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Mahadi Sharif: Torch-bearer for Manchester youth and British Somalis – local elections 2016
“We must give young people a voice; I’ll make sure that their voice is heard. Their main concern is the lack of youth centres in the city. Equally, I’m committed to working with schools to ensure that they are preparing our children the world out there.”
Abdi Mohamed – For Mahadi Sharif, the upcoming local elections are not only about improving political participation. It is, and more importantly, about embarking on a political career. But for many Somalis in Manchester it is about electing the first Somali councillor, who would in turn enable them gain access to the local decision making platforms.
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Somalis don’t want favour, but demand ‘fair treatment’
Abdi Mohamed – On the evening of the 5th of April, many people patiently queued up to enter the City Academy‘s Fielden Theatre to attend the Bristol mayoral question time on race equality organised by Black South West Network (BSWN) and Up Our Street in association with BCfm Radio. The striking feature of the hustings was not about how the 250 capacity seated was filled, nor was it about the non-partisan organisers’ outstanding event planning skills and experience, nor was it about the eloquence of the chair, but it was about the quality of the questions and the answers given by the mayoral candidates.
Audience – Bristol mayoral question time on race equality
The prospective mayors tried their best to answer a range of questions about education, employment and housing, amongst many – vis-à-vis with tackling inequalities – apart from a very simple question about the single largest BME group in Bristol.
Codkaagu yaanu ku ciilin; dooro qofka dantaada ka shaqeynaya – Doorashooyinka Bristol May 2016
Tafatire (Editor) – Dadka reer Bristol waxay 5ta May u dareerayaan doorashadii maayarka ama Duqa Magaalada, waana markii labaad ee ay doorasho noocan ahi dhacayso – waxa kale oo isla maalintaa la dooran doonaa 70ka xildhibaan ee golaha deegaanka iyo hoggaamiyaha ciidanka amaanka (Police Crime Commissioner) ee gobolka Avon & Somerset. Haddaba bulshada qaar ka mid ah ayaa maalmahanba isweydiinayay habkan maayarnimadu siduu u shaqeeyay ama wax u qabtay, isbedel intee leeg ayuu keenay iyo hogaamiye noocee ah ayay u baahanyihiin in ay doortaan.
Bristol waxay maayarkii ugu horeeyay dooratay 2012kii, laakiin habkan maamulka maayarnimadu wuxuu keenay fursado iyo caqabado labadaba. Habkani wuxuu golihii siyaasadda magaalada laga hagayay ka dhigay mid ka maddaxbanaan isqabqabsigii iyo xafiiltankii xisbiyada siyaasiga ah. Dhinaca kalena, wuxuu bulshada deegaanka ka caawiyay in ay ogaaadaan oo gartaan cida magaalada ka talisa taasoo aan hore u dhici jirin. Warbixin sannadkii hore (2015) ay soosaartay jaamacadda Bristol ayaa sheegtay in “maayarkii dadku tooska u doorteen uu isbedel weyn ku sameeyay muuqaalkii hoggaanka magaalada.” Dhinaca kale marka laga eego, maayarkii la doortay wuxuu hoos u dhigay awoodii xildhibaanada golaha deegaanka. Xildhibaanadu “si taban ayay u arkayeen, halka hoggaamiyeyaasha bulshada, ganacsatada, iyo ururada bulshadu ay isku raaceen in hab-maamuleedka maayarnimadu uu dantii Bristol si fiican uga shaqeeyay.”
Si kastaba ha ahaatee, habka maayarnimadu danta bulshooyinka magaalada degan si siman oo isku mid ah ugumuu shaqayn. (more…)
The only time I feel included is during the election campaign, says Somali voter – Bristol mayoral election 2016
Abdi Mohamed – Bristol is going to the polls on 5th May to elect its second mayor in less than four years – and 70 councillors at once for the first time. But in community circles, voters have been trying to understand how far has the city travelled with the mayoral system and what kind of mayor do they want to elect.
