A Book on The Sikh Militant in Somalia by Cynthia Mahmood...

During the 1990’s, Somalia had a famine crisis, which many Westerners labeled as a ‘humanitarian crisis.’ As always, the hegemon, which was the United States, stepped up to the plate and helped in providing food for the starving Somalis. Seeing starving children drew Westerners to sympathize with these individuals and they blamed the inept Somali government for not doing enough to help its citizens. The intervention was meant to deliver food to the Somalia, but later that turned to ‘mission creep’, â€Å"the temptation commanders feel to chase success and perhaps glory around the next corner by expanding their mandate and rolling over anyone in their way† (Hoagland, 1: 1993). What was a humanitarian crisis has now turned into a nation-building†¦show more content†¦Often times, Western states do not intervene because, they believe in sovereignty and that these nations have a right to rule themselves without outside interference. When Western nations do not interfere, the result like many, is a bigger conflict (i.e. genocide) among local population and more people die, many are displaced and become refugees. Similarly, Deborah Thomas’ book argues that the violence in Jamaica is not passed from generation to generation, but due to the history of colonization. Yet, many anthropologist, when doing their research, always see the violence in Jamaica as something that has always been there, something that is innate. Ultimately, that has influenced how the international community has viewed conflicts in Jamaica, that is, as a thing that has always been a part of the nation and that we should not bother to get involved in it. In conclusion, we always expect certain cultures to be, act, and behave a certain way. Until these cultures, are involved in something that goes against our beliefs, we look at them different, treat them as the perpetrators, and refuse to help them whenever they face a