SOMALIA: Feeding centres closed amid heavy fighting

SOMALIA: Feeding centres closed amid heavy fighting

NAIROBI, 23 July 2009 (IRIN) - Ongoing conflict in Mogadishu, Somalia's
capital, has led to the closure of many feeding centres across the city,
putting pressure on already crowed camps for internally displaced persons
(IDPs) as more and more people flee their homes, say local officials.

"We are receiving more IDPs in the camps [along the road linking Mogadishu
to Afgoye] that are already crowded; those arriving are not getting any
help, only the older IDPs receive relief aid," Jowhar Ilmi, an IDP
spokesperson, told IRIN on 23 July.

Ilmi said most of the camps lacked water and adequate sanitation
facilities.

Moalim Mohamud Saney Warsame, deputy mayor of Mogadishu's Wadajir district,
which most of the newly displaced have fled in the past month, said most
feeding centres had closed due to continued fighting between government
troops and Islamist insurgents.

"Those who have been displaced recently are facing a severe humanitarian
crisis because aid agencies have difficulties reaching them," Warsame said.
"Our capacity to help these people is limited; I call upon the international
community to intervene in this situation."

Mohamed Abdi Hashi, an official of one of the feeding centres, the Darman
group, said at least 5,500 people - mostly women and children - were
benefiting from the centre in Wadajir before it closed in early July.

"We closed the feeding centre due to violence," he said. "We didn't receive
prepared food from aid agencies. We get people turning up at the centre
daily, carrying plates, but we have nothing."

Asha Sha'ur, a civil society representative in Mogadishu, said almost 90
percent of Mogadishu residents were displaced. "We can't tell what is going
on here, heavy shelling goes on every night."

She added that local relief workers were trying to help the displaced "but
our ability is small".

Aid alternatives

Fartun Mohiyadin Ahmed, who is taking care of 20 family members, told IRIN
they had all depended on the feeding centre in Wadajir.

"I don't know what the future holds for us now that the centre is closed; I
am especially worried because my children are sickly; they are coughing and
have measles. I am losing hope," Ahmed said.

An official of the UN World Food Programme (WFP-Somalia), which provides
food aid to hundreds of thousands of Somalis, said most of the 16 feeding
centres it had been supplying had closed down due to insecurity.

Mohamed Hassan Guled, WFP's information officer, said the agency was aware
of the closures and was assessing the situation.

"We are considering alternative ways of providing food aid, such as
transferring the feeding programmes to peaceful areas; but still we are
monitoring the situation," Guled said.

js/mhm/mw[END]