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"There is something I don't understand," a friend Another strange thing that has happened is that the

observed."Ever since I was on the ground covering "chief" Somali pirate who, after almost ten years of
the Libyan crisis, we reported that you could buy a pursuing his doubtful career, has suddenly announced
Kalashnikov for US$50, while for US$400 you could his retirement. Have newly discovered oil reserves
get a complete anti-tank missile system." This was made him decide to become a "decent" person!

common knowledge.The different intelligence ser-

vices in Europe and elsewhere knew exactly what These facts may seem to be independent of each
was going on and what the consequences were. So, other but, nevertheless, demonstrate one thing:
the big question one could ask oneself is: why did it yhen a country is poor and does not have much to
take so long before anybody reacted to the attacks offer, people easily fall prey to temptations of crimi-
by armed groups in Mali! It was only on the day nal activities and religious fanaticism.
that they approached the capital city that something
started to happen. If only we could create wealth for these people and
make them aware of the risks they may be facing.
How many times have we been told that Islam is a Perhaps one should look more to the opportunities,

religion of peace and the vast majority of Muslims and help them to develop economically before they
only want to lead peaceful lives!This "vast majority" all confront the same fate as Mali has recently faced.
has become irrelevant by its silence. The world of
Islam has become dominated by armed religious Economic development and the creation of jobs is
fanatics. It is these fanatics who take control of the only thing that can prevent this kind of crisis.
mosques. It is the fanatics who place bombs and Perhaps we should rather ask ourselves, would it not

carry out massacres. It is the fanatics who stone to be better to do more to help the poor countries

death homosexuals and women who have been vic- develop! Already ninety years ago Fridthof Nansen
tims of rape. It is fanatics who murder their sisters pointed out that the member states of the League
for "crimes of honour". The "silent majority" has of Nations Were trying tO defend themselves against
become our enemy because they do not react. One political threats by increasing armaments rather than
way or another, their world is doomed. Either the eliminating the problem at its root. He asked that

fanatics will take over or the rest of the world will just I O% of the money spent on armaments should
impose its OWn answer.The silence of inaction is the be invested in the development of poor countries.
most dangerous noise in the world. Did anyone listen!
Why is it so easy to just sit and wait until the fire in During the Cold War just one nuclear submarine

your neighbour's yard goes out by itself! Is it only was capable of destroying every large city on the pla-
when you are faced with the possibility that your own net - and dozens of these submarines were built at

house will burn down that you C:'11the fire brigade! heaven knows what cost.This year will mark twenty-
four years since the end of the Cold War, but have

It is worth paraphrasing the words of the Protes- military budgets been diverted to the development
tant priest Martin Niem61ler (1892-1984) about the of poor countries! The cost of one tank or one jet
inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi fighter is equivalent to eradicating one of the terrible
rise to power: diseases that affect the poor countries ofAfrica.
"First they came for the communists, but I didn't

speak out because I wasn't a communist. This would be our wish.To see the opportunities
Then they came for the socialists, but I didn't speak that exist, to seize them and help people before the

out because I wasn't a socialist. fire strikes. It may take more resources to put out

Then they came for the trade unionists, but I didn't the fire than to prevent it in the first place.
speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, but I didn't speak out As Albert Einstein once said: "The world is a dange-

because I wasn't a Jew. rous place to live; not because of the people who are

Then they came for the homosexuals, but I didn't evil, but because of the people who don't do anything

speak out because I wasn't a homosexual. about it."
Then they came for me, and there was no one left
to speak for me." John and Marjt