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HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-Up 307
24 - 30 December 2005


CONTENTS:

HORN OF AFRICA: Ban on UN flights still in place
DJIBOUTI: Food insecurity worsens as dry spell persists
ETHIOPIA: Donors withhold budget support to government
ETHIOPIA: A million people in southeast face extreme food insecurity
SUDAN: Truce violations, violence continue in Darfur, UNMIS says


HORN OF AFRICA: Ban on UN flights still in place

Eritrea's ban on UN helicopter flights in its airspace is still in place
despite UN Security Council demands that the restriction be lifted, the
UN said on Thursday.

Eritrean and Ethiopian troop movements along their contested
1,000-kilometre border were also continuing, the UN Mission in Ethiopian
and Eritrea (UNMEE) said in a statement released in the capitals of both
countries, Addis Ababa and Asmara.

Eritrea banned the flights on 5 October. Then, it prevented UN vehicles
from conducting night patrols on its side of the frontier. In November,
the Council passed a resolution warning of possible sanctions unless
Eritrea lifted the restrictions and if both sides failed to reverse
their troop build-up along the border.

UNMEE said it had submitted a report to headquarters giving details on
whether both parties had complied with the Security Council resolution.

[Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50884]


DJIBOUTI: Food insecurity worsens as dry spell persists

The delayed onset of the October-February rainy season in Djibouti has
led to worsening food insecurity in pastoral areas due to lack of
pasture and water in the coastal dry period grazing areas, a famine
alert agency has reported.

Milk production and livestock sales were far below seasonal average
levels, the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET)
said in its monthly update for Djibouti, which was released on 18
December.

"There is a strong probability that the food security situation among
pastoralists will deteriorate in the coming months, with a resulting
increase in the drought-affected population by 30-40 percent (around
66,000 people)," FEWS NET said.

[Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50885]


ETHIOPIA: Donors withhold budget support to government

Donors have put on hold US $375 million in budget support to the
Ethiopian government because of a crackdown on opposition supporters,
development officials said Thursday. They said the money would be
diverted to other programmes in the country.

"Until the situation gets better we will look to disburse funds in other
ways, but we are not going to halt aid to the country because it is one
of the world's poorest," a senior development official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, said.

On Wednesday, 129 opposition leaders, journalists and members of the
civil society were again remanded in custody on charges ranging from
treason to genocide. Most of the defendants were arrested during the
disturbances that erupted after political parties alleged that the
ruling bloc had massively rigged in elections held in May.

Some donors are exploring the possibility of channelling the funds to
local authorities, while others intend to disburse the funds through UN
agencies.

[Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50888]


ETHIOPIA: A million people in southeast face extreme food insecurity

At least one million people in southeastern Ethiopia are facing extreme
food insecurity following a prolonged drought, a famine early warning
agency reported on Thursday, saying the crisis had sparked conflicts
over scarce water and pasture.

There had also been reports of some children dying of hunger-related
causes, the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET)
said. The situation in the area, known as the Somali Region, could get
worse in the next three months, it added.

"Urgent responses are required to prevent an alarming escalation of a
food insecurity crisis," FEWS NET said in an emergency bulletin.

Government officials have estimated that US $40 million is needed to
help save animals and to provide water and healthcare to affected
people. FEWS NET said pre-famine conditions had emerged as a result of
the poor rains as well as fast depleting pasture and water sources.

The Somali Region of Ethiopia is one of the driest and most inhospitable
parts of the Horn of Africa country. Average annual rainfall in parts of
the region is 250 millimetres. Most of the inhabitants are nomadic
pastoralists.

[Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50881]


SUDAN: Truce violations, violence continue in Darfur, UNMIS says

The security situation in the strife-torn western Sudanese region
remains volatile as government and rebel forces continue to violate a
ceasefire deal amid incidents of banditry, looting and possibly rape,
the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said on Tuesday.

In South Darfur, militia activity seemed to have increased, with several
reported attacks on villages reported; UN News reported citing a UNMIS
statement.

Harassment, beatings and the killing of internally displaced persons
grazing cattle outside their camps are still being reported, along with
allegations of rape and the attempted rape of women as well as girls in
Tawila, North Darfur.

Eleven vehicles of the rebel Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) reportedly
attacked South Darfur's Marla area on 19 and 20 December, leaving five
people dead and four wounded in what was perceived by some to be
retaliation for the government army's attack on Bajo on 13 December and
on Duwana on 18 December, UNMIS said.

[Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50864]


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