Waterfalls and Blood in the Streets

Final Somalia Video-

The story of Somalia is complex, disheartening and violent. It can be hard to imagine the atrocities that are occurring there daily. Because it’s not right in front of us, the brutality can seem unreal. Citizens and the American media tend to think of things in black and white when it comes to foreign conflicts, and the subsequent news stories and conversations about Somalia reflect this way of thinking according to some native Somali’s. But to a certain Somali refugee living and studying to be a journalist in this country, the almost 20-year long civil war is never far from her heart and her mind.

“I don’t feel complete. I’m here but part of me is not,” Somali refugee and University of Massachusetts student Yasmine Farh said in a recent interview about her life in Somalia and as a refugee now living in America; a land she believes is not doing enough to help and is negatively contributing to the conflict. While describing her life and journey from a worn-torn country, Farh casts new, insiders light on some of these negative instances, including the Western Media’s reporting on the piracy of shipping vessels occurring in the seas just off the coast of Somalia and the perceived lack of help from the United Nations.

Somalia had been without an effective government for a little over 17 years until 2002 when a new government was elected. “Things have not improved there, actually things have [become] worse,” said Farh. “Because now there is piracy which is basically a group of men who are upset about other nations coming into the seas to dump waste or steal fish,” she added. In 1991, warlords overthrew a dictatorship and then turned on one another creating the dangerous crossroads the country now is steeped in.

Because the new Somalia government isn’t able or willing to tell these nations to stop, the breach of the waters, the young men who wield violence to stop them and the ensuing media’s reporting on the subject will continue to complete the vicious circle. “Initially the piracy started when Somali’s became fed up with the people coming to dump and steal, it’s now turned out to be a business for them,” Farh said. Journalists also have not asked the pertinent questions and have forgotten the initial cause of the piracy Farh believes. “I’m very much disappointed with the media because I feel they have not been objective and forward with Somali. No one asks the question ‘why does this country not have a [legitimate] government?’” said Farh.

The fact that the media concentrates on the most violent cities in Somalia instead of the peaceful ones is also evidence, Farh believes, of bias and propaganda. “Journalists always cover areas that are bad, like Mogadishu, never cities like Carmooyin,” she said. Carmooyin is rapidly growing and it is the third largest city of the Bari region. It is also the only planned city in Somalia.

Yasmine and her mother have returned to visit her homeland, dispelling the notion of a destroyed country. “Somalia is not as bad as the media puts it; there are people there who are living good lives and my mother and I have gone back,” said Farh. Although Yasmine currently resides in the U.S. and only visits Somalia, her story and her heart live back home.

“The journey of my life is English, but I still feel like a refugee,” she said. Farh’s story traces from Somalia to the “disease invested” Kenya refugee camp called Otango to America. “When my family left Somalia, everything was still intact; the houses were fine and no chaos,” she said. Her whole life until that point was then left behind. “We left all our belongings thinking we’d be going back,” she added. Soon after, the president fled and then chaos erupted. “The capital fell and then all the other little cities,” said Farh. This is when her family made their way to Kenya.

“My experiences in Kenya were not very good because I felt like the U.N. failed us,” she said. The conditions in the camp were bad, rife with disease and little food and shelter. “The houses we lived in were from trees the refugees made,” she said. To sum up her time in Otango and to illustrate the United Nations’ way of helping, Farh recited a common adage. “If you teach a boy how to fish he’ll eat for life, but if you give him a fish he’ll be begging for life.” The officials expected them to live off some rice but never taught them how to get it. “It was basically that,” she said. “They divided us instead of saying ‘what do you need?’”

Before leaving Somalia, the war personally affected her family, more so her mother and younger brothers. “War was a thrill for me because during it we traveled all over Somali to places I didn’t know existed – to beautiful waterfalls for example,” she said. But it was not all good. “I have seen blood in the streets, and the not knowing what is going to happen is the worst part,” she added.

One positive thing that has come out of the war for Yasmine Farh is a new and pure motivation. “I became inspired after reading U.S. articles about people who where just like me. I would say, ‘oh my goodness, they got it wrong,'" she said. “I know how it feels to have everything you love being taken away from you.”

