Somalia famine puts al Shabab in "tight corner," says ND anthropologist in Kenya | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Liquid error: internal Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Somalia famine puts al Shabab in "tight corner," says ND anthropologist in Kenya Somalia famine puts al Shabab in "tight corner," says ND anthropologist in Kenya Published: July 25, 2011 Author: Liquid error: internal By flip-flopping its position on which groups can provide humanitarian aid to the thousands of starving Somalians, and forbidding supplies from foreign agencies not currently working in its strongholds, the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab is “playing an interesting game,” says University of Notre Dame economic anthropologist Rahul Oka, who currently is in Kenya at the Kakuma Refugee Camp conducting fieldwork on trade and the distribution of relief supplies. “My analysis from the ground suggests that al-Shabaab is indeed in a tight corner. Their claim to power, their legitimacy can only be sustained by the gun as long as they can ensure that the peoples’ basic needs are fulfilled. As the stories of the drought become narratives of famine, as the architects of the relief agency withdrawal, al-Shabab stands to be blamed for the ongoing misery, especially if they cannot feed the populace. Their legitimacy is uncertain,” Oka says, “as is their financial situation, even as their funding is declining, based on recent reports.” According to Oka, al-Shabab has blocked migrating groups from entering Kenya or Ethiopia with threats and with violence. “Al-Shabab is setting up the possibility to ‘legitimately’ confiscate ‘banned’ relief supplies and turn around to distribute them to the populace, denying credit to the relief agencies,” says Oka, who specializes in the ways humanitarian networks operate in war zones, such as the Sudan and northern Kenya. Media advisory: Oka’s comments may be used in whole or in part. He is available for interviews and can be reached by phone at 0704153131 (within Kenya); 011 254 704153131 (international) or roka@nd.edu. Contact: Susan Guibert, Office of Public Relations, 574-631-2867 (office); 574-286-4839 (cell) or sguibert@nd.edu Posted In: International Research Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 29, 2022 Notre Dame, Ukrainian Catholic University launch three new research grants September 27, 2022 Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin engineers join to advance novel treatment for cystic fibrosis September 12, 2022 Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street … in different countries? June 01, 2022 University of Notre Dame to establish consortium of Catholic universities to study Muslim-Christian relations May 03, 2022 Pulte Institute launches Central America Research Alliance For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn