Somalis to get food, relief aid
2008-06-04 19:14
Geneva - The Red Cross said on Wednesday it will distribute food and relief aid to half a million Somalis in the coming weeks amid warnings the country faces its worst crisis in a decade.
Hundreds of thousands of Somalis face life-threatening food and water shortages due to escalating armed conflict and a severe drought in the central region, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.
In addition, spiralling food and fuel prices were aggravating the situation.
"We are witnessing the worst tragedy of the past decade in Somalia", said Pascal Hundt, head of the ICRC's delegation for Somalia.
"Amidst the ongoing armed conflict and other violence, finding water and food for the family is a daily challenge. Shelter and medical attention are also increasingly difficult to obtain," he added.
The ICRC said it is appealing for funds to finance the distribution of about four months equivalent of food rations to 435 000 people in the coming weeks.
About 150 000 people will also receive vital items such as blankets, shelter materials and kitchen sets.
An ICRC spokesperson told AFP that the budget for Somalia was about 49 million Swiss francs (about R365m) in 2007, and the initial budget for 2008 was roughly that amount.
However, with the latest additional aid, the budget could be one and a half times that of 2007, she said.
Thousands displaced
Hundreds of thousands of Somalis have been displaced by armed conflict that is engulfing many cities in the centre and south of the country.
The clashes between the Ethiopia-backed Somali government forces and Islamist fighters have raged over the past year and killed at least 6 000 civilians, according to rights groups and aid agencies.
The capital Mogadishu, in particular, has seen intense fighting.
Many of the people displaced by the violence are living in the open or in makeshift camps, said the ICRC.
In central Somalia, which has been hit by a severe drought for two years, more people are dependant on humanitarian aid for survival.
Neighbouring Ethiopia is also badly affected by drought.