Pocket change for Somalia

As a result of a record-setting drought and mass famine, thousands of Somalis are reportedly admitted daily to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Recently, the United Nations declared a famine in two provinces of southern Somalia with nearly four million people “in crisis.” Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Bowden says the food shortage could spread to all of southern Somalia in two months. However, limited resources are available to people leaving Somalia and seeking aide in Ethiopia and Kenya, and some observers say the aide is inadequate.

By some estimates, foreign countries and international organizations send approximately $1 billion in aide to Somalia each year. As famine continues to affect the East African country, some online users are organizing to provide financial support for victims. The money donated is usually intended to develop humanitarian and security projects, but contributors may not be able to track how the money is actually spent.

The Associated Press reported on allegations of wasteful spending and corruption among some Somali aide organisations. The news service alleges that Danish Refugee Council staff members paid protection money to armed opposition fighters in conflict with the Somali government. Reports also claim bullets bought by donors and intended for Somali soldiers were sold on open markets.

The Stream spoke to The Nation’s National Security Reporter Jeremy Scahill about the current situation and the possibility of alleged mismanagement within aide organisations. Almost 380,000 refugees have sought shelter in camps created to house 90,000 people. Those who are not admitted build huts with sticks and plastic bags in shanties outside the camps. Rioting and rape are common within the camps, and Scahill says some Somali refugees are starting to consider their famine-struck homeland safer than the refugee camps which he described as “abominations.”

On Tuesday’s episode of The Stream, we ask: How are organisations using foreign donations, and are Somali refugees seeing tangible evidence of aide?

Jeremy Scahill joins the programme as our studio guest. On Skype, Somali singer and poet K’naan Warsame and Global Somali Emergency Response co-founder Ahmed Farah offer insight on the chaos within the refugee camps and why aide is not reaching people in need.