By Abdalle Mumin
As the world fixates on Baku, Azerbaijan for COP29, we’re grappling with an ever-worsening climate crisis. This isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s a human one, pounding the already fragile communities of the Global South.
Amnesty International is sounding the alarm, imploring wealthier countries to open their wallets and take significant steps at the conference. The reckless advance of climate change is forcing millions across Africa from their homes, with no sign of slowing down.
Imagine standing in the sweltering rural heart of southern Somalia, where my colleagues and I from the Somali Journalists Syndicate have witnessed the unforgiving impacts of this crisis. We stand shoulder to shoulder with communities reeling from this calamity, especially the women and children, who often bear the brunt of it all.
In Lower Jubba, places like Abaq Bambala, Galool Yaryar, Gaasho, Hadafow, and Hamareste have become makeshift sanctuaries. Rushing waters from recent floods, aggravated by conflict and ongoing humanitarian crises, have invaded these once-stable lands.
Picture this: A ragtag assembly in Galool Yaryar village, just west of Kismayo, Somalia. People huddle around, desperate eyes watching as water gets doled out by a local NGO. It’s a scene of despair—emaciated kids, elderly folks dehydrated, and mothers heartsick with hunger because there’s simply not enough to feed their babies.
Farmers once secure in their labor and herders with flourishing livestock have been stripped of their lifelines. Crops rot and animals perish as deluges sweep in. With Al-Shabaab’s menacing grip cutting off aid routes, these communities lie isolated, waiting for heroes who may never come.
Life here, if you can call it living, means grappling with the barest of survival needs. Safe drinking water is like gold dust, and food supplies trickle thin. Women, isolated in their suffering, face medical emergencies with nowhere to turn.
What choice is left but to leave? Many have trudged toward Kenyan camps like Dadaab, wishing for respite they couldn’t dream of at home.
Again, we find the desperate scene in Galool Yaryar. The gathering for another batch of rainwater is reminiscent of a broken record, spinning tales of survival over and over.
Yes, we must tackle the immediate calamity with emergency aid. Yet, peering long-term, these communities need to reclaim their independence and rebuild their lives. They are resilient souls who were once proud providers for their kin.
Echoing our timeworn cries, we entreat world leaders and aid organizations to step up their game. The clock’s ticking, and the climate emergency is a humanitarian conundrum in dire need of quick, decisive actions.
In the heat of this unfolding tragedy, basic sustenance teeters on the brink. Clean drinking water and food become scarce trophies for the weary.
Abdalle Mumin, signing off. Secretary General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate, drawing attention to the urgency this crisis demands.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
