Are You all so Short Sighted

[MR ORGILAQE]

Hello Boys and Girls

 

I have been a member here for a few months.The reason that i became a member initially was to see just what hope there is in this generation.The reason why this became a goal for me is because my generation has been caught up in the nets,landmines,etc etc that our fathers had prepared for us,and caught up in them we did.We became the fighters the bread winners,the defenders,the pioneers in some cases,the ones with the burden of ensuring the survival of the species that is SOMALI.I came to this website as a concerned father,who has children still too young to realise what we have been through and what lies ahead.I wanted to find out if my generation had done anything positive in inspiring

the younger generation or not.

 

 

Well after a few months of seeing how you are deliberating and your thinking i think it is fair to say that your generation seems to be at a crossroads.In case you are wondering, i am older than practically all of you here!.I am glad to acting my age after all this time!.It seems to me that you have made a lot of progress in the way you can debate things without becoming too emotional and even in the way you manage to stop each other when one goes beyond reason.This is encouraging...however thre seems to be a lack of thought given to the huge task ahead of you and i mean you because the bulk of the work will fall on your hands and what a weight it will be!!!.My generation will have the task of ensuring peace holds and the begining of reconstruction and we will be handing the batton on to your generation.The reconstruction is where you will come in and that is what is worrying me.Nobody seems to be paying any attention to that area.I even tried to start a thread about that without any success.I would like to have an insight into your thinking regarding the reconstruction of your country which is going to be your task afterall.Have any of you given any thought as to where you can get the finance needeed to carry out such a huge task?.Have you maybe considered catalogueing the knowledge base that you posses collectively to be used accordingly?.Have you considered how you can make it in your Motherland?.Have you condidered how you can compete with your peers tomorrow from other countries?.These are issues that will face you tomorrow and no-one seems to be considering them and this quite frankly worries me.There is a lot of thought given to tribe and state and i have taken a keen interest by ensuring that i got under your skin.You may have noted my posts which were intended to bring out the true feelings that you may have,I apologise if i offended anyone.There is a momentum going at the moment and I for one as a member of my generation am prepared to make my stand and take my responsibilites but it is you who will have to ensure that my children are better off.i am relying on you that is why i became a member here to see just how far away you all are to the overall goal.Let me know if i am worrying for nothing or whether my worries are justified.Thank you all

[NGONGE]

This dead horse of “reconstruction†has been bandied and flogged about for years now. However, by my calculations and in my own opinion, I really have not seen that many people willing, ready or able to do anything about it in the past. I doubt any of the future generations will either!

 

What guarantees do any of the people outside of Somalia have of being welcomed back and given the power to create the climate for change and reconstruction? Why would those who lived under strife and war give up their hard earned positions that easily? What sort of “reconstruction†are we talking about here?

 

To make a long story short as the saying goes, the only option open to the majority outside of Somalia proper is to continue doing what they’ve been always doing (before, during and hopefully after this civil war), send money home! This is all that those in there expect from you and this is the minimum you can do. All the other talk is nothing but dreams. A few might fulfil those dreams but the majority will not. The romanticism of it is nice, but playing it safe is even nicer. So, instead of getting the kids to chase that mirage of reconstruction, better encourage them to contribute hard cash. It’s the Somali way.

[MR ORGILAQE]

Ngonge hard cash being sent home is fine but if unchanneled or properly planned it will simply become a waste!!

As for the dreams well.......martin Luther King had a dream and has it been realised?,Nelson Mandela had a dream and has it been realised?,Gandhi had a dream and has it been realised?,and Finally our Beloved Prphet Muhammad (Pbuh) had a dream and it most certainly has been realised.So my brother there is nothing wrong about a dream,in fact a nation without a dream is a nation without hope!!!

With dreams comes ambitions,drive,aim.Without any of those feelings it is impossible for them to become what they are capable of becoming.So brother dont put them down,just because those before them couldn't do it doesnt mean they can't.!!Be positive bro....be positive.

