Sunday, July 08, 2007

Abraham the blogger: the only Jew in Somalia

The Jerusalem Post discovers the only Jew living in Somalia (besides his mother). A 19-year old called Abraham, he writes a blog which gives an insight into what it is like to be a Jew in an overwhelmingly Muslim country.

"Somalia is almost entirely Muslim, and Avraham could not feel more alone. "The hardest thing in my life is being Yehud, or Jewish, in a city where 99 percent of the people are Muslim," he writes in his blog. "Living as a Yehudi or Jewish person is not easy. I am surrounded by Muslim people all the time. Some are nice and some are full of hate. The people who are full of hate are ignorant people who are brainwashed in the Islamic school in Mogadishu."

"Unlike neighboring Ethiopia, there is essentially no Jewish community in Somalia. The closest thing seems to be a tribe called the Yibir, who are believed to be descendants of Jews, but even they are now wholly Muslim and have been for at least 800 years - though they are still discriminated against as if they were Jewish. Avraham writes that when his family came to Mogadishu from Yemen in 1901, there was no synagogue, but there was a Jewish cemetery. His grandparents and other family members are buried there, but he writes that the cemetery is now destroyed and houses have been built on it. "You can't do a thing or say something," he posted on his blog. "Just watch it and cry inside of your heart and soul."

"Somehow, against all odds, Avraham has embraced his Jewish heritage, even though it causes him both pain and danger. He wishes his readers "Shabbat shalom" and talks about his celebration of Jewish holidays, but occasionally laments the fact that he has no other Jews with whom to celebrate these occasions besides his mother. Meanwhile, he tries to stay home entirely on Friday, because otherwise he is questioned about why he is not attending services at a mosque."

Read article in full

Update: Abraham has stopped blogging due to safety fears

40 comments:

  1. Abraham you are not alone brother, there is a significant community in the north where i live. we meet in secrecy because the northerners unlike the southerners, they not only despise but sometimes terrorize the so called infidels. we have grown to become well off from normal somalis but i do not blame somalis or muslims for their violence towards us but at Isreal for not protecting us and refusing as descendents of Abraham (BinuIsreal).

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  2. Abraham, perhaps you should get in touch with someone in Israel for you and your mother to make aaliyah, or to immigrate. You are strong for staying in your country, but hate is unpredictable and I am sure there are those who would help you get out.

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  3. Shalom brother , I can understand what you are going through , leave of you who Jew its even hard for us Somalis who are not Muslim many have been slaughtered life sheep , and I can imagining what will happen when the people who kill in the name of “God ” will find you please make sure you do not expose you self to much even you own friends can be of great danger special now that almost every one in Somalia has blood in their hands they will always look in way to get forgiveness and ticket to paradise so you mention you went to school which is run by suadi Arabia I guess you the rest of the story be save we will be praying for you may the God of peace grant you peace and protection Ameen
    Mo

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  4. There are no Somalis Jews, these posters are lying.

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  5. there are no somali jews this is just an outrageous claims and made up stories, other propaganda tool.

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  6. Jewish Somali.. This look like Planet-Mars man.. or may be aliens.
    All in all, i dont disagree you existance but if you are really jew and in Somalia, then you should not be living there. It is good for you to take your mother and catch flight to Tel Aviv.. Why not? you will have better living standard and good education, freedom of religion...

    The best for both the Somalis and you to leave as soon as possible, becuase the constitution of Somalia says that The Citizen should be Somali Speaker and Muslim, so you are missng 50%of teh identity requirements..

    And by the way, you can join Israeli forces to kill the Palestinians becuase we know the Jewish believe killing the Muslims is holy... You can join the bloody Sharon for murdering the innocent women and children with internationally prohibited chemical weapons.

    I hope happy journey for you to Israel, and i will come there becuase at the end we should liberate Palestine from jewish killers.

    Salam
    Abdirahman

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  7. I am tempted to delete your hate-filled comment, Abdirahman, but I'll leave it in to show others how even one Jew in Somalia is too much for a 'good' Muslim like you to swallow. Shame on you.
    Bataween

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  8. MAHAD

    Abdirahman, you r disgrace to Islam cause islam preaches tolerance and it entitles everyone to believe in whatever religion they choose. and only allah is hakim but not you abdirahman.

