This report includes: A) East Africa: Regional Operations for Refugees/Internally Displaced Persons in Rwanda, Zaire, Burundi and Tanzania B) West Africa: Angola C) Former Yugoslavia D) CIS E) Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
>From B. Szynalski, Director, Operational Policy and Support Division. For any information regarding resources donors are requested to contact Ms. B. Karlstrom Dorph, Director, Resources Division, WFP Rome (Ph. 39 6 5228 2500)
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in part II)
A. EAST AFRICA 1: REGIONAL OPERATIONS FOR REFUGEES/IDPs IN RWANDA, ZAIRE, BURUNDI AND TANZANIA
1. Burundi: Ntamba camp empty as of 2 February, except for some 600 Burundian displaced persons. Of the 15,000 refugees who left the camp for the Tanzanian border on January 21, all are either in Tanzania or voluntarily repatriated to Rwanda.
2. Rwanda: UN agencies and NGOs briefed by UNHCR on the new Targeted Voluntary Repatriation plan; plan in effect 1 Feb.
3. Zaire - Goma: 6,000 refugees leave Kibumba camp for Katale camp as a result of Government announcement that all movement of refugees in and out of Kibumba camp would be suspended.
4. Zaire - Bukavu: Threatened restriction of movement of refugees from Kashusha camp, but Bukavu reported to be calm.
B. WEST AFRICA
1. Angola: WFP participates in joint mission to formerly inaccessible UNITA area in Huila; warnings of decreased harvest due to poor rainfall; significant numbers of UNITA troops move to quartering areas.
C. FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
1. Bosnia-Herzegovina a) Accelerated shipments and newly confirmed pledges of food aid will help alleviate current shortages in the supply of WFP food aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Large shipments of cereals and other urgently needed commodities from both the US and European donors are expected to arrive by early March. b) Despite an escalation of tensions in some parts of Bosnia- Herzegovina, particularly in Mostar, freedom of movement remains good and food aid deliveries continue without difficulties.
D. COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES
1. Tajikistan: poor food aid pipeline means WFP will run out of food at the end of April.
2. Caucasus: Joint UN/Donor Assessment Mission to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, scheduled for 12 February-6 March.
3. Chechnya: WFP mission to Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Daghestan to take place 11-19 February to assess need for continued provision of food aid to the displaced population from Chechnya beyond March 1996.
E. DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1. Update a) US gives donation of USD2 million to WFP for relief operation in the DPR Korea. b) Current shortfall for WFP operation stands at 7,450 mt of rice and 675 mt of vegetable oil. c) Schools closed in January due to lack of fuel for electricity and heating; CARITAS school feeding to schools resumed with the reopening of schools 1 Feb.
PART II - COUNTRY AND REGIONAL OPERATIONS DETAILS
A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATIONS FOR REFUGEES/IDPs IN RWANDA, ZAIRE, BURUNDI AND TANZANIA
1. BURUNDI
1.1 The technical mission to Burundi to study the feasibility of deploying UN guards has finished; final report to be issued 20 February. According to DHA, the team has provisionally concluded that deployment of 300 security guards in Burundi is feasible on a technical basis, and could be beneficial as a support measure to international humanitarian organizations. The Government of Burundi opposes any such intervention. While the various UN organizations represented in Burundi have taken a neutral stance, 16 of the 45 international NGOs working in the country have opposed their intervention, stating that it would not be appropriate at the present time.
1.2 Heavy flooding resulted in the closure of main road from Bujumbura to Ngozi causing major detours in WFP's overland transport route. WFP convoys were forced to use an alternative route through Rutana/Ijenda, which is an additional 170 km.
1.3 Ntamba Refugee Camp
a) Ntamba camp has been emptied as of 2 February, with the exception of some 600 Burundian displaced persons. Some 15,000 refugees who packed belongings and food supplies to flee towards the Tanzanian border on January 21 have all either been allowed into Tanzania, or have been voluntarily repatriated to Rwanda. The majority of the Ntamba refugees had initially been refused asylum by the Tanzanian government and many refugees returned to the camp in the days that followed their mass exodus. Tanzania subsequently re-opened its border on several occasions since the incident, and IFRC estimates that some 10,000 persons from Ntamba camp have successfully crossed into Tanzania. Around 4,800 Rwandan refugees from Ntamba repatriated to Rwanda this week, with support from UNHCR, who provided 26 trucks for their transport.
b) UNHCR has requested that WFP provide assistance to the 600 Burundian IDPs remaining in the camp, before they are helped to return to their communes of origin by local authorities.
c) Following the closure of the Ntamba camp, the WFP refugee caseload has dropped from 117,700 to 105,400.
