UN investigates theft and sale of Somalia famine food aid

[alp227]

Source: Associated Press

Thousands of sacks of food aid meant for famine victims are being stolen and sold at markets in neighbourhoods where children in refugee camps do not have enough to eat.

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) acknowledged it had been investigating food theft in Somalia for two months. WFP officials said the "scale and intensity" of the famine crisis did not allow for a suspension of assistance, which would lead to "many unnecessary deaths".

And the aid is not even safe once it has been distributed to families huddled in the makeshift camps popping up around the capital. Families at the government-run Badbado camp said they were often forced to hand back aid after journalists had taken photos of them with it.

Ali Said Nur said he received two sacks of maize twice, but each time was forced to give one to the camp leader.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/15/un-theft-somalia-food-aid

[ChrisBorg]

1. Deja Vu all over again.

[Warpy]

2. I had a friend who taught school in a neighboring country

during another famine. She told of relief ships unloading sacks of grain and other foodstuffs onto a dock on Monday and a ship coming and loading it back and sailing off on Wednesday. Corrupt leaders have stolen food away from their people for a very long time, selling it for hard currency they use to buy more weapons.

That a little aid seems to be getting to the people who need it is the only thing that distinguishes this story from a very old one in the region, that of evil men allowing everyone else to starve so they can buy up guns and ammunition to keep oppressing the few survivors.

[tawadi]

3. No UN Peacekeepers?

Oh right, there is no oil there.