A different view of Somalia

[asylumseeker]

Somalia's largest football facility turns into grazing land

Photos of Stadium Mogadishu:






http://somsoccer.com/english/view.php?id=83

Last year when I went to China for the Olympic Games I met with Chinese deputy sports minister and she pledged to me that china will rebuild stadium Mogadishu and the whole Olympic village if there is a reliable peace in Mogadishu so if the newly elected president whose Islamist fighters occupy most of the city succeeds to stabilize the capital I am hopeful that China will suddenly fulfill its promise” Somali NOC president told reporters at stadium Mogadishu on Monday.

Stadium Mogadishu was built by [the] Chinese government in 1978; it hosted many continental and regional games and was once one of the most beautiful and largest football facilities in [the] African and the Arab world, but currently seems to have changed into a grazing land.

http://somsoccer.com/english/view.php?id=89

Stadium Banadir, the nation's oldest facility under reconstruction courtesy FIFA's Win in Africa with Africa (Artificial Turf Programme etc.:




And while the pirates were doing their thing, these coaches and referees were doing their thing ... for the love of the game:
http://somsoccer.com/english/view.php?id=99

http://somsoccer.com/english/view.php?id=98

[acb]

A friend of mine sent me a link the other day outlying the issues and situations that precipitated piracy, and why Somali pirates are held in high esteem in their local villages.

Made for some very interesting reading, but had nothing to do with football.

Would you advocate a Trinidadian NT playing Somalia in a friendly - in Somalia, and if you say "yes" to that, would you also say "yes" to the West Indies team touring Pakistan?

[Deeks]

Answers to both. NO! NO!  Not at this moment. When things get much better we can entertain the thought. One stray bullet. That is it!!!!!!!

[Bakes]

A friend of mine sent me a link the other day outlying the issues and situations that precipitated piracy, and why Somali pirates are held in high esteem in their local villages.

If you try hard enough you can come up with a logical justification for any criminal act.  Logical justification and rational (not even talking moral) justification are two entirely different things.

[maxg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Lara_Stadium

check the completion date nah

[mwanasoka]

Good Topic.To paraphrase a third hand account of 'Democracy Now',these rag-tag boys & men in they Bussup-shuts are actually Somali Militia doing dey best to excise taxes from huge international trawlers that enter Somali waters ( 200 nm )to deplete Somali fishery and also dump toxic waste in their waters.Guess where from? One of their main staples is fish and their fishermen can't find anymore fish to feed their families.
  One man's Pirate is another man's Militia.

[Bakes]

Good Topic.To paraphrase a third hand account of 'Democracy Now',these rag-tag boys & men in they Bussup-shuts are actually Somali Militia doing dey best to excise taxes from huge international trawlers that enter Somali waters ( 200 nm )to deplete Somali fishery and also dump toxic waste in their waters.Guess where from? One of their main staples is fish and their fishermen can't find anymore fish to feed their families.
  One man's Pirate is another man's Militia.

So lemmih see if ah get this right... ALL these Somali pirates are converted fishermen who were forced out of business by illegal dumping and over fishing?  Really?  The Maersk was delivering food and humanitarian aid to Kenya when it was attacked.  What fish did that vessel take... or what illegal dumping did it take part in?

Assuming for argument sake that you are correct that the piracy is retribution for past wrongs... are you suggesting that it is right for Peter to pay for Paul?  Do you realize that if these big companies have to pay out ransoms that they won't absorb the costs?  If the cost of transportation increases, guess who eventually will be stuck with the bill for the goods being shipped?  Allyuh could keep sympathizing with these criminal opportunists all allyuh want, the ante has been raised leh we see if they up to the task now.

[mwanasoka]

BS,to help yuh cause,yuh should direct yuh rebuttal @ Democracy now.
BTW,what is the cause of the plight of the Negro in T'dad?

[Bakes]

BS,to help yuh cause,yuh should direct yuh rebuttal @ Democracy now.
BTW,what is the cause of the plight of the Negro in T'dad?

My "cause"?  I have no cause dred... I simply offered a counter to implicit plea for understanding for these scumbags.  When yuh ready to respond to that let me know.

[acb]

A friend of mine sent me a link the other day outlying the issues and situations that precipitated piracy, and why Somali pirates are held in high esteem in their local villages.

If you try hard enough you can come up with a logical justification for any criminal act.  Logical justification and rational (not even talking moral) justification are two entirely different things.

Nah Bakes, the last thing I was trying to do was justify the piracy. I looking forward to how this case in NY will unravel in my backyard. Defence attorney was real gran charging at the press conference bawling the 16/18 year old will be acquitted. Dunno how they pulling that one off when he board a vessel without permission with intent to harm and steal, and he get ketch to boot!!

However, no one knows if dumping of toxic waste didn't occur off the Somali waters after an agreement between the current Somali rulers & the European shippers, if piracy would not have occured.
 

[Bakes]

A friend of mine sent me a link the other day outlying the issues and situations that precipitated piracy, and why Somali pirates are held in high esteem in their local villages.

