Weekly Round-Up - IRINHA-395: 17-Aug-07
U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa
Tel: +254 2 622147
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e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org
HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-Up 395
11 - 17 August 2007
CONTENTS:
SOMALIA: Reporters killed amid concerns over human rights abuses
SOMALIA: Policemen killed as bloodshed in Mogadishu continues
SOMALIA: Alarming malnutrition rates as food crisis hits Shabelle
region
SUDAN: One million people may be affected by floods - government
SUDAN: High hopes for new Darfur mission
ALSO SEE:
ISRAEL-SUDAN: Safia A., "My husband was killed in Darfur in an attack
on aid workers"
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73743
SOMALIA: 'Life in Mogadishu is so bad we'll risk our lives to escape'
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73739
SOMALIA: Conditions worsen in camps as thousands more flee Mogadishu
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73701
SOMALIA: Reporters killed amid concerns over human rights abuses
Press watchdog groups have condemned the 'savage' killing of two
prominent Somali journalists, saying it demonstrates the perilous
conditions reporters work in and threatens an independent media for the
war-torn country.
Ali Iman Sharmarke, managing director of HornAfrik Radio, was killed on
August 11 when his car hit a remote-controlled explosive device. He was
driving from the funeral of Mahad Ahmed Elmi, director of Radio Capital
Voice, who had been shot by unknown assailants earlier the same day in
the capital Mogadishu.
Sahal Abdulle, a reporter with the Reuters news agency was also in
Sharmarke's car and was injured in the attack.
Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73703
SOMALIA: Policemen killed as bloodshed in Mogadishu continues
Assailants believed to be members of armed groups opposed to Somalia's
transitional government and its Ethiopian allies have killed four police
officers in the capital, Mogadishu, in continued fighting described by
human rights organisations as mostly affecting civilians.
"These elements that are opposed to peace in Somalia targeted the police
in an attack on Monday afternoon [13 August] and killed four of them and
wounded several other people," Abdi Haji Gobdon, spokesman for the
Transitional Federal government (TFG) told IRIN.
He said the attackers struck a police car with an explosive device,
killing the officers. The "aggressors" used "hit and run" tactics to
disrupt the government's efforts to maintain law and order in the city,
he added, saying that the blast, which was in a busy street, could have
killed or wounded several civilians.
Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73724
SOMALIA: Alarming malnutrition rates as food crisis hits Shabelle region
Early warning agencies have reported a rapidly worsening food security
situation in southern Somalia after the poorest harvest in a decade and
escalating insecurity that has disrupted economic activities, caused
high inflation and left people displaced.
More than 600,000 people in Lower and Middle Shabelle and Somalia's
capital, Mogadishu, are in the midst of a sudden humanitarian emergency
- characterised by high rates of acute and severe malnutrition, the Food
Security Analysis Unit for Somalia (FAO/FSAU) and the Famine Early
Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net) said in a joint report issued on
August 14.
Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73744
SUDAN: One million people may be affected by floods - government
The torrential rains that have caused massive flooding in areas of Sudan
could endanger the lives and livelihoods of one million people, the
country's government warned.
In a statement published by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs on 14
August, the government said a large portion of the country continued to
face further flood threats from rains expected until the end of the wet
season in September.
With heavy rainfall predicted over the Ethiopian and Eritrean plateaus,
the water levels of the Blue Nile, Atbara and Sobat rivers were expected
to remain high, endangering areas around the banks of the Nile and its
tributaries.
Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73723
SUDAN: High hopes for new Darfur mission
Humanitarian workers in Darfur have welcomed the planned deployment of a
joint UN and African Union (AU) mission in the region, but warned it
would have to meet very high expectations.
"We are all optimistic," Andrew Barash of the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said during a meeting
between Rodolphe Adada, the new head of the mission, NGOs and civil
society organisations in Geneina, capital of West Darfur State, on 16
August. "We need to have some sort of break to give us the confidence
that the humanitarian space won't continue to shrink."
However, he added: "There are very high expectations. If these are not
met, at least at the level that the people would assume to be the ground
level, there are going to be a lot of people who are quickly
disenchanted."
Sudanese NGOs echoed similar sentiments, calling on Adada to ensure that
UNAMID creates a safer environment for humanitarian officials to do
their work. "Humanitarian workers operating in natural or man-made
disasters are exposed to various forms of dangers and sometimes death,"
said Al-Fateh Negm al-Bishom of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in
West Darfur. "We urge the AU and hybrid mission to protect [aid workers]
as they deliver relief assistance to the needy."
Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73780
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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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Center for International web: www.cidi.org
Disaster Information listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
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Horn of Africa www.cidi.org/humanitarian/irin/hafrica