1.4 Kirundo: A joint WFP/AICF mission was carried out in two of the four communes in Kirundo affected by drought. A further assessment is on-going by AICF agronomist. Preliminary results indicate the need for bean seeds for immediate planting. DGVIII has agreed to make available some 400 mt bean seeds (of which at least 200 mt are being released immediately) from Kampala to Kirundo province. WFP has requested AICF to simultaneously distribute food packets to the beneficiaries to prevent them from consuming their seed ration.
1.5 UN reports confirm that the Burundi/Zaire border has been mined at Gatumba and Cibitoke, and that the only possible crossing points from Burundi into Zaire are guarded by the Burundian army. A steady flow of refugees have been crossing the border for the past several weeks, especially from the Ndunda passing point (north of Gatumba). Interviews indicate that most of the newest refugees to be registered in the camps come from Bubanza province. Last week, three new refugees to Kibogoye camp arrived with gunshot wounds, while a fourth had been wounded by a mine.
1.6 FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment mission completed in Burundi; official document to be released mid-February. Preliminary results indicate that Burundi will remain a food deficit country for the next year.
2. RWANDA
2.1 Three investigators of the International Tribunal for Rwanda were attacked and beaten by Rwandan Patriotic Army soldiers last week. The government of Rwanda has condemned the behaviour of these soldiers, who have been arrested and await disciplinary measures.
2.2 During the past week transit centres in Rwanda received a total of 5,065 returnees from neighbouring countries. Following the wave of returnees from Burundi last week (from Ntamba camp - see section 1.3 above), it has been reported that the majority of individuals in this group are either too old or too young to be self-sufficient following repatriation. It is thus unlikely that they will be able to participate in post-repatriation food-for-work activities.
2.3 Following crop failure in the Prefecture of Kigali Rural due to lack of rain, a meeting was held last week at the Prefecture Office between WFP, USAID, EU, ICRC, CRS, Caritas and Prefecture representatives. It was decided that instead of general distribution, agricultural rehabilitation schemes and targeted vulnerable group feeding will be given priority.
2.4 At a UNHCR meeting in Kigali, UN agencies and a number of NGOs were briefed on the Targeted Voluntary Repatriation plan agreed in Geneva between UNHCR, the Government of Rwanda and the Government of Zaire, which officially started on 1 February. The elements of the operation are: targeting of particular camps, registration of refugees by communes of origin and separation of intimidators in these camps, and eventual closure of the camps. Two camps in Zaire, Kashusha and Kibumba, are being targeted.
3. ZAIRE - GOMA
3.1 On 30 January the Zairian Government announced that Kibumba camp would be encircled by the military, that all movement of refugees in and out of the camp would be suspended, and that discussions would be held with the refugees in an effort to convince them to return to Rwanda. As a result of the announcement, at least 6,000 refugees have left Kibumba camp for Katale camp. The visit of the Zairian Minister of Defense on 9 February has lead to speculation that Kibumba camp (population 180-195,000) may be closed over the weekend of 10/11 February. WFP and UNHCR are closely watching the developments.
4. ZAIRE - BUKAVU
4.1 Two mines exploded on a side road only a few meters from the main road leading from Bukavu to Uvira, some eight kilometres from the centre of Bukavu town. The first mine caused serious injuries, while the second mine killed five Zairians. In an emotional and violent reaction, the local population turned on the Rwandan refugees, and three refugees were killed in random beatings.
4.2 In a move similar to that mentioned under section 3.1 above, this week was also marked in Bukavu by another Zairian deadline for repatriation action in the camps. Kashusha, the most strategic refugee camp in the Bukavu area, was supposed to be encircled by soldiers this week, with instructions not to let the refugees move, except to the border. Although this may still happen, Bukavu is reported to be calm.
