CUDURKII FILANWAA

Kuusow wuxuu ahaa wiil xarago badan dhallinyaronimadiisi; inkasto uu qooqanaa, haddana hablaha isagama dhici jirin. Taxadar iyo feejignaaan, deganaansho iyo qunyarsocodnimo, aftahannimo iyo sheeko macaani ayaa kamid ahaa calaamadaha lagu yaqiin. Wuxuu ahaa baarri yar iyo waayeelba utura. Waxaa lagu yaqiin xoog iyo itaal dheeri, xarrago iyo labis wanaagsan, salaadana kama tegi jirin. Haddaad eegto muuqaalkiisa, wuxuu umuuqday ragga ka dhexmuuqada goobaha lagu jimicsado ama jirka lagu dhiso. Bidhaantiisa keliya ayaa cajebin jiray dumarka guur doonta ah siiba kuwa tirada badan ee kunool galbeedka ee loo yaqaan ‘single mothers’. Waa naago aan laqabino haaysta carruur.

Hablahani Soomaaliyeed ee lagu soo daadgureeyay Mareykanka ayaa ahaa kuwo ragoodii la dilay ama iskood ugeeriyooday kadib dagaaladii sokeeye ee kaqarxay Geeska Afrika markii Maxamed Siyaad Barre laga tuuray xukunka sannadkii 1991. Mid waliba waxay muujinaysay hannaan quruxsan sifa mar un ay uhesho nin uqalma oo lakoriya ubadka.

Kuusow guri kasto cagta uu dhigo wuxuu kala kulmi jiray martiqaad xoogan, heeso dabacsan, maaweelo aan kala go’ lahayn, qosol iyo maamuus, cunto macaan, iyo ayadoo hablaha kukala tartamaan hanashadiisa. Dabcan nin kasta wuxuu leeyahay habdhaqan ugaar ah. Kuusow wuxuu umartiyi jiray Owliyo oo cabaar ujirtay halka uu deganaa iyo kuwo kaloo tiro badan. Waxaa shukaansaday Cabdiya, Calaso, Caasho, Istarliin, Baarliin, Barwaaqo iyo weliba ina adeertiisa Fartuun. Intaaso hablood kuma uusan arag mid uqalanta. Guri kasto uu galaba waxaa kadhexdhawaaqi jiray heesooyiin macaan oo ay qaadayeen hoboladii caanka ahaa. Ha ahaato Maxamed Saleebaan tubeec, Sahra Ahmed Jaamac, Kiinsi Aadan, Cabdi Tahliil Warsame, Cumar Dhuule iwm. Wax kasto lagu qanciyaba, Kuusow ujeedadiisa ma ahayn inuu faraha lagalo naag ilmo haysata. Wuxuu uhanweynaa gabadh ay isla soo koreen oo kunooleyd magaalada Xamar berisamaadkii. Waa Ambiya qoordheer.

Kuusow iyo Ambiya waxay wadadhigteen hal dugis Qur’aan burburkii kahor; waxay ahaayeen deris; labadooda waalidna waxay ahaayeen qaraabo iyo saaxiibo. Kuusow wuxuu go’aansaday inuu soo guursado Ambiya inta goori goor tahay. Intuusan Afrika u ambabixin ayuu sannad idil tumaayey labo shaqo. Wuxuu isku mushquuliayay lacag uruuris iyo dadaal dheeri ah. Habeen iyo dharaar ayuu telefoonka kula hadli jiray Ambiya. Ayadana waxay kuriyoon jirtay habeenka ay aqal geli heesta loo qaadi doono oo ahayd “hibo iyo ducaba naga hooya” iyo weliba “calaf lama dago lama diidi karo waa deeq Ilaah”.

Waa labo hagaag kuheshiiyaye dooqoodaa isku keenay. Markuu sannadkii udhammaaday ogaadayna inuu uruursaday lacag kufilan, ayuu Kuusow goostay tigidh diyaaradeed iyo weliba wax iibsi. Kabo nooca casriga ee loo yaqaan Nike, Reebok, Adidas, dhar cadaan iyo carbeed, barafuuno, iyo waxa dumarka lagu qurxiyo ayuu labo boorso kabuuxshay. Dabadeedna maalintii duulimaadka lagaadhay ayuu ukicitimay garoonka diyaaradaha ee baaxadda weyn ee New York-waana halkii uu deganaa muddo toban sannadood ah. Waa garoonka loogu magacdaray Madaxwynihii J.F. Kennedy. Tigidhkii ayuu dhiibtay mar allaale markuu yimid xafiiska laga maamulo shirkadda diyaaradaha ee Pan American Airlines ama PAN AM.

