing deal was agreed in September 2008 but has been mired by bitter disputes.

In light of this new development, Zimbabwe's parliament has unanimously approved a constitutional amendment allowing opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minister.

Mr Mugabe is expected to sign the amendment on Friday and Mr Tsvangirai is due to be sworn in on 11 February.

Negotiators are still trying to hammer out who gets what ahead of the unity government taking over on 13 February.

Months after the ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) signed a power sharing-deal; Zimbabwe still doesn’t have a new coalition cabinet in place. Under the power-sharing deal, Mugabe is supposed to remain President and Tsvangirai, the MDC leader, is to become Prime Minister.

Zanu-PF and the MDC have been unable to agree on how to divide cabinet posts. The MDC insists that it should take control of the Home Affairs Ministry which controls the police. This, the MDC claims, would help curtail the harassment of its leaders and supporters.

The MDC has often accused Mugabe of not being sincere about power-sharing, saying that despite the deal, its supporters, party officials and human rights activists are still being abducted.

But Zanu-PF has long maintained that its security operations directed at subversive elements within MDC ranks are aimed at defending Zimbabwe's sovereignty against imperialist detractors. It views the neo-liberal oriented MDC as a reactionary force working in collusion with western imperialism. Zimbabwe, President Mugabe insists, will never bow down to imperialist interests.

Further, Zanu-PF has stated that it is committed to a power-sharing deal, pointing to last month's sacking by President Mugabe of nine cabinet ministers and three deputy ministers. All the sacked ministers had lost their seats in the last March polls.

On the economic front, President Mugabe has blamed the economic sanctions imposed by western powers as the primary cause of Zimbabwe's worsening economic conditions. Zimbabwe has been hit by a hyper inflation that is spiraling out of control.

On the cholera situation, the United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon has announced Robert Mugabe's agreement to allow a delegation of UN experts into the country to study the solutions which could be employed to stop the disease from spreading.

While Western governments blame the epidemic on the collapse of Zimbabwe’s health and sanitation system, the Zimbabwe government has blamed the outbreak on the British, stating that it is “a calculated terrorist attack on Zimbabwe”.

Last month, the Zimbabwe Herald quoted the information minister, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, as blaming cholera on “serious biological chemical war... a genocidal onslaught on the people of Zimbabwe by the British.”

Split in ANC: An Elitist Power Struggle.

2008-11-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

By Farid Abdi Mohamed Omar

After a bitter power struggle within the ANC forced former President, Thabo Mbeki out of power, ANC dissidents led by former Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota have formed a breakaway party called the South African Democratic Congress (SADEC).

But the legality of this name is being challenged by another party with a similar name. The dissidents plan to challenge Jacob Zuma, the new ANC leader in general elections scheduled for next May.

In September, Lekota, a staunch ally of Mbeki, led a number of cabinet ministers who quit the ANC government. They blame Jacob Zuma supporters for ousting Mbeki from power.

While some believe that the split is good for South Africa's democracy, it is very clear that the split in the ANC, Africa's oldest and largest political party, is more about personalities than principle. It is simply a reflection of an elitist power struggle that holds no real solutions for South Africa's rampant corruption, growing inequality and high levels of poverty.

A splinter faction in the form of a new party may not constitute a viable alternative to Jacob Zuma's ANC. While it is unlikely that the Lekota faction would defeat the ANC, it could potentially deprive it of the two thirds majority needed to change the constitution.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the Communist Party of South Africa (SACP) that have a formal alliance with the ANC, both back Jacob Zuma. But it remains to be seen whether they would wield any considerable power in a likely future government led by Zuma.

The key to social progress in South Africa would be the evolution or coming to power of a truly leftist party that shuns neo-liberalism and undertakes fundamental social transformations that would progressively eradicate poverty, inequality and endemic state corruption.

Piracy and the West's Ravaging of Somali Seas Must End

2008-10-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

By Farid Omar

Since the collapse of central government in Somalia in 1991, following the ouster of Siad Barre, the former military dictator, pirates have reigned supreme over the Somali high seas, hijacking commercial vessels and ships carrying humanitarian supplies. This year alone, there have been over 25 cases of pirates seizing ships for ransom.

Piracy as western media claims, is fast becoming a lucrative business in war-torn Somalia. But is was the Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian freighter, the MV Faina, loaded with 33 tanks, artillery, grenade launchers and ammunition who captured global attention. The pirates had no idea that their booty was an estimated $30 million worth of deadly weaponry, heading for South Sudan via Kenya. They have demanded a $20 million ransom as condition of releasing the MV Faina and its 21 crew members.

According to Al-Jazeera, the pirates have issued an ultimatum threatening to destroy the arms-laden cargo ship if no ransom is paid. The ship is surrounded by US warships, and a Russian frigate is heading toward the scene, raising the stakes for a possible commando-style raid on the ship.

While the western media has often focused its attention on Somali pirates, the international community has paid a blind eye to the ravaging of Somali seas by foreign vessels that either fish illegally or dump toxic material, including nuclear waste in Somali territorial waters in flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia.

Worse still, US, French, German and other western warships continue to “patrol” Somalia’s territorial waters under the pretext of fighting so-called “war on terror” in the Horn of African front. The build up of western warships off the Somali coastline constitutes a direct act of aggression against Somalia.

The ongoing pirates saga on the Ukrainian ship has uncovered the other side of the story following revelations in the New York Times that carried a recent piece on the stand off between the pirates and US ships that have surrounded the MV Faina.

In a telephone interview with the New York Times, Sugunle Ali, the pirates’ spokesman said that so far, in the eyes of the world, the pirates had been misunderstood.

“We don’t consider ourselves sea bandits,” he said. “We consider sea bandits those who illegally fish in our seas and dump waste in our seas and carry weapons in our seas. We are simply patrolling our seas. Think of us like a coast guard.” In Somalia, pirates claim that they only impose heavy "fines" as opposed to claiming "ransom" when seizing ships that illegally enter Somali seas.

In quoting Somali officials, even the New York Times notes that after the collapse of the Somali state, there were no patrols along the shoreline adding that “Somalia’s tuna-rich waters were soon plundered by commercial fishing fleets from around the world. Somali fishermen armed themselves and turned into vigilantes by confronting illegal fishing boats and demanding that they pay a tax”.

However, things later got out of hand as the vigilantes in the high seas quickly transformed themselves into pirates hijacking as the New York Times mentions, “any vessel they could catch: sailboat, oil tankers, United Nations chartered ships etc”.

No doubt, piracy of commercial ships in the high seas is a serious crime and co-ordinated international efforts are required to stamp it out. At the same time, the international community must put to an end the illegal fishing and dumping of toxic waste in Somali waters.

Progressive forces must also demand the immediate withdrawal of western warships circling Somalia to difusse the growing tension in the region.

More importantly, piracy in Somalia can only be rooted out if the international community supports the creation of a peaceful and stable state in Somalia. This would entail the unconditional withdrawal of Ethiopian forces and promotion of an inter-Somali dialogue that would bring together all parties in the Somali conflict in direct negotiations on the way to finding a lasting solution to the political crisis in Somalia.

Is China a Neo-Colonialist Power in Africa?

2008-02-26T17:08:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

The western media, working in collusion with right wing political analysts, have embarked on a propaganda campaign to discredit the emergent Sino-African Strategic Partnership. They often present a distorted view based on a false premise that places China as a neocolonialist power eager to take effective control of Africa’s abundant natural resources and turn the African continent into a massive market for Chinese products at the expense of Africa.

But according to most Pan-African analysts, this baseless tirade is clearly the work of those who feel threatened by the prospect of a strong China-Africa strategic partnership that they fear would help Africa overcome development obstacles and end centuries of dependency on western economic systems.

African leaders have vigorously defended China-Africa relations. In a strongly worded statement, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa stated: “There are some in the world who fear this message of hope and the possibility it presents to define the process of globalization in a manner that benefits the poor of the world” noting that “They see the developments exemplified by the China-Africa Partnership as a threat to their selfish interests”.

President Mbeki’s position and that of all other African leaders who attended the November 2006 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing, the Chinese Capital, is echoed by China’s former ambassador to South Africa, Mr. Liu Guijin who said that in today’s world, “China is working hard to build a harmonious society domestically and is in favor of building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity”.

While responding to unfounded accusations that China will be a “neo-colonialist” power in Africa, Mr. Guijin provided an historical analysis on China’s long standing anti-colonial tendencies citing for example, the voyage of Zheng He, the famous navigator of China's Ming Dynasty, who 600 years ago, led the then largest fleet in the world and made seven voyages to the "Western Seas," reaching more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa and in which even today, the relics of the crew of his fleet can still be found in Kenya and other countries.

Despite the fact that Zheng He’s fleet was the largest and most powerful in the world 600 years ago, he did not become a colonialist in Africa and beyond.

In providing a clear explanation on this, Mr. Guijin noted that China did not choose to colonize others because the pursuit of harmony is deeply rooted in Chinese traditions.

Further, Mr. Guijin said that more than 2,500 years ago, “The great Chinese philosopher Confucius already set the Golden Rule-what you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others”. This nurtured the mindset of the Chinese people for thousands of years.

Mr. Guijin adds that this concept of harmony “is actually a key theme of the Confucian thought. To colonize others is simply against Chinese traditions and values”.

The Zheng He analogy is a clear illustration that China will not and never had the intention to colonize others. Certainly, Zheng He’s voyage, which is virtually unknown to many in Africa and elsewhere, is one area that African scholars should conduct extensive research on.

Kenya: Socio-Economic Cleavages to Blame for Current Mayhem

2008-01-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

Following the outbreak of violence in the aftermath of the disputed Kenyan elections, the western media was quick to portray electoral politics in Kenya as “tribal” with perennial “ethnic” loyalties, rather than issues of national debate drumming up support for competing political interests.

But Kenyan and other African pundits have rejected such negative media depictions, stating that ethnicity was not a factor in the December 2007 Kenya elections, pointing out the Raila Odinga led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has garnered multi-ethnic, trans-regional, national support in almost seven out of Kenya's eight provinces.

A Seniour Police official has confirmed that at least 600 people have lost their lives while UN figures indicate that 250, 000 people are displaced and close to 500, 000 are in need of urgent humanitarian aid.

Diplomatic efforts are under way to help resolve the crisis with the ODM calling for the establishment of a transitional government and a re-run of the presidential polls within 3 months under an independent commission while the besieged “President” Kibaki has indicated willingness to establish a government of national unity.

The underlying causes of the current political crisis are rooted in existing socio-economic cleavages, social disparity, state corruption, poverty, unemployment, crippling inflation and state's inability to curtail rising crime rates. Most of those caught up in the ongoing violence are Kenya's rural and urban poor, unemployed youths and other marginalized sectors of society.

