Somali government co-ordinates aid distribution in former al-Shabaab-held areas

Two women stand at Bulo Burde market during a United Nations assessment mission to the area September 23rd. [UN Photo/Tobin Jones]

By Shukri Mohamed
Friday, October 31, 2014

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MOGADISHU — Amid warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Somalia and the dire need for assistance in areas liberated from al-Shabaab, the Somali government and international aid agencies are reaching out to residents in southern and central Somalia.

So far, the federal government has provided food aid to more than 10,000 families in Lower and Middle Shabelle regions who lived under the control of al-Shabaab militants for years, said Mukhtar Sheikh Hussein, director of the Ministry of Interior and Federalism's department of co-ordination of humanitarian agencies.

"We intend to give the food, which was donated by the Turkish Red Crescent, to all the districts that the government regains control of," he told Sabahi. "We began this work October 6th and we are still going."

"The food we distributed consisted of flour and sugar, and each family received 25 kilogrammes of flour and 25 kilogrammes of sugar," Hussein said, adding that they reached 4,000 families in Barawe, 3,400 in War Sheikh and 3,500 in Adale.

The government is also planning to take food to Galgadud and Hiran regions soon, Hussein said, especially to the town of El Bur where there is a dire need for assistance.

Before fleeing ahead of advancing Somali and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces, al-Shabaab destroyed water wells and took the machines used to pump water out of the wells, creating a shortage of water, Hussein said.

"Among the many significant problems is the water shortage that exists in most of the areas that were recently recovered by the government," he said. "These people were suffering for nearly eight years and al-Shabaab has destroyed everything."

"Aside from distributing food, we are planning to dig wells for the people soon and also give them pumps to get the water out," Hussein said. "We are committed to reaching every area that needs assistance."

Al-Shabaab has attempted to ambush or prevent the passage of vehicles carrying food and other aid to suffering people on several occasions, he said, but the Somali National Army and AMISOM troops foiled their efforts.

Aid organisations join humanitarian effort

Since Operation Indian Ocean kicked off in late August, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has been able to expand its operations to reach communities in need in southern and central Somalia to distribute water, food and medical supplies, according to Mohamed Idle Sabriye, deputy director of OIC's office in Mogadishu.

"We have provided water in response to the needs of the suffering people in Hiran, Galgadud and Gedo as well as some parts of Mudug region," Sabriye told Sabahi, adding that they have also provided food to people in Benadir, Lower Shabelle, Bay, Bakol, Hiran and Galgadud regions.

In addition, the OIC sent medical teams for a month-long campaign in September to provide emergency health services to about 13,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled the fighting, he said. "The people who fled from El Bur were treated in Dhusamareb, those who fled Bulo Burde were [treated] in Beledweyne and the people who fled Hudur were seen in Baidoa."

Sabriye said the OIC is co-ordinating efforts with other organisations to send another team of medical staff to resume the provision of healthcare aid, which ended the first week of October.

"The agencies we have co-operated with include Zamzam Foundation, the International Islamic Relief Organisation, Qatar Charity, Qatar Red Crescent Society, Islamic Relief, Muslim Hands and Muslim Aid," he said.

Residents welcome aid, say more needed

Abdirizak Mohamed, a 35-year-old Barawe resident, said residents are welcoming the delivery of humanitarian assistance after many years of living under al-Shabaab rule.

"There were many problems in Barawe and many of the residents were in dire need of humanitarian assistance," Mohamed told Sabahi. "The economy was really destroyed and the aid agencies were prevented from helping the people of Barawe. But now, thanks to God, that problem has been overcome."

Omar Abdirahman Abayle, a 58-year-old elder from Barawe, said the aid has resuscitated the people of Barawe who had long suffered from hunger and death at the hands of al-Shabaab.

Nonetheless, he called on the government and humanitarian agencies to provide even more assistance.

"The food aid has been really helpful, but I would say that it is not enough because many people who fled during the time of al-Shabaab are currently returning to the town," Abayle told Sabahi. "There are many IDPs. People need shelter, water and food."

"There are also villages near Barawe that have the same problems," he said.

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