MOGADISHU: Armed conflicts in Somalia not only make life hard for the victims of drought and famine, they also make it extremely difficult to channel international aid.
The humanitarian mission to Somalia organised by Putera 1Malaysia Club must be accompanied by armed personnel whenever they distribute food and supplies.
Ever since the mission landed at the Mogadishu International Airport on Aug 28, they have been closely guarded by government soldiers.
Aid distribution is over-seen by security forces carrying heavy arms, including rocket launchers.
In Somalia, it is common to see citizens carrying weapons such as AK-47s in city streets.
Neither soldiers nor police, they are armed for self-protection as violence continues in the aftermath of the long civil war.
The war began in 1991 when the Somali Union of Congress appointed Ali Mahdi Muhammad as the new president, against the opposition of the armed wing of the union, led by General Muhamad Farah Aidid.
To date, Somalia has failed to form a permanent government.
Armed conflicts between tribes continue.
The situation is made even more unstable by the Al-Shabaab anti-government group of Somalis, now controlling certain regions of the country.
“They have no identification,” said government officer Abdul Razak Duale of the group.
“They wear masks. You can’t see their faces. You don’t know who they are. Maybe it’s your son.”
Within the 55-member Malaysian mission, security measures include confinement to residential grounds between 6 pm and 6am daily.
Mission members engaged in aid distribution are trained to leave an area when a situation becomes out of control.
“In view of the grave uncertainty, we are prepared to face any eventuality, and that was our pledge,” said mission head Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Putera 1Malaysia Club chairman.
Mission members have distributed 300 tonnes of goods to residents of camps around Mogadishu, including Badbado and Maalin camps last Thursday.
The mission has also delivered medicine to the Somali Ministry of Health, and contributed RM30,000 to the Somali National Eye Centre.
So far, no member of the mission has been injured.
“We take all precautionary and security Measures,” said Abdul Azeez, “and leave the rest to God.”
He had said on Thursday that Putera 1Malaysia Club was proposing to sponsor a camp in Somalia to shelter drought and famine victims.
It would be more practical compared to sending aid materials to the camps in view of the security risks, he said.
The club is awaiting further instructions from the Prime Minister on whether to set up the camp, he added. — Bernama