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  9. MAHAD

    Abdirahman, you r disgrace to Islam cause islam preaches tolerance and it entitles everyone to believe in whatever religion they choose. and only allah is hakim but not you abdirahman.

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  10. Brother Abraham, I am a muslim Somali girl who honestly believes what you're going through is very harsh.
    To me, although I'm very fond and happy with my choice of religion, I believe noone should be discriminated because of what they believe in. However, What you need to understand is, there is so much hate in the world right now. There is an person somewhere in this world who is feeling the exact oppression you are feeling because they ARE muslim... Always be patient Abraham
    I do hope you are good health and may god protect you always.

    P.s brother Abdirahman your way of expresion is out of order.

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  11. I have heard from an elder, that there were large Yemeni Jewish families immigrated to south Somalia during the bigining of 20th centurey. They were traders, like the Ba-Hoor family. But in the north, espacially Harar, jews lived there since the sixth century. Many of the last names of the northern somalis have jewish names...like Egal..Yonis..and many others.

    But today no one is going to admit that they are descendants of the chosen people. So best of luck Avraham and try to leave that god for saken place.

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  12. That is fascinating, thank you. I should not be surprised if Jewish families from Yemen moved to Somalia - they did the same in Ethiopia (there is an Adeni synagogue in Addis Ababa) and Eritrea.)

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  13. hey, my somali tribe is the yibr but i am not jewish nor do i claim to be, my ancestors might have been but they converted thats why they came to somalia, and also there is no south and north somalia, its just 1 somalia and also there are people who are critical everywhere so don't say that its just somalia, and avraham if you go to israel you know what will happen they will discriminat you cause your dark, its same with the ethiopian jews that live in israel they get treat like second class, yet they have do nothing to them, should their religion not bring them together, well i think we know what the answer is? and somalis are kind people cause i know 2 somali christians in denmark and everyone respects them for it cuse they are still somali it does not matter what religion they are so, avraham you should just stay in somali you don't what to an anlian world and alian language that you can not comprehend, but with the al-shabab running lose you not tell anyone, cause the county at the moment is in crisis, best luck with whatever you decide somali brother :)

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  14. Heey I am a somali gurl!! And a muslim I Feel Sorry for you really do ..you sound so alone !!Saad :S
    Wish u and your mom Good luck

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  15. Abdirisak

    As a somali married to a muslim convert jewish heritage,icant rule out the fact that there may be some somalis with jewish origins but if there is it is very few and i assure you that they are all muslims now. it is very sad that somalis hate the jews who have some of the kindest and the most generous people in the earth and without them the world would not have reached such advances in science.they are the people of the book,they are humans,and they have both good and bad people why hate them you ignorant people.somalis were brainwashed by the Arabs and they dont know the history of the middle east. dont worry man we will build you a synoguge in mogadishu to practice your faith and we will respect you and you are a citizen of somalia dont run to isreal it is unsafe and probably unfriendly harsh environment for you when somalia is stable it is beautiful and nice.

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  16. Thank you for your moving and interesting comment. I am intrigued by your spouse and how his/her ancestors came to convert to Islam. Can you tell me more? It is gratifying to know there are still Somalis who are not infected with Jew-hatred.
    It is generous of you to offer to build a synagogue in Mogadishu. However, despite the security situation Israel is still the only place where Abraham can feel safe to practise as a Jew.

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  17. wow,how did you ever survive in southern somalia in the state it is in now,soz for the onslought of questions but i have to ask did the somalis notice that you were slightly different from them? or are you like the ethiopian jews who look like other ethiopians but practise a different religion and have a differnt lineage? i don't really care if you are jewish or not and it shouldn't matter,but i am intrigued as to how you seemingly blended in until now, sorry if im bein too personal but please satisfy my curiosity but did your family somehow a long time ago travel from the middle east into africa or are you a somali ethnically now through mixing or did you retain your jewish heritage through your dna(if that makes sense!). anyways sorry for being a bit too forward but im trying to learn more about my native country including all those who inhabit it and their histories as i am a somali girl myself and the closest i've heard of jews existing in somalia are the yibirs who my mother tells not through hatred or anything but that even though us somalis claim they are jewish in someways that they are not but are as somali as the rest of us in their culture,lifestyle and even religion so i never really got why some somalis insist they are jews and treat them harshly for it,hopefully one day i will meet them. well that is all and thank you,keep safe.

