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               S O M A L I A  N E W S  U P D A T E

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No 10                September 5, 1992.               ISSN 1103-1999

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Somalia News Update is published irregularly via electronic mail and
fax. Questions can be directed to antbh@strix.udac.uu.se or to fax
number +46-18-151160. All material is free to quote as long as the
source is stated.
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Looting of food aid has become a hot issue in the US media. It is very
difficult to know, howver, how much of the food that is actually looted.
As I have said earlier no study has yet been made that could provide 
basis for a reasonable estimate and comparison with what is "normal"
in emergency relief. One figure mentioned puts the looting rate
as high as 50 % of imported food but it is unclear from what source that
figure emanates. Yesterday I appeared in a panel on the National Radio 
together with the head of Swedish Red Cross Africa Section Mr Staffan
Viking. Mr Viking, who recently returned from Somalia where he visited the 
ICRC feeding centres and met with ICRC officials, mentioned that the
ICRC estimate is that about 10 % of food aid over the past 12 months has 
been looted. 

That figure, if it is accurate, is clearly acceptable as it falls well
within the margins of what can be regarded as "normal" looting rates. To
see the figure in perspective, an ordinary Swedish super market looses
about 12 percent of its stores to shop-lifters!

Food remains scarce in Somalia. A normal year before the civil war
food import amounted to 700 000 tons. Over the past 12 months less then
100 000 tons has reached the country.