The post elections violence in Kenya is a clear reflection of decades of frustrations by the marginalized who saw any prospect for better future destroyed by the massive electoral fraud meant to preserve the status quo.

By all accounts, Kenya was a powder keg waiting to explode. The myth that Kenya has always been a “peaceful” and “progressive” model for other African countries to emulate has finally been shattered by the violent unrest that threatens to plunge the country into further chaos. Kenya indeed, was never the so-called “stable” East African nation and “beacon” of hope for Africa.

Public discontentment with the massive state corruption that has driven millions into poverty has been fomenting for years. In four and a half decades of neo-colonial rule, the Kenyan comprador elites, working in collusion with international capital, had succeeded in the pacification of the masses through coercion, patronage, clientelism, co-aptation and other corrupt practices. “Pacification” as we know, is not the same as “peaceful co-existence.”

Kenya's long pacified, diverse communities all share one thing in common; marginalization at the hands of a corrupt, dictatorial, pro-west, capitalist state implementing neo-liberal economic policies that has enriched a select group of elites at the expense of impoverished masses deprived of even the basic necessities of life.

The disputed elections was a just a trigger that allowed the oppressed in Kenya vent their anger against the state as seen in violent clashes between rioters and the police as well as the unfortunate attacks on sections of the population accused of supporting the Kibaki regime.

In today’s Kenya, the masses have started to seriously challenge all forms of “pacification” or intimidation through the state’s excessive use of force. Thus the series of mass peaceful rallies underway across the nation will form the basis of popular resistance to the Kibaki regime.

For peace to prevail, Kenyans and progressive forces around the world should pressure Kibaki to step down and allow for a speedy re-run of the polls under the supervision of an independent electoral commission.

In the meantime, ODM's call for the formation of an interim government with the sole mandate of preparing the stage for new elections is a viable option that offers a way out of the current impasse.

EU's Double Standards on Human Rights

2008-01-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar

The December 2007 Lisbon summit that brought together European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) member states hoped to launch a new “partnership” between the EU and Africa by tackling key issues such as development, good governance, peace, security, migration, energy and climate change.

But many analysts agree that the key agenda behind the so-called “new partnership” is the EU's primary concern for the unfettered access to Africa's vast mineral resources. In confronting China's growing influence in Africa, the EU is bent on retaining its strategic economic interests in the African continent while at the same time, pretend that it would embark on initiatives that would enable Africa, a key trading partner, achieve its long sought democratic goals.

The talk on democracy, good governance, human rights, peace and security is all none sense given the fact that EU member states continue to pay a blind eye to flagrant human rights violations by key African allies. It also smacks of double standards for certain EU countries like the UK that selectively focus their attention on perceived human rights violations in a country like Zimbabwe, a nation considered hostile to EU interests while they deliberately ignore repressive policies in other African countries closely allied to the West.

Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, chose to boycott the summit to protest against the presence in the Lisbon talks, of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Mugabe was allowed to attend the summit after African leaders threatened to boycott the event if the EU insisted on barring the Zimbabwean leader from attending. It was a rare show of solidarity among African leaders tired of EU's paternalistic approach in its long standing economic relations with Africa.

Ironically, Brown and other EU leaders didn't see any problem with the attendance of the likes of Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, two leaders whose nations are known for gross human rights violations directed at oppositional forces seeking a democratic alternative in these troubled nations.

Worse still, the EU continues to prop up hardcore, despotic African regimes that primarily serve western interests. EU member states back, finance and arm totalitarian regimes in places like Nigeria, Guinea, Ethiopia, Uganda, Egypt etc suppressing in the process, genuine democratic forces in the continent that are seeking viable alternatives to EU- bankrolled dictatorships.

Zenawi for example, is known for his brutal suppression of opposition leaders, journalists and human rights activists in Ethiopia who voiced their concern in the possible rigging of the hotly contested 2005 elections in which the opposition are widely believed to had garnered enough votes to unseat Zenawi.

In retaliation to public protests, Zenawi's response came in the form of brutal state repression that led to the deaths of hundreds of street protesters in less than a year and the illegal detention of key opposition leaders and activists.

Human Rights Watch and other northern-led NGOs have documented gross human rights violations in the largely Somali -inhabited region of Ogaden in Eastern Ethiopia where Ethiopian forces are facing fierce resistance from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a seccesionist rebel movement seeking independence from Ethiopia.

In this isolated region, Ethiopian security forces have reportedly targeted civilians while the government has been accused of orchestrating an economic blockade aimed at causing mass starvation in the region.

In Somalia, Ethiopian forces that have occupied the war-torn nation at the behest of the US, have been accused by rights groups including Human Rights Watch for shelling civilian positions in Mogadishu, causing the worst humanitarian disaster in Africa that has led to the displacement of one million people.

Disturbingly, Gordon Brown and other EU leaders are unperturbed by this troubling trend in both Ethiopia and neighbouring Somalia and have kept their silence on the ongoing atrocities committed by a close African ally.

Uganda, a key Western ally, is equally a flagrant violator of human rights. Its forces are accused of displacing innocent civilians in its long war with the Lord Resistance Army rebels in the north. The Museveni regime is known for suppressing opposition leaders and his government technically rigged Uganda's 2006 elections through draconian measures such as state restriction of the opposition's ability to effectively organize and the mass intimidation of the opponents of the regime.

Further,Ugandan is among the seven countries in the region that invaded Congo in 1998 and its troops are implicated in grisly atrocities directed at innocent civilians and the mass plunder of Congolese resources during the five year long civil war.

