This report includes: A) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire and Tanzania
B) Uganda and Sudan C) Liberia.
From B. Szynalski, Director, Operational Policy and Support
Division. For information regarding resources, donors are
requested to contact Mr. F. Strippoli or Mr. M. Crosthwaite,
WFP Rome (Ph. 39 6 5228 2504 or 5228 2004)
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS
(Details below in Part II)
A. EAST AFRICA 1: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA,
ZAIRE AND TANZANIA
1. Burundi
a) No improvement in precarious security situation throughout
the country. Protest demonstrations continue in Bujumbura.
b) Parts of Muyinga province described as completely empty of
inhabitants.
2. Zaire - Goma
a) Security incidents in Goma town diminish as off-duty
soldiers forbidden to carry guns.
b) Villagers returning to the Masisi area are returning to
destroyed and pillaged homes. Some insecurity continues;
reported Hutu attack on Hunde villages in Bitonga results in
35 deaths and 3,000 displaced.
3. Zaire - Bukavu
a) Grenade explodes in Inera camp killing two persons,
seriously injuring others.
b) Further incidents on the escarpment road between Bukavu
and Uvira; reportedly heavy artillery fire from across the
Rwandan border directed on vehicles using the road; Zairian
soldiers guarding the road return fire.
4. Tanzania
a) New camp opened in Kibondo district (Mtendele camp) to
accommodate new arrivals from Burundi.
5. Rwanda
a) FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission Report
released. Mission estimated 1996 food production 15 percent
higher than 1995 production. Import requirements total 64,000
mt of which some 44,000 mt is required as food aid.
B. EAST AFRICA 2: UGANDA AND SUDAN
1. Uganda
a) Rebel attack on Sudanese refugee camp at Acholpii leaves
107 people dead.
b) Insecurity in the north disrupts movement of relief food
into northern Uganda.
2. Sudan
a) Clearance granted by the Government of Sudan for WFP/OLS
(Operation Lifeline Sudan) Hercules C-130 operations to resume
airlift/airdrop flights in southern Sudan. SPLA/M agrees to
cooperate on deliveries to Government of Sudan controlled
areas.
b) Resumption of large-scale operations will need prompt
donor support to maintain required WFP programming levels.
C. LIBERIA
1. Update
a) The Liberian crisis will be discussed during the ECOWAS
summit which will take place in Abuja, Nigeria from 22 to 27
July.
b) Civilian population held by fighters in Suhen, Bomi, in
extremely critical condition.
c) Ministry of Health and WFP launch an emergency
food-for-work community intervention on environmental health
in Monrovia.
PART II - DETAILS
A. EAST AFRICA 1: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA,
ZAIRE AND TANZANIA
1. REGIONAL
1.1 A mission with USAID Food for Peace and the US Embassy in
Kampala with WFP participation completed its review of USAID
assistance to the Great Lakes Region. The mission also met
European Community regional representatives in Bujumbura to
discuss common issues of interest under the Regional
operation.
2. BURUNDI
2.1 Insecurity continues to be precarious throughout the
country. In Rutovu commune of Bururi province, a grenade
exploded in an elementary school on 9 July resulting in a
reported six deaths and 17 injuries. Ambushes continue in
Cibitoke. In Muramvya, rebels attacked a cheese factory and an
attack on a military-escorted convoy led to one soldier killed
and another wounded.
2.2 Due to new reports of violence, including recent deaths
of some 50 persons, in the Kabezi area of Bujumbura rural, WFP
received a request from the local parish for food assistance
for 12,252 persons. WFP is assessing the situation.
2.3 The situation in Buhinyuza and Mwakiro communes in
Muyinga province is very tense; many areas are completely
empty of inhabitants.
2.4 Regular WFP operations are still on hold in the Gitega/
Karuzi area due to insecurity, and all staff remain in
Bujumbura. No further requests have been made to WFP for food
assistance in either Gitega or Karuzi following recent
distributions in both areas.
2.5 The Burundian members of the Technical Committee, in
charge of studying the criteria for an intervention force as
per the recommendations of the Arusha summit, met on 16 July
and are expected to issue the conclusions of their report to
the National Security Council by 20 July. This report will
later be submitted to the International Technical Committee,
presided by Julius Nyerere.
2.6 Demonstrations continue in Bujumbura protesting the
proposed deployment of an international intervention force in
Burundi. On 15 July, there was a further protest march by
university and high school students.
