Mogadishu (Alshahid) – Somalia’s Islamist rebels Al-Shabaab has blamed World Food Programme (WFP) of distributing food in Somalia while it is harvesting season to undermine farmers.
Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage Al-Shabaab’s spokesman said that the farmers are familiar with the WFP’s unbecoming trend of distributing spoilt grains at the eve of harvesting, and this he added discourages the farmers.
In a meeting between Al-Shabaab and the farmers, Mr. Rage said “WFP distribute foodstuffs that are dirty, dry which is provided by the US. It’s deliberately distributed on harvesting seasons in and our farmers are facing hard time selling their products at the local market because the food is distributed freely”
Mr. Rage challenged the local people to stop relying on relief food; rather, they should be sustaining themselves
Al-Shabaab has on previous occasion managed to bar International aid agencies from operating in areas under their control. The agencies include, MSF, MercyCorps and CARE.