Yet Gordon Brown and the EU have their eyes set on Zimbabwe and totally ignore Uganda, Ethiopia and other regional allies complicit of gross human rights violations within their borders and in neighbouring countries.

The UK and the EU continue to provide Uganda, Ethiopia and other despotic regimes in Africa with economic and military aid. And all this despite widespread state repression in member AU states that are not only closely allied to western nations but duly protect EU interests through tyrannical measures that infringe on fundamental individual and collective rights.

In early 2007, security forces in Guinea opened fire on anti-government protesters, killing 130 people in cold blood during mass rallies organized by Trade Unionists opposed to President Lansana Conte's repressive policies. Conte, a close ally of France, seized power illegally in a 1984 military coup and has ever since, ruled with an iron hand, silencing his opponents through coercion and state violence.

Despite vigorous opposition to his dictatorial rule, Lansana has largely remained in power through sustained support from France and other EU countries that continue to prop-up the ailing dictator.

Unlike the anti-West Mugabe, Lansana Conte is not a target of the EU and France as the European body and Guinea's former colonial masters are determined to protect Conte. This is because the Guinean dictator is a close EU ally duly implementing stringent neo-liberal economic policies that protect western interests at the expense of the impoverished masses in Guinea.

Democratic forces in Africa need to challenge the EU's stance on Africa by exposing double standards and condemning the propping up of despotic regimes that serve EU economic and strategic interests. The social movements in the continent should strive to build a democratic, Pan-African alternative through popular education, mass political action and initiatives that empower the impoverished masses, women and all other marginalized sectors of society excluded from the political process.

The elite-driven, top down approach evident in the proposed EU-Africa partnership would not free the people of Africa from poverty, war and underdevelopment. Rather, the people of Africa must pursue a home grown, bottom up, revolutionary approach relying on a democratic, all inclusive civil society driven process that would usher in a new era of political and economic renewal for Africa.

Promoting Citizen Diplomacy in Africa

2008-01-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

By Farid Omar.

The field of citizen diplomacy, also known as Track-II talks, has taken an important role in conflict resolution mechanisms around the world. In the Middle East and elsewhere, Track-II Talks have helped build bridges among communities torn by war and factionalism.

Due to failure or shortcomings of key Track-I (official diplomacy) talks, peace activists, conflict resolution experts, peace-builders and communities in general would increasingly rely on Track-II Talks in attempts to resolve protracted conflicts around the world.

The primary actors in citizen diplomacy include peace activists, scholars, journalists, former statesmen and military officials, elder statesmen and other notable personalities representing various non-state sectors in the wider society committed to resolving conflicts within their states or communities.

In Africa, the field of diplomacy and conflict resolution has been dominated by state actors(government officials and heads of states) supra-national and regional groupings such as the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS etc) and armed actors challenging state structures including rebel movements, paramilitaries and other armed militias.

Ceasefires, truces and talk of peace deals have often been used by state and armed actors as an opportunity to consolidate their positions while at the same time, re-arming and strategizing for the next round of hostilities. As a result, conflict resolution mechanisms dominated by state and armed actors have had little impact in building lasting peace in the continent and in most cases, has only paved the way for renewed hostilities.

With peace processes heading for imminent failures in a multitude of African conflicts including the ongoing civil strife in Somalia, Congo, Sudan, and the Ivory Coast, citizen diplomacy, more than ever before, holds the key to unlocking a new formula for fostering peace in the continent through the direct involvement of citizen diplomats and peace delegates in fragile and failing peace processes.

This calls for increased and effective representation of delegates representing private citizens, trade unions, voluntary and professional associations, the women movement, faith groups and other non-state entities, in the realm of conflict resolution and conflict prevention and all other matters pertaining to improving regional security and building sustainable peace in Africa.

Citizen diplomacy as pertaining to Africa, has received little attention from peace researchers, conflict resolution analysts and even international bodies like the United Nations.

All stakeholders in the peace-building movement should wake up to the important reality that citizen diplomats have an important role to play in peace-making and peace-building and there is greater potential for this sector to not only build bridges among warring factions and communities, but also influence and provide state actors involved in Track-I Talks with the necessary terms and tools to effectively resolve long lasting conflicts in Africa.

Unlike Track-I (Official Diplomacy) talks, Track-II (Citizen Diplomacy) talks take place in a less sensitive environment. While it is sometimes difficult for state actors and their opponents to meet face to face, citizens always take the initiative to reach out to each other to find collective solutions to issues around conflict.

For example, the Israeli government and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) have not only denounced each other, but never met face to face prior to 1993 to resolve the Middle East Conflict. But both Israeli and Palestinian citizens have been meeting and coming together for decades to find ways to end the conflict.

The 1993 Oslo Process was the product of successful rounds of talks initiated by citizen diplomats both Israeli and Palestinian, which helped pave the way for the official behind the scenes Track-I Talks involving Israeli government officials and leaders of the Palestinian Authority. This eventually led to the Middle East Peace Process, which culminated with the signing of the Peace Accord in the White House.

Track-II success in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world can be replicated in Africa. While it has been difficult for state actors and opposing rebel authorities in Africa to resolve long standing conflicts in places like Somalia, Congo and Sudan, the citizens of these countries and other parts of Africa who happen to belong to opposing loyalties have always come together to find ways to end conflicts in their nations and communities.

