Serious Somali Crisis [News]

[-Serenity-]

Aid agency warns of humanitarian crisis in Somaliasize>

 

Agencies

 

Friday January 20, 2006

 

An agency monitoring hunger in Somalia has warned of a humanitarian disaster with the country facing an "acute food and livelihood crisis".

 

The Food Security Analysis Unit - which works on behalf of the UN and European and American aid agencies - said extreme drought had left 1.75 million people in need.

 

"The crisis is particularly severe in the southern regions of Somalia, where an estimated 1.4 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance," the unit said.

 

It said more than 50% of Somalia's crops had failed - the country's worst harvest for 10 years.

 

The drought has also spread into neighbouring countries. "Further stressing their plight, the drought is regional in nature, extending into Ethiopia and Kenya," the unit added.

 

Aid agencies have warned that east Africa could be on the brink of catastrophe as food stocks in Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi, Eritrea and Tanzania also dwindle.

 

The severity of the crisis has shocked people in Kenya, east Africa's richest nation. Earlier this month, the Kenyan president, Mwai Kibaki, declared the drought a national disaster and appealed for £85m in aid.

 

The UN world food programme has reported that 11.5 million people in east Africa will require food assistance in the coming months.

 

However, Somalia may be worst hit by the drought. It has been divided into warring, clan-based fiefdoms since the central government collapsed in 1991, and numerous efforts to restore order have so far failed.

 

Piracy off of Somalia's coast has forced the WFP to stop using cargo ships to deliver food aid. Driving supplies along lawless roads leads to other problems and makes delivery difficult.

 

The Food Security Analysis Unit said that, in addition to the grain shortage, between 20% and 30% of cattle in southern Somalia have died because of a lack of forage or water. Malnutrition is affecting 25% of the human population in some areas have reached.

 

"While Somalia is normally one of the poorest and most food insecure countries in the world, current conditions are dire and way beyond the typically resilient Somali peoples' capacity to cope with stress," Nicholas Haan, the chief technical adviser to the unit, said.

 

"The window of opportunity to avert disaster is quickly closing."

 

Source

 

Has this been reported anywhere else?

[Castro]

Causes of Somalia's impending famine:

 

1) Drought (natural)

2) War (man made)

3) Food aid not reaching those in need due to piracy (man made)

4) Apathy and indifference of rest of Somalis (man made)

 

Donate to the WFP here. Just $15 (or its equivalent) from each member of this site is $100,000. That is a lot of food, people. Help clear your conscience folks by helping your brethren. Also thank the American 5th fleet for capturing some spineless pirates this weekend. With kinsmen like these, who needs a bloody enemy?

 

Did the "honorable" president of Somalia say or do anything about this? Oh Allah, how long must we suffer the indignity of vegetables and crooks as leaders?

[Gabbal]

Also thank the American 5th fleet for capturing some spineless pirates this weekend.

Rubbish. They are simply protecting our coastline from illegal fishing and toxic chemical waste dumping.

 

p.s. Before I am attacked for it, I have absaloutely no tribal affiliation with them.

[Maf Kees]

How ironic. Southern Somalia used to be the area that would house rural Somalis fleeing the drought in other areas. The silence of other Somalis is deafening indeed.

 

Thanks for the link Castro, I'll make sure to donate.

Rubbish. They are simply protecting our coastline from illegal fishing and toxic chemical waste dumping.

Bullshidh. Illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping are two problems and piracy is a third.

[Ibtisam]

Tragic indeed. :mad: