With the news of the rising famine in Somalia and the sight of countless western Somalis lamenting this awful situation, a socialist thought crossed my mind. Take from the rich and give to the poor without it having a negative effect on your bank balance!
On average, how many of those facing this famine are directly related to you or anyone you know in the West? I personally would wager that the overwhelming majority of respondents will say “NONE” (save for one or two smart arses who will claim that all Somalis are related to them).
Now let me come at you from a different direction (it’ll all make sense in the end, I hope). Most of the people suffering from this famine are the “have nots” of Somalia. To them, the country is merely the place they were born and belong to but, as this famine clearly proves, they do not have that many valuable possessions to protect or fight for. Their one and only goal, worry and objective is to go somewhere where they can feed themselves and their children. That basic need has become so urgent, so indispensable and so vital that they do not care if Farmajo is sacked, Sharif Hassan is made president of the world or Somaliland is recognised. All they want is to be fed.
But Somalia does not only contain starving people. If we ignore the business people, the politicians and the soldiers for now (from the TFG or Al Shabab) and, instead, concentrate on the relatively well off families living there, we will realise that these are actually our families and relatives. They’re the ones that receive monthly remittances from me, you and YOU! They are also the ones that have the (somewhat relative) luxury of time to think, play and moan about politics. Alas, their total dependence on our remittances has rendered them passive, hopeless and completely unable to rise against the numerous problems that face Somalia today. And, frankly, why should they? The rent is paid for, the food is paid for and the clothes are also paid for. The TFG staying or going would make no difference to them. However, if Swedish Cabdi, German Warsame and American Sharmarke lose their jobs it will be the disaster to end all disasters. Furthermore, these are stationary people who do not leave their neighbourhoods unless an actual rocket falls on it (and most go back straight away).
They are the people that came out into the streets when Farmajo was sacked and they are the people that will come out protesting (again) when another trivial political dispute takes place. Yet when their fellow Somalis are starving they sit about and discuss the famine just like we do.
Well, we can do something about it and they can too. It’s time to personalise the problem. It is time to wake that lot from their long slumber. And, it’s also time to force the money transfer companies to feel the pinch.
Here is my suggestion;
If you send $100 to Somalia a month, decrease it to $50 and tell the family back there that you sent the other $50 to help out famine victims. Scare them into believing that this is going to be a permanent thing. In a couple of months, the family will either run to a Kenyan refugee camp (where your donated fifty will come handy) or they’ll riot in the streets of Somalia and do something to change their pathetic situation.
This is not a problem for Western Aid Organisations or even the Diaspora; this is a problem for Somalis in Somalia. It is why we get phone calls with the words:
“Waan guursanaya, lacag ii so dir”
“Qasabad baa jabtay, lacag ii so dir”
“Bisada naga xanuunsatay, lacag ii so dir”
“Waan tahriibaya, lacag ii so dir”
“Jaamicaad ban bilaabaya, lacag ii so dir”
“Ramadanta so socota, lacag ii so dir”
“Wasiir ba la iga dhigay, lacag ii so dir”
“Mobile ayaan doonaya, lacag ii so dir”
“Guriga nago yaraaday, lacag ii so dir”
“Mag ban bixinaya, lacag ii so dir”
“rasaasta iga dhamaatay, lacag ii so dir”
“Jaariyaad baan kireestay, lacag ii so dir”
“Minyara la igu khasbay, lacag ii so dir”
“Waxan maqlay in aad shaqo fiican heshay, lacag ii so dir”
“Jinn baa la iga saaraya, lacag ii so dir”
“Aroos baan tegaya, lacag ii so dir”
“Walaalka ayaan casumay, lacag ii so dir”
But you never hear:
“Gaasha na wada dishay, lacag inuu dir”
Nacal shaklak.
@ Nacal shaklak.
