BY TEWODROS KASSA
DOLLO MENA -The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has provided emergency supports worth over 183,000 Euro to 2,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Oromia State of Bale zone, Dollo Mena Woreda.
At the event, IRC Adama Field Office Emergency and Rapid Response (ERR) Manager Abdisa Mohamed said that IRC handed over various in-kind supports including; cooking materials, sanitary materials, and sheltering equipments to the IDPs through the funding it acquired from the ECHO (European Commission Humanitarian Aid) and Irish Aid.
Accordingly, IRC responded and provided the support to the IDPs within a week following the government’s request and after doing an emergency need assessment. IRC also provides health, financial, and other supports to improve the socio-economic life of the community after identifying the needy, he said.
Currently, IRC provides emergency supports to over 150,000 IDPs that are in dire need due to various natural and manmade problems in the Oromia states. Internal conflict, drought, and flood are among the leading causes of displacement it is in Oromia state.
One of the IDP in the Woreda, Adem Mohamed said that the conflict in his birth place that erupted due to grazing and water disagreements compelled him to flee in order to save his 13 family member’s life.
“We left our home and cattle behind. We do not have any option rather than leaving the area. Our community leaders have been striving to settle the conflict peacefully,” he said. Most of the displaced are pastoralists and semi-pastoralists.
“Currently, we are in trouble of finding food for ourselves and grazing for our cattle. We call upon the government and other humanitarian agencies to rehabilitate us and return to our former surrounding.”
The IRC’s support is vital to stay safe and struggle to survive until the problem is solved peacefully, he noted. Accordingly, more coordinated efforts are needed to sustainably rehabilitate millions of IDPs in the country.
The Ethiopian Herald July 31/2022