3. ZAIRE - GOMA
3.1 Security incidents in Goma town have diminished following
new military order which forbids off-duty soldiers to carry
guns. Serious security incidents in and around the camps have
also fallen off.
3.2 Two WFP truck drivers were robbed at gunpoint on the
access road to Goma port on Lake Kivu after their trucks were
unloaded at the port.
3.3 The situation in the Masisi area is relatively calm.
Villagers are continuing to return their home villages.
However, the villagers are returning to destroyed and pillaged
homes, all their livestock stolen or slaughtered, and fields
neglected. Insecurity is still a problem in parts of the area,
with incidents reported in Bitonga in the south and Mweso in
the north. In Bitonga, a reported Hutu attack on Hunde
villages lasted four days and resulted in 35 deaths and 3,000
displaced.
3.4 Firewood provision to the camps is improving with the
gradual calming of the security situation in the region and
the opening of the Goma-Butembo road.
3.5 The results of a nutritional survey in Kibumba camp have
shown a significant improvement. The 8.3 percent of global
malnutrition found in November 1995 fell to 3.5 percent in
July 1996. A nutritional survey in the fifth and final camp
took place on 15 July. Results should be available next
reporting week.
3.6 From 8 to 14 July WFP Goma received a total of 2,993 mt
of commodities. A total of 543 mt were dispatched to Bukavu.
4. ZAIRE - BUKAVU
4.1 A grenade exploded in Inera camp on 10 July killing a
woman and a girl and seriously injuring several others.
4.2 On 12 July Zairian soldiers guarding the escarpment road
which leads to Uvira returned fire on Rwanda after reportedly
heavy artillery fire from across the border was directed on
trucks and buses travelling the Zairian road. However this has
not affected the delivery of relief food to Bukavu.
4.3 The general caseload for the Bukavu camps has been
temporarily set at 294,978 beneficiaries. Verification of
population figures goes ahead slowly in the camps. WFP Bukavu
is monitoring the operation very closely to ensure the
validity of the final figures.
4.4 Delivery of rations except for CSB completed in all camps
except for Kabira and Nyamirangwe which were on stand-by for a
verification of population figures and are scheduled for
deliveries next week. CSB will be delivered to all camps once
received.
4.5 Reception of food aid supplies almost doubled compared to
previous week due to a continued increasing flow of food from
the northern route and an increased capacity of WFP-leased
trucks on the southern route from Uvira.
5. ZAIRE - UVIRA
5.1 Up to 500 refugees from the Cibitoke area have been
fleeing to Uvira daily over the period 10-16 July.
5.2 Official refugee population in Uvira now totals 191,922
persons. This figure reflects the results of the census
operation in all eleven camps as well as the recent arrival of
some 6,000 new refugees.
6. TANZANIA
6.1 A new camp, called Mtendele, opened in Kibondo district
to accommodate new arrivals from Burundi. The camp, which is
located 2.5 km from the Kibondo-Nyakanazi road, has a current
population of 288 refugees. A Tanzanian NGO will be
responsible for food distribution and camp management, while
the International Refugee Committee will cover health and
sanitation services for refugees.
6.2 UNHCR, the Ministry of Home Affairs and NGOs are studying
the possibility of opening a new camp in Kasulu district for
the continuing flow of Burundian refugees into that area.
6.3 A total of 445 Burundian refugees arrived between 8 and
14 July and were registered at Mtabila and Kanembwa camps in
the Kigoma region.
6.4 Total refugee population as at 14 July is 644,267.
7. RWANDA
7.1 FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission Report
concluded and released. Similar to the findings of the
preceding season, an increase of 7 percent was noted in the
planted area. This reflects improved stability in the interior
of Rwanda and resumption of regular agricultural activities by
a considerable number of returning refugees. The Mission
estimated the output of this season (1996 B) to be 181,000 mt
(cereals and pulses). Import requirements total 64,000 mt of
which some 44,000 mt is required as food aid. Food production
for the whole of 1996 is estimated to be 15 percent higher
than in 1995 but still remains 23 percent below pre-crisis
level in 1990. In terms of per capita production, considering
the smaller number of people in 1996, this year's result is 14
percent below the 1990 level.
7.2 A WFP Management Review Mission is scheduled for
September 1996. Issues to be reviewed will include level of
assistance and overall programming matters.
7.3 During the past week high government officials (Prime
Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Interior and Agriculture
Ministers and Parliament members) paid visits to Cyangugu,
Gisenyi and Kibuye. Security and the refugee situation were
the main items on the agenda.
