By M. J. Farah 
 Somali women are the basis on which Somali society continues to thrive and exist. They take care of the household chores, they work, they raise children, they keep the family together, and they regularly send money to the extended families back home in Somalia. Despite Somali women being extremely busy, they are emerging as the educated majority within the Somalis. Strangely, they are not visible in the Somali political theater. Since they are undoubtedly the educated majority, they should be empowered to take the lead, as Somalia needs their intellectual assets. Unless they realize how crucial they are in this time of Somali political catastrophe, they will continue to remain the dormant majority.

by Muuse Yuusuf

The massacre of worshippers at the Abdalla Shideeye mosque at Bakaaraha, the Mogadishu’s main market, is a telling story of the current religious bigotry and intolerance in Somalia. At least 30 Somali Muslims were killed and 70 wounded by explosions, probably executed by another Somali Muslim group. This act is probably the first Iraqi-style bombing inside mosque, a sacred place which is seen by most Somalis as a save haven for worshippers, a place where the faithful say their prayers, seeking spiritual guidance from their God. Whoever is behind the massacre has revealed true colours of the current religious chauvinism and narrow-mindedness in our beloved country, as they have taken the violence to higher and more dangerous levels.

NAIROBI (IDN) – Somalia is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, says the UN. No wonder: Of its 9.5 million inhabitants, a total of 1.4 million are internally displaced, over 570,000  are refugees dispersed in the region and nearly 3 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid, let alone the tens of thousands of civilians dead and injured.

In response to a recent article that I have posted at Hiiraan.com commenting on President Sharif‘s visit in Britain, some readers who contacted via email, were critical of my proposition that rather than supporting extremism in Somalia those Somalis in the Diaspora particularly in the West should learn more about secularism and its benefits in order to help Somalia gear towards a more secular state. They felt that it would be foolish to advocate secularism in Somalia, a Muslim country, and any event it would be up to the Somali people to decide on a secular or Islamic state. Also, some argued that because of the civil war, which has destroyed the very fabric of the Somali society, where a mixture of customary laws, Islamic faith teachings and Western secular thoughts seem not to have worked, that Islam is the only common identity and denominator that could be used to remould the broken foundation. And therefore in order to do that one needs an Islamic republic.

Heerka cilmiga, aqoonta, teknoolojiyada, iyo ilbaxnimada la gaarey ee adduunka qaarkiis maanta ku siman yahay waa mid dadka badankiisa ku ridday dhakafaar iyo dhabana-hayn.  Heerkaasi xad-dhaafka ah ee loo jeedo bani-aadmigu taariikh malaayiin sano lagu qiyaaso ayuu u soo maray.  Gedgeddoonkaasi marna ma ahayn mid toosan oo sahal ah.  Wuxuu ahaa mid qalqallooc badan oo bani-aadmigu taxanihiisa kala kulmay hoog iyo halaag, silic iyo saxariir aan la soo koobi
karin.