WFP suspends emergency food aid in Humla after Simikot locals 'obstruct' supplies

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has said it has been forced to suspend the emergency food assistance in drought-hit parts of remote Humla district after the locals of district headquarters Simikot obstructed the supplies demanding food assistance for themselves.

"The WFP has been forced to suspend emergency food assistance for drought victims in Humla because of demands by the local population to expand food aid to less food insecure people in the district. Simikot locals are preventing the movement of WFP aid, staff and implementing partners supporting the relief effort in Humla, and demanding food assistance themselves," a WFP statement said.

WFP Country Representative Richard Ragan said, "These groups are blocking the delivery of international humanitarian assistance and their actions are causing thousands of people in Humla to go hungry."

Ragan said that his office made multiple attempts to resolve this issue at the local level, warning that the WFP would be forced to suspend all of its food assistance operations to needy families in Humla, including food for work activities if air operators and our implementing partners continue to face such challenges.

WFP is providing emergency food relief to thousands of families in Humla that do not have enough food to eat because of severe winter crop failures. In addition to these activities, WFP is also supporting the rehabilitation of 25,000 conflict-affected people through food for work projects in Humla.

"Once again, I urge all parties and individuals to provide unhindered access for WFP contracted air operators and our implementing partners so that critical humanitarian assistance can be delivered to affected populations in a timely and safe manner," Ragan added. nepalnews.com mk May 02 08