Ambiya xilligani waxay kusugantahay magaalada Nairobi ee ah caasimadda dalka Kenya. Waxay degantahay mid kamid ah hudheelada ugu qaalisan magaalada Nairobi. Qarashkeeda waxaa hore loga baxshay New York. Waxaa intaasi usii dheer gaari qaali ah oo laga soo kireeyay shirkadaha baabuurta raaxada ijaara. Wuxuuna ahaa baabuur nooca loo yaqaan Renault ee lagu farsameeyo Faransiiska. Muddo toddobaad ah ayaa Ambiya lagu qurxinaayey goob ay leeyihiin gabdho Hindi ah, waana goobaha loo yaqaan beauty salon. Kuusow markuu soo maraayo magaalada Qaahira ee waddanka Masar, ayuu soo laliyay telefon. Waxaa kaqabtay Ambiya. Wuxuu usheegay inuu kuso fool-leeyahay Nairobi muddo lix saacadood kadib. Dhammaan eheladiisa iyo saaxiibadiisa ayaa isasoo dhoobay garoonka diyaaradaha ee Jomo Kenyatta International Airport sifa ay usoo dhoweeyaan. Tiro badano shaxaad doon ah ayaa kadhexmuuqday garoonka.

Qaddar yar kabacdi waxaa garoonka soo cagadhigtay diyaarad baaxad weyn. Ambiya oo aad moodo boqoradii Bilqiis ahayd ayaa loo xilsaaray soo dhoweynta Kuusow. Diyaaradii ayaa albaabada loo furay. Hal mar ayaa waxaa kaso yaacay dalxiisayaal, khubaro, safareey, madax dawladeed, caruur iyo waayeel. Dhammaantood waxaad moodaa in abidkood aysan arag dhibaato adduun. Kuusow wuxuu ahaa qofkii 105 ee soo dega. Waalidkiisa ayaa utilmaamay Ambiya muuqaalka Kuusow. Wuxuu ahaa nin dheero dhisan, midabka maadhiinka leh, laafyo qurux badano dhoolo caddeynaya. Ambiya waxay isku martay Kuusow intuusan waalidkiisa gacanta lagaadhin.

Waxaa meeshi kadilaacay mashxarad iyo oohin is dabajoog ah. Hadal iyo dhammaantii, waxaa laysku guray kolonyo baabuur ah waxaana loo kicitimay hudheelkii Ambiya deganeyd. Gabbalka intuusan dhicin ayuu Kuusow kala qaarijiyay wixii shaxaad doon ahaa. Waxaana lagu balamay in meherka iyo arooska laqaban doono isla maalin-waana saddex maalmood kadib. Qayilaad iyo quraafaad ayaa socday dhowrkaasi maalmood. Arooska wuxuu dhacay habeen dayaxa uu ahaa shan iyo tobnaad. Waxaana laysugu tagay hool weyno kudhexyiil hudheelka oo laga baxshay lacag badan.

Waxaa habeenka arooska laso ijaaray koox muusikada tunta, baabuuro tiro badan, cuntadana waxaa diyaariyay maqaaxid Soomaaliyeedo kutiil xaafadda Eastleigh ee ay Soomaalida kubadantahay. Waxaa gabadha meheriyay Sheekh Macoow oo caan ka ahaa culimada Soomaliyeed dhexdeeda.

Todobo habeen iyo todobo maalmood ayaa ladamaashaadaayey. Waxaan maleynaya dhowrkaa maalmood cid gaajo kusexatay inaysan jirin. Arooskii kadib waxaa isku dhamaaday buuqii iyo sawaxankii. Labo todobaad kadib intuu Kuusow ladardaarmay waalidkiisa, walaalahiisa, iyo cagaladiisa Ambiya, ayuu dib ugu soo laabtay magaalada New York illeyn fasaxii baa kadhamaadaye. Wuxuu kuso laabtay New York wuuna soo wacay dadkii uu jeclaa ee uu kaga soo tagay Nairobi. Wuxuu xaaskiisi cusbaa udalbay fiiso ay kutimaado Mareykanka. Muddo kadib, Kuusow waxaa kuso booday xanuun uusan hore uqabin. Feerihii ayaa isku dumay; wuxuu dareemay daal xad dhaaf ah, dhidid fara badan habeenkii, iyo dhadhanka cuntada oo kalumay. Wuxuu utegay dhakhtarkiisa waxaana lagu sameeyay baaritaan adag. Waxaa laga baadhay cudurada dilaaga ah ee Maleeriyada, Qaaxada, Sonkorowga, Dhiig karka iyo kuwo kale oo faro badan. Jawaabtii sheybaarka waxay soo celisay inuusan qabin intaasi oo cudur.

