OCHA Situation Report
Somalia
Report for March 2005
7 April 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Highlights
Political

The Somalia Transition Federal Government selected Baidoa and Jowhar as
temporary relocation sites. In the last week of March fighting ensued in
Baidoa. The situation remains tense.

Food Security

Despite sufficient Deyr rains that helped to end a four years drought
and is expected to result in good harvests, many parts of Somalia
continue to experience food insecurity especially Awdal region in
Somaliland where malnutrition of children under five years is 20.3%.

Security

Hargeisa and the route to Mandera and Gebiley were last month downgraded
from UN Security Phase 4 to 3 while the rest of Somaliland remained on
Phase 4.

Tsunami Update

Emergency needs in tsunami affected areas have largely been met. About
5% of the population is in a state of humanitarian emergency while 40%
are experiencing livelihood crisis, requiring assistance until the next
fishing season.

CAP 2005: Funding for projects within the Somalia CAP 2005 remain low
with only 3% of the appealed funds covered as of 7th April, 2005.

New Government identifies relocation sites in Somalia

This month saw a series of developments unfold around the Transition
Federal Government's (TFG) relocation and the deployment of a peace
support mission. The TFG delegation which travelled into Somalia,
between 24th February and 4th March, was generally well received, yet
incidents of fighting and demonstrations occurred over issues of
relocation and deployment of IGAD frontline states troops.

Conflicting interests by faction leaders remained at a deadlock during
Parliament's session on 17th March, 2005. IGAD's communique on 18 March
reached a compromise by approving the deployment, of Sudanese and
Ugandan troops to the peace support mission in a first phase. Other IGAD
countries are expected to deploy in a subsequent phase.

On 21st March 2005, the Somali Council of Ministers voted to temporarily
base the TFG in Baidoa and Jowhar until sufficient security is restored
in Mogadishu. However, the vote took place in the absence of about 10
out of 74 ministers, who left the meeting.

Fighting erupted in Baidoa on 26th March, 2005, when faction militias
attacked demonstrators in favour of the temporary relocation of the TFG
to Baidoa. It is unclear how many people died or were injured as result
of the fighting. International staff was relocated to Nairobi and
National staff Wajjid Fighting was short lived but tensions remain high.

Any continued tensions in Baidoa will likely have an impact on the
humanitarian situation, particularly on the livelihoods of the largely
farming community. Many farmers have started preparing their land
preparation of the Gu (long rains season) planting season. If the
conflict continues, will interfere with the farming activities in the
Bay region, thus affecting food availability and access.

Good Deyr rains ends drought but food security concerns remain

The Mayor of Berbera appealed for urgent UN assistance to combat locusts
which were reported to have reached the eastern parts of Berbera in
Somaliland. After an assessment by the Food Agriculture Organisation and
Emergency Prevention System FAO/ EMPRES, together with the Ministry of
Agriculture, it was established that infestation was not significant .
Also, present conditions were not favourable for breeding. The
FAO/EMPRES carried out a control operation on March 4-12 and Placed the
area under observation.

A preliminary rapid interagency situation assessment of the Awdal region
calls for immediate humanitarian interventions in water, food, health
and livelihood support to mitigate against continuing drought conditions
in the area. The assessment was carried out following an interagency
meeting on 12 March 2005 to discuss reports of worsening food security
in the region. According to UNICEF, 20.3% of children under five years
of age were moderately malnourished, while 2% are severely malnourished.
Anaemia was also observed among women and children. The assessment team
says the security situation of the areas visited was stable and calm and
could facilitate humanitarian interventions. The area is hosting
pastoralist migrants from Shinille zone of Ethiopia who have increased
by 30% compared to previous years thus exerting more pressure on limited
natural resource. Livestock have poor body conditions due to scarcity of
pasture, lack of water, diseases and long travel distance in search of
water and pasture. This has in turn reduced food availability at
household level (particularly milk production) as the communities rely
mainly on livestock and livestock products. Veterinary services are
almost nonexistent in the visited areas. OCHA will share the finalized
report once available.

Meanwhile, exceptionally good deyr rains have ended the 4 years drought
and led to above average cereal production in most cropping areas.
Still, around 500,000 people remain in a state of Humanitarian Emergency
or Livelihood Crisis.

In north eastern Somalia, the good rains improved overall condition of
pastures and livestock yet the time it will take pastoralist communities
to recover will depend on the outcome of the next gu and deyr seasons.
In central Somalia, ongoing and recurrent civil tensions limit access to
grazing, markets and other resources.

