Yemen: Embassy of the Republic of Yemen and Permanent Mission to UNO and International Organizations, Vienna – Press Release on the new terrorist attack against the Al-Dabbah oil ports (24.11.2022)

Somalia: Famine looms in Somalia, but many ‘hunger hotspots’ are in deep trouble (21.09.2022)

The number of people facing life-threatening levels of hunger worldwide without immediate humanitarian aid, is expected to rise steeply in coming weeks, the UN said on Wednesday, in a new alert about looming famine in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 21, 2022 – In Somalia, “hundreds of thousands are already facing starvation today with staggering levels of malnutrition expected among children under five,” warned the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).“Large-scale deaths from hunger” are increasingly likely in the east African nation, the UN agencies continued, noting that unless “adequate” help arrives, analysts expect that by December, “as many as four children or two adults per 10,000 people, will die every day”.

Complex roots

In addition to the emergency already unfolding in Somalia, the UN agencies flagged 18 more deeply concerning “hunger hotspots”, whose problems have been created by conflict, drought, economic uncertainty, the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Humanitarians are particularly worried for Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen, where a record 970,000 people “are expected to face catastrophic hunger and are starving or projected to starve or at risk of deterioration to catastrophic conditions, if no action is taken”, the UN agencies said.

This is 10 times more than six years ago, when only two countries had populations as badly food insecure, FAO and WFP noted, in a new report.

Urgent humanitarian action is needed and at scale in all of these at-risk countries “to save lives and livelihoods” and prevent famine, the UN agencies insisted.

Harsh winter harvest

According to FAO and WFP, acute food insecurity around the world will worsen from October to January.

In addition to Somalia, they highlighted that the problem was also dire in the wider Horn of Africa, where the longest drought in over 40 years is forecast to continue, pushing people “to the brink of starvation”.

Successive failed rains have destroyed people’s crops and killed their livestock “on which their survival depends”, said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, who warned that “people in the poorest countries” were most at risk from acute food security that was “rising fast and spreading across the world”.

FAO’s QU calls for massive aid scale-up

Vulnerable communities “have yet to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are suffering from the ripple effects of ongoing conflicts, in terms of prices, food and fertilizer supplies, as well as the climate emergency,” the FAO chief continued.

He insisted that “without a massively scaled-up humanitarian response” to sustain agriculture, “the situation will likely worsen in many countries in the coming months”.

Echoing that message, WFP Executive Director David Beasley appealed for immediate action to prevent people dying.

“We urgently need to get help to those in grave danger of starvation in Somalia and the world’s other hunger hotspots,” he said.

Perfect storm of problems

“This is the third time in 10 years that Somalia has been threatened with a devastating famine,” Mr. Beasley continued.

“The famine in 2011 was caused by two consecutive failed rainy seasons as well as conflict. Today we’re staring at a perfect storm: a likely fifth consecutive failed rainy season that will see drought lasting well into 2023.”

In addition to soaring food prices, those most at risk from acute food insecurity also have “severely limited opportunities” to earn a living because of the pandemic, the WFP chief explained, as relief teams brace for famine in the Somali districts of Baidoa and Burhakaba in Bay region, come October.

Below the “highest alert” countries – identified as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen – the joint FAO-WFP report notes that the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Kenya, the Sahel, the Sudan and Syria are “of very high concern”, in addition to newcomers the Central African Republic and Pakistan.

Guatemala, Honduras and Malawi have also been added to the list of hunger hotspot countries, joining Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Barriers to aid

Humanitarian assistance is crucial to save lives and prevent starvation, death and the total collapse of livelihoods, FAO and WFP insist, while highlighting chronic access problems caused by “insecurity, administrative and bureaucratic impediments, movement restrictions and physical barriers” in 11 of the 19 hotspot countries.

This includes “all six of the countries where populations are facing or are projected to face starvation…or are at risk of deterioration towards catastrophic conditions”, they said.

Yemen: An open letter to the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah (31.05.2022)

Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF): UN to spend $100 million to fight hunger as Ukraine conflict disrupts food markets (14.04.2022)

Opinion: Some says War has returned to Europe [and I say it was exported but now came home to roost]

It been a long time since the Yugoslavian war in the 1990s. That was the last big-war and conflict, which the world powers came into play and fought on separate sides. As all the Slavic people of region fought for their statehood and such. Which in the end has ended up on in several of independent nations, but has since then been at peace.

Alas, there haven’t been a moment where the European powers haven’t been involved or participated elsewhere since then. They have either done that by proxy, by exporting military weapons or equipment or themselves participated in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operations or invasion. If not, it has directly invaded or made itself impose it’s power onto a nation. Therefore, it has never ceased to use weapons and war. The only difference, it has happen far away and for other means.

