Starvation claims 10 in Somaliland - officials

21 April 2005

April 20, 2005 1:42am
Asia Intelligence Wire

At least 10 Somalilanders have died of starvation in Seylah District, Borama region in the past week owing to severe drought that has hit most parts of declared Republic of Somaliland confirmed Tuesday.

Hundreds of thousands are also suffering the effects of the drought, with many moving to less affected areas along the Ethiopia-Somali border as well as urban towns such as Las Anod, Bosaso, Garowe and Galkaayo.

According to a joint press statement issued by Borama governor Osman Dinbill, the Somaliland Red Crescent, traditional and religious leaders, the dead include four women and two children, some of whom collapsed and died en route to Borama town to seek food and water.

The leaders indicated that the death toll would rise if the affected communities do not receive emergency assistance in the coming days.

They noted that sufficient humanitarian assistance has not reached the affected areas since the drought was first reported in January 2004.

According to relief group Save the Children-US, the pastoral communities in the most affected areas have lost over 50 per cent of their sheep and goats, 70 per cent of their cattle and 35% of the camels due to the drought.

The latest inter-agency nutritional assessment in Sool, Borama and Todgheer shows that malnutrition rates among children was at its highest in recent years.

"Failure of the long rains means no quick recovery is expected and the affected areas urgently need relief and rehabilitation assistance," said an official of the National Emergency Response and Disaster Research Agency (NERAD) based in Borama.

World Food Programme, Save the Children, Oxfam GB, UNICEF and HAVOYOCO, a local youth organization, are already in some affected parts providing support ranging from water and food distribution to immunization and water sources rehabilitation.

Somalilan has for the last four years experienced partial or total rain failure and the prolonged dry spell has led to what is believed to be the worst drought to hit the country in many years, eroding the asset base of the predominantly pastoral population and traditional coping mechanisms.

Asia Intelligence Wire