By M.A. Egge
The President H.E. Ahmed Mohammed MohamudSilanyo has appealed to the members of the public to be ready for a nationwide relief mobilization campaign soon to be kicked off in the efforts of alleviating the sufferings of drought stricken citizens in some parts of the country.
The Head of State made the announcement to the nation yesterday at the Civil Service Hall during the 5th graduation of the Civil Service Institute.
The President who late last month declared the drought situation in the eastern parts of the country a disaster sent an SOS appeal to the international community and members of the public, nongovernmental organizations etc for relief aid.
To underpin the precarious state of the situation the president revealed that he is to announce the commencement of a major campaign for relief efforts at national level hence yesterday appealed to the members of the public to be in readiness for that moment.
So far a committee of a fact finding mission at national level is in the meantime going about the affected areas to evaluate the extent of the impact of the drought.
Last week a similar task force of Togdeer councilors had painted a grim picture of the situation as they met untold number of internally displaced persons at Balli-alanle.
The national committee that is led by Finance Minister Hon. Zamzam Abdi Aden consists of Resettlement minister Hon. Ali Said Raygal, state minister for education and Togdeer Regional governor Mohammed Ibrahim Qabo amongst others.
They have so far travelled to the SL-Ethiopian border areas of Togdeer.
Governor Qabo told our sister paper Dawan on Friday night that the impact of the drought was so severe and that it has affected areas of Sool, Saraar, Togdeer and also parts of Sahil.
Internally displaced persons have converged at places like Shansha-adde and Oodanle whereby they not only brought their own lives for respite, but those of their animals too.
The governor appealed to the nation’s entrepreneurs to join in the relief efforts hence said that so far the state has managed to supply relief foods and basic livelihood necessities to 700 families.
The team is with support medical and veterinary doctors.
He said that relief food received from the Turkish government and some from Burao traders have been distributed to the needy.
Qabo said that Balli-dig,Dagah-deer, Duruqsi and Ando-dehe are such areas severely hit by water scarcity.
The team going through Sanaag is to visit the rest of the affected regions.
Reporters accompanying the teams have reported a grim picture of the situation.
Khadar Mohammed Akulle interviewed a father of seven who had to abandon his children in search of pastures.
The drought, he says, have driven families apart and displaced them mercilessly.
In a special SMS note Khadar Akulle sent to the somalilandpress.com last night, the SLNTV/Radio Hargeisa reporter underscored the severeness of the situation as he cruised towards Taleeh.
“280km squared is scrammed with displaced persons”, he wrote.
The worst sceneries were seen and witnessed at Awrbogeys, God-aalo and Shahda areas, he said.
“The situation is compounded by the vast distance between centres”, he added.
Mr. Khadar said that he was shocked yesterday at Taleeh whereby the IDPs (internally displaced persons) there claimed abandoning 5 to 6 animals every one hour as they trekked.
“I was taken aback when told that every one hour saw the abandoning of 5 to 6 lethargic animals hence left to die”, said Khadar.
He said that the same sentiments were expressed by the IDPs at Taleeh who came from Sool, Sanaag, Haysimo and even Puntland.
He said the situation was so dire and needed emergency aid.
