Albania - DHA: 02-08.Aug.97
Albania - DHA: 02-08.Aug.97
United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs
Albania
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT
02-08 August 1997
HIGHLIGHTS
No shooting reported in Vlore for a week
Greece sent equipment to assist the Albanian Police
UN Resident Coordinator's Office has begun security information exchange
meetings to facilitate the movement of humanitarian aid
Food aid has been delivered to 10,483 families
UNICEF and WHO have received a donation from the People in Need Foundation
from the Czech Republic
Special Appeal for continuation of WHO
GENERAL SECURITY SITUATION
1. Greece sent a shipload of bulletproof vests, vehicles, uniforms and other
equipment to assist Albania's police. This equipment arrived on Thursday, 31
July with promises of more on 15 August.
2. The Greeks are already training Albanian border police. There has also
been an increase in police activity.
3. WEU support group will stay until 12 October.
4. According to the Minister of Interior, Mr. Ceka, the main roads should be
safe by the end of August and towns by December.
5. The sixteen missiles reported to have been stolen have been recovered and
are back in the hands of the Albanian military.
6. Albania is soon to adopt emergency laws to help police clamp down on crime
and lawlessness, to restore order as quickly as possible.
7. Two Albanians were killed attempting to cross the Macedonian border.
Also, a Serbian patrol wounded a 50-year-old man trying to cross into
Yugoslavia.
8. Italy will not leave a contingent of Italian soldiers as previously
planned. Instead, about 200 Greek soldiers will assist in training the
Albanian army.
Northern Region
9. Barjram Curri remains insecure.
Central Region
10. Tirana: Three persons were shot dead and one wounded in conflicts between
individuals.
Peshkopi road is reported to be safe.
On 2-5 August, two rival gangs fought near the Hotel Linza, a luxury hotel on
the outskirts of Tirana. It is unsafe to leave the hotel after sunset. Taxi
drivers are reluctant to go there.
In Skenderbeg Square, on 4 August, 22:00 hours, two armed masked men
attempted to hijack a Swedish Multinational Advisory Police Element (MAPE)
Land Rover. The driver accelerated, hit one of the men and escaped.
11. In Kruja, a bomb exploded close to the police station. There were no
injuries.
12. In Burrel on 2 August, police action killed one and arrested ten members
of a local gang.
Southern Region
13. Vlore: the OSCE car hijacked on Thursday, 31 July between Vlore and Fier
has been returned to Vlore police station. Those responsible are known to
the police and are wanted for other crimes.
This week, people have begun to hand in weapons and there has been no
shooting for six days.
14. Gjirokastra: Police arrested four masked men charged with robbing the
locals and Greek businessmen.
15. Berat: Special police are patrolling roads and riding buses to control
roads. Many roads are still at the mercy of armed gangs in the south.
16. Saranda: A new police chief has been appointed. The police is making its
presence felt. Buses are now moving on Gjirokaster Road. However, bandits
are still robbing villages.
17. Kucova - No police presence. Armed gangs control the road.
18. Fier: A police patrol was ambushed a few days ago. No casualties were
reported.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
General
19. The Resident Coordinator's Office is hosting security information
exchange meetings two times per week - Mondays at 16:00 hours and Fridays at
10:00 hours. The meetings are intended to provide participants with
up-to-date information on the security situation in the country. The
situation remains unpredictable, hindering consistent support.
Food
20. During the week, WFP delivered 55 MTs of wheat flour to 1,100 families:
Lac 300 bags
Kurbin 800 bags
WFP also gave to Mercy International 25.5 MTs of flour and 5.03 MTs of High
Energy Biscuits to distribute to the Tirana Orphans Association.
21. ICRC delivered 8,640 family food parcels (fps) to:
Durres 3,450 fps
Ballash 720 fps
Fier/District 2,000 fps
Rreshen 1,020 fps
Bilisht 1,450 fps
22. During the week, Inter-SOS conducted three distributions in the district
of Lezha. The first two proceeded without incident. During the third
distribution, however, the people attacked the distribution site, which the
local police assisting the distributions were unable to control. Seven
hundred and fourty three beneficiary families received 30 kg of wheat flour
and 5.4 kg of canned beef each.
Health
23. WHO/UNICEF hosted the 13th health coordination meeting. During the
meeting, the Swiss Government (Swiss Agency for Development and Coordination)
announced the contribution of a Drug Management Expert to WHO for three
months, beginning in September. Also during the meeting, the NGO Communita
di Saint'edgidio and the Institute of Public Health presented findings on the
water quality in Tirana.
24. UNICEF presented a strategy developed with WHO which calls upon NGOs to
take a district approach to health care. The strategy is intended to help
meet the immediate emergency needs of an area while also paving the way to
medium and /or long-term development.
25. The Institute of Public Health made an appeal for disinfects for
hospitals and communities to prevent the spread of diseases. Contributions
will be distributed to communities free of charge.
26. WHO received a shipment from the organization People in Need Foundation,
from the Czech Republic, consisting of a donation of US$ 70,000 worth of
drugs and medical consumables to be distributed throughout the country in
consultation with WHO and the Ministry of Health.
Social Affairs
27. UNICEF received a donation of hygiene kits, two washing machines, beds
and mattresses, bed linen and milk powder from People in Need Foundation.
The goods will be distributed to 17 institutions in Tirana, Durres, Lezha,
Shkodra, Korca, Berat, Vlora and Saranda.
Special Appeal for WHO
28. In April of this year, the United Nations Agencies in Albania made an
urgent appeal for emergency funds to assist Albania in food, health, social
affairs and sanitation. Some areas such as UNICEF's programmes for social
welfare, water and sanitation and health, and WFP's appeal for food, received
a favorable response. However, the only response so far to WHO's appeal for
US$ 975,000 has been from the Swiss Government.
Despite the poor response to the appeal, WHO has played a key role along with
UNICEF in the coordination of emergency health assistance throughout the
country, ensuring that the most affected areas receive the emergency aid.
WHO has also worked with the Government to help strengthen Government
structures for the future beyond the crisis period.
As the health care system has been most affected by the economic and social
collapse in the country, it is imperative that WHO continues in the country
for at least four additional months. This continuation is, however,
contingent on the donors' response.
UPCOMING COORDINATION MEETINGS
Security: Monday, 11 August at 16:00 hours and Friday at 10:00 hours at the
UNICEF office.
Food: Thursday, 14 August at 10:30 hours at the UNICEF office.
Health: Friday, 22 August at 10:30 hours at the UNICEF office.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
United Nations Office in Tirana, Albania
Dr. Gianfranco Rotigliano
UN Resident Coordinator a.i.,
Tel.: (0035542) 275 00 or 322 63
Fax: (0035542) 300 28
E-Mail: Rotiglia@unicef.tirana.al
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Mr. Arjun Katoch
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1404
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail:
Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. Kazuhide Kuroda
Tel.: (1 212) 963.5713
Fax: (1 212) 963.3630
E-Mail: kuroda@un.org
Press to contact (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856
Fax: (41 22) 917.0023
Telex: 414242 DHA CH
E-Mail: Moulin-Acevedo@dha.unicc.org
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