Angola - OCHA: 24-28.Oct.98
Angola - OCHA: 24-28.Oct.98
HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS IN ANGOLA
Period covered: 24-28 October 1998
The information contained in this report was provided by the
United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit in Luanda (UCAH)
GENERAL SITUATION
The military situation has been comparatively calm during the past week and
the reported security incidents are less numerous than in the past month.
Although this has slightly alleviated the tension, mistrust persists and a
general wait-and-see attitude endures.
The newly opened parliamentary session of the Angolan National Assembly has
decided to withdraw the special status granted to Dr. Savimbi. The
Parliamentary session will now debate, as one of its main issues, the
revision of the Constitution.
The Deputy Chief of FAA General Staff, General -Ben-Ben,- one of the first
UNITA Officers to be incorporated into FAA, died last week victim of
disease.
The American Under-Secretary of State for African Affairs, Susan Rice,
arrived in Angola on 28 October to discuss with the Angolan authorities
matters of mutual interest.
After a revision, the total amount requested for the Consolidated
Inter-Agency Appeal for 1998, stands at USD 80,965,142. As of 12 October,
64.7 percent or USD 52,590,993 of the required amount had been covered. The
Appeal was revised after IOM and UNHCR readjusted their programmes to
better coincide with the present situation in the country, which
simultaneously led to down sizing of their funding requirements.
GENERAL HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Following the present calm in the military activities, reports about new
displacements have been less than earlier this month. At the moment, the
major concern of the humanitarian community has been, on one hand, the
shortage of the agricultural inputs and, on other hand, the need for
resettlement of the displaced populations in the vicinity of arable land in
order to enable them hopefully to restart their productive activities and
ensure, whenever possible, self-sufficiency.
After the Cambambe II camp in Caxito, Bengo Province, caught fire, needed
actions were rapidly defined and coordinated between the Provincial
Government, UN Agencies and NGOs who are now preparing conditions for the
establishment of a new IDP camp. INTERSOS is arranging wood and grass for
building material and preparing conditions for water and sanitation at the
same time as it continues operating in the nutritional centre and health
post at the camp. GAA is going to distribute agricultural tools and Spanish
Red Cross plastic sheeting for the IDPs who lost their shelter and
possessions. IOM and INTERSOS will start transferring the IDPs from
Cambabmbe II to the new camp within the next month.
Health related issues are of great concern, especially during rainy season,
when epidemics, such as malaria and cholera, stretch wider out and the
capacity of response of the national health institution remains weak.
Negage, in U=EDge Province, is facing serious difficulties due to a marked
insufficiency of health facilities. An increasing number in cases of
malnutrition, an imminent shortage of medicines and a lack of qualified
personnel have led to a proposal by CUAMM to intervene in the Negage
Hospital.
As the military situation seems to be calming down in the northern part of
Zaire Province, and since GTZ cleared the road from M'Banza Congo to
Cuimba, some groups of IDPs have started voluntarily returning to their
places of origin, mainly Maquela do Zombo, Cuimba and Bembe. NRC is
presently establishing a new IDP camp in the outskirts of M Banza Congo as
a transition site in the process of return.
The suburban areas of Malanje City are presently being cultivated by
residents and IDPs alike. However, more agricultural inputs are still
needed to further foster the agricultural activities and reinstallation
programs. World Vision is presently distributing seeds to 4,188 families,
while NESA (European Union) is planning an intervention through OIKOS and
ADRA for an additional seed distribution.
In Huambo, and following a meeting of the Provincial Humanitarian
Coordination Group, a concerted effort is being undertaken to provide seeds
and tools to IDPs. The local delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture,
which will coordinate the seed distribution together with the NGOs, also
promised land for cultivation. The opening of the agricultural campaign in
the -green belt area- (Huambo, Caala, Ekunha) took place on 23 October.
During the month of October, humanitarian demining programmes have been
reactivated in Huambo and Uige Provinces where the brigades are presently
clearing water post areas. The brigade in Bie=E9 continues cleaning a futur=
e
living area in the provincial capital. The brigades in Malanje and Luena
continue suspended due to the politico-military situation in the respective
provinces. UNDPA (UN Demining programme in Angola) is in a process of
relocating the brigades whose activities are limited, by security reasons,
to more secure areas still to be identified. Reports about newly laid mines
throughout the country have continued, especially in the areas of military
interest.
STATUS OF THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE
BASIC FACTS
Reported number of new IDPs since January 1998 399,787
Confirmed number of new IDPs since January 1998 268,683
Number of new IDPs assisted 137,323
CONFIRMED NEW IDPs IN THE MOST AFFECTED PROVINCES
Malanje 54,108
Huambo 40,778
Bengo 28,907
Huila 26,474
Kuanza Norte 24,375
Uige 16,696
Zaire 14,285
Benguela 14,802
Bie 12,733
Moxico 10,905
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit (UCAH) - Luanda
Mr. Fernando Costa Freire
Tel.: (244 2) 34.43.21/34.82.05
Satelite Fax: (1-212) 963.3011 (Ext.4523)
Complex Emergency Response / Consolidated Appeal Process (CER/CAP) - Geneva
Mr. Ernest Chipman - Chief
Mr. Ayodele Fowler
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1406
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Annette.Choquet@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergencies Division (CED)-New York
Ms. Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu
Tel.: (1 212) 963.1773
Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: buer@un.org
Information Service
Ms. Therese Gastaut - Director
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2300
Fax: (41 22) 917.0030
E-Mail: tgastaut@unog.ch
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