As news of East Africa’s latest humanitarian crisis hit the airwaves, those who read about it or saw coverage through the video news media quickly began asking themselves: Where does it end?
At this writing, Kenya’s on-going food crisis is having a devastating impact not only on its poorest citizens, but is taking its toll on refugees streaming across its borders as well. Refugees escaping the fighting in neighboring Somalia have pushed the number of refugees in Kenya to the highest level in a decade. Food supplies are now in danger of being completely wiped out unless emergency food supplies are received a World Food Programme spokesman explained. There are now 240,000 registered refugees in Kenya, with thousands more arriving recently. Since January, an estimated 24,000 more people have entered camps in northeastern Kenya from neighboring Somalia. With between 300 and 400 people arriving each day, the number of newcomers is expected to reach 50,000 by the end of the year.
“Unless we get new funds for our refugee operation immediately, we will have to cut rations in the camps in November,” said the WFP’s spokesman. “It is a terrible decision to face but we have no choice – we can’t wait until food stocks run out. Even with the cuts, we will still run out of food in February next year. The situation is dire.”
Many blame man-made global warming on the prolonged East African drought. Others point to decisions based on political power struggles or even colonialism. With any of these scenarios, it seems to become that the solution to these struggles is in human hands.
“Where does it end?” It’s up to us.
At this writing, Kenya’s on-going food crisis is having a devastating impact not only on its poorest citizens, but is taking its toll on refugees streaming across its borders as well. Refugees escaping the fighting in neighboring Somalia have pushed the number of refugees in Kenya to the highest level in a decade. Food supplies are now in danger of being completely wiped out unless emergency food supplies are received a World Food Programme spokesman explained. There are now 240,000 registered refugees in Kenya, with thousands more arriving recently. Since January, an estimated 24,000 more people have entered camps in northeastern Kenya from neighboring Somalia. With between 300 and 400 people arriving each day, the number of newcomers is expected to reach 50,000 by the end of the year.“Unless we get new funds for our refugee operation immediately, we will have to cut rations in the camps in November,” said the WFP’s spokesman. “It is a terrible decision to face but we have no choice – we can’t wait until food stocks run out. Even with the cuts, we will still run out of food in February next year. The situation is dire.”
Many blame man-made global warming on the prolonged East African drought. Others point to decisions based on political power struggles or even colonialism. With any of these scenarios, it seems to become that the solution to these struggles is in human hands.
“Where does it end?” It’s up to us.
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