29/07/2011 (B614) Afar Alliance Action : deux articles en Anglais à propos du Ramadan et de la sécheresse. (Info lecteur)

_______ Ramadan Kareem, Happy Ramadan

There are three days left of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar lasting 29 to 30 days and it is the month of fasting for Islamic countries

Muslims do not eat or drink during this holy day. These practices teach patience; humility and spirituality. Muslims fast for the sake of God and offer more prayers at this time.

Now Afar Action Alliance wishes all Afar a very happy; prosperous and peaceful Ramadan. We offer prayers to all our brothers and sisters back home who are going through so much. They face drought; famine, the volcano. We wish them the very best.

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The Realities of Hunger and Drought in East Africa

As we know there is rampant famine in Ethiopia; Eritrea and Somalia. Hundreds have died from starvation in a few weeks. Our hearts go out to our families; brothers and sisters there in the Horn of Africa especially Somalia as they have not had a functional government in decades and they are terrorized by the group Al Shabab.

Although we have heard reporting on the drought and famine there from sources such as the BBC etc the Eritrean government refuses to admit that the territory is starving. What is strange when examined is that on July 6th 2011 after the earthquake the IRIN (Humanitarian news agency) said

“Thousands of Ethiopians in Afar State are facing critical food, water and health gaps almost a month after [the eruption]”. Eleven days later the APDA (Afar Pastoralist Development Association) reported on the crisis there outlining the effects of drought famine political instability compounded by the volcano’s destruction.

The Eritrean President just told the press categorically that there is no crisis. If this is the case we ask where did all the thousands of people that evacuated Nabro go?

Today no one seems to be willing to speak publicly about the situation in the Horn. Have all these refugees now been covered up by those in power there?

We must remind all to remain vigilant in times of strife as those who are at risk and without a voice wind up at best taken advantage of and at worse simply gone forever. There will always be those without power and representation; those caught between conflicting rulers. We call upon the world to come to the aide of those worst afflicted by the myriad of disasters ravaging East Africa.

Afar action alliance