Solomon Islands - ACT: 05-Apr-01
Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Appeal - Solomon Islands
Assistance to Displaced Persons - ASSI11
Appeal Target: US$ 613,396
Geneva, 3 April 2001
Ever since 1998 Solomon Islands have been facing an increase in tensions
between Malaitan and Guadalcan ethnic groups, which further escalated into
an armed conflict and a civil war. Although interpreted as 'issue of
ethnic identity', the cause of the conflict is likely to be found in land
ownership. With fights fading after two long years, the scars sustained by
the local communities are yet visible and deep.
About 50,000 that were forced out of their homes at the beginning of the
conflict, are slowly returning to their homes. However, due to the
breakdown of communal infrastructure returnees have faced empty and
damaged households or, in some more severe cases, burned homes.
The internally displaced as well as returnees are striving for basic needs
such as food, drinking water and shelter.
In response to this big-scale human need, ACT member The Solomon Islands
Christian Association seeks to implement a combined emergency project
comprising the following elements:
Food Distribution
Distribution of shelter commodities
Water/sanitation
Agricultural inputs
Project Completion Date: 1 April 2001 - 30 September 2001 (6 months)
Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance
Requested
US$
Total Appeal Target(s) 613,396
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd. 0
Balance Requested from ACT Network 613,396
Ms. Genevieve Jacques Thor-Arne Prois Rev. Rudolf Hinz
Director ACT Coordinator Director
WCC/Cluster on Relations LWF/World Service
REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION
Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA)
IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION
The Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) is made up of the five
main churches in Solomon Islands: the Catholic Church (SI), Anglican
Church, the United Church (SI), South Seas Evangelical Church and the
Seventh Day Adventist Church. SICA has an executive committee that meets
once a month. Each church is represented at the SICA Executive and
Chairmanship is rotated.
The SICA secretariat has a full time General Secretary who looks after the
interests of SICA. The GS monitors and implements the decisions reached at
policy and political meetings on behalf of SICA for the member churches.
The Solomon Islands Christian Association has an established secretariat -
the Ecumenical Resource and Support Desk ( ERSD ). It has a Manager and
an Accountant along with a work force of 15 people from the member
churches of SICA . Normally the team works on the Village Education
Programme (VEP) addressing the many social issues faced by the church
community of today. However due to the emergency situation SICA - ERSD and
VEP has already mobilised the field team to work in the affected areas.
The implementing section will be the SICA - ERSD using the VEP field team
and in collaboration with the member churches of SICA and other smaller
churches in the affected areas . The VEP team has already been
instrumental in the network with the member churches, and has also been
widely accepted by the community through out the country.
Solomon Islands is prone to natural disasters such as cyclones, tidal
waves, earthquakes and in the past, SICA has been instrumental in the
various National Disaster relief operations using the networks of the
member churches of SICA to reach the community in the most remote rural
areas and islands in the country. The most recent relief operation was in
early 1998, a cyclone that devastated three remote provinces of Renbel,
Temotu and Makira and Ulawa also see ACT appeal ASSI91 of 1999.
DESCRIPTION of the EMERGENCY SITUATION
Background
Since the second half of 1998 there has been an alarming increase in
tensions in Solomon Islands between Malaitan and Guadalcanal people which
has escalated into armed conflict and civil war. The roots of the crisis
are complex and involve multi-layered geographical, historical and
demographic forces. Land and land ownership are the fundamentals
underlying the crisis which have been expressed as issues of ethnic
identity and enmity. These issues have been compounded by a rapidly
expanding population which has increased the pressures on land and social
structures. Unequal development between provinces, difficulties in
managing the national economy, and large scale exploitation of natural
resources by powerful external entities without sufficient commensurate
return in investment in local infrastructure, have also helped to create
the crisis and fuelled profound dissatisfaction by indigenous landowners
in many parts of the country.
The crisis involves long-standing grievances of indigenous Guadalcanal
people about land acquisition and occupation by outsiders, particularly
Malaitans, in Guadalcanal and around the capital Honiara. These grievances
crystallised in February 1999 into demands submitted to the Guadalcanal
Provincial Government which included a demand for rent for Honiara to be
paid to traditional land owners, compensation for Guales killed in the
past, plus restrictions on citizens from other provinces owning land on
Guadalcanal. In 1999 action by the IFM led to the departure of thousand of
workers, particularly Malaitans, from plantations on Guadalcanal.
