His Blood is not Good Enough

A problem I never wrote about in Somalia is the phenomena of Murder based on Stature . The More successful you are , the more your chances of being killed . Cliche? Behind every Successful man is a pack of haters ? . But see the difference is you are not dying because they are hating on YOU per say . It's not personal you see. It's simply tribal business.
Let me Explain
I remember when my Father [allah yir7amu] first brought me to Somalia, though he wanted to visit his hometown , he would say it was too risky and he would probably be killed as pay back for a crime someone from the same tribe committed years ago .At that time it seemed like another exaggerated fairy tale  and there was no way people could be so unreasonable .
But a few days ago I heard of 2 similar stories . A man who was killed for a crime his brother committed . The problem is the brother who committed the crime wasn't hiding or on the run , he was living just like everyone else , Like he was a man with no blood on his hands - No one wanted him , because his blood wasn't valuable enough.

"He's a Looser , his blood is not equal to my tribesman, No one will mourn his death" .

So instead in the middle of the night , the innocent brother who was minding his  bussiness was dragged out of his house and shot dead .
A Bussiness Man for a Bussiness man , A Doctor for a Doctor , A Sheikh for A Sheikh .
that's the rule .

And what else would make people act so barbarically and irrationally but the mind numbing , ego stroking ideology of Tribalism .
And no matter how many successful people of our nation are born , the laws of tribalism will keep our nation tied down and forever in the shadows of poverty, barbarism, and illiteracy .
You would think Religion ,common sense, and humanity would protect one from shedding blood so  easily , so intentionally , so righteously but it is heartbreaking and frustrating to see how our nation has crumbled to it's knees because of a name - Reer Hebel.

Africa through my Lens

My Long Feud with The Evil M's

If there is one thing I will never come to terms with . It has got to be the M family .

Over the years since we've first met . My hate for this family has increased to the point where I dream of slowly and painfully debilitating their limbs one at a time - Gross ? . I KNOW !!
I might as well confess that in the past 5 years I have mercilessly killed a few elders in that family [Only because they are the weaker , noticeably easier to catch off guard members]
And this is coming from the girl who screams at the top of her lungs against violence and what not .

Now I know you're probably wondering what has this family done , to earn all my cursing and my SAW like fantasies of mass murder . and this is my story with the M's

Our very first encounter must have been my first day in Borama. After a Long bumpy car ride from Hargeisa . Lying down in the "7osh"[ a version of a backyard]  to enjoy the breath taking weather of the city seemed like such a great idea. But little did I know that I would be brutally attacked , only to wake up to my very first bruise not inflicted by hooyo's flip flop or a WWE match with my siblings [ John Cena fan ^_^ ] . And to make things worse I had no idea where I had gotten it .
So being my superstitious self I blamed it on Jinn and the Evil eye [ Seems reasonable right? ] .

A few bruises later and A trip to the hospital I finally noticed the demonic beings that devoted their life to suck the very blood out of me and leave me with nothing but deformed skin and a bad case of allergies.
I was outraged, frustrated and in tears - Imagine having to face an entire army of blood relatives alone. How could I ever win ? .

Well a few years later and a few 100 battles , I can proudly say I am now a Mosquito fighting Ninja Assassin.
See I'm sure you're all familiar with the Mosquito repellent sprays and creams , But that has definitely got to be tiring and hard to keep up [Considering how hard it is to find them in the first place ] . My repellents would always run out half way through the year and my only way of getting more was begging hooyoo to send me some with the next person heading over to Hargeisa or Borama .

It was then that our maid introduced me to the power of "Foox"/Foo7 [Punt] . See I learned that lighting a little bit of it , not only keeps the M's away but is a blessing on those chilly nights by working much like a heater . [Talk about effecient energy saving and smaller electric bills]
Another Secret is Black seed oil [ 7abat Soda] , let me just mention there is no black seed oil like the ones in Burco [Works perfectly against muscle sprains, colds, allergies - anything basically ] .
I promise you rubbing that on before you sleep will keep the M's away all night .

And finally Don't take your Mosquito Nets lightly . I consider it my safe haven literally . My first 3 months in Borama, I lived inside one and the only time I would step out of it was for a quick dash to the bathroom . God Bless the Maro Kanee3o/Mustakar/Shandarama !!!

And the Most Peculiar method of Killing these tiny Vampires is by getting one of these 

Rubbing any kind of oil all over it and using it much like a shield .
See when you hear that horrible buzzing noise near you , do a swift hand move around you and BAAAMMM - they are trapped .[Make sure you don't hit yourself in the head - that makes you look really dumb and you loose all ninja cool points ]
At this point it is up to you how you would like to end their miserable lives . I personally go for breaking off their needles :) .


