Stateless in Somalia, and Loving It

Did any of you guys know about this? Seems the ugly picture the media has painted of Somalia made see this country as backwards. After reading this article I'm glad to change my views on this country in Africa.
Stateless in Somalia

Somalia is in the news again. Rival gangs are shooting each other, and why? The reason is always the same: the prospect that the weak-to-invisible transitional government in Mogadishu will become a real government with actual power. The media invariably describe this prospect as a "hope." But it's a strange hope that is accompanied by violence and dread throughout the country. Somalia has done very well for itself in the 15 years since its government was eliminated. The future of peace and prosperity there depends in part on keeping one from forming.

I love this article is presented with facts and wonderful sources.

Thanks for sharing!! An excellent article agreed, and i'd add it's vaguely prophetic, since that it the logical result of central government breakdown. More importantly, taking people to a place where central government need not exist.

Unfortunately, due to their absolute disdain for any centrally appointed politburo, and the un's insistence that they be enslaved, war will be brought to these shores.

Wouldn't a more accurate representation of Somalia be "feudal" and not stateless? There is no power vacuum or lack of government in Somalia, per say, but rather a tribal structure with localized leadership rather than a national one.

ETA:

Also from the CIA World Factbook:

Refugees and internally displaced persons: Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order. IDPs: 1.1 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources) (2007)

Source

So, there's 1,100,000 people who don't seem to be "loving it".

And, more "happy" fact about Somalia that I came across just now...

Life expectancy at birth:
49.63 years country comparison to the world: 211
male: 47.78 years
female: 51.53 years (2010 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever water
contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Source

Not sounding to me like statelessness is a good thing so far!

reply to post by Hefficide


Still better off without your democracy. Compare figures with say, Iraq ... oh hang on, they've lied about the number of civilians they've killed haven't they?

Oh wait, you're believing the CIA?




Moving along.

reply to post by harryhaller


The article, linked, used the CIA World Factbook as a source. I chose to use the same source, as the author.

The US State Department says the following in their travel warning about Somalia:

Terrorist operatives and armed groups in Somalia have demonstrated their intent and capability to attack air operations at Mogadishu International Airport. Kidnapping, murder, illegal roadblocks, banditry, and other violent incidents and threats to U.S. citizens and other foreigners can occur in many regions. Inter-clan and inter-factional fighting flares up with little or no warning. Unpredictable armed conflicts among rival militias are prevalent in southern Somalia, particularly in and around Mogadishu. This has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Somali nationals and the displacement of nearly one million people.

The Sanaag and Sool Regions in eastern Somaliland, bordering on Puntland (northeastern Somalia), are particularly unsafe due to ongoing border disputes and inter-clan fighting. Lines of control in Mogadishu are unclear and frequently shift, making movement within Mogadishu extremely hazardous. There also have been several fatal attacks and violent kidnappings against international relief workers throughout Somalia, Somaliland, and Puntland. In July 2009, a U.S. relief worker was kidnapped from a Kenyan border town and held in Somalia for over two months before being released.

Source

You're right... It sounds like paradise to me.

Source used in this article states:

"We are very interested in paying taxes," says Mr Abdullahi - not a sentiment which often passes the lips of a high-flying businessman. And Mr Abdulkadir at the Global Internet Company fully agrees. "We badly need a government," he says. "Everything starts with security - the situation across the country. "All the infrastructure of the country has collapsed - education, health and roads. We need to send our staff abroad for any training." Another problem for companies engaged in the global telecoms business is paying their foreign partners.

news.bbc.co.uk...

No bureaucracy and no taxes certainly help the bussiness, there is no question about it. But the quality of life of ordinary Somalis does not seem to keep up. 20 years of statelessness is enough time to judge if it works well or not, and in Somalia, it simply does not.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


Now when wuk tells me to move to Somalia I can reply that they do not allow foreign ownership of land in their style of Anarachy.

Hmmm, for such a backwards country, I kinda like that law.

No foreign ownership of land.

Pretty great law, IMO.

Thanks for the read OP.