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Richard Engel, NBC News chief foreign correspondent, had an in-depth video report from Mogadishu in May, calling it "the most dangerous city in the world." I guess that's also true for sharks.
Sadly, it's also still true for Somalis. According to the Associated Press today:
Heavy fighting between Islamist militants and pro-government troops raged in several parts of Somalia's capital Thursday, killing at least 21 people and wounding nearly 78, an official said.
Mortar shells pounded northern and southern neighborhoods in Mogadishu as militants launched attacks with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns, according to a witness.
In Mogadishu's south, government soldiers and African Union peacekeepers tried to push insurgents back from a strategic road often used by government officials.
Ali Muse, the head of the city's ambulance service, said at least 21 had been killed and 78 wounded.
Somalia's most dangerous militant group, al-Shabab, has launched a series of attacks over the last month after declaring a "new" war against the Somali government. There are 7,100 African Union peacekeepers stationed in Mogadishu that protect the small enclave where the weak, U.N.-backed Somali government operates.
The country hasn't had a functioning government since 1991, and the militants hope to overthrow the transitional government and install a harsh brand of Islam across the country.
Now, back to sharks. The waters off of Mogadishu are often called "shark-infested," but according to a 2005 United Nations report, sharks are probably being overfished for their fins:
The shark species of interest are hammerheads (Sphyrnidae), grey sharks (Carcharhinidae) and mako (Lamnidae). They are heavily exploited by both the artisanal and the industrial fishery sectors, with associated competition. The current fishery status of these species is unknown, but they are considered to be overexploited, as catches have declined over the past few years. No research has been conducted on this matter, which deserves utmost attention, to avoid a sudden and unexpected collapse in stocks of these valuable species.
Could there be a connection between over-exploitation of the Somali fishery, the near-collapse of the Somal government and the risk to the international community posed by piracy and terrorism? According to some commentators and Somali pirates, the answer is "yes." An imprisoned Somali pirate named Farah Ismail Eid told McClatchy Newspapers reporter Shashank Bengali so in 2009:
Eid related what amounts to the pirates' creation myth, in which overfishing by European and Asian trawlers drove Somalia's coastal communities to ruin and forced local fishermen to fight for their livelihoods.
"Now the international community is shouting about piracy. But long before this, we were shouting to the world about our problems," said Eid, a bony-cheeked former lobsterman with a bushy goatee. "No one listened."
You can read more here, including some sceptical responses to the pirate's claim. The New York Times' Jeffrey Gettleman heard a similar story from Somali pirates in 2008, and some observers, like environmental blogger Brian Merchant, writing for Treehugger, explictly claim that "Overfishing Almost Got Capt. Phillips Killed by Pirates."
Leave a Comment:
More Muslim terrorists spreading their kind of religion, death and destruction, a true person of God (or Allah) needs nothing but a Bible (or Koran) in his hands to spread the word. The weapons in their hands are the work of the devil, not saying that all weapons are bad but in the wrong hands they are. All the Imans and Clerics that preach that it is Ok to kill ought to be banned from the Muslim religion and done so pubicly so that the whole world knows where they true Muslim faith stands on these matters. God does not want any of his children killed in his name!
Dirt poor Country. It will stay that way because THERE'S NO OIL, NATURAL RESOURCE, GOLD or WHITE FOLKS- SHAME ON THEM.
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Okay, this may seem like a silly comment in the overall context of the story...but, as an avid fisherman, I have to ask does anyone have any idea how much this shark would weigh? Could this be a photoshop trick? Seriously, this shark would weigh twice that of the thin young man carrying it and he isn't struggling in the slightest! Oh yea, and what a nice clean shark...no blood, no water dripping on the young man, hmmmmm.... My hands and body get dirtier picking up a 2lb trout out of the river!
What I have read is that foreign fishing boats have gone into the waters near Somalia and depleted their fish. They have nothing because they were looted and pillaged by other countries. But would the developed worlds regulatory and police agencies look into that matter? WELLLLLL, we wouldn't want to crack down on anybody making an illegal buck would we?? That would go against good capitalistic business practices. If you expect the Somali's to work it all out themselves, then how about everyone else staying out of their fishing waters, and quit pillaging.
Greetings,
I will pay for anybody to go over there and help these poor people. All I ask in return is that you video tape your experience so I can post it on my new web site, www.howidiedstupidly.com
Thank you
Better be careful, some Rambo type might take you up on the offer
at least there is no traffic
shisk shabab. looking like an American city near you.
Look carefully, the shark has been "photoshopped". A fish that size would easily weigh 200+ lbs minimum. Plus the guy's not even straining to carry it. How far is he from the water? He's dry as a bone, not even a sign of being wet. It's ahrd to feel sorry for anyone/thing when this is obviously fake.
That's what America will look like if Obama gets re-elected in two years.
Mik you're a jerk.
This photograph indeed seems to typify another victory for the Muslim religion . Please note the clean and orderly streets and the carryout meal being delivered . I am indeed quite taken with the architectural splendor . ALLAH IS GREAT !
Just commenting on the picture, that's a hardcore m_f— right there.
Why does everything HAVE to be a conspiracy? Take it for what it's worth, I'll bet you this guy's hungry. We're not going to rush help there on the basis of this picture.
Actually MANY of you ARE WRONG... The old buildings in the photo - built by the Somali people. The utter destruction - NOT caused by Muslims!!! Somalia has been Muslim for hundreds of years (Since at least the 7th Century) and were part of a flourishing civilization based upon trade - UNTIL, YOU GUESSED IT - the Europeans came and literally destroyed it and the rest of Africa!!!
This is the DIRECT result of the "Africa Scramble" by Europe - if ANY of you that feel more sorry for the shark than poor children who are growing up in the mess with NO OTHER OPTIONS - bothered to read - rather than formulate opinions based upon you pulling something out of - CLEARLY not your brain, you would have known this!!!!
Blame it on the white man, give me a brake. You need to take responsibility for your own country. You have one of the oldest civilizations in the world and look around you, what have you done with it. All you can do is blame it on the white man, you deserve to starve if your that stupid, your just wasting good air...
If anybody had balls they would be there to help these beatiful people and shower them with kindness and give apathy a good left jab as I did in Elsalvador , and other parts of Central America in the early eighties, to show them that others really do care for your wellbeing that we all are true brothers and sisters on this small planet! I won the hearts of many even though I was robbed, beaten, thrown in prison and left to die. But I'm here and alive still! I'd do it over again!
God gave us a free will to follow which ever path we choose. Take a look at the countries who follow alla compared to countries that recognize Jesus as our savior. I prefer a loving forgiving God over a murdering butcher that advocates killing innocent women and children. In other words you get what you pray for, now you live with your choices and stay away from us Christians who just want to live in peace...
It's Sharkey's Day, today......
Laurie Anderson and William S. Burroughs did a collaboration on a song called "Sharkey's Day". It's a favorite of mine, and sort of, in a weird and twisted way, fits for this photograph.
Oooooo, we, Sharkey's Day.