The International Islamic Relief Organization-Saudi Arabia (IIROSA) has provided much needed essential food items to the drought-stricken Somali people, Dr. Adnan Bin Khalil Basha, Secretary General of the organization, announced here Saturday. He said the organization has, during the past few days, distributed 145 tons of dates, ready-made meals, clothes and clean potable water to the victims of famine in Somalia and added that more dates and other food items will be distributed to the hunger-stricken people there. Dr. Basha recalled that the chairman and members of IIROSA's sixth general assembly meeting in May, launched an urgent appeal to the governments, local, regional and international organizations and the UN agencies, especially the World Food Program, to extend urgent relief assistance to the famine-hit Somalis. In his capacity as Chairman of the General Relief Committee of the Cairo-based International Islamic Council for Dawah and Relief, Dr. Basha called for coordinating efforts among Islamic and other humanitarian organizations to save the Somali people from the pangs of hunger. He said the organization's office in Mogadishu and Hargeisa made a field survey covering the most affected areas to assess the magnitude of the tragedy that led to the spread of famine, disease and death. According to Dr. Basha, the survey found out that millions of the Somali people were in dire need of foodstuffs and clean drinking water in order to be able to survive. Dr. Basha expressed his anguish over the human tragedy in Somalia where famine is killing tens of children and old men and women every day and is increasing the rate of urban migration. “The entire world has a humanitarian commitment toward the Somali people who should be salvaged from the fetters of hunger and need,” he said. Dr. Bahsa expressed support to the efforts of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the UN, the WFP and the other humanitarian and charity organizations aimed at rescuing the Somali people. He also supported the estimates made by Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General, that there was pressing need for not less than $1.6 billion in order to combat famine and hunger in Somalia as well as in other countries in the Horn of Africa. Dr. Basha concluded by urging charity-loving people to extend a helping hand to the Somali people in their current predicament and said famine is threatening 3.7 million people out of Somalia's population of about 17 million.
