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MEDIA RELEASE
From: working with VICTORIA’S AFRICAN COMMUNITY
www.att.org.au
m: 0405 479 275

DATE: 15 April 2009

Dr. Berhan Ahmed, Chairperson of the African Think Tank, today criticised International solutions to solve the piracy problem in Somalia. Military Solutions have already been tried in depth,” said Dr. Ahmed,

“They will not work because the pirates in Somalia are acting out of desperation caused by piracy of their fishing stocks and by international dumping of toxic waste offshore. The only effect of this ill-advised military escalation will be further escalation of hostility. It may lead to mistreatment of their captives by the pirates, who have in the past treated captives with friendliness and courtesy.” At present over 250 foreign nationals are believed to be held captive by the pirates).

“The only solution that will work is a consultative process that is even-handed in solving problems in the region.”

SOMALI MIGRANTS MAY HOLD KEY TO SOLUTION
Dr. Ahmed also called for the Australian government to involve Somali migrants in seeking solutions.

“Australia’s first and most valuable resource is its people,” said Dr. Ahmed. “The situation in Somalia is complicated and has not been assisted by international recognition of only one of the competing governments as legitimate.

Somali migrants to this country are committed to a democratic process that involves all participants. Many families have important contacts in Somalia and can assist in the process of establishing a process of impartial reconciliation and dialogue.”

BACKGROUND:
A history of mistaken intervention by the West Somalia is unusual among African nations in that it is essentially inhabited by one people with one language. The problems in Somalia are a legacy of colonial activity in the region. Since the break-up of colonial states, no government has existed which controls or speaks for the whole country. At present, Somalia is divided up into more than four de facto independent nation-states, most of which are prepared to be a part of a United Somalia.

One nation-state, Somaliland, which is more stable and has better government and infrastructure than the ‘national’ Republic of Somalia, desires independence. Puntland, the nation-state which is the home base for the pirates, is self-governed but desires to be part of a United Somalia. Efforts at reconciliation have been hampered by the fact that the international community recognises only the Republic of Somalia, despite it not having the strongest or most legitimate government or the largest territory.

PIRACY:
As much sinned against as sinning the piracy started in the early 1990’s, after decades of civil war. The most important factor driving the pirates was international piracy of Somali fishing waters, leading to desperation. Peter Lehr, an expert on piracy from the University of St Andrews, has been quoted as saying

“It’s almost like a resource swap, Somalis collect up to $100 million a year from pirate ransoms off their coasts and the Europeans and Asians poach around $300 million a year in fish from Somali waters.” (Wikipedia, sources Chicago Tribune and The Independent checked).

In addition, there has been extensive dumping of nuclear and toxic waste on the remote areas of the Somalian coastline and in the waters off Somalia, in contracts that bring the European companies involved over $100 million per year. The effects of this toxic waste have been seen in infections and disease in Somalis living in coastal waters, especially after the tsunami in December 2004 dumped tonnes of waste on Somalian beaches near towns.

So far, the pirates have been notable for peaceful treatment of their hostages, making them as comfortable as possible in the area, hiring caterers to prepare western-style food, and even supplying cigarettes and drinks from commercial sources. The business generated by hostage care has turned some coastal villages into quite prosperous towns.

MILITARY SOLUTIONS
On 5th May 2002, a United States Task Force operating in the area, Combined Task Force 150, was handed over to German command and tasked with ending the piracy. Military ships from over twenty countries participated, including Australia’s HMAS Parramatta. However, piracy continued to escalate and many countries were given permission by the Somali government to send their ships into Somali waters, particularly France, the USA, the USSR and India. There were also onshore operations by the Somalian government assisted by overseas governments. On January 8, 2009, Combined Task Force 151 was formed to upgrade the response to piracy.

Realistically, however, military attempts to halt piracy will not work. The Somalian coastline is over 3,000 km long, the sea area is tens of millions of square kilometres, and there are tens of thousands of sea voyages through the area every year. The pirate commanders are ex-fishermen who know the area intimately. High level technical and weaponry support is available via Saudi Arabia and Yemen and the pirates have a high level of technical sophistication available to them.

Piracy is the main generator of income for Puntland, which has a population of about 2.4 million. Military attempts to stop piracy in Somalia, West Africa, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia/Malaysia have not succeeded either. Historically, piracy is driven by poverty and occurs precisely because enforcement is difficult or impossible in those areas. It only stops when the economic conditions that drive it change.

It is sad to see that Mr. Obama is following the misguided approach of his predecessors in attempting to reach a solution by force. He will, like his predecessors, find out that there are many limitations to what may be accomplished by military force

A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION
The solutions so far tried have failed Somalia. Although there has been an extensive history of intervention by the United Nations and by member states, it has mostly been focused on propping up one government rather than on reaching peaceful solutions through dialogue with stakeholders.

Likewise, the pirates are being depicted as villains when they are as much victims. Australia has, within its migrant community, people with the understanding and connections to help design a non-military approach that involves all parties and recognises the independence of those areas that desire it. This is the only solution that can begin to have any chance of success.

Media Release
24th March 2009
Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service MHAHS

Tuberculosis TB is one of the few infectious diseases fuelled by the HIV epidemic, according to this year’s World TB Day campaign. Observed on March 24 each year, the 2009 campaign, under the slogan I am stopping TB, aims to increase awareness of tuberculosis and its prevention in the community.

According to Mr Tadgh McMahon, the Manager of the Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Service (MHAHS), increasing awareness of tuberculosis TB has an important role in combating HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as globally the two infections are closely related.

“Tuberculosis can be one of the first infections to show symptoms in those who don’t know that they have HIV, providing a warning sign that offers opportunities for treatment. In addition, people living with HIV who have been exposed to TB in the past are at much higher risk of developing active TB in the future,” Mr McMahon said.

TB is caused by a bacterium. It is a disease that usually affects the lungs but it can affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. TB can be active in the body or latent (sleeping). If it is not treated, active TB can cause serious health problems, or even death.

There are currently more than 11 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide who are also living with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the TB bacterium). When these two infections are not treated, they can work together to cause very serious illnesses. Most TB cases among people living with HIV/AIDS are in sub-Saharan Africa, where up to 80 percent of TB patients may be also living with HIV.

Australia has one of the lowest TB rates in the world largely due to its effective pre-migration screening and the other health initiatives

“It is important that we share information about TB to help prevent the disease and get treatment to those who need it. It is critical that people know that chest clinics provide free and confidential TB testing and treatment. Early diagnosis and effective treatment of TB are the keys to preventing the transmission of TB in the community,” Ms Katsaros said.

Information on TB and chest clinics in NSW is available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/infect/tb/factsheet_english.pdf.

Information on HIV and sexual health clinics in NSW is available at: www.multiculturalhivhepc.net.au

END
For media interviews with an African background spokesperson, please contact Sonam Paljor on (02) 9515 5030.

The 25th of November each year is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, also known as ‘White Ribbon Day’. White Ribbon Day was created by a group of Canadian men in 1991 on the second anniversary of one man’s massacre of fourteen women in Montreal. They began the White Ribbon Campaign to urge men to speak out against violence to women.

Seventeen years on this small campaign has developed into a global movement of men speaking out against violence to women. In Melbourne men from all walks of life filled the Victorian State Parliament to speak out and discuss what they could do together to prevent and stop violence to women in all its forms. Attending that day were three African Community leaders; Mr Ary Lyimo the President of Eastern and Central Africa Communities of Victoria (EACACOV), Dr Apollo S. Nsubuga-Kyobe from Latrobe University and Mr Evans Hammond from the Ghanaian Association of Victoria.

Violence Against women is a global issue and must be addressed at all levels. For example since the fighting started in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1998 tens of thousands of women have suffered systematic rape and sexual assault. The DRC is the worst place to be on Earth if you are a woman. But we also know that even in Australia, in our own ‘back yards’, violence against women is being perpetrated. In Australia the violence to women has cut across cultural, economic, religious and social boundaries. For too long men, good men, have sat by while this violence has been perpetrated.