In order to foster a culture of peace and healing, it is imperative that the citizen diplomacy sector in Africa, which lacks adequate resources, be supported so as to build an active constituency of citizen peacemakers and peace builders. A vibrant citizen diplomacy sector in the African continent would go along way in eliminating obstacles to peace in the continent and further develop the necessary pre-requisites to peace in war-torn nations and communities.

Like their counterparts in the Middle East, citizen diplomats in Africa have the potential to bridge political divisions within their nations and communities and also influence state actors make appropriate decisions that can help facilitate a functional conflict resolution process at the official level.

Kenyan Elections: Ethnicity not a Factor in Disputed Polls

2008-01-02T20:19:00.001-08:00

By Farid A.M. Omar

Following the outbreak of violence in the aftermath of the disputed Kenyan elections, the western media was quick to portray electoral politics in Kenya as “tribal” with perennial “ethnic” loyalties, rather than national issues shaping up support for competing political interests.

While politics in the Moi and Kenyatta eras as well as the the first term of Kibaki's reign may have been dictated by ethnic interests, the flawed 2007 elections was historic in that ethnicity took a back stage as the fledging opposition Party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) led by Mr. Raila Odinga, carted a new era in Kenyan politics, shunning ethnic divisions and instead, uniting Kenyans under a banner that has confined electoral politics into an issues-based national debate.

Ethnicity has not been a driving factor in this elections although political opportunists are likely to manipulate the ongoing violent unrest to rekindle ethnic tensions and plunge the predominantly peaceful East African nation into further chaos.

It is very unfortunate that specific communities were targeted in the current mayhem and especially in the Rift Valley Province, in which in one grisly incident, 35 innocent people, mostly women and children from the Kikuyu community perished in a Church fire blamed on marauding mobs angered by the outcome of the rigged Presidential polls. Peace loving Kenyans should roundly condemn such acts, refrain from violence and seek a peaceful resolution to the current impasse.

In a dubious move, the Electoral Commission of Kenya(ECK), had at the end of the polls, declared Kibaki the winner over his rival, the opposition's Raila Odinga. As of late, upto five officials of the ECK have broken ranks with their colleaques, declaring that the Presidential polls were fraudulent and marred with serious irregularities. The ODM and some western observers have called for an independent audit of the polls to ensure a fair and transparent culmination to the process.

On the run up to the 2007 elections, Raila's ODM garnered national support that transcends ethnic and regional lines. His party, ODM, has a truly national outlook with multi-ethnic support across the nation. There are even Kikuyus in the ODM and some of them, like Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, is the presumed winner of the Starehe Constituency in Nairobi, having tallied more votes than her rival, PNU's Maina Kamanda, along time area MP.

In its haste to thwart ODM fortunes, the ECK quickly annulled the Starehe results, locking Ms. Wanjiru out of a historic parliamentary victory. The ECK felt that it would have been a huge blow to Kibaki if Wanjiru was officially declared winner on an ODM ticket in a mainly Kikuyu populated part of the City.

In the Kisumu East constituency, voters overwhelmingly elected Mr. Ahmed Shakeel Shabir, a Kenyan of South Asian descent as their new MP, rejecting their own Luo candidates who ran on other party tickets.

The western media is keen on presenting the ethnic line so as to continue to depict Kenyan and African politics in general, as being primarily a “tribal”, or “ethnic-centred” process devoid of issues-based politicking. But Kenyan and other African pundits have rejected such negative media depictions, stating that ethnicity was NOT a driving force in the 2007 Kenya elections.

Raila's ODM for example, draws the majority of its support outside his Luo community. Sensing that the ODM was headed for outright victory in six out of Kenya's eight Provinces, the pro-Kibaki ECK moved fast to doctor the final results in favour of Kibaki. While Kibaki's PNU largely relied on Kikuyu support from the Central Province, the ODM had over the last two years, built itself a national support base across the provinces.

The ODM has widespread support in Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley and Nairobi Provinces among various communities including the Luo, Luhya, Kalenjin, Maasai, Kisii etc while in the Coast and North Eastern Provinces and parts of Eastern Province, the ODM has fielded winning candidates from the Swahili, Taveta, Somali, and Gabra communities in what clearly local analysts regard as a multi-ethnic, trans-regional, national support for Raila.

Also, the ODM has successfully secured bloc voting on demographic basis as the majority of the young people in Kenya as well as women and the Muslim community decisively voted for Raila.

Like his late father, the legendary Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Raila Odinga is widely acknowledged in Kenyan politics as a nationalist leader rising above “tribal” politics. During the elections campaign, Raila's ODM focussed on such nagging issues as corruption, poverty, unemployment and alarming crime rates. This resonated well with the masses and by election date, there was no stopping the ODM train that was cruising to certain victory.

On the other hand, most Kenyans would agree that Kibaki per se is not the problem but the clique of corrupt politicians within his inner circle. Ordinary Kenyans blame Kibaki's cronies on the endemic corruption that has paralyzed the country over the last five years. In the past, Kibaki was often regarded as the “gentleman” of Kenyan politics for his ability to delegate power and work closely with other leaders.

But his regime was held hostage by his close associates, erstwhile dubbed “The Mount Kenya Mafia” implicated in massive corruption during Kibaki's first tenure of office. This political mafia takes its name from the Mount Kenya region in the Central Province where Kibaki's henchmen hail from. It consists of powerful cabinet ministers in the Kibaki government as well as corporate titans with close ties to the state.

