- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 160
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It has been some years since I looked at this site, due to various reasons (but, mainly relating to a former patient) having been unable to access it. The purchase of a new PC and software having rectified the problem.
Having been in contact with a old friend (Venezuelan) from UN days this week, we discussed his recent activities in Africa with the UN. He serving in Somaliland (the former British Somaliland) which is a functioning democratic (for Africa) nation, although due to American diplomatic efforts not recognised by the worlds nations. It distances itself completely from Somalia (and the self-autonomous region of Puntland).
Much of his work entailing the movement of food/material aid into Somalia from Ethiopia, this entailing passage throughout the area of the Belet Huen region, which the Cnd AB Regt BG had controlled. He is literate in Somali (as well as the widely spoken in Somalia, Arabic and Italian).
The memory of the achievement of the Battle Group is well remembered in Belet Huen, with their accomplishments in the short time there having obviously made a small difference (similar is felt in the Baidoa centre where Australia held sway).
He states that he frequently made query of people's memory of the torture killing of Shidane Arone - he being unable to find anyone with a recollection of the affair. Which is quite remarkable in a society/culture which still has a oral history tradition, and a milieu which (in the area now known as Somalia) well remembers the defeat of the Americans, and every household would appear to have a DVD copy of "Blackhawk Down".
In a society where casual brutality, murder are commonplace, it is perhaps an event not out of the ordinary for these people? But, whatever, the killing of Shidane Arone is no popular cause against Caucasians by the population, and does not reflect in the memory of Canadian military involvement.
In a recent trip to Western and Central Canada, I was quite amazed at the tenacity the Arone affair has with both the media, and a certain faction of political life. At a family dinner party, the dean of a school of a premier Canadian university, made remarks relating the activities of the Cdn AB Regt with those of the German Nazi SS. This following comment by a sister (a professor in the same school) that I had served in Somalia, and having absolutely nothing to do with Cnd involvement!!!
Yours,
from Sydney,
It has been some years since I looked at this site, due to various reasons (but, mainly relating to a former patient) having been unable to access it. The purchase of a new PC and software having rectified the problem.
Having been in contact with a old friend (Venezuelan) from UN days this week, we discussed his recent activities in Africa with the UN. He serving in Somaliland (the former British Somaliland) which is a functioning democratic (for Africa) nation, although due to American diplomatic efforts not recognised by the worlds nations. It distances itself completely from Somalia (and the self-autonomous region of Puntland).
Much of his work entailing the movement of food/material aid into Somalia from Ethiopia, this entailing passage throughout the area of the Belet Huen region, which the Cnd AB Regt BG had controlled. He is literate in Somali (as well as the widely spoken in Somalia, Arabic and Italian).
The memory of the achievement of the Battle Group is well remembered in Belet Huen, with their accomplishments in the short time there having obviously made a small difference (similar is felt in the Baidoa centre where Australia held sway).
He states that he frequently made query of people's memory of the torture killing of Shidane Arone - he being unable to find anyone with a recollection of the affair. Which is quite remarkable in a society/culture which still has a oral history tradition, and a milieu which (in the area now known as Somalia) well remembers the defeat of the Americans, and every household would appear to have a DVD copy of "Blackhawk Down".
In a society where casual brutality, murder are commonplace, it is perhaps an event not out of the ordinary for these people? But, whatever, the killing of Shidane Arone is no popular cause against Caucasians by the population, and does not reflect in the memory of Canadian military involvement.
In a recent trip to Western and Central Canada, I was quite amazed at the tenacity the Arone affair has with both the media, and a certain faction of political life. At a family dinner party, the dean of a school of a premier Canadian university, made remarks relating the activities of the Cdn AB Regt with those of the German Nazi SS. This following comment by a sister (a professor in the same school) that I had served in Somalia, and having absolutely nothing to do with Cnd involvement!!!
Yours,
from Sydney,