Can Photographs Change The World? Somalia Tragedy Through The Lens Of Jean-Claude Coutausse

Photographs have the capacity to transcend politics, in the times of war, natural disasters and perpetrated crimes. The written and verbal perspectives of media figures and scholars can at times diminish the causalties of victims. One of the below photographs by Jean-Claude Coutausse displays Somali men running the opposite way a United Nations convoy is driving towards and the other photograph depicts a Somali boy protesting “against the presence of foreign troops” with two bloody corpses and a crowd dissembling behind him. As a native of Somalia and as an American, these two photographs represent volumes of irony in politics where causalities can not be ignored. Thus as Jonathan Klein has stated “images have the impact of touching people.”

North Kenya, Liboi. A young Somali refugee crosses a field filled with marabous storks in July 1992:

Although the above photos have changed the world, Operation Restore Hope has traces of obscurity from our U.S. nation’s standpoint as well as my native Somalia. Censorship is a great contributor to this obscurity as Ted Rall put it “Dead and wounded Afghans, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Somalis, Yemenis and Libyans have been expunged from American popular culture as well. Other factors are the 6 corporations which control 90% of the media in America” which “constrict the flow of information”
as Professor Nordell stated.

More info: Jean-Claude Coutausse

North Kenya, Liboi. Somali refugee camp in July 1992:

Operation Restore Hope began as a mission by the United States to assist Somalia in the Civil War, which was a war between two previously allied tribes that were responsible for overthrowing the Somali President, Said Baare. However is it is necessary to revisit the history of the United States in relation to war to fully understand Operation Restore Hope.

North Kenya, Liboi. Somali refugee camp in July 1992:

The United States of America is one of the most powerful countries in the world mainly for its role in wars since 1776 until 2011 and thereafter in “unannounced wars”, drone strikes. As a result its involvement in wars, the United States’ abundance of resources (food, clean water, shelter, hospitals, etc.) and security (border protection of land, marine, air and cyber security) exceeds that of any other developed nation around the globe. When the United Nations pleaded for humanitarian assistance in Somalia from allied countries, the United States volunteered. Finally Somalia had a beacon of hope to help bring an end to the Civil War.

North Kenya, Liboi. Somali refugee camp in July 1992:

The heroic attempts of the United States’ to restore peace in Somalia would ultimately end as a failed mission. Hence, the above photographs changed the world by transcending politics and “showing man’s destructive power over man” as Jonathan Klein stated.

North Kenya, Liboi. Somali refugee in July 1992:

North Kenya, Liboi. Kitchen in Somali refugee camp in Hagadera in July 1992:

Somalia. Ruins of the Mogadishu port in July 1992:

North Kenya, Liboi. Feeding center in Somali refugee camp in Dagahaley in July 1992:

North Kenya, Liboi. Hospital in Somali refugee camp in July 1992:

Somalia, Kurtun Warey. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Kurtun Warey. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Kurtun Warey. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Bur Akaba. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Kurtun Warey. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Kurtun Warey. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Mogadishu. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Kurtun Warey. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Baidoa. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Baidoa. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Baidoa. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Baidoa. Feeding center for the persons displaced by the civil war in July 1992:

Somalia, Mogadishu. Somalians and Pakistani soldiers under UN mandate in July 1993:

Somalia, Mogadishu. Pakistani soldiers under UN mandate open fire on protestors against the presence of foreign troops in July 1993:

Somalia, Mogadishu. Pakistani soldiers under UN mandate in July 1993:

Somalia, Mogadishu. July 1993: