Al Arabiya
Thursday, December 06, 2012
By ABDUL RAHMAN BUKHARA
The different wars Somalia had witnessed over more than 20 years rendered many of its citizens handicapped in the absence of specialized centers to cater for their needs and help them reintegrate into society.
Mohamed Hussein was shot during a fight between two state soldiers and the culprit was never arrested. Mohammed, who was one day dreaming to become a runner, is now using a wheelchair.
“My injury did not affect my morale and I continued my education. However, sometimes I am in pain because of splinter that had settled into my body,” he said.
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, scores of disabled Somalis gather here to express their needs on their universal day.
They want to stress that they are capable of taking part in public life if the society, which they say is looking down upon them, is really willing to offer them help.
On the occasion, handicapped Somalis have called upon the new Somali government to support them and provide them with care.
A sizable portion of the world’s population is suffering from disability, but war, famine, and water loaded with toxic wastes are all factors that contribute to increasing the number of the handicapped in Somalia, a country that suffered a lot under the yoke of armed conflict.