Have you met the M's yet and if you did How do you deal with them  ? 

The Hush Hush talk - Hymens and Virginity

Hymen reconstructions, little Chinese hymen look-alike products, Ketchup, little cuts on the thighs etc etc etc. The lengths some would go to prove their virginity on the night of their wedding . Would I blame them ? not necessarily . I am sure many are already shaking their heads and yelling out profanities at my choice of topic but I really couldn't care less. 


Over the years , different cultures have challenged each other at how to prove a girl's virginity . The Somalis, like many other Africans decided to go with the FGM , a creative way to keep girls from having premarital sex. I mean who would want to go through excruciating pain just for some one night stand. right? . What they forgot to think of was the after effect; Infections, Labor complications, Death and so on . I guess it all didn't matter as long as her purity was kept for her.
 The Arabs however have been less creative , They decided that the hymen would be a great indicator of a girl's virginity . So in Egypt for example the bed sheets must be stained with blood and hanged over the balcony for the whole neighborhood to see, this is then followed by drum playing and a celebration - So much for Romance and easing the tension. 
In Turkey , things are less of a national celebration but rather a family affair. A small handkerchief is stained and then wrapped in a garment and given to the Groom's mother who present's it to the bride's in-laws with pride. and so on through most of the Arabian peninsula. .  

Unfortunately that hasn't been working out quite well . Apparently the hymen comes in different forms. Some more elastic than others, Some perforated and some non-existent to begin with.Like most parts of the female body , the hymen is no exception to the changes that happen after puberty. Thus Horse riding, Bike riding, sprints, and many other physical activities can break the precious purity ring. At other times, A woman can be well into her pregnancy and still have an intact hymen

 " OH MY GOD IT MUST BE A MIRACLE!!! ,SHE MUST BE ONE OF THE CHOSEN FEW!!! TAKBIIRRR - ALLAHU AKBAR ALLAHU AKBAR!!!! ILYLYLYLYLYYYYYYYYYY" - smell my sarcasm yet ??. 

It's sad to think some husbands, brothers, and fathers would kill their spouses, sisters and daughters over a mucous membrane that has no physiological significance. 


Honestly , Don't you think God would be fair and place a hymen on every male too , if it's purpose was to indicate Virginity , purity etc etc etc. I mean Obviously God is All-Just and just to make things even more convincing . When accusing someone of premarital sex , notice how there is no mention of a vaginal checkup or a must staining of a cloth . On the contrary you cannot accuse someone of adultery unless you have 4 witnesses to the act and a confession from the person being accused . 


Now take a moment to contemplate the issue at hand. Imagine the countless number of girls who have been ridiculed and shamed by society by such a myth. Imagine the number of women who have lost their lifes in these so called honour killings because her virginity was being questioned. Imagine the millions of little 5 year olds who have died because of FGM and the thousands who continue to suffer from it's effects upto this day .

Do you still think the hymen is that important. Is the price payed for such ignorance through the years still not enough ? Shall we continue to undermine and humiliate little girls for another decade before we snap out of this cultural craze? 




- For those of you still interested in reading more on the topic, Read The myth of the hymen this is a beautiful article by a muslim female who really takes the time and effort to break into it all . 

Foreigner in My own Country

I bet you all are wondering what could I possibly mean with such a strange topic . My fellow Somalis might think I am referring to tribalism and what not . Ofcourse that would be relevant to the Subject in hand . But I am referring to the strange , unreasonable politics within Somalia  and it's many regions ( that Includes Somaliland).

So last month after a 2 month holiday in Kenya , I landed in Berbera Airport . As we made our way through the Immigration booth I handed the officer my Somali passport .The next few moments would introduce me to the sad reality that Being Somali meant being Homeless. As I waited for the officer to stamp my passport and hand it back , he casually asked me for 30 dollars . When I asked him what for , he was quick to tell me I was a "Foreign Passport Holder" . It literally took me a good 2 minutes to completely comprehend what he was saying . How could I be a Foreigner in Somalia when my Document clearly stated I am Somali !!!!. He then quickly mentioned how in Somaliland, (yet to be recognised Independent Country, still recognised by the International communtiy as Somalia) they classify  the "New Somali passport " as foreign and If I had the old green one I wouldn't have to pay .

