Date: 26 Oct 2007

Main Developments

The Head of the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Mogadishu was released by order of the President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) after being arrested six days ago. Reasons for his detainment have still not been given. The staff member was forcefully taken from the United Nations (UN) Compound and arrested by 50-60 heavily armed soldiers. An agreement between the TFG and the UN to conduct a joint fact-finding mission into the staff member's arrest was reached. Following the arrest, WFP suspended food distribution in Mogadishu to about 75,000 vulnerable people and to 110,000 displaced people in Afgooye ( Lower Shabelle). The activities will resume next week.

Insurgents in Mogadishu continued to target Ethiopian/TFG forces. Civilians continue to be caught in the crossfire, with an unconfirmed number of dead and injured. In one incident at least five people died when a bus in which they were riding hit a landmine. The attacks in Mogadishu are now more out in the open, better organized and occurring on a near daily basis. Attacks include the use of improvised explosive devices and roadside and suicide bombs. African Union peacekeepers were also targeted, attacked by unknown assailants as they were guarding the seaport in Mogadishu; three peacekeepers were injured.

The acting manager of Shabelle Media was killed on 19 October, triggering public outcry from a number of international and national human rights groups on the continuous harassment of reporters, closure of media houses and killings. The editor of a newspaper based in Mogadishu was arrested for one day, with no reason given for his arrest. Reportedly, Radio Garowe in Puntland was briefly closed and three journalists arrested by authorities for allegedly interviewing a national security official who had criticized TFG procedures in detentions and investigations currently underway in Mogadishu.

In Sool, the disputed region between Somaliland and Puntland, an unconfirmed number of people moved from Las Anod (the regional capital) to various parts within the northern regions due to rising tensions. Needs assessments by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from Somaliland – as well as joint needs assessments coordinated by HADMA, UN, NGOs and government from Puntland – are taking place this week. The assessments aim to identify the needs of the displaced and assist in planning a coordinated response to the affected people. The results of the assessments are expected early next week.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mayfa'a Reception Centre in Yemen reports that on 22 October, two boats arrived from Bossaso (Puntland) with approximately 135 persons on board. From the first boat about 116 passengers (32 Somali and 84 Ethiopians) arrived and from the second boat 19 Somalis arrived in Yemen. Three Ethiopian males committed suicide by jumping into the sea due to the conditions and abuse by the smugglers while one Ethiopian female drowned during disembarkation in deep water. The Somali new arrivals originated from Benadir, Middle- and Lower Shabelle, Bay, Bakool, Middle Juba, Galgadud and Gedo regions and their ages ranged from 2 to 36 years. Since January 2007, over 20,436 have people arrived on the Yemen shores; approximately 751 people have died and 492 disappeared.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and UNHCR held a dialogue with local authorities and elders in Galgadud region to discuss how to improve access in the area. The UN is looking into opening an operational hub in the region to reach an estimated 100,000 IDPs who fled from Mogadishu since February, as well as thousands of people living in host communities. Follow-up discussions will take place in November.

Cholera update

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) was reported in Berbera district in Somaliland, with approximately 40 admissions per day for 5 days (8–13 October). Cases were reported from settlements in Burao, Sheik and Jamalaye. No deaths from AWD have been reported so far.

Returns and Displacements

More people have fled as insecurity continues in Mogadishu. Since the beginning of October, UNHCR's Population Movement Tracking (PMT) reported that nearly 8,600 people moved from Mogadishu, while nearly 90,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) have fled since June 2007. Over 300 IDPs have returned to Mogadishu from Galgadud region since the beginning of October.

Access and Response

The FSAU Food Security and Nutrition analysis for September indicated a continuing deterioration in the situation regarding acutely malnourished children in Middle Shabelle region, with 25% of children identified as acutely malnourished. Lower, though still alarming, malnutrition levels were recorded in Lower Shabelle region, with 14% of children acutely malnourished. With limited access to and resources in the Shabelles, agencies can only reach a small proportion of the affected population. The situation in the rural areas of the Shabelle Valley is further complicated by insecurity and clan dynamics. Currently, in Lower Shabelle, Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-Swiss operates an Outpatient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) and a Therapeutic Feeding Programme (TFP) targeting IDPs in Afgooye and Hawa Abdi area.

On 21 October, a WFP contracted cargo ship escaped an attempted piracy attack off the Somali port of Brava, south of Mogadishu, where it had just unloaded 7,275 metric tons of food and was sailing back to Mombassa. In a press release, WFP renewed its pleas for deployment of foreign naval vessels to protect food aid in Somali waters. This was the third attack this year on a ship contracted by WFP to carry food to Somalia. Some 80% of WFP food assistance for Somalia moves by sea.

Meanwhile, on 15 October in Sablale, Qoryoley, Brawe and Kurtunwery ( Lower Shabelle), WFP started food distribution targeting a total of 81,676 people. In Bay region, about 300 metric tons of WFP food is stuck on the roads due to the continuing rains.

CARE International is continuing with its food distributions in Galgadud and South Mudug regions as well as Emergency Food For Work (EFFW) programmes in Hiran and Middle Shabelle regions. In Lower Shabelle, ICRC distributed Non-Food Items (NFIs) to 2,000 households. During Ramadan, ICRC traditionally provides support to structures in Mogadishu which care for orphans, war disabled and the blind. This Ramadan, about 6,000 persons benefited from the distribution of a full food ration in nine orphanages and schools for the blind. In addition, 800 orphan boys and 550 orphan girls received a set of clothes for Iid ul Fitr celebrations.

Kenyan authorities officially informed CARE that El-Wak is not an official crossing point for humanitarian commodities, and convoys are therefore not allowed to cross. At El-Wak, CARE food for about 7,400 people has been stuck for the past month. The crossing point is deemed necessary by aid workers, since one of the only other crossing points (at Mandera) would increase the traveling distance by an estimated 500km.

For Further Information, contact: Rita Maingi on +254 734 800 120 – maingir@un.org

Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)