If you try hard enough you can come up with a logical justification for any criminal act.  Logical justification and rational (not even talking moral) justification are two entirely different things.

Nah Bakes, the last thing I was trying to do was justify the piracy. I looking forward to how this case in NY will unravel in my backyard. Defence attorney was real gran charging at the press conference bawling the 16/18 year old will be acquitted. Dunno how they pulling that one off when he board a vessel without permission with intent to harm and steal, and he get ketch to boot!!

However, no one knows if dumping of toxic waste didn't occur off the Somali waters after an agreement between the current Somali rulers & the European shippers, if piracy would not have occured.
 

Nah I wasn't saying you were justifying it... I was referring to the to the 'explanations' offered in the link.


I've seen pics of the rusted oil containers washed up on the Somali shores, so I know what they saying is true.  I just not buying the argument that the rash of piracy we seeing is a result of that.  SOME may have used that as motivation originally, however the indiscriminate hijackings, hostage-taking, frequency of the attacks and pervasiveness of the problem suggests that many are just getting in while the getting is good.  That plus talk of criminal syndicates funding the piracy operation (recruiting and arming pirates) in exchange for a cut of what they perceive to be easy money.

The sailors aboard these vessels cannot carry arms and the pirates know this... couple that with the fact that the shipping companies are quick to settle and you have a ready recipe for piracy.

I also doubt that there were any agreements allowing the dumping to take place... the Somali government really hasn't been functional for most of the past two decades... most likely it was this perceived void of leadership/defense that encouraged the dumpers to act.

[mwanasoka]

Bakes,yuh is ah walking,talking compendium of facts and arguements looking for a place or someone to release yuh frustrations on.The only thing is yuh doh do it with a gun.I could sense your pain.You are too easily riled.Yuh must calm down.Yuh goh blow ah head gasket before long dred.Be tolerant breds.You may have the final word sah.Peace Bake n Shark.   

[Bakes]

Bakes,yuh is ah walking,talking compendium of facts and arguements looking for a place or someone to release yuh frustrations on.The only thing is yuh doh do it with a gun.I could sense your pain.You are too easily riled.Yuh must calm down.Yuh goh blow ah head gasket before long dred.Be tolerant breds.You may have the final word sah.Peace Bake n Shark.   

 


I have "frustrations" and "too easily riled"... apparently ah have "pain" too.  And to think you made that psychoanalysis from all de way behind yuh PC.  You in de wrong line ah wuk pardna... Miss Cleo ent have nutten on you.

[mwanasoka]

Whatever,George Umbala Joseph.

[Big Magician]

evil

[mwanasoka]

He certainly is Big Magician.Bully.

[Mango Chow!]

What is the viable alternative for the people of Somalia?...........for these criminal pirates? For a country that has lacked any leadership (according to all reports) for the past two decades, overrun with warlords and downright anarchy, what options are there available to the average 16 to 21-year old, with images of the US' embarrassment in Mogadishu (R.I.P. 75th Ranger Regiment) probably still left as reminders that even the mighty have fallen on their shores.  No wonder they see merchant vessels as easy prey.  What does Somalia have in the way of education, employment, or social structure to save these youths? maybe they should just apply for an american visa.   

[mwanasoka]

Mango,maybe they might be safer where they are.Let us suppose they come here and be treated like the american citizens of New Orleans.The President and FEMA turned their backs on helpless people & swolen corpses floating in the water.There was one commonality in that disaster which seems to be prevalent all over the world.The pecking order seems to be accepted worldwide.
  Why is there no 3 rd World white nations on the face of the planet?If there is,they might be busy retrofitting
their infrastructure to acceptable standards.

[truetrini]

Mango,maybe they might be safer where they are.Let us suppose they come here and be treated like the american citizens of New Orleans.The President and FEMA turned their backs on helpless people & swolen corpses floating in the water.There was one commonality in that disaster which seems to be prevalent all over the world.The pecking order seems to be accepted worldwide.
  Why is there no 3 rd World white nations on the face of the planet?If there is,they might be busy retrofitting
their infrastructure to acceptable standards.

Fella Russia is the biggest third world country in de world!  And de way America going they may join dem ranks too!  Anyway there are others also...check all dem ex soviet states...more fifth world dan 3rd world!

[mwanasoka]

Mango,maybe they might be safer where they are.Let us suppose they come here and be treated like the american citizens of New Orleans.The President and FEMA turned their backs on helpless people & swolen corpses floating in the water.There was one commonality in that disaster which seems to be prevalent all over the world.The pecking order seems to be accepted worldwide.
  Why is there no 3 rd World white nations on the face of the planet?If there is,they might be busy retrofitting
their infrastructure to acceptable standards.

Fella Russia is the biggest third world country in de world!  And de way America going they may join dem ranks too!  Anyway there are others also...check all dem ex soviet states...more fifth world dan 3rd world!

