Somali sub-clans fight over trees, seven die

[Paragon]

Ecological crisis due to deforestation and related acts are seriously degrading our Somali (already affected) quality of life. The sooner we (in SOL to begin with, discuss and later find a way to deal with all our problems)and recognize the need to be sincerely concerned about our affairs and future, the better. May God make us conscious of ourselves.

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Somali sub-clans fight over trees, seven die

Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:39 AM GMT

 

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - At least seven people have died in gunfights between two sub-clans during a dispute over whether to burn trees for charcoal in the southwest of lawless Somala, residents and hospital sources said on Sunday.

 

At least 12 people were also wounded in the sporadic clashes of recent days around three villages in the Tiyeglow district of Bakool region, they said.

 

"We are trying to stop the fighting between the two brother sub-clans, but until now we have failed to achieve a cease-fire," local elder Abdiyow Hussien told Reuters by telephone.

 

Residents said members of one local sub-clan tried to burn trees for charcoal, but another group opposed to the deforestation tried to stop them. Fires were started in the villages and gunfights raged, they said.

 

Fighting among Somalia's myriad clans and sub-clans has been common since warlords overthrew ex-dictator Mohamed Siad Barre 14 years ago and took over the Horn of Africa nation.

 

(Reporting by Mohamed Ali Bile)

 

Source

[xiinfaniin]

Paragon,

 

This is sad news as it reports the loss of innocent lives. But this fight is one of the most principled southern conflicts, I must admit, that I have heard in recent years. One sub-clan is surely engaging in a worthy cause. The other sounds a bunch of scofflaws, to me any way, that need be stopped.

 

Very brave men, indeed. Anyone knows who this sub-clan is so we can support them incase they couldn’t sustain this fight?

[STOIC]

It is indeed unfortunate that people died in this tragedy. Man has bent nature to serve his purpose. We as Somalis need to recognize and strengthen our society’s concern for the environment. It seems there is conflict of interest in this tragedy. This philosophy of not worrying about the state of the environment will sure lead to the ruin of the country. The people fighting for the economic gain from this charcoal burning needs to establish income generating activities like bee hives, or even tree planting whenever they cut down any trees. Agriculture needs to be modernized and food capacity production increased. This environmental degradation will only make people more desperate. Education of the environment in its broadest sense should be the necessary foundation of the Somali government.It is even clear to a man from Allah that he(men) should desist from wrong action and corruption against the norms Allah has set in nature for the benefit of men.

[Castro]

Originally posted by STOIC:

This philosophy of not worrying about the state of the environment will sure lead to the ruin of the country.

Atheer STOIC, you brought a smile to my face. What further ruin remains that we have not seen? I suspect neither of the groups fighting for the trees are concerned with environment and the desertification of the land. It is likely they are only interested in securing a monopoly over the tree cutting business (if one could call it that) for short term economical benefits. What clan is concerned with environmental degradation in Somalia?

[Qandalawi]

This is sad news as it reports the loss of innocent lives. But this fight is one of the most principled southern conflicts, I must admit, that I have heard in recent years. One sub-clan is surely engaging in a worthy cause. The other sounds a bunch of scofflaws, to me any way, that need be stopped.

Absolutely I agree with you there pal, Support support, War nothing is good about it, but surely its about time this extreme burning charcoal exporting should be stopped? and Whoever stands for that deserves our support.

[STOIC]

Castro, I know things have already fallen apart before this incident.Time and again i happen to weight my words before i size people up.Saaxiib, i grew up in the political correctness era .

[Paragon]

^^^ Nice approach .

 

Xiinfiniin, absolutely. I think any group that is 'genuinely' fighting for the preservation of the environment deserves our support. As STOIC points out, "this philosophy of not worrying about the state of the environment will sure lead to the ruin of the country". Castro, thanks for being the pragmatic, we need to find out whether the protection is really about the protection of the environment, or rather indeed about "monopoly over the tree cutting business (if one could call it that) for short term economical benefits". Tukaale, yep we should support them but we also need suggestions as to how we can make our support available to 'Eco-warriors' such as this ones in discussion. We need to organise ourselves and manifest our support into actions. Any suggestion?

[xiinfaniin]

^^Liked the ‘Eco-warriors’ term.

 

Paragon & Tukaale, one could only hope for this trend to grow and spread to the other areas. May be this is the first sub-clan that felt the need to contain this outbreak of environmental deprivation. If that is the case here, I sure see a moral obligation to support them.

 

Stoic, you’re sprinkling snippets of political wisdom today saaxiib . It is time to promote these paradigm shifts in that ruined land. I absolutely agree that the significance of environment in the psychic of our society is unfortunately missing. The blame falls on the shoulders of traditional leaders and religious scholars. There must be some awareness program on this issue. Are we retardates of sort? How do a society fail to recognize if they cut trees the rate they are doing now, they will soon face environmental consequence?

[STOIC]

Xiin, its only that things are little slow in my cubicle today. It is a simple math saaxiib, careful planning is all that is required. When we cut down all the trees and our arable land becomes infertile; will we then ask for a handout from the developed nations? We need to understand that the upsurge of our population will put a stress on our environment if we don’t make environmental policies a realistic long term nationalistic plan.

[Medley of extemporanea]

... fighting over tree. Lord help us!

[Alle-ubaahne]

Many terms are going to be emerging soon from these events, presumably terms that sound as, Treelords , Environ-lords , Forestwarlords Vs. Deforestational-warlords, and so on and so forth.

 

Xiinfaniin, you have a position looming from those forthcoming conflicts, lol.

[Scientist]

XiinFiniin

This is sad news as it reports the loss of innocent lives. But this fight is one of the most principled southern conflicts, I must admit, that I have heard in recent years. One sub-clan is surely engaging in a worthy cause. The other sounds a bunch of scofflaws, to me any way, that need be stopped.

I don't think human life should be taken because of charcole, although I totally disagree with this mindless deforestation but this is not something to die for, education is the key, and also if you tell people not to burn trees do we have an alternative energy source to give to these people who use charcole to cook, lets be realistic the only facility there in somalia is the "BURJIKO" and unfortunetly it needs a charcole, and to get a charcole you need to burn a tree. I think the big busnisses is to be condemned, those who burn trees and export is from Kismayo, Marka, and Brava to Dubai for BAKHUUR, these are the blood suckers and need to be brought to justice, but those little scale tree burners who provide a nessecity item to millions of somalis to cook their food they have no other option.