Hunger is just plain ugly

This week I viewed a video (see below) surrounding the famine in eastern Africa and the millions of souls who are literally starving before the worlds eyes, a midst the lawlessness of Somalia and environs.  The world’s response as been tepid at best, and in my opinion disgraceful.  Aid and sufficient military presence to protect those bringing the aid and those receiving the aid should be pouring into the environs, but instead we see donated supplies backing up at ports and depots and not moving to the areas of need. So what happens? Those who need the aid start migrating toward where they believe food and water are present.  They journey for days and weeks often times leaving family members dead on the road toward relief.  This needs to change.

What can you do as an individual?  You can read about the good works of Oxfam:  East Africa’s Humanitarian Crisis deteriorates and donate to Oxfam   You can support the efforts of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) where they are working to create a more nutritious bean to fight world hunger.

I personally appeal to the governments of the European Union, Arab League, China, Russia, Israel, India, and Brazil to take their food surpluses and move them to East Africa.  Move those supplies with military escort empowered to protect and defend.  Don’t wait for the constipated UN to organize and deliver – you can and should do it unilaterally – and do it now.

The Horn of Africa a full blown catastrophe … this is what it looks like.

What you can’t do is just watch.