Another famine in East Africa

Jazakallahu-khair for the reminder to think about the suffering of others. I must, however, take issue with your misrepresentation Nigerian pilgrims’ story. The plane was not turned back because of a dispute about money. Perhaps you got that impression from the way the BBC report covered it, but a quick search of other news sources gives a more complete account. For reasons of safety, the Saudis announced in June last year that passenger aircraft flying into the country must have an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) as opposed to the old Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS). Most official carriers in Nigeria have the less advanced system and have apparently made little effort to upgrade their systems. Even the minister charged with organizing the Hajj in Nigeria has admitted that this is a result of poor organization within Nigeria and a lack of interest on the part of the carriers. The result was up to 10,000 pilgrims stranded in Nigerian airports desperately close to the official deadline by which pilgrims must arrive in Saudi (4th Jan). Faced with this situation, the Saudi’s have been genuinely helpful; they waived the restrictions on aircraft without EGPWS and, at the request of President Obasanjo, even extended the deadline for closing the airport in Jeddah. Despite a rather late Presidential order to divert flights, Nigeria couldn’t find enough [flights](http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=37501) to transport the pilgrims within the deadline. That’s pretty inept for an oil producing country with over 130 million Muslims! I don’t see what more the Saudis could do? They have an unparalleled infrastructure to deal with the largest annual gathering of people anywhere on the planet, but the need to set and enforce deadlines and limits is understandable. Of course it must be heartbreaking for those who have not been able to make Hajj this year, but they should demand answers from their own officials to avoid a repeat.

Brother, we have always had famine down that region for many years now and I can tell you that nobody really reponds other then the people from that region themselves! Somalia has been virtually ignored by the wider muslim community for many years. We had much severe problems alongside famine and muslims for a long time have turned a blind eye. The recent tsyunami that striked in asia also affected regions in somalia, especially the fishing villages. Homes, buildings and lives were lost yet most muslims did nothing to help the people from there but had no qualms about donating money to asian countries. I'm not saying those countries shouldnt have recieved help but its a shame that somalia was ignored once again in a time of need by their fellow brethens. Its not just somalia, but africa in general. Its only when theres something done by the non muslim press or organasations in africa, that other muslims sit up and think about those muslims from there. I doubt that are many muslims who would hesitate to donate if this plea was for our brothers in palestine, iraq, kashmir and so on.

Thanks for mentioning this though.

Somali Expat,

Asalaamualaikum wa rahmatullah... I hate to sound cynical but perhaps the Muslims will not turn a blind eye when the famine is caused by Isreal and you guys turn into Arabs. LOL, I kid.

On another note I hear Somalis are some of the best reciters of Quran. MashAllah...

As-salamu `alaykum

"On another note I hear Somalis are some of the best reciters of Quran."

I used to be bitter at the Saudis' refusal to *buy* livestock from my homeland 'Somaliland' whilst *donating* millions of dollars everytime a disaster struck any part of the U.S. but then I remembered all rizk (provision)comes from Allah taalah and will not be diminished or impacted in any way by the behaviour of the Saudis.

Alhamdullilah for the Qur'an and my people's iman.

Brother Yusuf, jazakAllah khair for covering this issue, my sister and her two young daughters live in Hargeisa.

Saggal,

MashAllah, I also hear you Somalis are tough in London. Whats up? Between you guys and the Bengalis you'll must have london shook! LOL.....

December 11, 2005 - 14:23,
political maturity Another Sign of A Political Maturity:

*This peaceful resolution of the parliamentary squabble in Somaliland is another unprecedented milestone unknown in Africa and the Middle East. Once again this emerging grassroots democracy has proven to the world, that it is not just another fragile banana Republic adding to the existing dysfunctional fray.*

*The people of this new phenomena-Somaliland their intellectuals, politicians, religious and traditional leaders knew quite well that, they have the capability, energy, and wherewithal to cross another river, jump over another tree and climb another mountain, but this is a huge lesson for others who may not have the best interest of the people of this land in their hearts*.