Malnutrition rates remain critically high in Gedo District

Food and civil insecurity have persistently affected the people of
Northern Gedo district. According to FSAU food security categorization,
the main livelihood groups of Bulet Xawa, Dolow and Luuq are
experiencing chronic food insecurity with about 29% of the population
classified as being in a state of either emergency or livelihood crisis
and in need of continuing humanitarian assistance.

High malnutrition continue to be recorded in Northern Gedo in January
and February. 30% of the average 100 children screened in Bulet Xawa MCH
were acutely malnourished, and 40% of the average 200 children screened
in Luuq MCH malnourished. A critical nutrition situation was recorded in
Luuq District in October 2004. Despite the need, insecurity hinders
relief operations and disrupts trade operations. Many roadblocks exist
on the main trade routes and heavy tax extortion by the militias
continues. Data from Belet Xawa TFC recorded high numbers of severely
malnourished children of about 50 per month between November 2004 and
January 2005. Most of the Belet Xawa TFC beneficiaries come from Belet
Xawa town, as well as Malkariyey, Arracasse, Belet Amin IDP village and
nearby villages of Dolow. A few cases come from villages across the
Kenyan and Ethiopian borders.

Food insecurity, diseases, limited diet variety, poor sanitation, poor
water quality and limited humanitarian access are some of the factors
associated with the critical nutrition situation in Northern Gedo and
the consistently high admission rate into the TFC. FSAU plans to
establish a sentinel sites surveillance system in Northern Gedo in the
coming months to monitor trends in the nutrition situation in the area.
FSAU and partners also aim to undertake a nutrition assessment in Luuq
or Bulet Xawa Districts in the course of 2005. (Source March FSAU
Monthly Nutrition Update).

Somalia tsunami affected in livelihood crisis

According to the Interagency Assessment Report released this month,
existing emergency responses in the form of health, shelter, non food
items and food have met immediate humanitarian needs.

About 5% of the total population 2,200 people) are in a state of
humanitarian emergency and 40% of the total population (17,600 people)
face livelihood This is based on the Food and Livelihood Security
Classification developed for the Tsunami context. At least 50% of the
assessed population (22,000 people) require sustained resource transfer
in the form of food and/or assistance until the next fishing season in
2005.

Access

This is necessary in order for households access basic food needs and
alleviate financial pressures due to reduced fishing incomes. It is also
contigent on the fishermen having access to fishing equipment in the
next fishing season.

Local communities were affected by different shocks over the past year
drought, floods, freezing temperatures, continued livestock ban, civil
tension, and the tsunami), straining social support mechanisms and
dampening the regional economy.

The team observed that the estimates of the overall impact of the
Tsunami in of infrastructure damage, number of affected, and overall
severity were generally less than previously reported in earlier rapid
assessments.

Affected

The areas most affected by the Tsunami are Hafun, Bender Beyla, Dharin
Raqas Kulub, where substantial damage to and infrastructure occurred. In
view fact that the affected communities tied to the fishing industry, of
which of the gear and equipment was destroyed or damaged, the current
priority is the rehabilitation of the fishing sector.

Another need is the provision of shelter. Hafun, Bender Beyla, Darin
Ragas, and were badly affected in terms of damage permanent structures
and the need for immediate reconstruction is highest and critical in
Hafun due to its location and to high winds. OCHA's Mid Term Review the
Indian Ocean Earthquake that caused tsunami in December 2004 notes that
the of Hafun require urgent support for outright reconstruction of
destroyed permanent Some operational agencies, such as UNICEF, UNHCR and
UN-HABITAT, have already recovery activities with existing funds.
remaining tsunami recovery needs that funding will be addressed through
the the Somalia CAP.

In view of the changes in the humanitarian context and in light of
progress there is now a need to focus on the humanitarian needs of other
vulnerable communities throughout Somalia. With attention diverted
toward tsunami, other life-saving projects in aimed at other equally, if
not more vulnerable groups, risk being jeopardised.

In reference to the Somalia CAP the MTR notes that livelihood insecurity
overall vulnerability persist in numerous of Somalia, in addition to the
tsunami- areas. Other vulnerable groups, including and destitute
pastoralists, live in very difficult conditions with minimum access
services and income generating opportunities.

Malnutrition

The impact of sustained drought some areas of the north has increased
child malnutrition. An estimated 900,000 face humanitarian and
livelihood crises require urgent assistance, especially in the Failure
to address the needs of these communities could increase security risks
and create potential challenges for the overall stability country.

Meanwhile, a new agency in the Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster
Management Agency (HADMA) was formed by presidential decree to
coordinate all emergency livelihood recovery efforts. Its aim strengthen
the coordination between government and humanitarian actors. As a HADMA
will develop an overall Puntland Humanitarian response plan.

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