Fault Lines - Horn of Africa Crisis: Somalia's Famine

The worst drought in 60 years has thrown some 13 million people across the Horn of Africa into crisis.

In Somalia, ravaged by two decades of conflict, the consequences have been disastrous. For over six months, aid agencies on the ground sounded the alarm that a major drought and famine was on the horizon.

Then in July and August, the world watched and international aid agencies scrambled as tens of thousands of Somalis fled famine and fighting in the devastated Southern part of the country, controlled by the armed group al-Shabab. And they continued to flee - to the Somali capital of Mogadishu, and refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia - in the following months, when the world seemed to lose interest.

Somalia's weak Transitional Federal Government, the Obama administration, and the United Nations have all blamed the anti-government group al-Shabab for restricting international aid operations in the areas they control. But is al-Shabab the only reason a drought and food crisis has turned into a deadly famine?

In the first of a two-part series examining the US response to drought and hunger in the Horn of Africa, Fault Lines travels to Mogadishu to meet refugees who have fled to the most war-ravaged city in the world to escape a worse fate, and the aid and medical workers struggling to help them. We examine the legacy of US engagement in Somalia and its efforts to address the current crisis.

Has aid in this region of the world become politicised? And has Washington's pre-occupation with terrorism in the Horn of Africa contributed to the deadly consequences of this disaster?

• Category

  • Documentary
  • News

• Starring:

  • Sebastian Walker

• Produced by:

  • Andrea Schmidt

[Soomtu]

It was colonialism that cleared the way for the Jewish bible to take off yearning for saviour; again it was colonialism that cleared the way for the Christian bible, taking the rejected and punished jew by the jews as their saviour; and today it is colonialism that clears the way for the materialisation of the JudeoChristianAtheist bible globally where the future the materialised makebelieve Saviour will face the natural reality as it is (islaam). The God of Colonialism or the God of Nature?

[TheBestOfYTComments]

My parents told me if I get an F in any of my classes I wouldn't eat dinner. I just got my grades back. Guess who's not eating tonight? That's right: the children in Africa.

[Doctorrayify]

Somali's are taking this fasting thing too seriously if you ask me.

[GreenDevilification]

this should get more views than psy...

[olga wyn]

This famine could go away if mothers did not have so many children; the belief is in Somalia, is that the children take care of their parents in later years. One or two children would be better as they would not starve as much as the will not have to compete. I do feel for these people but why bring more children in to the world when famine is around. Surely not having so many children would mean that fewer would lose their lives as they would not be competing with brothers and sisters for food.

[TheBestOfYTComments]

Do you know what it even means to be a likewhore, Timmy?

[Ritchloui Ritch]

The backward Muslims have reduced the once cradle of civilisation to idiocy and ignorance. All the kiddy diddling slavers who poured out of Arabia brought with them was their fanaticism, pagan rituals and barbarity. For a while they lived in opulence until all the wealth and knowledge drained away in their ignorant hands. Muslims have contributed NOTHING to Mankind for 1,000 years. Kiddy diddling slavers, nothing more.

[Timmy Brunston]

Watch out! TBOYC is whoring for likes again

[Jawis32]

Ooooooh, suprahumanoid lifeform, tell me O when did we split and how did my race survive parallel with yours?

.

.

.

Tell me are you that kind of person that is open to themselves on youtube,

or are you that kind of person that goes out into the streets and shouts stuff like:

"I AM A SUPRAHUMANOID LIFEFORM AND YOU ARE ALL SUBHUMANOID BECAUSE YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME!!!!!!"