Guinea-Bissau - OCHA: 02-Nov-98

Humanitarian Situation Report GUINEA-BISSAU
02 November 1998

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT HAS
BEEN COLLECTED IN-COUNTRY BY OCHA FROM THE UN, NGOS AND ICRC NETWORK IN
GUINEA BISSAU


POLITICO-MILITARY SITUATION

In Aduja, Nigeria the talks between President Vieira and Brigadier Asoumane
Mane developed over the weekend, concluding with the signature of a peace
agreement signed by both parties and witnessed by the Head of State of
Nigeria, President of the Republic of the Gambia, Minister of Communications
of the Togolese Republic, the Assistant Secretary General for Political
Affairs and the OAU Representative, dated 1 November 1998. 

Elements of the agreement include:
- Re-affirmation of cease-fire agreed last August,
- With drawl of all foreign troops with simultaneous deployment of ECOMOG
  interposition force,
- Guarantee of free access to humanitarian organisations and agencies,
- The immediate opening of the Oswaldo Vieira (Bissau) airport and the
  sea-port,
- The creation of a government of national unity,
- Holding of legislative and presidential elections not later than the end
  of March 1999.

Initial indications from UN sources based in Guinea Bissau suggest that the
population is accepting the Vieira/Mane announcement with some scepticism or
at best caution until such time as both leaders have returned to Guinea
Bissau and more information is revealed at a local level.  This reaction is
not surprising after that Bissau-Guineans received the August cease-fire
announcement with enthusiasm and then fighting resumed again in early
October. 


HUMANITARIAN IMPACT

Ship from Bissau - A humanitarian emergency evolved over the weekend which
appears to be under control at time of writing (Monday, 19:00).  On Friday,
30 October, a non-passenger ship carrying around 165 people entered the
waters outside of the Port of Dakar.  All passengers were Bissau-Guineans who
had departed Bissau on Thursday.  The Senegalese authorities did not allow
the ship to dock on the grounds that it was not authorised to carry
passengers.  A woman had died sometime during the journey and four passengers
needed medical treatment.  On Saturday, four individuals (three sick and one
wounded) were allowed to leave the ship for medical treatment, and the
woman?s corpse was taken to the morgue. 

Throughout the weekend, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, OCHA and UNDP were standing by
and preparing to deliver humanitarian assistance should it be required.
(UNICEF has access to food stores and UNV/UNDP has four medical doctors).
UNHCR followed the concern throughout the weekend on behalf of the
passengers, contacting the Senegalese authorities (Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Defense, and the Presidency
including Brigadier General Nelson).  In this process, UNHCR learned that the
ship?s manager was faulty on administration issues including taking
passengers on board when his ship had been authorised only for freight. The
ship had been chartered by a Member of Parliament of Guinea Bissau. On
mid-day Sunday, a few passengers who could prove that they were only
transiting through Dakar for international travel were given permission to
leave.  By Sunday late afternoon, the Senegalese authorities gave permission
to the ship to berth and passengers to disembark. 


HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

WFP confirmed today that the balance of 150 MTs from Bafata reached Safim, so
this plan for food pre-positioning is complete. 

In Dakar, UN Agencies met again today to further develop a multi-sectoral
common humanitarian assistance programme which will be the basis of the 1999
UN Consolidated Appeal due to be completed later this month. 


This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int

Complex Emergency Response / Consolidated Appeal Process (CER/CAP) - Geneva
Mr. Ernest Chipman - Chief
Mr. Thierry Delbreuve
Tel.: (41 22) 788.7019
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Annette.Choquet@dha.unicc.org

Complex Emergencies Division (CED) - New York
Mr. Yvon Madore
Tel.: (1 212) 963.1627
Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail : madore@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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