Letters from the past

Gulf News looks back over the years at concerns and issues raised by readers in their letters to the newspaper. It's a retrospective that offers an insight into the community, the development of the country and the people. This week's letters are from 1981.

Wrong information
I wish to refer to the report on the crisis of the refugees in Somalia, published in Gulf News on December 25 and would like to correct some portions thereof. It was alleged in the report that the food sent by international organisations to the refugees was being diverted to the Somali army. This is not true, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the US has cleared the Somali administration of such charges after it investigated the issue. The food did not reach the refugee camps in time due to reasons beyond the control of the administration. These reasons included a delay in the arrival of ships, inadequate facilities to off-load the goods, shortage of trucks to transport food to refugee camps situated in Western Somalia from ports in Eastern Somalia and shortage of fuel due to the Iran-Iraq war. Under such circumstances, as a humanitarian measure the Somali army supplied food to the refugee camps from its own reserves. When there is enough food, the supplies released to refugees are diverted back to the army supply units to fill the gap caused by the earlier loans of food to relief agencies. Somalia has approximately 1.8 million refugees, so in terms of population every third person residing in Somalia is a refugee. It is the largest single concentration of refugees in the world. It should be viewed in light of the fact that Somalia has no industry or exports to withstand such a large burden on its resources. Cambodia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Pakistan and other countries have received more aid for their refugee problems. This is simply because of the lack of awareness in the rest of the world of the misery and poverty in the refugee camps in Somalia.
From Mrs Pushpa Shukla
Dubai

Clarification
I must comment on Gulf News's editorial on the British Labour Party, the recent shift of the Government to the left and the possible formation of a new party. First, as the voting conference went, if 3,375,000 voted for and 2,865,000 voted against the motion, then a 54 per cent majority isn't really "resounding". Second, when only about 3,000 people attended the conference and six and a quarter million votes were counted, then I am not surprised that a new party with the word "democracy" is about to be formed. According to the new resolution on the election of a new leader, 40 per cent of the votes go to the unions. For example, the leader of the Transport and General Workers Union has over two million supporters out of nearly eleven million union members. With his block votes - a vote for each of his members - he has nearly 25 per cent of the union votes. Simple arithmetic shows that 25 of 40 per cent is 10 per cent, 10 per cent of the present 268 Labour Members of Parliament is nearly 27 votes in voting for a new leader and possibly next prime minister of Britain! I must therefore disagree with the newspaper's statement that the "party's right wingers should accept the verdict of the majority" because the verdict of the majority was never heard.
From Mr Jeremy Whittaker
Dubai

Better postal services
Communication has played a vital and important role in moulding the modern business world. The modern world's activities are increasingly being based on the reliability of the postal system. However, sad to say, in the UAE the postal authorities have yet to appreciate their importance. Here, 80 per cent of the people are expatriates and they are longing to have some letters or news from relatives back home. It is, in fact, these letters and news that keep their spirits high. Similarly, 100 per cent of the companies have business activities, relations and collaborators abroad. So they have to send and receive letters, registered mail and parcels every day to ensure that their business activities run smoothly and profitably. In all other countries of the world, the postal service is considered an essential service. It enjoys a minimum number of holidays to provide the maximum benefit to all sections of society throughout the year. In the UAE, the situation is reversed. Postal holidays and other benefits surpass those of companies and institutions, resulting in hardship to all concerned. The concerned authorities should look into this matter and do something.
From Ms Prabha
UAE