[A New Born]

Are you sure that you´re as OLD as you claim ?

how come i haven´t noticed , and i´ve been reading all yoru posts , guess what .. IT DOESEN´T SHOW !!

 

just kidding old man !!

on a real note though .. you´re exactly repeating what your generation does BEST, namely ASSUME , ASSUME and ACT upon that assupmtion ,, that is FINE with us .,... we´re USED to it .

 

I think my generation( i hope i´ve one )KNOWS what the would be TASK is, but due to a better offer from the WEST and negelgence from OUR counterpart generation back home ,we QUESTION the genuineness of the TASK.

[MR ORGILAQE]

think my generation( i hope i´ve one )KNOWS what the would be TASK is, but due to a better offer from the WEST and negelgence from OUR counterpart generation back home ,we QUESTION the genuineness of the TASK.

 

 

Well if that is what you really like and that part of the world is where you'll like to see your children grow up then good luck.I am more interested in hearing from those that wish to see their motherland great again,those that have a burning desire to go back amongst their own.I want to hear from those that want to make it back in their ancestral motherland ,a land that has no comparison as it holds their genome.It holds their history,it holds their race,their existence.Those are the ones that i wish to hear from.Unless i am wrong and looking at the wrong place being old fashioned and all!!!!

[- Femme -]

Can I butt in here for a sec?

 

Now why should MY GENERATION have to carry the burden and problems created by YOUR GENERATION! (Retarded monkeys :mad: )

 

Axem..well. Your generation created the problem and its their fault that our country is in ruin and half our population was unnecessarily wiped out ....then they should do something about it!

 

And when they clean up the mess they made....then maybe we'll consider going back and improving it!

 

Until then... count me out!

[Nationalist]

I would like to be alone with the ruling generation in a dark room for 5 minutes with my belt. Step aside, the room will be messy afterwards.

[- Femme -]

^With only a belt :eek: ! Your so kindhearted! I would think they deserve much worse than that!

 

*If only I was made President of Somalia*

 

But seriously...they should be getten rid of if we want to acheive any progress towards peace and reconstruction.

[Dhagax-Tuur]

^^Fatal-e, you've been selfish. Sorry, but you hve.

 

Meantime, point i'm interested commenting on is the 'wiring cash home' one. There are people out there who are claiming that this practice will come to seize once the generation gap takes effect. Meaning when the current generation of Somalis - those who've come to the West in their early teens or lower - grow up, the pool of cash being wired for Somalia will dry. Because this generation will have no much of a connection with the people back home. Their argument was, this generation knows little about their culture - the exteneded family - and will adopt to the cultures of host countries, thus will not bother about people of Somalia.

 

Do you think that is going to be the case? 'cos if it turns out to be case, Allah help the people of Somalia, as the results will be catastrophic. The money sent from the West is what maintains Somalia and its people today, if this stops and people and country continue to lack central authority, it will be DISASTER!

 

...Share your thoughts.

 

Allah Hafiz.

[Nationalist]

^With only a belt ! Your so kindhearted! I would think they deserve much worse than that!

Femme, my dear I forgot to mention I will use the iron side of the belt. Trust me, people will be screaming in the room.

[Paragon]

Aniga, you have raised a valuable point regarding the change of generational atitude towards wiring money back home. There is also the case of financial dependency syndrome which the money sent can create. As I see it, the more money we send, the deeper we dig a hole of dependency, which then people dependent on the money sent back home will fall in. When the time comes, and the money sent back home dries up, the dangers are that Somalia as a state may face a series of economic crash.

 

A very good case to be studied in relation to this dependeny, and the after-effects if this money-flow is interrupted is Indians, during the Gulf War. The financies of our state economy must be what I would call 'Cyclical'. The economy must be kept in a process where what comes in reflects what goes out, in order to sustain it. If what comes from one end (the grease of the economic process) is curtailed, the result is automatically catastrophic.