During the 2002 Kenya elections, it was Raila Odinga who handed the Presidency to Kibaki on a silver platter after he made the famous declaration “Kibaki Tosha” loosely translated from Kiswahili as meaning “Kibaki all the way”. Raila, a rising opposition leader at the time, sacrificed his own presidential ambitions infavour of Kibaki, so as to unite the opposition under the banner of National Rainbow Coalition (Narc-Kenya) that swept to power, ending Kanu's 40 years of reign in power.

But Raila and others later fell out with the President after his refusal to deliver a people-driven new constitution for Kenya as well as failure to honour the memorandum of understanding (MOU), a gentleman's agreement that required Kibaki to step down after one term to allow for Raila to run as the Narc-Kenya 2007 Presidential candidate. Odinga and his close allies also left the Kibaki government after the revelations of massive corruption in high places.

In the just concluded elections, Kibaki's PNU party relied on old guard politicians to mobilize support for the President. These include Mr. Simeon Nyachae who served as a cabinet minister in successive governments, tasked with the plan to deliever the Kisii vote, while other cabinet ministers; Mukhisia Kituyi, Musikari Kombo and Vice-President Muudi Awori were expected to deliver the Luhya vote.

Former President Daniel Arap Moi and his former right hand man, Nicholas Biwott, considered the real power behind Moi' long 24 year reign, and Kibakis's cabinet minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa, turfed the Rift Valley to rally Kalenjin support for Kibaki on the Presidential ticket while maintining allegiance to Kanu on the Parliamentary ticket. In the Eastern Province, Ukambani chieftains —turned PNU candidates, Mr Mutua Katuku (Water Development minister and Prof Kivutha Kibwana (Lands minister), were entrusted with selling Kibaki's campaign in parts of this province.

But Kenyans overwhelmingly rejected these ethnic overtures and instead, pusnished these bearers of the ethnic torch, voting out Vice-President Awori, Nyachae, Kituyi, Kombo, Tuju, Kirwa, Katuku and Kibwana who were among the 20 cabinet ministers who lost their seats during the elections.

Moi's ethnic card resulted in the total destruction of the Moi dynasty in the Rift Valley Province as his three sons, Gideon, Raymond and Jonathan all lost in the Parliamentary polls in Baringo and Eldama Ravine.

Overall, the 2007 elections was one that saw the majority of voters shunning ethnic politics by punishing divisive politicians and rewarding politicians who forged a united national front under the ODM Parliamentary and Presidential tickets.

More importantly, the 2007 elections ushered in a new wave of women politicians, most of them running on ODM ticket, some of whom defeated a powerful slates of male candidates in a number of constituencies. Also, small parties never used to winning even single seats in parliament, had a field day as they bagged in a total of 21 seats, some of them at the expense of Kibaki's PNU.

By colluding with the Kibaki government, the ECK led Kenyans down by rigging the elections in favour of the incumbent, hence curtailing a certain democratic precedent for Kenya. But through mass rejection of Kibaki's “re-election,” ODM supporters and leaders alike are determined to reclaim their hard fought democratic triumph by placing popular pressure on President Kibaki to step down. The million man protest at Uhuru Park on Thursday, represents the beginning of a new struggle to reshape Kenyan politics and set the East African nation on the path to democratic consolidation.

Electoral Fraud Could Spell Doom For Kenya.

2007-12-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

By Farid Abdi Mohamed Omar.

The deeply flawed electoral process in the just concluded Presidential, Parliamentary and Civic elections characterized by fraud and irregularities threatens to plunge Kenya into political turmoil. Long considered an oasis of peace in a volatile region dogged by political instability and violent armed conflict, Kenya, a country that has largely escaped the bloodshed and mayhem that has decimated its neighbours, faces a grim prospect of instability if the fall out from the hotly disputed elections are not settled through proper constitutional or popular mechanisms that can guarantee electoral transparency.

After a lengthy delay, the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) declared incumbent President, Mwai Kibaki the winner, over his rival Mr. Raila Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) who led the polls throughout the election's campaign. The final votes tally is hotly disputed by the ODM and a number of election observers who maintain that the process was marred by rigging and voter irregularities.

According to most Kenyans, “constitutionalism” certainly is not a viable option as the Kenyan judiciary, staffed with President Kibaki's cronies is a rubber stamp of the corrupt Kibaki regime. Asked whether he would seek the intervention of the courts, Raila Odinga responded that Kenya’s courts could not salvage the situation since they are in tight control of the Government. “We will not go to the courts controlled by President Kibaki”. Mr. Odinga hopes that a verifiable, fair recount could help Kenya break the current political impasse that threatens to spiral out of control.

Since the counting process started late last Thursday after polling closed in all 210 constituencies, Raila Odinga led steadily and in some crucial stage, led with a million votes over his rival, Mr. Mwai Kibaki of the PNU. Sensing imminent defeat for the PNU, the (ECK), long known for its close ties with the Kibaki Government, moved fast to doctor results from Kibaki strongholds in an overt rigging process that turned the tide infavour of Kibaki. From voter tallies announced at polling stations, it clearly emerged by early Saturday that Raila Odinga had won the elections. But the ECK suspended the release of the final tally creating uncertainly throughout Kenya with opposition leaders and supporters alleging that the pro-Kibaki ECK was doctoring the votes to unconstitutionally declare Kibaki the winner.

Pandemonium broke out at the ECK headquarters at the Nairobi Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) as opposition leaders demanded the ECK release final tallies to avert imminent chaos in the streets. The ECK rejected opposition demands, canceled the release of final votes sending the entire nation on the brink of violent unrest. When the ECK finally made its final statement on Sunday, the ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu declared President Kibaki duly elected with 4,584,721 votes against ODM Presidential candidate Raila Odinga who had 4,352,993 votes.

