Al Shabab bans Red Cross

[CismanMaxamud1]

Hundreds of thousands of Somalis could be deprived of critical food aid after Islamist rebels banned the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from areas under their control.

The move severs a critical lifeline in the south of the country where famine still threatens 250,000 people.

The rebel group al-Shabaab, which professes allegiance to al-Qaida and is hostile to foreign intervention of any kind, said it had decided to "fully terminate" the ICRC contract, accusing the group of delivering out-of-date food.

An ICRC spokeswoman in Nairobi had no immediate comment. The aid group suspended food distribution to 1.1 million people in southern and central Somalia on 12 January, saying militants were blocking deliveries.

The new ban could deal a major blow to aid operations in the dangerous south of the country as the ICRC was one of only a few international agencies still able to operate there after al-Shabaab banned 16 other groups last November.

One humanitarian official, who did not wish to be named, said the ban was serious because it affected the Somali Red Crescent Society, a well-respected local partner organisation to the ICRC.

He attributed the ICRC's expulsion partly to a breakdown in communication linked to increased militarisation in the zone, where Kenyan troops are also fighting al-Shabaab.

Given the scale of the ICRC operation, it will be difficult for local organisations or other groups still operating in the south and centre to pick up the slack if the ban is upheld. Several Islamic relief agencies still have access to southern Somalia.

Mark Bowden, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Somalia, said the ICRC ban risked rolling back gains made after international relief began to flow into Somalia last summer following a declaration of famine in six regions.

"Leaving so many vulnerable Somalis without food will endanger their lives and could also result in pushing a large number of people back into famine, reversing any gains made," he said. "We appeal to all factions in Somalia to allow humanitarian actors to reach people most in need, wherever they are."

Six months after famine was declared in six regions, Somalia remains the world's worst humanitarian crisis although three areas have been lifted out of famine. The UN says 4 million people still need aid, and 1.4m have been internally displaced.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/ja ... al-shabaab

[udun]

The question is why do these aid agencies bring food aid during the harvest season?

[Colonel]

The question is why do these aid agencies bring food aid during the harvest season?

They are a business and like any business they attempt to make maximum profit. Stopping Somalis from growing their own food means Somalis must rely on the red cross, the red cross then launches their emotional TV ads showing starving kids (as if they cared about them) therefore receiving donation upon donation. The cycle is then repeated .

Having a 'terrorist group' maltreated the workers and population also helps...Wallahi they recycle the same move every now and then I don't understand how folks still fall for it SMH.