ONE FOR TERRY DENHAM

[NIGEL]

Report today on BBC News Terry, about people digging up Italian Soldiers Graves and dumping the remains at an unused airport. Dont understand why.

Are there any Commonwealth Graves there Terry that could be in danger??

[Terry Denham]

Nigel

There are four CWGC sites in Somalia. To date, there is no news that any are threatened.

I suspect that they are better maintained than those of other nations and Italy was the not too well-liked former colonial power in much of Somalia. The former British sector to the north is not so chaotic as the south and has declared its 'independence'.

There are two cemeteries..

- Hargeisa War Cemetery with 115 WW2 war graves and 2 from WW1 (north)

- Mogadishu African War Cemetery with 182 WW2 graves plus 3 from WW1 (south)

There are also two memorials to the missing...

Berbera Memorial with 109 WW1 names (north)

Hargeisa Memorial with 208 WW2 names (north)

[NIGEL]

Thanks Terry, as usual reply within a few minutes

[Terry Denham]

For those interested, the story is here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4187097.stm

[Desmond7]

Somalia (certainly that area in the south around Mogadishu/Baidoa etc) is a country beyond your worst nightmares. It is 'Mad Max' territory for real.

The wildest bit of the wild west would not compare.

Anarchy rules ok. Clans and sub-clans .... factions and rivals. Not being political, but this is a story which the world has shied away from.

The once trumpetted famine in Somalia was entirely man-made. Another one is just waiting to happen in this country. And sadly I don't think the UN, NGOs or anyone else will be able to do anything about it.

It is one country where even the best aid efforts seem to come to nothing - the warring clans are like something out of a post apocaplyptic movie. Except nastier.

Des