JEDDAH, 19 April 2004 — A Somali woman’s body has been discovered in a suitcase in north London, press reports said.
The British police has charged Daniel Archer, 53, from southwest England in connection with the murder of Nasra Ismail, 27. Archer has been accused of murdering Nasra at a property in Conistone Way, north London, before dumping her dismembered body in the nearby canal. The reports said that the suspect was in custody, and will appear in court in north London. The suitcase containing Nasra’s body has been found by teenagers playing along the picturesque canal.
Since the outbreak of civil war in the country, many Somalis have fled their homeland, and have sought refuge in western countries. Thousands of Somali asylum seekers are currently residing and working in Britain.
***
Muhammad Fuje, a medical officer of the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO), has said that the number of suspected cholera cases has increased in Mogadishu, since the beginning of April.
He said between April 3 and 9, about 489 cases had been diagnosed in three of the city’s hospitals, of whom nine patients had died.
Fuje told reporters that tests had been done on 20 stool samples from patients in the three hospitals, which confirmed that 12 patients had cholera.
He said since mid-December, 2,042 cases of suspected cholera had been reported to WHO, including 23 deaths.
“Between March 27 and April 2, 173 suspected cases were recorded, up from between 40 and 50 in the previous two weeks. It is very alarming. Now, it is the cholera season in Somalia, resulting from the hot weather coupled with increased rains and water consumption. The most important thing now is to stabilize it and increase public awareness about hygiene. Since 1994, outbreaks of cholera cases have been recorded annually in Mogadishu and many other parts of Somalia. The illness is endemic to Mogadishu due to the absence of basic sanitation and a centralized water supply system. Every house has its own well, often near toilets, so contamination is common,” he said.
***
The Dutch-owned freight express provider, TNT, has signed an import service agreement with Somali postal company — Somal Post, a statement said.
It added that TNT’s entire operation in Somalia will be co-ordinated out of its Middle East, Africa and India hub in Dubai.
The agreement was signed by Somal Post Chairman Sharif Ahmed Sharif at TNT’s regional office in Dubai.
“This will be of major assistance to Somalia generally and be a huge boost for Somalis at home and abroad,” said Sharif, adding that the country was recovering from a lengthy period of civil war.
“But things are definitely improving and the time is right for TNT to come in with such a comprehensive service. The economy is definitely heading in the right direction. Telecommunication is very strong,” he said.
TNT’s project manager, Tim Frank, described the signing as a proud moment for TNT. “Somalia represents the last piece of the global jigsaw for TNT after we started servicing Afghanistan and Iraq. Our agreement with Somal Post enables us to offer a service across the spectrum of the country.
“The staff from Somalia are to be trained in Dubai to ensure the finest possible service to the consumers in the country,” said Frank. The consignments of the TNT’ will come from all over the world to its center in Dubai and then be forwarded to Somalia by air.