Trini +,dem de ones I talkin bout.@ de end of the G8 Summit,trillians were allocated to the development of those very countries.Now,how would it look to the rest of the world if the G8 would blatantly ignore Africa and conspicuously help Eastern Europe?People would talk.BTW 3 rd world russia could put sputnik in orbit and build rockets and space stations and wha you classify dem as?
Anyway,I don't think you're trying to intimate that Assylumseeker put up this post so that we could Gloat @ poor Little Mamma Africa not doing as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

[truetrini]

Mango,maybe they might be safer where they are.Let us suppose they come here and be treated like the american citizens of New Orleans.The President and FEMA turned their backs on helpless people & swolen corpses floating in the water.There was one commonality in that disaster which seems to be prevalent all over the world.The pecking order seems to be accepted worldwide.
  Why is there no 3 rd World white nations on the face of the planet?If there is,they might be busy retrofitting
their infrastructure to acceptable standards.

Fella Russia is the biggest third world country in de world!  And de way America going they may join dem ranks too!  Anyway there are others also...check all dem ex soviet states...more fifth world dan 3rd world!

Trini +,dem de ones I talkin bout.@ de end of the G8 Summit,trillians were allocated to the development of those very countries.Now,how would it look to the rest of the world if the G8 would blatantly ignore Africa and conspicuously help Eastern Europe?People would talk.BTW 3 rd world russia could put sputnik in orbit and build rockets and space stations and wha you classify dem as?
Anyway,I don't think you're trying to intimate that Assylumseeker put up this post so that we could Gloat @ poor Little Mamma Africa not doing as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

fella Pakistan has nuclear weapons..dey thjird world, third world is economy...Russia has always been thrid world, but ah get yuh drift

[just cool]

Mango,maybe they might be safer where they are.Let us suppose they come here and be treated like the american citizens of New Orleans.The President and FEMA turned their backs on helpless people & swolen corpses floating in the water.There was one commonality in that disaster which seems to be prevalent all over the world.The pecking order seems to be accepted worldwide.
  Why is there no 3 rd World white nations on the face of the planet?If there is,they might be busy retrofitting
their infrastructure to acceptable standards.

Kazakstan, uzebekistan,amenia , poland, luxemberg, chezc republic, montenegro, macedonia, turkey, slovakia!

[mwanasoka]

Boi,allyuh doh sleep or wha?
Doh tell meh allyuh wukin too. 

[spideybuff]

Doh fall for the western propoganda, you must always read what was seen through western eyes with an eye on the almighty dollar  as sensationalism and tragedy sells papers and magazines.

Doh feel the UN Aid people full of honourable souls who only come to distribute food and aid.

Nothing in this world is done for nothing.

[ribbit]

asylumseeker - does de new islamist govt in somalia support football or they hardline?

mwanasoka - good read.

TC - the former soviet republic was known as the "second world."

spideybuff - so true about aid in africa - it's a total racket.

[asylumseeker]

asylumseeker - does de new islamist govt in somalia support football or they hardline?

mwanasoka - good read.

TC - the former soviet republic was known as the "second world."

spideybuff - so true about aid in africa - it's a total racket.

Ribbit, here's a lil bio background:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharif_Ahmed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7865808.stm

However, from the SFF website dated February 1, 2009:

The President of Somalia’s national unity government Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed asked the leaders of Somali football federation to help his government establish sport for peace programs to score peace and public integration in the country through football games.

The Moderate Islamist president delivered this speech during a meeting with the general secretary of Somali football federation “SFF” Abdi Qani Said Arab at the campinski hotel In Djibouti late on Saturday night.

President Sheik Sharif praised Somali football federation for having done a good national task in the past and he requested the SFF leaders to work with his government in the field of peace building through the war-ravaged nation of Somalia.

“Sports particularly the most populous event {the football} is one of the major elements that can be used to easily score peace and public integration in such war-devastated country of Somalia” the president added during his meeting with Somali football federation general Secretary on Saturday night.

“Sport is very important for congregating people, peace building and even guiding the youths to the right path, because it protects juveniles from using drugs, so we can say sports is also fitness” Somalia’s first Islamist president said once again.

The President says he is very confident that Somali football federation will help his newly elected government to introduce law and order into Somalia which has been under going anarchy and bloody clan clashes for nearly two decades.

“I am very happy that Somali football federation became the first civil society organization I meet with after my election as the nation’s president” he told the general secretary of Somali football federation. “My government will help sport and so we need sporting organizations to work with us in the field of peace” he added.

For his part Somali football federation general secretary Abdi Qani Said Arab congratulated the new president on his recent success in the presidential election.

“The main point of the meeting I had with president Sheik Sharif was to show him that Somali football federation supports and will work with the national unity government of Somalia and on behalf of my federation I pledged for the president that we will help his new government to introduce peace and stability into the country through football for peace games in Somalia” the general secretary said via phone from Djibouti on Sunday.

In mid January this year Islamic courts administration under the chairmanship of Sheik Sharif handed the Somalia’s largest football facility to the Somali football federation a day after Ethiopian troops vacated from it ending two years of occupation.