From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SOMALIA: RELIEF OPERATIONS HALT AMID FRESH FIGHTING
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 03:52:16 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Agriculture
Title: SOMALIA: RELIEF OPERATIONS HALT AMID FRESH FIGHTING


an inter press service feature

by horace awori

nairobi, oct 28 (ips) -- hopes that peace would return to
war-torn somalia soon have been dimmed by fresh factional
fighting in the southern half of the country.

with the flow of relief food reduced to trickles by the
increasingly precarious security situation, more and more somali
lives are lost daily due to starvation.

however, eight somali fighting fronts and clans have
reportedly agreed to stop hostility and meet oct. 31 in
mogadishu to work out a home-grown strategy to restore peace
in the horn of africa country.

the fronts include united somali national front (snf),
somali patriotic movement (spm), united somali party (usp),
united somali front (usf), somali democratic alliance (sda) and
somali democratic movement (sdm).

mohamed kanyare afrah, who claims to have replaced gen
mohamed farah aideed as chair of somali united congress (usc),
tuesday said here there was an overwhelming ''national outcry
for the restoration of peace, law and order in somalia''.

''somali elders, religious leaders and intellectuals have
committed themselves to exploring ways of re-establishing peace
and tranquillity in somalia'', he said.

after the overthrow of president mohamed siad barre in
january 1991, the usc took control of the government and
appointed ali mahdi mohamed as interim president. however,
aideed is said to be in control of the capital, mogadishu.

afrah has appealed to the united nations to send more troops
to the country in order to create peace corridors to ensure
relief food reaches the starving population.

the united nations in july decided to send 500 troops to
somalia to secure relief supplies after looting and internecine
violence hampered food distribution in the country ravaged by
war and drought.

out of the somali population of 7.5 million, u.n. reports
show 4.6 million are directly affected by the war and
starvation. the mortality rate of children under five is around
215 per 1,000. (more/ips)


somalia: relief (2)

afrah accuses the recently formed somali national alliance,
grouping aideed's faction of the usc and three other fronts in
central and southern somalia, of carrying out carnage and
refusing to respect a nationwide cease-fire.

when the national movements meet saturday in mogadishu, afrah
said, they will endeavour to reach an agreement on the formation
of a government of national unity.

however, the self-proclaimed leader of the usc could not tell
how much of somali territory was under control of the eight
groups planning to form a government.

according to relief aid agencies here, aideed has blocked
the deployment of 500 u.n. troops to different areas of
mogadishu. the troops, provided by pakistan, are already in the
somali capital.

aid agencies have reported the situation has led to increased
looting of the relief food while deaths in the famine-wracked
south-western somalia were on the rise.

the world food programme friday resumed relief flights to
berdhera in south-western gedo province but since cancelled the
operation due to insecurity in the area.

''we are trying to decide on some course of action, but our
effort would be much easier if the united nations took the lead
in the current situation'', an aid agency official working in
somalia told ips.

according to sources involved in relief operations, pressure
should be exerted on aideed for the resumption of relief work
and the deployment of u.n. troops.

the situation described by relief agencies belies the
optimism of afrah about peace propects in the country.

renewed clashes are flushing out another influx of displaced
people. relief agencies cannot locate where the needy people are
concentrated, but it is believed many refugees were heading
eastward to the indian ocean coast.

''with this situation, we fear the death rates from hunger
and starvation are going to increase'', rick grant of 'care
international' told ips. (end/ips/ha/ar/apc/92)
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