The mayoral system has, of course, brought both opportunities and challenges to the city. In addition to creating a platform that is not attached to party politics, it has enabled local residents recognise the leadership of the city. A 2015 study report by Bristol University found, “a directly elected mayor in Bristol has led to a dramatic increase in the visibility of leadership in the city.” On the other hand, having a directly elected mayor has reduced the power of the councillors. They were “less positive than from public managers and leaders from business, community and voluntary sector who agreed that the introduction of the mayoral system had ensured the interests of Bristol are better represented,” the study notes.
However, the mayoral system has not served the interests of all communities in equal terms.
Dhalinyarada Somaaliyeed ee Bristol oo aan bulshada ka dhex muuqan, codkooduna qarsoonyahay
Abdi Mohamed – Warbixin maalintii Khamiistii (24 March 2016) laga soo saaray hawlgalkii Brooke, kaas oo 13 dhalinyaro ah oo Soomaaliyeed lagu xidhay arrimo la xidhiidha faroxumayn hablo aan qaangaadh ahayn, ayaa si faahfaahsan u cadaysay in ciidanka amaanka (police), qolooyinka arrimaha qoyska iyo bulshada ka shaqeeya (social workers) iyo shaqaalaha caafimaadku ay ka soo bixi waayeen kaalintii looga baahnaa ee ahayd in ay hablaha yaryar ka badbaadiyaan dhibaatooyinka noocan ah. Laakiin warbixintu wax badan kamay odhan baahida loo qabo in la helo hab lagaga hortago fal-dambiyeedyada noocan ah ee dhalinyaradu ku kacdo.
Warbixintu waxay cadaysay, inkastoo dhamaan inamadii la xidhay ay Soomaali ahaayeen, in “aanay jirin wax cadaynaya in isirkooda iyo dhaqankoodu ay qayb ka ahaayeen wixii dhacay”. Waxa kale oo ay warbixintu cadaysay in “inamada la xidhay aanay ahayn kuwo isku duubnaa” oo dhacdadan si qorshaysan u fuliyay. Tani waxay ka soo horjeedaa wararkii sida aadka ah saxaafaddu u baahisay ee ahaa in ay ahaayeen koox abaabulan oo u soo tabaabushaystay in ay si qorsheysan dembiyada u fuliyaan.
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‘Somali youth in Bristol left voiceless’
Abdi Mohamed – The Operation Brooke serious case review, which was published on Thursday, highlighted how the police, social workers and the NHS let down the teenage victims of abuse. But it said little about the lack of prevention mechanism to detect young perpetrators and disrupt abuse.
The review found that, although all those convicted were Somalis, “there was no evidence that their ethnic origin was a key feature”. The report also stated that the perpetrators were a “diverse group who had no obvious connections”. This is contrary to widely circulated media reports which claimed that they had operated as a gang.
Black children in Bristol are disproportionately affected by poor educational institutions – Cllr Jama
Watch the debate: 
Educational segregation in #Bristol is a pressing issue. Bristol city is ‘sleep walking into crisis’ says Cllr Hibaq Jama. She has challenged Mayor George Ferguson on the racial divide in education in Bristol and the lack of access to good schools in secondary school place planning.
Bristol Mayor: Quick way to address the lack of BME workforce representation is to “kill an awful lot of white men”
In response to a question from Cllr Afzal Shah, Labour, Easton Ward, about the imbalance of BME workforce representation at the council, Bristol Mayor George Ferguson said that a quick quick way is to “kill an awful lot of white men – but that isn’t a very practical solution”.
Read below to understand the councillor’s main question:
Cllr Afzal Shah: BME Make-up of Bristol City Council
According to Bristol City Council’s own figures, the make-up of the existing workforce demonstrates a comparative lack of diversity.
BME managers by directorate as at March 2015:
- Business Change and City Director – 6.41%
- Neighbourhoods – 4.86%
- People – 6.33%
- Place – 5.33%
What action is the council taking to rectify the imbalance of BME representation of senior officers in post at Bristol City Council to fully reflect the diversity of the city of Bristol and support the Council’s claim of being an equal opportunity employer and can I also ask for the City Director to take action in this regard?
Bristol Mayor George Ferguson:
- I am supporting the Race Equality Manifesto for the City with whom I have been working closely.
