WFP condemns obstacles to food deliveries

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned Somali groups for obstructing its efforts to deliver relief food to southern Somalia. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the agency said various local authorities and militiamen had imposed "major obstacles" while it was recently transporting by some 700 mt of food by road. According to WFP, it took a 24-truck convoy three weeks - normally a three-day journey - to move from the southern port of Marka, to its destination in the town of Wajid, southwestern region of Bakol, because it was held up at 40 checkpoints. "What should have been a quick and hassle-free operation, has instead taken three weeks of long and painstaking negotiations," Robert Hauser, the WFP country representative in Somalia, said. "It is indicative of the extreme difficulties in conducting relief work in this part of Somalia." The statement said this had been the first WFP food convoy to reach the town since June, when WFP (and other agencies) closed their offices in Baidoa (the biggest town in Bay and Bakol regions) due to insecurity. Southern Somalia in general suffered from chronic food insecurity, with this year's harvest in Bakol Region down to less than half its pre-war level, it said. WFP planned to send another food convoy within the next couple of weeks and cooperation on the part of local authorities was crucial to maintain the provision of live-saving food assistance, it added. "Obstructions to the provision of food aid are totally unacceptable," said Hauser, "We are in the business of saving lives, and this food is urgently needed. Somalis should be the first to assist us in getting the relief food to those who need it - not be the ones creating difficulties for their own people."