Somalia in Nat Geo

Okay, time for something serious.. Every other featured issue in Nat Geo always gets me feeling emotional. In the latest issue, the editor and photographer made a very big risk to go into Somalia to do a feature.. In ground zero of the violence and chaos, most of the folks have left Mogadishu. However in a quote by the 15 yr old boy who stayed said: " I don't want to flee our own country. I don't want to be a refugee. We're ready to die here." When asked if he remembered the times when life is better, the boy again said "I don't remember any"

These are very heart breaking and fist wrenching statements. Peace in our country should not be taken for granted. And admist my grumbles about ppl from a particular country that i particularly dislike, at least i don't have half my friends dead from a bomb. With no stable government, no jobs, the boy featured earns only 2 or 3 bucks from selling the fish he caught while the extremists group which reined in the area offer him 150 bucks every month. No wonder there are so many extremists from the really under-developed countries.

What's interesting is the comparision with Somalialand. (hmm i didn't even know there's a difference between Somalia and Somalialand). The latter on the other hand with not much international aid manged to build a more stable (albeit still not successful) country.

Maybe i should study more about this tulmultous area..

On a stupid side note tracking away from the topic.. i forget to zip up this morning!! HOpefully nobody is awake enough to notice anything and thankfully I'm not wearing red colour inside.. else the traffice might just stop for me.. :p