 

So I believe, it would be economically beneficial for our society for this wired-money to dry up, at a good time when the poverty ensuing its ending can be affordably (financially) alleviated. However, if the money wired-back is properly invested in a sector that doesn't affect our future GDP directly, this money would be a boast and a greatly benefial input.

[Blessed]

^^excellent analyses. The proverb 'give a mna a fish and feed for a day .... ' rings true in the Somali context.

 

I agree with Orgilaqe, development is very much dependent on the contribution of the educated youth abroad. My parents have always told us that we should learn to benefit our people. It’s always stayed with me. We have to realise that our younger walaalo / cousins are the ones suffering the most in Somalia.

 

It doesn’t have to be about politics but genuine good will for our people. Consider the reawrds you'd get for it. What I love about my father’s generation is that great many of them went abroad to study and returned home to contribute to society –no matter how comfortable qurbo life was for them.

This isn’t to say that the people back home are useless, in fact I think they are far more insightful, in tune and concerned with the future of the homeland.

 

Some of them are also as educated (and the number is increasing) than those abroad. What they lack is resources and funding, which we can easily access.

 

Lets not make the mistake of thinking that any government in Horn is capable or interested in changing the quality of life for the masses. Their concern starts and ends with political rule and manipulation (it’s evident from the content of this forum that they are succeeding – even across boarders).

 

I know a few people who went back and set-up businesses providing jobs for the locals.

 

Similarly, it's very easy to set up charities working to build and develop the basic amenities back home. For example; If every working Somali contributed say $10 every month, that could raise the necessary funds to build schools, hospitals, orphanages or pay for the equipment used at these places. This doesn’t have to be a nationwide or regional venture – but can be set up for different cities and villages (the villages are often ignored).

 

As for me, I’ve always wanted to get involved in the development of the education system. My Abtiyo who works in the field has advised me to get as much training and experience in the field before embarking on any projects. He’s the expert – so am working on it. Insha Allah. There is so much scope walahi, there are a few organizations already working in this field. I’m looking into a charity that sends books to schools back home.

 

Even if I don’t go back home to, I can always be involved from the distance, that’s the beauty of the global village. All in all, I think everyone and anyone can do something – if they put their heart and mind to it. Again, Orgi I agree, as eedo Nakrumah say’s ‘riyadu wey fdiicantahay, nimcoy sadaalisaa’.

 

Apology, for taking up all this space...

[NGONGE]

Originally posted by ORGILAQE:

Ngonge hard cash being sent home is fine but if unchanneled or properly planned it will simply become a waste!!

As for the dreams well.......martin Luther King had a dream and has it been realised?,Nelson Mandela had a dream and has it been realised?,Gandhi had a dream and has it been realised?,and Finally our Beloved Prphet Muhammad (Pbuh) had a dream and it most certainly has been realised.So my brother there is nothing wrong about a dream,in fact a nation without a dream is a nation without hope!!!

With dreams comes ambitions,drive,aim.Without any of those feelings it is impossible for them to become what they are capable of becoming.So brother dont put them down,just because those before them couldn't do it doesnt mean they can't.!!Be positive bro....be positive.

I’m too old for the sweet sounds of your violin, saaxib. Spare me the evangelical speech please. The people you mention lived, breathed and witnessed the struggle. You and I are sitting in comfy office and typing away at a brand new keyboard. Our dreams are superficial to say the least.

 

I’m not asking you to stop dreaming. What I’m asking is to stop the grand dreams. If you need to encourage this “generation†into taking part in reconstruction, then the most you should concentrate on is their money. Maybe I’m a born pessimist but I sincerely doubt that even 5% of Somalis on the outside will do much to help in the rebuilding of their country. On the other hand, I believe in people’s good will and it’s pointed out to them, many do their best to send, donate or give money. So, like I said, better concentrate on that issue rather than the wicked dream that we’ve been living for the past fifteen years. Saaxib, fifteen years is a long time. Those that were fifteen back then and were told to study and learn so as to help in the rebuilding of their country are thirty years of age now. How many of them do you see doing anything (other than the sending money part) to rebuild their country?

