Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991. Their result of having no functioning government has not been good. This has resulted in armed conflict, thousands of people killed, tens of thousands of people having to flee their homes, several rapes and more. There are over one million people displaced in Somalia and five-hundred thousand people fleeing to other countries in the area. The Somalis that have fled the country over the years are now in very poor conditions with overcrowded camps in a very unsanitary environment. Some of these camps takes place in Somalias neighbouring countries; Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Yemen. The Issues in Somalia are progressively getting worse and worse. The UNHCR ( The UN Refugee Agency ) article shows just how extreme these conditions are, stating how there are camps, such as the Dadaab camp in northern Kenya, with facilities for about ninety-thousand people. Yes, this seems like a ton of people, but there are still about two hundred-eighty thousand refugees with no access to housing, clean water, and all of the other basic needs for human life. To this day people still constantly show up at several camps trying to survive. The UNHCR is accepting donations from anyone around the world so that they can create a place for the people of Kenya to recieve their basic needs. It is a very devistating thing to hear about these people who have no place to go, and no neccessities to live. From what I'v read, these refugee camps are extremely unsanitary, which result in hundreds of people developing several diseases. To think of a place where people live their life every day in fear of getting murdered, shot, raped, or just having to live in these poor conditions, I don't think anyone could understand how they feel. This is their daily life, and what is "normal" to them, which is simply not right.
You may want to know how people in Somalia make money, and how it may be spent. A BBC NEWS report from November 2004 states that on their way from an airstrip located close to the capital, Mogadishu, there are seven checkpoints that you pass which are each guarded by a different militia. At each of the checkpoints you are required to pay en entry fee anywhere from $3.00-$300.00, depending on the value of goods that you may be carrying. You would hope this money being made would go to things to better the community, like roadwork, medical care, etc., but it does not. The militia men are known to use some of this money for a drug called khat, which is an addictive stimulant, and who knows what else they use the money for. So really this shows the life of Somalia without a government. It proves you can pretty much be anyone and make your own rule to gain money for whatever you want, whenever. It is scary to realize that this can happen anywhere in Somalia, even scarier to think of what they may be using the money for. I find one of the most powerful statements in this article to be the true proof of the trouble they are facing: " Those who can afford it travel with several armed guards - and then you can pass the road-blocks unmolested. "
You may want to know how people in Somalia make money, and how it may be spent. A BBC NEWS report from November 2004 states that on their way from an airstrip located close to the capital, Mogadishu, there are seven checkpoints that you pass which are each guarded by a different militia. At each of the checkpoints you are required to pay en entry fee anywhere from $3.00-$300.00, depending on the value of goods that you may be carrying. You would hope this money being made would go to things to better the community, like roadwork, medical care, etc., but it does not. The militia men are known to use some of this money for a drug called khat, which is an addictive stimulant, and who knows what else they use the money for. So really this shows the life of Somalia without a government. It proves you can pretty much be anyone and make your own rule to gain money for whatever you want, whenever. It is scary to realize that this can happen anywhere in Somalia, even scarier to think of what they may be using the money for. I find one of the most powerful statements in this article to be the true proof of the trouble they are facing: " Those who can afford it travel with several armed guards - and then you can pass the road-blocks unmolested. "
Refugee Camp in Somalia
Here are some Somalian facts that may shock you:
Life Expectancy: The average life expectancy for women and men is only 46.6 years
Literacy: Only 24% of the total populationInternationally Displaced Persons: 350,000
Total Refugees: 451,600
Children working(from ages 5-14): 41.9%
Although Somalia has no functioning governement at this time, and probably won't for quite a long time, President Abdulkassin Salat Hassan and Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah are planning on using the Transitional National Government which has recently been established in Somalia to try and create unity within the country.
working hard in Somalia
In this video you see a man who travels to Somalia to see how people live in a country with no functioning government.
My opinion has been very clear throughout this blog on Somalia's troubles. It is sad that they were left without a functioning government, and the only thing I can say is that I hope they create one soon. A country should not live every day in fear and pain, no matter where in the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment