Thursday, October 18, 2007

Our Thugs in Somalia

One reason the story doesn't reach the Times.

For context, read this.


"Somali forces storm UN compound, seize food aid official; Agency suspends distribution" by Mohamed Olad Hassan/Associated Press October 18, 2007

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Dozens of heavily armed government security forces stormed a United Nations compound yesterday and spirited away the official overseeing emergency food aid for Somalia's war-ruined capital, prompting the agency to suspend distribution.

The World Food Program called for the immediate release of Idris Osman, a Somali in charge of the agency's efforts to help feed tens of thousands of people in Mogadishu. The city is in shambles after more than a decade and a half of chaos and war.

"In the light of Mr. Osman's detention and in view of WFP's duty to safeguard its staff, WFP is forced immediately to suspend these distributions and the loading of WFP food from our warehouses in the Somali capital," the food program said in a statement.

WFP said between 50 and 60 Somali government security forces, some in uniform, entered the compound and seized Osman without firing any shots. Osman was being held in a cell near the presidential palace, the agency said.

At UN headquarters in New York, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon demanded Osman's immediate and unconditional release, and called the entry into the UN compound "forceful and illegal," UN deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.

Interior Minister Mohamed Mohamoud Guled denied that government forces carried out any operation at the UN compound. But he said the WFP had recently distributed food aid without consulting the government. In recent months, the government has blocked aid distributions to areas perceived to be adversarial.

Citing staff safety, the World Food Program said it was suspending distribution for a feeding program that began Monday using government-approved mosques. It was aimed at easing the plight of 75,600 people in Mogadishu.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates some 1.5 million Somalis are now in need of food aid and protection because of inadequate rains, continuing internal displacement and a potential cholera epidemic.

Somalia has not had a functioning governments since 1991, when rival warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on each other.

Mogadishu has been plagued by fighting since government troops and their Ethiopian allies chased out the Council of Islamic Courts in December.

Remnants of the Islamic militia have vowed to fight an Iraq-style insurgency."

[I get tired of non-contextual, Zionist lies, readers!

And my heart breaks when I consider the plight of the Somalis.

NO RACISM HERE!]