Somalia: Famine Is Far From Over (PHOTOS)

The holiday of Eid Al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan is traditionally a day of joyous festivities, of presents, of new clothes and abundant food. Yet as Muslims across the world celebrated on Tuesday, many in Somalia depended on the help of food rations and international aid to mark the end of the holy month.

Hit by the worst drought in half a century, Eastern Africa has been struggling with a famine that, according to the United Nations, put 12 million people in need of help. The U.N. officially declared a famine in five regions of Somalia and warned that hunger might spread to neighboring countries Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda.

In Somalia famine has made nearly 3.2 million people, or half of the country's population, dependent on aid. 860,000 Somalis have left their homes to neighboring countries Kenya and Ethiopia, 1.5 million people are displaced within the country, and 29,000 Somali children under five already have lost their lives.

Aid organizations struggled to reach Somalia's famine victims, as many affected regions are controlled by Islamist militants.

On a visit to the Doolow refugee camp on Tuesday, head of the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres urged militants to allow aid to reach the refugees. "We appeal to all the parties in the conflict to respect humanitarian law, to grant access, for humanitarian aid to be (seen as) neutral and not diverted for devious purposes," Guterres said according to a UNHCR statement.

See photos from Somalia's ongoing crisis here:

Comments

[williamsaxeman]

05:44 PM on 09/14/2011

Remember Black Hawk down.These are the People That was Dragging our Dead Service Men And Laughing. Now I laugh at you

[Jack Daniels Esq]

07:16 AM on 08/31/2011

To all my muslim friends all over the world - L'chaim

[unitycenter]

05:23 AM on 08/31/2011

One way to deal with relief food being stolen and re-sold is to make agreements with the local big sellers of the area to buy from them and let them to do the distribution. You are undermining their business by giving free food and the money they get goes back into the local economy. The company would get a voucher as payment from each individual given a packet of food. After the food is delivered and unloaded inside the camps the company will collect vouchers or get nothing if the food isn't delivered. The big companies know the locals and know the government. They wouldn't be in business if they didn't. The people inside the camps would organize those to receive the food, giving vouchers to each woman head of a family or group. Poor women are not weak and can be very effective at keeping unruly kids under control, Between the self interest of the people delivering the food and the people organizing inside the camp, this can get done.

[Lozange]

02:08 AM on 08/31/2011

Saudi prince Alwaleed was already there last week to pledge aid to Somalia. Shoddy reporting.

[fairwayhill]

07:56 PM on 08/30/2011

Why H.P. doesn't aIIow comments on Foxman's articIe?