What is a failed state? A failed state is when a state (or country) has failed politically, economically, or socially. In these states, the government has failed, and they can’t control their people any longer, eventually their economy also falls.
Failing Nations: Why things fall apart-
- Over a billion people live in countries that are failing. Countries that fail have several different ways that they might fail; after a civil war, a disaster caused by nature, when they get overthrown, if it’s unable to supply it’s people with basic necessities, or it can just turn in on its self gradually over time. These countries are a problem for the whole world, not just itself. They often house terrorists and criminal organizations.
- Countries often have different reasons why they’re failing. Some may be vast, wealthy in minerals, and have great soil; but these countries can become over crowded with people trying to dominate and take control of the land or materials. Others may just be dry and over crowded, causing the country to become poor and unsustainable. While some can become failed states simply from people within the country breaking out in religion and history feuds. Sometimes, it’s just luck of the draw, and countries may become failed by their placement (others swarm into their country and make it over crowded).
- Many countries, like the United States may have terrible starts that give them a bad reputation, but slowly they put themselves back together. It’s up to their people and government to help it get it back together.
- Pirates and terrorists rule in southern Somalia- Mogadishu, that part of the country is in chaos. While in the northern part people are living in peace, how?
- Al-Shabaab, is the latest terrorist group of Somalia that has gained control of most of the southern and central parts of the country. This group has fought against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which is supported by the U.N. for power. Somalia has been ranked the number one failed state for the past two years, and it doesn’t help that the TFG pulled out temporarily in 2009, supporting other terrorists to join in and make life worse in the south. For eighteen years now Somalia has not been well controlled.
- Lots of people are abandoning their homes to escape to other countries like Kenya or Yemen. While others stay in refugee camps or prefer to stay in their disintegrating city Mogadishu. This city was once beautiful and you can see when you look around, all it’s people that still reside there would prefer to stay there and die than go anywhere else. The land in Somalia is dry, and people are often fighting over it’s little water and resources. Most of the people herd sheep, camels, and cattle.
- In older time Somalia, they had five main clan groups. These groups would often fight one another for cattle or land. Often killing others, but sparing children and women. This wasn’t anarchy, it was normal for the country.
- The Italians then took over Somalia, their groups fell apart, locally owned merchandise shops failed, they rewarded loyal elders, and took over commerce. In 1960, nationalism took over, they supported their clans, but then aggravated the clans and left the country. General Mohamed Siad Barre, who was a member of one of the clans then took control in 1969. He supported socialism and made the lines between the clans worsen, he also made the countries main product weapons that supplied other countries. In 1991, militias chased him out, and eighteen years later the country is still waiting for another form of government to take over.
- The destruction of their beautiful city, Mogadishu, had occurred when the militias came and battled in the city for months, leaving many of the homes in a pile, causing people to restart from scratch. The terrorist group al-Shabaab now rules it and kills people often. Hospitals are frequently filled with patients of recent bombings (some of them can even be from the TFG) and the walls may be dirtied with recent blood.
- Some people may flee a nearby country, Somaliland, which is in the northern part of the Somalia. Somaliland’s capitol, Hargeysa, isn’t much different than Mogadishu, it gets attacked rarely, but hasn‘t seen many weapons since 1996. In Hargeysa, you can see progress going on as different types of buildings are being restored and built. Women can also be safe at stands without the use of guards.
- Somaliland may be jealous of it’s neighboring country Somalia, because while Somalia makes no progress in getting better Somaliland does. Yet, Somalia still gets help from all sorts of countries, and Somaliland may be doing better but they still feel they would like a little help to get going.
- Al-Shabaab is the best place to work for in Mogadishu as they pay the well. It receives most of it’s weapons from Kenya, but now may receive even more from Eritrea after they took over Kismaayo in order to get better shipping to the group. Most of al-Shabaabs employees never return their families, get deported, or die.
My opinions/thoughts:
These failed states are obviously in terrible condition. Although in one of the articles it says that it is up to the countries people to bring it back together, I believe that other countries could help bring them together faster. All they need is a good government that wont leave them, and for more countries to be more aware of what is going on and actually try to help. If people spread the word more to others to help out these countries and donated it would help them to pick up their feet. When a county realizes it is becoming failed, it needs to get help.
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