News / Africa

UN: One-Third of Somalis Now Displaced

Children from southern Somalia get cooked food at a local NGO's compound in Mogadishu, Somalia, Sept.14, 2011.
Children from southern Somalia get cooked food at a local NGO's compound in Mogadishu, Somalia, Sept.14, 2011.
TEXT SIZE - +

A new report says nearly one-third of Somalia's people are now displaced from their homes because of drought, famine, and years of war.

The U.N. humanitarian affairs office puts the number of displaced Somalis at 2.3 million - 1.4 million within the country, and 920,000 living as refugees in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Yemen.

It says one in every three of those people fled their homes within the last year.

The U.N. agency's report also says Somalis are crossing into Kenya at a rate of 1,200 per day as famine conditions continue to spread across southern Somalia.

The report details efforts to deliver food, shelter, and medicine to desperate Somalis, but warns the country still needs a "massive scale-up" in humanitarian aid.

It says 750,000 Somalis are at risk of death unless drought and famine relief efforts are increased.

Southern Somalia is at the center of the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 60 years.  The drought compounded already tough conditions in the country, which has not had a stable central government since 1991.

The U.N. has declared six areas of the south to be famine zones, and international aid agencies have sent in large amounts of food aid, giving special attention to malnourished children.

But aid efforts have been hampered by lawlessness and a lack of security.  Militant group al-Shabab, which is fighting the Somali government, has blocked aid groups from operating in areas under its control.

The World Meteorological Organization recently forecast increased rains for southern Somalia but the U.N. warns the rains could bring more waterborne diseases in the congested refugee and displaced-person camps.


You May Like

Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

Afghanistan looking for more military aid as it prepares for withdrawal of NATO forces by next year More

India, China Pledge to Overcome Border Tensions

Indian prime minister and Chinese premier attempt to move past tense standoff in the Himalayas during Delhi talks More

Burmese President Opens US Visit with VOA Town Hall Meeting

Ahead of his meeting with President Obama Monday, Thein Sein answered questions on human rights and economic development in his country More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Valley Fever Raises Concerns in California, Arizona

A longstanding health problem in California's Central Valley has worsened in recent years, leading health officials to order the relocation of 3,000 prisoners from two state prisons. But the disease affects much of the population in some rural communities and, Mike O'Sullivan reports, while it often goes unnoticed, it sometimes can be devastating for patients.