I KNOW THE MOOD IS WITH KATRINA AND THE DEVASTATION IT HAS CAUSED TO THE AMERICAN POPULATIONS IN THE GULF REGIONS. I HEARD THAT THOUSANDS ARE FEARED DEAD IN AFFECTED STATES. MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY ARE WITH THEM ESPECIALLY THE WEAK, THE OLD THE CHILDREN THE SICK IN THE HOSPITALS AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN DISADVANTAGED SITUATION.

THAT IS A NATURAL DISASTER BUT IN SOMALIA WE HAVE A MAN-MADE DISASTER WHICH WE ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP EYE ON IN AN EFFORT TO FIND WAYS AND MEANS TO BRING THE COUNRY BACK TO NORMAL TRACK OF LIBERTY, DEMOCRACY AND UNITY IN ALL REGIONS OF THE REPUBLIC. LAST YEAR A GOVERNMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN NAIROBI BUT SOON IT SPLIT INTO TWO WINGS: ONE GROUP IS IN JOWHAR TOWN, THE OTHER IS IN MOGADISHU. THE JOWHAR GROUP WANTS TO BRING TROOPS FROM AFRICA REGARDLESS OF THEIR ORIGINS,IDENTITY AND NATIONS THEY HAIL FROM SO LONG AS THEY ARE PART OF THE AFRICAN UNION MEMBERS. THE MOGADISHU GROUP INSISITS THAT NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES "FRONTLINE STATES" AS THEY SELDOM CALL SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE PEACEKEEPING MISSION. THE FRONTLINE STATES ARE KENYA, ETHIOPIA AND DJIBOUTI WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SOME INTEREST IN SOMALIA AS THEY SHARE PHYSICAL BORDERS WITH US. THE MAIN CONFUSION EMANATES FROM THE WATER-SHEDDING NATIONAL CHARTER WHICH HAS A NUMBER OF LOOP HOLES NOT CAREFULLY THOUGHT OVER WHEN IT WAS BEING PREPARED. SO THERE IS ALWAYS SOME MEETING OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THE TWO GROUPS ARE CALLED TO COME AND TALK FACE TO FACE BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY FAIL TO SORT OUT THEIR DISAGREEMENTS. ONE THING THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED IS THE PLIGHT OF THE SOMALI PEOPLE PARTICULARLY CHILDREN WHO ARE PERISHING IN THEIR CAMPS DUE TO HUNGER AND DISEASE. IF THEY SOLVED THEIR PROBLEM WE WOULD SAVE TOO MANY CHILDREN DYING EACH DAY IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND ELSWHERE IN THE NEIGBORING NATIONS WHERE WE HAVE SOMALI REFUGEES. NOW THEY ARE SINGING FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE STRONGHOLDS. THE MOGADISHU GROUP STARTS:

WE ARE THE WARLORDS
WE ARE THE MINISTERS
WE ARE NATION BUILDERS
DESTROYERS WE ARE NOT
COME AND SEE OUR ROADS
THEY ARE CALM AND CLEAN
WE COLLECTED THE WEAPONS
DEPLOYED MILITIA IN CAMPS
WE ARE THE WARLORDS
WE ARE THE MINISTERS

THESE HEARTS OF OURS
RIGHT INSIDE OUR CHESTS
DO REALLY BETRAY US
WE TALK TO THEM ALWAYS
WE TELL THEM TO BE NATIONALISTS
BUT TURN OUT TO BE TRIBALISTS
WE TELL THEM TO MAKE CONCESSIONS
BUT THEY JUST STICK TO STRAIGHT JACKET
IS THIS OUR FAULT DEAR SOMALIS?
NO. NOT ABSOLUTELY
WE ARE THE WARLORDS
WE ARE THE MINISTERS

SPARO-REMOVING IS A MIRACLE JOB
THEY INCREASE WITH A DECREASE IN NUMBER
THEY DEFY THE NATURAL MATHEMATICAL LAWS
THE ALGEBRA OF ROADBLOCKS IS SO COMPLEX
PLEASE SOMALIS BE PATIENT. GIVE US TIME
WE CALL THE JOWHAR WING TO COME HERE
WE CALL THEM TO JOIN US IN MOGADISHU
BUT ON ONE CONDITION: NO FRONTLINE STATES


And those in Jowhar would sing back:

WE ARE THE WARLORDS
WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT
WE ARE IN JOWHAR CADDE
THE RIVER IS FULL AND RED
WE ENJOY XIINTOOY WATERFALL
WE EAT WELL. SLEEP TOO WELL
WE HAVE PASSPORTS TO TRAVEL
WE CARRY OUR MOBILE PHONES
WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE WORLD
WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET
WE RECEIVE TOO MANY E-MAILS
WE REACH EVERYWHERE EASILY
THE UN PRAISED OUR PRESENCE
IGAD IS OUR PEACE AMBASSADOR
EU PLEDGED FINANCIAL INPUTS
BUT THE RELEASE IS CONDITIONAL
THEY WANT BOTH WINGS IN SAME BIRD
TRUE IS WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
NO BIRD CAN FLY WITH ONE WING
THE PEACE DOVE NEEDS ITS OTHER WING
WITHOUT MOGADISHU WE CAN'T MOVE ANYWHERE
WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND JOIN
BUT ON ONE CONDITION:
NO TAMPERING WITH THE TFG CHARTER


UNFORTUNATELY THE SONG WENT ON FOR 15 MINUTES. OUR MINISTER-SINGER AND MP'S SHOULD THINK OF HOW MANY CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD HAVE DIED INSIDE THESE 15 MINUTES. WORSE STILL THE IMPASSE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENDING SOON. IF THEY CAN’T MAKE CONCESSIONS TO EACH OTHER WHY CAN’T THEY MAKE IT FOR THE SAKE OF THE SOMALI CHILD AND FOR ENTIRE GENERAL PUBLIC?
SAD INDEED TO HAVE SUCH LEADERS IN PLACE.