Rome (Fides Service)- “Somalia and its people continue to suffer the consequences of 13 years of civil war, internal conflict, volatile politics and poverty which makes them one of the poorest and most vulnerable peoples on the earth with more than half a million living as refugees” said Ahmed Ali, head of AIFO programme for rehabilitation in Somaliland and also director of the CCBRS AIFO partner. AIFO is the Associazione Italiana Amici di Raoul Follereau.
“At the height of this combination of tragedy and catastrophe the tsunami disaster hit 8 towns and villages in low lying coastal areas of Somalia” said Ahmed Ali. “People now suffer from constant stress after the calamity damaged property and caused a serious dispersion of survivors who are thinking how to rebuild their homes without physical assistance on the field. The tsunami worsened the already critical conditions of the people in the affected area due to drought which increased already high levels of malnutrition causing many deaths and confirmed the loss of 80% of the animals. The result is an emergency, a serious crisis since the response necessary to protect and save human life has not been obtained”.
Despite supplies of food and medicine from UNICEF and World Food Programme there has been no other assistance except from local communities who offered small amounts of food and medicine. Basic services have not yet been reactivated and the most vulnerable persons, women, children, the elderly, the disabled still need help. The survival of the persons of the affected community depends entirely on livestock breeding and the sea where fishing equipment, animal feed and pack animals were lost because of the drought and the tsunami.
An official report by a group of the new Somali government on the effect of the tsunami in this area showed that about 200 people died. 320 were injured, 299 are missing 38,000 families are homeless. Residential areas were destroyed and the people live along the coast in shelters. It is estimated that about 54,000 people are in need of shelter, medicine, clothing, cooking utensils, water and sanitation. It is extremely important to create a source of income to improve the life of the survivors.
The group said that the damage caused by the tsunami amounts to more than 23.5 million dollars. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 31/1/2005 righe 40 parole 502)