Ziad Zitoun Visual Arts: humanitarian aid

Today, UN declares famine in southern Somalia. The Feeding centre in Dollo Ado is under emergency. European governments have been accused of "wilful neglect" by aid agencies working in Somalia, parts of which are officially in a state of famine, the United Nations (UN) has confirmed, saying that over 300,000 are currently experiencing acute malnutrition. International development secretary Andrew Mitchell said that men, women and children were dying of starvation.

"It is time for the world to help but sadly the response from many countries has been derisory and dangerously inadequate," he said. Oxfam agreed, saying that while the UK had led the way on aid, countries like Denmark, Italy and France had not provided any extra aid. As you read this, whole communities in Somalia are faced with what has been described by some observers as the worst humanitarian tragedy in decades.

United Nations High Commission for Refugees, as having called the drought now affecting more than 11 million people in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today which is turning into a human tragedy of unimaginable proportions. Refugees fleeing the region's worst drought in 60 years. The UN is appealing for "massive support" from the international community. UN Children's Fund estimating at least two million children are suffering from malnourishment.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said that those at the camp were "the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable of the vulnerable"."The mortality rates we are witnessing are three times the level of emergency ceilings," he said.

from A. Njuguna photographer, UNHCR's photo album in facebook here

DAI KUROKAWA 29 06 2011

DADAAB REFUGEE CAMP, KENYA. The bigest refugee camp in the world is over control. Famine desease rise again. Refugees fleeing the region's worst drought in 60 years. We are scared to come back in the same disaster than 1992. in july 2011, it's a vision of hell at the Dabaab camp. World's biggest refugee camp sees alarming spike in child deaths. The situation in drought-hit Somalia can be described as the "worst humanitarian disaster" in the world.

The UN is appealing for "massive support" from the international community for the more than 380,000 people estimated to be living in Dadaab. The World Food Programme estimates that more than 10 million people are already in need of humanitarian aid, with the UN Children's Fund estimating at least two million children are suffering from malnourishment. Those children are in need of lifesaving action, the UN says.1,500 people were arriving in Dadaab every day and that the situation was extremely serious. Most of the arrivals to the camps are women and very young children, many of whom are in very bad physical condition. The people that are arriving are absolutely desperate after 10-15 days walking. Thousands more are waiting at reception centres outside the Dadaab camp.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said that those at the camp were "the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable of the vulnerable"."The mortality rates we are witnessing are three times the level of emergency ceilings," he said. He appealing for "massive support" from the international community."I have no doubt that in today's world, Somalia corresponds to the worst humanitarian disaster. I have never seen in a refugee camp people coming in such desperate conditions."