The Boat People of Africa

[Gabbal]

Today’s suffering of the Somali people, is the unfortunate result of the lawless, chaos and anarchy that engulfed the overall living conditions of the people. This suffering dates back from the day Siad Barre’s regime collapsed in 1990 and the subsequent destruction of all social and economic institutions of the country and the recurrent inter-clan clashes that become part of the daily life.

 

Our people, particularly the young ones were exposed to lack of education, health facilities, and other basic needs (electricity and clean potable water) that are necessary for every human being. Unemployment reached its highest level in the history of Somalia. Constant insecurity and other harsh condition that human being could not tolerate become bearable in this part of the world.

 

Those who can afford to go abroad in a decent way they already left from the country while others adventured to abroad in search of better place to live. On the way in their journey, they encountered fatal conditions that killed most of them before they reach their destinations.

 

It become rare events to hear, from world Media that a boat was capsized near the waters of Italy or Yemen, resulting the death of numerous young Somalis sometimes the death toll reaches more than 70 teen ages. All these young generations were escaping from the harsh living conditions of their mother country but unluckily they went from the frying pan to the fire.

 

The few who escaped from the fierce waters of Atlantic and the Indian oceans are now suffering in Yemen Libya, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and others while thousands are roaming around in the nauphering countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti in search of the land of honey and milk.

 

The most tragic incidents are those who are an accounted or still missing from their families and died in either the Sahara deserts of the north African or the temperate zones of the Europe (Italy, Finland, Russia etc.). No body knows their whereabouts and nobody is conducting any advocates for them.

 

Historically Somalis were nomadic people who moves with their Animals from one place to another in search of green pasture for their animals, now its people are migrating from

 

One country to another in search of green pasture. All most all of the country’s elite is now living in abroad, and the country becomes brainless. The few that remained are hiding or guarding themselves heavily from the organized gangsters that are threatening to kill or maim doctors, engineers, aid workers and business men who doesn’t belong to the strong clans.

 

When does this massive exodus started? This massive exodus started in 1940’s when British and Italian colonies were taking our brave ancestors abroad, mainly to Yemen, North / East Africa, and Europe to fight side by side with their soldiers during the second world war. From those years on, Somalis were moving from one country to another and their adaptation to the foreign climates and societies was swift and good.

 

This mass departure gained momentum in 1970’s when the oppression of the regime reached it maximum and country’s economic condition become low due to a combination of the following two factors: - The long drought of 1975 and the sub-sequent war with Ethiopia which put the county in its knees economically. Also in 1970’s it was an economic boom time for Gulf countries particularly Saudi Arabia and certain African countries in which most of the Somali people were going to search for job. All these were no like this mad exodus but people were going through legal migration procedures and was not fatal and risky as the current exodus.

 

From the beginning of the late 1990’s everything went upside down, due to the collapse of the regime and the country plunged into anarchy, which is the main cause of this mass trek

 

Characteristics of those that are fleeing from home. It was realized that most of the adventures who throws their lives in this risky situation are young people who has the following common characteristics:

· Mostly are young between the ages of 17-30

· 80% originate or departs from the Southern Somalia.( although there are those who comes from the other parts of the country)

· Any one who has the disease that Somalis call BOOFIS goes the risky adventure without regarding the gender (Male or Female).

· All most all of them were jobless and disparate in the county.

· In education wise they have either primary intermediate level (although certain illiterates are included)

· All most all of them its with their virgin journey and have no experience in such voyages.

· Mostly they go this kind of journey without the pleasing of their parents. (We can not exclude that in rare cases some parents help their children to adventure).

· Appart from the innocent guys there are other guilt ones who are running from the community due to crime they committed. (Looting, killing or committing rape and other crimes).

· Clan deportees…(Since there is no universal government, some clan elders deport their violent ones in order to save from both their lives and the community)

 

On the other hand there are groups of organized immigrant smugglers in many counties that required to be dismantled these are the one who are encouraging the young innocent people by imaging the voyage of death to a journey of hope. These immigrant smugglers usually do the following:

· Links the boat owners and those who want to immigrate.

· Organizes groups of illegal immigrants mostly the same ethnic groups.

· Takes commissions from both the boat owners and the immigrates

· The money is cheaper when using old and rusted boats.

· Always targets the shortest routes through Europe

· Most of the boats used are small and have faulty engines.

· They just care the money, human beings have no value for them

· Some of them are armed and either shoots or throws the people in the sea as it occurred in the waters near the borders of Yeman.

 

Preventive measures:- The only way we can stop this kind of tragedy no to occur again is by taking the following steps.

· To monitor efficiently the follow of immigrants from the country

· To educate the young people and enhance their awareness of the danger of this kind of voyage of death.

· To improve the living condition of young people at home by establishing broad based government.

· To dismantle the organized gangs that smuggles the immigrants to Europe.

· All concerned governments should jointly collaborate by ending this tragedy which moved both local and international communities.

 

Collective collaboration:- It is time for all the kindhearted Somalis and the entire world to unite and take action; we must not allow the destruction of our youth. We must not lose a generation of young people .we must not allow to lose the work force of our country as we lost the brains of the country. Let us act now. Let us demand immediate action from the entire international community to stop national disaster

 

I just bring all my respect to the Somali People especially after the recent death of more that 70 young people who died and found near the coastal island of Lampedusa. I also feel pity for all the mothers who weep for the loss of their young loved ones that either missed or confirmed their deaths; I implore from you to act now in order to stop these brutal deeds.

 

Regards.

 

Ahmed Dahir Marey

Mogadishu, Somalia.

E-mail:Axmarey@hotmail.com