Uganda: Somalia's Hungry Need Urgent Help

25 July 2011

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editorial

As thousands of hungry Somalis continue trekking to neighbouring countries, the country's radical al-Shabaab Islamists have denied lifting a ban it had placed on some Western aid agencies. They also claim reports of famine in Somalia are "sheer propaganda".

Last week, the United Nations officially declared famine in parts of Somalia as the country experiences the worst drought in 60 years. According to UN estimates, 10 million people are in urgent need of food aid, not just in Somalia but across eastern Africa. However, Somalia, by far the worst-hit, needs immediate attention. In the last few months alone, more than 166,000 Somalis are estimated to have fled to Kenya and Ethiopia.

And yet, getting food aid to Somalia is complex. The situation is complicated by the fact that the country has no solid central authority to organise aid to communities. The al-Shabaab, it has been reported, is preventing people trying to flee to camps to receive aid.

It seems the insurgents are determined to maintain a ban they imposed on foreign aid agencies in 2009. Though the group was recently reported to have allowed limited access to some areas under their control, they now claim no such ban was lifted.

If the insurgents maintain this ban, it means more Somalis will be forced to flee. Already, Kenya is struggling to cope with an influx of Somali refugees. Many have arrived with weak, malnourished children in dire need of medicine, shelter and food.

It is therefore unfortunate that reports in some sections of the western media seem to politicise this dire situation. Granted, al-Shabaab is a terror group affiliated to al-Qaeda, but their irrational actions should not be allowed to cloud the bigger picture: that of vulnerable communities in desperate need of food.

The World Food Programme, one of those banned by al-Shabaab, needs to be commended, and supported for continuing to operate in Somalia under difficult conditions.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon last week said $300m was required in the next two months if adequate response is to be provided to those who urgently need help. These funds are needed to help nearly half the Somali population currently starving. It is important that aid is not withheld on suspicion that it may end up in the hands of al-Shabaab terrorists.