Report: Quarter of a million Somalis died in famine
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
May 2, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – A new report released on Thursday revealed that 258,000 people died in Somalia during a severe famine that hit the East African nation between 2010 and 2012.
The aid agency report said tens of thousands of people died needlessly because the international community was slow to respond to the crises.
It was disclosed that among the total victims, more than half were children aged five and under.
According to the report, between May and August 2011, when the famine and food shortages reach in its worst level, 30,000 people were dying each month.
The newly revealed death toll is far higher than a previous estimation by the UK government which put the figures between 50,000 and 100,000.
Continued fighting as well as lack of security, which made it difficult for humanitarian aid agencies to handout food for the needy, were major impacts stated as effects of the famine.
Most Western aid agencies were forced to withdraw their operation due to continued threats from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic extremist group, Al-Shabaab.
The small number of aid agencies who managed to continue operating were also prevented from delivering food aid by Al Shabaab.
Following the report, Oxfam has urged world leaders – who are meeting in London next week to discuss the situation in Somalia – to urgently take concerted steps to avoid any further devastating famine in Somalia.
Tens of thousands of Somalis have fled from Al Shabaab-controlled areas to other parts of the country in search of food.
Many more have crossed borders to neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia.
Currently African Union (AU) peacekeepers, as well as troops from Ethiopian and Kenya are helping the weak government of Somalia in the battle against Al Shabaab.
The war-torn African nation is witnessing relatively improved peace and security conditions in recent months following the weakening of the radical group.
Spokesperson for the UN refugee agency’s (UNHCR) branch office in Ethiopia, Kisut Gebregzabiher, on Thursday told Sudan Tribune that the influx of Somali refugees to Ethiopia has declined in recent months from in thousands to hundreds.
“We have registered 4,726 new arrivals in February and some 1,990 in March, while less than 600 in April”, he said.
According to the UN official, there are currently about 235,000 Somalia refugees in Ethiopian camps.
(ST)