OCHA Situation Report
Chechnya and Neighbouring Republics (Russian Federation)
March 2006
25 April 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

Ramzan Kadyrov appointed Prime Minister of Chechnya

On March 4 Chechen President Alu Alkhanov signed a decree appointing
Ramzan Kadyrov the republic's new prime minister after his predecessor
Sergei Abramov tendered his resignation. The lower house of the Chechen
parliament has also unanimously approved Ramzan Kadyrov's candidacy for
the post of the republic's prime minister.

Donor Missions to the North Caucasus

>From 13 to 15 March OCHA arranged a joint donor mission for the
embassies of the USA, Germany and Holland to the North Caucasus,
including a mission to Chechnya held on 14 March. The mission members
met with government officials in Chechnya (Mr. Ismailov, Presidential
Aide for Humanitarian Affairs and Mr. Alkhanov, Head of the Chechen
Forced Migrants Committee) and in Ingushetia (Mr. Malsagov, Prime
Minister and Ms. Evloeva, Vice Prime Minister). ECHO also continued
regular missions to the region.

>From 26 to 27 March the French Ambassador in the Russian Federation Mr.
Jean Cadet visited North Ossetia where he attended the opening ceremony
of a Family Centre in Beslan called 'BINONT=C6' ('family' in Ossetian),
opened by UNICEF. The guests also visited the Committee of Mothers of
Beslan, school # 1 in Beslan and the local cemetery. Finally, the
delegation met with the Head of North Ossetia, Mr. Mamsurov, who
reiterated that the Government of North Ossetia would do everything
possible to support the work of the Family Centre and encourage the
families of Beslan to visit it.

In addition to the donor missions, an Inter-Agency Security Assessment
Mission arrived on 31 March to the North Caucasus to review the security
situation in the region and prepare a report with recommendations for
new security arrangements.

Establishment of an Inter-Agency Information Management Cell for the
North Caucasus

In order to coordinate and strengthen the inter-agency exchange of
program information OCHA finalized preparations for establishment of an
inter-agency Information Management Cell for the North Caucasus. The
Information Management Cell requires no new resources, but is rather a
forum for colleagues to pool agencies' current resources. The first
meeting of the cell is scheduled for the beginning of April and the aim
of it will be to officially establish the Cell, to appoint focal points,
and to agree upon the future activities and meetings' schedule.

Changes to the coordination mechanisms in the North Caucasus

Some changes were introduced in coordination mechanisms in the North
Caucasus: it was agreed that the General Coordination Meetings would be
held twice a month; and that Sector Working Group meetings would be
chaired by the Heads of (Sub)Offices.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Protection

As of 31 March 2006, a total of 25,080 internally displaced persons
(IDPs) from Chechnya (5,710 families) were registered for assistance in
Ingushetia in the database of UNHCR's implementing partner, the Danish
Refugee Council (DRC). Of this total, 9,051 persons (2,001 families)
were in temporary settlements, and 16,029 persons (3,709 families) in
private accommodation.
>From 1-31 March, Vesta, which monitors the Adler and Spartak
checkpoints, reported individual returns of 150 persons (32 families)
from Ingushetia to Chechnya and new arrivals of 15 persons (3 families)
from Chechnya to Ingushetia. During March 75 persons (15 families) were
de-registered by DRC in Ingushetia and registered for assistance in
Chechnya. Reported returns were mostly families who left private
accommodation in Ingushetia for their own accommodation in Chechnya.
Decreases due to de-registration from the DRC database, on the other
hand, were mostly from the temporary settlements, where verification of
presence was largely focused.

At the end of March, the Migration Departments of Chechnya and
Ingushetia shared with UNHCR their draft plan for the return of IDPs
from Ingushetia to Chechnya during spring-summer 2006. They first plan
to re-register IDPs in Ingushetia, starting with the residents of
temporary settlements, and have agreed to UNHCR's presence during this
screening/verification. They also plan to verify the IDPs' permanent
shelter in Chechnya and, if necessary, to provide alternative shelter in
temporary accommodation centers or subsidized private lodging. UNHCR
will carefully monitor the process to ensure that the principle of
voluntary and well-informed return is respected.

