Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

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SultanOrder
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Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by SultanOrder »

After returning from my trip to the healing springs (biyo kulul) in a small remote city 3hrs away from Dire Dawa, we decided to return back to Dhagaxbuur. On our way we stopped by a small town called Babily were my mom's ilma-adeer lived. After being in Ethiopia for 2 months at that time it was no big surprise the condition of the city, frequently known for hyenas to come in and take a child or a weak person. Nonetheless, home is where family is and I was shown the great hospitality afforded to honored guests; the joy of the woman who use to change my diaper and watch me as a baby, who considered me her first child. I was told by a cousin of mine that when her own child would misbehave waxay ku dhihi jirtay "Aniga kuma dhalin, waxaan dhalay ***** black" ama " wiilkayga mareykanka ii jooga", that's when I realized why this lil kid always just stared at me with an evil glare. After being there for a few days one morning we got a call telling us that taiwanka dhagaxbuur ba gubtay (the clothing shops), so we left that same morning, and on our way we went through such cities as Dhagaxleh, Ciid-madow, Buuroweyne iyo Caano leh etc.

We returned to Dhagaxbuur the next day, and immediately went to where the fire was, the devastation was clear, a third of the suuq was laying in black smoldering metal rubble. The cause of the fire was unknown, said to be started by a cut wire, but ultimately the blame went to the house that was closest to where the fire started, the guy who lived there was arrested. There was a crazy guy in the city that was a bit wild, the family not being able to handle him would tie him up unto a tree with a chain everynight. On the night of the fire he was tied up to a very thick tree right in the middle of where the fire was. When his shouts were heard, men came running to try to free him, they first tried to get the key but they couldn't find it, then they tried to break the chain with an ax but it was too strong, so they tried to break it with an AK but still they couldn't do it. By this time the fire was raging and coming closer and closer, the uppermost tips of the tree's were smoldering and crackling starting to catch on fire, the men were getting desperate as the man kept screaming "i sii dayaa, i sii dayaa, illahayow marabo inaan dhimto" so they began to chop the tree. Finally, as burn they started to feel the burn of the fire, they couldn't stand it any longer, all they could say to the man was "alla naxaris ku siiyo" and they ran as the man was begging for his life "ha iga tagina" at other times crying "hooyoo" all that could be heard was the horrible scream of a man burning to his death, shackled to a tree by his own family. It was said after-wards he never seemed more sane in his life, and people would reply even a crazy person naaf jecayl. When I looked a the tree the next day, there it stood as thick as ever blackened by the fire, but it was clear where the men were chopping at, all their effort and they barely cut a tenth of the trunk, all that was left of the man was a few bones that survived the fire, later taken and buried.

Two of my aunts shops was burnt to the ground. A strange tradition they have is to have someone sleep in the shops every night, and guess who has to do it... the kids. That night one of my cousins thankfully stayed longer then usual at the house, but the other one from my other aunt had already gone to sleep in the shop that night. When the fire began at around 9pm he had already locked himself in, but before he went to sleep he thought he should prepare for his cashar the next day. So, as he was up reading his kitaab as an unusual smell "sida wax gubanaya" he said but he told me he dismissed it, but for some reason he said it was getting warmer. There wasn't much of a commotion at this time but he thought he should check what was wrong. He opened the door and there lay infront of him was shops on the other side of the aisle not 10 feet away burning. Shocked and terrified his first instinct was to run, but he remembered hes good friend also about the same age 13, was in a shop a few shops down. So he ran to him screaming his name, and as he ran to him a red hot metal sheet fell off a roof and hit him on the shoulder knocking him to the ground, sticking to his bare shoulders sizzling his skin, as it fell off of him taking his skin with him he got up a little disoriented. He got to the shop and started to bang on the door and awoke his friend, alhamdulilah the two little kids made it safe out of there. My little cousin, born on an Eid, a Hero, I was so proud of him, I bought him real chocolate (twix from JigJiga 5hrs away), fanta and pepsi everyday, and would visit him everyday afterwards. Another good news was my aunts money box was found in the rubble, as well.

At first there was talk about the a charity organization that was going to give a thousand dollars to every shop that was burnt but it never happened, then there was the rumor of the shops being built for them but that never happened, the ones who lost everything ended up having to raise the money themselves however way they could.
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by gedo_gurl »

woooooow is that all true? You are a great writer you know.
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by SultanOrder »

Yeah it is hunno, thanks for the compliment :rose:
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Mad May »

.
Last edited by Mad May on Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by gedo_gurl »

Its not an empty one :-)

So where are the other 4 parts? And why is everything burning? Is it the same fires that the amxaaro were lighting to 'smoke out the ONLF'?

Loooool @ talking flute :lol:
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Firefly »

Perfect_Order:- Finaaaally! Brilliant as usual. Ilahay ha uu naxariisto that guy. It's quite sad, but alhamdulillah that your cousin and his friend were okay. :)
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by SultanOrder »

the other four parts somewhere in this forum, i show you the link if your interested.


Mad may what did you say I know its something to do with a flute.

GG this happen in the middle of the suuq, its most likely a circuit shortage in the electric wires in the city, those poles are very thin compared to developed countries, the fire eventually was put out, but it could be seen clearly miles away from the city so it was said.

Firefly I remember I didn't fulfill my promise so I knew I had to sit down and do it. Yes alhamdulilah all because that little kid chose to read quran that night, first smart kid does well in dugsi and school.
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Digdahab »

I'm very impressed ...enjoyed every word .

Where is the other four parts?

