NASSIR Posted August 6, 2011 San Diego Somali Community Responds to the Drought Victims in the Horn By Ali Artan August 06,, 2011 The innate resilience of Somalis is tested once again. Somalia as an anarchic country has championed all sorts of negative media exposure. It has been associated with high-seas piracy, international terrorism, and endless violence as a result of its political upheaval for the last two decades. The writ of a Western-backed nominal Transitional Federal Government (TFG) does not extend its authority more than few blocks in the capital city of Mogadishu. Hardly ever has there been a tumultuous time in the ancient land of frankincense and myrrh -- still in abundant supply. Hosting foreign guests, in addition, is culturally held supreme and the story gets a fair coverage. While all other man made predicaments were happening in the background, the worst drought in sixty years struck parts of southern Somalia and forced an approx: 3-4 millions exodus in combination of IDPs and Refugees into the neighboring countries according to the UNCHR. Not to mention that the UN and other international bodies were hesitant at the start associating the drought with the term “famine” but after media picked up the story and unbearable images were played continuously via TV sets around the world. The magnitude of the tragedy was too big and powerful to be ignored. And as a result of, many NGOs, Somali Diasporas, governments and standalone acting individuals have stepped up and attempted to divert or at least contain the deteriorating situations of streaming refugees. The largest open-air prison in the world is a name dubbed by political pundits of the Horn as the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. This camp was already overcrowded and hosted the largest influx of refugees from Somalia’s never-ending civil war. Then the drought came and forced more influx to seek refuge in Dadaab. Hodan Nalaayeh, the founder of the Somali Refugee Awareness Project, recently returned from Dadaab Refugee Camp. She confirmed the dire situation in the camp and added a human catastrophe is in the making in front of our eyes. International community should help now and not wait when it is too little, too late. San Diego Somali Community in particular the Somali Youth League in collaboration with the American Relief Agency in the Horn of Africa (ARAHA) had created an ad hoc committee in no time and brainstormed about how they could help to those who are less fortunate back home. The committee recommended a number of ways to raise funds and assist those effected by the drought. Some of the recommendations have been implemented for instance back to back cascaded two weekends of car wash and the result was astonishing; other activities of more fund raising are in the pipeline like banquet dinner on August 12, 2011 at East African Community Center and, please refer to the flier, and Walk for Dadaab Refugees. Its time and place is to be determined. Abdulmalik, the Chair of the SYL of San Diego, Hodan Ugas and others have given interviews to the local media for awareness purposes of the drought victims. There is a consensus among many circles that Somalia’s protracted predicament needs a long-term solution. Some say expecting different outcomes from the same inputs must be insanity at its finest. All concerned parties, Somalis, international community and neighboring countries, should assist and facilitate the emergence of a viable government with strong institutions that can protect not only its citizens but fight piracy, dismantle the hardliners and negotiate those who are willing a genuine reconciliation. Ali M. Artan Email: aliartan@yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