Fighting between the Isatabu Freedom Movement and the Malaita Eagle Force
has led to the breakdown of law and order in Honiara and surrounding areas
of Guadalcanal. A State of Emergency was declared in June 1999 and
although lifted on 15 October 1999, there has been continuing violence and
abuse of human rights resulting in the deaths of at least 60 people and
the displacement of many thousands of people from Honiara and Guadalcanal
to all parts of the country.
Many people, not only Malaitans, have lost property and investments in
Guadalcanal and Honiara. In June 2000, the MEF supported by police and
paramilitary field force officers loyal to Malaita raided police armories,
seized control of Honiara and forced the resignation of Prime Minister
Bart Ulufa'alu. A new Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, was elected and
a new government, the Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation and
Peace containing many members of the opposition, was formed. Through the
use of multi million dollar compensation payments to both militants and
their respective provincial governments, a cease-fire agreement was signed
on 3-August 2000 and a Cease Fire Monitoring Group established. The
cease-fire has been fragile, marked by occasional murders and further
damage to property inside and outside Honiara. A peace summit held in
Townsville in October, 2000 has resulted in a comprehensive peace
agreement between the major factions, including international monitoring
and disarmament. It remains too early to tell if this will be a lasting
and comprehensive peace, but regardless the impacts of recent events on
local communities need to be addressed and support provided for peace and
reconciliation to take root at all levels.
Current Situation
This is a chronic, "creeping" emergency arising out of over two years of
civil war between elements of the two main ethnic groups of the country,
which began in early 1999. The crisis phase of this conflict appears to be
over with the signing of a peace agreement in Townsville, Australia on 15
October 2000 and the post-crisis phase is beginning. The emergency is
affecting those rural areas where displaced people from Honiara have
placed extra stress on an already vulnerable subsistence base,
exacerbating local tensions. The collapse of centralised services and the
cash economy, plus recent heavy rains has stretched the traditional
Melanesian community-based subsistence agriculture security net to
breaking point. It is seen as crucial to stabilise food and basic needs
security at this level if any orderly rehabilitation and resettlement is
to be imagined.
Much of the population of Honiara have fled back to their home villages in
all provinces. In most cases those who fled were not able to take many of
their possessions. The most comprehensive estimates of internally
displaced people are in the range of range of fifty to sixty thousand
(ACFOA delegation; World Vision; SICA). Out of a total population of
approximately 460,000 this represents a massive impact on the traditional
rural subsistence and local market agricultural mechanisms, which will be
ongoing in the foreseeable future. Given the collapse of the cash economy,
a major development need is to support and expand these mechanisms, and in
some cases on Guadalcanal to regenerate them. ACFOA, World Vision and SICA
report food and basic needs security to be a major issue affecting parts
of all provinces. Seeds and basic agricultural tools were commonly
identified by communities on all islands as major needs to ensure
medium-term food security.
Despite the signing of a peace agreement, conditions are not adequate for
the return of people to Honiara. The main reasons are:
Some 400 heavy weapons remain to be handed in to the Peace Monitoring
Group - most people do not have full confidence in security yet
The closure of most commercial activities, especially large
foreign-investment activities means that most people have no jobs to
return to
The collapse of the national economy means that public servants also have
no jobs to return to at this point in time.
Impact on Human Lives
At the peak of the ethnic tension 70 people were confirmed dead from
direct intimidation and violence.
About 50,000 to 60,000 have been displaced with about 101,150 people in
total being affected directly.
People have been repatriated back to their villages and province of
origin. However the immediate availability of food and shelter for the
people that have been effected by the tension is not readily available.
Shelter is a problem because it is in a tropical climate with heavy rains,
and the people have been inconvenienced in many ways.
Essential services have also been disrupted. Most of the clinics in the
capital and the province have closed because the nurses have returned to
their home islands because of security reasons. Medicine and drugs are
also in short supply in may effected areas because of the disturbances.