 

I’m not concerned with the small number of people that do work and strive to better the state of the homeland, for those really don’t need anyone’s encouragement to do so. It seems to come from within and your words would be wasted on them. Can’t preach to the converted, can we now?

 

As for the argument that the money being sent home will soon run out! I strongly disagree. History is proof of that. Somalis have been sending money home for hundreds of years (yes I said hundreds). The poverty of our nation did not start with the civil war. It has always been thus. There are countless 80-year-old Somalis who were born and bred in Arab and Western countries that still send money home. The idea that the young generation are changing and forgetting their country is not a new trend. This “dhaqan celis†fable has been bandied about for years! From purely historical precedents though, most of the young change track and go back to being Somali once they’re married and are in a position of responsibility. Rest assured that this is one well that’s unlikely to ever dry up.

[MR ORGILAQE]

Can I butt in here for a sec?

 

Now why should MY GENERATION have to carry the burden and problems created by YOUR GENERATION! (Retarded monkeys )

 

Axem..well. Your generation created the problem and its their fault that our country is in ruin and half our population was unnecessarily wiped out ....then they should do something about it!

 

And when they clean up the mess they made....then maybe we'll consider going back and improving it!

 

Until then... count me out!

 

 

Femme-fatale

 

 

I want to correct you on a couple of points

 

First of all My generation did not create this.We were caught up in it.It was the generation before us that created this.Our fathers did this and we inherited it.We had to make do with what we had.We had to survive and make sure the species survived.The burden that fell on our shoulders was immense.you think it is easy working 24/7 for ten years without enjoying a penny of it always tired always broke even though you work more hrs than anyone you know but because you send every penny of it home you can't have any for yourself? .do you think it is easy not having a life when your peers are happy.You had teenage,late teens,early 20s life you enjoy it...well guess what the last time i remember was when i was 21 that was when the war broke out and all hell broke loose.Guess what the mere fact that you are where you are today was because of efforts made by someone of my generation.We made sure that everyone survived.While we were doing that we also had to educate ourselves and prepare for our responsibilities as future husbands and fathers.That is for those of us who could.Have you asked youselves why the generation of 30-45 never try to get higher education gere in the west.Well there is a reason and that is the "burden" on their shoulders is too great, they think "if i go for studies i will have to stop supporting all those folks and they will suffer.Imagine getting so many phones calls from home that you come to hate the phone but still pick up because it could be someone that really needs your help.Debts.....we are full of debts because of all the money we had to borrow from bansks to help the people ansd we are still paying the.dont you think our generation are any less ambitious than yours.Well we are not but we put the people first then our own later.We never stopped giving and we never got anything back.We are the Lost generation.We are still giving and i can't see a point when that will stop.We feel so much for those behind many of whom are your generation.We are still giving as i said and highly unlikely that we shall see any of the benefits either.You on the other hand stand a good chance of building on what we leave you and see the benefits of it.I agree when you say "why should we have to deal with it when we did not cause it." Well we also have that right but are keeping quite about it because we care too much.I hope this helps you distuinguish between the generations that are at fault.If you think you've lost well we have lost even more.If you think you've seen horrors then my generation saw more than you can imagine,if you think this is a burden well my generation naver stoped having such a burden and we had the burden of the survival of the entire people on our shoulders.Dont judge a book by it's cover

[MR ORGILAQE]

I’m too old for the sweet sounds of your violin, saaxib. Spare me the evangelical speech please. The people you mention lived, breathed and witnessed the struggle. You and I are sitting in comfy office and typing away at a brand new keyboard. Our dreams are superficial to say the least.

 

NGONGE At least we are talking about it and sooner or later a consensus will emarge and maybe just maybe we might have helped someone here see the light.It takes just one person to start the chain reaction