Monday, July 25, 2011

Famine in Africa: A Point of View..!


Famine is never new to Somalia or the Horn of Africa..
Repetitions of sever famine among those communities would unquestionably point to the chronic and dysfunctional performance of governments (if any), politicians, intelligentsia, entrepreneurs and commons as well..!!

The international community, despite the heroic efforts to manage the never-new crisis, is proven failure and crippled.. Same diagnostic cause-roots, same horrific symptoms, same routine heartaches and same core-solutions.. Then, it is only manageable by grace of Allah swt, to repeat again in 4-6 years course..!

The serious attempts to address the foundations of this repeated problem are always blocked by political lobbyists, who carefully balance the contradicted interests and various beneficiaries in the region against the global politics.. Apart from China, all superpowers had recorded their failure and shameful paranoia at this vast and diverse region..

Then; what the new we are talking about..?

Recently, WFP had praised the role of local private sector in scoring a little balance in the fierce fight for life.. Maybe this would hi-light the role to be addressed, encouraged and supported..

1stly, We should acknowledge that armed conflicts and power struggle are a lasting phenomenon; which will continue to revive till the local demographic statistics would reach acceptable thresholds.. In other straight words; till these communities transform from their nomadic and barbaric status into an urban one.. Any bids on peaceful and civilized structures are waste of time and lives.. Simply, all these militias, tribal leaders, politicians have their share (or reward for being who they are..!!) in whatsoever provided to their hungry, sick and hopeless people.. Before providing the aid, run your math and receive their blessings.. It is cruel, but true..!!

2ndly, Corruption in Africa has its own rationale, taste and trends; which had collectively created great barriers between Africans and the rest of the world.. Only Chinese had in-no-time managed to penetrate the black continent with no retreat or withdrawal..! No one had asked why they succeeded while others failed..? Frankly, the international community was busy counting the profits Chinese are making rather than understanding their way in doing business.. Or precisely; the inability to bridge the huge gaps between the code of governance and rate of compliances among the various parties.. Ok, you got to be a Chinese in Africa.. This is the only way to sustain the 1st point..!

3rdly, Urbanism upgrade our value and view of life, and subsequently, of death.. Therefore, applying the same westernized or urbanized measures on African operations is only a recipe for headache and suspension.. Losing lives is not catastrophic or astonishing (as it sounds) among these nomads; who used to have short dreams of life..!! Cultural, religious and ecological aggregates had formed these communities on appreciating the present moment; rather than hoping for tomorrow’s uncertainties.. Africans generally appreciate reproducing lives rather than maintaining the ill-fated ones.. To win African hearts and minds, stop talking about death rates, and invent practical ways to celebrate the life rates..!

4thly, Replace those aid-armies of volunteers, staff and administrators, who usually consume, more than 30% of any allocated budgets; with innovative schemes to encourage African traders and businessmen to do the job..! Yes, they will make fortunes out of it, but they also will maintain the edge of life, employ lots of sweat-staff and inevitably cool down the bloody fights..! With few simplified initiatives on CSR, CRM and ERP, Africa and African will be gradually transform towards urbanism.. This customized urbanism is the only tool to master and control the environmental breakdown in the continent..! Provide African with the knowhow, and let them do it their own way..!

As said, as witnessed..!

3 comments:

  1. Heart breaking Adil. I am weeping at the images from Africa and your practical point of view brings stability to the emotions. Still, we must continue to do charity despite all the factors you pointed out. Children are still dying and every... child that dies without me having lifted a finger to save it - brings me that much closer to being questioned by the Almighty on Judgement day - "I brought it to your notice - what did you DO? " My heart quails at having to answer that question...
    Maliha Raza Khan

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  2. Once I had worked among the Displaced.. I know their pains and values.. They do not care as we do for who drop-dead.. rather, try to support who can stand up.. They do not cry for the ill-fated.. but they fight for their right in equal share of given-gifts.. It is a confusing paradox term of life, which most of us are standing apart and sympathized over TV or clips.. Therefore, I & them do not weep for the ill or dead, but as I had did before: provide them with tools and facilities to stand up.. Believe me, they do not care for both death or for ill-living..!! Can you feel it??
    Therefore, I call for a new aproach, which truly can bring change, instead of turning the hot ill feelings among their youth, into terrorism and haterd..!! Shabab of Somalia are now unbreakable millitia..!!
    Adil

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  3. Give a hungry man a fish. He will eat it and get hungry again. But give a hungry man a fishing rod and teach him to fish. Then he will be fit for survival.

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