Red Cross - "Major Deterioration" In Conditions In Somalia - Hundreds Of Thousands Facing Famine

[hatrack]

Hundreds of thousands of Somalians face a major famine because of violence and a drought that is ravaging the centre and south of the country, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday.

"We are seeing a major deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Somalia," said Pascal Mauchle, head of the organisation's delegation for the country. "Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the fighting and drought. External factors, such as the global food crisis and the skyrocketing prices resulting from it, have made the economic situation even worse.

"The chronic nature of the crisis has completely exhausted people's coping abilities."

"In 2008, the ICRC will have almost tripled its food aid compared with last year," said Mathias Frese, the organisation's relief coordinator for Somalia, adding that loss of basic property such as land and cattle was posing an acute danger to the livelihood of civilians and that growing numbers of Somalis were now completely destitute.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Somalians_face_famine_on_massive_scale_Red_Cross_999.html

[DBoon]

1. libertarians believe Somalia is paradise

no standing government for 20 years

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Somalia