Heated Passions Erupt, Accusations Fly

On Wednesday evening the UMass political group "Save Darfur" and "Amnesty International," sponsored "Raise Hope for the Congo," an event to be held in Bartlet 65 featuring journalist and former member of the Clinton administration, John Prendergast. Prendergast is co-chair of the "ENOUGH Project," which is an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity.

Prendergast was also joined by physician Dr. Mukwege (After another guest cancelled - UN Goodwill Ambassador Jimmie Briggs,) who works helping rape victims in the only all-women hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo - The Panzi Hospital. The event was to concentrate on the current crisis in the Congo, which has played host to "The world's deadliest conflict since World War II," and to especially shine a harsh light on the fact that the militias in eastern Congo are using sexual violence against women and girls as a weapon and tool to advance their play to destroy communities and exert tight control over natural resources.

Prendergast was the first to speak, and he gave a fairly succinct, history and summary of the crisis that has spanned 12 long years and has resulted in the deaths of 45,000 each month. That specific number comes from Prendergast and the "RAISE Hope for Congo" campaign, which is a specific project push of ENOUGH. This number of supposed dead seemed to spark the small flame of contention that had been simmering quietly in the 10th row from the front of the stage.

Once Mr. Prendergast, the good doctor and Candice Knezevic, the manager of the Enough campaign finished their presentation, the event was opened up to questions from the small audience and answers from the guests. After a fairly uncontroversial question posed to Prendergast - (How do we go about punishing the rebel militia leaders when the 'RAISE Hope..' movement in itself preaches peace & understanding,) a white, medium statured, bald man with a white, tucked-in T shirt, large vein bulging in his neck and black artisan glasses shot up from his seat like a Jack 'n' the Box that was wound too tightly by some snotty-nosed kid.

"WHY DON'T YOU TELL THE TRUTH JOHN," he yelled as the audiences' blood pressure rocketed. "WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR REALLY ABOUT?" he screamed as he turned to face the people seated behind him. From what I could understand, once I regained my composure, was that this man believed Prendergast and others in the U.S. government were somehow involved in keeping the violent fighting going and ultimately profiting from it. "JOHN KNOWS WHO I AM! TELL THE REAL TRUTH. THE NUMBER OF DEAD IS MORE LIKE TEN MILLION!" Not the 5.5 million the journalist, author and activist proposed during his talk.

A number of male students in the audience began to yell at the man to "shut the **** up, and leave." A teacher approached him and asked him politely to go, but the passionate man refused until "PEOPLE START ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. WHY IS IT SO HARD TO TELL THE TRUTH JOHN!" At about this point two African American women in the 3rd row began to loudly proclaim that although he might be going about it in the wrong way, he was right. This validation seemed to calm the bald, non- UMass student. A visibly shaken John Prendergast began to answer another question posed from a soft-spoken audience member. - "Who do the Congolese want as a leader in their government, and how can the U.S. administration help? - As he started to respond - "THE ADMINISTRATION...! OH MAN. THE TRUTH JOHN," the 10th row shook.

"Man, we have some really disruptive people here today. Well we tried," the activist said as he abruptly grabbed his notes and T-Mobile cell, got up and left the stage as the rest of the audience clapped loudly, apparently attempting to provide their own validation to themselves and the ruined night.

Alternet Link Here:

After Terror Attack Rocks Mumbai, Questions Simmer

As of today, American and Indian news outlets are reporting that the total number of civilians dead, after the violent three day siege in India's bustling luxury hotel, cafe and landmarks district, at around 200, with five of those fatalities being Americans.

Also on Saturday, as bodies were still being pulled out of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel, many questions have begun to be bandied about in the news - Why weren't the Indian authorities aware of such a deadly plot brewing, and why didn't they respond to the attacks quicker once notified? Pakistan involvement is questioned as well as what the Times calls "Perhaps the most troubling question to emerge Saturday for the Indian authorities" - how were just 10 gunmen (If Washington Post reports are true,) able to cause so much damage and terror, all the while holding off Indian soldiers and police for more than three days "in three different buildings?"