Usbuucii labaad ayuu kunoqday dhakhtarkiisa waxaana lagula taliyay bal in mar kale laga qaado dhiig sifa loo ogaado waxa sidaasi ugalay. Labo maalmood kadib ayaa jawabtii lahelay. “Saaxiib waxaad qabtaa cudurka AIDS-ka” ayuu dhakhtarkii kuwargeliyay Kuusow. Hal mar ayaa Kuusow lagu soo booday. Dhowr daqiiqadood ayuu miyir beel ahaa. Markuu soo miyirsaday kadib ayaa waxaa dood dheer dhexmartay asaga iyo dhakhtarkiisi. “Goorma kuugu dambeysay naag aad laseexato”, ayuu dhakhtarkii weydiiyay Kuusow. “Labo bilood kahor” ayuu Kuusow ugu jawaabay. “Tumey ahayd naagtaasi” ayuu haddana dhakhtarkii weydiiyay. “Waa xaaskeyga oon kaso guursaday Nairobi, Kenya” ayuu Kuusow kujawaabay. “Haddaba ayadaa cudurka kuugu riday” ayuu dhakhtarkii hadalkiisa kuso gebagabeeyay.

Waxaa Kuusow loo qoray dawooyiinka loo yaqaan anti-retroviral drugs oo kacaawiya ladagaanka jeermiga faraha kulul kuhaya caafimaadkiisa. Intuusan gurigiisa tegin, ayuu Kuusow kawacay naagtiisa Ambiya telefoonkiisa gacanta. Sheeko kuma uusan furfurine, waxaa un keliya uu usheegay inay tagto rugta caafimaadka ee uqaabilsan arrimaha qaxootiga loo qaado debedaha siiba Mareykanka. “Haa xabiibi anigaaba balan kuleh halka aad ii direyso” ayey Ambiya si asluub kudheehantahay ugu jawaabtay gacalkeeda cusub.

Ambiya waxay tagtay halkii Kuusow udiray oo ayba balan kulahayd. Baaritaan dheer ayaa lagu sameeyay. Kadibna waxaa loo sheegay in lagu soo wargelin doono muddo dhow. Waxaa kaso wareegtay saddex asbuuc markii warqad looso diray loona sheegay inay qabto cudurka dilaaga ee AIDS-ka. Gabadhii way qaracantay waxayna gashay sariir.Habeen iyo dharaar waxay kuheesi jirtay "haddii aanay xabashiyey xoolaha lamaaliyo tahay dawlad xor ah, calankaa idiin xidhan Afrikada laheeryahay midka idin xasuuqe xulufada lahaysto, Xaayle maad iska qabataan" iyo weliba "hooy hooy Amxaaroy, inaan hadhay imoodaye, hadda waa ikano, haddaba waa anigu".

Kuusow markuu ogaaday xaaladeeda siday tahay ayuu kawareystay sidii cudurka AIDS-ka ay ku qaaday waxayna usheegtay in hadda kahor askar Itoobiyaan ah kukufsadeen xaafadda Kaaraan. Labadooduba waxay geeriyoodeen sannad guuradii koowaad maalintii ay aqal galeen oo kale ayagoon dib dambe ukulmin ubadna kala helin.

Sheekh Daahir’s Mystic Powers

They call him Kitaab-dheere not because he hangs around long holy books. No, it is because of the depth of knowledge he acquired in the quarters of divinity. Sheekh Dahir is unrivalled in his translations of dreams, presentiments, auguries, and the obvious. That he uses his powers punitively is not because he wants to. He often says he would rather promote people to high offices and riches than make one of their siblings sick. But the people are ‘headstrong’. And they leave him with no option. Soofe, for instance. What was he doing in telling Sheikh Dahir, “if you were responsible for the coming of the rains this season, then me and you have nothing to talk about! You skipped my farm and I won’t give you a kilo of grain.” He said that, when the good Sheikh triumphantly told him he brought the rains. Greed got the better of him. He just wanted a pretext not to give the Shiekh his due.

And look how he was punished. Sheikh Dahir didn’t even use his favourite ‘Bara bisin la’ to stop his heart. He could have done that. Instead, he opted for ‘Al-qaarica’ which he says is literally ‘ta wax gar garaacda’ and he paralysed one-side of him. That will serve the purpose of dissuading potential rebels and any attempt at Iconoclasm. For it was the established norm that no one challenges the Sheikh.' Somaliland ', they call him as well. They say the two have much in common in the pursuit of recognition. But that is what they talk in under wraps. The last time he addressed a crowd, he said, “ Somaliland oo kale angia ha imoodina’. Recognition of my powers are sent from up. I don’t seek that from the hands of infidels.” Pity that people still call him that tag, after all the attempts to dispel the existence of a common denominator!

But the Sheikh is unlucky. Luciano Pavarotti would have sought apprenticeship from Sheekh Dahir [who prior to his beatification to ‘awliyo-hood’ was born Xaashi Madaxeey]; had he heard his voice when he let out the sublime Qasiido- in the company of four or so women who untiringly put foox into the fire. The aroma, the spirituality and the tranquillity is mirthful. As the Shiekh, tall and graceful, reclines on several pillows, the melody flows like milk from the breast of Gobaad to the metrical reception of the possessed women:
“Mandad yaaaaaaaaa
Awliyo Alaay
Mandad mandad
Awliyo Alaay
Mandad mandad
Yaa jalal anbiyaa
Yaa suufiyaal”

But Cali Mataan –the frail and sick old man living next to his house, neither accepted the Sheikh’s powers nor understood why the Shiekh threatened to smash his small house when there is a big Axmaaro liquor house next to his. That Sheikh Dahir does not object to the presence of that ungodly edifice lit lights of suspicion in the heart of the old man. Yet, he saw what happened to others who trusted their hunch and dared to speak out. And word was out Sheik Daahir has acquired new strong verses that will wipe out all the descendents of transgressors at one go. They say it is a hybrid of verses from Qulu-cawdu birabil falaq, wa shamsi, and the deadly Cama indha’la. He prays that gossip he made the other day about why Kitaaab-dheere wouldn’t fight the occupying Xabashi’s and evict them from the land through a combination of landslides and storms never reaches the pious man's ears. But who knows? Maybe he is perfecting his techniques for a devastating hit when he gets the green light from the Almighty? After all, who can fathom what is going on in the minds of ‘people of God’?

When Sheikh Dahir’s wife asked why he doesn’t take care of his own kids, while he promoted Ilma Cumar-Jabane (who he claims to have made them successful in their schools and gave them Ministerial positions); he replies that what she saw as an apparent lack of concern for his family is the defining feature of ‘awliyadda dhabta ah’. But Sheikh Dahir is angry of late. All kinds of blasphemies are being reported to him by his ‘quruumo’ mainly coming from kids who frequent Internet sites (which he calls Xoolo Shaydaan) and [advised against its use long ago] and from some self-declared ‘educated’ youngsters.

That is why tonight, he is working in high secrecy to come up with the deadliest weapon ever produced by an Awliyo. His mentor-Mo’alin Timoweyne will congratulate him from the grave. Fittingly, it was at that point when he heard the news that Iran is accused of developing nuclear weapon [he later learned it has the power to exterminate the human race from the face of earth] in underground tunnels. He laughed. They had no idea the one he is just to bring to being. "They better call me Iran ", he mused.

Horn of Africa Weekly Review

The past two weeks has seen the Horn of Africa plunge into a new cycle of violence with the southern Somali port City of Kismayu falling into the hands of a new militant group. On the other hand, the city of Baidoa, the seat of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has seen an increase in turmoil with the latest incident highlighting the killing of a Member of Parliament. Also, Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, is no exception with political schisms, assassinations, and sporadic gunfire becoming the order of the day. Should we glimpse at what is transpiring off the coasts of the Horn of Africa, we see nothing much has changed expect piracy and the demand for more ransom. So where is this region headed? Is there any conceivable light at the end of the tunnel?

These questions and many others are hard to decipher. The most shocking news on the internet today details starving Oromo refugees in Mogadishu who originally escaped war in Ethiopia reportedly feeding on grass and leaves. There is a humanitarian disaster that calls for immediate international attention here. The lives of millions are at stake; aid agencies are unable to penetrate war zones to reach the suffering; blood is being shed mindlessly; millions are dying of starvation; rains have made roads impassable; there is an outbreak of contagious diseases; fleeing migrants loaded onto ramshackle boats are perishing at sea enmasse; pirates are wrecking havoc along the coasts and in shipping lanes thus disrupting international trade; and above all arms shipments arrive on a daily basis without control.

The leaders of the region have gone into protracted political coma while their poor citizens perish indiscriminately from natural phenomenons and artificial creations. With no industries and agriculture, coupled with natural hazards like deluges, soil erosion, shortage of rains, locust invasions, maladies, and other factors, the rate of human decimation has entered a dangerous precedent.

Factors that will slow down concerted human efforts in the fight against hunger and HIV/AIDS in the Horn of Africa include: Horn of Africa's ineptitude leadership, the American election fever, and the war between Russia and Georgia. Until then, peaceful expectations will remain at a low ebb.