From: dmorse@igc.apc.org (Dorothy Morse)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: EAST AFRICA FAMINE CAMPAIGN
Date: 12 Nov 92 11:59:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1471700252:000:5700
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!dmorse    Nov 12 03:59:00 1992


From: Dorothy Morse <dmorse>
Subject: EAST AFRICA FAMINE CAMPAIGN

/* Written  3:06 pm  Nov 10, 1992 by cochrane@ae.agecon.wisc.edu in igc:bitl.africa */
/* ---------- "EAST AFRICA FAMINE CAMPAIGN" ---------- */
Reply-To: cochrane@ae.agecon.wisc.edu
From: "Jeffrey A. Cochrane" <COCHRANE@AE.AGECON.WISC.EDU>
Subject:      EAST AFRICA FAMINE CAMPAIGN

McNeil-Lehrer's Charlene Hunter Gault (?) interviewed a Catholic bishop
from Sudan who suggested a genocide campaign by the government there is
jeopardizing millions in the South.  He says that by comparison the
people in Somalia and Yuogoslavia are lucky, because at least their
story is being told.  It will be interesting to see if this gets
coverage on the upcoming Today show visit to Africa.

Below is an article I wrote that appeared in today's Wisconsin State
Journal in Madison, Wisconsin.  Many of the observations in the
article came from postings to Africa-L, for which I am grateful.
Appearing with the article was a graphic picture of a mother and
emaciated child, and a letter from another individual also arguing for
renewed committment to halt the famine.  I encourage others to write to
their local papers and newly elected government officials.  Feel free
to use my article as a basis for your own, and feel free to sign your
own name to your edited version.

                        AFTER THE ELECTION, SOMALIA
                               Jeff Cochrane
                             November 10, 1992
                          WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL

     Last month this newspaper ran an editorial praising the
planned deployment of UN troops in Somalia to protect food
shipments, and lauding the supporting use of American Marines as
"an appropriate use of American military power in the region."
Since then, the 500 United Nations troops in Mogadishu have not
been permitted to take up their posts.  It seems the political
will is lacking.  It is not good to have a famine during an
American election year.
     Americans have always been a compassionate people even when
facing adversities of their own.  No, we should not pay billions
to defend Europe, because clearly Europe can take care of itself.
Perhaps we should also reconsider the billions in subsidies that
go every year to Egypt and Israel.  But Somalia is a different
story.  In Somalia, every day literally thousands die of hunger
in a world awash with food.  Most of the dead are children.  Can
it be that Americans really don't care?

     "If the people of Somalia want to exterminate each
     other, that's their problem."

This is a serious misrepresentation of what is occurring.  In
Somalia there are essentially two groups: those with guns, and
those without.  Those with guns belong to one set of ethnic
groups, those without belong to other ethnic groups.  Those with
guns often steal food at the ports, eat part of it, but sell the
rest to buy more guns.  Those without guns go hungry.

     "It's not our problem.  It's not our fault.  It's not
     our war."

Morally, it is our problem, it is our fault, it is our war.  Many
of the weapons were purchased with American tax dollars to
support a brutal dictatorship in Somalia in return for a few
military bases.

     "It's still Africa's problem.  Africa should take care
     of its own, just as we took care of our own in Florida
     after the hurricane."

Obviously, Africa is not taking care of its own, nor does the
Organization of African Unity have the financial means to do so.
America has the ability to assure that food reaches the refugee
camps.  No African country in the region has that ability.

     "Even Colin Powell, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
     has said that limited armed intervention is out of the
     question.  It would be another Vietnam."

General Powell was talking about massive intervention to disarm
the looters and take complete control of Somalia.  What is
proposed here is a much more limited intervention to protect food
shipments and refugee feeding centers.  Somalia is flat, open,
and sparsely populated, quite unlike Vietnam.  If the policy
proved to be a mistake, troops could always be withdrawn.  If we
act, we may fail.  If we do not act, we condemn thousands daily
to death.
     In 1847 a group of Choctaw were forced to march the Trail of
Tears, and suffered unimaginable hardships.  Yet a mere 16 years
later they contributed $710 to help potato famine victims in
Ireland.  Recently a group of Irish and Choctaw marched the Trail
of Tears together and raised $71,000 for Somalia.  In France
school children collected tons of rice, and the French government
arranged for shipment.  In this country thousands of children
have walked and collected pledges.

But all will be for nought if the food fails to arrive.  America
must pledge full support for the deployment of United Nations
troops in Somalia, including active participation by our own
military.  It is the only compassionate thing to do.

[The author is a frequent visitor to Africa, and recently
moderated a student and faculty discussion about Somalia on the
UW campus.]
****************************************************************
Jeffrey A. Cochrane
Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
427 Lorch Street           Internet: Cochrane@AE.AgEcon.wisc.edu
Madison, WI  53706  (  )   Peacenet: Cochrane
USA                 (++)    Fidonet: Cochrane 1:121/25.3
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           *  ||----||         Chat: Room 317 Taylor Hall
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