From: goykhman_a@apollo.hp.com (Alex Goykhman)
Subject: Re: Somalia an Arab country??? no! [was: It's Blood for Oill, again.]
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 18:20:58 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Chelmsford, MA

In article <1992Dec17.091537.12030@ousrvr.oulu.fi> dfo@tko.vtt.fi (Foxvog Douglas) writes:
...
>In article <Bz4AL4.G81@apollo.hp.com> goykhman_a@apollo.hp.com (Alex Goykhman) writes:
>
>>    According to the Boston Globe (Dec. 6, 1992), Somali is the national
>>    language, Arabic is an official language, English and Italian are also 
>>    spoken.
>
>This is correct.  Arabic is an official language for religious reasons
>as it is the language of the Koran and therefore of Allah (according to
>the religion).  The vast majority of the people speak Somali, although 
>of the minority who can read, many of them have likely learned to read
>Arabic *also* in order to read the Koran in Arabic.
>
>>    Finally, Somalia is a member of the Arab League.
>
>True, they did so to join with their fellow religionists in an
>organization that reached the borders of their country.

    Do you really believe Somalis are a people without any national 
    self-identity and that they tend to blindly join their fellow 
    religionists with whom they happen to have a common border?

    Baloney!  The reasons Somalia is in the Arab league because
    Somalis believe they all descended from an Arab by the name
    Samaale.  Ditto for Arabic being an official language in Somalia.

    Here is an excerpt from an article that speaks to the issue:

--->   Cross-posted without permission.
--->   
--->   
--->   Article: 9722 of misc.activism.progressive
--->   Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
--->   From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
--->   Subject: FCNL: Crisis in Somalia
--->   Followup-To: alt.activism.d
--->   Organization: PACH
--->   Distribution: na
--->   Date: Sat, 5 Dec 1992 09:29:24 GMT
--->   Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
--->   Lines: 460
--->   
--->   /** fcnl.updates: 17.0 **/
--->   ** Topic: SOMALIA **
--->   ** Written  2:59 pm  Dec  4, 1992 by fcnl in cdp:fcnl.updates **
--->   
--->   CRISIS IN SOMALIA
--->   
--->   
--->   HISTORY
--->   
--->   The Somali people share many characteristics that would
--->   tend to unify them.  They have similar physical
--->   features, a common religion, the same language, and a
--->   history of seminomadic pastoral and agricultural
--->   traditions.  According to legend, all Somalis are
--->   descended from a common ancestor from Arabia. [Samaale a.g.].
--->   ...

    The Arab League did send its peace-keeping troops to Lebanon,
    why didn't they intervene militarily in Somalia?

    The U.S. has repeatedly criticized our European allies
    for not doing enough in xYugoslavia, but NEVER the Arab League
    for doing next to nothing to help one of their member countries.
    Why?
    
    When was the last time your heard "Somalia" and "the Arab League"
    mentioned in the same context?




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