Liberia: Somalian Refugees in Liberia turn street beggars

[Faarax-Brawn]

Does it matter what street a Somali Begs? Is it me or am I getting this vibe from posters here that its so shocking to see a Somali beg? Especially in a country such as Liberia?

 

Folks,Gone are the yesteryears of the Proud Somali,the Symbol of $$$ wealth to most other Africans. I remember in Kenya for instance,You could never see a Somali beg in the streets of Nairobi in the 90s, Today you will see Somalis living as Chokoras(Street children) in Eastleigh digging out of the trash!!.

 

I Have seen these families camped outside restaurants just waiting for leftovers or see them rushing to a table as soon as a patron goes to the sink. I saw men and women disguising themselves and begging for 10 Shilings while covering themselves with a Niqab or cimamaad,out of embarrassment I guess. It was so heartbreaking for me that I avoided eating out unless I bought food for two or three street families.

 

10K miles away, I saw the same thing, this time in the streets of Cedar & riverside in Minneapolis. Young drunk Somali kids ran to my car and begged for a buck(bus ride to Burnsville, coz he just gout of Jail). I didn’t buy the story because on the ground laid two of his comrades, pants down to their ankles bleeding from the head, I think they hit the concrete while fighting. My friend reached for her purse, I ALMOST stopped her but i stopped myself. Somalis have been begging for decades in both strange & familiar places. We had 1000s of beggars back in the day on the streets of major Somali cities even during the glorious days,this is not new phenomenon.

 

My suggestion to you is,If you have a distant family member somewhere out in East/Central Africa, Send him.her a few bucks a month. You dont know who is begging out there & you may just get someone out of the streets,Plus the Thawaab you get out of it.

[Bokero]

UPDATE

 

I spoke to UNHCR, head for protection, she said she too had read about the story, but as far as UNHCR is concerned they haven’t seen or met any resent influx of Somalis.

 

I then went to the LRRRC, the Liberian government refugee agency, they had investigated the matter, together with Immigration and nationality department but were unable to trace any somali.

 

My sense is that as far as the 500 figure quoted is an exaggeration, but I cant not say they’re no Somali beggars in the streets of Monrovia… Although I was relieved to hear that there were no Somalis identified by the government, I know that we Somalis are experts of laying low!! I have sent a driver around the city, I await his feedback.

 

Whether, its true or not, I think this should give us time for self-reflection -- how we as people have reached, a stage where, one can imagine the possibility of once a proud people begging in the streets Monrovia -- one of the most underdeveloped city in Africa… !!! Monrovia has no electricity, nor water, no roads,, and human sacrifice rituals are common… the people here have been traumatised from 14 years of brutal war… many here tell me Liberia is the Somalia of West Africa!!! but even them are in the road to redemption...

[nuune]

Bokero, thanks sxb for your insight information.

[Xoogsade]

That is good news then Mr.Bokero.

 

 

PuntlandKing/Garyaqaan

 

People I called actually live in safer areas in Muqdisho yet, as I said earlier, they are traumatized and depressed by fear and by what they know is going on in the other parts of the city, plus the daily robberies and the pervasive insecurity in town. Xataa gawaarida BLka dhexdooda yaa la isku baartaa.

 

The conditions are so bad the UN is at odds with Warlord Yusuf whom they accuse to underestimate the dire need on the ground. This savage warlod and his junior thugs deny the fact that muqdisho needs serious help in terms of everything for fear that the world will stop calling them legitimate authority.

 

A better option for you and emperor is to post propaganda you think will help the warlords instead of implying people are lying when what they say contradicts what you wish to hear.

 

I don't have to post links reporting the negative news to back up what I said, you can find them I bet, SOL's front page is a good start before we get to other somali websites. There is nothing good coming from that occupied town. Post what you think will help A/Y and his junior warlords terrorizing Muqdisho instead of implying I lied.

 

 

Kollayba waa yar yahay in la arko qof gacan ku dhiiglayaasha Xamar dadka nolosha ku dhibay taageersan oo wanaag ku hadla. Laakiin hala isku dayo in dib loo soo ceshado Alla Aaminka lumay ama Qabiil dartii mugdi galay.

 

Let us not sink low though it is obvious a warlord is dearer than god's beloved truth in some circles.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Markaa naxay waxee ahayd markaan ku arkay Soomaali hooyooyin iyo ciyaalkooda dhabarka u suran ku tuugsanaayo xaafadaas Soomaalida ka degto ee Nayroobi, Islii. The year was 2003.

 

The Islii aan ogaa in early 1990s iyo kaas aan soo arkay aad iyo aad ayee u kala duwanayeen. Isliigii hore Soomaalidii hore waa iscaawin jireen, hadana dad wada ladanaa ayee u badnaayeen. I suppose dadkaas waa soo wada baxay. Waxa iga sii nixiye waxee ahayd, dadka caadi ayeeba la ahayd, oo Soomaaliya la dhexjoogo camal.

-----------

 

PS - There is a famous boulevard in Monrovia, too, called Somalia Road. So was in Xamar, a one well-known called Via Liberia at degmadda Waaberi. The story went the then two presidents of the nations exchanged to name each other's country name a major street in their respective countries.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

I've emailed the other day the reporter who reported this unfortunate war, asking if he can take some photos of them. [i was a bit cynical, still am.]

 

He emailed back:

 

"Sorry for not replying you sooner. I have been out of Monrovia doing some investigation in Yekepa with Mittal Steel. I can assure you that since we published that report, several efforts have been made to assist those African mothers and sisters. However, we are making sure that they first of all be cater to before the raing season. I will try to do a photo next time when I am reporting on Somalia Refugees. this report has claim not only your concern but Officials in Government. This was another means to address their plight.

 

I will keep you in touch."

[Bokero]

I can finally confirm there are no Somalis begging in the Streets of Monrovia, the ones on the streets are from Niger and Mali.. I spoke to the reporter his name is Micheal, he keeps on saying they're Somali.. they r simply not Somali... i think he confused Mali with SO-mali.. Liberian reporters are known for their sub-standard work!

 

They actually look and dress like Somalis… The only East African registered refugees are from Ethiopia and Eretria. A group of Ethiopian Soldiers who were Liberia as part of the UN peacekeeping mission defected last year and asked for asylum.

 

Although the thought of having Somalis on the streets of Monrovia was shocking and disturbing, they’re many Somalis doing just that in the streets of many cities around the world. Somalia is on the top of the league of failed states, therefore, having Somali beggars shouldn’t have been a surprise, but as a people we have perfected the art of denial. Our pride should not blind us to our realities; we’re deep in the abyss, devoid of leadership and vision, and poor, and colonial subjects to a peasant nation, while the cancer of the clan continues to fester deep inside our soul. This is our reality; it is from here where we need to work from…

 

 

In the meantime may Allah save us from ourselves;

[Malika]

^^^True True,Amiin!

[Dhubad.]

^^Thanks for the clarification Bokero.