Muslims in Malawi have asked the Malawi government to consider sending humanitarian aid to the famine hit Somalia.
The call was made during the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers that was organised by the Nikah and other Islamic Functions Association (NIFA) at the Upper Stadium in Blantyre.
Delivering the message through a public lecture, Sheikh Mustahab Ayami who is the Secretary General of the Ulama Council of Malawi, asked the faithful and the government to consider the plight of those in need especially in Somalia as Muslims celebrate the Eid festival.
“We managed to assist the people (at the far away land) of Haiti, what about our fellow Africans who are starving in Somalia?” he pleaded.
Sheikh Ayami added that although thousands of people may have already starved to death due to the famine, it is still not late to save those who are still alive.
In July, the United Nations declared that famine exists in Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions as a result of the worst 60 years drought that has hit the east Africa region.
Mark Bowden, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Somalia is quoted by the media to have warned that if the international community does not act fast the famine will spread to all the eight regions of southern Somalia within two months.
“We still do not have all the resources for food, clean water, shelter and health services to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Somalis in desperate need.” he said.
In January 2010, the Malawi Government donated 150,000 metric tonnes of rice to the earthquake hit victims of Haiti, a gesture which Muslims are now asking the government to extend to Somalia where the UN estimates that over 12 million people could be affected.
