When the battle’s lost and won
FIGHTING and talking: the Somalis are good at both. In colonial times, reminisced an aged warrior, the governor would call squabbling clans together for a talk. If they failed to resolve matters, he would say, “Now go away and fight and come back when you have finished.” And they did.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “When the battle’s lost and won”
From the August 12th 2000 edition
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