Somalia: Al Qaeda-Linked Militants Block Aid to Starving Children
- Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:56pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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MOGADISHU, Somalia (The Blaze/AP) — Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia vowed to keep most international aid workers out of the country despite a worsening famine and the U.N. warned Friday that 800,000 children could die in the region from starvation.
Frustrated aid groups said they want to deploy more food assistance in Somalia but don’t yet have the necessary safety guarantees to do so. The anarchic country has been mired in conflict for two decades and its capital is a war zone.
The renewed threat from al-Shabab means only a handful of agencies will be able to respond to the hunger crisis in militant-controlled areas of southern Somalia. And the largest provider of food aid – the U.N. World Food Program – isn’t among those being allowed inside.
The U.N. fears tens of thousands of people already have died in the famine, which has forced Somalis to walk for days in hopes of reaching refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.
The World Food Program said Friday it will begin providing food for 175,000 people in the Gedo region of southwest Somalia and to 40,000 people in the Afgoye corridor northwest of the capital, Mogadishu.
Internally displaced Somalis have been heading to the capital. The number of Somalis who arrived in Mogadishu in July – 21,100 – is more than four times the number that arrived in June and more than 10 times the number that arrived in May, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
UNICEF, one of the few groups that does operate in al-Shabab-controlled areas, said it was gearing up to deliver “unprecedented supplies” across the region.
“If we are to save lives, we need to act now, to bring in massive quantities of medicines, vaccines, nutrition supplies into the region as quickly as we are able and then get them out to the children who need it most,” said Shanelle Hall, director of UNICEF’s supply division.
Somalia is the most dangerous country in the world to work in, according to the U.N.’s World Food Program, which has lost 14 relief workers in the past few years. WFP pulled out of Islamist-controlled southern Somalia after the rebels demanded cash payments and other concessions.
The militant group al-Shabab began to ban aid agencies in 2009, fearing the groups could host spies or promote an un-Islamic way of life. Earlier this month, al-Shabab appeared to indicate it would soften its stance amid the hunger crisis.
But on Thursday, spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage said aid agencies the group had previously banned are still barred from operating in areas under its control. He called the U.N.’s declaration of famine in parts of Somalia this week are politically motivated and “pure propaganda.”
A spokesman for the World Food Program in Nairobi called al-Shabab’s new stance “frustrating” but said WFP is trying to resolve the impasse.
“We are appealing to all parties for immediate access to save lives. We want to go in there. We’re ready to move. We think a huge operation is needed. We’ve got all options ready to go, land routes, airlift, whatever it takes,” said spokesman David Orr.
The United Nations estimates that more 11 million people in East Africa are affected by the drought, with 3.7 million in Somalia among the worst-hit because of the ongoing civil war in the country.
Somalia’s prolonged drought devolved into famine in part because neither the Somali government nor many aid agencies can fully operate in areas controlled by al-Shabab.
On Wednesday, the U.N. declared a famine in the Bakool and Lower Shabele regions of southern Somalia. WHO’s representative for Somalia warned Friday that the conditions for declaring a famine are expected to be reached soon in two further parts of southern Somalia – Juba and Bay.
Melissa Fleming, a spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency, said waiting until people cross into neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya would mean many Somali women and children will starve to death before they reach the camps.
As of last week, nearly 440,000 people have arrived at eastern Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp – the largest in the world, according to the UNHCR.
The U.N. food agency also plans to airlift aid to Mogadishu, WFP spokeswoman Emilia Casella told reporters in Geneva. WFP also says it is “scaling up” efforts to reach those in what are believed to be newly accessible areas in the militant-held south.
In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron urged European countries to commit more aid to famine-hit countries in Africa. Britain already has spent about $146 million.
“Other countries are not doing as much and frankly they need to do more,” he said after meeting with members of the Somali community in Birmingham, England, on Friday.
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Bernard
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 4:54pmSince the Somali government is standing in the way of feeding these refugees more effort should be put in helping these evacuate to neighboring Ethiopia where they can get the basic needs taken care. With such a large coastline, refugees can also be evacuated via sea routes rather than stay and die.
Report Post »cosmic dogma
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 1:15amEvery country controlled by islam, (satan worship), is trying to recreate home, (hell). They succeed very well indeed. mohammad was a demon from hell.
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 9:52amhere’s why I have problems with Koran followers,
“Peace” in Islam means submission.
In that respect, it is the religion of peace.
Islam breeds backwardsness because innovation is not tolerated.
Report Post »they are so distrustful of other tribes within the Muslim community that patriotism will never exist-YEAH!!
Uechi
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:15pmYeah, but Isam is a peacful religion and Chirstians are bad. These animals are absolutely amazing in the depth of their evil.
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on July 25, 2011 at 9:57amSign up for the Levitt letter.
Report Post »It’s free.
Support Israel!!
Drakkhanlord
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 7:34pmHumanitarian mission in Lybia , yet Somalia has been like this for years…
btw , The US has given Trillions to the World , Time for the other Countries to step up.
Report Post »christos
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 4:49pm……This is horrific,pray to +GOD+ that +HE+ will help the starving get the food they need in +JESUS+ name I pray Amen.
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 5:01pmahhh, Somalia. The snake pit of the african continent. That place is going to get much, much, much worse as it becomes a festering sore to liberty loving people. That cancer is going to have to literally ‘cut out.’
Report Post »Drakkhanlord
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 7:36pmwell , where is he …? Am sure he could help…Waiting…
yeah , good luck with that.
