Georgia - OCHA: 01-31.Jan.98
Georgia - OCHA: 01-31.Jan.98
Situation Report from the DHA Coordinator
in GEORGIA - No. 01
Period covered: 1-31 January 1998
OCHA: THE NEW NAME FOR DHA
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and
Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, announced last
week that Mr. Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, has
approved proposals for the restructuring and renaming of the Department of
Humanitarian Affairs.
Our new name is: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Please note that all correspondence should now be addressed to OCHA. We
have also changed our e-mail address, although e-mails to our previous
address <undha@access.sanet.ge> will continue to reach us for the next
month. Our new address is <ocha@access.sanet.ge>.
The Offical Opening of Horizonti Foundation
On 9 January 1998, in the Georgian State Musical-Cultural Centre, the
official closing of ISAR-Georgia, and the official opening of Horizonti
took place. The celebration was attended by representatives of the
Georgian Parliament, the State Chancellery and the Ministries, NGOs,
international organisations. Journalists from leading newspapers,
television and radio stations were also in attendance.The first part of
the presentation was dedicated to the closing of ISAR-Georgia. Floor was
given to Michael Clayton, the Programme Manager of ISAR-Caucasus; Zurab
Zhvania, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament; Paula Feeney, Head of
USAID's Georgia Mission; Zaal Kikvidze (NGO Gaia) and Pavle Abaiadze (NGO
Ecological Law Club). The key role of ISAR-Georgia in increasing the
number and influence of NGOs in Georgia was emphasised. This section of he
event was concluded by a short documentary film about ISAR-Georgia's
activities in Georgia since 1994.
The second half of the celebration was an official introduction of
Horizonti to the public. Horizonti, the Foundation for the Third Sector,
is a Georgian non-profit, non-governmental organisation, which is mainly
funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
through a sub-grant from ISAR (Washington). It is the first organisation
registered under the new Civil Code of Georgia.
The working plan of Horizonti for the current year will concentrate on
three main activities: A Grants Programme - to stimulate the establishment
of new NGOs and support existing NGOs; A Training and Consulting Programme
- to focus on teaching NGO management, strategic planning, structural
development, intersectoral relations, etc; and an Information Programme -
to publicise the role of NGOs.
FEATURE
British Ambassador Visits Filtering Station in South Ossetia On 15 January
1998, the British ambassador to Georgia, H.E. Stephen Nash, visited South
Ossetia. One aim of his trip was to see the site of Itrapissi water
filtering station, which recently received a small donation from the
British government's Know How Fund.
The filtering station lies fifteen minutes north of Tskhinvali, and
supplies around one third of Tskhinvali with water in the area of the main
hospital. Currently the filtration system at Itrapissi is not functional,
but the British donation means that the water should begin to be filtered
properly once again before the spring rains set in and contaminate the
water. The donation covers sand for the filtering boxes, essential
materials for rehabilitating the station building, and one chlorameter.
The project is being implemented by the local water company Vodakanal, and
supervised by Medecins Sans Frontieres-France (MSF). MSF has been working
with Vodakanal in Tskhinvali for more than four years, providing emergency
repairs to the water system and ensuring the supply of chlorine.
The British ambassador was received by the team at MSF Tskhinvali, and
proceeded to the filtering station together with the director and the
accountant from Vodakanal. The ongoing works were viewed and the details
of the final work, which is to be finished as soon as the temperature
allows, were discussed. The ambassador was treated to a small feast
before his return to Tbilisi. The visit was facilitated by DHA.
Georgian-Ossetian Film Project on Returnees
On 10 and 11 January DHA joined a group of Georgian and Ossetian
journalists on a visit to the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia. The
journalists are making a short film on the issue of the return of IDPs and
refugees affected by the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The project is
funded by the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the television journalists
from the Georgian side are from a non-governmental organisation, Studio
Re. The group making the film consists of two television journalists and
one radio journalist from each side.
The journalists have already travelled to several areas affected by the
Georgian-Ossetian conflict, including the area around Bakuriani and Gori
regions and throughout South Ossetia. The visit to Kakheti was fruitful,
in that many interviews were taken in villages populated mainly by
Ossetians. It appears that many of the families which left this area at
the time of the conflict have not returned, primarily for economic
reasons. Some of those interviewed mentioned difficulties associated with
land distribution as among the reasons for their economic plight; it was
also evident that there was a lack of knowledge concerning the villagers'
new rights and the new laws concerning representation.
Georgian-Ossetian Film Project Returnees
On 10 and 11 January DHA joined a group of Georgian and Ossetian
journalists on a visit to the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia. The
journalists are making a short film on the issue of the return of IDPs and
refugees affected by the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The project is
funded by the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the television journalists
from the Georgian side are from a non-governmental organisation, Studio
Re. The group making the film consists of two television journalists and
one radio journalist from each side.
The journalists have already travelled to several areas affected by the
Georgian-Ossetian conflict, including the area around Bakuriani and Gori
regions and throughout South Ossetia. The visit to Kakheti was fruitful,
in that many interviews were taken in villages populated mainly by
Ossetians. It appears that many of the families which left this area at
the time of the conflict have not returned, primarily for economic
reasons. Some of those interviewed mentioned difficulties associated with
land distribution as among the reasons for their economic plight; it was
also evident that there was a lack of knowledge concerning the villagers'
new rights and the new laws concerning representation.
