Somalia fights drought and militancy, Muse Nesir, a 12-year-old malnourished child from southern Somalia lies on a bed at Banadir hospital, Mogadishu. The United Nations will airlift emergency rations this week to parts of drought-ravaged Somalia. Photo: AP
Refugees from militancy-hit southern Somalia make their way to a new camp for internally displaced people, in Mogadishu. Photo: AP
Six deaths per day per 10,000 people sounds almost (hard to find the word) manageable. Assuming conditions don't get even worse.
Until you realize we are talking about a permanent condition. These are pastoral people, and all their animals are already dead, hopefully eaten. It wouldn't matter anyway, since the rains won't come for two or three months -- if they come at all. The animals that weren't dead now would be by then.
Project the current death rate a full year, and nearly one-quarter of these refugees will die. Without food aid (an unimaginable idea), all of them will.
One hopeful sign: the Islamist al-Shabaab insurgents that control the affected areas have offered a truce so aid workers can get in. They're probably starving too.
Western governments will act only if we citizens demand that they do.
Project the current death rate a full year, and nearly one-quarter of these refugees will die. Without food aid (an unimaginable idea), all of them will.
One hopeful sign: the Islamist al-Shabaab insurgents that control the affected areas have offered a truce so aid workers can get in. They're probably starving too.
Western governments will act only if we citizens demand that they do.
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