Somalia burns - but does anyone care?

[Jacaylbaro]

NAIROBI, April 24 (Reuters) - The carnage and suffering in Somalia may be the worst in more than a decade -- but you'd hardly know it from your nightly news.

 

For a mix of reasons, from public fatigue at another African conflict to international diplomatic divisions and frustration, a war slaughtering civilians and creating a huge refugee crisis has failed to grab world attention or stir global players.

 

"There is a massive tragedy unfolding in Mogadishu, but from the world's silence, you would think it's Christmas," said the head of a Mogadishu political think-tank, who declined to be named because of the precarious security situation in Somalia.

 

Somalis caught up in Mogadishu's worst violence for 16 years are painfully aware of their place on the global agenda.

 

"Nobody cares about Somalia, even if we die in our millions," said Abdirahman Ali, a 29-year-old father-of-two who works as a security guard in Mogadishu.

 

Liban Ibrahim, a 30-year-old bus driver in the Somali capital, said: "The world does not care about our plight. The United Nations is busy issuing statements when innocent civilians are dying every day."

 

The latest flare-up followed a U.S.-backed Ethiopian-Somali government New Year offensive that ended the Islamists' six-month rule of Mogadishu.

 

In the past month, local officials and activists say nearly 1,300 people have died in fighting between government troops and their Ethiopian allies on the one side, and Islamists with disgruntled ****** clan fighters on the other.

 

Aid agencies have sounded the alarm over an exodus of 321,000 refugees from Mogadishu, and there have been appeals for calm from the United Nations and the Arab League. But nothing like the sort of global mobilisation or concern that would normally accompany events of such magnitude, analysts say.

 

"In Washington, of course, people are too tied up with Iraq and their own impending elections to pay any attention to yet more news of Somalis killing each other," said a Nairobi-based Western diplomat who asked not to be named.

 

"And if they do have a snippet of time for Africa, it's only Darfur because of the international dimensions that has taken and the power of the lobbyists," the diplomat added.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS

 

Media practicalities are playing their part.

 

Mogadishu is too dangerous for most Western journalists, while Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera has been shut down. So the news comes largely from a handful of brave locals filing to international news agencies.

 

Images to shock the conscience are everywhere -- corpses on the street, shattered buildings, wounded babies, refugees under trees, hospital corridors full of blood and screams.

 

But they are, in large, not getting out because of the dangers of capturing such footage and the few cameramen there.

 

"The world's media are far away. That's definitely part of the problem," Ali Iman Sharmarke, co-owner of Somali broadcaster HornAfrik, told Reuters.

 

"But also, the political actors just aren't talking about it. Maybe they believe Somalis have brought this on themselves and deserve it."

 

Rather than wilful disdain, however, it is splits over what to do with Somalia that are paralysing the world's response.

 

The West broadly supports the government, but is uneasy at its failure to reach out to Islamists and the ******. There are tensions between the United States and Europe over the degree of support to the government and its Ethiopian backers.

 

Some Arab nations are accused of sending arms to the Islamists. And in the Horn, Eritrea has just pulled out of the regional body IGAD which it feels is bowing to Ethiopian interests over Somalia.

 

 

GLOBAL "EMBARRASSMENT"

 

Michael Weinstein, a U.S. expert on Somalia at Purdue University, said the international community had tied itself up by backing a government without a broad national constituency.

 

President Abdullahi Yusuf's administration was set up at internationally endorsed peace talks in Kenya in 2004 in the 14th attempt to restore central rule so Somalia since 1991.

 

"For the major (world) leaders, there is a tremendous embarrassment over Somalia," he said. "They have committed themselves to supporting the interim government -- a government that has no broad legitimacy, a failing government.

 

"This is the heart of the problem. ... But Western leaders can't back out now, so of course they have 100 percent no interest in bringing global attention to Somalia.

 

"There is no doubt that Somalia has been shoved aside by major media outlets and global leaders, and the Somali diaspora is left crying in the wilderness." (Additional reporting by Guled Mohamed, Jeremy Clarke)

[Xoogsade]

And it will burn even more hadduusan ilaahay kasoo gaarin.

 

A- Muqdisho in its last survival war with more somalis joining for a decisive victory(inshallah).

 

B- Kismayo, more ucnertainity with more clan wars planned, to recapture, old animosities between clans coming to surface, old contests to begin anew.

