More "Back-Burner Crises"

While most U.S. and European media seem content to continue gushing over U.S. Presidential candidates -- even broadcasting nearly an hour of “news” last week in which candidates told jokes about each other -- East Africa’s emergency food crisis is worsening.

On-going drought and famine are now threatening nearly 10,000,000 men, women and children in Ethiopia. A U.N. official says the number of Ethiopians needing emergency food aid has more than doubled. A World Food Program spokesman says 9.6 million people need emergency food. This is estimate is now more than twice the number (4.6 million) released in June. The spokesman says the rise in Ethiopians needing food aid includes people not accounted for in previous assessments.

The spokesman also said that the increase comprises about 2 million residents of Ethiopia's southeastern Somali region. The figure also includes 3.2 million people who had been covered by a plan intended to stave off chronic food shortages but now need emergency food aid.

Aid workers say this year's drought is the worst since 2003.

But this is a back-burner story.

Back-Burner Crises

As the U.S. media (and even much of the international media as well) focuses on the final weeks of the U.S. presidential race and the decline of world economic markets, many stories which would otherwise have been deemed “news-worthy crises” have been dubbed “back-burner stories.” But the lack of reporting does not diminish their seriousness in any way.

Perhaps one of the more critical news items is the fact that hunger is gripping much of Zimbabwe. As Zimbabwe leaders continue to be embroiled in political struggles, the poorest of the country continue to suffer. (This probably could be written about any number of nations).

“In previous years," one 54-year-old resident explained, "we used to harvest a few bags of grain. But this year there is nothing." She is caring for her husband who has tuberculosis and their four children.

The World Food Program found Zimbabweans getting by on one meal a day, of corn meal porridge and a few vegetables for the lucky, but only wild fruit for others. It is estimated that 45 percent of Zimbabwe's population will need food help by early 2009. The food agency said its stocks would run out in January -- "at the very peak of the crisis" -- if it did not get more help from donors. It has received almost $175 million so far this year for Zimbabwe, but needed $140 million more to fund emergency operations through April.

In a world caught up in the midst of a global economic crisis, such a shortfall could mean a humanitarian tragedy as millions of people may die from starvation.

When do stories like this move to the front page?

Where does it end?

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.