OCHA Situation Report
Ethiopia
12 June 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HUMANITARIAN PARTNERS RESTRICT THEIR ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING SECURITY 
INCIDENTS

Several humanitarian partners temporarily restricted their activities 
last week following security incidents in Oromiya and Somali regions. In 
Borena zone, clashes between rival clans (Borena and Guji) have killed 
and displaced many, according to reports from the area. Humanitarian 
partners, including CARE, GOAL and other NGOs have had to restrict their 
activities due to these incidents. A Government mobile health team 
supported by UNICEF also suspended its efforts in the zone. Reports 
indicate that the upcoming ganna assessment could be postponed due to 
the present situation. Discussions are on-going among traditional Gadda 
leadership and Government authorities to stabilise the situation. In 
Somali Region, two mobile health teams suspended their activities after 
clashes between Government forces and insurgent groups. Discussions are 
being held between UNICEF and the Regional Health Bureau to put the two 
teams back to work. Transportation of relief food is increasingly 
hampered and the delivery rate is decreased in Somali Region. Movement 
of private vehicles is restricted. Trucks attempting to move food into 
the region face delays. Movement and humanitarian operations to specific 
zones was suspended on occasion with the advice of the UN Department of 
Safety and Security based in Addis Ababa. Contact: mapted@unicef.org & 
wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

SERIOUS MALNUTRITION IN SANKURA AND SILTI WOREDAS, SNNPR

GOAL conducted nutritional surveys in Sankura and Siliti woredas of 
Silti zone in SNNPR in mid May 2006. The surveys revealed serious levels 
of malnutrition in both woredas. The recorded Global Acute Malnutrition 
(GAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) for Sankura woreda is 11.9 
percent and 2.4 percent respectively with 1.41 under five mortality rate 
(U5MR) /10,000/day. In Siliti woreda, a 12.2 percent GAM and a 2 percent 
SAM with 0.94 U5MR/10,000/day is recorded. Poor access to water and lack 
of sanitation and adequate health facilities in the woredas have 
aggravated the situation. A malaria outbreak is also a serious concern 
in both woredas. GOAL opened a Community-based Therapeutic Care in Silti 
woreda and commenced screening and other related activities. While in 
Sankura woreda, some severely malnourished children were admitted to 
Dolch health center and Butajera hospital, according to Save the 
Children-US. For more information contact: goal.ethio@ethionet.et

ADDITIONAL RELIEF FOOD CONTRIBUTIONS REQUIRED FOR SECOND HALF OF 2006

Confirmed food resources against the 2006 Humanitarian Appeal which were 
scheduled to cover monthly allocations until May will now stretch to 
July. WFP urges donors to pledge additional contributions for 
anticipated requirements in the second half of the year. In Somali 
Region, relief requirements are anticipated to include at least 1.1 
million people in the second half of the year. These are chronically 
food insecure populations that were originally planned to be assisted 
under the Productive Safety Net Programme. Further emergency 
requirements in other parts of the country will be established by the 
upcoming mid-year multi agency belg/gu assessment. Contact: 
wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS FOR IDPS IN HARTISHEK AND FAFEN CAMPS, SOMALI 
REGION

Up to 15,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) remain in Hartishek and 
Fafen camps following the completion of IOM's movement of the first 
caseload of 5,500 voluntary returnees to Degehabur zone, in Somali 
Region. Many of the remaining IDPs in Hartishek camp are from Fik zone 
and have indicated their desire to return to their area of origin. The 
IDPs have not received food assistance for the last ten months, are not 
supported by the local community, and their coping mechanisms are 
stretched. For the IDPs that have returned to Degehabur, US$1.4 million 
has been provided by the Japanese Government through the Human Security 
Trust Fund to UN partners for sustainable livelihood and reintegration 
programmes. Additional funds are required to meet the survival needs of 
the remaining IDPs, to complete their movement, and to support 
reintegration. For more information contact: ocha-eth@un.org & 
iom@telcom.net.et

NORMAL NUTRITIONAL CONDITION IN BOSET WOREDA, OROMIYA REGION

World Vision conducted a nutritional survey in Boset woreda, East Shewa 
zone, Oromiya Region in mid May and reports 4.8 percent GAM and 1.2 
percent SAM with 0.45/10,000/day U5MR. The result is considered normal, 
according to the Emergency Nutrition Intervention Guideline (ENCU/DPPC 
2004). Emergency food aid and Productive Safety Net Programmes are both 
operational, particularly in some affected lowland kebeles of the 
woreda. Other food security programmes assisted by the World Bank and 
World Vision also target the majority of the food insecure population. 
The survey recommends the strengthening and continuation of the existing 
emergency food assistance. Timely delivery of safety net assistance and 
follow up of the Enhanced Outreach Strategy results are also recommended 
by the survey. For more information contact: wveth@ethionet.et

NUTRITION SURVEYS ONGOING IN REFUGEE CAMPS

Teams from WFP, UNHCR, and the Administration for Refugee and Returnee 
Affairs (ARRA) are currently undertaking annual nutrition surveys in all 
seven refugee camps across the country. Results from the surveys are 
expected in mid July. Food assistance for up to 100,000 refugees in the 
country continues on a monthly basis. The pipeline for the operation, 
however, will break at the end of November. In order to avoid any ration 
cuts, further contributions are sought to meet the needs for the rest of 
the year. In the past, ration cuts that were implemented due to limited 
resources have led to high malnutrition rates in most of the camps. It 
is also crucial that needs for the beginning of next year be met in a 
timely manner. For more information contact: wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

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