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Thursday August 28, 2008
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Beledweyn, Somalia (HOL) - Information we received from sources in the town of Jalalaqsi in Hiiraan Region in central Somalia tell us that more than seven internally displaced children have starved to death. The children and their families arrived in the town of Jalalaqsi after fleeing recent fighting in the city of Beledwenye between Ethiopian forces and forces loyal to Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS).Abdirisaq Doolar who lives in the town of Jalalaqsi and is among a group of people trying to help the IDP from Beledweyne told HOL that the children who died belonged to families who were poor to begin with and did not get support when they arrived in Jalalaqsi.
Mr. Doolar added that one of the more serious situations facing the people in the town is the closure of the town’s hospital and lack of any assistance from aid agencies, particularly the Red Crescent which supported the town’s hospital in the past.
In addition to the seven children who died, there are others who are facing dire situation and are in need of urgent assistance without which they may not be able to survive.
Elders of the town have criticized aid agencies for storing aid supplies in stores and in being slow to distribute aid while the need is urgent.
The town of Jalalaqsi is not the only town where IDP are facing humanitarian crisis in the Hiiraan region.
English adaptation by Mohamed Amin Ahmed, Hiiraan Online
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