Somalia: MSF Hospital Caught in Center of Fighting in Mogadishu
The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders condemns today’s shelling of Daynile Hospital in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Fighting began in the morning in Daynile, a neighborhood located in an outlying area of Mogadishu. The shelling struck the hospital’s emergency room and a portion of the surgical ward, causing significant damage. MSF has worked in the hospital since 2006.
There were no casualties among the hospital’s 19 patients or staff, comprising 36 medical personnel and 12 guards. All patients and staff sought shelter from the shelling in the internal medicine department.
MSF calls on parties to the conflict in Somalia to respect the neutrality of Daynile Hospital, along with that of all medical facilities in the country, and to respect the safety of patients and hospital staff.
Photo: Somalia 2011 © MSF A building in a refugee camp in downtown Mogadishu, not far from the MSF hospital at Daynile, bears the scars of the conflict.
Sad!
To be a negro in America is to hope against hope.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Powerful words
(via afrohijabi)
Appointed by governments, the European Commission is a strange hybrid. As it acquires more powers, it is attracting more opprobrium.
a new strategy for Somalia?
No one can help Somalia unless it wants to help itself, and that’s not going to happen by dividing up regions. These warlords are fighting over land and natural resources…and giving more aid to them will only escalate the conflict.
Somalia, Kenya, Sudan: brief conflict analysis
EAST AFRICA: Kenya, Somalia, Sudan,
why do we lack peace?
- Kenya: corruption, tribalism, unequal distribution of resources, poverty
- Sudan: Unequal distribution of resources, poverty, nepotism, corruption
- Somalia: Corruption, international presence, poverty, tribalism
Common issues on national level:
- corruption:
- Sudan: money received from natural resources is diverted to benefit the elite
- Kenya: corruption done by leaders as well as civilians: lack of accountability
- Somalia: corrupt leaders benefiting themselves and their own clan first before the needy.
- Poverty: Nationally
- Sudan: the majority of people live below poverty line
- Kenya: lack of basic needs (food, shelter, water)
- Somalia: the gap between the rich and poor is widening
Common issues on regional level:
- Nepotism:
- Sudan: political
- Kenya: political and tribal
- Somalia: Political/tribal
- unequal distribution of resources:
- Sudan: the capital dominates the resources
- Kenya: some regions are more developed than others
- Somalia: dominate clans have full access/control to resources
Policies to generate internal peace and development:
- equal distribution of power/resources:
- equal representations of ethnic groups: both in government and social settings
- gender and age equality
- call for transparency and accountability within leaders
- Poverty Reduction
SHORT TERM PROPOSALS:
- Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration
- Reconciliation, mediation, and dialogue for warring tribes
- Peace Education/Dialogue
Medium:
- women/gender empowerment
- access to education system
- Micro-financing (income generating projects)
- conducting civic education for political participation
Long:
- create/improve/strengthen legal system
- good governance and democracy
- equal distribution of wealth
this picture says a lot. Corporate America vs Obama…I wonder who will win this fight?!
