From: harelb@MATH.CORNELL.EDU (Harel Barzilai)
Newsgroups: misc.headlines,alt.politics.clinton
Subject: BACKLGROUND TO please use FREE FAX-by-email re SOMALIA
Date: 17 Aug 92 06:24:38 GMT
Organization: misc.activism.progressive on UseNet ; ACTIV-L@UMCVMB


Topic 323       PLEASE USE FREE FAX-BY-EMAIL -- >>S     1 response 
harelb  alt.activism     6:08 pm  Aug 13, 1992 
(at math.cornell.edu)   (From News system) 


    Something like 4.5 million people are 
    starving and up to as much as 5000 people die every day. The 
    international response to 

    "It is said that so much of the food is looted that it is simply 
    not worth the trouble to ship it there.  It is also said that  
    must respect the opinion of one of the local warlords that no 
    foreign involvment is needed.  Both these rumours are untrue. 


[This from PeaceNet's pn.alerts] 
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Topic 63        Fax for Somalia...via Sunet!  
peacenet        pn.alerts       10:23 pm  Aug 12, 1992  
From: <peacenet>  
Subject: Fax for Somalia...via Sunet!  
From: Dorothy Morse <dmorse>  
Subject: Fax for Somalia...via Sunet!  
******************************************************************   
/* Written 11:39 am  Aug 12, 1992 by antbh@strix.udac.uu.se in cdp:misc.activism. */  
/* ---------- "Fax for Somalia...via Sunet!" ---------- */  

   =============================================================== 
    F A X   Y O U R   O P I N I O N   T O   J A M E S   B A K E R 

       F R E E   F A X   S E R V I C E   E S T A B L I S H E D 
   =============================================================== 

By now few people will be unaware that the Somali people stand in immediate  
danger of extinction. Something like 4.5 million people are starving and  
up to as much as 5000 people die every day. The international response to   
this disaster has been lukewarm. While the secretary general has strongly  
urged that massive shipments of food accompanied by a large contingent  
of UN troops is the only solution, so far only 50 unarmed observers  
have been stationed in the country and the shipments have not yet been   
sent.  

Meanwhile a number of NGOs have been working successfully in the country.  
The reliefwork is not easy or free of dangers, but it pays off! Unfortunately  
there is a lot of rumours around concerning the possibilities to initiate  
relief operations on a more massive scale. It is said that so much of the  
food is looted that it is simply not worth the trouble to ship it there.  
It is also said that UN must respect the opinion of one of the   
local warlords that no foreign involvment is needed.   

Both these rumours are untrue. Relief efforts are possible and even the  
food that is looted reaches hungry stomachs. If food was sufficient there  
would be no looting! The voluntary agencies operating in Somalia have since  
the crisis began one and a half year ago (!), learned to use other harbours  
than the one in the capital. Occassionally food has been landed on the  
beaches.  

Also, the warlord resisting UN involvment need not  
be respected more than any bandit's viewpoints have to be taken seriously.  
This warlord does not control more than 1000 men, the rest of his  
forces are simply armed youngsters that will act more according the  
their own perception of the situation than by orders they receive.  

Since the US has such an influential role in the United Nations, please fax   
your opinion about what needs to be done to secretary of state James Baker  
be sure to submit copies of your fax to UN secretary general Dr Boutros  
Boutros Ghali.   

Faxes can be sent FREE OF CHARGE via the Swedish university network, SUNET.  
All internet and bitnet users can make use of this service.   

****************************************************************** 
[old fax number/email deleted -- see new fax numbers]
******************************************************************


Topic 323       PLEASE USE FREE FAX-BY-EMAIL -- >>S     Response  1 of  1 
dmorse 
alt.activism    10:31 pm  Aug 14, 1992 

Some trouble getting thru now on the State Dept. fax no., and some 
thought that they may simply have unplugged their fax machine. 

Two new numbers to try: 

Bureau of African Affairs  202-647-6301  (Herman Jay Cohen, Asst. Secy) 


Bureau of East African Affairs 202-647-0810  (Mark Johnson, director) 


I don't know if these will go through free of charge yet in the SUNET 
format--Bernhard may have to set that up.  But they can be tried in 
peacenet faxing and from regular fax machines. 
 I'm sure we'll hear from Bernhard soon if these will work with SUNET  

Conf?