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  18. NOMAD

    MR AVRAHAM.
    Leave a side the the girls who sympathies your so called misery. and The Ingnorent AS M***F**K Who cant even use their common sense to question about there reality of your existence.

    One thing I like about the nature of lie is that it doesn't add up always. Your little story is not adding up it is full of contradictions. which is either one or two explanation to it.

    a). either Your are somali who is looking away out off somalia. and we know we will do what ever getting as out off Somalia (Even I saw with my own eyes those who converted to Christianity to get out)

    b). You have some sort of Agenda or political Interest to reach.

    What ever the case is No doubt in my mind you claim serves personal interest.

    Let me Ask you A questions about your little story.

    1. Jew around the World where ever they are their communities have fast underground network connection to stay connected where there is danger or being persecuted.
    WHY YOU AND YOUR MOTHER ARE THE ONLY SOMALI JEWISH IN SOMALIA ?(hope you are not alien fall from the sky). don't give me that bullshit somalia is dangerous there has bee greater dangerous time that Jewish communities have been through the spread of Christianity in Europe and they manage to continuously rise and prosper and stayed connected.

    2. the closest you can claim are Those HEBREWs that came to somalia which are mension in some historic documents about 800 year ago did accept islam and desolved with there indigenous host. just like early Israelite who accept Christ and became christian. ARE YOU LEFT BY A TRAIN LONG GONE ABOUT 800 YEAR ?

    I like to ask you many question but I will cut it short and I will continua the question if you answer first two !


    But the fact is don't make no difference where ever you live in this World. You as being JEW will be persecuted until the end of time! yes you will, But That is not important what is important is WHY YOU ARE BEING PERSECUTED.
    I my self Read rears book to find on earth the HOLLY BABYLONIAN TALMUD and I can tell you why the people (christian Muslim)hate u some much

    One more thing to remind you about you prestigious of being jew is. Go Research the States of the BLACK JEW so called (FALASHA)who immigrated from Ethiopia to Israel and you will love it.

    There is no love or peace for JEW on planet earth and they Earn it.

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    Replies
    1. yibir waa qabiil ka mid ah qabaailada Somalia ku nool saxibo badan ayaan ku lahaa schoolka waxaan xasuustaa in reekeygi sheakhowdu uu ka soo jeedey reerkaas oo aan aad u qadariyo. Saxibada diidan in yibir uu ka soo jeedo Hebrew wey qaldanyihiin, yibir asal ahaan halkaas ayey ka soo jeedaan waana dad somali ah, Muslim ah sharaf iyo ixtraam mudan.

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  19. i am yahuud by blood, Muslim by faith, and I don’t agree with Israel and Zionist regime, marka adiga iyo yooyadaa waxaad dooneeysaan in debada la idiin qaado walaahi diigiina yaala baaraa hadii aad noqon weeysaan yahuud dhiig ahaan not by faith waxaa la idiin dhiibaa argagixisada wasaq yahoow beelnaalaha ah oo buufiska qabo yahuudna wax la jeclaado ma ahan so is was

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    Replies
    1. Walaalkeyga magiciisa qarinahayow kolka hore ceyda jooji halkaan waa meel public ah waxaad sheeganeysaa in aad tahey qof Muslim ah walaalkaa Muslim ahna waad jaaifeyneysaa, waxaan kuu qeexahaya in dadkaan ama reerkaan ey Hebrew ka soo jeedaan laakiin waa dad qarni iyo ka badan Somalia joogey diinta Islam kana ku dhaqmahayey waxaan kalle oo aan jeclahey in aan kuu sheego in Somalia waxa burburshey ey tahey qab iyo islaweyni iyo reerkeyga ayaa kaaga ka fiican. Waxaan kuugu soo koobahaya warkeyga iska ilaali hadalka xanafta leh ee aad ku dureysid reerkaan yibir qofku isaga oo diintiisa isaga oo heysta ayuu jinsiyad kalle qaadan karaa, anigu waxaan ahey mareykan asal ahaanna waxaan ku dhashey ama ka soo jeedaa Somalia. waxaan kaa codsanahayaa in walaalkaa raalli galin buuxda aad siisid wabilaahi towfiiq

