The
Director of Haringey Somali Community in London Mr Maigag said in an
interview with a London News Paper: The Muswell Hill Times,
The
Political leaders in Africa are corrupt and unless something is done about
that, poverty will not be reduced
SDWO -(London
- The Muswel Hill Times) Mohamed Maigag 37 came to
England 20 years ago and now runs the Haringey Somali Community and Cultural
Association. His
father was an opposition political leader, who helped form the Somali
National Movement (SNM) which campaigned for independence for Northern
Somalia.
At the time the Somali dictatorship was
indiscriminately attacking people in the North.
There were mass killings, a lot of atrocities and ethnic cleansing he
explained.
After a period in exile in Saudi Arbai,
Mohamed, his father and the rest of his family arrived in Britain as
political asylum seekers in 1985.
The SNM declared Somaliland, the
northern part of Somalia to be an independent country in 1991 though it has
yet to gain international recognition.
Mr Maigag’s father Omer Maigag Samater, became its information
Minister in 1998 but died last year.
As for efforts to wipe out African debt
and put renewed pressure on world leaders at the G8 summit, Mr Maigag says
‘It is a good gesture. “Any such initiatives are welcome but political
leaders in Africa are corrupt and, unless something is done about that
poverty will not be reduced.
Having a Live 8 every 20 years is not
going to solve the problem, we need ongoing pressure and action.
Rather than just handing over millions
to dictatorial regimes in aid, why not give the country projects which
generate jobs and housing?
He thinks money should be channelled
through NGOs which can better account for how it is spent.
More controversially perhaps, he backs military action against rogue
African regimes.
There are leaders in Africa who have
done worse then Saddam Hussien. Action
was taken to remove him, but not in Africa.
There is no consistency.
He says Somalian asylum seekers coming
to Haringey are not safe in their home country, often because of the power
of worlds and warring tribal factions.
Hostility to asylum seekers is much greater now than when I came here
20 years ago and this makes it more difficult for them to settle and
integrate, he said.
He blames the media for stirring up anti
immigration feelings. It
is not easy to leave your motherland and your close ones behind and come to
a different country, he said.
This talk of people coming here to abuse
the system is not true. People
come here because they are fleeing persecution, civil wars and their
families being killed.
Source: The Muswell Hill Times
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