- The Council is currently establishing a Corporate Equalities Group, which will take the lead in ensuring that our workforce at all levels reflects Bristol’s diversity. This new group will be chaired by a Strategic Director, and will be made up of representatives from across the Council, including from the new Staff-Led Groups for BME, Disabled, LGBT and Young employees. The first meeting of the new group is being arranging for the autumn.
- We are also promoting staff led groups for all of the equalities protected characteristic groups including BME employees.
- The quick quick way is to kill an awful lot of white men, but that isn’t a very practical solution.
Cllr Afzal Shah: As an equal opportunities employer, how do these figures stack-up with other Core Cities?
Bristol Mayor George Ferguson:
- It is a comparison we should make and I will look into that comparison as part of this process.
- I don’t think it is a matter of whether we are better or worse than other Core Cities. I think the more the Council’s staff and elected members reflect the nature of our population the better we serve that population.
Maareeyaha shaqada adduunyada ugu adag
Ma ladeehay aqoon, xirfad, khibrad iyo karti dheeraad ah oo aad ku maareyso shaqada adduunyada ugu adag, uguna muhiimsan?
Shirkad la yidhaahdo Rehtom Inc waxay shaqaaleynaysaa Maareeye Guud. Waxyaabaha lagaaga baahanyahay inaad haysato ama khibradda u leedahay iyo waxa aad qaban doonto waxa ka mid ah:
- Taagni baad ku shaqaynaysaa (marnaba ma fadhiisanaysid)
- Marwalba dadaal dheeraad ah ayaa lagaaga baahanyahay
- Toddobaad kasta waxaad shaqeynaysaa in ka badan 135 saacadood, waana inaad diyaar u tahay inaad shaqayso 24/7
- Waa inaad haysataa shahaadooyin heer jaamacadeed ah oo ay ka mid yihiin dhakhtarnimo (medicine), maamulka iyo iyo maareynta dhaqaalaha (finance) iyo xirfadaha cunto karinta (culinary arts)
- Wax fasax ah ma lihid. Sannadkoo dhan waad shaqaynaysaa, xitaa iidaha iyo maalmaha kale ee dadku ay fasaxa yihiin
- Mushaharkuna waa $0.00
Dhowr toddobaad ka hor waxa internetka iyo jaraa’idka lagu xayeysiiyay shaqo muhiim ah oo ay akhriyeen ama eegeen in ka badan 2.7 milyan oo qof, laakiin waxa soo codsaday 24 qof oo keliya.
Imtixaanadii (interviews) laga qaaday iyo natiijadii cajaa’ibka ahayd ee ka soo baxday halkan hoose ka daawo
Struggle – new Somali play in English comes to Bristol
Suuban makes a YouTube video explaining how she is doubly discriminated against: she is black and she is Muslim. When the video goes viral she becomes the voice of her community but her new found fame has unwelcome consequences. MI5 pressure her relentlessly for help in preventing teenage girls from joining ISIS. And some of her community turn against her, digging up secrets from her family’s past in Somalia.
Struggle is part of this year’s Somali Festival Bristol which aims to celebrate both the cultural heritage of the Somalis
and the community’s presence in the city. The festival – presented by Black South West Network and the Somali Media Group – is a sister to the week-long Somali Festival in London that is curated by Kayd Somali Arts and Culture and will similarly focus on the concept of ‘spaces’, what they mean, and how they are used, for ‘Aqoon la’aani waa iftiin la’aan – The absence of knowledge is the absence of light’ and we wish to fill these spaces with light.
The festival presents Somali artists and academics, including Anab Guled, AbdiRahman Barwaaqo, Professor Cawo Abdi, Ibrahim Hersi Hurre and Firdos Ali’s Somali play ‘Struggle’ – as well as the Bristol-based author and Somali playwright Abdillahi Mohabe. Further, there will also be an opportunity to see a small cultural exhibition.
Event Details
Date: Friday, 30 October 2015
Time: 12:00 – 21:00
Venue: City Academy Bristol, Russell Town Avenue, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9JH
You can book your place now – just visit Somali Festival Bristol
Please see the attached documents for:
Programme details: Somali Festival Programme
Project background and information for the media: Press Release
Bilingual Somali-English News & Media Information
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