Tuesday, July 21, 2009

"The secretary general condemns the looting yesterday of UN offices in Somalia," Ban's spokeswoman Michele Montas said in a statement. "Such acts target the whole gamut of UN peace and humanitarian operations in Somalia.

"The UN is providing life-saving support to people in need throughout Somalia, and will continue to do all it can to help the country emerge from decades of violence," the statement added.

Monday, Somalia's hardline Shebab militia raided the offices of the United Nations Development Program, the UN Department of Safety and Security and the UN Political Office for Somalia in Baidoa and Wajid hours after they banned their operations on charges that they were "enemies of Islam and Muslims."

In response, the UN said it was temporarily suspending its humanitarian work in one of the two towns where the Islamists struck.

Tuesday, UN humanitarian chief John Holmes also made it clear that the United Nations was not backing away from Somalia, saying the suspension of its humanitarian work in Baidoa was only temporary.

"We simply cannot continue there until we replace that equipment," he noted. "We're not backing away from Somalia more widely and we hope to continue operations there despite these difficulties."

These difficulties are not new, he added, pointing to a recent attack on another UN agency compound, attacks on food convoys in Somalia and ships as well as killings, abductions and threats against aid staff.

The Al Qaeda-inspired insurgency has taken control of much of southern and central Somalia in relentless battles against the government and Ethiopian troops that ousted an Islamist movement of which they initially were a part.

Somalia is the UN's fourth biggest overall humanitarian operation.

Some 3.2 million Somalis -- nearly half the country's estimated population -- face a "humanitarian emergency or acute food and livelihood crisis," according to the world body.

Source: AFP, July 21, 2009

Terminator @ 7/23/2009 4:24 AM EST  I thought looting and taking other properties was against the rule of AL-Haraams cult-ideology? What is wrong with this picture? Those responsible for the looting of the much needy must be brought to justice and hands/legs must be amputated or ........maybe it is only applicable to innocent civilians? Thugs are always thugs regardless their new faceless Paki/Image!!!!

shanta @ 7/22/2009 8:55 AM EST  Mahare, What is the ‘only problem” tomorrow? This never ending problem is causing us problem, and its problem we have to deal with, without being problematic about it.

fiqicigaal @ 7/22/2009 6:04 AM EST  It is hard to conceive that the same religous men who fought Ethiopia had turned into marauding th*gs who will not spare any one on sight. They have condemned and murdered innocent civilians who were not opposing them. It is high time Somalis support a government with visibility and voice. It must find its feet firmly on the ground to save its people from the daily slaughter of alshabaab cannibals.

ghariibstranger @ 7/21/2009 7:59 PM EST  Gacaliye; Now I know you are realy one who knows nothing about anything I feel sory for you. Think about where you came from.

Gacaliye@ @ 7/21/2009 7:52 PM EST  Good-night, friends and foes (f**ls).