Famine
What happened
For at least the fourth time since the “Band Aid” famine of the 1980s , the beleaguered citizens of the Horn of Africa endured famine, as a result of ongoing drought, desertification and civil strife.
Refugee camps in northern Kenya swelled massively, the Dadaab camp bursting with half a million people. As the crisis unfolded, a British newspaper warned that if the West failed to act appropriately, it would be as complicit as the warlords exacerbating the situation in Africa.
What happened next
The West did indeed open its pockets. The UK government’s initial AID package was the equivalent of $60 million. By the first week of December, Australians had donated $12.7 million, and the government matched the donations under their dollar-for-dollar aid scheme. The crisis continues.
Continue reading "Biggest moments of 2011 #7 Africa goes hungry" »
Neuroscientists have found that over 80 per cent of calories that newborns ingest fuel their brains. The colossal statistic accounts for how rapidly the young brain grows and develops.
It paints us a new picture of malnutrition. It tells us that babies caught up in the developing famine in East Africa will almost certainly suffer starvation-induced damage that will have long-term developmental effects on their minds.
Babies are arriving in field hospitals in Dadaab, Kenya, too weak to cry. Many weigh a third of what they should.
Continue reading "Won’t someone, please, think of the African children" »
Latest 2 of 78 comments
View all comments-
josh says:
So now you want people to be forced to live differently so someone in Africa who won’t stop having kids can be given the freedom to have more ? Karl Marx would be so proud. Read more »
-
Gen says:
We are starting to see the effects of overpopulation. The earth simply cannot sustain endless population growth and will correct this itself with droughts, famines and disease. I think there is little that can be done if population growth is not addressed. Send money and the cycle will continue. Read more »
Once again Africa is gripped by a catastrophic famine. As developed countries and NGOs scramble to mobilise aid, we are told incomprehensible numbers of people face a ghastly death by starvation, including hundreds of thousands of children.
It can make you despair. Sometimes we feel like turning away, we seem so powerless and the problems so entrenched and repetitive. Giving money can feel pointless; commercial TV news hardly mentions the crisis, guessing it will have viewers reaching for the remote control.
But there’s another story about Africa many Australians might find very surprising.
Latest 2 of 100 comments
View all comments-
Ronk says:
Marley, it’s astonishing that after spouting your paternalism for a dozen paragraphs, you then accuse me of paternalism. All I ask is that you treat Africans the way you would treat a white person. Read more »
-
marley says:
@Ronk - you’re kidding, right? There are no African countries with exploding populations? What was the population of Ethiopia 30 years ago, and what is it now? What is the fertility rate in Niger compared with, say, Botswana, never mind Tunisia or Australia or Europe? As to my “racist” assumption… Read more »
A lot of people, when they look at pictures on the television about the unfolding famine in Somalia, say “we’ve seen it all before. What’s different about this one? And why haven’t they fixed it up by now?”
I understand some of the cynicism but if you have been to this region as I have just been, you cannot be indifferent to what is happening there. This is the worst drought in the Horn of Africa in 60 years.
Famine has been declared in a significant slice of Somalia and by Christmas it is anticipated that the famine will extend to the southern half of the entire country.
Continue reading "A plea for Africa: Now is the time for global action" »
Latest 2 of 289 comments
View all comments-
Roksaerorgo says:
fast payday loan - <a >fast payday loan</a> , http://paydayloanhereonline.com/#19448 payday loan online Read more »
-
Radarekex says:
buy zithromax without prescription - <a >zithromax uk</a> , http://buyzithromaxonlinerx.com/#2809 buy zithromax online Read more »
A couple of weeks ago Ant Sharwood gave me a call and started talking about the Horn of Africa. He was pretty fired up, and talking about various types of excrement hitting various types of oscillating devices.
I was pretty distracted. There’d been a lot going on. That tax thing had just been announced, sharia law was in the news – you know, all the hot button stuff. Africa was not in the news. Well, it was, but back in the World section, the bit you don’t always manage to get to. That’s the hollow ring of self justification you can hear there, folks.
Anyhoo, Ant wrote this great piece. And he was right. The shit has really hit the fan, and it was a terrible surprise for many who probably should have seen it coming. Should have seen it coming for not just years, but decades.
