Panic in Ethiopia As Food Crisis Deepens — Starving Mothers Beaten Back By Whips

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Panic in Ethiopia As Food Crisis Deepens — Starving Mothers Beaten Back By Whips

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(Story filed by Amanda Blewett)

Earlier this week, I witnessed women beaten with horse whips to keep them from entering a food distribution centre. Mother Teresa’s ‘Missionaries of Charity’ were distributing food to hundreds inside but the growing crowds beyond the gate were out of control, even for the locals trying to restrain their people.

In another town we found babies lying abandoned in pools of diarrhea, covered in flies, while metres away people literally fought for access to the single water source.

I experienced women, young and old, weeping for their children. One woman buried all five of her children herself because she had nothing to pay someone to do the work for her. She was too scared to tell the authorities of the situation out of fear she would somehow be blamed.

I held a ten month old girl who was little more than a skeleton. She lay quietly in my arms while her large eyes studied my face then slowly looked about the room. When she reached up to touch my hair her arms were the thickness of my finger.

 The experiences were truly heartbreaking. However the efforts of those attempting to address the challenges are inspiring.

 This desperate situation has largely been caused by escalating food prices combined with a drought. News reports give figures of 4.5 million people needing emergency food aid. The reality of the situation really hit me when I saw the people, felt the press of their bodies during crowd control efforts and met the eyes of the ones left outside. We shared seats with mothers and their sick children as they were transported between their villages and the centre in Awassa, and later I played with those regaining their strength in the gardens of the Sisters home.

 The work I saw of Mother Teresa’s in Awassa and surrounding villages was amazing. The simplicity with which they give their love to those most in need was so humbling to see. 

Unfortunately, with so many tragedies around the world at present it seems that Ethiopia is not getting the resources it needs.