People in need denied access to help as conflict continues
Source: Concern Worldwide - Ireland
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It's estimated that 65,000 to 70,000 people
have been forced to flee as a result of recent conflict. Many of these people were already displaced due to floods caused by heavy rains in November and December of last year.Heightened tensions led to open war between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), supported by Ethiopian forces, and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in Somalia during December 2006.
Areas of the country previously under the authority of the UIC have been taken over by the TFG and its Ethiopian allies. Fighting is now taking place in the south eastern coastal region close to Kenya, with the US now directly involved.Fighting is now taking place in the south eastern coastal region close to Kenya, with the US now directly involved.The TFG was set up after peace talks in Kenya between different Somali clans but until now controlled only a small area of the country.
The UIC emerged in Mogadishu with the stated aim of bringing law and order to the city and in 2006 it spread to most of southern Somalia.
While credited with improving law and order, it was accused by opponents of supporting Al-Qaeda and similar organisations. Various efforts to bring the TFG and UIC together failed.Concern is extremely worried about the plight of those on the move and, in particular, women and children - the most vulnerable of society.
The recent floods have left some roads impassable and the Kenyan government has now closed its border with Somalia, making it very difficult for people to flee the fighting. Basic provisions of water, food, shelter and medicine are desperately needed. However, the continuing insecurity has meant that humanitarian agencies, including Concern, are not able to get proper access to those in need. Concern has about 60 staff in Somalia, and they are still operating wherever possible. How Concern became involved
Concern has been working in Somalia since 1986, maintaining an almost continuous presence (it had to suspend operations on two occasions) despite political and social instability and constant insecurity. Concern engaged in relief operations in Somalia in the aftermath of the El Nino floods in late 1997, which displaced thousands of people in rural communities. What Concern has done
Initial operations centered on emergency relief.
Since then, Concern has worked with local communities in food security projects, water and sanitation, education, HIV/AIDS, and peace building.
Currently Concern operates in Mogadishu, the Lower Shabelle region, and Bay region working with the poorest and most vulnerable populations.
It also provides support to the Gedo Health Consortium (GHC), providing health & nutrition services to people in the Gedo region.
Areas of the country previously under the authority of the UIC have been taken over by the TFG and its Ethiopian allies. Fighting is now taking place in the south eastern coastal region close to Kenya, with the US now directly involved.Fighting is now taking place in the south eastern coastal region close to Kenya, with the US now directly involved.The TFG was set up after peace talks in Kenya between different Somali clans but until now controlled only a small area of the country.
The UIC emerged in Mogadishu with the stated aim of bringing law and order to the city and in 2006 it spread to most of southern Somalia.
While credited with improving law and order, it was accused by opponents of supporting Al-Qaeda and similar organisations. Various efforts to bring the TFG and UIC together failed.Concern is extremely worried about the plight of those on the move and, in particular, women and children - the most vulnerable of society.
The recent floods have left some roads impassable and the Kenyan government has now closed its border with Somalia, making it very difficult for people to flee the fighting. Basic provisions of water, food, shelter and medicine are desperately needed. However, the continuing insecurity has meant that humanitarian agencies, including Concern, are not able to get proper access to those in need. Concern has about 60 staff in Somalia, and they are still operating wherever possible. How Concern became involved
Concern has been working in Somalia since 1986, maintaining an almost continuous presence (it had to suspend operations on two occasions) despite political and social instability and constant insecurity. Concern engaged in relief operations in Somalia in the aftermath of the El Nino floods in late 1997, which displaced thousands of people in rural communities. What Concern has done
Initial operations centered on emergency relief.
Since then, Concern has worked with local communities in food security projects, water and sanitation, education, HIV/AIDS, and peace building.
Currently Concern operates in Mogadishu, the Lower Shabelle region, and Bay region working with the poorest and most vulnerable populations.
It also provides support to the Gedo Health Consortium (GHC), providing health & nutrition services to people in the Gedo region.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