5. TANZANIA
5.1 Influxes from Ntamba camp in Burundi are subsiding.
5.2 The newly arrived refugees from Burundi (Rwandan refugees from Ntamba camp, and a number of Burundian refugees) currently in Keza and in Ngara camps are reported to be in good condition. The Burundian refugees arrived with no personal belongings, indicating a hasty movement while the Rwandan refugees seem to have moved under less pressure and were able to carry their belongings. Most of these new arrivals have been registered and now possess ration cards.
5.3 On 7 and 8 February the Rwandan Prime Minister visited the refugee camps in Ngara and Karagwe. The purpose of his visit was to brief the refugees on the general situation in Rwanda in an attempt to persuade the refugee population to return home.
5.4 UNHCR has repeated verification exercises in Kagenyi and in Karagwe. Results will be released next week.
B. WEST AFRICA
1. ANGOLA
1.1 On 29 January, WFP participated in a joint assessment mission to a formerly inaccessible UNITA held area in Huila province at Km 50 in Kuvango municipality. Mission included representatives from UNAVEM III, UCAH, UNICEF, CARE, UNITA, and the provincial delegations of Minars and Minsa. This was the first time that UNITA has allowed government staff on an assessment mission in Huila province. The mission agreed to a humanitarian plan of action with an emphasized education component, including the construction and opening of five WFP supported day care centres for 2,500 children.
1.2 NGOs working throughout Angola are warning of possible adverse effects of poor rainfall on the current agricultural season. Particularly in the central and southern provinces, the lack of rainfall is expected to significantly lower the upcoming maize harvest. SCF-UK is currently conducting a study of the pre-harvest situation in several provinces following the seeds and tools distribution undertaken at the end of 1995. Other NGOs have conducted localized crop assessments and all have recorded at least some losses from lack of rain.
1.3 During the recent visits of USAID Administrator Brian Atwood and EU Commissioner Joao de Deus Pinheiro, WFP provided logistical support for visits to several provinces in Angola, where they were able to visit humanitarian assistance projects and evaluate the progress of the peace process.
1.4 Demobilization update: The numbers of quartered troops increased over recent days. Total figures as of 7 February, for Vila, Londumbali, Negage and Quibaxe, total 6,865 troops and 808 dependents. Over 6,800 weapons were turned over by this group. The next quartering areas which are expected to open by end February are Quibala, Andulo, and N'Gove, followed by the openings of N'Tuco and Catala.
1.5 WFP stocks in-country as of 5 February were 18,960. Arrivals to end March: 11,200 mt cereals and 323 mt fish.
1.6 Over the period 29 Jan-4 Feb the following quantities were delivered: By road 130 mt; by air 785 mt; Total 915 mt.
C. FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
1. Bosnia-Herzegovina
1.1 Donor nations have begun to respond to WFP's urgent calls to fill gaps in the supply of food aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina. To help alleviate current shortages of cereals, the delivery of 31,000 mt of wheat grain from the US has been accelerated, and will arrive in early March. Recently announced contributions by Japan (708 mt) and Norway (299 mt) of canned fish will arrive in February and March; canned protein foods currently in very short supply. 150 mt of high energy/protein biscuits from Japan are expected to arrive later this week. WFP continues to explore the possibility of the emergency purchase of cereals in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and elsewhere in the region to fill gaps in the pipeline.
1.2 A meeting between WFP, UNHCR, central and cantonal authorities was held in Tuzla, in which cantonal authorities verbally agreed to gradually return the 1,500 mt of wheat flour previously released without authorization. The WFP Country Director will meet with the Bosnia-Herzegovina Office of Humanitarian Aid in Sarajevo next week to further clarify this issue.
1.3 This week WFP expanded the commercial, direct delivery of food aid to southern Bosnia-Herzegovina. Recent widely reported incidents in Mostar, including a riot in which the European Administrator's vehicle was stoned, have not interrupted WFP-organized commercial deliveries or UNHCR convoys of WFP food aid in the region.
1.4 A CIET International team commissioned by WFP has arrived in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and will shortly begin a six week household food security survey. The results of this survey will assist WFP in improving beneficiary targeting.
1.5 Sarajevo: The security situation remained very calm. Freedom of movement continued to improve, and in a very positive development, on 2 February, the Brotherhood and Unity Bridge linking Bosnian Federation and Serb sides of the city finally opened to all civilians. For the week, five convoys delivered 570 mt of WFP food aid to the city.
