Topic: Situation in Somalia
Country: Somalia
Delegate Name: Leon Pescador
School: Ann Arbor Community High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Somalia position papers GLIMUN 2011 committees
Somalia has found itself without a government since 1991. Civil war and oppression have hindered progress to reunify the country and famine and drought further threaten the well being of Somalia’s citizens. Aid provided by the United Nations has yet to reach most Somalians affected by the famine because of the armed militia group Al-Shabab. In areas controlled by Al-Shabab, food and other forms of aid have been kept away from the people. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 5th Article states, “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” However, many Somalians are being denied food aid because Al-Shabab will not allow it to go through.
The transitional government of Somalia requests that the United Nations assists in trying to deliver more aid to the regions affected by the famine and military intervention to eradicate Al-Shabab’s presence in Somalia. Over 750,000 are at risk from the famine and many have died already. If Al-Shabab is not removed from the region, many more could starve to death.
Al-Shabab is also responsible for denying equality to women, torture and has committed other humanitarian crimes as well. A large number of Somalians are displaced because of Al-Shabab’s reign of terror. Removing Al-Shabab and giving more aid to Somalia will not only stop hundreds of thousands from starving, but will help in creating a new, central government.
If the famine in Somalia is to be solved, swift action will need to be taken. Many Somalians have witnessed killing, torture or brutality by Al-Shabab. Hopefully, the suggestions in this paper will be carefully considered because the crisis in Somalia is extremely urgent. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at stake. Whatever the outcome is, Somalia wants to preserve the lives of its citizens at all costs.
