Somalia 'too risky' for aid work

2008-03-26 11:19

Nairobi - Somalia has become so dangerous that aid workers cannot help the more than one million civilians in dire straits in the war-scarred nation, an alliance of 39 aid agencies has warned.

Aid groups had warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe in late October, said the statement, from organisations including Oxfam, World Vision and Save the Children.

"Since then, the crisis engulfing Somalia has deteriorated dramatically while access to people in need continues to decrease; 360 000 people have been newly displaced and an additional half a million people are reliant on humanitarian assistance," it said.

"There are now more than one million internally displaced people in Somalia. Intense conflict in Mogadishu continues to force an average of 20 000 people from their homes each month," the statement added.

Communities struggle survive

The agencies spoke out as the United Nations Security Council considered a March 21 report on Somalia by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The Security Council had reviewed options for increased UN involvement in strife-torn Somalia but key members had ruled out an early deployment of a full-fledged peacekeeping force.

Options included relocating Nairobi-based UN personnel dealing with Somalia to Mogadishu; boosting the UN presence in the country; deploying up to 28 500 UN troops and police or sending an estimated 8 000-strong "stabilisation force".

The aid agencies statement said that the plight of Somali civilians forced from their homes had been exacerbated by other factors.

"Record high food prices, hyper-inflation and drought in large parts of the country is leaving communities struggling to survive," it said.

- AFP