Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 27 March 2017

Drought-stricken Somalia battles hunger and cholera

women and children. Chol- joined by similar hunger cri-
era outbreaks often occur ses in South Sudan, north-
in refugee camps due to eastern Nigeria and Ye-
overcrowding and poor men, which together make
sanitation. Water scarcity the world’s largest humani-
also remains a major prob- tarian disaster in more than
lem among the new arriv- 70 years, according to U.N.
als in the refugee camps. officials.
In recent weeks, aid agen- In Somalia, drought-strick-
cies have started a chol- en families have had to
era vaccination campaign move from one place to
across Somalia. another in order to reach
Somalia’s drought is threat- international aid agencies
ening 3 million lives, ac- that cannot distribute food
cording to the U.N. In re- in areas under the con-
cent months, aid agencies trol of al-Shabab, Somali’s
have been scaling up their homegrown Islamic ex-
efforts but they say said tremist rebels who are affili-
more support is urgently ated to al-Qaida.
needed to prevent the cri- With her newborn baby,
sis from worsening. just 40 days old, Sangabo
More aid “is very important Madey walked for two days
if we want to prevent the to reach a camp in Baidoa
A Somali policeman walks past as newly displaced Somali children stand outside their makeshift cholera from going out of in search of food and wa-
shelter at a camp in Baidoa, Somalia. Somalia’s drought is threatening 3 million lives according to control and also to prevent ter. Standing beside a hut
the U.N. and in recent months aid agencies have been scaling up their efforts but say more sup- famine. We have to get the of sticks and plastic sheet-
port is urgently needed to prevent the crisis from worsening.
(AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh) funding now to prevent it,” ing, constantly blown by
Steven Lauwerier, UNICEF’s the wind, the mother of
MOHAMED NOR of desperate Somalis who malnourished children, representative for Soma- five said she does not know
Associated Press have streamed into Baidoa many fed through tubes in lia, said standing inside a what to do next.
BAIDOA, Somalia (AP) — in southwestern Somalia their noses. Baidoa hospital ward. “We were unable to feed
An emaciated woman seeking food and medical The new patients, mostly “We are still ahead of the our children. Because of
writhes on her hospital bed, care as a result the coun- children, show signs of curve of the famine be- the drought we did not
weakly waving her bony try’s prolonged drought. chronic malnourishment cause now is when we have anything to eat,”
hand to create a current The influx has overwhelmed when they arrive at thera- can save lives,” he said. Madey said. “We left our
of air. local and international aid peutic clinics run by UNI- “This is not the time to have hometowns to come here,
Cholera patient Zeinab agencies. CEF, said aid workers. doubts that funding is not but there is little aid com-
Hussein, a 50-year-old The hospital ward is filled The cholera epidemic is needed.” ing in and we still continue
farmer, is one of thousands with the sound of crying, most prevalent among Somalia’s emergency is to suffer.”q

Congolese militia decapitates more than 40 police: Officials

AL-HADJI MALIRO the attack between the cit- ed in the Kasai region in Au- show Congolese soldiers fir- the end of his mandate. A
CARLEY PETESCH ies of Tshikapa and Kanan- gust when security forces ing on militia members. deal reached between the
Associated Press ga in Central Kasai prov- killed the militia’s leader. While the violence is linked ruling party and opposition
BENI, Congo (AP) — A Con- ince on Friday, according More than 400 people have to local power struggles, to hold elections by the end
golese militia group has to Kasai Assembly President been killed and more than there are also clear ties to of this year, without Kabila,
decapitated 42 policemen Francois Kalamba. The 200,000 displaced since Congo’s political crisis, ac- remains fragile as the U.N.
after ambushing them in an militia members freed six then, according to the U.N. cording to Human Rights urges its implementation.
increasingly violent region policemen because they The U.N. in recent days re- Watch. Anger has been Security forces have been
where the U.N. is searching spoke the local Tshiluba ported the discovery since growing in the country at known to back local lead-
for missing American and language, he said. January of more than two long-delayed presidential ers seen as loyal to Kabila,
Swedish investigators, a lo- Kasai Gov. Alexis Nkande dozen mass graves in three elections, and dozens were while militia groups support
cal official said this week- Myopompa said investiga- Kasai provinces. And five killed in December amid those who are believed to
end.Members of the Kam- tions were underway. videos have emerged in re- protests as President Jo- support the opposition, the
wina Nsapu militia staged Large-scale violence erupt- cent weeks that appear to seph Kabila stayed on past rights group said. q