To those of you not familiar with the Somali passport system. Back in the days when Somalia had a functional , capable government run by Siad Barre , there was this green  passport. As Somalia progressed into Civil war and with the fall of the government , The Somali passport had become the easiest travelling document to forge . Anyone could get it . As long as you had a few American dollars on you You would become a Somali Citizen in less than 24 hours.
Fast forward 15 years and Abdulahi Yusuf came into power . He introduced the Somali E-passport and discontinued the old one, making it mandatory on every Somali willing to travel to get the new Document ( the blue one), a blessing for most Somalis in the Diaspora with a Somali passport. Less forging , more authentic documents , recognized travel document

To sum things up , the old Somali document is not recognized anymore , and 9 out of 10 times you will not be granted entry into any country with it . On the Other hand the Somaliland Government has yet to be recognized , therefore making any S.Land travelling document worthless. So the question is what would make me a national of Northern Somalia/ Somaliland ? . A travel document that is no longer recognized or one that has yet to be recognized? 

Quranic Schools and it's Teachers

Before I begin this post I just want to make it clear this is not an attack on anyone or any Religious institutions . these are my observations and thoughts , you are free to agree or disagree. 

About 3 years ago , I enrolled in a Quranic school in my neighbourhood .I explained to the Teacher how I had classes early in the morning , and I just needed someone to correct my recitations . He agreed to let me go as soon as I was done with my recitations.  2 weeks later I dropped out and vowed to never return to a Quranic school . My reasons were simple . One morning I arrived about 5 mins late and as soon as I walked in and sat down . I was asked to stand once more . When I stood I was asked why I was late infront of a class of about 30 students. I simply said I had some things to deal with at home and it was personal. The teacher then asked me to extend my hand forward as he pulled out a rather long tree branch. I refused and he went on to hit me wherever he could. I was outraged . Here I was being whooped by some Sheikh who claimed to know the religion. 

Sadly that is nothing compared to what others have to deal with on a daily basis . I have witnessed little boys being spanked with a piece of tire , others are locked up in a room with chains attached to their legs . they are left in there for a day or two with no food or toilet breaks. Some even go as far as to leave you out in the sun around noon, barefoot.

Like I stated earlier , this is not a campaign to shame and ridicule all Quranic teacher and Dugsiis . However  this is to raise awareness as to what really happens in many Quranic schools. 
I think Parents should pay more attention to where they send their kids to study , the circumstances of the institution, have a sit down with the teacher , and most importantly talk to your children, find out if anything has happened to them in class and so forth. Alot of the times, Religious figures are exempt from all public criticism and questioning . Parents don’t believe their children when they tell them about what the Sheikh did and often punish them for speaking in such a manner about a Man of faith . And with the lack of a regulatory committee in most cities and countries ,Becoming a Quranic teacher has attracted pedophiles and extremists equally to freely abuse little girls and boys physically , mentally and sexually .

I think it’s about time people stopped placing certain individuals on a podium with full immunity . Every action has a consequence , and for those people who do not have the heart or the mind to know what they are doing is wrong . the legal consequence is the only thing that keeps them straight.

In my opinion Quranic teachers should be forced to take a course on teaching methodology , get a diploma , and get a license to teach. there should be some form of Regulatory committee for Quranic Schools , a curriculum , a set of rules and regulations to follow and regular visits from this committee to see how things are being run . It’s about time the same amount of importance is placed on Quranic schools just like Academic Schools and Institutions. 

Not fitting the Stereotype - You are a Woman

It was noon , and everyone was tired after a long morning of lectures and studying. We started arguing about the wording of a formal letter written to the dean of the University . Being the one who wrote it I was defensive . My grammar skills were being questioned and I was offended.It started out as an intellectual argument but then out of nowhere the following words were being yelled out 

 " You are a girl , have some shame . Girls do not talk like that" .

  It was the first time my intellect was looked down at simply because of my gender. I could not comprehend what had just happened.It was not the letter that was flawed , it was not my grammar that was mistaken. We were not having an Intellectual argument. This was a Guy that was offended a female could do a good job without asking for assistance. these were a group of guys who were yelling out profanities so as to demean me and break my confidence. What they did not know was I was not about to fall into their stereotype of what a female should be like. I was not going to be forced to change and lower my IQ simply because that was what they were accustomed to .  


I was In Somalia , a failed state where little boys were raised to think that they were somehow smarter, privileged and entitled to more than a female. Sexism was something foreign to me . An issue I would read about or watch other women make a big deal of.  It was heartbreaking to not only see it firsthand but to experience it as well. 
This was where so called religious schools teach girls and boys that women are lacking in mental capability , that a women's place is at home in the kitchen . this is where teachers are shocked when female students are on honor rolls and tell the boys to step up their education and not let "A girl beat you ". 