The United States has supported wars, been the main aggressor or the initiator in several of conflicts. While United Kingdom has participated directly too. Other European nations has been parts of coalition of a willing. Therefore, we know they are willing wage war and has done so too. This been done over years and the conflict ever ceasing. Even after they are leaving. The parties are still unresolved and the conflicts persist.

So, when I hear again and again that the war returned to Europe. I am saying “yes it did, but it was already here”. What I mean by that… the Europeans has exported the wars. They have supported proxies, which has fought their wars. Europeans has sent brigades, operative armies elsewhere and done warfare. This being as part of United Nations Peacekeeping Missions or directly work for own interests in former colonies.

That’s why the European nations haven’t been all peaceful. They have used arms, weapons and military equipment all across the globe. They have traded and earned profits on wars. This has been done and these wars has only been bylines or parts of bulletins in the tabloids. While bloodshed, massacres and whatnot happens in these conflicts. That is just what’s going on. If it is in Yemen, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo or in the Central African Republic. These things can be prolonged and the conflict is a very valuable commodity. A commodity and a business, which is a never ending ride of profits, both in weaponry and resources, which becomes easily accessible when you have the right leader serving any given territory. Therefore, these sorts of moves has happened and the West has gladly joined the ride.

This is why the powers of the West, United States and others has supported the end of certain leaders. In such a fashion, that it get rid of a popular leader who intends to nationalize or reform the mineral extraction industries and instead get a puppet regime there. While using armies and support to keep it up. A war for the interests of the West and not for the nation at hand. Just like it accepted to use illegal means to overthrow Morales in Bolivia. That sort of play fitted the U.S. and Washington D.C. and it could have been much more bloody. However, that’s how it does it and we cannot deny this fact in 2022.

Yes, Russia’s imperialism in Ukraine is wrong. Nevertheless, that doesn’t justify the imperialism of United States or any of it’s NATO allies either. What the USA did in Iraq or Afghanistan should be addressed. Just like whatever war-crimes that all parties have possibly done in Syria. The same can be said about the parties involved Yemen or Ethiopia for that matter. All war-crimes should be punishable and be investigated by the same International Court. Not just go after Russia now. The other nations and the leadership of that time should be held accountable. That is only fair.

So, when saying all this. African Union has worked for a few years now to “silence the guns” which is an ideal programme. No matter how faulty and weak the AU is an organization. How the AU as an entity tends to favour tyrants and dictators, instead of the will of the people. Still, the ideals of that programme is something the European Union and United States should look into themselves. As it is a set of ethics, which could inspire them to think about the consequences of it’s actions elsewhere.

Right now it is justified to enlarge military budgets, expand spending on upgrading the military equipment and vehicles, ensure you have a decent air-force and whatnot. When the war-drums are happening so close to your own shores. It only makes sense, as the borders and the length of distance to Ukraine set the parameter of action of own self-defence. However, Europe has participated and been acting in accordance with war. Just not on their shores or in the near borders of own capitals. It hasn’t gotten close to comfort. Neither has the consequences of it or the ramifications of a war. No, that has been held at a distance…

Now, the conflicts of Europe is coming home. The weapons exports is happening to far-away hinterland or to any of their allies world-wide. Therefore, this war is more consuming to the West. Since, it involves them all and it’s a worry of escalation. Also, if Russia want to further it’s borders and annex even more countries after Ukraine. That is unknown and uncharted territory of Europe in this day and age. They have accepted and participated in conflicts outside of their home-bound regions. But now it’s happening there and it makes things more edgy.

That’s why people are speaking of the wars are coming home. I will say they were always here. That’s why we was busy making advanced weapons, exporting ammunition and selling artillery across the world. While also either being part or being parties in conflicts across the world after the 1990s Yugoslavian war.

There is time to recognize this and acknowledge this. Because, if we don’t, we are hypocrites and people who don’t reflect on our own actions. My own home country has exported weapons and participated in NATO missions across the world, which has inflicted insufferable damage and destruction. This is why we cannot act like we didn’t wage war or had no say in it. Our nations and participation had consequences, which is felt today in Libya and Afghanistan. These sorts of acts shouldn’t be forgotten. It is the act of cruelty to forget that… and we can’t if we are honest.

The wars wasn’t in Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome or in Warsaw, but we never know our future. Yesterday it was in Kabul and Baghdad. Now it is hitting Kyiv and we should stand in solidarity with Ukraine. However, at the same time, we need to reflect on the policies and actions, which lead the West and U.S. into similar conflicts anywhere else. Peace.