During March, the 11 UNHCR-supported legal counselling centres (LCCs) in
Chechnya and Ingushetia provided some 560 consultations to citizens in
the two republics, out of which 84% were in the 9 LCCs in Chechnya. This
brings the total number of consultations since the beginning of the year
to some 1,522, of which 1,248 in Chechnya and 274 in Ingushetia. At the
end of the month, the NGO Russian Stichting Justice Initiative organized
a three-day seminar in Nazran on the process of litigation to the
European Court for Human Rights, largely devoted to criminal justice and
directed to lawyers and practitioners in the North Caucasus.

Food

In March WFP relief distribution was resumed in Chechnya and March cycle
distributions were carried out by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC),
Centre for Humanitarian Action and Islamic Relief. Within this
distribution cycle during the second fortnight of March some 926 tons of
food commodities were provided to 87,323 beneficiaries. Due to the
limited amount of commodities and unpredictability of future resourcing,
the WFP Country Office decided to implement relief distribution in
Chechnya only, where it was perceived that the need for food is greater
than in Ingushetia. The Food for Education programme was implemented in
453 schools and pre-school educational institutions in Chechnya by
providing some 352 tons of food commodities to 128,238 children. Food
commodities were delivered by DRC to all schools of Sharoy, Shatoy and
Itum-Kali Districts for two months (April and May) covering 3,182
schoolchildren. The ration included buckwheat, rice, sugar, salt, kissel
and porridge. Double-rations of relief aid for two months consisting of
flour, oil, sugar and salt were distributed by DRC to the most
vulnerable residents (98,331 individual beneficiaries) of Chechnya
living in Kurchaloy, Grozny Rural, Urus-Martan, Vedeno and Shali
Districts.

In March a new Food for Work project involving 70 participants was
launched in Achkhoy-Martan. This agricultural project will be
implemented jointly with a state owned farm and is aimed at preserving
abandoned apple orchards. Currently WFP is working more with the local
government to select Food for Work participants who were previously
identified solely by WFP partners. Within the joint WFP IMC Food for
Training project 15 trainees from vulnerable IDP families continued
attending hairdressing courses. They will receive food upon completion
of the courses. WFP also provided the Dining Hall project implemented by
Caritas Czech Republic, which assists about 1,600 vulnerable people in
Grozny, with about 13 tons of food commodities. In March WFP also
supported the TB project by providing about 12,9 tons of food to 343 TB
patients in Ingushetia and about 10,8 tons of food to 338 TB patients in
Chechnya.

After a four-month gap in relief distribution in Ingushetia and Chechnya
WFP received some donations which enable it to carry out relief
distribution in April and May. So far confirmed contributions constitute
13% of the planned $22 mln requirements. WFP has appealed for urgently
needed additional funds to ensure continuity of basic food distribution
to thousands of vulnerable people in Chechnya and Ingushetia. Within the
next six months the operation will face considerable shortfalls in all
food items constituting food basket, as defined by WFP's Emergency
Operation and required for all WFP programmes in the North Caucasus.

Shelter

During March, UNHCR provided 5 box-tents to IDP families voluntarily
returning to Chechnya and 6 to IDP families choosing to remain in
Ingushetia. Another 2 were exceptionally provided to vulnerable forced
migrant families in North Ossetia. This brought total distributions to
families since the beginning of the program to 1,150 box-tents in
Chechnya, 625 in Ingushetia, and 2 in North Ossetia. Another 32
box-tents have been provided to partners in all three republics for
temporary schools, child rehabilitation centers, medical points and
other facilities.

Health

In March, WHO representatives met, inter alia, with the chief
epidemiologist of the Republic of Chechnya, deputy head of the
Republican surveillance service of Kabardino-Balkaria and chief
infectious specialist of the Southern Federal okrug from Krasnodar to
discuss preparedness for a possible birds flu pandemic in the North
Caucasus, as well as contacted the chief epidemiologist and surveillance
expert of the Southern Federal okrug in Rostov about WHO potential
assistance in strengthening epidemiological service in the North
Caucasus through the use of national experts, organisation of training
courses, implementation of public awareness campaigns and distribution
of information materials.

During the previous month WHO continued monitoring the reported cases of
'poisoning' among residents of Shelkovskoi district of the Republic of
Chechnya. The agency prepared and distributed updates on the situation
development and distributed it to health sector organisations and
interested donors.

On 2-7 March WHO organized a training course for 20 state health workers
(obstetricians and gynaecologists) on Essential Obstetric Care in North
Ossetia-Alania. On 13-17 March WHO conducted two series of training
courses on HIV prevention of mother-to-child transmition for altogether
40 Chechen and Ingush state health workers, including paediatricians,
neonatologists and gynaecologists. The event was facilitated by two
specialists from the Federal and St. Petersburg AIDS Centres.

