3/28/2006: Refugee camp in Somalia

Undertoad · 03-28-2006, 12:10 PM

This woman is in Somalia, just west of Mogadishu, in front of makeshift houses at a camp there, probably as people try to avoid the fighting.

When I saw this entry in today's Washington Post Day in Photos, I was struck by two things. One, how massive this encampment is, and thus how terrible it must be.

Two, how it eerie to see this one, after enjoying last Thursday's IotD.

Oafed · 03-28-2006, 12:40 PM

Uhm.. I wonder where they go to the bathroom

glatt · 03-28-2006, 12:46 PM

That's a good question. I wonder a lot of things that have to do with logistics.

How do you choose the location for a camp? Do you take the resources of the area into consideration, or do you just set up camp where you get tired? Does the camp just naturally grow as people see a tent and decide to pitch one nearby, or is it planned by some tibal leader?

Where do you get water?

Where do you get food?

What is in the area? I don't see any people in the picture, except the one woman. Where is everyone? Are they in the shopping mall that is just outside the frame?

If you've been away for a while, how do you find your way back to your hut?

I have many more questions than observations with this image.

FallenFairy · 03-28-2006, 12:50 PM

The sheer enormity of these camps is mind boggling... then stop and think about just finding the most basic needs - fresh water, food.... omg.

barefoot serpent · 03-28-2006, 12:53 PM

The availability of wood for framing the huts and for cooking fires is probably the first consideration for siting these camps. Once it's exhausted, then they move on.

Elspode · 03-28-2006, 01:03 PM

I now feel officially guilty for even having thought of upgrading to a bigger camp trailer.

funkykule · 03-28-2006, 02:16 PM

I dont know about this camp, but most camps like this are set up by an NGO. who will distribute aid suppies etc..
Unless the NGO is pretty well equipped, initially they will have to go to the toilet everywhere. Its a big problem. Eventually they will dig trenches for toilets.
Logistics and Disaster Response/ Risk Management for situations like this involve huge amounts of money and organisation, (you probably know that already). I am studying to work in this area. I find it extremely interesting and mostly overwhelming.

Kagen4o4 · 03-28-2006, 02:34 PM

there are more people in the top left of the image.
toilet?: anywhere
why there?: the landscape is no different for the next 300km
food?: whatever is chewable
water?: dig under plants?

Trilby · 03-28-2006, 03:48 PM

This puts my day into perspective.

Wombat · 03-28-2006, 04:19 PM

I have a friend who worked for a few years running food aid distribution for the WFO in Namibia and Angola. She organised large shipments of food from donations, organised the transport of the food aid from the ports to the refugee camps, and she ran the monthly distributions at the camps. Each month she would go with a handful of other aid workers to the camps with trucks of food, and over the course of two or three days at each camp they would hand out a one month ration to each of the tens of thousands of people queueing up at the trucks. Obviously keeping track of which refugees already had their ration was tricky, as was making sure that people too sick to get to the trucks also got their share. So that's how people in massive refugee camps like this get food.

xoxoxoBruce · 03-28-2006, 05:58 PM

These are the people I was talking about in this thread. Taken from camps like this and plopped down in Massachusetts, in a school system that's unprepared to handle them.

Guess · 03-28-2006, 06:27 PM

now compare this to that Japanese indoor beach IotD. kinda puts the world in perspective. a bit.

Happy Monkey · 03-28-2006, 06:29 PM

Indoor beach? Pah! That's nothing compared to the UAE indoor ski slope!

Kitsune · 03-28-2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

One, how massive this encampment is, and thus how terrible it must be.

Notice how there is no cover, no shade, other than what these people have constructed? That has to be miserable.

busterb · 03-28-2006, 07:58 PM

Told'em to vote republican. Missed their tax cuts. BTW. That sucks. MIght be a preview of the VA homes for new vets.