Ethiopian Refugee Community in Yemen: Letter to the Ethiopian Foreighn Ministery (12.03.2021)

Joint INGO Statement on Yemen – 75th Session of the UN General Assembly (14.09.2020)

Opinion: Trump wants a White AmeriKKKa

In 2017 the Trump Administration banned 7 countries and their citizens from immigrating to the United States. After a while, one of them got dropped, but the rest still persisted. This being Yemen, Somalia, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Syria. From these week again Sudan was targeted after been released for a little while. While they have now added Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.

We can see what type of countries the Trump Presidency picks. However, what is more outrages about a few, is where the United States has bombed the places to pieces and still they will help the ones in need. This being Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The first ban of 2017 was called the Muslim ban. Now, people don’t even flinch.

The Trump Administration might talk security and their own sovereign safety. But, we can all bullshit on that one. Trump is only doing this to Whiten the population and stall more people to enter. Just like with the recent stop of birth-tourism ban too. It all follows a pattern. Where the certain type of people is picked out and they are barred from entering.

President Trump is the man of the Klan. His the man of the White Supremacist. Picking out Sudan again, taking Tanzania, Nigeria and Eritrea. While also stopping Burma (Myanmar) where the genocide on a Muslim is going on. Clearly, the US tries stifle them from entering, because they are from the “wrong” nations. That is the initial drive.

It is not about the capacities of people, this is not about education standards or anything else. This is a precondition of where they have resided and statehood before entering the Republic. Than, you know the credentials are quit clear. That its only set-up like this because of their colour and ethnicity.

Trump Presidency can play that off and act a fool. This is clearly aimed at firing up the base and lifting their spirit ahead of the elections. That is all, by also closing the borders for yet another group of nationalities. Which is very simple by just another Executive Order. Because, its not like he could have pulled this one through Congress. The President knows that, as he cannot govern like a President should.

The suspension and limitation is striking. The aim is there and the ones denying that is either naive, if not they are part of the Klan themselves. That is just the way it is.

We all know the drill. This is a tool for re-election. Nothing else, a racist motivated targeted, using migration and immigrants as a pawn in the game for a populistic approach. Nothing else. Which the President has done all along. With his child-separation at the Southern Border and so-on. There is nothing human about these policies, only a cynic racist motivated approach to win the white supremacy base in the United States.

The extreme Alt-Right, which combined with the far-right evangelicals doesn’t care that they are electing a crook and drifter at the White House. As long as they are getting a few of their songs played on the radio, now and then. Peace.

Opinion: I been told with time things will be better, but does it?

Well, in troubling times, as things are moving both forward, backward and sideways. It seems that we can defer from enterprising the idea, that everything gets better with time. Surely, this doesn’t mean we as folk doesn’t change, broaden our minds and expand our patterns of thought. No, we might do this, but this doesn’t change the narrative nor the times we are seeing passing by.

We are not a single leaf in the wind. Neither are we a recycled raindrop, awaiting next part of its existence to become evaporated before becoming clouds and be rained down upon us, yet again. Even if life goes in cycle and we as human beings are repeating history, sometimes even without knowing.

The ignorance of out times, as we are silent to the death of immigrants, as we are deaf to the pleas of separated kids in camps in the United States. The silence and lack of outcry, as the US tried to start a war in Iran and tried to enforce an coup d’etat in Venezuela. This is all happening, but no worries. As well, as the European Union have favourable deals with the Libyan, Egyptian and Sudanese Governments to stop immigrants from coming to the shores of Italy, Spain and Greece. That is just we do to each other, instead of giving a helping hand in need, we let people drown with excuses of nationalism, border security and fear of the unknown.

We are living in a time, where there is no problem to silence the media, weaponize social media and misuse state resources to suppress dissidents. This is happening all over, not only in dictatorships, but also in the “free world”. Where leaders are using their means and using their techniques to sophisticated silence and letting the ones defying their stance suffer. There are plenty of journalists in the recent time died by poison, being arrested and tortured. Plenty of opposition leaders in exile and struggling to regain their vitality. That is all happening, but nothing contemplating on the reasons for this.

The weaponization of social media with bots and big media, where the hacking, leaks and misuse of information combined with blind narrow-minded followers, who doesn’t think of the consequences of the acts nor they think of what the message they are spreading. The parties, the leaders are letting their camps all go out into the battlefield. Build their borders filled with landmines, barbed-wire and trenches. In this field, everyone who disagrees is traitors, radicals or even stupid individuals who has no sense. While the bombs, the hypocrites and the vilified commentators should just be blocked or silenced. Because, they are just fake and frauds, while the almighty leader is the ones to listen too.

While this is happening, the wars are steady, they are not stopping. The trade-wars, the Brexit is pumping in its sketchy way. The troubles of Yemen, Syria and Ukraine continues, like wars of old. The slavery trade of Mauritania continues as well as possible slave-ships on the outside of Libya. While, the Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, appeal to the International Community, the Western Sahara is still a punchline for the Pan-African Political Parties, but the world is not caring about the plights of the people there, as long as the big-companies can fish outside the coast there.