Report Post »junkmaninohio
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 3:34pmHow can this be? Is this not the religion of peace? Is this the same religious group that straps bombs on children and sends them into the crowd?
Report Post »MUDFLAPS
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:24pmISLAM… the religion of peace… My ASS!
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:15pmWhat sad, pathetic comments some have made here! Where are your hearts? These are defenseless children. If you can do nothing else, pray! Ask God to help. Put this in God’s hands. He is the only hope for salvation.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:06pmFather God, please have mercy on these children. Please provide safety for those who are trying to get food to them. Help us Lord, show us the way to feed Your children.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:56pm.
Report Post »So? This is not news.
Savages treating savages badly.
Maybe the Somali pirates can take some of their millions and feed the starving.
“It’s for the children.”
oldchevyguy
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:44pmNot our problem!
Report Post »Southernguy
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:07pmWhy am I not surprised.
Report Post »sandy21957
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:01pma good read is the book Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Great insight into the mindset of Somalis/Muslims.
Report Post »sandy21957
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:31pmWe can’t help if our hands are tied. Yet, Obama wants to transplant 70,000+ to the rural Tennessee country side. This being the country that has given us pirates, terrorists and complete anarchy. Don’t import that craziness.
Report Post »Southernguy
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:12pmI hope he don’t transplant them here.(Mississippi) We got enough illegals to deal with already.
Report Post »shadisadie
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:37pmI say, let em all starve! that many less islamists to try to kill us
Report Post »roadhog
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:20pmFro 70 year we have been seeing these pictures of starven Childern and we see the Afrinca Thugs steal the money and go to switzerland with Billions. Its time for massive Brith control.
Report Post »johnj1952
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:18pmMy God, is a loving God. The muslins pray to a god of hate and more hate. The muslin god would let children die, for what? I cannot believe that these animals are so blinded by their belief in what is really devil worship. Cry for the little children, and pray for those that demand they live in a world not controled by the monsters of their god allah.
Report Post »eubanksray
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 11:09amMakes you wonder…if there is a God. Muslims’ God is one ugly dude.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:36amThey banned Aid groups because they might encourage a non-muslim way of life
Therefore
Muslims are pro starving children
Muslims are pro starving seniors
Much like Barry’s Death Panels
Report Post »jacobstroubles
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:25amWell of course they would block the aid to these children/people… Why the shock? This is what vile filth of islam is all about… death, killing, control, horror. Oh, ya and muhammaned their oh great one was a vile and filthy pedophile!
Report Post »Hiswill
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 1:44pmIf this is their way to get others to like Muslims more, it’s not working. How could any civilized group of people stand by and watch children starve to death? Where is the outrage from the Muslim populations claiming to be moderates?
Report Post »Cheetosareus
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:51amSheik Ali Mohamud Rage said bla bla bla. Don’t you just love the way these mass murderers make up high sounding names for themselves. They think adding Mohammud, or Mohammad or some middle eastern name to the mix gives them stature. Truth is they don’t deserve a second thought when it comes to ending their personal regiemes. They are no better than Bin Laden and deserve the same fate. Africans have been killing Africans for centuries and there never seems to be any shortage of victims for them to exploit.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:30amsounds to me like we would rather have babies slowly starve to death then risk aid getting to the wrong hands’.that’s on us,not them.our agencies pulled out rather then submit to their demands means to prove a poing[we don't negotiage with 'terrorists'],we would rather have people die of starvation.we are now guilty of using famine as a weapon against muslims! murdering hypocrites!That people have to reach the neiboring countires before they have a chance of getting aid makes us mass murderers of civilians via starvation[a la stalin and north korea].We can‘t say we value human life if we’d rather have people slowly starve to death then pay a tax in a country so desperate that people have taken to piracy to survice. We can’t say we value human life if to prove a point about womens rights we rather have women and their children starve to death then meet the requirements of somalia militias that we obseve their codes about womens atire or such.Wow.You right wing “christians” must be thrilled;you found a way of murdering millions of muslims without firing a shot!Starvation for muslims is the order of the day for americans-the biggest terrorist nation on the planet now adapting stalinist mass starvation as a terrorist weapon.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 8:40amNo “WE” here. Rosie Palm can find any way to blame America for Musselmen starving children and seniors. This atrocity lays square at the feet of Muhammed and the koran.
Report Post »Lux
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 9:11amRose please… you want to see more dead and starving children then remove United States of America from the equation and you’ll get just that. We provide more aid to the world than any other country. Without our wheat half the world would starve. When a disaster strike who comes to the rescue? Yep that’s right the USA.
Report Post »Eff the Poor
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 10:35amRose, you ignorant b*tch, you forgot to mention that its all Bush’s fault.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 6:20amUnited Nations only function is to get the “Palestinian State”. Somalia has been without a government for two decades, pirates ruling their coast, and now starving people. There are some 350,000 somalia refugees in Kenya. What about the Darfur region of Sudan? What about the Coptics in Egypt? What’s the IAEA doing about Iran? Isn‘t Iran violating your IAEA’s peaceful use, and prolifiration? The Arab League. and the African Union are your masters. United Nations is also a tool for the worlds progressives agenda!
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 3:16amWhat a tragedy do you see how Islam is always at the base of the worst suffering.
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:07amObama’s cousin Raila Odinga – in Kenya – was made rich with Oil money from Libya’s Gadhafi.
But since Odinga was on a mission – in his bid for President of Kenya – to have Kenya become a safe haven for TERRORISTS – and to place Kenya under Sharia Law, the last thing he would probably do – is help the poor, starving people.
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