The girls basketball beat Al Qaeda: "If you play a hand you cut off"

Amina, the captain of the national basketball team, poses with other partners in Mogadishu stadium Wiish (A. Pampliega).

"Afraid?" He repeats softly Amina tackles while tying the laces of shoes."Afraid?" He again says the girl, this time flashing a wide smile. "Fear is what prevents us from moving forward and fight for our dreams. course we are afraid to kill us . We are afraid of telephone threats. We are afraid ... but our desire is to stay in the game, continue playing basketball. Fear has no place in the basketball court, "he says with conviction Ibarahin Amina Abukar, captain of the national women's basketball Somalia.

His words reverberate in a deserted stands. It is, as usual, the first to reach the stadium Wiish and the last to leave. Represents an example of struggle and overcoming for the rest of their companions, who see it as a leader. Amina is race and strength. It is a worthy heir to those women who were dispossessed - first by the civil war and later by Islamic fundamentalists- of their right to practice sport, but above all, of their right to choose and be free.

In 2006, the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia issued an order banning women from any sport; should skip this law, they would cut their right hand or the left footwalls of the basketball court is the best example of what has been Somalia during the past 23 years .Bullet holes everywhere. Half-destroyed buildings.But these girls are the ones who must now write the history of the country ... And along with them, a total of 75 adolescents, divided into seven teams, have again found the women's league basketball.

Strips off her chador, which lovingly placed on the steps of the stands, and follows a handkerchief in front of black color to hide her hair. "Women in Somalia 20 years and played basketball. We are not pioneers and heroines, just keep your steps. We have no more merit than other Somali women who go out every day to the streets to fight for their rights , "says this young man with passion The Confidential .  

A group of Somali women across the Shabelle River, north of Mogadishu (Reuters).In the crosshairs of Al Qaeda

Although try to downplay what they do she and her companions, the reality is that this basketball team is in the spotlight of fundamentalist Al-Shabab(the subsidiary of Al Qaeda in the Horn of Africa). Amina, as one of her classmates, has received threatening phone calls, but prefer to ignore the issue and focus on basketball. Girl grabs one of the balls that are scattered on the floor and begins to bounce it. Her companions, covered to the foot, begin to enter the pavilion.

'Of course we are afraid to kill us, to telephone threats ... but our desire is to continue playing basketball, "Amina account, captain of the national team of Somali women's basketballteam The girls usually come in groups of two and three to this court. Covered with their chadors so that is not recognized, try to go unnoticed in the streets of Mogadishu . They know that their head is priceless and are risking their lives coming to train. "The girls are very brave to be part of this basketball team. 've received many threats since we returned to rebuild the team and many girls left the team for fear, "says this newspaper Hussein Ibrahim Ali, president of the Somali Federation Basketball.

Basketball is the second most popular sport in Somalia after football, and one of the three sports where women have representation, along with football and handball. But this was not always so. In 2006, the Islamic Courts Union of Somalia , which ruled the country under the precepts of sharia (Islamic law) -issued an order banning women from any sport ; should skip this law, the players would be punished in an exemplary manner. " They cut off the right hand or the left foot , "says Hussein embarrassed, recalling the dark days when the country was submerged.

A displaced by the fighting inside the Cathedral of Mogadishu (Reuters)."Given the opportunity of attacking us, they will"

Al Shabab is now only a whisper; a bad dream. In the presence of the fundamentalist group in Mogadishu are only flashes as suicide bombings that are repeated more or less frequently. But girls selection still fear for their lives and for their safety. Proof of this is that access to the court record gunmen anyone who crosses the green doors . "While Mogadishu is now a quiet town, we can not lower our guard; know that we are a target for terrorists of Al Shabab and if they have the opportunity of attacking us they will, without hesitation, "laments Ibrahim Hussein Ali, who want the selection to be great joy back to Somalia.

The girls team usually come in groups of two and three to this court. Covered with their chadors so that is not recognized, try to go unnoticed in the streets of Mogadishu.They know that their head is priceless and are risking their lives coming to trainPossibly also take several decades to see women parading behind this selection Somalia flag in the Olympics, but after 20 years of civil war the first successes were not long in coming : these players have returned to international matches. In 2011 the team managed to win by 67-57 at the Arab Games in Qatar, was his first victory (achieved another to Kuwait), and marked a milestone in the modern history of the Somali basketball. "Beating the Qatar-host-was the greatest joy of my life. When the game was over we hugged, it seemed we had won the championship and had won just one game. But for us it was an achievement.Furthermore, defend Somalia in an international championship was a pride , "says Ali Suweys Jam, one of the team members during that game.Since 1987 Somalia had not participated in any international tournament because of the civil war.

This young woman, aged 17, is another of the stars of the team. Known for giving interviews to national and international media, his face has become 'popular' and that has earned many enemies . "Several times I have called my phone. It was always a man's voice saying to me: 'Stop playing basketball or we will kill you', "he says. Suweys pauses to reflect. "I will not cheat, I have thought often stop playing basketball. Not only for me but for my family. But in the end I always find the strength to continue. My mother is my main support and who gets mad at me when I tell him I want to stop playingbecause of the threats, "says this newspaper.

Leading the national team is Fatima Ali Abdurrahman. Player selection was in the 80s and now it has become the coach and the alma mater of this group of women. "Basketball is just an excuse to give visibility to Somali women. This sport must show that we have a role in society beyond married, have children and care for them . Somali Woman is the future of the country and as such we must prove; therefore, the value of these girls should be an example to many more "sentence.

The future is hope ... and hope is something that fills the stadium.