On 31 March WHO held a one-day training course on HIV/AIDS transmission
and prevention for UN and NGO staff in Nazran. For this reason WHO
purchased and delivered to the field HIV express tests for further
distribution to health facilities.

Within its EPI programme UNICEF procured and distributed IT equipment
(21 sets of computers and printers) to the epidemiological departments
of the local Ministries of Health as well as to vaccination centres
located in 5 districts in Ingushetia and 16 rural districts (plus Grozny
city) in Chechnya. Within the framework of the same project, UNICEF also
procured and distributed basic medical equipment to pediatricians and
doctors involved in diagnostics (at the primary health care level) in
the two republics.

Education

On 14 March 2006, a representative from UNICEF participated in a donor
mission to Chechnya which included officials from ECHO, US/BPRM, the
Netherlands and Germany. During the mission, the team visited one
UNICEF-supported Early Childhood Education centers - established on the
premises of school #.8 in Shali - where 50 pre-school age children are
being prepared to enter primary school in September 2006. During the
delegation's meeting with the Chechen authorities, UNICEF shared its
plans for 2006. The authorities, inter alia, pledged to focus on the
need to facilitate access to education opportunities for returnee
children living in Temporary Accommodation Centres (TACs) in Grozny.

The number of children attending 12 'parallel' schools for IDPs in
Ingushetia has remained stable at 1,510. UNICEF oversees the management
of these schools - in partnership with IRC, HWA, CPCD. The students of
grade 9 and 11 started to attend additional classes with a view to the
year-end graduation exams. In all schools, the cleaning and sanitary
treatment of the premises was conducted, with the active participation
of the parents' committees.

On 15 March, UNICEF and its implementing partners continued their
consultations with the Ingush MoE on the future of the IDP schools and
their possible integration into the mainstream school system. The MoE
assured UNICEF and the NGOs that every IDP child would be provided with
free access to local schools. To support this process, UNICEF is
prepared to provide some material assistance, mainly through the
provision of basic educational materials (textbooks, school supplies).
In addition, UNICEF's implementing partners distributed a questionnaire
among the IDP parents and caregivers of the children enrolled in the 12
schools, so as to find out their plans/intentions for a possible return
to Chechnya.

UNICEF and Caritas Internationalis continued to support 4 Children
Centers (kindergartens) catering to 590 IDP children in Ingushetia.
Children are provided with daily meals, medical care and education.
Caritas also continued to pilot an inclusive education programme for
disabled children in the 4 centers; the preliminary results highlight
some positive dynamics that are likely to facilitate their integration
into the 'regular' groups.

Peace and Tolerance

In March 2006 UNICEF organized a meeting aimed at discussing the
preparation of two key tools for its regional Peace and Tolerance
programme: the "Encyclopaedia of Traditional Peacemaking of the North
Caucasus Peoples" and a "Peace Education Manual". Professional
pedagogues, psychologists, ethnographers and historians (from Chechnya,
Dagestan, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-
Cherkessia and Stavropol region) participated in the event and developed
the framework of the project and defined its content. The next session
has been scheduled to take place during the second half of April. In
March, the UNICEF-supported Peace and Tolerance Information and
Methodology Centre "Genesis" published the first "Peace Education Manual
for Children-Trainers", which has been expressly designed for
children-trainers living in multicultural communities. The manual has
been tested in 4 republics and has received positive appraisals from
both teachers and children.

Water and Sanitation

On 3 April, UNICEF chaired (for the first time) the Water and Sanitation
sector group meeting; items discussed included the forms of partnership
and cooperation envisaged between the key Water and Sanitation actors as
well as the current sector situation and the future Water and Sanitation
strategy to be pursued in Chechnya and Ingushetia.

Water Purification and Distribution in Grozny continued to be
implemented by UNICEF through the Polish Humanitarian Organization
(PHO). Safe drinking water was distributed to hospitals, schools,
kindergartens and private users in Grozny, for a total of 117,000
beneficiaries. The average water production and distribution capacity
reached 720 cubic metres per day. Water was delivered, on a
four-route-per-day system and through 20 trucks, to 271 distribution
points located in four districts of Grozny. In addition, the surplus
water, purified and accumulated at one of the two water pumping bases,
was trucked to additional beneficiaries by two trucks that are provided
and maintained by EMERCOM. In addition water pipes were delivered by DRC
to the primary school in Guchum-Kali village to connect the school to
the water-system.

