Sunday, June 9, 2013

Somaliland: The emigration, a huge burden on poor families



It is nature for living things to seek better environment that can sustain life. Saying living things is very general but animals move from place to another looking for food, water and shelter, the basic biological needs. Such movements of animals are based on real circumstances from the environment that can no longer support life. So, to move about is necessary. But, the story of this article is a different one.

 Humans are above all living things on earth having sophisticated brain that can turn deserts into farm land when all required opportunities meet on the ground. Technical education and applied sciences can pave the way to do so. Because on proper management of the natural resources and people’s power  helped mankind to produce all sorts of products on hand today.

To the point, these years our young generations leave the country to immigrate to the west countries especially Europe crossing thousands of miles through big deserts and on seas risking their lives just to reach the escaped fortune of their imaginations! This is widespread national disaster which claimed many lives of young generation who were fed with the blood of their poor mothers that sell vegetables and milk through the streets of our cities. The school fees and the money for books and pens had been paid to educate these young people to become mature in all aspects making them real competent. But that dream dies after young people decide to go leaving everything behind. The obsession to live abroad drives these young generations to travel throughout difficulties to make their dream come true!

Many factors contribute this thing to happen for instance the social communication networks like facebook take their parts. This is because when some of these children made their way to Europe they post their pictures wearing jeans and t-shirt with a background of tall buildings; an illusion when we consider the other side of the situation. Simply this material world takes over the minds of many young people to backpack and leave enthusiastically. The worst thing that recently started in Somaliland is a network of human trafficking system that persuade young people to prepare leaving without paying any money unless they reach somewhere in Libya and Sudan. Then these children are expected to make contact with their parents to send unaffordable money or they will be held in secret places unless the ransom is paid. The report even shows that considerable number of elementary school students left classes. It is sure that the perception about Europe or elsewhere in the west countries of these children will definitely change if they win to do that puzzle.

However, the children secretly prepare the trip to Ethiopia and Sudan, after that they call their parents to send money in order to keep moving. No money no wealth, the only chance is to collect penny from anywhere whether it is borrowed or asked relatives in abroad. Sometimes some of the parents buy their small piece of land or house to secure the needs of that child. When this happens the property of the family is lost, and the poor gets poor. On the way hunting the no man’s lost treasure, some of them pass away either in the desert as a result of starvation and thirst or sharks welcome their dead bodies in the seas when the small overloaded boats sink while many more are jailed in Ethiopia and Libya, particularly in Ethiopia you can see many mothers complaining about the situation of their detained children, what happened to the fathers? I don’t know, what a horrible moment. But when we consider the image of these young people, it seems as if though they are listening, the song of ‘get rich or die trying’.

This current problem increased the existing hard life of the poor families, because parents particularly mothers spent every penny to save the child, but it is not reasonable safe. When these young people reach Europe everything changes because leaves of trees will never turn into money as some people believe it. They start struggling, doing any available job. They are exploited as cheap labors. Job is a job but different one than what they totally expected before, what is earned is adjusted to what is consumed. Everything is different, and it takes time for these immigrants to keep pace with the new life, because they dived into a nation of much diversity linguistically, culturally and socially. With all these difficulties the remittance from abroad seems to be unaffordable but inevitable to miss, just to return something back.

Why these young people leave? To answer this question could have many possible answers, but the only one always mentioned is that there are no jobs in the country worth doing. But everybody wants to be an office manager, coordinator and the like having neck tie! can this be possible? According to the reality it is not true that there are no jobs, but we don’t want to do it. For example we can invest three big job industries we have in the country like fishing industry, agricultural industry and mining industry. If the businessmen invest these industries instead of importing goodies with little quality or toxic products from overseas, then it is obvious that many chances of employment will be offered. And the young people also need relevant technical education to work on such fields, but lowering per cent passing marks in leaving examination cannot solve this problem. Otherwise graduating from schools and universities without technical profession the people will move no wheel forward. And the governmental role towards tackling such disaster seems missing.

The rate of unemployment and poverty will double if we don’t put our efforts together. The government should facilitate everything for merchants to invest our natural resources like those job creating industries mentioned above. Technical institutes should also be implemented in the country which will give young people skills and opportunities for getting jobs. Otherwise the emigration will reach its maximum point.   Anyhow, the parents that send money to the children while risking their lives, the government without drastic action against human trafficking networks, and the greedy behavior of businessmen dreaming to get the maximum theoretical profit out of importing toxic products and foods without quality instead of investing the country will all be accountable of the outcome of this disaster.

Ahmed Ibrahim Farah (Doodi)                                                                                                                                 BSc in educ. And BSc in MLS (medical laboratory science)                                                                                   E-mail: guuleedcade-05@hotmail.com

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