Rapists, hunger and hyenas stalk displaced Somali women

[ccharles000]

GALKAYO, Somalia — Hyenas, rape, kidnappings -- there is no shortage of dangers for women in the grim refugee camps of northern Somalia.

But it is still better than the horrors they fled: civil war battles in Mogadishu, drought in neighbouring Ethiopia, inter-clan warfare and what they say was state-sponsored ethnic persecution and killings.

Many have "lost" their husbands. Some men abandoned their families, others tried to cross the Gulf of Aden into Yemen and have given no sign of life since. Some are still part of the family but are away eking out a living herding livestock.

The wastelands on the edge of Galkayo, a large swathe of low thorn scrub where millions of plastic bags flutter in the breeze, are home to several camps.

In a camp called Mustaqbal, which translates as "future", Halima, a divorcee of 35, recounted from behind her veil how she fled shelling in Mogadishu, 700 kilometres (430 miles) to the south, with her five children.

"We are the breadwinners for our families. We have no husbands and our daily earnings are not enough to survive on," she said, gesticulating with henna-patterned hands.

Halima has what is known locally as a "shoulder shop" -- she hawks goods -- in this case clothing -- from door to door.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h8NAw91x6B0Ly10BLo8cTqsbxMXQ

[anonymous171]

1. Anarcho-Capitalism at its finest. nt

[Cleita]

2. I'd like to see those Faux News women have to cover a story in those places as

well as crazy talk show dames like Laura Ingraham and then come back and tell us how great small government and laissez faire capitalism works

[Karenina]

4. REALLY! And people were aghast at how "testy" Hillary was

during her sojourn to the refugee camps...

[ccharles000]

3. kick