The peacekeeping missions are lacking funding, as the missions are staying and lingering, also paying off dictators to send military forces to conflict zones in Sahel, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and so on. The former colonial powers of France, Belgium, United Kingdom and others are still holding their grips of former colonies, as they have new units to treat the new leadership and “open markets” for their products. If they need, they will kiss the rings of dictators and others, to just get the needed resources for a dime.

We are living in fabulous times, we are living times of adventures of freedom, liberty and justice. Where labels of Fairtrade, trade-unions and others are continuing to pushing the envelope, but still not seeing thing true. As the illicit trade practices continues in many markets and by plenty companies, multi-national earning fortunes on their production units paying little or none to its contractors. This wouldn’t been acceptable in the industrialised world, but in the developing world it is dandy. Some in our time, even says these people should be grateful to even have a job. That is how dark our time is.

They says things are getting better with time, are they? There was a promising generation of leaders in the 80s and 90s, but they became alike the former dictators and militaristic regimes of the past. There are little resemblance of the past positive movement. While we are celebrating mediocrity and lacklustre approach to the future problems. We are supposed to be content and think this spoils of our times is good.

While we are not even able to solve the crimes of the 70s and 80s, while struggling with the aftermath of the politics done in the 90s and 00s. We are supposed to be all smiles, as the first decade of this millennium is here. The millennial’s can vote and we are supposed to promise them a greater future. When we are leaving behind the same old issues, with the same old greed and the lack of will to accept the mantle given to us.

Things was supposed to get better time, but apparently they are not. Maybe I am in a dark place today, but I do not see it. Because, we didn’t make it better, we didn’t push it to a greater place, we just let it be and watched a game of football. We didn’t care and didn’t sign up for a party, NGO or even go in a demonstration. We just looked and wonder, when is our turn?

Well, it isn’t given to us, just like the leaders of our day wasn’t given to them either. They fought and took it. If we want change, maybe we need to do the same. Because, things aren’t getting better. I see darkness, I see sinister acts going unpunished and the innocent dying for no fucking reason. Peace.

Opinion: Ilhan Omar deserves credit not scrutiny!

“But the reason I think that many of us knew that this was going to get worse is that we finally had a leader in the White House who publicly says Islam hates us, who fuels hate against Muslims, who thinks it is OK to speak about a faith and a whole community in a way that is dehumanizing, vilifying” (…) “Some people like me know that he understands the consequences. He knows that there are people that he can influence to threaten our lives, to diminish our presence” – Rep. Ilhan Omar on the 10^th April 2019

U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar is one of the persons, one of the representatives that represents everything the President of United States isn’t. She represent the ones who came through poverty, immigrated and made a new life in the United States. That is why she is idol and also a figure of amassed power. Because, she is the living proof of the hope and ability of immigrants and refugees in the United States. Everything, this administration is working against and wants to stop.

Rep. Omar has again and again since her time in office, as a Representative from Minnesota. Shown character and courage. Shown force when explaining the misuse of power and the lack of oversight in the role of Israeli investment and diplomatic unity between the American Government and Israeli counterparts. That was called anti-Semitism, when it was really just questioning the powers to be and their affiliation with a foreign force. Still, because of her personality, her religion and her heritage. That became giant issue.

Again, she is under-fire for the same reason. Because of who she is, not because of what she stands for or working towards. No, the political work and her statements are shining examples of the American Dream, of the unity and the diversity of the United States. However, the President and the Republican Party, prefer scaremongering and silencing tactic towards the ones who works for diverse republic. The ones that is actually working for the what the Republic has been known for, to be welcoming and friendly to all religions, creeds and ethnic groups to immigrate there.

She was stating all of this in a manner that wasn’t offensive, wasn’t wrong, but just wanting the United States, to be what it is known for. To let people enter the Republic and try to achieve the American Dream. By following immigration law or the rights as asylum-seekers. That is well-known.

Rep. Omar is an inspiration and someone that gives hope to the world. People are taking things out of context and beating it up. Because she fits as someone you can use as a target. The President and the GOP does it steady with her. Especially since she got the courage to co-sponsor a bill, which attacks and directly stops one of the big executive orders of this presidency. That is why they are attacking her, because she defends the end of the Muslim Ban and the direct ban of entering of certain nationalities.

There is time for a change, there is a time for the equality and justice, not just white supremacy rule, where the fringe ideas became policy. That is what has happen and now that the democrats have control of the House. The Republicans and their control of the Capitol Hill is challenged and sometimes can even hang the Congress.

I’ll stand by Ilhan Omar and her cause, which will change the United States for the better. Peace.