LET'S REDEEM SOMALIA'S LOST GENERATION

THE STANDARD
NAIROBI, KENYA
April 10, 2009
By Said Aden

Somalis’ last legally recognised government collapsed in 1991 when militias captured the capital, Mogadishu. In the 19-year period since then, Somalia has had three transitional governments, with the support of international community. None of them have properly functioned.

So, what happened to the children aged between 0-10 years at the time of the fall of the Siad Barre regime? Those children are now 19-29 years. There were children whose parents were wealthy and got the opportunity to attend private schools up to university level. Many others had the opportunity to settle in Western countries and pursue their education.

Some of them became doctors, nurses, social workers, teachers and police officers. They became part of the Western mainstream society.

There were also children who perished in the sea while fleeing from the violence.

Many died due to diseases like malaria while others died in the prolonged violence.

Other children, who are the majority, have grown up in harrowing and difficult circumstances within Somalia.

Hundreds of thousands ended up in the hands of the warlords and radical groups as child soldiers. These children are those whose parents were killed in the civil war. They were left without any caregivers, and lacked food and shelter. They did not get any chance to flee the country or wind up in refugee camps in neighbouring countries, as did many of their peers. They missed out on basic education and life skills training. The only "family" they have known is in the various militias. Their vision and mission is violence.

For example, while on a visit to Mogadishu some years back, I met a man who had killed 299 people — he told me he was looking forward to reaching the 300 mark. Again, while working for Unicef in Baidoa in 1992, I was confronted by an adolescent with a gun who demanded Unicef money. He fired at me but the gun jammed.

My wife, children and I were fortunate, as we were later granted asylum by the Australian Government.

Young girls were subjected to early forced marriages and defilement and now form a large population of young, orphaned widows. Some of these children became disabled through injuries and disease but lacked the necessary medical care.

This is the lost generation. This group of persons requires a comprehensive rehabilitation programme. Many in this generation, who witnessed unimaginable violence, suffer from varying degrees of psychological trauma. Some of them are trapped in the world of drug abuse. This group requires intensive counselling and medical attention. The Somali government alone cannot cope with the massive needs of this group.

Focus on Africa Development Inc, an international organisation based in Nairobi, believes all Somali stakeholders — the Somali Diaspora, UN agencies, international NGOs and the donor community — should immediately act on the issue.

Unless the issue is addressed, the success of Sheikh Sharif’s regime will be largely undermined.

The implications of turning a blind eye to Somalia are grave, given that it is this generation that is charged with raising the next generation. Their survival was by chance. They grew up in an environment that was beyond their control, where their father’s and uncles were killed mercilessly. Today, they live with the simple concept of survival for the fittest.

International implications

The whole world has felt the impact of the ‘stateless’ country and consequences of this lost generation. The young generation, who have never witnessed any functional government, have no idea about international law and have turned into piracy in the high seas as means of sustenance.

The lost generation does not possess the concept of the value of human life and any sense of connectedness to any society. They are facing an identity crisis and can easily join any radical group or cause.

There is need to educate two major parties. First, the international community must comprehend the magnitude of the problem and the stark reality of the living conditions of this generation. Second, the current government must build the capacity of governance institutions dealing with social affairs to rehabilitate the lost generation by providing them with life skills to enable them join the normal societal life.

As a starting point, there is need to establish a monitoring unit to gather data on these children so that the real situation can be properly documented.

Many wonder aloud in the streets, in public forums and conferences why Somalia cannot get back on its feet. The grave reality is that this lost generation, which is at reproductive age, is breeding more violence. The problem of the lost generation should be tackled simultaneously with other humanitarian problems, which are merely symptomatic.

We expect to stimulate dialogue on the issue as the answers lie with the various stakeholders. In case you are discouraged by the enormity of the problem of the lost generation, the solution lies in working together. Yes, we can.