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    2. Walaalkeyga magiciisa qarinahayow kolka hore ceyda jooji halkaan waa meel public ah waxaad sheeganeysaa in aad tahey qof Muslim ah walaalkaa Muslim ahna waad jaaifeyneysaa, waxaan kuu qeexahaya in dadkaan ama reerkaan ey Hebrew ka soo jeedaan laakiin waa dad qarni iyo ka badan Somalia joogey diinta Islam kana ku dhaqmahayey waxaan kalle oo aan jeclahey in aan kuu sheego in Somalia waxa burburshey ey tahey qab iyo islaweyni iyo reerkeyga ayaa kaaga ka fiican. Waxaan kuugu soo koobahaya warkeyga iska ilaali hadalka xanafta leh ee aad ku dureysid reerkaan yibir qofku isaga oo diintiisa isaga oo heysta ayuu jinsiyad kalle qaadan karaa, anigu waxaan ahey mareykan asal ahaanna waxaan ku dhashey ama ka soo jeedaa Somalia. waxaan kaa codsanahayaa in walaalkaa raalli galin buuxda aad siisid wabilaahi towfiiq

      Delete
  20. Avaraham ,
    Be proud to be one of God chosen
    people. pray to your God.And he will save you from den of savage
    satans you are among them. As he save your grandfather from savage
    King pharoh and Egyptians. remember
    you are not alone. there is millions of jews in the world today.
    Second to this: I am an Ethiopian
    in USA. and I want to answer the
    savage who said to you this:
    " we will accept you as Somali if
    your people gave back Palastine"
    Ok. He have to learn this:
    The name of land is Israel Holyland
    The fake name Palastine was named
    by the Roman colonialists. this is
    according as your Mohamedan religion says. Again look your Arabic book the Quran it teaches you that God gave this land people
    that Moses brought from Egypt the
    Jews.
    Again look what happened: the jews were expeled from all countries that Arabs are majority. The land of Middle East according your Islam
    teaching was shared by the jews and Arabs but jewish got only 0.2%
    of all land. all land of oil and minerals was taken by the Arabs.
    And now they came back to take little Israel. But God is with Israel and will defend it.
    We Chritstians of World all will
    came in rage and furios to defend
    Israel. and will crash Muslim Satans.
    May Yahoveh bless you
    May Jesus bless you.

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  21. I corresponded with Rami from 2007 thru 2010. I am now searching for him and his mother. If anyone has any information concerning him, please post here.

    Ayaan

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  22. Ayaan
    In his correspondence with you did Rami reveal any desire to leave Somalia?

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  23. Buhuu! always playing the victim, dont you see what your ppl does to innocent babies everyday???? There is no hate, but kindly please leave my country. There is no such as Somali jews. This is not USA you happened to brainwash. No jews are welcomed here until you treat other the way you like to be treated( i mean kindly). I know its not in your natur as the history taught us but maybe you learned from your mistakes. And to you other who are acting protective and bashing Somalis for not wanting Jews in their home ,get lost! It is their home remember, they can unwelcome whomever they want. Please leave!

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  24. How sad that you cannot tolerate even one Somali with a different religion from yours.

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  25. i agree with you NOMAD.
    This man is only concerned to go out of somalia.
    Why you are telling all this lies is to go abroad.
    You will realy regreg when you go to israel where hatred had born.
    Those ethopian jews who already went there are regreting upto date.
    F*** your ass nigga.

    Osman

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  26. waa caadi in aad jewish tahay..nice blog

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  27. As a Somali, I'd tolerate this fella and treat him like others and would defend his right to worship as he wishes. But there is something odd about this blog. Have you ever seen blogs written by Somali's living in Somalia. The English used is very different. The Somali in Somalia has learned English using Somali. Therefore when he writes in English he thinks in Somali and interprets what he is thinking. Have a look at some actual Somali blogs and you'll see what I mean.
    If the fella is indeed Somali then I do not believe he lives in Somalia or even grew up there. Or it could be completely fake.

