The U.N.'s food security analysis unit and a famine warning project known as FEWS-NET say the famine in southern Somalia is growing
worse.
联合国粮食安全分析机构和饥荒预警系统网(FEWS NET)表示,索马里南部的饥荒正在恶化。
New data shows more people are dying and suffering from acute malnutrition in areas of the Middle Shabelle region, as well as among the
displaced people of Mogadishu and the Afgoye corridor, to the west of the capital.
新的数据表明,中谢贝利越来越多的人遭受着严重的营养不良,甚至死亡,摩加迪沙和首都西部的Afgoye许多流离失所的难民也是如此。
Until now, famine conditions had been detected in only two areas, Lower Shabelle and Bakool in south central Somalia.
目前为止,联合国仅在两个地区宣布了饥荒状态,索马里中南部的巴利勒(Bakool)和下谢贝利(Lower Shabelle)。
The chief technical advisor for the U.N. food security unit for Somalia, Grainne Moloney, says conditions in these displaced communities are
especially "depressing."
联合国驻索马里粮食安全机构首席技术顾问Grainne Moloney表示,这些流离失所的难民的状况非常压抑。
"It's a hugely vulnerable group who have already been displaced from their homes and were reliant on humanitarian assistance, and of course
with the restrictions in access and the restrictions in funding, did not get that assistance," said Moloney. "About three years ago the
malnutrition rate was about 12 percent there and to see that it's now 40 percent is very disheartening."
“这是一个非常容易受伤害的群体,他们已经背井离乡,依赖人道主义救援,当然,他们还面临许多限制条件,这样的话就不能得到救助。”“大
约三年前,该地区的营养不良率大约是12%,现在则已经剧增至40%,这非常令人沮丧。”
Famine is a technical designation that means at least 30 percent of the population is malnourished, households are lacking access to food and
that there have been deaths from hunger.
饥荒是技术上的定义,意味着至少30%的人口营养不良,居民难以获得食物,有人因饥饿而死亡。
There are no solid figures on the number of deaths per day, but it is estimated to be in the hundreds.
每天死亡的人数并没有固定的数字,但是据估计每天有数百人。
The U.N. has appealed for more than $1 billion to address the crisis and has so far raised about 40 percent of the money it has requested.
联合国呼吁超过10亿美元的捐款来解决这场危机,目前为止只筹集了大约40%。
Maloney says more assistance is needed immediately.
Maloney说,索马里当下需要更多救助。
"There need to be massive interventions now to the 2.8 million people in the south that need assistance and that needs to include food,
nutrition, water, health and agriculture inputs. They need everything right now and they need it now, they cannot afford to wait," Moloney
added.
“南部地区的280万灾民需要大量的援助,包括食物,营养,水,健康和农业投入。他们现在需要所有物品,而且是现在就需要,他们已经不能
再等了。”
Maloney says there is some hope for Mogadishu, where displaced people are within the reach of humanitarian organizations who are
expanding their efforts on the ground.
Maloney说,摩加迪沙还有一线希望,这里的灾民可以获得人道主义组织的帮助。
"I think the conditions in Mogadishu could certainly be reversed and I know a lot of the agencies on the ground are really stepping up on their
interventions, so I'm sure that is one of the areas we can confidently say where the situation will improve," Moloney noted.
“我认为摩加迪沙的情况或许可以逆转,我知道许多机构正在加紧救助,所以我确信这个地区的形势正在好转。”
The crisis in Somalia was caused by a severe cycle of drought, which some say is the worst in 60 years. But it was made worse by the lack of a
functioning central government and restrictions on aid enforced by the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab.
索马里的危机是由严重的干旱造成的,一些人说这是60年来最严重的干旱。但是由于缺乏正常运作的中央政府,以及与基地组织有关的激进组
织青年党的限制,形势更加糟糕。
The U.N. expects famine to spread to other regions of southern Somalia within the next four to six weeks and to last at least until December.
联合国预测,未来四到六周,饥荒将蔓延到索马里南部,可能一直持续到12月份。