As if Darfur didn't have enough problems...

[insein]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3868829.stm

UN issues locust plague warning

By Richard Black
BBC Science correspondent



A locust swarm can devour as much food as 1,000 people
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says a plague of desert locusts could soon hit several north African states.
It says this year's locust swarm looks like being the worst for 15 years.

About $9m has been pledged for assistance, but the FAO says more money and resources are urgently needed.

The FAO says the first swarms of locusts have moved from their spring breeding grounds into Mauritania, Mali and Senegal, with many more to come.

It issued its first warning of a coming locust plague back in February, when unusually high rates of breeding were detected south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria.

Darfur danger

Major insecticide spraying programmes were initiated, some funded by western donors, aiming to cut the plague off at source.

Clearly they have not worked. The first swarms have now moved into Mauritania, Senegal and Mali, and the FAO says Niger and Chad will also see swarms in the next few weeks.

Summer rains have started in the area, which means the insects will lay more eggs as they travel.

Swarms could eventually reach the Darfur region of Sudan, where conflict has already created a major humanitarian crisis.

Locusts can eat their own weight in food every day, which means a single swarm can consume as much food as several thousand people.

These people can't get a break from the UN for anything. Im sure the nature hippy liberals will be crying that the locusts shouldnt be harmed.

 

[Annie]

Originally posted by insein
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3868829.stm



These people can't get a break from the UN for anything. Im sure the nature hippy liberals will be crying that the locusts shouldnt be harmed.

If they have to wait for UN they are SOL, but I do believe US and UK are going to step in. Question is, will it be in time?

 

[NATO AIR]

makes our job of providing humanitarian aid relief that much harder. but we can pull it off

 

[deciophobic]

Originally posted by insein
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3868829.stm



Im sure the nature hippy liberals will be crying that the locusts shouldnt be harmed.

That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

 

[Comrade]

Originally posted by insein
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3868829.stm



These people can't get a break from the UN for anything. Im sure the nature hippy liberals will be crying that the locusts shouldnt be harmed.

Call me a skeptic, but the BBC quoting a UN agency is always a red flag.

I don't why one UN agency on the one hand is worried about a future famine maybe affecting the health of the region while on the other hand all other agencies under the same leadership and direction dither over how to stop the genocide RIGHT NOW killing thousands.

On the other hand, when the Muslims kill off all those people, blaming the locusts seems like and 'out' set up to block any future criticism against another likely UN failure. See, it was actually LOCUSTS who killed off all the people in Sudan, and we were warned about it advance.

Who thinks I'm being unreasonably cynical?

 

[NATO AIR]

i honestly don't know what to think anymore... my faith in a lot of things has been lost or altered in the past three months.

i will say this, and i'll say it again in the future: my faith in the basic goodness of people is still there though... e-mailing ordinary americans, canadians, brits and spainiards in church, student and civic groups and recieving heartfelt replies and promises of assistance and prayer for those in darfur has assured that.

 

[Comrade]

Originally posted by NATO AIR
i honestly don't know what to think anymore... my faith in a lot of things has been lost or altered in the past three months.

i will say this, and i'll say it again in the future: my faith in the basic goodness of people is still there though... e-mailing ordinary americans, canadians, brits and spainiards in church, student and civic groups and recieving heartfelt replies and promises of assistance and prayer for those in darfur has assured that.

We need not only good people but strong ones. I won't fault Spain for their goodness but their national will folded under duress. Canadians think us "evil" but when push comes to shove they are pretty good. Brits and Assies are the best allies we have, but waver at times. We ought to just to this job in Sudan ourselves, if we think it's right. Easy for me to say with you sailing off and maybe even ending up involved in the actual work. I'll be behind you even if the rest of the world isn't, though.