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  28. Hey are we talking Israel or religion, I'm somali hawiye, and i know I'm Israeli an i know my tirb of isreal ,and I'm Muslim and i live mogadisho now so are we talking Israel here or the religion

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  29. Kkk. Mohamed Abdi... who told u that hawiye are Israel. May be possible but please could prove.. like a reliable history or other

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  30. As all Somalis we should respect the faith of other no matter what is and where it is Abraham you my beloved brother we don't hate you because of your faith or a background as you know the country now days is hevily faragel law and order there conflict that lead to brother to kill one another so soon the law is activate you will receive you right to practice. As you claim to be native of the faith of Jewish

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  31. I am still searching for Rami. He fled to Aden in 2010 with his mother. If anyone has information about him please post or send to nhkobrin1@gmai.com. They used to live in the Arab District. He went to the private Saudi funded high school in Mogadishu. He went through school in two years. Perhaps there is a classmate who might remember someone like him. Very few knew he was Jewish. He is now about 28 or 29 years old. His father was killed during the Civil War.

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  32. The correct email is nhkobrin1@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Simple and short,

      Fist and formost, i couldn't imagin since you born into somalia and yet claimiing to be celebrated by Jewsish celebrations and retuals, don't your mom let you to go School or (Dugsi) if not you are appeared to me that your family were Isolating you and not letting you to mix up with people. Surely yes they let you , most probably you get to know about Islam...

      Don't you know there over 20 prophets mentioned in the Quran were Jewish ...

      So what's wrong with being a jew,

      Unless you are In Somalia, and yet practising Judaism and surely people will see you as non-Muslim( infidel) and prople don't have right to hurt you unless you are building temple and preaching.

      Don't prejudice these people who doesn't nothing about somalia with basless accusation against my people...

      Yes, surely i agree in Mogadishu 100% people are muslims but does that mean they are 100% fully Muslims...

      Verily you are trying to say but thatd4 totaly fake,

      It's indisputable fact that in every 10 somali in mogadhisho only 6 may attend salah (prayers) probably we can find people who haven't prayed over 10years, 20 years who don't pray at all ... fine, no one forces them to do so...

      Believe me, i was born in somalia, if not all most of neighbors don't sit comfortable in their mind to pray at all..


      If you aren't not comfortable with Islam and wants to practice Judaism it's so easy... no body in Mogadishu cares about wether you proper muslim or non muslim.



      After conclusion i can easly understand that you are more likely to be wanted to be out of somalia and that's what's makes to creat these all alligatoions against these humble people.


      If you meant to try i want to travel to so called state of Israal,fine...

      Note that isreal is more filthier competred to any state in the world, 1947 upto now they have killed more 11 million Palestinians even more 4 millions have displaced and 1 million are in prison, if you meant to say, somalia is evil i want to tell, Isreal is more satanic , sadistic butchers of children and our helpless brothers in Palestine.

      Even more, they are those who created and funds, ISIS, Alshabaab, Al qa'ida and other misguided people to fulfill their geopolitical agenda.


      To say to my fellow other reader, please don't ponder over such these new it can be either these Zionest media trying to offer bad image to our people.


      Hope you may all understand in that way.!


      Wish you everlasting happiness to all.


      Somalia hanoolato !

      Delete
  33. I was very tempted to delete your comment because of the lies you write about Israel, they are exactly why a Jew can never feel comfortable in Somalia. I suggest you try and educate yourself instead of spouting vile propaganda.

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  34. Somalia Hit

    https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/28/africa/somalia-unrest-bombing-intl/index.html

    The next target is Goa - land of Konkan Indian vermin !

    With the criminal actions in Kashmir - "so called terror strikes" across Hindoosthan are imminent !

    The Land of the Goan Konkanee Ghatis ! Remarkable similarity to Mogadishu - can be easily penetrated and targeted.