Also, new reports this evening are reporting that the tragedy could have been much worse. CNN quotes a source saying "We found bullets with them, hand grenades, bombs," R.R. Patil, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state, said at a news conference. "Based on our investigation, we believe they had planned to kill 5,000 people."

After the initial shock of the carnage wears off, the media will be able to capture the whole story.

*Update* Arrest Made

Professor Speaks, Enlightens Crowd of The Strife in Somalia

Link to Professor Abdi Samatar Video-

Located in the Horn of Africa on the eastern coast of the African Continent lies the country of Somalia. Somalia's terrain consists of plateaus, plains and highlands and it is a place where close to 10 million people of numerous and varied ethnic groups currently live, divided by European-imposed boundaries.

The country's history is one of much internecine bloodshed and strife, both political and ethnic which has been helped along by outside forces according to some scholars. In Amherst, Massachusetts there is a small population of Somalis who are working, living, receiving education and also attempting to bring attention to their country's violent history, in hopes that one day soon the people of Somalia can overcome the institutionalized violence and continuous mishandling of the country by its leaders and past occupiers.

On a recent cold and blustery Autumn evening Abdi Samatar, professor of geography and global studies at the University of Minnesota gave an expansive speech at the downtown "Food For Thought" bookstore touching on "two tendencies" in the politics of Somalian society which in turn he believes has created vast and violent struggles in the context of two recent wars - the Cold War and the more ambiguous War on Terror.

“Prior to 1960 there were what I would argue two tendencies in the politics of [Somalian] society. One that I would suggest was a civic tendency; a democratic one, sort of a public service one, and one that was sectarian in nature," said Professor Samatar. The professor believes this is where the many facets of conflicts between other countries has affected Somalian society.

"It’s the way in which these two played into the hands with outsiders that creates the crisis with the population we have right here,” the professor said as he pointed to a map of Somalia. Samatar also is hopeful that the current election results in America will lead to inspiration in the Somali Republic.

“I think something happened two weeks ago in our country which hopefully, I’m skeptical but I am always an optimistic person, hopefully will provide new spaces for civic minded people to bring our country together, allowing local people to determine their fate.” The bookstore was ghostly quiet as Samatar spoke and the 70 or so attendees sitting on metal folding chairs were listening closely and taking in his message of hope.

“The professor seems to feel that Somalia is a case where people power could actually overcome institutionalized violence," said Dean Cycon founder of Dean’s Beans organic coffee company. "And I hope he’s right, and I hope it happens in the next decade or so because it’s been such a sad situation for so long there,” he added.

The ethnic Somalian women's group "Walaaloo," was in attendance as well. Walaaloo is a group of Somalian "sisters," who have come together in Amherst to share each others stories of survival and mutual love for their war-torn country. "I am part of the Walaalo, Somali sisters collectivists, and we are proud of it, and we want to tell our story to the world, said founding member and translator Nasra Ali.

Yasmin Ahmed, also a founding member of Walaalo, translator and storyteller wasn't as optimistic as Cycon as she expressed her concern for the American media's portrayal of her birth place.

“When people hear now-a-days, Somalia, especially you watch the media, whether its CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, you know the main media all they hear about is the pirates in Somalia and the ships,” she said.

Although, with inspired people and dedicated groups such as Walaalo and Professor Samatar, bringing attention to the causes of the Somalian problem and the subsequent solutions will soon become more of a reality.

Post-Election Reactions and Questions on Race

Link to Video

The long, hard-fought battle to become President of the United States of America has finally come to a close, with the young Illinois Senator Barack Hussein Obama winning the polemic heavy contest and accomplishing the task previously believed impossible of becoming the first black man in the country’s 200 year- plus history.

With the close of this historic election, now come many different reactions from the general population (with some people overjoyed and proud and others utilizing the opportunity to spread their racist views,) and tough questions that cut to the heart of society and our beloved country’s storied history. What do the results of the election mean for racism in the country? Is this a turning point? What are people’s reactions?

In the W.E.B. Dubois library on the sprawling campus of the University of Massachusetts, students offered some answers to these decisive questions.

“People of color can feel like they can achieve a lot more now, unity and great things,” said U-Mass senior Sociology major Yocelin Cordones. Most students on the windy, leaf covered Massachusetts campus believed for the most part that the election of Obama does signal a turning point for racism in the country. “This is a real step forward for a majority of Americans, and a step forward in terms of race,” said U-Mass senior Political Science major James M. Greene.

“With [Obama] being a man of color it represents history and change, and we’re not going to have someone with the same policies as Bush” said Cordones. Although the justified feeling of hope was certainly prevalent and understandable, reality and the past is a cold reminder of the need to be cautious. “Just because we voted for Obama, a black man does not mean you can wave a wand and [racism] will be over,” said Greene.

Students feel Obama was able to capture people's votes because of a quality he possess that stacked up to more than just his race. “White people voted for him for his policies and his right decisions,” said Cordones.

The reactions of the students concerning the election were fairly similar and the state of the electorate map elicited amazement as well. “Just in terms of states like Virginia and North Carolina going for Obama after 50 years, moving towards civil rights instead of separate water fountains is a real step forward,” said Greene. “I was for Obama and I was so happy when he won,” said Cordones.

The world is watching and the students at U-Mass will have to wait with them to see what happens after Obama is inaugurated in January, but for now it seems that just being elected by the country is enough for most people.

Proposition #8 Passes in California with Help from the Religious

Thousands of protesters held rallies in California this week in defence of gay marriage. A little more than a week ago voters in the "Sunshine State" voted in approval of a ballot initiative that cancels an earlier court decision legalising gay marriage in the state. The initiative was narrowly approved and opponents of the same-sex nuptials are sad and upset. The media has given broad, well reported coverage to both sides of the controversial issue and the Mormon Church is plum right in the middle.

A November 14th piece by the Times titled "Mormons Tipped Scale in Ban on Gay Marriage,"
explains how less than two weeks before the election proponents and the chief strategist were worried about the initiative passing because of lack of money in their campaign. “We’re going to lose this campaign if we don’t get more money,” the strategist, Frank Schubert, said in the Times. So after an urgent appeal a man connected with the Mormon Church gave $1 million to the cause and volunteers, ultimately helping to drive a sharp advertising campaign and gain 52% of the vote. Protesters to the ban zeroed in on the church.

The LA Times ran an article in early November profiling the protests against the "Church of Latter Day Saints." "It was the latest in an escalating campaign directed against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its role in marshaling millions of dollars in contributions from its members for the successful campaign to take away same-sex marriage rights," the piece reads. Even Gov. Schwarzenegger got in on the action, quoted in another LA Times article telling CNN, "It's unfortunate, obviously, but it's not the end." Hopefully he's right.

State of Flux

A large part of the MSM coverage lately has been what the Republican party needs to do, now in the aftermath of a crushing election. Republican pundants, congressmen and political consultants have been making the rounds offering their various nuggets of wisdom as to such issues and concerns as 'the GOP needs to go back to their roots and become more conservative' and then the other side of the coin - that surprisingly has garnered some support (Like from Florida Gov. Charlie Crist-see link) and thru op/eds and TV appearances staunch Republicans are now saying they need to devise a new, more moderate coalition.

The crux of the new Republican coalition stems on more results and less ideology. A November 7th by story by James Rosen explains this well "Just as quickly, a split emerged between Republican loyalists advocating a purer form of conservative ideology and those urging a less-dogmatic flexibility."
A November 8th article in the Times by Danny Hakim centers on a small area of the desperate party - New York Republicans and their belief in redemption. "Get back to basics, embrace the party’s core values and recruit a generation of younger leaders and voters," he says are some ideas he's heard.

No matter what happens and whether the GOP can come back strong in 2012, this tumultuous time for the "Cut Taxes," party will certainly create an grand opportunity for the media.

*Update* -A good Politico piece related to this topic of Republican split.