*This is a tremendous vindication for the natives of this land and their government, that they are for real. The cumulative effects of the presidential election, the plebiscite for independence, the September 29Th, 05 parliamentary elections will surely put a huge pressure on the international community, the UN, EU, the US and even the mediocre AU. These afore-mentioned can no longer ignore the resilient, hardworking, peace-loving and self-sustaining people of Somaliland.*

Bikhair,

The above quote is from the BBC horn of africa news site.

I can't speak for the Southern Somalis -from the Mogadishu region who are always fighting and in the past have killed Somaliland intellectuals but we Somalilanders are tough resilient people.

Although Somaliland has been a peaceful functioning and democratic state since 1991 when it broke away from Somalia, the international community still refuses to recognise us thanks largely to the efforts of countries like Saudi Arabia.

I think some Somalis are doing okay in the U.K, alhamdullilah...unfortunately, there is still the problem with khat (qat) with some of our young men chewing that stuff all night long and not being able to work during the day. But In sha Allah, the Home Office will see sense soon and ban that stuff outright. I have seen its effects on families and it's not nice.

*I also hear you Somalis are tough in London.*

Bikhair,

Forget London, London is a piece of cake. By the age of four I was a proud bare-footed goat herder and could recite the first names of my paternal lineage (family tree) 26 generations back. It was normal to go whole day without food or water. Twice, I was nearly eaten by a lion and a camel broke my collarbone.

As-Salaamu 'alaikum

Saggal: there was once a Somali-run butcher's shop set up in my then home town (Croydon) and it was commonly used for "grazing", i.e. qat chewing, by the local Somalis, including the owner. (The owner was Somali but basically white, and said his family originated in Iraq; I think he himself came from Kenya and he said he spoke five languages.) I remember well how miserable people got when they chew qat and I think it added to his depression over the poor performance of the shop, which just happened to be in the wrong part of town to catch the Muslim customer base. It finally folded as a result of the foot & mouth outbreak.

Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatu Allah.

Yusuf,

I'm not surprised, running a business and qat do not mix. Imagine being on amphetamines 24/7 because that's what qat is.

While chewing it, they are happy and friendly and build castles in the air, as soon as the effect wears off they sink into depression and will focus all their energy into obtaining that next bundle of qat and then the cycle repeats itself.

The White Somalis and fair-skinned green-eyed Asian Somalis live all along the East Africa coast, concentrated mostly along the Kenya-Somalia coastline, am sure they speak at least swahili, italian, somali and arabic fluently --people say they are of mixed Italian and Persian descent but there is also a considerable size of Omanis in the area. There is only a handful of them in the U.K as most of them chose to resettle in Italy, Kenya or Zanzibar.

Sadly, in my experience at least, the asian/white somalis are not the most hygienic people on earth and I could not bring myself to buy anything from them, especially food. I went to Kenya a couple of years ago and visited a place in Nairobi called Garissa Lodge that's basically a shopping centre where everyone looks like the guy you described from the butchers in Croydon. It is said one could get anything they wanted in Garissa Lodge; almost anything you can find in Dubai you can also find in Garissa Lodge, it's famous with diaspora Somalis everywhere and everyone goes there when they visit Kenya so that's why I went, that and I fancied some inexpensive antique jewellery of which they have bucket loads. I only went into a couple of stores before I had to run out never to return -to say the place was dirty is an understatement. I feared I was going to be physically sick. But they were doing booming business nevertheless.

Yusuf,

I buy halal meat -for my flatmate and visitors, am vegetarian myself(unusual for a Somali),from the Dahabshiil butcher's in Whitechapel, it's across from the road to the New Tayyab's restaurant and it's clean. The owners are from my old hometown back home in Somaliland (Burco). The same family runs the Dahabshiil hawala with branches all over London. Their Whitechapel branch alone clears over £500,000 a day.

I like it that their business is run in clean premises and they would never allow chewing of qat or smoking anywhere near their shops. They are very religious people who give a lot to charity.

Oops! I can't believe I said green-eyed Somalis, I have never seen green-eyed Somalis of any complexion. I meant 'grey'.