Now that I've told you just a little bit about what's going on in Somalia and it's unending lack of peace (previous post), I'd like to take a little while to focus on the poverty in this country as well as what it's citizens are resorting to as a result. I found a video on BBC that not only explains more about the AU peacekeepers currently present in Somalia, but if you take a look in the background of the video you can see several destroyed buildings and a family living in what wouldn't normally be recognized as a home. In fact, the article that I found the video in refers to Mogadishu, Somalia as "ghost city" because the city has been so wiped out with the war. I've added it to my links on the side bar of this page, but here it is again: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7651204.stm. Imagine what it would be like to live there, let alone step foot in such a place.
While countries like the United States have highly developed technology, a consistent government, and have undergone industrialization, countries like Somalia are barely meeting their basic needs for survival. Some of the biggest problems and results of poverty in Somalia include a failing economy and displacement.
Somalia is highly lacking in resources and therefore greatly depends on agriculture for it's economy to flourish. However this is extremely hard to maintain as a result of natural disasters such as flooding and droughts. In 2006 floods destroyed parts of central and southern Somalia resulting in a dangerous shortage of food supplies, clean water, and sanitation. In addition to agriculture, Somalia's economy also depends on livestock for not only food, but income as well. Unfortunately, a constant spread of disease to many of the animals has become a hindrance, causing income to decrease. Many times, the animals themselves may even cause problems such as degradation of the land. As a result of an evident lack of resources, there is tons of competition even over just water.
Perhaps displacement is an even greater issue, leaving families without a home and no where to go. Some stronger groups of people are taking over land and forcing others to leave. Well over 370,000 to 400,000 people are estimated to be victims of displacement in Somalia. This has increased rape and abuse of women. (Women have a particularly low status in Somalia and therefore are also ignored in many situations. Nearly 45 woman die a day from pregnancy and giving birth in Somalia.) As you know, Ethiopia has had an extensive impact on Somalia, and so it is also important to consider how the war going on in Somalia has caused people to lose their homes. Displacement has been an even further cause of the strain on resources as a result of competition as well.
What's so sad is that because of these conditions people are trying to escape Somalia as fast as possible, and this is only causing more unnecessary deaths. If you happen to look into the news every so often (or even for a current events quiz at school) you may have noticed the most recent news on Somalia. Thousands are fleeing across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen to escape the danger and many are not making it. (A picture of Yemen in relation to Somalia is shown in the left hand column of this page as well as a picture of a group of Somali people in a boat while fleeing.) 32,000 people are reported to have made this escape, and of those people, 365 are missing. Recently a boat of migrants were forced off a boat about three miles from the coast. Forty seven people made it to Yemen's shore, but unfortunately hundreds are still missing and five bodies have supposedly been buried by authorities.
The difference between so many other countries and Somalia is the war that it is currently facing. The war is obviously negatively affecting Somalia, but because of it there are so many changes in the country's status. I will keep you posted, but remember that I'd love to hear what you have to say or know about the topic as well. Please comment.
Sources:
"Migrants 'feared dead' off Yemen." BBC news. 10 Oct. 2008. 11 Oct. 2008 http://http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7663318.stm.
"Rural Poverty in Somalia." Rural Poverty Portal. 26 July 2007. 23 Sept. 2008 http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/english/regions/africa/som/index.htm.
"SOMALIA: IDPs living in substandard conditions - UN official." IRIN News. 30 May 2006. 24 Sept. 2008 http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=59167.
"Somalian 'ghost city' wracked by war." BBC News. 8 Oct. 2008. 20 Oct. 2008 http://http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7651776.stm.
Spindler, WIlliam. "Somalia: Inter-agency UN team finds displaced living in extremely harsh conditions." The UN Refugee Agency. 6 Nov. 2007. 24 Sept. 2008 http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/473048cb4.html.
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3 comments:
Great job! I am also aware of what is going on in Somalia and I think that it is great that you are writing about this because not too many people know about it. One small thing: I would recommend that there should be a comma after unfortunately, in that sentence where you describe how the economy is disturbed, and I think you might want to consider changing the word disturbed to a word that describes how the income for agriculture is decreasing.
Hey! You have some great information. I would really like to see you talk about the perspective of the Somalian people vs. Ethiopian people, and maybe even Americans (even though most of them aren't aware of the situation). I agree with the person before, it's really great you're bringing attention to an area that deserves a lot more than it's getting.
that was very informative. :] i appreciate that you are helping to spread awareness about the poverty in somalia because i was not aware of this problem myself before i had read your post. good job rosie!!
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