While all nations are on the path to progress, Somalia is a nation that has failed in many respects and is perhaps walking back. It would bring surprise to many that the Indian PM compared Kerala to that nation. It is also queer that a PM tried to compare a state in his nation with Somalia.
Somalia is facing internal strife ever after the fall of the government in 1969 following a civil war. It is known to the world for chaos and sea pirates. Even the UN, despite repeated attempts, has not been able to implement peace in the nation. The US withdrew from the nation after many of its soldiers were killed. While neighbouring Kenya and others have tried to lend a helping hand to the nation, local leaders did not cooperate with any such efforts. Finally, a time came when African nations wrote off Somalia.
The nation, which did not have a running economic system or even a currency, had been closed to other nations until 2013. The nation was ruled by ethnic warlords, who ruled according to their whims and fancies. A permanent government came into existence in 2013. Even though a temporary constitution came into force, the situation of the nation is pitiable. Since the internal situation of the nation is too chaotic, there is no scope for elections to be held in the nation.
The nation depends on cattle and imported money and technologies. Growth of domestic production is $575 crores only and growth rate is only 2.6 per cent. About 43 per cent of the people receive less than the equivalent of Rs 60 a day to sustain themselves. Life expectancy is 50 years and about 80 per cent of people do not have a house to live.
Now, it would be a futile exercise to compare Kerala with such a nation. When I was the high commissioner in Kenya, I was responsible for Somalia. However, I never had a chance to visit that country and I could collect information only from leaders who used to visit Kenya. The only cooperation between India and Somalia was that many Indian soldiers were part of the peace-keeping force that went under the UN to Somalia.
Many leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations, have stressed that Kerala is a role model in many areas to others. The progress made by Kerala is at par with some advanced nations. The progress that the state has made in health, education and culture is collectively called and referred to as the Kerala Model. In such a situation, when a PM compares the state to Somalia, even as part of oratorical embellishment, it seems a bit overstretched.
(The author was a permanent representative of India in the UN and a diplomat with various responsibilities. The ideas expressed are personal)
