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     | Unrecorded Date Dearest Brother and sister I am writing a paper based on the effectiveness of small-scale businesses involved by somalis in somalia who belong to various clans. I would like to know about your views and opinions on such businesses can have on the unification of clans (building trust, bonds, relationships, respect and most of all co-existence). My question is:- Do you think such activities can lead to interactions that will eventually revive trust, respect and solidariy principles which have been destroyed by the civil war in somalia. What are the impacts can have specifically on trust, social capital, relationships among these clans and most of all the reconstruction process once peace is achieved. What do you think of the specific roles of somali women are in promoting, enhancing and maintaining the resocialization of various clans in their communties. I really appreciate your feedback Thanks in advance Samawada
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| | Unrecorded Date I am quite touched by you efforts in writing a paper.Whatever you do , please do not mention clans.BEcause clans, tribes is what destroyed our society.and one can see where it left us. Instaed please use regions, districts and so on and forth, Abdisalam CORRESPONDENCE BBC WORLD SERVICE
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| | Unrecorded Date Deare Abdisalam Good to hear from you. I saw you at the office last september when I stopped by to give an interview. Your guys are fantastic - keep the good work. Give my regards to Garad, Abdillahi, Sool and others. Let me go back to questions which I pointed out in my early inquiry. I am interested in knowing or understanding of how Somalis who are involved in some scale businesses whether in refugee camps or internally displaced in many parts of Somalia conduct their activities. I have no interest in clan politics - but I am interested in finding out how Somalis whether male or female who are involved in businesses (who belong to various of clans) deal with one another in a business approach. As you know that the civil war that is still ravaging Somalia has destroyed lots of structures such as social capital, trust, etc. I believe that business or trade can do good things to many conflicted groups. Thus, the interactions of various individuals through businesses can no doubt revive social capital, friendship and trust. Your advice is well taken. However, clan identity will never vanish from our society. Clan can be bad and good and all it depends on how it is utilized by certain people. I know that clan politics have ruined us - and I also believe that its poroblems will not be solved if we always attempt to dismiss it or avoid it. We must examine it, analyse it and understand what we did wrong. Clan is a Somali way of life.. In addition, it is the Somali people who have ruined their communities and country...when are we going to learn to take some responsibilities for our actions. I have been hearing for these years that it is clan politics that have destroyed our livelihoods, communities and nation. It is the poeple themselves who have killed, destroyed and looted in the name of clans.... Clans/tribes are fabrications of...... you know the rest. It is about time that we somalis take some responsibilities for all the wrongs we have done. I have to stop now. If you are interested in continuing our discussion, you can email me at peacenow3@excite.com Take care Thanks
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| | Friday, July 07, 2000 - 11:23 am Dear Samawada, I am glad someone is finaly taking the initiative to address Somali issues in academic manner. I will comment on the role of bussiness community in the restoration of social interaction and trust. I will also comment on Abdisalam's honest but misguided and misconceived advace to deny our reality regarding the role of clan in the current situation. I think small scale business that is market driven can have a positive effect in the unifacation of Somali people in several ways. A business that is based on competion can instill in Somali society an individualistic qualities that lost through the collective politics of clanism. By learning the ethics of hard work devoid of favoratism of the government interferance, Somali people can gradualy develop a sense of self-relaince. Poeple will be less likely tempted to veiw the government as a means for personal inrichment. A strong individualistic soceity can not be easily manipulated under the pretext of fighting for greater good of the clan or tribe. Such a community is also less likely to entertain collective acusation. Individual empowerment can also revive the sense of responsibility. Currently, most of us blame everything on "clanism" as if though the clan is a seperate being that function beyond our realms. Strong bussines can provide incentive in fostering individual oriented society. Small scale busines enhances the interaction between clans. As their financial muscle grows, the business community will reduce the power and influence of the corrupted political and traditional leaders. That commercial interest take precedence over clan loyalty is proven time and again. At the height of the ethnic-carnage, bussiness leaders were able to criss cross the boundaries of geopolitical feifdoms. Although, some of them fuelled the civil-strife, yet on the whole, business community were pacifists, and pro-stability. The simple fact that those who posses wealth support order than those who have not augers well for the long term stability of Somalia should the current trend continuous. In North Eastren, where there is relative order, the traditional interpreneurial spirit of those clans encouraged a favorable atmosphere where distructiveness of clan tension is reduced compared to the hotspots of the country. On Abdisalam, there is no reason to hide the term "clan" when in reality it dictates the fates of millions. In many instances, in Somalia, clan decides who dies and who stays alive. Who is to be raped and who is not. Who is to be looted and who is not. In the Diaspora, many Somalis still instnictively judge the personality of other Somalis, on their clan origin. A social ill as far-reaching as this, can solved by just ignoring it. We should, in my opinion, analyze it, and find a way to moderate it, while thinking a long term strategy to get remedify it. It is tradegy that we pay so much energy and resources on denying any thing that is unpleasant in our eyes rather than taking responsibility and diagnosing the problem. And although there is an anthroplogical explanation to our unconscious desire to present cosy image of our community, yet the urgentness of our situation demands that we should not be captive to our anthrapoligal make up. Clan, clanism, generational schism, and ideological divide are part of our reality. Ignoring them would only make these clamities stronger and more potent for, as one philisopher put it, these truths of silence will remain stronger untill they are spoken out. I am glad Samawada is speaking about them.
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