由於武裝部隊攻擊人道組織行動，並提出一連串威脅和無法令人接受的要求，使得世上最大糧食援助機構難以持續對索馬利亞南部100萬飢民進行糧援。
這條人道糧援生命線的中斷，等於讓多年乾旱又逢11月雨水不足的非洲角(Horn of Africa)地區，情況更為雪上加霜。
聯合國世界糧食計劃署(WFP)於5日的發言中表示，由於該機構在索馬利亞南部的人道援助行動受到武裝團體日益嚴重的供擊，將暫停在索馬利亞南部大部分地區發放糧食的工作。
聯合國5日在一份聲明中宣布，去年全球 共有28名工作人員和7名維和平部隊隊員喪生，其中包括在索馬利亞的兩名聯合國文職人員。
糧食計劃署發言人卡塞拉於日內瓦告訴記者，該機構行動被干擾的區域中有95%已被一個稱為Al –Shabaab(或戰士青年運動Movement of Warrior Youth)的武裝組織所控制。
世界糧食計劃署對工作人員的安全非常關注；該機構透露，武裝團體索價6個月達2萬美元，以確保聯合國人員的安全。此外，糧食計劃署也收到取消婦女工作的要求。
因此，糧食計劃署已暫時關閉其設在索馬利亞南部多個城鎮的辦公室。工作人員、食品供應和設備已被轉移到較安全的地區，以確保糧食援助可盡可能地繼續幫助脆弱族群。
2009年8月以來，一半的索馬利亞人口 (約364萬人)，需要外部援助。
由於派系戰爭和旱災蹂躪，自1991年以來，索馬利亞一直沒有一個有效的政府。糧食計劃署表示，即使是沒有旱災的時候，透過內部生產，索馬利亞只能滿足總人口40%的糧食需求。過去五年中，本地糧食生產平均僅能達到該國三成左右的的糧食需求。
非營利組織「樂施會」(Oxfam)說，索馬利亞正經歷連續第六年季節降雨不足，造成20年來最嚴重的乾旱。
Attacks on humanitarian operations and a string of threats and unacceptable demands from armed groups have made it impossible for the world's largest food aid agency to continue feeding up to one million hungry people in southern Somalia.
This choking of the humanitarian food lifeline raises the risk of greater instability in the entire Horn of Africa region, parched by the failure of the November rains after years of drought.
In a statement today, the UN's World Food Programme said because its humanitarian operations in southern Somalia have been under escalating attacks from armed groups, the agency will suspend food distributions in much of southern Somalia.
Two UN civilian staff members lost their lives in Somalia in 2009, the United Nations said today in a statement announcing the deaths of 28 civilian staff members and seven peacekeeping troops around the world last year.
Agency spokesperson Emilia Casella told reporters in Geneva today that 95 percent of the territory where WFP operations have been disrupted was controlled by the militant group known as Al-Shabaab, or Movement of Warrior Youth.
Staff safety is of paramount concern to WFP, the agency said today, revealing that armed groups have demanded up to $20,000 every six months to ensure the safety of UN staff. Also, the WFP has received demands to remove women from their jobs.
As a result, WFP has "temporarily" closed its offices in Wajid, Buale, Garbahare, Afmadow, Jilib and Belet Weyne in southern Somalia. Staff, food supplies and equipment have been moved to safer areas to ensure that food assistance continues to reach as many vulnerable people as possible.
Since August 2009, half the Somali population, some 3.64 million people, have been in need of outside assistance.
Torn by factional fighting and ravaged by drought, Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991. Even in good years, Somalia is only able to meet 40 percent of the food needs of its population through internal production, the WFP says. In the last five years, local production has averaged only about 30 percent of food needs in Somalia.
The nonprofit aid organization Oxfam says this is the sixth successive season of poor rains in Somalia, which is experiencing its worst drought in 20 years.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
