The recent report by the World Food Program expressing its concern that there would be a break in food supplies in August, a month that the WFP country office in Ethiopia described as the start of the "hungry season," should be a cause for concern for Ethiopians-and particularly for the powers that be.

Already the food distribution is being cut due to lack of supplies. The monthly cereal rations were cut from 15 kg per person to 12.5 kg in the past few months as food stocks were running out by the day. As a result the food organization appealed for a US 205 million to provide relief supplies for a further year.

It is really "a recurrent nightmare," as the Prime Minister was once quoted by the BBC as saying. The survival of a population of 11.3 million depends on whether the country gets more and sufficient relief in the coming days.

But events unfolding themselves in the past month are feared to overshadow Ethiopia's food crisis from getting international attention. Mention could be made of the focus of the international media, donor countries and organizations on the war in Iraq and its ensuing humanitarian crisis. And, on the national front is the vexing question of Badme. Although many people consider this to be a dead issue, the government views it to be an ongoing legal battle. This seems to be the major national issue as far as our political leaders are concerned.

The statement by James Morris, the Executive Director of the WFP, last week urging the international community not to overlook Africa's food crisis while dealing with Iraq is a message that should reach every nook and corner of the world.

However, one could not belittle the various efforts being made by both the government and the public at large to avoid further loss of human lives.

Again and again, our call is to the donor governments and aid organizations to come to the rescue of the millions of rural Ethiopians who need food today most urgently.