More displaced Somalis from the Bay area moved into the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in droves on Tuesday, as the nation continues to suffer from drought and famine. This region is the sixth in Somalia to be impacted by starvation since the United Nation's first announced the outbreak of famine in July which has affected a little over half the population. On Monday, the UN said that the six out of eight regions south of the country are now affected by the famine, as 750, 000 Somalis are at risk of starvation. Amina Mohammed is an example of a person who has been displaced within Somalia. "I came from Bay in Southern Somalia last month because of the drought, I settled at Galkayo but the recent clashes scared me and I had to move from there. I got here yesterday but the situation looks the same from where I came from, I don't know what to do," she said. Moreover, aid agencies are facing difficulty supplying the people with food, as the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab rebels are prohibiting incoming aid to the southern territory which they predominantly control. Also, displaced farmers don't have enough time to reach their farms to tend their crops by October, when brief rainfall is expected. "The situation at Bay was very bad, there is a lot of starvation there and there is no water. The last time it rained there was years ago and all our livestock was wiped out. We are farmers and all our crops died, I don't think enough attention is being given to this situation," she said. The displaced have been complaining about the lack of basic human necessities like food and shelter. Thirty percent are suffering from severe malnourishment and the UN reports two in 10,000 deaths a day. Since the end of dictator Mohammed Siad Barre's rule 20 years ago, Somalia has been hit by continuous conflict and civil war. The country has been ruled by interim governments since 2004, but a meeting was held by various stakeholders on Tuesday in the capital Mogadishu to discuss both security and political reform and the holding of elections next year. By Noora Faraj AlArabiya with Agencies Speaker: Amina Mohammed - Internally displaced Somali Voice: Nadia Idriss Mayen
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Clinton: Somalia to Receive Millions for Famine Relief
Clinton: Somalia to Receive Millions for Famine Relief At the International Food Policy research Institute, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the U.S. will increase aid for famine relief to the Horn of Africa, with 12 million U.S. dollars reserved for Somalia, the worst affected by the crisis. "The United States is the largest single country contributor of food and humanitarian assistance to the Horn of Africa. On Monday, President Obama announced that in light of the current crisis, we are making available an additional 105 million dollars in emergency funding. Today I'm announcing another 17 million on top of that, with 12 million designed specifically for helping the people of Somalia. That brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance to the region to more than 580 million dollars this year. We are reaching more than 4.6 million people with this aid." Ms. Clinton said. Ms. Clinton re-issued her demand for Al Shabaab militants to give aid workers free entry into Somalia. "Still, a great deal depends on whether al Shabaab is willing to let international assistance be delivered. And so I once again urge al Shabaab to heed the calls not only of the international community, including the Arab league, but of the cries of their own people, and allow the secure delivery of relief to all those who are afflicted. The United States will continue to work with Somalis and the international community to bring the hope of peace and stability to Somalia. And we join all Somalis in hoping that there will be a future with a functioning government that can protect the Somali people against famine and help to build a sustainable agricultural sector." She added. Clinton called on governments and donors to contribute with immediate aid for the 12 million people affected by the worst drought and famine in decades in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti and Somalia. By Nadia Idriss Mayen Al Arabiya with Agencies
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As Muslims Celebrate Eid Somalia Struggles
Eid al-Fitr dawned on Somalia but for many people it did little to alleviate their terrible conditions. Most of Mogadishu's residents have been displaced by war, and thousands of southern inhabitants were forced to relocate to the capital to escape the tough drought that hit their areas and killed their cattle. They hoped to find in the capital some respite from starvation. Nuria Moallem is just one of the people who recently fled from southern Somalia because of the famine. Two of her children died from starvation a few days ago and has nothing to cheer about during the holiday, especially as she is barely able to feed her remaining children. "We live in very hard conditions and I cannot feel the joy of this Eid. I look forward to getting the basics necessities at home" she said. This woman and many other families in this camp, are up against their greatest challenges. Their lives depend on aid through charity. As they celebrate Eid amidst this scenario they are hopeful that the next holiday will bring their families some happiness. Despite the odds, relief agencies are still trying to help families in need. In this camp, which the World Assembly of Muslim Youth supervises, clothes have been distributed to hundreds of poor families. One of the directors of the organization, Omar Ali Bawab, said: "We came today to distribute some gifts and clothes for children in order to help them celebrate Eid". Mohammad, a young boy, holding Eid clothes that the organization had offered him, expressed his joy. "I am very happy because they gave me clothes so I can share the joy of Eid with my family" he said. Adapted by: Sarah Sfeir By: Nadia Idriss Mayen-Abd al-Rahman Boukhari, Al Arabiya
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