AP: Somalia famine aid stolen; UN investigating

AP ^

[traumer]

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Thousands of sacks of food aid meant for Somalia's famine victims have been stolen and are being sold at markets in the same neighborhoods where skeletal children in filthy refugee camps can't find enough to eat, an Associated Press investigation has found.

The U.N.'s World Food Program for the first time acknowledged it has been investigating food theft in Somalia for two months. The WFP said that the "scale and intensity" of the famine crisis does not allow for a suspension of assistance, saying that doing so would lead to "many unnecessary deaths."

And the aid is not even safe once it has been distributed to families huddled in the makeshift camps popping up around the capital. Families at the large, government-run Badbado camp, where several aid groups have been distributing food, said they were often forced to hand back aid after journalists had taken photos of them with it.

Ali Said Nur said he received two sacks of maize twice, but each time was forced to give one to the camp leader.

"You don't have a choice. You have to simply give without an argument to be able to stay here," he said.

The U.N. says more than 3.2 million Somalis - nearly half the population - need food aid after a severe drought that has been complicated by Somalia's long-running war. More than 450,000 Somalis live in famine zones controlled by al-Qaida-linked militants, where aid is difficult to deliver. The U.S. says 29,000 Somali children under the age of 5 already have died.

[cripplecreek]

Haven’t we been here before?

[Steely Tom]

It’s the culture.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Unexpected.

[traumer]

Time to start another TELETHON.... :o)

[Red_Devil 232]

Moosechell needs to take a vacation there and give her advice on eating less!

[Mach9]

The U.N.’s World Food Program for the first time acknowledged it has been investigating food theft in Somalia for two months.

Hope & change at it again.

[tiki]

This is the very reason I won’t donate to Africa, the poor, starving people will still be poor and hungry and the pigs will be fat and rich.

[xp38]

How about this related story http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/somalis-suffer-and-die-as-islamists-ban-infidel-aid/article2129278/

[dfwgator]

Male Customer: Do you support the decision to send troops to Somalia?

Bill Clinton: [ chews his McMuffin ] Mmm.. that's a good question. Yes, I do.. and let me tell you why. See, right now, we're sending in.. [ holds us McMuffin ] ..food.. [ puts McMuffin in front of Male Customer ] ..to Somalia.. but it's not getting to the people who need it because.. [ brings McMuffin back to himself ] ..it's being intercepted by the warlords.. [ chews McMuffin some more ] And it's not just us. It's other countries, too.. [ grabs a McNugget from another customer ] Your McNugget is aid from Great Britain.. [ takes it to other customer, then gibbles it down ] ..intercepted by warlords! [ grabs someone's Filet-o-Fish ] This man's Filet-o-Fish over here is relief from Italy.. [ pops it in his mouth ] ..warlords! And you can send all the food you want.. [ grabs different items ] ..a McDLT, hot apple pie.. it's just gonna end up with.. [ puts it all in his mouth ] ..the warlords! Now, with a broad-based international military force, we can make sure that the McRib sandwich.. [ grabs one and places it on someone's tray ] ..gets to the people who need it. [ picks it up and gobbles it anyway ] Can I get a Coke?

[DJ MacWoW]

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[Will88]

Certainly not the first time and it won’t be the last. That’s how things are done in Somalia.

[AppyPappy]

We are paying them to starve people.

[oh8eleven]

"If you want to stop world hunger, stop sending them food. Don't send these people another bit folks. You want to send them something, you want to help?
Send them U-hauls. Send them U-hauls, some luggage, and send them a guy that goes - Hey, we've been driving out here every day with your food for the last
thirty or forty years, and we were driving out here, through the desert and it occurred to us that there wouldn't be world hunger if you people lived where the food is!
Get out of the desert! You live in a f*cking desert! Nothing grows out here! Nothings gonna grow out here! Come here you see this huh? This is sand.
You know what it's going to be in another hundred years from now? It's gonna be sand!" "Get your kids, get your $hit...
We'll take you to where the food is! We have deserts in America, we just don't live in them a$$ hole!"

[drypowder]

The ruling elite in DC I’m sure would be envious of this thief’s ruthlessness. Maybe he ought to come to America and run for office.

[aquila48]

“UN investigating...”

I feel better already!

[Pecos]

“UN investigating...” probably itself.

[Cheetahcat]

Nature will take care of the food to population ratio!

[RinaseaofDs]

Find the camp leader and shoot him in public, and then tell everyone else that then next guy stealing or coercing food from people will be not be killed so mercifully.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Been there, done that, have the honorable dead troops to show for it.