2011/09/16
The Threat from Drought and Terrorists, by Hirohisa Seike
Can you imagine there being no rain for three years? That was what exactly happened in Somalia. "The last of my cattle died." Even though nomadic people are used to droughts, they lose their means of making a livelihood if their cattle die.
Another reason people abandon their country is the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab. This insurgent group Al-Shabaad (meaning "the youth"), which came to the forefront in the past few years, is rapidly expanding its area of control. If you ask people what made them decide to leave their country, this terrorist organization frequently is cited. Children who have escaped have witnessed horror. As word came that Al-Shabaad was spotted near Dadaab, NGOs traveling there must form a convoy with UN and Kenyan police vehicles. When such a convoy is unavailable, NGOs much hire private security.
This region carries many refugees, and FH Kenya is planning on distributing energy efficient cooking stoves. Much firewood is being used to prepare meals. This was the biggest problem in Congo with local residence when Rwanda refugees arrived in 1994. To prevent this from occurring again, we at JIFH will be assisting in the distribution of these stoves. (Hirohisa Seike, September 16th).
