'This civil war is normal to us'

[Che -Guevara]

Just thought share dis article..glimse in the lives of Somalis living in war zones, and how are they adapting in grief-ridden Xamar. Could the human condition ever get used to perpetual violence and brutality beyond belief?.

 

Remembering my own experience in 1991, It was horrifying for me to see death everywhere, and knowing that I could die a violent death at any given time, but as time passed, my fears subsided. As the Barre regime fled, the USC in-fighting commenced, I could remember people watching clan militias exchanging gun fire. We were drawn to the violence like captivated audience in horror flick. It wasn't that we had total disregard for our lives. Far from it, everybody wanted to make out alive,but I guess we have resigned ourselves to our fate, and learned to live with the danger.

 

Share your war stories and the effects it had on you!!!

 

 

here is a day of in life of Axmed!!!!

 

Student Ahmed Hasan, 21, spoke to the BBC News website from his home in southern Mogadishu about the heavy fighting that is intensifying in Somalia's capital.

 

Women are fleeing the city with their small children

We woke up to the sound of gunfire. It was early, about 0530 local time. The fighting was very close and it frightened us.

 

I got up and went quickly to a nearby area, the scene of the fighting, to see if some of my relatives were all right. They were but their neighbour's home was hit by a mortar shell.

 

A young girl, their daughter, was killed.

 

Then as I walked in the street on my way home I saw a stray bullet hit a girl in the head. All of us that were there helped as much as we could and I have heard since that she is still alive, although severely injured.

 

If she does live, she will definitely suffer permanent damage as the bullet must have touched some of the nerves in her head.

 

Confusing

 

It was unfortunate that she was hit.

 

It was because the fighting was so close, confusing, and was taking place in different directions.

 

This civil war has become almost normal to us. It is sad

 

 

There were battles raging close to the K4 area and then clashes were also taking place in Damile, close to the military barracks named after former President Siad Barre, the Academy of Kale Siad.

 

It took me 15 minutes to walk from where my relatives live to where I live with my parents and my newly-wed wife, in the area known as Black Sea.

 

When I returned my wife was delighted. She was so happy that I was safe.

 

Adapting

 

The thing is though that us Somalis that live in our capital, Mogadishu, we seem to be adjusting to the bad situation in our city. Now when fighting resumes, people do not stay at home.

 

Before that was the way. But now, even in areas where fighting is nearby, most shops are open - people are going about their business.

 

A lot of people go close to the scenes of the fighting to find out what is actually happening. We want to know the facts. Yes it is dangerous, yet Somalis accept it.

 

We are adapting to the situation. We are accustomed to it and do not feel scared.

 

Well, not that frightened.

 

The women and the girls do. But the men do not and nor do some of the young children.

 

This civil war has become almost normal to us.

 

It is sad.

 

Somalis are suffering. Yesterday when this fighting resumed people were not shocked.

 

 

People are coming to realise that this sort of fighting is not going to terminate. It is endless.

 

We have a saying in Somali: "Markii ay timaado waqtigayga dhimashada, waan ogahay waan dhiman doonaa, marka waa inaan shaqadayda iska wataa." It means that when my death time cometh, I know that I will die and so I must keep on with my work until then.

 

When we see each other and greet one another, this is what we say.

 

Resists

 

The heavy fighting around K4 on Thursday morning has now subsided because the Islamic courts have control. They gained the Sahafi Hotel, the K4 junction and the CID centre from the alliance of warlords.

 

The Islamic courts are known for their persistence however the alliance may launch a counter-attack. I have been told people have seen them re-grouping.

 

We will see what happens but until then, the shops are open, we have food, our tap has running water - we are all right.

 

Repeatedly, I ask my wife to leave the city. I beg her to go with the other women and small children that are fleeing the fighting but she also seems to have become adjusted. She resists.

 

She tells me that she wants to stay with me.

 

source: bbc.com

[Castro]

This "civil" war of ours will last as long as no one side is significantly more powerful than all the others. This is a classic stalemate or military deadlock, if you will. No one clan can subdue all the others and no one "alliance" has enough power to take on everyone outside of that alliance. Given all that we have seen so far, it is fair to project that another two or three decades of this stalemate is hardly out of the question.

 

In other words, by 2030, those who are in this never-ending-war will have been killed by it or have left and those who live abroad will be resigned to their fate of dying and being buried in the diaspora.

[Che -Guevara]

The stalemate is mainly due to our political apathy. I don't think as individuals we see Somalia's predicament as our predicament.

[Zafir]

It's absolutely impossible, but it has possibilities.

[FatB]

What I don’t understand is, when are these ****** are going to wake up and smell the coffee? Has it not occurred to them that endless sacrifice (especially against your own people) will never lead to gain or superiority. Why must it always be “us against them†“my qabiil vs yoursâ€â€¦can we not learn from the blood shed and hardships that has plagued us for the last two decades? ...can we instead of letting our children needlessly sacrifice them self’s, put down our weapons and embrace each other as brother’s friends or family. Or at leat come together as Muslims and focus our energies for the benefit of our children rather than at animosity?....

 

....when will we ever learn......

[Baluug]

I only knew Somalia from the news when the American soldiers were dragged in the streets in 1993, I was 15 at the time. That's all I knew until I met my wife.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

A lot of people go close to the scenes of the fighting to find out what is actually happening. We want to know the facts. Yes it is dangerous, yet Somalis accept it.

Dad asaga camal ayaa u badan waxa ku dhamaado dagaaladda micnadarada ah, siiba dhalinyarada oo gurigooda joogi karin, xabbad dhaceyso inay soo arkaan rabo, as though inay tahay filin ku cusub waxaas.

 

Ma aragtay sawiradda shabakooyinka Soomaalida iyo caalamkaba soo daabaceen, showing crowded people massing around meeshee maleeshooyinka qabsadaan. Ma'oga miyaa hoobiyaha iyo hubka kale waa weyn la isla dhacaayo inuu meeshaas kusoo dhacaayo.