We can help ease crisis in Somalia

THE Irish Government can play a critical role in easing the pain of thousands of Somali people — if it can only find the courage. Because of its close association with the Ethiopian government, the Government is ideally placed to exert pressure on the Addis Ababa authorities to persuade them to withdraw their armed forces.

Recent BBC reports from the Somali capital, Mogadishu, revealed war-torn scenes which resembled Dresden after its fire bombing during World War II.

The UN has labelled the situation in Somalia the world’s worst humanitarian crisis — 2.6 million people are dependent on food aid and this figure could increase to 3.5m by the end of the year.

I A major cause of the instability is a continued presence of the Ethiopian army which invaded in 2006.

But they have shown no interest in returning to their homeland despite the deployment of peacekeepers.

GOAL believes that a strong intervention by the Irish Government could prove pivotal in helping to reduce the mortality rate in this appalling tragedy.

John O’Shea

GOAL

PO BOX 19

Dun Laoghaire

Co Dublin