It was therefore encouraging and exciting to see that African leaders from the Victorian African Communities present at the Parliamentary Session and engage strongly in the discussions being held. Dr Apollo talked to the floor about the need to really engage with this issue in non-confrontational but one- on-one dialogue with men, especially young men from the African community. Mr Lyimo followed up on these comments stating that we need to work with the behaviours and attitudes of the men of our communities whilst working to empower the women.

The session was inspirational and informative resulting in many networks being forged and ideas shared. It is hoped that within the African communities young men can be given education and tools in which they can begin to address the issue of violence against women. The resulting discussions brought forward an idea that a focus group should be formed in Melbourne amongst the African communities to discuss how best this issue be addressed. If you or your group is interested in being a part of this important work please contact Stuart Thomson on email: mzunguras@gmail.com

Picture: Left to right, Dr Apollo S. Nsubuga-Kyobe, Mr Evans Hammond, Mr Mr Ary Lyimo

Author: Stuart Thomson is a Country Program Coordinator for World Vision Australia in the West and East Africa Team.

African Think Tank Inc.
ABN 68 678 932 201
A: PO Box 2307 Footscray 3011 E: africanthinktank@hotmail.com

3 December 2007
On Saturday 1 December, 2007, approximately over 350 African residents in and around the Flemington/North Melbourne area met to discuss relations between the Police and African youth, and to establish the root causes, in a community-based forum attended by representatives of the Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre, the Moonee Valley City Council Partnership Manager, Jesuit Social Services and the African Think Tank. The meeting was chaired by a representative of Myriad Consulting.

The forum was very productive and participants expressed their views and frustrations at not being treated fairly, not being heard, and not being accurately reported on the media. The community forum identified issues and suggested a number of possible actions to address the current problems in Flemington.

Issues identified by community forums
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Rapid turnover of officers at the Flemington Police Station, particularly as newly graduated, inexperienced police are consistently stationed there.
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Community leaders flagged that the turnover ruptures relations that the African community develops with officers; and the inexperience of new graduates is seen as a factor in over-zealous, ‘hair-triggered’ and heavy-handed responses, which have done immense damage to the trust and confidence the young Africans have in the Police. African youth said that they are feeling like ‘guinea pigs’ in the training of new Police.
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This lack of continuity at Flemington Police Station has also resulted in the collapse and loss of community policing measures that had been developed over several years with strong input and commitment from the African community, including with the genuine interest and hard work of young African people.
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Young people reported that aggressive interrogations of young Africans on the housing estate, with reports that the same person can be intercepted and interrogated by police on repeated occasions on the one day, without apparent reason or cause. This is making young Africans feel they are being unfairly targeted due only to their skin color. They said that it is a very difficult and hurtful concept for young
refugees, who came to Australia for a better and safer life, to accept as setting the tone for their future.
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Some young people criticized Debney Park Secondary College and other schools in the locale, as responsible for the root causes of the problems; for failing refugee youth through not providing adequate education and skill development, particularly in vital areas such as English, despite being funded to provide a special English Bridging Program for refugee youth; and for expelling students with the result that they end up on the streets with nothing to do, and no tools to establish a future.
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Mothers also highlighted the need for a holistic engagement strategy for young people and the lack of recreational facilities in the area.
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The need for support for families, community leaders and the elderly is seen as a critical to address the current ongoing issues with young people in the areas. Particularly the local women group requires greater support as they deal with young people in Flemington.

Proposed Actions
1.
The need for urgent action is needed from the top down through the intervention of force command of Victoria Police, with whom a meeting is being sought. The forum requests a senior member of the Victorian Police Force Command and other key government and non government bodies to meet with representatives of the African communities as soon as possible.
2.
The forum nominated a committee of young people to engage with further discussion. A holistic capacity building approach requires addressing multi level problems and service shortages that disadvantage the local residents particularly the young people.
3.
Auditing the existed local services and their coordination should be given priorities. This must be done in light of creating more opportunities for young people in employment and further education.
4.
The need for ongoing consultations with key stakeholders, community groups including young people should be given priorities.
Please note that the minutes from Saturday’s African residents in Flemington and North Melbourne meeting will be ready sometime soon.

Dr. Berhan Ahmed
Chairperson
African Think Tank Inc.