Violence erupted across the nation and especially in the opposition strongholds in Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley and Coast Provinces where the Police clashed with irate Raila supporters in Kisumu, Kakamega, Kitale, Eldoret, Bungoma, Busia, Kericho, Mombasa etc. More violence was reported in Nairobi where the ODM retains a large following and by late Sunday, twenty people were reportedly killed and many others wounded. In Nairobi's Kibera slum, police fired live rounds and tear-gas to disperse Mr Odinga's supporters, while a blackout also plunged the area into darkness.

In an attempt to curtail public opinion and mass mobilization through media, the Daily Nation reported that the Government, through Internal Security minister John Michuki, suspended all live broadcasts by television and radio stations and threatened to arrest anyone publishing alarming materials.

Barely one hour after the doctored results were announced, Kibaki was sworn in as President in a hasty ceremony held at the State House Gardens. This is a clear break from the traditional Presidential inauguration ceremony that normally takes place at a public rally in Uhuru Park a week later after the winning President has named his full cabinet and slate of permanent secretaries. The rushed swearing-in ceremony is meant to allow President Kibaki consolidate power swiftly, have effective access to Kenya's security organs such as the armed forces, the police and the general service unit and to pre-empt any opposition attempts to re-organize or force immdeidate vote recounts.

Shortly before Mr. Kivuitu announced the “final tally”, the Standard reported that an official from the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) has come out in the open and declared that “the poll body is rigging the elections in favour of President Mwai Kibaki.” Mr Kipkemoi Kirui, a parliamentary official, seconded to ECK was led to the press conference addressed by ODM leaders led by Presidential candidate, Mr Raila Odinga.

He wondered why the ECK “was not listening to its officers and allowed its officers to temper with the results”.

"My conscience could not allow me to see what I was seeing and keep quiet," said Kirui adding: "I have seen form 16A delivered by returning officers… and the results announced here by the chairman are different".

The officer said "blatant and shameless alteration of documents "was being done particularly by "information technology officials."

He said the results for Coast and upper Eastern provinces were the most affected, and named Moyale, Laisamis, Saku and Matuga among other six constituencies.

Even western election observers questioned the credibility of the results stating that the process was flawed. Among them, the Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission (EU - EOM), Mr Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Member of the European Parliament, said that the ECK “has not succeeded in establishing the credibility of the tallying process to the satisfaction of all parties and candidates”.

He added: "We regret that it has not been possible to address irregularities about which both the EU EOM and the ECK have evidence”.

According to the Standard, the result for the Molo constituency, for example, was announced in the presence of EU- EOM Observers at the constituency tally centre as 50,145 votes for President Kibaki, while the ECK declared the result for the President to be 75,261 votes. This scenario is repeated in other constituencies in which the tallies released by officials in polling stations were doctored and altered by the ECK.

Kibaki's “re-election” defies all logic given the fact that in the concurrent Parliamentary polls, his corrupt cabinet minsters were sent packing by voters as 20 ministers lost their seats. This was a resounding rejection by the voters of Kibaki's Government. Among those who lost their seats were Vice President Muudi Awori, and key cabinet ministers including Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Defence, Minster for Health, Minister for Labour etc. It is difficult to see how Kibaki can legitimately govern as he clearly lacks any sizeable Parliamentary support base required to form a Government.

Before the ECK released its final results, Mr Odinga declared that Kenyans had elected him and asked the President to concede defeat.

He told an international news conference at ODM’s Pentagon offices: “The people know that they voted to reject the incumbent and put in place a President and a Government they have faith in. That is why they have elected me President.”

However, he appealed for national calm, telling ODM supporters not to cause any chaos or destroy property.

Mr Odinga is quoted in the Daily Nation as saying :“Kenyans are deeply disturbed and angered by the attempt of this Government to steal this election through a process that was fraudulent at every step of the way.”

He said he was not going to accept a Kibaki win when the results from all parts of Kenya did not give him the mandate.

“I cannot and would not accept a Kibaki win; the results are there, if I had lost I would have accepted, this is fait accompli (over),” Mr Odinga said.

Mr. Odinga warned that the consequences of electoral fraud are too grave for Kenya. He gave the example of Ivory Coast, one of the most successful countries in West Africa that has slid into chaos. The Ivorian analogy is significant in that the West African nation had in its hey days of political stability, often been compared to peaceful Kenya, that has always avoided the wave of conflicts afflicting its East and Central African neighbours.

The ODM leader talked of rigging in some regions, saying that even with the rigged results, ODM tallies from all 210 stations would still have placed him ahead of President Kibaki.

He said some ECK officials who were dissatisfied with the election had provided the ODM with information that figures in some of President Kibaki’s strongholds were inflated so that he could emerge the winner.

In a televised press conference, Mr. Odinga said that: "The train of democracy in Kenya is unstoppable like the flow of the Nile." As Mr Odinga spoke, the government suspended all live television and radio reports, ending the transmission of his news conference.

"People who want to commit a crime do so in darkness," he said afterwards. By late Sunday evening, all Television and Radio stations in Kenya remained closed under strict orders from the Government.

The political stakes in Kenya are high with a looming political confrontation that could plunge the nation into upheavals. The BBC has reported that Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement has invited its supporters to an alternative inauguration ceremony in the capital, Nairobi, on Monday afternoon to declare him the "People's President".