In Ingushetia, IRC continued to provide water and sanitation services to
the war-affected community. 3583 m3 of water were delivered to 61
spontaneous settlements, 3 points in the private sector and 2 public
institutions using 6 UNHCR water trucks and 2 rental water trucks. 1710
m3 of garbage were removed from 99 spontaneous settlements and 7 public
institutions using 6 UNHCR garbage trucks. 1489 m3 of sewage were
removed from 99 spontaneous settlements. 20 water samples were taken
from water tanks. 1 water point and 4 water lines were maintained. Work
on maintenance of the sewage system was conducted in one settlement. 3
baths (repairing of boilers, water taps and gas taps replacing) and 1
latrine were maintained. Introductory meetings on Community Mobilization
were held in 20 spontaneous settlements. Community participatory
technical assessments were conducted in 2 spontaneous settlements. 7670
m3 of water were delivered to 108 water points in Grozny using 8 rental
water trucks. 25% of all water storage tanks were checked daily. 25
water tests were conducted by Sanitary Epidemiological Center
specialists from IRC water trucks, water points and from the water tanks
and bladders. 12 water tanks with a total volume 120 m3 were disinfected
by Groznensky Disinfection Station specialists. Pest control was
conducted in 6 hospitals in Oktyabrsky region of Grozny.

Mine Action

The DRC Mine Action program continued in Naurskiy District of Chechnya
and in Grozny City, as well as in temporary IDP settlements in
Ingushetia. In March 2006, 6,639 persons were instructed in Mine Risk
Education. 150 librarians from schools of Urus-Martan, Kurchaloy and
Vedeno Districts took part in one-day MRE seminars. 96 school libraries
received MRE visual aids. Also, the project staff in cooperation with
the Department of Education of Urus-Martan District, conducted a
festival "Protect Yourself Against Mines" for students of the district's
schools. The event was covered by the local media.

On 27 March 2006, UNICEF conducted a monitoring mission to Chechnya. In
the framework of this mission, a meeting was held with Mr. Akhmed
Zeirkhanov, the Deputy Minister of EMERCOM, during which the
government's plans for humanitarian de-mining in Chechnya were
discussed. Mr. Zeirkhanov confirmed that the Federal level of EMERCOM
should soon deploy a special group of de-miners from Rostov-on-Don, with
the aim of building the capacity of local EMERCOM specialists in
mine/UXO clearance.

UNICEF continued support for its MRE programme for the general
population of Chechnya. A series of MRE presentations were delivered by
"Voice of the Mountains' instructors to schoolchildren living in
Gudermes, Alkhan-Yurt, Katar-Yurt. During the reporting period, some
1,204 schoolchildren learned about the danger of mines/UXO and acquired
knowledge on safe behavior techniques. Materials with key mine awareness
messages were also distributed. UNICEF, through the State Chechen Drama
Theatre and Let's Save the Generation, organized two MRE drama
presentations for about 900 schoolchildren from Grozny and Gudermes of
Chechnya. Two new drama circles, in which 14 children are being taught
appropriate MRE acting techniques, were created during the reporting
period.

Within its survivor assistance programme UNICEF continued to provide
child mine/UXO survivors with prosthetic and orthopedic appliances, in
partnership with the Grozny Prosthetic Workshop. In addition, 4 children
have been provided with eye prostheses at a specialized institution in
Moscow. Meanwhile, psychosocial support is also being provided to
mine/UXO-affected children at the Psychosocial Centre in Grozny, which
is supported by UNICEF through Let's Save the Generation.

Funding of the Humanitarian Operation

A number of humanitarian contributions were received in the first
quarter of 2006. According to still unofficial information, the European
Commission (US $8.5 million), Netherlands (US $2.9 million), Denmark (US
$1.6 million), Sweden (US $1.4 million), the United States (US $1.2
million) and Norway (US $1.1 million) each made contributions from
January to March 2006 surpassing US $1 million. Ireland, the United
Kingdom and Japan also made contributions during the first three months
of 2006. Official information on funding of humanitarian aid in the
North Caucasus in 2006 will be available shortly.

Produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA)
Tel: (7095) 956-6405
Fax: (7095) 956-6355
e-mail: mirzoian@un.org

Please send your contributions for the next bulletin to OCHA by 10 May
2006

For more information, please contact us directly or refer to:
www.ocha.ru or www.reliefweb.int

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