Continue reading "Africa’s perfect storm is the world’s responsibility" »
Latest 2 of 277 comments
View all comments-
alan says:
Have any of you ever questioned why Africa is in poverty in the first place? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Africa was a very rich country to begin with, that was until western/european nations colonised and invaded Africa and stole everything that was of value… Read more »
-
Sarah says:
@Jack. You filthy, misogynistic bastard. Has it ever occurred to you that Africa’s overpopulation is a direct result of the millions of women who are raped repeatedly? Rape is everywhere in Africa, it is the most common crime perpetrated in that god fosaken land. It is used as a weapon… Read more »
It is 27 years since a bunch of do-gooding musicians, led by Bob Geldof, banded together to alert the world to a North African famine. We need more than a Band Aid solution this time.
Since the 1984 famine, the so-called “horn” of Africa – which includes Somalia, Ethiopia, the tiny nation of Djibouti and northern Kenya – has had several crippling droughts which have led to famines. The last really bad one was in 2006. But there were several between then and the Band Aid era.
And now, the curse of famine is descending upon the region again, due to a combination of the usual suspects of drought, desertification, crop failure and military conflicts. Early estimates suggest that 10 million people are at risk of starvation.
Continue reading "Band Aids not enough as Africa faces famine" »
Latest 2 of 123 comments
View all comments-
Just Sayin' says:
Actually, China is pouring loads of cash into Africa. They build factories and pay sweatshop rates, then bring the goods back to China and sell them overseas. They make a lot of cash, the corrupt African governments make a lot of cash, no one worries about onerous western polution standards,… Read more »
-
Just Sayin' says:
The problem with Band-Aid, is that it was just that. A band-aid solution. We helped keep things together until the next crisis, at which point, we applied another band-aid. It’s time to clean out the infected wound, as painful as that may be. Every kid knows the immense pain of… Read more »
What time is it in the world? When U2 launched the Australian leg of their 360 tour last week in Melbourne, this seemingly nonsensical question was repeated and alluded to throughout the show.
As the apparent motif of their tour, the question begs consideration.
Over the years U2 have consistently encouraged their fans to develop a political and social consciousness, in stark contrast to the spiritual vacuity promoted by most mainstream musicians.
Latest 2 of 44 comments
View all comments-
autoversicherung ausrechnen says:
Connect Result,iron show while account trend heat substantial significance understand warn system example right court lay commission rather city credit spot serious push attention husband observe influence affair football learn book damage part destroy obviously up necessary planning finance rich refuse century settle to turn push first exhibition sort right… Read more »
-
MF says:
The same people who whinge about U2 and suggest that their political stance is hyprocritical and inneffective are the same people who shit on John Lennon for starting an ‘advertising campaign for peace”. If a band can captivate 7 million people on a world tour, why not use that position… Read more »
Europe granted £1.8 million in emergency aid to Ethiopia today in 1984. One million people were believed to have died in the famine of that year and aid workers described the situation as “hell on earth”.
And it’s Monday so what’s on your mind? Share it here.
Latest 2 of 28 comments
View all comments-
acotrel says:
Jim, it’s easy to blame the moving of Australian industry offshore on union wage claims. However I’d point out that Henry Ford paid his orkers 5 times the going rate, so they could afford to buy his products. Reducing Australian wages to third world levels won’t make Australian industry more… Read more »
-
acotrel says:
Well Lee, it goes like this. If a Labour government wants a loan from the Arabs - that’s bad. If the Singaporeans want to own a bit more of us - that’s good. If the Chinese want to own a bit more of us - that’s bad. If the Americans… Read more »
Facebook Recommendations
Read all about it
Punch live
Up to the minute Twitter chatter
Ukraine song pinches chord progression from The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. Fo real #sbseurovision
RT @GerardDaffy: @antsharwood all the talk over there is the grannies will win.they entered to get a church built,feelgood story
Recent posts
The latest and greatest
We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project
I’d like to be able to say that sharing the world’s largest radio telescope with South Africa…
Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics
When North Queensland Liberal MP George Christensen got the idea of launching a new political organisation…
Please enter your password
Help! I’ve succumbed to a crippling modern illness that can strike at any moment. Symptoms include:…
Nosebleed Section
choice ringside rantings
From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments
Michael S says:
"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone
Change Up! says:
I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments
A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more
Latest 2 of 47 comments
View all commentsAdd your comment