Albania - DHA: 23-29.Aug.97
Albania - DHA: 23-29.Aug.97
DHAGVA 97/0331
Situation Report from the UN Resident Coordinator in ALBANIA
Period Covered: 23-29 August 1997
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Ministry reports that 15,000 arms have been handed in during the
past five days.
- Security situation is improving in Vlore, Tepelene, Gjirokaster and
the border crossing with Greece at Kakavije.
- WHO and Catholic Relief Services have delivered medicines and basic
supplies to the Librazhd Hospitals in Librazhd, Baldushq and Belsh.
Food aid has been distributed to more than 23,017 families.
SECURITY AND POLITICAL
General
The situation in Tirana has reverted to almost normal. There are gunshots
at night, but no casualties reported. There have been no reported car
hijacks for the past two weeks except an Albanian Red Cross vehicle that
was hijacked at Kruja, north of Tirana. Police retrieved the vehicle later
in the day.
Police are still making positive in roads in their fight against these
criminal gangs to the extent that UN-NGOs now have unescorted access to
Shkodra in the North and Fier in the South of Tirana. However, there are
still areas in the North and South which are insecure. For instance,
recent clashes between police and gangs have resulted in 60 gunmen
detained and twenty killed. Four policemen were killed during these
operations.
Collection of looted weapons has begun. For example, in the town of
Delvina, 280 km south of Tirana, three tanks, ten heavy machine guns,
several AK 47s and pistols have been collected in the past few days. The
Ministry reports that 15000 arms have been handed in the past five days.
Customs have become more effective with special police assistance in the
collection of duty at border crossings. More Macedonian and Yugoslavian
border crossing points may be open. In the Shkodra area they include
Billata, Quafe-Thana, Hanii Hotit and Muriquan, and the Quafa Prushit
crossing in Tropoja. Improvements are being made to the border crossing
points of Quafe Bota in Saranda, Pogo in Gjirokaster and Tre Urat in
Perment.
Northern Region The town of Peshkopi is reported to be quiet at present.
However, the road between Burrel and Peshkopi, although periodically
cleared by the Police, is still considered insecure (an armed gang robbed
a civilian vehicle traveling between Bulquezi an Peshkopi on Tuesday 24
August). The UN Field Security Officer will continue monitoring the
situation: SNV (A Netherlands development organisation) intends to restart
ITS programme in Peshkopi on the 15 September.
Lezha
Police have escalated their operations against armed gangs and have
sequestrated dozens of weapons including heavy machine guns and
ammunitions.
Kukes
Police seized two MTs of TNT explosives hidden in a warehouse in the
suburbs of Kukes, two people have been arrested.
The towns of Puke and Kukes are becoming more secure, although the road
connecting them is not secure yet.
Central Region
Kruja
The Albania Red Cross vehicle was hijacked on 23 August by an armed
gang, police later retrieved the vehicle.
Prrenjas
An armed gang shot and wounded a policeman on the 27 August in Prrenjas,
a town close to the border crossing with Macedonia and on route between
Librazhd and Porgradec. WHO and UNICEF teams which were in the Librazhd
area at the time, were advised to postpone their Porgradec trip planned
for 28 August until the situation was more secure.
Southern Region
Vlore
An anonymous tip led the police to find and remove five kgs of TNT
explosives that were placed on a bridge.
Berat
Still no change in the security. However, it has been reported that 60
percent of weapons distributed to the Democratic Party members have been
handed in.
Korce
One gang is still operating in Korce. The gang in Erseke, South of
Korce, has been arrested.
Due to concentrated special police and local police activity, Vlore,
Tepelene, Gjirokaster and the border crossing with Greece at Kakavije
have become more secure during the last week.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Food Aid
On Thursday 28 August, WFP hosted a food aid coordination meeting. A food
security survey being conducted by WFP, CRS, and CAD was discussed. The
survey is being carried out in the northern districts, particularly those
areas prone to food shortages. It was emphasized during the meeting that
although access is improving and WFP-ICRC and ECHO-funded NGOs are
successfully delivering food to previously inaccessible areas, the aid
only provides a temporary assistance. There is no food from the
distributions being stored for the winter and without pre-positioned
stocks some areas in up to 14 districts may be affected.
During the reporting period WFP delivered 683.75 MTs of wheat flour to
13,675 families:
Dibre 1800 bags
Korce 3620
Shkoder 3670
Mat 790
Has 1300
Kukes 1295
Lushnje 1200
ICRC delivered 9,342 family food parcels (fps) to:
Lac 1250 fps
Kukes 962 fps
Kruje 1250 fps
Shkoder 4320 fps
Burrel 210 fps
Lezhe 1350 fps
Premiere Urgence has completed the first distribution of 70 MTs of pasta,
30,000 liters of cooking oil and 20 MTs of high protein biscuits. On
Friday Premiere Urgence began the second round of wheat flour
distributions.
Health
WHO delivered consumables and basic emergency medical supplies donated
by UNICEF and MSF to the Librazhd hospital.
The Italian Government has donated 250 million liras for the continuation
of the WHO humanitarian programme in Albania.
CRS (Catholic Relief Service) delivered medicine and basic medical
supplies worth approximately USD 2,500 to the hospital in Belsh and
approximately USD 3,025 of medicines and supplies the hospital in
Baldushq, Tirana district.
Social Affairs-Education
UNICEF-sponsored summer camp for peace and development education in
Elbasan, Shkoder and Tirana closed down.
Upcoming Coordination Meetings
Security discussion: Monday 1 September at 1600 hrs and Friday 5
September at 1000 hrs at the UNICEF office.
Food: Thursday 11 September at 10:30 at the UNICEF office.
Social Affairs: Thursday 4 September at 10:30 at the UNICEF office.
Health: Friday 5 September at 10:30 at 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
Ms. Sylvia Ferazzi
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402 - Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr. David McLachlan-Karr
Tel.: (1 212) 963.0226 - Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: mclachlan-karr@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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