Description of Damages
There has been a lot of burning of houses both in the capital, the suburbs
of the capital and in the villages especially on Guadalcanal. Gardens have
also been up rooted and destroyed.
The big commercial companies, such as the Gold Ridge, Solomon Tayio and
Solomon Islands Plantation limited have been closed because of threats.
Bridges and water systems have also been damaged and disrupted.
Locations for Proposed Response
Most of the affected people have returned to their village and Islands
province of origin. That means most of the displaced people are scattered
all over the country.
SICA's targeted location will be in all the provinces where the displaced
people have been located. Many of the displaced have been located through
the church network. Other organisations such as World Vision and the Red
Cross have been assisting some of the displaced people in a small way.
However, because of the remoteness of some of the provinces and islands
there are many more people to be reached.
The churches have a good network making it easy to locate, identify and
name the displaced community.
Disaster and Emergency Statistics
The most reliable estimates of displaced people are around 50 - 60,000
(World Vision and the ACFOA Delegation Report). The SICA Federation of
Women has just completed a nationwide survey in which 10,535 homeless or
displaced families were identified, which concurs closely with this
estimate, given an average of around 5 people per family in the Solomon
Islands.
Other statistical indicators are difficult to come by at this time, but
there are a significant number of destroyed houses on Guadalcanal,
probably numbering over one thousand.
Current Security Situation
Recent reports indicate ongoing security issues concentrated around parts
of Guadalcanal and Malaita. In the more remote islands, security is better
and access is not anticipated to be a problem.
The situation in the capital is not yet safe for the community. Militants
are still holding on to their guns even though the Peace Monitoring Team
is in the country to see the handing back of the guns. It is estimated
that about 400 to 600 guns are still with the militants. Both Malaita and
Guadalcanal is still not safe for people from other parts of the country
to visit because of their ethnic Melanesian background. However, churches
have high respect in all communities in the Solomon Islands and
identifying and reaching the displaced people in the provinces is not a
problem.
Communication is a concern because of the remoteness of the Islands.
However SICA with the member churches have been able to keep in touch with
each other with the use of a two-way radio network and the SICA
secretariat has been kept informed of all the latest developments in the
remoter areas.
GOAL & OBJECTIVES
Goal: To stabilise food and basic needs security in areas with displaced
populations
Objectives:
Provide adequate basic needs (food, cooking fuel, shelter, clothing and
hygiene items) in the short term for displaced populations and absorbing
communities
This will be done by using the Village Education Program network to
supervise, the Federation of Women network to purchase and distribute each
type of assistance identified in the survey, first by province and then
through each local church women's network
Support the cultivation of extra food crops and collection of extra
drinking water needed on a mid to long term basis in areas of significant
displaced populations
Agricultural tools and seeds will be distributed in the same manner as
outlined in the first objective
Water tanks will be distributed and installed at the church building or
other suitable building (i.e. with iron roof for rainwater collection)
Containers for water collection will be distributed
The VEP field officers will provide technical support via workshops
TARGETED BENEFICIARIES
Number of Displaced Families by Province/Church
SSEC
UC
Catholic
CoM
SDA
Total
Malaita
2,492
-
900
516
800
4,708
Guadalcanal
200
350
1,989
200
1,400
4,139
Santa Anna
4
-
-
-
-
4
Makira
12
-
10
-
15
37
Western
-
198
200
-
400
798
Choiseul
-
130
-
-
150
280
Temaotu
-
-
-
125
14
139
Rennel
-
-
-
-
50
50
Isabel
-
-
-
75
12
87
2,708
678
3,099
916
2,841
10,242
All beneficiaries are located in rural communities, but most of them are
former residents of Honiara.
These figures are by family and can be assumed to represent approximately:
Women 10,000
Men 10,000
Children 50,000
Criteria Utilised In Beneficiary Selection
Using the Federation of Women and the Youth Desk of the SICA secretariat,
a simple questionnaire has been used to identify and locate the displaced
people. These have been checked and verified by local clergy. The survey
has identified those families who have been displaced or dispossessed and
who have not received any or sufficient assistance along with their host
communities.
PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE & IMPLEMENTATION
The results of the SICA nation wide survey have identified the following
needs:
Food and Cooking
Rice 31,860 kg
Pots 5,121 sets of three
Kettles 1,693 pieces
Plates/spoons 25,338 pieces
Cups 16,838 pieces
Kerosene 200 litres
Shelter
Temporary shelter 500 families
(plastic and roofing iron)
Sleeping mats 2,904 pieces
Lamps 4,782 pieces
Clothing
Second hand clothing 5,121 families
Water and Sanitation
Drinking Water Tanks 1,700 pieces
Drinking containers 2,218 pieces
Buckets for washing 1,650 pieces
Agricultural tools and seeds
Axe 4,782 pieces
Hoe 3,364 pieces
Bush knife 4,913 pieces
File 1,671 pieces
Spade 3,362 pieces
Implementation Description Per Activity
SICA's Ecumenical Resource and Support Desk (ESRD) is the development arm
of SICA. Under the ERSD are several programs and networks, which include
the Village Education Program (VEP) and the Federation of Women (FOW). The
VEP team consists of 4 Field Co-ordinators based in Central, Malaita,
Western and Eastern regions, under which are 12 Field Officers - 5 in
Central Honiara, (also covering remote islands), 2 in Malaita, 3 in
Western, 2 in Eastern. The VEP is normally involved in village-level
social issues education and practical workshops such as agriculture and
nutrition. The SICA-FOW is a national network of women's community support
groups based at a village or parish level, co-ordinated at a national
level through a national executive committee elected from the five member
churches.
The ERSD will co-ordinate the project through the VEP field staff, who in
turn will co-ordinate the activities through local FOW leaders, who will
manage teams of volunteers from the local FOW. These women will be members
of the local community and church and so will be in a position to best
understand the situation of local beneficiaries. VEP field workers will
conduct workshops on a rolling basis through target areas of each province
according to their usual techniques. Because of the wide repatriation of
the displaced people to the nine provinces the rehabilitation and the
workshops will also be conducted for the nine provinces in the identified
areas and villages. The distribution of supplies will be conducted by the
FOW together with VEP field team.
Transition from Emergency
Planning is already quite advanced on activities addressing the transition
from emergency. The SICA-ERSD, in conjunction with NCCA-CWS, have been in
discussions with Save the Children (Australia) and Community Aid
Abroad-Oxfam Australia about implementing in partnership an integrated
social action program over the next 2-3 years, specifically targeting
women and youth (80% of the population) and their needs and obstacles to
peace. This program is funded by AusAID and the agencies own funds.
ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING
Administration
SICA - Executive Council is consisted of 5 main Churches
Catholic Church (SI), United Church (SI), SSEC, Anglican Church (SI), SDA
1 Executive Secretary (secretariat)
SICA-Ecumenical Resource and Support Desk
1 Programme Manger
1 Accountant
1 Secretary
SICA -Federation of Women
1 Coordinator
SICA -Youth Desk
1 Coordinator
Village Education Programme
15 Field Team
Finance Management and Controls
The financial control of this project will be the responsibility the
SICA-Ecumenical Resource & Support Desk
The Federation of Women will authorise payment, the accountant will
prepare the payment vouchers for approval by the Program Manager. The
SICA-ERSD Bank Account has three signatories - the SICA Executive
Secretary, The Programme Manger of the Ecumenical Desk and the Accountant.
A form tool payment voucher has been designed for the exercise.
Monitoring Procedures
External monitoring will be provided by CWS-NCCA Pacific Program Manager.
The monitoring of the project will be an on going activity, co-ordinated
by the following:
- The SICA - Executive Council
- The SICA - General Secretary
- The Program Manger of Ecumenical Desk
- The Accountant
- The FOW
- VEP Field Co-ordinators
- VEP Field Team
- Local member churches
- The Village Community
The VEP Field team will be responsible for reporting to the FOW, Program
Manger and the SICA- general Secretary. The Financial report will be
responsibility of the of the Programme Manger and the Accountant in the
Ecumenical Desk for presentation at the SICA Executive Council and the
constant monitoring of the project.
The Programme Manager of the Ecumenical Desk will be responsible for the
final report to the SICA- Executive, as well as to ACT and other
interested parties.
IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE
April 2001 - September 2001 (6 months).
CO-ORDINATION
The working relation by the SICA - Ecumenical Resource and Support Desk
with the member churches of SICA and other churches is very positive. The
VEP team and the FOW have been able to visit and conduct meetings and
workshops in every community.
The Program Manger of the SICA - Ecumenical Resource and Support Desk is
also the Chairman of the Development Services Exchange, the umbrella Non
Governmental Organisation in the Solomon Islands. The working relationship
with other National NGO in the Solomon Islands is also very positive.
There have been monthly meetings between NGOs at the DSE secretariat to
share experiences and to avoid duplication. Ongoing contact has been
maintained between SICA and the Red Cross, World Vision and the other
agencies who have been distributing basic needs supplies to ensure there
is no duplication of efforts.
BUDGET
Description Type of No. of Unit Cost Budget Budget
Unit Units SID SID USD
DIRECT ASSISTANCE
Food Distribution
Rice 20kg 1,593 53.35 84,987 16,250
Shelter Rehab and Construction
Heavy duty plastic roll 500 300.00 150,000 28,681
Roofing Iron sheet 300 84.48 25,344 4,846
Water and Sanitation
Water tanks 300gl 850 900.00 765,000 146,272
Drinking container 4gn 2,218 40.00 88,700 16,960
Buckets piece 1,650 10.00 16,495 3,154
Non-Food Items
Second hand clothing/linen 50kg bale 8 999.00 7,992 1,528
Sleeping Mats piece 2,904 30.00 87,105 16,655
Cooking pots set of 3 5,121 170.00 870,570 166,457
Kettles piece 1,693 32.00 54,176 10,359
Plates piece 25,338 2.30 58,276 11,143
Cups piece 16,838 3.45 58,089 11,107
Spoons piece 25,338 2.50 63,344 12,112
Kerosine 4l 50 610.00 30,500 5,832
Description Type of No. of Unit Cost Budget Budget
Unit Units SID SID USD
Lamp piece 4,782 33.95 162,349 31,042
Food Security & Agricultural
Agricultural Inputs
Bush knives piece 4,913 33.00 162,129 31,000
Axes piece 4,782 35.00 167,370 32,002
Files piece 1,671 8.00 13,364 2,555
Hoes piece 3,364 32.00 107,632 20,580
Spades piece 3,362 32.00 107,568 20,567
Seeds lump sum 12,748 5.00 63,738 12,187
Educational Inputs
Large Paper box 7 500.00 3,500 669
Marker pens box 7 140.00 980 187
Cello tape box 7 140.00 980 187
Pens box 7 900.00 6,300 1,205
Sub Total Direct Assistance 3,156,487 603,535
MATERIAL TRANSPORT, STORAGE, WAREHOUSING, HANDLING
Material Transport
Truck Rental and Related Costs
Pickup truck rent 1 day 20 120.00 2,400 459
Motor canoe hire 1 day 15 100.00 1,500 287
Sub Total Transport, Storage, Handling 3,900 746
PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS & SUPPORT
Staff Salaries & Support
Project Staff Salaries
Project Coordinator Monthly salary 6 1,200.00 7,200 1,377
Staff Travel
NCCA monitoring Sydney-Honiara rtn 1 5,076 971
Local and Regional Travel
Field Coordinators Honiara-provinces rtn 18 800.00 14,400 2,753
Monitoring NCCA costs per day 8 500.00 4,000 765
Communications
Telephone and Fax Lump sum 1,000 191
Vehicle operations
Fuel Lump sum 9,000 1,721
Audit & Evaluation
Audit of ACT Appeal Funds Lump sum 7,000 1,338
Sub Total Personnel, Administration, Operations, Support 47,676 9,116
TOTAL ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES 3,208,063 613,396
Exchange rate: 5.23 Solomon Isl. Dollar = 1 USD
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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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Ecumenical Centre Phone: ++41-22-791.60.33
150, route de Ferney Fax: ++41-22-791.65.06
P.O. Box 2100 E-Mail: act@wcc-coe.org
1211 Geneva 2 Telex: 415 730 OIK CH
Switzerland http://www.act-intl.org
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