Report No. 33 of 1996 Date: 23 August 1996
This report includes: A) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire and Tanzania
B) Angola C) Russian Federation (Chechnya)
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). Transmission
problems should be reported to fax no. 39 6 5228 2837.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS
(Details below in Part II)
A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE
AND TANZANIA
1. Burundi
a) Embargo continues. No commercial international flights to
Burundi since 13 August. Foreign ministers of countries in the
region meeting in Kampala on 16 August state that only
emergency food aid for Rwandan refugees in Burundi and
medicines will be exempted from the embargo.
b) Fuel rationing is expected to affect WFP operations unless
permission given by neighbouring governments for supplies of
fuel for humanitarian operations to reach Burundi.
c) Second WFP food convoy to Burundi leaves Isaka, Tanzania,
on 23 August.
d) Continuing exodus of repatriating Rwandan refugees leaves
remaining refugee population of 20,000 in Burundi as of 21
August.
2. ZAIRE - GOMA
a) Improvement in relations between refugees and local
population reported, but general situation remains tense.
b) An estimated 85,000 new arrivals have moved into the camps
from nearby villages and from Masisi, and are not currently
receiving food rations.
3. ZAIRE - BUKAVU
a) Ongoing congestion in Kigoma port caused by pile-up of
commercial cargo destined for Burundi hampers deliveries via
southern corridor continue.
4. ZAIRE - UVIRA
a) Arrivals of refugees from Cibitoke, Bubanza and Kayanza
provinces in Burundi now at rate of 300 per day.
b) WFP cranes in Uvira port under repair.
B. ANGOLA
1. Update
a) Land-mine accident in Moxico injures seven UNITA soldiers
being moved by UNIVEM to Lumege Cameia quartering area.
b) UNITA temporarily restricts air and road movement by UN
and NGOs within Moxico province.
c) National seeds and tools distribution for 1996 commencing
soon; WFP is main logistics operator.
C. RUSSIAN FEDERATION - CHECHNYA
1. Update
a) Influx of 20,000 Chechens from the city of Grozny expected
in neighbouring republics of North Ossetia, Ingushetia and
Daghestan within the next few days, as a result of renewed
military action. Most urgent needs are for shelter.
b) Food assistance in form of humanitarian daily rations
(HDRs) is being distributed by WFP to the displaced
population. Further airlifts of HDRs have been requested.
Supplies of High Energy Biscuits are to be airlifted from WFP
emergency reserve stocks in Pisa.
PART II - DETAILS
A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE
AND TANZANIA
1. BURUNDI (information as of 23 August 1996)
1.1 The embargo by countries in the region (Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zaire and Cameroon) continues to
isolate Burundi.
1.2 No commercial international flights have arrived in
Burundi since 13 August. After negotiations with Kenyan and
Tanzanian authorities, two WFP aircraft moved 20 non-essential
UN staff out of Burundi on 17 August.
1.3 One of the results of the embargo has been the imposition
of fuel rationing by the government. Private cars and the
vehicles of international organisations receive a ration of
only 20 litres/month. A lack of fuel will soon seriously
affect the ability of WFP to distribute to targeted
beneficiaries, unless a means of supply is negotiated with the
neighbouring authorities.
1.4 The foreign ministers of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zaire
and Uganda, as well as representatives of Zambia, Ethiopia and
the OAU, met in Kampala on 16 August to discuss the
implementation of sanctions on Burundi. On the issue of
humanitarian supplies to Burundi, the Ministers stated that
only medicines (for human consumption) and emergency basic
food aid to Rwandan refugees in Burundi would be allowed to
enter the country. It was also agreed to set up a Regional
Co-ordination Committee based in Nairobi to harmonise and
monitor the national sanction committees.
1.5 The first WFP food convoy since the beginning of the
blockade, which carried 210 mt of beans, left Tanzania on 14
August and reached Ngozi province in Burundi on 15 August. The
second humanitarian convoy left Isaka, Tanzania at dawn on 23
August destined for Ngozi.
1.6 As of 21 August, the Rwandan refugee population figure
was estimated at 20,000 in Magara and Rukuramigabo camps in
Ngozi province, with refugees continuing to leave Burundi for
Rwanda.
1.7 Security situation
a) Security in Bujumbura city remains relatively stable
although incidents have been reported in Bujumbura Rural.
b) The situation remains tense in Mutumba and Karuzi communes
(Bujumbura Rural); in an attack on a military convoy on 11
August one person was killed and several wounded. On 17
August, in Mubone commune (also in Bujumbura Rural) skirmishes
between the armed forces and the rebels left six people dead.
c) An attack by armed rebels on 10 August left a reported 32
dead in Cibitoke. Fighting between military and rebels on 9
August in Giheta in Gitega Province was reported to have left
30 rebels dead. There are unconfirmed reports of high
casualties in Giheta over recent weeks.
d) Six people were killed when armed people attacked and
looted the MSF-Belgium dispensary and neighbouring shops in
Mubuga commune of Ngozi province on 16 August. The death toll
includes some MSF-B employees.
e) Owing to insecurity, WFP staff have not yet returned to
central Burundi.