Fortunately I was blessed to be in a class with 6 other strong females who felt as I did. The first three years of medical school was a struggle. We were outnumbered and constantly fighting for our voices to be heard. 5 years later I am glad to say we did it . We forced them to treat us with the respect we deserved. Our voices are clearly heard and our opinions are held with importance . Over the course of these years a fellow female classmate and I had the opportunity to be Class presidents . And the lower classes have been influenced and have in turn elected Female Class presidents as well .Something that has not happened before.


That day back in 2007 , was the beginning of our journey into breaking stereotypes, defying cultural norms and changing mindsets for the better. I was only 16 years old , fresh out of high school and naive to what being a Somali female really meant back home . I have the highest form of respect for all women who have had the strength to push forward even when everything was pulling them, You are all an Inspiration to everyone.

For those women in Somalia. Where there is no law to protect them and no culture to stand by them. I pray for all of you and may you have the strength to not give into stereotypes and cultural bullshit. Someday your story will be heard and your struggle will be a source of empowerment for others. 

Sexual Abuse and Homosexuality - Common misconceptions

Before I begin I’d like to make it clear this post is not Intended to criticize, shame or in anyway ridicule Homosexuals. I personally do not care how people express their sexuality, that is their private bussiness and should be treated according.

Recently I ran into this blog called “An Arab Survivor of childhood Abuse” [ a great blog that creates awareness and highlights the memories of a Childood Sexual Abuse victim ] and one of his posts was titled “Am I Gay” . As I read it I remembered some videos I watched on youtube a few years back which was basically an Interview with young arabs who explained how they turned gay. A lot of the times when asked what made you Turn this way ? - Aside from the regular ” I’ve always felt different than other boys” and so on they would usually state their first sexual encounter as being raped or forced into Sex.

I have always heard people state “Once a boy is raped , he sometimes ends up going back to the same act willingly and eventually becomes homosexual”. This might at first sound a little exaggerated but looking into the science of it. It just might be logical:

 Every male has a gland, where doctors refer to as a prostate. The function of the prostate is to store and secrete a slightly alkaline fluid, milky or white in appearance, that usually constitutes 20-30% of the volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid. (source: Wikipedia) One of the ways to get an erection is by stimulating or massaging the prostate. The prostate gland is just below the bladder, behind the pubic bone and just in front of the rectum. When being raped, the abuser directly stimulates the prostate which results in an erection and sometimes even an ejaculation..  

Most Victims of Sexual Abuse might not know that although you are being forced into it, your body will not realize the difference .Which Leaves them feeling guilty for enjoying such an act of violation, Or considering themselves gay because according to them “no straight male would enjoy such an act”, when in the contrary if any male was put in the same situation , their body would have  reacted in the same exact way. 

One of the things lacking in great parts of Asia and Africa in general is Counselling for victims of rape, Domestic violence and so on. Alot of it owing back to how these things are considered Inappropriate to speak of and usually kept behind closed doors , Leaving the victim stuck in that state of feeling used, responsible for the act and forever a cast from society. Over the past few years the number of kidnappings and abuse of little boys has increased greatly alongside the number of individuals who come out as being homosexual. Maybe and this is just a hypothesis : This could be due to a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge that just because your body responds in a particular way during rape or sexual Abuse, it does not mean you are automatically considered Gay/Homosexual. 

PS: This does not mean everyone who is gay has been raped or Sexually abused, or everyone who is victimized is gay. It is simply a different perspective on things and should be viewed objectively. The correlation between rape and homosexuality that I stated is relevant to the middle east and the Arab world in general . I do not know if it is applicable elsewhere.

African Union - friend or foe ?

Muhideen Mohamed, who works with the charity, said troops from Amisom - the AU peacekeeping force which was patrolling the city - fired on the journalists as they travelled to the airport, where they were based.

“Amisom killed a Malaysian journalist and injured another between the K4 road junction and Mogadishu airport on Friday,” Mr Mohamed, the aid group’s local coordinator, told Reuters.

The claim could not be verified and AU officials were not immediately available for comment. 

So al-Shabaab pull out of Somalia for the first time in years . they have been out of the capital for almost 4 weeks now. And the news headlines says : Malaysian journalist shot dead in moqadishu . The first thing that came to mind was :AL - SHABAB ARE BACK !!! IT HAS TO BE THEM !! I KNEW IT !! . But surprisingly it’s the African Union . I don’t fully understand why the very people who were brought into the country to help uphold peace would shoot a journalist to death . I remember Many Somalis being against bringing in the African Union in the first place . But the question is : Is this a one time incident ? Or has the African Union been doing this for a while , all under the Cover of Al- Shabaab? . I’m just really interested in what their statement is going to be regarding this situation. 

Could it be the African Union is just as bad as Al-Shabaab?? Do they really have a role in Somalia’s 21 year long Civil war ?