Radio Ergo spoke by phone to residents living in areas of Bakool region in southern Somalia, where supply routes have been cut off for the past four months following conflict between Somali government and AMISOM forces and Al-Shabab. Food has run short, deaths in some areas have been reported, and life is incredibly hard.Mohamed Hassan Abdirahman, a resident of Hudur district
Mohamed: We are in a very bad situation. There have not been any vehicles or trucks entering the district in the past four months and that has caused a food shortage to hit the town. There are small quantities of food being smuggled in but the prices are very high and most people can’t afford it. The poor families are suffering most and there is no aid coming to us.
Ergo: Where does the smuggled food come from? And who brings it in?
Mohamed: Nomadic women carry it from far off rural areas and cross secretly into the town evading the al-Shabaab blockade. The group doesn’t allow food to enter the town.
Ergo: So, what is the price of food items now?
Mohamed: One kg of sugar costs now 60,000 Somali shilling. It was about 16,000 shillings before the blockade – and at times you can’t get it at any cost.
Ergo: Have you heard of any people dying from starvation in the area?
Mohamed: Yes, there are six people who died of starvation. Many people are suffering from malnutrition.
Osman Ali, a resident of Rabdhure
Osman: The situation is getting worse here. The roads leading to our area have been blocked for four months. We are suffering from food and water shortage. We are farmers depending on our crops. We haven’t received sufficient rains to harvest last season and life is becoming harder here.
Ergo: As the roads are blocked, where do you get food from?
Osman: Some business people smuggle food in carried on donkey carts and they sell to us at very expensive prices. But all the shops have been closed for a long time.
Ergo: What is the difference in food prices now compared to before?
Osman: The difference is big! For example, 1kg of sugar and rice now cost 40,000 Somali shilling. They were about 15,000 shillings four months ago. You can see how the prices have doubled.
Ergo: are there people who have died that you know of?
Osman: No, I haven’t heard of people dying of hunger. But the women, children and elderly people are at risk of dying of starvation if the situation doesn’t improve.
Mishey Malow – A mother of six children in Hudur
Mishey: There are a lot of problems here and the district is becoming a village. We can’t get any food here. The government and aid agencies should come to us with urgent food.
Ergo: How has the food shortage affected your family?
Mishey: We used to eat three times a day. Now we can’t get any meals to eat even once a day. We are under siege and there’s nothing in the town. I can’t describe our experience in words. It’s bigger and worse than any words!
Sahra Ali – A mother of eight children
Sahra: The blockade and food shortage has made our life worse. I used to work and feed my children by myself. Their father has abandoned us and joined al-Shabaab. We haven’t seen him since then. I can’t get anything to do for work now. People are all suffering.
Ergo: How do you manage to get food for your children?
Sahra: I beg and borrow some food from our neighbours who might be a bit better off.
Madino Kerow – A food “smuggler”
Madina: I carry the food in on my back and sell it here to earn some money. It’s a very risky business. We could be killed us if they see us carrying food in to the district. They could also beat us and throw our food away and take the money from us!
Ergo: Where do you bring the food from?
Madina: I carry it from a village that’s 35 km away from Hudur. I leave that village at ar maqrib prayer and I arrive at Hudur during the Morning Prayer. We walk and hide through the forest to get here.
Ergo: What do you earn from this business?
Madina: I double the price of food. When I buy it for 30,000 shillings I sell it at around 60,000 shillings.
Ergo: What type of food do you bring there?
Madina: It’s rice, sugar, oil and flour.