1.8 New Governors for Cibitoke, Gitega, Muramvya and Cankuzo
Provinces were appointed by the Government on 14 August.
1.9 Distribution of 70 mt of food commodities carried out by
WFP distribution team in Mubone (Bujumbura Rural) for 12,150
displaced persons from 12 to 14 August. Distribution for
reinstallation beneficiaries is planned for 20 and 21 August
in Kinima commune of Bujumbura Mairie. The number of
beneficiaries is estimated at 6,759, representing needs of
approximately 100 mt of food commodities.
1.10 The WFP Twin Otter continues in-country rotations as
usual. Negotiations to allow access to Kigoma, Kigali and
Bukavu continue. Fuel supplies for in-country operations of
the aircraft are estimated to be sufficient for three months.
2. ZAIRE - GOMA
2.1 Relations between the refugees and the local population
have shown an improvement. Notwithstanding this, the general
situation remains tense. On 12 August, an attack by armed
assailants on a vehicle carrying passengers west of
Mugunga/Lac Vert camps resulted in 13 persons killed and two
injured.
2.2 UNHCR launched an information campaign to inform the
refugees of the goals of the verification exercise, scheduled
for end August/beginning September. WFP is assisting UNHCR
with preparations and will provide employees to participate
with the verification exercise. Distributions are being
accelerated for the coming two weeks to leave a week free for
the verification exercise.
2.3 The caseload, as of 19 August, is at 726,700. UNHCR has
identified an additional estimated 85,000 new arrivals who are
not currently receiving food rations, many of whom are 1994
refugees who were living in town, or in Zairian villages
nearby or in Masisi, until the situation in these places
forced them to move to one of the camps.
2.4 A total of 1,479 mt food were received in Goma over the
past week.
3. ZAIRE - BUKAVU
3.1 Deliveries from the southern corridor continue to be
hampered due to ongoing congestion in the Kigoma port caused
by a pile-up of commercial cargo destined for Burundi. Barge
availability on the lake is however improving and the two WFP
cranes positioned in Uvira are now under repair.
3.2 The transfer of Kabingu camp on Idjwi island was
completed with an initial figure of 10,960 beneficiaries from
the previous figure of 8,560 for the camp. This increase was
noted by the registration operation in July. A verification
exercise was carried out in Nyamirangwe resulting in a
decrease of 1,000 beneficiaries from initial figures and
representing a decrease of 3,300 from the list handed in by
camp leaders.
3.3 Food-for-work projects continue. CARE is supervising the
rehabilitation of 16 km of the Chimanga road, SINEDEUR is
finishing a 10 km stretch of the same road and GTZ has begun a
maintenance project of 26 km of the beginning of the Chimanga
road.
3.4 The NGO, CEPZa CELZa, has agreed to take over the
management of Nyangezi Mulwa camp from the departing NGO, GOAL
Ireland.
4. ZAIRE - UVIRA
4.1 Refugees continue to arrive in Uvira from Cibitoke,
Bubanza and Kayanza provinces in Burundi at a rate of about
300 per day. New arrivals will be accommodated in Kajembo camp
until the new Kahanda camp opens.
4.2 Off-loading of food at Uvira has been very slow as a
result of the untimely breakdown of both WFP cranes which are
presently under repair. The technician carrying needed spare
parts finally reached Uvira after experiencing difficulties
with getting out of Bujumbura last week.
5. TANZANIA
5.1 New arrivals continue to enter Tanzania. From 11 to 18
August, 572 entered Ngara district of which 91 per cent are
reported to be Burundians, 242 refugees entered Kasulu and 197
entered Kibondo districts. Total refugee population reported,
as of 18 August, at 652,140.
6. RWANDA
6.1 A total of 17,209 Rwandan refugees repatriated from
Magara camp in Burundi from 13 to 20 August. WFP continues to
distribute a two-month food aid package to repatriates at the
Butare transit centre in Rwanda before returnees depart to
their home communes.
6.2 Burundian refugees continue to trickle to Rwanda despite
border closure. The total population of Burundian refugees in
the country is estimated at 3,809 persons as of 14 August (an
additional 2,000 have been in Rwanda since 1993). A new camp
for more permanent accommodation of the recent caseload has
been identified, about 3 km from Bugarama town. Preparation
for the new camp is going well and it is expected that the
camp will be established within two weeks.
B. ANGOLA
1. UPDATE
1.1 On 10 August, a UNAVEM road convoy transporting UNITA
soldiers and their families to the Lumege Cameia quartering
area (in Moxico province) hit a land-mine, about 15 km from
Luena city. The accident injured seven of the UNITA soldiers
and partially destroyed one of the vehicles. None of the
UNAVEM personnel were injured. UNITA has requested a guarantee
of safety from UNAVEM for the soldiers and families remaining
in Luena city.