 

 

Waxaa kusoo xigi doona the entire south to feel the heat of war.

 

 

All wisemen agreed on one thing when A/Y was elected, Somalia to be thrown back deep into turmoil once more, and they were proven right.

[Castro]

^^^ But yeey is the uniter not the divider. lol.

 

What will be left to govern when the city is completely destroyed and the population either displaced or killed?

[Ana_Juwa2]

Any TFG enthusiasts care to comment on the article?

 

Its always interesting to note that impartial observations made by non-somali' always end up with teh same analysis, that is a far more accurate depicition of what is going on.

 

Somali was left to its own for 16 years by the so called international community. Apart from NGO's some scandnavian countries, there was a total media blankout.

[Xoogsade]

Originally posted by Castro:

^^^ But yeey is the uniter not the divider. lol.

 

What will be left to govern when the city is completely destroyed and the population either displaced or killed?

Untill I see Puntlanders at the forefront of the war of liberation, and they challenge publicly Cadde Muse, A/Y, and all corrupts born out of that community, we are still devided saxib.

 

 

At least if we end up our country free of Xabashi presence, and their servants gone, killed or chased, we can rebuild and live proudly no matter the cost, no matter the destruction or lives lost. The victims, and the heroes who fought will all be remembered with reverence.

[DigibAc]

^^^Many Somali people are united saxib. I have talk to many people from that community that are obsulutly agaist what Yeey is doing. The only people that support the TFG are criminals and qabiilist Fascism.

[Xoogsade]

^ Those who matter saxib is my objective, the average somali with no selfish interests and not sick with clan animosities is always against corrupt people. I would like to see people who count in that community who must come out forcefully against their corrupts destroying Somalia.

[N.O.R.F]

All wisemen agreed on one thing when A/Y was elected, Somalia to be thrown back deep into turmoil once more, and they were proven right.

I remember when Yeey was selected. A few days later i visited some friend to catch the football (as you do). They are from Muqdisho and seemed happy that a president has been installed. I told them he was a warlord and would only bring trouble. They laughed and joked how reer SL are affraid of him etc. Today their old neighbourhood is where the fighting is taking place. Sad indeed.

[Ms DD]

Xoogsade

 

When you say "I would like to see people who count in that community who must come out forcefully against their corrupts destroying Somalia."

 

Who counts in your opinion in Puntland? I have seen few from his clan supporting A/Y to the hilt, right or wrong but majority of P.landers dont support this mindless aggression. We are not divided as you'd have us believe.

[Xoogsade]

Odayaashooda fore xample, clan elders, isimo maa dhahdaan ama boqoro or whatever titles somalis up there use for the elders sis. Their voice is important. They need to make a sacrifce and let their disagreements be known that A/Y and others are alone in this. People like you and me are not that effective on a national scale. I haven't seen their opinion anywhere online yet, or heard it on the radio. Would like to see or hear something from them. They can help with the situation.

[Ms DD]

Many average P/landers are disenchanted with their leaders (clan or otherwise). Everyone of those leaders are out for themselves and care for lining their pockets. You must realise that in order to have some sort of influence in Puntland, one needs to toe the TFG line therefore even if they are against what is happening in Muqdishu, they can only say it on the down low.

[Hunguri]

Originally posted by Xoogsade:

Odayaashooda fore xample, clan elders, isimo maa dhahdaan ama boqoro or whatever titles somalis up there use for the elders sis. Their voice is important. They need to make a sacrifce and let their disagreements be known that A/Y and others are alone in this. People like you and me are not that effective on a national scale. I haven't seen their opinion anywhere online yet, or heard it on the radio. Would like to see or hear something from them. They can help with the situation.

Xoogsade, dont lose the grip. Enough, is the number of members Originaly hail from the same clan of Abdillahi Yuusuf, and yet criticise his policy. Hence, let us not push it towards traditional clan issues.

[Xoogsade]

DhuchDhuc, That is understandable, I forgot to look at it that way in my passion to see my expectations met. And that is not unique situtaion to some Puntland elders, other somali clans have the same problem. Good explanation.

[Jacaylbaro]

I think no one cares about Somalia ,,,, not regionally, internationally, and what so ever ........

 

Somalis created their own mess and they have to deal with it among them ,,,,,,,,

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Ooh, they care alright, but not for the people but the land and its resources.