From: antbh@strix.udac.uu.se (Bernhard Helander)
Subject: Fax for Somalia!
Organization: UDAC, Uppsala, Sweden
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 06:55:12 GMT



               FAX YOUR OPINION TO JAMES BAKER
               FREE FAX SERVICE ESTABLISHED

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. 

Mail for Mr James Baker should be addressed as follows:

	James_Baker@f00912026477120.fax.sunet.se

Mail for Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali should have this address:

        Boutros_Ghali@00912129634879.fax.sunet.se

I don't know where in the respective buildings that the fax machines are
placed so make sure to include a visible header-line with the 
name of the recipients.

FAX NOW!

-- 
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*                                  *                                        *
* Bernhard Helander                * Telephone: +46-18-182289 (office)      *
* Dept of Cultural Anthropology    *            +46-18-303448 (home)        *
* University of Uppsala            *                                        *
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.african