By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa
EL ASHA, Somalia – The security situation in Somalia continues to hamper relief efforts. The presence of Ethiopian troops has only worsened the safety conditions and African Union soldiers along with Ugandan peacekeepers have been unable to stem the violence. Almost 6,000 people have been killed in fighting this year. After meeting with the UN Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, President Abdullahi Yusuf and new Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein have agreed to place security as their number one priority.
Yesterday, even as Holmes and Somali officials were discussing the growing crisis, eight people were killed in Mogadishu and the town of Jowhar. Holmes repeated sentiments issued by UN head Ban Ki-Moon earlier this month, that UN peacekeepers would not be viable since they can only keep the peace, not create it.
According to the UN, roughly 60% of Mogadishu’s residents left their homes and the World Food Program (WFP) estimates it feeds 21,000 people a day. Last month, UN officials described the situation in Somalia as the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa and not much has changed since Holmes’ visit this week. If anything, the conditions are worse. This month alone, 200,000 people left their homes to escape the incessant violence.
During Holmes’ four-day visit, he stopped by Afgooye, located west of Mogadishu, where nearly 200,000 people are living in squalid camps on the side of the road. Seeing the dire conditions first-hand, Holmes urged more assistance for the world’s worst developing humanitarian crises. Holmes concluded his visit to the Horn of Africa by calling on the international community and humanitarian agencies to respond to the Somali crisis and urging the Somali government to work with them.
Aid agencies have made attempts to combat the crisis but both sides, the government and insurgents, have made their efforts difficult. Insurgents have stolen loads of food and piracy has plagued the distribution process. The capital, Mogadishu, has many security checkpoints and aid agencies are stopped continuously and at times charged money. Furthermore, in October the mayor of Mogadishu, former warlord Mohamed Dheere, detained the head of the WFP for five days, causing WFP to temporarily suspend food distributions to at least 75,000 people.
For more information, please see:
BBC- UN Says Somalia needs more help – 3 December 2007
AllAfrica.com- UN- Atrocities Fuel Worsening Crisis in Horn of Africa – 3 December 2007
Reuters: Africa- UN aid chief appeals for more help for Somalia – 3 December 2007
Yahoo News- UN aid chief urges Somalia action as new cabinet unravels – 3 December 2007
