"The tears of Somalia" by Erdogan

The article entitled "The Tears of Somalia" by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was published on the Foreign Policy, a leading publication in the US, yesterday. In his article, Erdogan drew attention to the fact that Somalia is suffering the most severe drought and famine in the last 60 years. "This crisis tests the notion of civilization and our modern values. It reveals, once again, that it is a basic human obligation to pursue international cooperation and solidarity to provide solace for those suffering from natural and man-made disasters," wrote Erdogan. He indicated that it was not realistic to consider Somalia's plight as caused solely by a severe natural disaster, adding, "The tears that are now running from Somalia's golden sands into the Indian Ocean must stop. They should be replaced by hopeful voices of a country where people do not lose their lives because of starvation and where they express their eagerness to develop and restore peace and stability. Regardless of which culture we come from or where we live, I am confident that our common heritage as human beings will motivate us to ease the suffering of Somalia."