"We know that the people of Kenya elected Raila Amolo Odinga as their legitimate President and they are ready to see him serve democratically in the capacity," it said in a statement.

After the ODM's announcement, Kenyan police warned Mr Odinga that he would face arrest if he went ahead with the demonstration. Some observers believe that the Ivory Coast scenario, which saw a mass popular uprising in the streets of Abidjan oust former Military leader Robert Guei, may unfold in Kenya. There are concerns that outraged Kenyans may threaten to storm the state house(Kenya's seat of power), if the final votes are not recounted and the presumed winner, Raila Odinga, is not duly declared the outright winner. However, this is not the route Raila hopes to pursue. The ODM leader has persistently called for calm urging his supporters to seek a peaceful resolution to the current deadlock.

In this elections, Kenya was on the threshold of setting an important democratic precedent. But uncertainty over the electoral fraud that has created tension and unrest could spell doom for the nation. Democratic forces around the world should condemn the outright rigging in the Kenyan Presidential Polls and call for a fair recount, free of irregularities, to allow for a peaceful democratic transition.

"We Must Dare to Invent the Future": The Life and Legacy of Thomas Sankara.

2007-12-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

by Farid Omar.

Between 1983 and 1987, Thomas Sankara, Pan African Revolutionary and former President of Burkina Faso, led one of the most people-centered revolutions that Africa has produced in the post colonial era. An incorruptible man, Mathaba Online notes that Sankara earned a meager salary of only $450 a month and his most valuable possessions were said to be a car, four bikes, three guitars, a fridge and a broken freezer. He was regarded as the world's poorest President. Also, it was noted that Sankara refused to use the air conditioning in his office on the grounds that such luxury was not available to anyone but a handful of Burkinabes.

To secure Burkina Faso's economic independence, Sankara nationalized all western-controlled land and mineral wealth and broke ties with international financial institutions including the IMF and the World Bank. By doing so, he effectively freed domestic resources that the state re-directed to fund much needed social programs for the poor, such as public education, healthcare and housing. Sankara moved fast to eradicate the remaining vestiges of neo-colonial bondage by changing the country's name from the colonial Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, words from two different Burkinabe local languages meaning 'Land of the Incorruptible'.

In setting the stage for a vigorous revolutionary project that prioritized the emancipation of women, Sankara established a day of solidarity in which men were encouraged to go to market and prepare meals, clean their homes, wash clothes etc to experience for themselves the conditions faced by women. Determined to transform sexist mentalities, Sankara appointed women to key cabinet positions ensuring their participation in the decision making process at national level. His revolutionary government also opened other key avenues for women who became effective participants in the state bureaucracy, the judiciary and all other important sectors of society.

Apart from the transformation of gender relations, the achievements of the Burkinabe revolution also include 'Vaccination Commando' a state run program that in a period of only 15 days in early November 1984, completed the immunization of 2.5 million children against meningitis, yellow fever and measles. This operation was so successful in that children in neighbouring countries like the Ivory Coast and Mali were sent to Burkina Faso for free immunization that helped curtail high rates of infant and child mortality.

Between late 1984 and mid 1986, the Burkinabe Revolution under Thomas Sankara oversaw a massive public housing construction program, a campaign to plant 10 million trees to stem back the Sahara's advance and the launching of "Alpha Commando" a literacy campaign that directly benefited thousands of Burkina Faso's rural and urban poor. Towards the end of 1986, a UN-assisted program brought river blindness under control.

Thomas Sankara, a courageous proponent of self-reliant, self-directed Pan-African development, was assassinated in October 15, 1987, along with a dozen of his comrades. To this day, however, his death certificate indicates death by natural causes. The Minister of Justice at the time, and the author of this crime, is none other than the current President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, who is implicated in the assassination of Sankara and his comrades.

Thomas Sankara is widely recognized and celebrated in Africa and the world over as a champion of fundamental change who fought to liberate Africa from the control of international financial institutions, deepening poverty, war and the pillage of its resources.

In 1997, the International Justice for Sankara Campaign initiated legal proceedings in Burkina Faso to bring his assassins to justice. After exhausting all legal recourses in Burkina Faso, and in light of that country's politically compromised judiciary, on October 15, 2002, the Campaign brought the case before the UN Human Rights Council

In April 2006, the Council rendered its verdict, based on the complaint lodged by the Sankara family and the counter-claims of the Burkinabè authorities. It ruled that "the State Party, Burkina Faso, was in breach of Covenant-protected rights under articles 7 and 14, paragraph 1, with regard to Mariam Sankara and her two sons, Auguste and Philip. The verdict adds that "These violations stem from ongoing refusal of all competent authorities in Burkina Faso to initiate a judicial inquiry to establish the circumstances of Thomas Sankara's unlawful killing, which occurred on 15 October 1987, and to duly proceed to alter a falsified death certificate for the latter following said judicial inquiry".

The UN ruling is considered a precedent in the struggle against impunity and Africa's first. It sets the stage for further action to bring to justice perpetrators of the heinous crime that led to the assassination of Sankara and his comrades. Twenty years later, on October 15, 2007, Thomas Sankara has been commemorated around the world in countless ceremonies that took place in Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Niger, Tanzania, Burundi, France, Canada, USA and beyond. As Thomas Sankara once said "We Must Dare to Invent the Future", his legacy and vision lives on and many in Africa and around the world continue to take inspiration from his selfless quest to free Burkina Faso and Africa from the yoke of western imperialism.