Will post this in Somaliland Section :up:
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Mad May »

Nothing interesting, just realised it wasn't the appropriate thread for lame jokes. That was really interesting, that poor man, must have been agony. AUN.
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Landhan »

Wow, that was really good man. Poor guy that died tied to that tree... :|
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by gedo_gurl »

PO...I think it sound fishy, Im sure amxaaro had something to do with it, thats what so many of the refugees were talking about...did you see any evidence of electric fire?

PS - Link up the remaining four for those of us who havent read the rest :up:
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by SultanOrder »

Digdahab thanks man and go ahead

GG - If your refereing to amxaaro troops they usually don't come into that section, the amxaar all live in bottom of the city and don't go outside of that area, otherwise the city is in the hands of somali police and somali militia that fight onlf. Weird thing was apparently someone was stopping the booyad from coming there to put out the fire until the end.

Heres the other parts:

Part 1:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=208926

Part 2:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=209041

Part 3:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=209627

Part 4:
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=216239
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Knight of Wisdom »

I am totally disgusted in how people talk about Ethiopia, as if it is Dajjal's living room. I've been to Ethiopia, and lived their for quite a while. Okay, it was only for 1 year. Fine, but I consider that to be "quite a while". Anyways, the 12 months I've lived in Ethiopia, I felt as if I was at home, nevertheless, I knew Ethiopia was actually not where my country is. Even though, many Somalis call "Somalia" as their country, the truth is, never was there something called "Somalia" in the history of Mankind. The so-called country of Somalia was formed in 1960, furthermore, even though it was formed, it's real borders were not marked. Hence, the destruction that the Somali people are facing today, is the result of the colonial thieves that took advantage of its reckless powers that Allah gave them [temporarily].

Back to the story. :) I've traveled to JigJiga, and I was dazzled. What I have seen was something I had not expected. I use to hear stories of how their once use to be a WSLF (Western Somali Liberation Front) and they use to fight for the reconquest of their lawfully inherited territory that was besieged by the demonized Amaharic and Tigre peoples of Northern Ethiopia (Formerly known as Axum Empire). Due to lack of self-condifence in the then-Somali Government lead by Major General. MUhammad Siyaad Barre and due to internal affairs, the WSLF abandoned its former name (Which resemble in the strive of al Somalis) into creating a one-agenda, one-clan dictatorship ideological movement. The ONLF (Ogaden National Libration Front) was formed. My Grandfather once told me that this people were brave and legitimate fighters of Western Somalia. They fought for the right to believe in Islam. I was mind boggled when I saw that people in JigJiga were happy. They were free in praying the five-complosary prayers, and even the Adhan from the Minerates of the Masjiids were functioning perfectly without any obstacles.

I moved on to Dira Dawa, and oh boy ! I started having goosebumps. I thought I was in Somalia. The Somali population, free from any obstacles, free to practice Islam, free to practice their culture took over my sight. The cold breezes from the mountains near Dira Dawa behold my heart. I had a sense of urge to let it out (I LOVE MY LAND), but I thought people would considered me as crazy, thus I would create a bad name for United Kingdom. So, I kept silence, yet I was feeling my patience running out. I kept a firm control on my mind and heart. I slowly moved through the streets, with different cultures in one area, I felt as if I was in the midst of the African continent. The Oromo culture side by side with the Somali and Amahara and the Hararian cultures. What more can a human being ask for? Was I in Noah's Ark (LoL) ? ;)

Finally, when I came to Addis Ababa (New Flower), I realized that its name had a profound history behind it. Addis Ababa was nothing that I expect it to be. During the Eiid-Celebrations, the city of Addis Ababa comes to live. It turns into Mecca, the streets filled with people celebrating the most important Islamic celebration marking the end of Ramadan. People with White Khamis and females with Black or White Hijaabs covers the longest and largest street of Addis Ababa (Forgot the name of it, pardon me :( ) I was bedazzled. At those moments, my mind was curious of why the so-called "ONLF" were struggling for, when the religious freedom of the Muslims were so highly respected? I had so many different questions zooming into my mind and heart. Why do Somalis hate the stability of Ethiopia, when in fact Ethiopia is 45% Muslim, with over 6 million Somalis residing in Ethiopia? I thought to myself, that YES, the Somalis within Addis Ababa, Dira Dawa and JigJiga are truly happy for what Ethiopia has done for them and the religious freedom Ethiopia has granted the Muslim population of Ethiopia, even though, the majority of Ethiopia's population is Muslim. :D Honestly, I have no hatred or animosity for Ethiopia, in fact, I see Ethiopia as my country as well. Hypothetically speaking, if Ethiopia gave back the so-called "Western Somalia" back to the Somali people and the so-called country of Somalia, would that at least satisfy the Somali people, perhaps turn their minds and hearts from slaughtering each other and into building a democratically elected Government to do good for the people that has been treated as rodents and insignificant by their own.


I am not in any way, shape or form a traitor, or justifying in the bloodshed that has taken place in Eastern Africa for the past thousands of years. So please, cry me a river if I offended you (As some will claim to have been offended) :roll:
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by NewHargeisaGirl »

KW,
I couldnt read all of it, but you do have good points there :up: I Love Adis Ababa my home town where I was born :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Ethiopia part 5 A city in Flames

Post by Knight of Wisdom »

Newhargeisagirl wrote:KW,
I couldnt read all of it, but you do have good points there :up: I Love Adis Ababa my home town where I was born :clap: :clap: :clap:
Haha...you should've read it. I could assure you that you'd concur with my opinion without any questions asked. :)
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