OCHA Situation Report
Somalia
Report for June 2007
13 July 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

Despite measures by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to improve 
security in Mogadishu, the situation continued to deteriorate. Violence 
persisted with increased random bomb attacks and grenades explosions 
harming many innocent civilians, Ethiopian /TFG troops as well as 
Ugandan peace keepers. Assassinations and failed attempted murders of 
government officials or those deemed to side with the TFG were also 
reported. House-to-house weapon searches continued limiting the movement 
of people due to day imposed curfews in targeted districts. This greatly 
hampered livelihood activities for residents especially during the 
disruption of activities at the largest market (Bakara) for the first 
time in 17 years in the first week of July.

The unpredictable insecurity in Mogadishu created uncertainty among 
residents with about 8,000 moving during June, while according to 
UNHCR's Population Movement Tracking (PMT) 126,000 others moved to other 
regions between February and May 2007. Those that returned are among 
406,000 people that have been displaced since the start of the conflict 
in February. An additional 2,800 people evicted from public buildings 
are leaving in appalling conditions, some homeless and resorting to 
begging on the streets.

Humanitarian agencies were not spared by the insecurity and a number of 
arrests and harassments were reported. Local NGO staff members were 
arrested followed by a search of their office in Mogadishu, while an 
international NGO also had their compound searched. In South/Central 
Somalia two international NGOs suspended operations due to continuing 
insecurity. Working in an atmosphere of fear and harassments, poses 
serious concerns to the humanitarian community's ability to operate.

The insecurity that griped Mogadishu paralyzed operations for 
humanitarian workers as some planned response activities came to a 
complete halt. WFP's third round of distribution to Internationally 
Displaced People (IDPs) was stopped following a shooting incident at one 
of the distribution points. That not withstanding, distribution of the 
much needed assistance of food and Non-Food Items (NFIs) to Mogadishu 
orphanages, IDPs in Middle and Lower Juba, Middle Shabelle to a total of 
131,494 people was completed. The distribution was carried out by 
various local and international NGOs and UN agencies working in Somalia.

Meanwhile, there was a ray of hope for about 200,000 people in Gedo 
region when the Kenya government opened its border with Somalia to allow 
humanitarian assistance to cross on 5 July. About 8,500 metric tons of 
food was stuck for over a month due to boarder problems that have been 
ongoing in recent months, sometimes impeding transport of humanitarian 
cargo and staff into Somalia. Generally, access in South/Central regions 
remained a challenge with a number of roadblocks and passage fees for 
transporters of aid emerging each new day. The night curfews introduced 
in major towns of Mogadishu and Kismayo obstructed access and slowed 
activities at the sea ports.

Among riverine and agro-pastoral households in Lower and Middle Shabelle 
regions, the May 2007 nutrition assessments (FSAU) indicate acute 
malnutrition rates above the emergency thresholds of 15 per cent Global 
Acute Malnutrition and extremely high rates of Severe Acute 
Malnutrition. Several indicators point out that the livelihoods of an 
already over-burdened population might further deteriorate. In a 
preliminary indication by FSAU, the Gu season (April - June) has shown 
rainfall deficits in most parts of Somalia. The insecurity that is 
causing movement in and around Mogadishu and other regions is also 
already impacting on food prices of the most essential commodities such 
as oil, sugar, rice and fuel.

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