United Nations HACU Angola - Humanitarian Response 22 - 29 April 1999
UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE COORDINATION UNIT (UCAH) Fax: (244-2) 342710 Telefone: (244-2) 344321/348205/341072 Fax: (1-212) 963-3011 (Ext.4523) Fax: (1-212) 963-3011 (Ext. 4523) Av.Comandante Valodia 206-5? Andar General Situation The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Mustapha Niasse was in Angola this week to meet high-ranking Government officials as part of a 25-nation Africa tour to discuss the situation in the region. The general security situation in the country has further deteriorated during the past week with a significant number of attacks to civilian vehicles registered in several provinces of the country. These incidents have resulted in many deaths, injuries a nd destruction of property and have further increased the isolation of provincial capitals. Two attacks on 19 and 24 April on the road Nīdalatando-Lucala have resulted in 17 and 19 deaths, respectively. Many other civilians were injured. In the wake of these incidents, the NGO World Vision has decided to suspend its humanitarian activities in assistance of the IDPs in Lucala. The attacks have also significantly hampered access to Malange by road. Humanitarian Situation Upon the reopening of the airport in Kuito, a joint UNSECOORD/ UCAH/WFP assessment mission travelled to the city on 24 April. Despite the security situation being considered somewhat fragile, the decision was made to begin re-supplying humanitarian effor ts in the city. WFP flights recommenced on 25 April and international humanitarian staff from WFP, CARE and OXFAM have returned to the city. While conditions of the IDPs in Kuito were considered to be poor, they were not considered critical. It was felt that food and other assistance was necessary for the most vulnerable groups. However, there was food in the market and some level of commerc ial transactions continued. A survey carried out by MSF-B in collaboration with MINARS revealed that there was no acute malnutrition problem in Kuito. WFP feeding programmes will give priority to vulnerable groups (approx. 15,000 people) and a group of 16,000 IDPs who do not have family in the area. It was noted that the humanitarian co-ordination group on the ground worked extremely well during the period that the airport was closed. With the improvement of the security situation in some areas of Kuando Kubango, WFP was able to assist 2,500 IDPs (from the Cutato/Cuvelai area) in Caiundo through food-for-work interventions and supplementary feeding centres for young children, through a partnership with the Catholic Church. In addition, working with Caritas, WFP also assisted 9,000 IDPs in Cuchi. The Ambassador of Norway in Angola, Bjorg Leite and the new UNICEF Representative in the country, Anthony Bloomberg, visited Huambo and Caala on 26 and 27 April to assess humanitarian needs and the situation of educational and health programmes funded by NORAD, the Norwegian Aid Agency. The Ambassador reiterated the support of the Norwegian Government to humanitarian assistance in Angola both of an emergency and a development nature. According to the latest bulletin of INAROEE - the National Institute for the Removal of Explosive Obstacles and Ordnance - there are currently over 100,000 mine disabled in Angola. With the continuing laying of new mines that number has continued to grow significantly over the last months. Moreover, the laying of new mines has prevented farmers from tending their fields thus increasing food aid dependency. Owing to the prevailing insecurity in the country, most mine operations are currently at a stands till. Public allegations carried by the national media regarding the diversion, misuse and sale of WFP food aid in Malange are being investigated by WFP. As a consequence, food distributions to IDPs have been temporarily halted. UNICEF has handed over health emergency supplies to the local hospital. In Huambo, UNICEF distributed survival items to the PIC of the Missao de Trapa benefitting 850 children. In Uige, with the assistance of UNICEF, the NGO International Medical Corps re-inaugurated the health post of Povo Mateus. WFP assisted with the construction of a centre for senior citizens in Kiaunga, some 5 kms from Uige city. The centre is run by MIN ARS and will be inaugurated on 30 April. A number of IDPs from outlying municipalities have also arrived in Uige over the last few weeks. Verification of their numbers and provenance is ongoing. In Benguela, UNICEF proceeded with the distribution of soap bars to the IDP centre and Taka II centre as well as the financing of the implementation of the Seminar on Prevention of Mines benefiting 45 teachers. ACUTE FLACCID PARALYSIS The latest figures available regarding the outbreak of acute flaccid paralysis indicate that 677 cases of have now been reported with 55 deaths. The number of cases is now reaching a similar level of the last epidemic in 1992. UNICEF has continued to su pport the Government during the vaccination campaign with logistical and human resources in an effort to contain the outbreak. In response to the appeal launched by the Government, South Africa and Portugal have donated, respectively, 8,000 and 50,000 polio vaccines to Angola. KILLING OF FIVE HUMANITARIAN STAFF IN ANGOLA Regarding the incident between Gabela and Sumbe on April 14, five NGO staff were killed and not six as per the first information we received. At the incident site, six bodies were recovered, but it seems that a civilian from the local population was kill ed just a few minutes before the NGO vehicle was ambushed. The names of the victims (all Angolan nationals) belonging to Humanitarian NGOs are as follows: ANTONIO GARCIA FERREIRA SCF-US ERNESTO SAMUEL QUETA SCF-US WALTER JOAQUIM REAIS OIKOS NARCISO KWAMBELA XAVIER ACM * MANUEL GABRIEL ACCA ** * ASSOCIACIO CRISTI DA MOCIDADE ** ASSOCIACIO CONGREGACIONAL CRISTI DE ANGOLA Personal letters have been sent by the Director of UCAH, who is also the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, to each of the NGO representatives. The letters, also forwarded to the families of the victims, expressed UCAH's total rejection of these heinous crim es that jeopardise the implementation of humanitarian relief work. Contributions from WFP, UNICEF, WHO, NGOs, as well UCAH Field Advisors and other UCAH units are acknowledged. 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