OCHA Situation Report
Somalia
9 February 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Main Developments

In Mogadishu, the week-long reconciliation conference (organized by the 
National Reconciliation Commission under the auspices of NRC and 
supported by UNDP) has been taking place this week. The more than 250 
participants include clan, religious, business and political leaders, as 
well as NGOs are UN representatives. Workshops have focused on issues of 
security in Mogadishu and, by extension, are addressing broader issues 
of reconciliation. It is hoped that the reconciliation conference will 
ultimately contribute to increased stability/law and order, which could 
greatly benefit humanitarian access.

These reconciliation efforts continue amidst violent incidents in 
Mogadishu. During the week, various mortar attacks occurred ? on the 
capital's seaport, airport, neighbourhoods and on the presidential 
palace. A rocket-propelled grenade also targeted an Ethiopian military 
convoy. It is thought that at least nine people were killed during the 
week ? including two children ? and several others wounded in these 
attacks.

Displacement

There are reports of as many as 1,160 IDP households currently in the 
border towns of Dobley, Tabda, Qoqani, and Hayo (Lower Juba). Although 
many of these people recently received food and non-food assistance, 
they still urgently require health care. Formerly, they would have 
crossed to Liboi in Kenya for such care but have been unable to do so 
because of the border closure. Reports continue of untreated cases of 
dysentery, diarrhea and malaria. Meanwhile, 348 families have reportedly 
left the Dobley area and returned to their places of origin (Kismayo, 
Jilib, Marerey and Afmadow), having given up hope of seeking asylum in 
Kenya. About 800 other individuals have indicated their desire to return 
home, but lack the resources to do so.

IDPs continue to be faced with serious protection issues. In Kismayo, an 
LNGO reports that sexual violence against IDP women and girls is 
increasing in the town and surrounding areas. The most vulnerable of 
these IDPs are women and girls who attempted to cross into Kenya and, 
having failed, became displaced in Kismayo and the surrounding area. 
Meanwhile, a Mogadishu-based LNGO reported that mortars launched into an 
IDP came in Talex village in the capital on 1 February left seven people 
dead, including three children.

Access and Response

Following approval issued 7 February by the GoK's National Security 
Committee for humanitarian assistance to enter Somalia via overland 
routes, thirty-four empty trucks that had been waiting on the Somali 
side of the Kenya-Somali border have now re-entered Kenya at El Wak and 
are being loaded with food. It is estimated that the reloaded trucks 
will leave El Wak for Gedo this weekend. It is hoped that this movement 
represents a breakthrough in the impasse over the Kenyan border issue.

A recent ICRC 3-day trip to 7 villages in Jilib district (Middle Juba) 
reported a 'highly alarming' humanitarian and livelihood situation, with 
the region in a state of 'decapitalization'. A majority of families 
reported that due to lack of food they had eaten seeds distributed for 
post-flood recessional planting. The greatest need identified by those 
interviewed was food, followed by clothing. It is estimated that in 
Jamame and Jilib districts 20,000 families need urgent assistance, and 
there is evidence to suggest that the region including Buale and Jilib 
(Middle Juba) to Jamame (Lower Juba) is in a similar humanitarian and 
livelihood situation. An inter-agency response is underway. ICRC will 
support repair of breaches on the Juba river bank, while WFP and UNICEF 
respectively will distribute food and non-food items in Jilib and 
Jamame.

An estimated 2,000 hhs in Badhade district (Lower Juba) have recently 
been reported to be in urgent need of assistance. The families were 
affected by the recent conflict in the region, and have either been 
displaced or have become more vulnerable as a result. A number of 
agencies and NGOs are planning to respond with food and non-food 
assistance, including WFP, UNICEF, Horn Relief and FAO.

WHO is reporting an outbreak of watery diarrhea cases in Jowhar (Middle 
Shabelle) and Beletweyne (Hiran). In Hiran, there have been 34 deaths 
from diarrhea reported in the last two weeks out a total of 312 cases 
(144 cases in Beletweyne alone). Despite recent media reports that 
dozens of people have died of cholera in recent weeks in these regions, 
WHO is reporting only one positive test for cholera out of six samples 
taken from Beletweyne. However, the Cholera Task Force (including WHO, 
IMC, SC UK, SRCS) has been active for some time in Beletweyne, and IMC, 
SRCS, WHO, MSF are coordinating the response to the current diarrhea 
outbreak. In Jowhar, as of 4 February, 179 patients suffering from 
watery diarrhea had been admitted to Jowhar hospital. Inter-agency 
coordination and response is ongoing, involving Intersos, WHO, UNICEF 
and MSF-S. Field staff are being asked to improve surveillance and 
prevention measures, and WHO Mogadishu office is mobilizing additional 
supplies to fill gaps.

As part of the push to provide funds to under-funded sectors ? 
particularly where such a gap has prevented comprehensive life-saving 
activities ? the Emergency Relief Coordinator has allocated US$1 million 
to the security sector for Somalia. During an initial period of 
re-engagement, humanitarian operations will be conducted in a precarious 
security environment and funding for upgraded security arrangements will 
help to support a sustained presence in the field despite the volatile 
situation.

Reports detailing response activities by cluster (Who does What Where) 
are available on the OCHA website at 
http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=5066

For further information, contact:

Molly McCloskey +254 (0) 727 659 100 or
Amanda di Lorenzo +254 (0) 734 210 102

mccloskeym@un.org, dilorenzoa@un.org

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