Operation Provide Relief
Encyclopedia
Operation Provide Relief was part of United Nations
(UN) endorsed effort called The Unified Task Force (UNITAF
) to secure and facilitate humanitarian relief for the people of Somalia
, an effort that was assisted by the UN UNOSOM I
mission beginning in 1991 in light of a severe famine
, initiated and exacerbated by the ongoing Somali civil war
.
It was initiated and spearheaded by the United States of America and other Western nations that committed troops to conduct the operation. However most of the food was looted shortly upon the landing of these planes. This made the operation a failure and the UN therefore asked its members for assistance, leading to Operation Restore Hope.
(This article regards only Operations RESTORE HOPE and PROVIDE RELIEF which were not part of the UNOSOM mission but of UNITAF, separate from UNOSOM but also under the UN aegis. As it stands, this article largely ignores the mandate and duties of UNOSOM I and UNOSOM II and opts instead for a description of US actions solely.)
In January 1991, the leader of Somalia, Mohammed Siad Barre, was overthrown by a coalition of opposing clans called the United Somalia Congress. After this revolution the coalition divided into two groups.
One was led by Ali Mahdi, who became president, and the other by Mohammed Farah Aidid. In total there were four opposing groups: the United Somali Congress (USC), Somali Salvation Democratic Front
(SSDF), Somali Patriotic Movement
(SPM), and Somali Democratic Movement (SDM) which continued to fight over the domination of Somalia.
In June 1991 a ceasefire was agreed, which these groups however failed to hold. A fifth group; the Somali National Movement
(SNM) had already in June seceded in the northwest portion of Somalia, re-naming it the Somaliland
Republic, with the leader of the SNM, Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Ali as president.
In September 1991, severe fighting broke out in Mogadishu
which continued in the following months and spread throughout the country with over 20,000 people killed or injured by the end of the year.
These wars led to the destruction of the agriculture of Somalia
which in turn led to starvation in large parts of Somalia.
The international community
began to send food supplies to halt the starvation. However vast amounts of food were hijacked and brought to local clan
leaders.
The food was routinely exchanged with other countries for weapons by them. An estimated 80% of the food was stolen.
These factors led to even more starvation of which an estimated 300,000 people died and another 1.5 million suffering between 1991 and 1992. In July 1992, after a ceasefire between the opposing clan factions, the United Nations (UN) sent 50 military observers to hold sight on the distribution of the food.
announced US military transports would support the multinational UN relief effort in Somalia. Ten C-130s and 400 people deployed to Mombasa
, Kenya
, during Operation Provide Relief, airlifting aid to remote areas in Somalia to reduce reliance on truck convoys. One member of the 86th Supply Squadron deployed with the ground support contingent, USAFE's only contribution to the operation.
The Air Force C-130s delivered 48,000 tons of food and medical supplies in six months to international humanitarian organizations, trying to help the over three million starving people in the country. When this proved inadequate to stop the massive death and displacement of Somali people (500,000 dead; 1.5 million refugees or displaced), the U.S. in December 1992 launched a major coalition operation, Operation Restore Hope to assist and protect humanitarian activities.
That operation was eventually successful in stopping the famine and saving an estimated 200,000 lives, as well as de-escalating the high-intensity civil war into low-level, local skirmishes, but after a long and protracted effort and eventual pull-out of US forces following the Battle of Mogadishu.
The operation has been criticized for expanding beyond its original boundaries ("mission creep
"). The Refugee Policy Group (NGO in Washington) in November 1994 "Lives Lost, Lives Saved: Excess Mortality and the Impact of Health Interventions in the Somalia Emergency" believes that any assessment of the success of Operation Provide Relief is "so fraught with methodological problems that it is rarely attempted."
As such, they offer a conservative estimate that about 100,000 lives were saved as a result of outside assistance, about 10,000 after the United States as part of Operation Provide Relief. They also conclude that some 202,000 to 238,000 lives were lost to famine or famine related disease.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(UN) endorsed effort called The Unified Task Force (UNITAF
UNITAF
Unified Task Force was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia between 5 December 1992 – 4 May 1993...
) to secure and facilitate humanitarian relief for the people of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, an effort that was assisted by the UN UNOSOM I
UNOSOM I
United Nations Operation in Somalia I was the first part of a United Nations sponsored effort to provide, facilitate, and secure humanitarian relief in Somalia, as well as to monitor the first UN-brokered ceasefire of the Somali Civil War conflict in the early 1990s.The operation was established...
mission beginning in 1991 in light of a severe famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
, initiated and exacerbated by the ongoing Somali civil war
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
.
It was initiated and spearheaded by the United States of America and other Western nations that committed troops to conduct the operation. However most of the food was looted shortly upon the landing of these planes. This made the operation a failure and the UN therefore asked its members for assistance, leading to Operation Restore Hope.
