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Crisis in Somalia

On December 20, 2006, fighting broke out in southern and central Somalia forcing over 100,000 people to abandon their homes and flee for safety. Local law enforcement abandoned the capital of Mogadishu on December 28, leaving a power vacuum and throwing the country into chaos.

Everything is upside down there authority and everyone seems  Mohamoud Auke, Islamic Relief's coordinator for southern Somalia, reported looting and violence in the capital, Mogadishu. "Everything is upside down, there is no government, no authority and everyone seems to have a gun in town."

The Displaced
At least 800 people have died in the current conflict and thousands of people across southern and central Somalia have fled their homes to escape the fighting.

As a result of sixteen years of political instability, droughts, and floods, there are around 2 million people in Somalia who depend on humanitarian aid for their survival. Previous to this current wave of violence which forced 100,000 people to abandon their homes, there were already 400,000 internally displaced people.

Thousands of the displaced moved into Galkayo city in the Mudug region of Puntland and the Juba and Shabelle regions in the south. Approximately half the population of Balatweyne fled the city according to United Nations staff in Nairobi.

Many of the displaced people have no shelter, food, or access to clean water.

Sixten Years of Crisis
Since 1991, there has been no effective central government in Somalia, causing the country to experience a rapid and long lasting dissension into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. The country is divided into a patchwork of warring factions, with the two northern states of Somaliland and Puntland declaring themselves independent.

In addition to civil unrest, Somalia is plagued by natural disasters. Torrential rains in November and December 2006 created the worst flooding in over 50 years, ruining crops and affecting over half a million people.

The Worst Flooding in 50 Years
Last year the Horn of Africa was gripped by drought and food shortages that left many people on the brink of starvation. When rains eventually came in late October, they were so intense that they flooded entire regions of Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya, affecting almost two million people. In south Somalia, the Shabelle and Juba rivers burst their banks, submerging hundreds of towns and villages in water. This was the worst flooding Somalia has seen in 50 years, affecting over half a million people in the country. The floods have brought death, destruction of homes and farmland, swept away livestock, and destroyed crops. Even stored food supplies had also been lost to the flood waters, causing food shortages.

There were few shelters equipped to help all those in need; food was limited and access to clean water was impossible. These unsanitary conditions created the risk of diseases spreading fast – malaria, cholera, diarrhea and other water-borne diseases. The escalating political conflict in Somalia, the lack of infrastructure, and the absence of a central government, all hindered the humanitarian aid efforts in the country. The floods left large areas of the country inaccessible by road. Boats were being used to ferry in aid, while in more remote regions aid had to be air-dropped.

Shipments of Aid with AmeriCares
Displaced families living in a Somali refugee camp, home to over 900 families, suffered through a watery diarrhea outbreak in February of this year. The outbreak spread rapidly, killing 12 children during the first 35 hours. Islamic Relief 's health team, using medicine recently donated by partnering organization AmeriCares, were some of the first aid workers to reach the affected camp.

"I thank God and Islamic Relief. When the Islamic Relief team reached us, my two sons were near death because of dehydration. But, with God's help, the treatment done by Islamic Relief 's staff saved my children," said Hawa Idow Ali, mother of two affected children. In all, AmeriCares sent over $600,000 of in-kind aid for Islamic Relief to distribute to victims of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, which was instantly put to use during this outbreak. AmeriCares has been an ongoing supporter of Islamic Relief 's projects worldwide.

Islamic Relief in Somalia
Islamic Relief has been carrying out seasonal Ramadan and Udhiyah/Qurbani projects in Somalia since 1996. Over 750,000 people have benefited from these food distributions so far.

In 2006, Islamic Relief established a field office in Garowe City, the capital of Puntland state and in Mogadishu, the capital. Islamic Relief's projects include water and sanitation, health, education, and capacity building. Emergency programs have also helped displaced people in the Bari, Nugaal, and Mudug regions of the Puntland. Islamic Relief 's work in Somalia has been welcomed by senior government officials and aid agencies in the country. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP) have expressed a readiness to work in partnership with Islamic Relief in Somalia.

To assist with the current conflict, Islamic Relief launched a worldwide appeal for $2 million to assist 30,000 people in Puntland and 90,000 people in southern Somalia.

The task of assisting those in need was not an easy one. With limited resources in Galkayo and newly displaced people having little or no access to basic sanitation facilities and shelters, Islamic Relief aid workers found themselves faced with daily challenges.

From Partnership, the official newsletter of Islamic Relief, Spring 2007