Recent NPR Show about Khat and SomaliLand

[Medley of extemporanea]

The other night I heard on NPR a report about khat in somaliland. They said it's a $70million biz a year with Ethiopia. The interviewed government official and academics in Somaliland who said it was a huge social dilemma because:

1. khat use is the root of many serious social ills; but at the same time

2. the khat trade is one of the greatest and most lucrative businesses in the country

 

As a result of those two opposing consequences the authorities can’t easily ban the trade in khat because a ban would be nearly impossible to enforce and would result in serious economic loss to the people.

 

But if khat use continues it will contribute to the disintegration of the society.

 

It was an enlightening program, I hope they replay it. I haven’t been able to find it on the Internet.

[Baashi]

Haniif,

What is the program's name? I think I can find it for all of us to listen.

[Faarax-Brawn]

^depends on what city the program was aired originaly, i believe..

 

if its anything, i bet its 'Fresh Air' or 'Think Global'

[Medley of extemporanea]

It was PRI's The World with Lisa Mullins

[Jacpher]

The World with Lisa Mullins, & Car Talk are among some of the programs I interest most on npr radio.

 

You may find that particular program on their website http://www.theworld.org

 

I don’t think you could find a long archived shows on their website. I don’t think they keep anything more than a week or two.

[Janna]

This better be aired in Australia.

Otherwise I will be a very angry person. :mad:

[Muhammad]

It must have been another progrem, it is not in The World's Archive!

[Muhammad]

well i did little cyber googling and i've found it.

 

It was actually a BBC's African Prospective:

 

here it is enjoy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/meta/tx/nb/africanperspective_au_nb.ram

[Haddad]

Originally posted by Haniif:

and would result in serious economic loss to the people.

That's a very flawed statement. First, khat is imported, not grown in Somalia, therefore it doesn't employ anyone except those who sell it. How many people sell khat? Let's be generous; 1 for every 1000 khat buyers. We can deduce the general population doesn't profit from the khat trade; the money they spend on it doesn't return any profit. What's more, a significant percentage of Somalis live on remittance. Sure, enforcing a ban would be nearly impossible, but other measures can be taken to limit its circulation. One measure is to levy heavy fines on those who import and trade in khat. The idea is to make the khat trade improfitable. If anyone is going to suffer from serious economic loss as a result of the ban, it's the few who got filthy rich from its trade.

 

 

But if khat use continues it will contribute to the disintegration of the society.

Of course, that's what drugs (heroine, crack, etc) do to society. Khat is a drug (narcotic, hallucinogen, addiction); the sooner Somalis treat it as a real drug (heroine, crack, etc), the better.

[Rahima]

Salax u diin,

 

Thank-you for providing that.

 

This is a problem to be tackled. Whilst the problem may be more severe in SL, the rest of the horn is not far off.

 

Sadly many know the negative effects of qaad yet they still choose to chew it.

[Muhammad]

The funny part was when one Faarah said, "you people have wine, we don't drink wine, we have khat". it was sadly funny!

 

The task is difficult indeed but there is a spritual solution to every problem. It seems to me that the only lasting change that can affect the mind, body and spirit of the indivitual is if the heart is clean. The Ulama, and the Imaams of the Masaajid must make the purification of the hearts of our fellow citizens a top priorities.

 

khat is doing to Somalia what cocain did to Columbia. May Allah(swt) help us and guide us!

[Janna]

Those SomaliLanders were so proud! :confused:

[rudy-Diiriye]

i believe this khat thing aint about sland anymore but about the whole somali society!! i cant believe how many xalimoos addicted to this shyte nowadays!!

 

it aint funny no more!! :confused:

[Faarax-Brawn]

Khat is an AfrodisiaK.

 

 

Them old folks dont need the Blue Pills