SOMALIA- SAD, VERY SAD INDEED!

Somalia is a sad story, a true victim of the cold war, whose strategic importance declined with the end of the cold war (the military dictator was no longer supported and the centre caved in), it has repeatedly refused to be tamed, with its 'wild west' set up it humbled the US which was trying to pave the way for a UN humanitarian aid to Somalia, it is currently failing the African Union in a big way, it is one of the few territories in the world that still harbours real life pirates, residents/citizens pay no formal tax, there is no viable subsistence and commercial farming (how do you farm for export with a sniper perched on the roof),it has one of the highest mortality rates in the world (10% of children die at birth and 25% before the age of 5),it has no functional government or ministry of education, generations therefore have not been to school through the public sector and the population is almost the same as the number of guns floating around (nows thats exaggerated, anyway). There are so many leaders cooking the broth that it has been spoilt. the fact that no media houses have chosen to send their reporters to the lawless country does not help because we do not as the world really know what truly is happening out there, the hopelessness imaginable is despairing. Somalia was the last of the African states to access the internet(Only 52 known websites as of 2003).

To the contrary however the Aids scrouge has barely touched Somalia with estimates being that only up to 2% of the entire population infected, yes 2%! ...., it also has the cheapest cellullar calling rates in Africa (less than 50 British pence a minute),....now back to the negative (with a purpose)....

A British policewoman was murdered in cold blood early this year- Somalians were involved, forged Tanzanian passports were attempted and discovered- again by Somalians, early this month in northern Malawi 8 Somali's were caught trying to enter the country illegally, there was a failed suicide bombing attempt after the 7/7 in London and Somalis were involved, a suicide bombing in Kenya,...and it goes on and on, wherever Somalis are heading there is an upsurge in violence brand of the armed sort as they export what is supposedly normal in Mogadishu. It is estimated that every household in Somalia may have a gun for protection and that scares me! because if any of these ordinary households would dispose of an item on the African version of E-bay which is in the local market, its a gun that would be most likely sold! now who would buy that? probably some fellow so angry with life, with nothing to lose, who would not hesitate to use the firearm in crime in his own country, thereby destabilising his part of Africa.

So I have spent quite a bit of this year pondering on the plight of my fellow Africans in Somalia, and their perceived 'freedom' from the trappings of modern life (taxation, formal policing, education, government etceteras), and it does seem to me that the opportunity cost however on their normal lives is enormous, most educated Somalis are now in the diaspora working for and developing alien economies, the so called 'brave' now are in control while chewing their 'mira' and holding an AK 47 or cousin thereof with no agenda whatsoever about the future except the primeval instinct to protect ones territory and flock (human or otherwise). the things we take for granted, a bottle of coke, catching a bus, riding a bicycle, wearing a camouflage jacket/ or army colours, a national football team are not viable, tolerated and may be the difference between life and death.

Somalia needs serious gun control, who is supplying these small arms and ammunition? they need to stop, it needs more humble leaders (they all want to be the 'president'), they need to educate the education starved masses and poor kids who are now only learning of the barrel of the gun, and as all people in desperation (refer to the Jews under the Romans, the Malawi under the British), all the population can do is dream, dream of a better tommorrow and grasp at the straws- the hardline elements of Islam religion seem the most plausible now after the christian nations have not helped since the priests were driven out in the early 70's, now that Africa has identified Somalia as the cat that is scaring the African mice who is going to bell the cat? that's the fundamental Somali question, because ignoring Somalia wont help, the cats reach is now spreading to the world under the guise of a handsome people with a violent mental software capable of unleashing itself upon the masses. The African Union has started but the United Nations needs to take this up urgently, a people are under siege and their violence as they scour the ends of the world is a cry for help.

Save Somalia, the land of beautiful people, the people who know for certain the world has forgotten them. Do something more than praying, they are part of us. Mr Kofi Annans successor Sir. I hope they are in your sights before the year ends.