2. Croatia
2.1 About two-thirds of the original population in the Kupljensko refugee camp have returned to Velika Kladusa, and only approx. 8,000 people remain in the temporary encampment. Despite the presence of an international police force in Velika Kladusa, the UN continues to receive reports of harassment and forced labour of returnees in northern Bosnia. Also, on 5 February, Croatian special police units raided the Kupljensko camp, and 20 people were forcibly returned to Velika Kladusa. The EC Task Force continues to provide food aid to people in the camp; WFP is responsible for providing food aid to needy returnees to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
D. COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (TAJIKISTAN, ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN, CHECHNYA)
1. Tajikistan: WFP is very concerned about the poor food aid pipeline for Tajikistan. With food now available, based on readjusted needs, WFP will run out of food at the end of April. There is urgent need to cover the supplementary food needs of some 600,000 vulnerable groups who have little access to income and whose food security continues to deteriorate. Carryover pledges which will cover the period to the end of April are about 5,000 mt leaving a shortfall of 25,000 mt at an estimated total cost of USD13.8 million.
2. Caucasus: WFP to participate in a Joint UN/Donor Assessment Mission to the three Caucasus republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, scheduled for 12 February-6 March, to assess food aid requirements in the region for the up-coming 1996/97 UN Inter-Agency Caucasus Appeal. Regional logistics activities for the Caucasus will also be reassessed. WFP is implementing emergency food aid operations in all three countries to assist displaced persons and vulnerable sectors of the local population who have been most severely affected by on-going economic crisis in the region. Whilst the WFP food pipeline for Azerbaijan is secured until summer 1996, additional donor funding is urgently required for Georgia and Armenia where pipeline breaks are expected as early as March/April.
3. Chechnya: WFP will field a mission to Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Daghestan on 11-19 February to assess need for continued provision of food aid to the displaced population from Chechnya (approximately 80,000 persons) beyond March 1996. At present, WFP is proceeding with implementation of the US- and ECHO-supported winter food programme of 2,400 mt wheat flour, edible oil, peas and sugar to cover food aid needs until end March. Food distributions in Daghestan were interrupted in January because of the Kizlyar/Pervomaiskaya hostage crisis. WFP food resources for Chechnya emergency operation will be fully distributed by end February.
E. DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1. UPDATE
1.1 As the demand on the Public Distribution System (PDS) continues to exceed supply, the bulk of the population continues to go short of food. In North Pyongan province people interviewed by WFP said that they were now only eating two meals per day. It appears that a per capita ration of about 9 kg of cereals per month is being sold to coupon holders at the normal highly subsidized rate through the PDS.
1.2 Schools were closed throughout the country for the month of January, when temperatures were 5 degrees below zero Centigrade, because there was no heating or electricity supply due to acute fuel shortages. This was the first time this had ever been necessary. During a WFP visit to South Hwanghe 1-4 February to monitor the distribution of CARITAS supplied rice at schools, kindergartens and nurseries, it was observed that although the schools have reopened, they are extremely cold, and the many of the children are suffering from coughs and colds. Absenteeism in the schools visited ranged from 20-30% Hot cooked school lunches prepared with CARITAS rice are being provided as they were in December before the schools closed. WFP has been entrusted by CARITAS to assist with in-country management of its rice contribution, including monitoring and reporting on distribution.
1.3 Resourcing situation: On 2 February, the United States announced a contribution of USD2 million for the purchase and delivery of food aid to the DPRK, through WFP. This together with contributions announced earlier by Australia, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Switzerland, brings the total value of food aid channelled through WFP to USD3,881,000, enough to purchase and deliver approximately 12,800 mt of cereals. Of this total, distribution of 5,140 mt was completed by 9 December 1995. A second shipment of 5,000 mt of rice is being purchased by WFP and will arrive by the end of February or early March. A third shipment of 3-5,000 mt is likely to follow in early March, if tentative unconfirmed donations firm up. By the end of March WFP expects to have delivered 70% of its Emergency Operation commitment of cereals, but no vegetable oil. Other new donors have shown strong interest in supporting the relief efforts in DPR Korea. The shortfall is currently about 7,450 mt of rice and 675 mt of vegetable oil.
1.4 The Special Report of the FAO/WFP Crop Production and Food Supply Assessment Mission was released in Rome on 22 December 1995. The full report is now in draft and will be issued in Rome in February. (End WFP Emergency Report no. 06 of 1996, February 9, 1996)