Posted on 02/06/2008 8:52:24 PM PST by blam
Tajikistan 'facing catastrophe'
by Natalia Antelava
BBC News, Dushanbe
Tens of thousands in Tajikistan are already malnourished
Tajikistan is in the grip of emergency food shortages, the UN's World Food Programme is warning. The deteriorating food situation is part of the energy crisis which hit the mountainous nation in the middle of its coldest winter for five decades.
The cost of food has tripled in recent months, partially because of rising world prices.
Some humanitarian agencies claim Central Asia's poorest nation is heading towards catastrophe.
It's well below zero in Tajikistan, but most people have no electricity, no heating and now, increasingly, many don't have enough food either.
One family in the village of Sagdyan, outside the capital Dushanbe, said their four children were surviving on milk and rice. Their next door neighbours could not afford even that.
One meal a day
Zlatan Milisic, the country director for the World Food Programme in Tajikistan, says it's not just the rural population that's being affected, but people in the cities too.
"We are seeing more and more people who are eating just one meal a day. And we only expect the food situation to deteriorate. This is already a real emergency," said Mr Milisic.
He added additional funding was urgently needed to assist the people.
Even at the best of times, tens of thousands of people are malnourished.
But this winter is affecting a huge proportion of the population. People are spending all they have on trying to keep warm.
And the worst is still to come - Tajikistan is currently using up its last energy resources, and it may face a total blackout.
Global Warming is wreaking havoc all over the globe.
For those who don’t know, Tajikistan is a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
SCO members:
Russia
China
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan
Iran is an “observer.”
China Farmers Count Cost Of Snow
"Millions of poor farmers in rural China are struggling to deal with the aftermath of the country's worst snow storms in 50 years.
...very related. And no, Russia hasn’t hopped into cooperation with our leadership. Be aware.
Russia suspicious over Iran test
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1966186/posts
Cue the sad music soundtrack with the narration about how ethanol, rather than $100 a barrel crude with its price set by Tajikistan’s co-religionists, is making everyone starve and freeze.
Oh, and more on the why of the “information” we’re seeing,...
Iran testing advanced centrifuges
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1966254/posts
I am sure their fellow OIL RICH Muslims in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and the rest of the OPEC nations will come to their aid.....
Tajikistan: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi’a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Right?
Right?
Why not?
Another snow storm???? Where’s my Global Warming? Where’s Al Gore?
Acording to "The Nation of Islam" true followers of islam are supposed to eat only one meal a day.
Too bad for the people of Tajikistan, but I’m more concerned with the folks her in MY country that are hungry.
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