(This article regards only Operations RESTORE HOPE and PROVIDE RELIEF which were not part of the UNOSOM mission but of UNITAF, separate from UNOSOM but also under the UN aegis. As it stands, this article largely ignores the mandate and duties of UNOSOM I and UNOSOM II and opts instead for a description of US actions solely.)
Background
One was led by Ali Mahdi, who became president, and the other by Mohammed Farah Aidid. In total there were four opposing groups: the United Somali Congress (USC), Somali Salvation Democratic Front
Somali Salvation Democratic Front
Somali Salvation Democratic Front , initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 by several army officers, it was the first of several opposition groups dedicated to ousting the authoritarian...
(SSDF), Somali Patriotic Movement
Somali Patriotic Movement
The Somali Patriotic Movement is a political party and paramilitary organization in Somalia, and a key faction in the Somali Civil War. Commanded by Aden Abdullahi Nur Gabyow, it was based in the southwestern area of the country, and had considerable influence in the leaderless country...
(SPM), and Somali Democratic Movement (SDM) which continued to fight over the domination of Somalia.
In June 1991 a ceasefire was agreed, which these groups however failed to hold. A fifth group; the Somali National Movement
Somali National Movement
The Somali National Movement was a 1980s-1990s Somali rebel group. Founded and led by Isaaq members to protect the clan's interests, it was key in the formation of Somaliland, a self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia.-Formation:In April...
(SNM) had already in June seceded in the northwest portion of Somalia, re-naming it the Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
Republic, with the leader of the SNM, Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Ali as president.
In September 1991, severe fighting broke out in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
which continued in the following months and spread throughout the country with over 20,000 people killed or injured by the end of the year.
These wars led to the destruction of the agriculture of Somalia
Economy of Somalia
According to the CIA and the Central Bank of Somalia, despite experiencing civil unrest, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, based mainly on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies and telecommunications. Due to a dearth of formal government statistics and the recent civil...
which in turn led to starvation in large parts of Somalia.
The international community
International community
The international community is a term used in international relations to refer to all peoples, cultures and governments of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them...
began to send food supplies to halt the starvation. However vast amounts of food were hijacked and brought to local clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
leaders.
The food was routinely exchanged with other countries for weapons by them. An estimated 80% of the food was stolen.
These factors led to even more starvation of which an estimated 300,000 people died and another 1.5 million suffering between 1991 and 1992. In July 1992, after a ceasefire between the opposing clan factions, the United Nations (UN) sent 50 military observers to hold sight on the distribution of the food.
Operation Provide Relief
Operation Provide Relief began in August 1992, when the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
announced US military transports would support the multinational UN relief effort in Somalia. Ten C-130s and 400 people deployed to Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, during Operation Provide Relief, airlifting aid to remote areas in Somalia to reduce reliance on truck convoys. One member of the 86th Supply Squadron deployed with the ground support contingent, USAFE's only contribution to the operation.
The Air Force C-130s delivered 48,000 tons of food and medical supplies in six months to international humanitarian organizations, trying to help the over three million starving people in the country. When this proved inadequate to stop the massive death and displacement of Somali people (500,000 dead; 1.5 million refugees or displaced), the U.S. in December 1992 launched a major coalition operation, Operation Restore Hope to assist and protect humanitarian activities.
That operation was eventually successful in stopping the famine and saving an estimated 200,000 lives, as well as de-escalating the high-intensity civil war into low-level, local skirmishes, but after a long and protracted effort and eventual pull-out of US forces following the Battle of Mogadishu.
The operation has been criticized for expanding beyond its original boundaries ("mission creep
Mission creep
Mission creep is the expansion of a project or mission beyond its original goals, often after initial successes. Mission creep is usually considered undesirable due to the dangerous path of each success breeding more ambitious attempts, only stopping when a final, often catastrophic, failure occurs...
"). The Refugee Policy Group (NGO in Washington) in November 1994 "Lives Lost, Lives Saved: Excess Mortality and the Impact of Health Interventions in the Somalia Emergency" believes that any assessment of the success of Operation Provide Relief is "so fraught with methodological problems that it is rarely attempted."
As such, they offer a conservative estimate that about 100,000 lives were saved as a result of outside assistance, about 10,000 after the United States as part of Operation Provide Relief. They also conclude that some 202,000 to 238,000 lives were lost to famine or famine related disease.
See also
- Operation Restore Hope
- Operation DeliveranceOperation DeliveranceOperation Deliverance was a Canadian Forces peace keeping military operation in Somalia and formed part of the United Nations peacekeeping deployment to that country...
, the concurrent Canadian mission