From: Dorothy Morse <dmorse@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Date: 13 Oct 92 17:32 PDT
Subject: Keep dawning hope alive in Somalia
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1471700182:000:3131
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!dmorse    Oct 13 17:32:00 1992


From: Dorothy Morse <dmorse>
Subject: Keep dawning hope alive in Somalia

/* Written  5:00 pm  Oct 13, 1992 by AFRICA-L@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU in cdp:bitl.africa */
/* ---------- "Keep dawning hope alive in Somalia" ---------- */
Reply-To: "FORUM PAN-AFRICA (Peer Distribution List)"              <AFRICA-L@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU>
From: Dorothy Morse <dmorse>
Subject:      Keep dawning hope alive in Somalia

I talked to an International Spokesperson for the Red Cross today and
she said, "For the first time I have good news...tensions are down...
we have been able to go from 300 feeding centers to 650...we are
feeding wet rations instead of dry...many children are becoming stabilized..
they are still at the starvation level, but they are stabilized..."

She said their needs were:  more money.  The ICRC cannot lobby or
promote lobbying, but she said "It wouldn't hurt to talk to the
House Select Committee on Hunger, even though Congress has adjourned.
The staff still works and public input has an effect."  She also
said other agencies who might be urged to continue and increase
their efforts are the UN Development Program and UNICEF.  "Since
the peacekeepers are here, the UN is a player."

Concerning military intervention, she said that the Red Cross simply
cannot take a stand on such a matter other than to urge all sides
to abide by the Geneva Conventions.

I asked about talking to Nancy Kassebaum and Paul Simon, two
Senators on the Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs.  She saud
"It couldn't hurt."  (Seems to be stock phrase for ICRC:_))

I called both Senators in their home offices today  (Kassebaum in
Kansas and Simon in Illinois).  The idea is that they are campaigning
for their respective parties, Republican and Democrat, and it
will be good for them to hear from lots of voters concerned about
Somalia.

To write, phone, or fax, here is the info:

Senator Nancy Kassebaum
4200 Somerset, Suite 152
Prairie Village, KS 66208
phone (913)648-3103
fax(913)648-3106
(She is a Republican; has been probably the most visible Congressperson
working for Somalia; so it's in order to express appreciation and ask
her to continue or increase her efforts)

Senator Paul Simon
3 West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 1
Springfield, IL 62701
phone:(217)-492-4960
fax (217)492-
(a Democrat; he told the Christian hunger action group Bread for the
World "Every time you write a letter about hunger you are quite literally
saving a life.")


PS--I got some literature from PIRG about some lobbying they did for the
environment, and it contains this info

"Across the country, PIRG campaigners got citizens to call and write their
senators in opposition to the bill...
  "'A number of Senate staffers approached me to say, "Stop the phone calls"'
says Magavern. 'I told them, "We'll stop the calls we we get your
commitment..."'
Finally, if Ken can do another letter-writing campaign (even if not as
big as the last one) to the two North Carolina Senators in their
home offices (both are on the African Affairs Subcommittee), that
could be fantastically helpful, IMHO, because the Senators would
be hearing from their constituents.