To start with, there is weak or absence of individual and collective ownership of Somalia as native people – nobody seems to care it beyond selfish individual interests. Its leaders seem to practice the king’s motto “after me the dèluge”. Now Somalis became transnational in their existence – they are split and scattered all over the world, while keeping no allegiance to any one country. They are fast becoming the new ever wandering gypsies. State regulations or any societal rules irrite them. Nobody can predict what would become of them. Their Capital City, Mogadishu, hosts foreign troops and none of its residents seem to bother or mind. National pride and culture are fast losing relevance. Their calling is now social media entertainment and destructive bashing of each other in never ending and fruitless clannish warfare. In the process, they have produced tireless and unscrupulous internet clan warriors bent on securing Google clicks by equally wandering and gullible followers. Fake news and forged documents reign supreme in their malicious and destructive internet sites. Lately, interested and self-centered Somali politicians were taking advantage of this Somalia’s misery being exploited by rumor-mongers and shameless site owners. Terms like CBB (Cayayaan Baraha Bulshada) were specifically coined for these faithless groups of Somali origin sitting behind lethal internet connected laptops and desktops in Western countries, contributing to their decadence. Depression and loneliness drove young Somali beauties living in Western World into nightmare and obscenity in unregulated cyberspace and information highway. It is frightening situation.
At home, terrorist groups and religious fanatics think they have reached at ultimate power of control of an entire nation, easily reaping protection money and practising free reign in racketeering.
Somalia’s neighbors are nervous and afraid of the menace happening in their doorsteps. They ran out of other options, but to contain Somalia by maintaining their troops in Somalia. And as long as Western nations are paying the bills, they could tolerate occasional murders of some of their soldiers by Al-Shabab and ISIS.
Those, among internationals, who wish Somalia well, should act as catalysts for change.
Until Somalis learn to change their attitudes and ways of life by collectively and individually belonging to a country of their own and take care of it, they are likely to be doomed.
Shall we be?
