After the intervention
of the Ethiopian troops, the situation in Somalia continues to be
very tense as the Islamic Courts Union refused a government offer
for amnesty. The ICU fled their last stronghold in the southern port
city of Kismayu on Monday and has announced that they will continue
to resist the Ethiopian troops. ACT Members, the Lutheran World
Federation/World Service (LWF/DWS) programs in the Horn of Africa
have been following the situation in Somalia and preparing contingency
plans for a further deterioration of the situation.
In Kenya
a surge of Somalis streamed into Kenya due to escalation of violence
in Somalia during the last weeks. The flow of refugees crossing the
border increased from an average of 300 to 400 individuals a day,
to more than 1,000 a day over the past few weeks. The refugees are
arriving at Dadaab, located in the Garissa district in northeastern
Kenya, where there are already three refugee camps. Furthermore, the
unusually heavy November rains flooded and destroyed shelters and
latrines in the camps.
LWF/DWS program
in Kenya , under the lead of UNHCR and in coordination with the ACT
Forum in Kenya, is sending an assessment mission to Dadaab. The mission
will arrive to Dadaab on January 11th and its purpose will
be to identify the existing gaps in the provision of basic services
to the current caseload in Dadaab as well as the capacity to deal
effectively with a large scale influx.
In Ethiopia,
LWF/DWS Eithiopia program is in discussions with the ACT forum, and
stand ready to assist the EECMY and the ecumenical partners should there
be a need to do so and extra capacity is needed.