The Georgian-Ossetian Social-Informational Centre is Established
On November 22, 1997 a trilateral agreement on cooperation among the
information centres: "Alternativa" (Tbilisi), Tskhinvali
Social-Informational Centre and Gori Informational Centre, was concluded.
The idea of creating a joint Socia-Informational Centre derived from a
series of round table meetings between Georgian and Ossetian journalists
held under the auspices of OSCE Mission in Georgia in late summer 1996.
The Centre is to start functioning in January 1998.
According to the project elaborated by both sides, the journalists and all
interested organisations will be given access to current information and
the latest communication technologies. They will get green light for
organise seminars and press-conferences, and expect to publish analytical
bulletins twice per month which will cover the process of conflict
resolution, post-conflict rehabilitation, capacity building and the
realisation of civil initiatives. The Centre will monitor social
activities as well.
The sides agreed on operating within the framework of the agreement to
develop contacts and to build confidence. They pledged themselves not to
deal with political issues, not to use insulting terminology, and not to
distribute materials on behalf of the Centre other than calls for peace.
The establishment of such a Centre has no precedent in the Caucasian
region. It is hoped that the results of its work will accelerate the
process of conflict resolution. The project demonstrates that media, the
so-called fourth branch of power, is willing to contribute to the
sustainability of the peace process and the growing tendency of
cooperation and partnership between Georgians and Ossetians.
The efficiency of the Centre will depend completely on donor
organisations, and many have already expressed desire to support it.
SECTORS
Health
Counterpart International has delivered 250 winter jackets to the children
of the Sukhumi orphanage and donated furniture to the City Hospital of
Sukhumi as New Year presents.
On December 11-18 ACTS Georgia distributed 4,371 units of medicine and
21,487 units of medical supplies to hospitals and medical organisations in
Tbilisi, Chiatura, Rustavi, and Telavi.
Shelter
On 28 January 1998 the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
presented new and second-hand children's clothes for 30 children of the
under three age group to the Children's Fund of south Ossetia. The clothes
will be distributed by the Fund to vulnerable children.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DHA is pleased to announce new staffing arrangements: Aimee Wielechowski
is the new Humanitarian Affairs Officer. Helena Fraser continues as Field
Adviser for areas affected by the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. Brian Keane
has joined the staff as Humanitarian Affairs Adviser. Based in Tbilisi, he
will be the contact point on coordination, information exchange and
resource mobilisation when Ms. Wielechowski and Ms. Fraser are absent from
Tbilisi. Nino Zhvania is the new Information Officer. When your agency
has announcements concerning projects in Georgia that can be publicised in
DHA's Information Bulletins and Situation Reports, she is your point of
contact.
Updated neutral identification cards are now available. The cards can be
used until 30 June 1998 in areas of unresolved conflict by organisations
conducting humanitarian business in western Georgia, (in part icular
Abkhazia) and/or South Ossetia. De facto authorities have been informed
about the cards and have undertaken to assist card holders. The card's
standardised format makes it easy for your staff to be recognised as bona
fide aid workers. For more information contact Brian Keane at DHA.
The next meeting of the International Working Group of Agricultural
Development will be held on Friday, February 13, 1998, at 3 p.m. at the
Ministry of Agriculture and Food: Kostava St. 41 (5th floor, room 501).
Issues concerning the implementation of the new TACIS project -
"Agribusiness Training and Consultative Centres" and reports of the
representatives of international organisations concerning the implemented
projects will be discussed. Therefore the attendance of the
representatives of the above-mentioned organisations is desirable.
Georgian Union of Citizens' Social Welfare is an NGO based on a democratic
self-governance which operates within Georgia and aims at the social
protection of citizens.
The Union distributes the minimum amount of food necessary for survival to
vulnerable citizens. It helps people to find employment and joins in
efforts to the create material basis for a healthcare system and to build
old people's houses. Priority is given to those left without jobs and
those who try to migrate from cities to rural areas to start small or
medium-sized private farm enterprises.
The Union is looking for similar international organisations for
partnership and sharing experience.
The address of the Georgian Union of Citizens' Social Welfare is:
Institute of Hydrometeorology, 150a Agmashenebeli Ave., Tbilisi 380012
Georgia
The Charity Humanitarian Centre "Apkhazeti", a Kutaisi-based local NGO, in
collaboration with "Save the Children-USA"-Georgia Field Office is
organising two workshops on February 16-17 and 18-19 1998 for indigenous
local NGOs operating in Georgia. The workshops will focus on the following
topics: social partnership; strategic planning; marketing; fundraising
and grant proposal writing.
The workshop will be facilitated by Moscow-based Autonomous, non-profit
organisation Golubka-Centre for Practical Education.
The workshop will take place in Tbilisi. Participation is free of charge
but only one representative per organisation will be allowed. Change of
participants during the seminars is prohibited. Seminars will be conducted
in Russian.
Those interested in participation may contact ITIC (26 May Square, #2, 6
floor, room 613, 614. Tel: 98 77 97/36 11 57). The deadline is February 5,
1998.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
United Nations Office in Tbilisi, Georgia
Ms. Nino Zhvania
Tel.: (995 32) 94 31 63
Fax: (995 32) 95 95 16
E-Mail: ocha@access.sanet.ge
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Ms. Katarina Toll Velasquez
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Abu.Conteh@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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