03-28-2006, 12:10 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	3/28/2006: Refugee camp in Somalia This woman is in Somalia, just west of Mogadishu, in front of makeshift houses at a camp there, probably as people try to avoid the fighting. When I saw this entry in today's Washington Post Day in Photos, I was struck by two things. One, how massive this encampment is, and thus how terrible it must be. Two, how it eerie to see this one, after enjoying last Thursday's IotD.

03-28-2006, 12:46 PM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	That's a good question. I wonder a lot of things that have to do with logistics. How do you choose the location for a camp? Do you take the resources of the area into consideration, or do you just set up camp where you get tired? Does the camp just naturally grow as people see a tent and decide to pitch one nearby, or is it planned by some tibal leader? Where do you get water? Where do you get food? What is in the area? I don't see any people in the picture, except the one woman. Where is everyone? Are they in the shopping mall that is just outside the frame? If you've been away for a while, how do you find your way back to your hut? I have many more questions than observations with this image. Last edited by glatt; 03-28-2006 at 12:51 PM.

03-28-2006, 12:50 PM	#4
FallenFairy nope Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 322	The sheer enormity of these camps is mind boggling... then stop and think about just finding the most basic needs - fresh water, food.... omg. __________________ ~going, going... gone now

03-28-2006, 01:03 PM	#6
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I now feel officially guilty for even having thought of upgrading to a bigger camp trailer. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

03-28-2006, 02:34 PM	#8
Kagen4o4 The Sheriff of Nothingland Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Melbourne, Aus Posts: 1,794	there are more people in the top left of the image. toilet?: anywhere why there?: the landscape is no different for the next 300km food?: whatever is chewable water?: dig under plants? __________________ something we both can enjoy??

03-28-2006, 12:40 PM	#2
Oafed So many stupid people... So few comets Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 18	Uhm.. I wonder where they go to the bathroom

03-28-2006, 12:53 PM	#5
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	The availability of wood for framing the huts and for cooking fires is probably the first consideration for siting these camps. Once it's exhausted, then they move on.

03-28-2006, 02:16 PM	#7
funkykule professional bowler Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 134	I dont know about this camp, but most camps like this are set up by an NGO. who will distribute aid suppies etc.. Unless the NGO is pretty well equipped, initially they will have to go to the toilet everywhere. Its a big problem. Eventually they will dig trenches for toilets. Logistics and Disaster Response/ Risk Management for situations like this involve huge amounts of money and organisation, (you probably know that already). I am studying to work in this area. I find it extremely interesting and mostly overwhelming.

03-28-2006, 03:48 PM	#9
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	This puts my day into perspective. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

03-28-2006, 04:19 PM	#10
Wombat (marsupial with backward-facing pouch) Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canberra Posts: 251	I have a friend who worked for a few years running food aid distribution for the WFO in Namibia and Angola. She organised large shipments of food from donations, organised the transport of the food aid from the ports to the refugee camps, and she ran the monthly distributions at the camps. Each month she would go with a handful of other aid workers to the camps with trucks of food, and over the course of two or three days at each camp they would hand out a one month ration to each of the tens of thousands of people queueing up at the trucks. Obviously keeping track of which refugees already had their ration was tricky, as was making sure that people too sick to get to the trucks also got their share. So that's how people in massive refugee camps like this get food. __________________ If you don't do it properly, you'll get to the pub sooner.

03-28-2006, 05:58 PM	#11
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	These are the people I was talking about in this thread. Taken from camps like this and plopped down in Massachusetts, in a school system that's unprepared to handle them. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-28-2006, 06:27 PM	#12
Guess What's my name? Guess Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 69	now compare this to that Japanese indoor beach IotD. kinda puts the world in perspective. a bit. __________________ "Earth laughs in flowers" ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

03-28-2006, 06:29 PM	#13
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Indoor beach? Pah! That's nothing compared to the UAE indoor ski slope! __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

03-28-2006, 07:58 PM	#15
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	Told'em to vote republican. Missed their tax cuts. BTW. That sucks. MIght be a preview of the VA homes for new vets. __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

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