7.4 Human rights agencies in Rwanda reported that the month
of June witnessed a record increase in numbers of attacks on
genocide survivors and witnesses. The total for 1996 is 98
attacks with at least 80 casualties. In Kibuye and Cyangugu, a
move of survivors from imminent border areas deeper into the
interior has been noticed as a consequence. The President of
Rwanda has pledged that the Government will make new efforts
to support and protect these vulnerable groups.
7.5 Caseload of the supplementary feeding programme for
Masisi refugees is anticipated to rise from current 1,400
beneficiaries to around 2,000. WFP will continue to provide
1,000 food rations and CRS will supply the rest.
7.6 Zairian refugees continue to arrive to Gisenyi, though in
much smaller numbers than before.
7.7 New refugees from Burundi also continue to arrive with
some 500 persons registered between 9-15 July. There are
currently 3,427 Burundian refugees located at Bugarama
communal office (Cyangugu). UNHCR and the Government of Rwanda
have agreed to a plan to move the camp to a new, more
permanent site (also in Bugarama). WFP continues to provide
food to all refugees through communal kitchens established and
run by the NGO Concern. Ninety unaccompanied children among
the refugees are cared for separately.
B. EAST AFRICA 2: UGANDA AND SUDAN
1. UGANDA
1.1 A rebel attack on the Sudanese refugee camp at Acholpii,
Kitgum District in Uganda took place on 12 and 13 July. UNHCR
reports 107 dead, 18 wounded and an unknown number of refugees
missing. As of 17 July, news reports suggest that most
refugees who had fled the camp at the time of the attack have
now returned.
1.2 The WFP food storage warehouse in Acholpii was looted
and the warehouse and a WFP-leased truck burned. The
insecurity in the north has disrupted movement of relief food
into northern Uganda. WFP is reviewing the modalities of
deliveries to the area.
2. SUDAN
2.1 The Government of Sudan gave clearance on 15 July for the
Hercules C-130 operations to resume airlift/airdrop flights in
southern Sudan. Following this action, the SPLA/M rebels have
indicated that they would no longer oppose deliveries to
Government of Sudan controlled areas. WFP has initiated
arrangements to begin operations as soon as possible.
2.2 Given this sudden resumption of large-scale operations,
shortfalls in donor support have now become a matter of
urgency. The current low stocks and funding levels will not
permit WFP to maintain the required programming levels. Prompt
donor response is urgently requested.
C. LIBERIA
1. UPDATE
1.1 The Council of State will be represented at the ECOWAS
summit in Abuja, Nigeria, from 22 to 27 July. During the
summit a day will be allocated for discussion on the Liberian
crisis.
1.2 The Nigerian Government is prepared to contribute
additional peacekeeping troops to Liberia to facilitate
disarmament and the holding of elections.
1.3 ULIMO-K has not yet come out with a statement agreeing on
a ceasefire in Bomi and Cape Mount counties. The humanitarian
agencies have had to negotiate with the warring factions to
move out some 160 displaced persons from Suhen to VOA
displaced shelter in Monrovia; among the group were 60
malnourished children who will be receiving therapeutic
nutritional treatment. All these people were held against
their will and had not been properly fed for weeks by the
fighters, reportedly in an attempt to attract relief food aid
to the area under their control.
1.4 Six people died of cholera in June in Monrovia out of 183
reported cases (also 112 cases of measles were reported). WFP
and Health services have launched a food-for-work (FFW)
intervention for improving sanitation and water facilities in
the urban communities in an effort to reduce epidemic
diseases. In addition WFP is providing FFW to 368 sanitation
workers involved in an emergency latrines construction
sponsored by UNICEF as well as to the WHO/MOH (Ministry of
Health) team recovering dead bodies in the city (more than 800
bodies have been recovered since April).
1.5 Cross-border delivery of WFP food is continuing from Cote
d'Ivoire: since the restarting of the operation in May, a
total of 2,167 mt of food was lifted to Nimba and Bong
counties for targeted feeding in favour of vulnerable groups
and school canteens plus cereals to accompany rice seed
distribution by LWS/CRS.
1.6 A commercial shipment totalling 6,600 mt of rice (of
which 3,300 mt already received) is announced in Monrovia,
representing about four months of normal consumption needs.
1.7 WFP food stocks in Monrovia total 8,270 mt, of which
7,300 mt is bulgur wheat.
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 28 of 1996 - July 19, 1996)