OCHA Situation Report
Angola
Period: 1-15 Apr 2003
6 June 2003


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Critical Issues

   Seven cases of measles were reported from 16 March - 12 April in Bié
   Province.

   Demining operations in northeast Huíla Province will resume this month.

   Approximate 2,600 people in the Menongue Transit Centre in Kuando
   Kubango Province urgently required water, sanitation and food
   assistance.

   Approximately 15,000 people in Kuanza Norte were cut off from food
   assistance due to poor road conditions.

   Water and sanitation conditions in the recently opened transit center in
   Sumbe in Kuanza Sul Province were precarious.


Provincial Update

Bengo Province:  Approximately 380 demobilised soldiers and their family
members from the Fazenda Santa Cruz gathering area (GA) were transported
to Azucareira in Dande. Partners report that populations do not have
access to adequate water and sanitation facilities. The Government plans
to resettle this group and remaining populations from the former Boa
Esperança and Cambambe II IDP camps in nearby Sassacaria. Funds for
transportation, land clearing, building materials and other basic
assistance are lacking.

Partners conducted a needs assessment in Libongos and Ambriz on 9 - 11
April. All villages in Libongos are accessible from Caxito. Partners are
concerned about possible food insecurity in Ambriz Municipality due to
insufficient rainfall since January. Bela Vista is particularly affected
due to poor road conditions. Only Ambriz Sede has potable water and
electricity and the entire municipality lacks educational and health
services.

Benguela Province: Heavy rainfall in the interior of Benguela Province
during the reporting period affected return movements. Since the beginning
of April, approximately 4,000 IDPs have been transported to two transit
centres in Balombo. Populations in the centres require water, food and
transportation. A local NGO is assisting with shelter. Some demobilised
and their families are returning to the transit centres because they are
unable to locate relatives in their area of origin or the rainy conditions
have made it impossible to build homes.

An inter-agency team visited Dombe Grande Commune to assess flooding
caused by the Coporolo River. The team reported that of the 12,350 people
who lost their homes and crops, 4,000 urgently require food, medicine and
shelter.

Bié Province: The number of people in the Kunje Transit Centres has
declined markedly following the transportation of demobilised soldiers and
their families to final destinations. All three GAs in the province have
been officially closed. Approximately 25,000 people are expected to arrive
to the province in coming months. Provincial authorities will establish
additional transit centres in municipalities, particularly in Camacupa and
Catabola, where the largest numbers of demobilised soldiers are expected.

Humanitarian partners also report that 38,878 IDPs remain in camps. Of the
populations that have already returned, many are living in areas without
access to health services, water and sanitation and education.

Seven cases of measles and one suspected case of meningitis were reported
from 16 March - 12 April. Humanitarian partners report that the
nutritional situation in Kuito Municipality is under control.

Huíla Province: Demining NGOs report that operations in northeast Huíla
will resume due to receipt of funding. Poor road conditions have prevented
a planned mine survey on the road linking Kuvango to areas in Catoca,
delaying the implementation of a health project that will benefit 5,500
people.

Humanitarian partners report that conditions in the transit centres in the
province are inadequate, particularly in Kuvango. Resettlement kits from
Matala were transported and distributed in Chicomba and populations in the
transit centre who had been waiting four weeks for the kit are expected to
move to their areas of origin, making space for new arrivals.

During the reporting period, more than 1,800 people were transported to
their areas of origin from the GAs in Galangue. An estimated 15,000 people
are still waiting for transport to their areas of origin. UN Agencies and
humanitarian partners are planning a verification exercise of the
remaining populations in the Galangue I, II and III GAs.

Kuando Kubango Province: The Menongue Transit Centre is overcrowded and
approximately 2,600 people urgently require water, sanitation and food
assistance. The number of people arriving at the centre has rapidly
increased due to the use of airplanes to transport people from Capembe and
Matungo GAs. Twenty to 30 trucks from Kuito that were expected in Menongue
have not yet arrived, aggravating the backlog. Humanitarian partners have
begun construction of latrines and are providing essential medicines.

Kuanza Norte Province: Poor conditions on the main road connecting
Ndalatando with Uíge are limiting humanitarian operations in the northern
municipalities of Kuanza Norte. A queue of 60 trucks was obstructing
normal circulation, cutting off approximately 15,000 beneficiaries.

Kuanza Sul Province: Partners report poor water and sanitation conditions
in the recently opened transit center in Sumbe. According to provincial
authorities, approximately 9,250 persons remain in Katofe GA waiting for
transportation to other provinces and destinations within Kuanza Sul
Province.

Approximately 1,200 kg of vaccines and other medical equipment were
transported to Mussende Municipality for a measles immunisation campaign
beginning on 21 April. Fifteen medical staff in Seles Municipality were
trained prior to the campaign.

Lunda Sul Province: Trucks were unable to cross the bridge over the
Tchiumbe River, limiting humanitarian assistance to Muconda Municipality.
More than 500 MTs of seeds destined for Mucondo were in danger of rotting
before distribution.

Humanitarian partners are operating a mobile clinic along the roads from
Saurimo-Cacolo and Saurimo-Muconda and plan to install a permanent health
post in Cazoa Commune in Dala Municipality. Partners distributed
approximately 18 MTs of food to 1,297 people.

More than 1,100 demobilised and their families who were encamped at the
Saurimo airport without access to water, sanitation systems and food were
transported to their places of destination.

Lunda Norte Province: Partners report poor conditions in the Lucapa
Transit Centre, including inadequate supply of water and sanitation
facilities, health services, shelter and food.

Moxico Province: On 15 March, the Angolan and Zambian Governments and
UNHCR signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the repatriation of
approximately 211,000 Angolan refugees living in Zambia. The programme
will start in May-June and be implemented over a two-year period.
Humanitarian partners expected a significant increase in the number of new
spontaneous arrivals in April. Implementing partners are planning to
construct a registration centre in Lumbala N'Guimbo in response to the
growing numbers of returning refugees. Partners also report that in
March-April assistance was provided to 14,619 returned refugees from the
DRC and Zambia in Alto Zambeze Municipality.

The demining subgroup met and reported that 108 anti-tank mines and 101
anti-personnel mines were deactivated in Calapo, Tempue and Cangamba.
According to provincial authorities, two demining teams will be deployed
in response to requests to demine bridges on the rivers Lumege, Lungue
Bungo, Luxia and the entry point to Luangrico.  Rehabilitation of the
bridges over the Luanduli River, the Tchipupua River and the main airstrip
is planned.

Humanitarian partners report that approximately 45,000 square metres were
cleared in Luena, removing eight anti-personnel and eight anti-tank
landmines. Additionally, 428 UXO were removed near Canhenge IDP camp. More
than 1,560 children and 80 adults participated in 16 mine awareness
seminars in the schools and IDP camps of Muachimbo, Catocola, Luxia and
Luangrico.

OBSERVATION: Please note that the information contained in this report may
have changed since it was received by OCHA Luanda.

OCHA Angola
Av. Comandante Valódia 206 - 5 Andar, Luanda, Angola
Tel. (244-2) 444 321 Fax. (244-2) 442 710


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