1.2 As a consequence of this incident, UNITA authorities in
Moxico province temporarily restricted all UN agency and NGO
air and road movements into and out of UNITA administered
areas in the province. These restrictions were to be enforced
until the mine incident had been investigated by UNAVEM and
the road again demined. On 19 August, the restrictions to air
movements and contact with UNITA within the province had been
lifted. However, the Luena/Lumege Cameia road is still out of
bounds until it has been reverified. Thus movement of food and
personnel to Lumege Cameia is temporarily via air only.
1.3 The 1996 national seeds and tools distribution will
commence soon, as the start of the planting season in most
areas of Angola is September. WFP will be the main logistics
partner for the seeds provided by ODA and EU. (The other major
donor of seeds is USAID).
1.4 Some beneficiaries of seeds will receive a one-off food
ration simultaneously with their seed kit, as a "seed
protection ration", distributed only in areas where NGOs have
reason to believe that there is low food security and the real
risk of people eating or selling their seeds instead of
planting them. Of the estimated 560,000 families expected to
receive seeds in 1996 from the various donors, only about 40
percent will receive a specific seed protection ration. Almost
all of this seed protection food is to be provided and
transported throughout the country by WFP before September.
This represents a total of about 13,000 mt food, over and
above WFP's normal monthly food assistance programme.
1.5 Demobilisation update
a) The quartering areas of Caiundo, Chitembo, N'Tuco, Quibaxe
and Lumege were declared closed by the Joint Commission,
bringing the total number of Qas closed to 13. No more new
incoming soldiers are expected for these areas. Only Likua and
Muxinda remain open to receive more soldiers.
b) The plan for the demobilization of underage soldiers has
been approved by the Joint Commission and the Council of
Ministers. The actual demobilization operation is set to start
on 26 August. In the meantime, WFP has already pre-positioned
food for the demobilization operation of disabled UNITA
soldiers in the centres of Biongue, Jamba and Kavaleka, in
southern Kuando Kubango. After the underage soldiers, the next
to be demobilized will be the disabled soldiers.
c) With regard to the able-bodied soldiers, the selection
teams are finding a dearth of volunteers to join the armed
forces. The total number of UNITA soldiers to be integrated
into the unified armed forces is 26,500.
1.6 WFP stock in-country as of 16 August were 42,856 mt.
Foreseen arrivals up to mid-September are 1,222 mt of pulses,
976 mt of canned meat and 20 mt biscuits.
1.7 Over the period 5 to 18 August, the following quantities
of food were delivered by WFP: by road 2,890 mt; by air 950
mt; total 3,840 mt.
C. RUSSIAN FEDERATION - CHECHNYA
1. Update
1.1 Due to renewed military action and internal hostilities,
WFP expects an influx of 20,000 Chechens from the city of
Grozny to seek refuge in the neighbouring republics of North
Ossetia, Ingushetia and Daghestan within the next few days.
Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Autonomous Republic, had
some 400,000 inhabitants before fighting erupted in December
1994. Half of the city population has escaped from the capital
since hostilities began. The fighting has resulted in massive
destruction of the city's housing infrastructure.
1.2 Two safe corridors have been created for the movement of
people from the city, leading from Grozny towards Ingushetia
and North Ossetia. Internally displaced people (IDPs) are
arriving in Vladikavkas (North Ossetia) at a rate of 350 per
day. In Ingushetia, the number of new IDPs has already risen
to 14,000. Although access to Daghestan has been severed and
there is no safe corridor available, some 1,000 people are
registering every day as newly displaced persons.
1.3 People are fleeing with no assets and no place to go.
Relief assistance provided by local authorities is minimal and
about to dry up. North Ossetia has already exhausted its
shelter capacity and most IDPs are sent to reception centres
in other parts of southern Russia. In Ingushetia, the first
tent camps have been set up, an indication that the local
absorption capacity has come to an end. Until this time, IDPs
had been accommodated with host families and in public
centres. In Daghestan, the situation is similar, with an on-
going daily influx of people. The most immediate problem is
shelter.
1.4 The WFP food stocks on the ground consist of wheat flour
and a limited amount of humanitarian daily rations (HDRs),
stored in Daghestan. Further bulk food consignments of sugar
and oil are on the way, but not expected to arrive before
mid-September. As there is an urgent need to provide food to
new IDPs, who are still in search of shelter and have no
access to cooking facilities, WFP is distributing HDRs (in the
form of Meals Ready to Eat) airlifted to the area in July by
the United States government as contingency rations. Further
airlifts of HDRs have been requested. WFP will airlift
supplies of High Energy Biscuits from emergency reserve stocks
in Pisa. Once the new IDPs have settled themselves in
temporary accommodation they will be included in the on-going
WFP relief assistance programme of bulk food distributions to
displaced persons in Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Daghestan.
Over the past 18 months, WFP has been assisting about 220,000
displaced people from Chechnya.
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 33 of 1996 - August 23, 1996)
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