    A Prime terror target ! US/EU/Iraeli Tourists, EU/Israeli Military Experts and Engineers,Poor Logistics,Unsecured and Old Dams and Bridges, Narriow and Old Roads,Defense quarters in stroll distance from roads,Defence Installations, Military Munition dumps on the high traffic inner roads, Military Shipyards right on inner roads - next to several high rises,Ports in Line of Sight,Umpteen Central Fuel Dumps on Main Road or with clear line of sight, Commercial and Military naval ports in clear line of sight,Military Air Strips 10 meters from civilian colonies,Ample low flying military choppers and take off planes less than 30 meters in height from a beach stroll,Dual use Commercial cum Air Force-Navai Aviation Airport, No Air strip for mass evacuation,Corrupt and Debauched Police/Polity and Society,Drugs Paradise,Sex Trafficking,Paedo Paradise,Organ Trafficking,Gigolo Paradise,Vast stretches of beaches o/s to the drug and sex mafia,Innumerable Central Fuel Dumps on main road and raised heights in clear line of sight,millions of tourists coming by road and rail, Impossible to secure seacoast line, Long Monsoon spells and Poor Sky Vision,Easily predictable traffic congestions,Very High Density of Humans at easily predictable time in Vegetable Markets,High Density Concentrated SME manufacturing Hubs, Fixed Frequency of Commercial traffic into military sectors,Poor E-coverage of open areas,High density of vermin at Bus and Rail stations at fixed times,Only 1 rail line for commercial traffic linking the state,A Litter of Churches right on the main roads,Ample Explosives of Illegal Mining and Unaccounted explosives of legal mining and a chor Pandoo Chaddhi Chor Matka Police !

    Africa will become Sunni-sed soon.It is inevitable,as was the marriage of Moses to a Kushite and the Birth of Ishmael to Hagar.

    The fact that Indians fester Africa and thrive in it - is a symptom of the malaise of Africa .The Indians came to Africa as Toilet Cleaners and Pimps - and now control the economy - by a myriad structure of shopkeepers and monopoly industries in steel,sugar,mining etc.Moonopoly is not the definition in economis.It is a concept of using bribes to pay politicians to wipe out competition,create black money,raise entry barriers,depress input costs and have free market in black marketing and pricing.

    Lies and cheating is the DNA of an Indian/Hindoo as recorded by Cyrus and History - as under:

    The wisdom of the “children of Cyrus,Darius and Xerxes”,encapsulates the “transcendence of Human thought”, the “Deuterosis of the Dindoo”, as under:

    A “Persian dictionary”,titled “Lughet-e-Kishwari”,published in Lucknow in 1964,gives the meaning of the word Hindu as “chore [thief], dakoo [dacoit], raahzan [waylayer], and ghulam [slave].

    These Vermin build no infrastructure - they feed on the needs and desires of the local populace and destroy all the institutions in the nation.

    That is when Al Qqaeda comes in - as the situation is beyond repair - as even if you cull thee vermin - the nation cannot be run - as it is completely corroded.The EU Colonisers gave infrastructure,education and administration. The Indian vermin corrupted the administration and debauched the polity.

    Which is Y Africa needs PRC - and not the Indian vermin.The PRC take extra-ordinary steps to protect their assets - soft and hard,and also,they build HARD INFRA.

    In the 1962 war with the Indian worms,the PRC built more roads in the North East,in 15 days - than what the Indian Clowns did in 5000 years.

    The Chinese Race also conquered India 2000 years ago.dindooohindoo

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  35. I am an African American male and I can't believe how cruel Somali people are against other religions. There are so many Muslim Somalis living in Christian Countries that are run by Jews and they act more like Christian than the Christians living here (Muslim by Name Only); We give Muslims respect in Christian Countries but Muslims don't appreciate kindness - why do you bite the hand that feed so many Somali people. Somalis that go to other Muslim countries are not treated well that's why all Muslims want to go and live in a Western country - they can't wait to make Haram!

    The African American movement is a Hebrew Israelite movement that is affiliated with the Torah and the Injel; so when you do harm to Somali Yibir clan you do harm to US also - you Better recognize that Somali Yibirs are our brothers - Be Warned!

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