Dec 03 2007
Crisis in Somalia
GUEST: Leslie Lefkow, Senior Researcher at Human Rights Watch
The top humanitarian official at the United Nations, John Holmes, has urged more aid for Somalia, where serious violence has killed hundreds this year and sparked a dire humanitarian crisis. Somalia is considered one of the world’s worst developing humanitarian crises but very few aid agencies have been able to establish permanent and efficient operations there citing frequent check points and extortion. The political context of the crisis lies in the fierce fighting between Ethiopia-backed Somali forces and Islamist rebels which displaced at least 600,000 people from the capital Mogadishu since February. With the tacit approval of the US, the neighboring nation of Ethiopia intervened militarily in Mogadishu, enabling Somalia’s current transitional government to reclaim power from the Council of Islamic Courts militia. Senior United Nations officials in the region consider Somalia to be the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa, surpassing even Darfur in its horror and hopelessness.
One Response to “Crisis in Somalia”
My family and I left somalia back in 1984 prior to the war. father being in the government saw this coming and left with his family to canada for a better life. I have been back twice and constantly keep up with what is going on in somalia. I don’t think somalia needs aid , it needs to hit rock bottom . if you send aid it will only be used for other purposes and the needy will not receive it any how. Let them solve there own issue’s what ever they maybe be, each day they make up something new anyways. I am tired , Parents are tired and the world is tired of this nonsense.