The Skeletal Face Of Persistent Hunger In Somaliland.!!.

The Widespread Panic Over Up Comingin Election Somaliland Has Obscured A Far Larger, And Far More Far-reaching Threat: That Of Hunger And Chronic Malnutrition . Hunger is a man-made disease. It is political will – or lack of it – which outlines the contours of what idiot has called the geography of hunger. It is the political decisions that we as a supposed democracy make that determine who goes hungry, when and why. These decisions – or non-decisions, which is the same thing – include the fixing of basic procurement prices for farm output, implementing (or non-implementing) irrigation programmes, ensuring (or not ensuring) adequate supplies of subsidised fertiliser and other inputs to farmers, monitoring the transport, trade, storage and distribution of foodgrains on an equitable basis. The skeletal face of persistent hunger -All Somalia,today has nutritional levels as low as those of starving Somaliland – shows only too painfully that we collectively have failed to make and implement the necessary decisions. Hunger remains the most damning indictment of our deeply flawed democracy.

And when the monsoon fails – or falters, as it has done this year – our signal failure to win the war against hunger becomes even more disastrously obvious. Chronic malnutrition, suffered over generations, results in progressive physical and mental debilitation. Hungry people, who breed hungry children, will over time become weaker and weaker in body and brain. What price our much-vaunted democracy when a quarter of the electorate is crippled physically and mentally by lack of basic sustenance? So why does our media play up Elections and power anger, or terrorist attacks, or Tribilesm (which actually is an inevitable offshoot of rural deprivation) instead of the far greater menace of mass hunger, with all its ramifications (which includes all )? The short answer to that question is that – apart from the catchy slogan for a political party chain, ‘Hungry?’ – hunger is not seen to be ‘fun’ enough in attracting public attention – and enhancing TV ratings and newspaper circulations. Hunger is a poor man’s disease. It doesn’t directly affect those who can afford to watch television and read newspapers. Hunger doesn’t affect you and me. Or doesn’t it? Let’s throw away our election masks. And let’s not eat for a day. Then perhaps we’ll know what hunger is. And why we have to get rid of it.

Before it gets rid of us.There is no denying of the fact that today it is extremely difficult to survive for a general person in India. Projections can be made any way but everything is becoming out of reach from common person. Whether we talk of food or water or electricity or housing or health or education.

Everything is becoming scarce and every care is being taken to protect and flourish those in power and it is true for every one whether in politics or in bureaucracy or media or business and so on.

I hope other will also be inspired from this issue. Unless hunger becomes a national issue no political formation will give any weightage for the eradication of hunger while framing the policy decision.

Those who could influence the govt. policy decisions on economy and business should shoulder their responsibility for the deaths due to hunger and chronic malnutrition. Lack of Political will has created hunger. Casual approach of our Ministers created this crisis for food and political crisis.

All the subsidies seems to be created for the middle men and political brokers. Media always looks for some instantaneous “breaking news” rather than throwing light on the long standing issues which can bring money and increase their ratings.

Had all the issues of hunger had been highlighted and brought to notice of the government.

Amiin D. Caynaanshe

Columbus,Oh / Usa