CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICE CWS/ACT APPEAL: CHECHNYA CRISIS (#976309) CWS Appeal Target: $125,000 NOVEMBER 23, 1999
SITUATION: Thousands of people have fled Chechnya into neighboring regions from the incessant fighting in Chechnya, which is claiming heavy civilian casualties. Close to 200,000 people are now displaced in the region of Ingushetia while thousands others are seeking refugees in other neighboring regions of Daghestan and North Ossetia. The displaced families are living in terrible conditions and are suffering from lack of shelter, food, medical care, and winter clothing. Women and children make up about most of the displaced and the weaker ones are succumbing to harsh conditions, particularly with the onset of winter. APPEAL: Church World Service is seeking $125,000 from its member denominations in support of two appeals by Action by Churches Together (ACT) International to assist needs in the Chechnya region. One appeal would help ACT members Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Dutch Interchurch Aid (DIA), through their local partners Agency for Relief and Development (ARD) and Center for Peacemaking and Community Development (CPCD) respectively, propose to respond by distributing food items, medical aid and sanitary supplies, shelter items, and assisting with psycho-social inputs. The other would help ACT members Hungarian Interchurch Aid and the Russian Orthodox Church provide food parcels, blankets, clothing and baby formula foods to about people in the regions of Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Stavropol. BUDGET AND PROGRAM SUMMARIES: ACT/HIA/ROC: Distribution of Food items, Clothes/Blankets: $1,264,498 ARD/DIA: Distribution of health/medical inputs, relief food and sanitary products, social inputs: $591,389 CPCD/NCA: Distribution of Food/Nutrition items, sanitary products, medical items, shelter equipment: $158,140 CWS SUPPORT: Due to the dire needs in the Chechnya region, CWS is seeking $125,000 in support from its member denominations for this appeal. Denominations can support the appeal either directly to ACT or by sending contributions to CWS/ERO in New York (CWS/ACT Appeal, Chechnya Crisis, #976309). CWS will channel funds to ACT. Those wanting more information on this ACT appeal, should contact the CWS Emergency Response Office. Or visit the ACT Web Site at: www.act-intl.org. Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516, ext. 111. For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is responding, contact CWS Emergency Response. Telephone: (212) 870-3151 After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853 Internet Web Site: http://www.ncccusa.org/CWS/emre distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -