Report No. 3 of 1997 Date: 17 January 1997 This report includes: A) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire and Tanzania B) Sudan C) Former Yugoslavia. From P. Ares, Chief, Programming Service. Available on the Internet at WFP Home Page http://www.wfp.org/ or by e-mail from HicksDeb@wfp.org (fax 39 6 5228 2837). For information regarding resources, donors are requested to contact Mr. F. Strippoli or Ms. A. Blum, WFP Rome (telephone 39 6 5228 2504 or 5228 2004). PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II) A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE AND TANZANIA 1. Zaire - most information as of 16 January 1997 a) Assistance to Rwandan and Burundian refugees in Tingi Tingi and Amisi by UN agencies and NGOs continues. As of 16 January, Tingi Tingi and Lubutu were calm but with rumours of fighting east of Tingi Tingi. b) A total of 451 metric tons of foodstuff airlifted to Kisangani from 6 to 12 January on the WFP-chartered Boeing 707 and 72 metric tons airlifted to Tingi Tingi. c) WFP resumes flights into Amisi and Tingi Tingi on 17 January after suspension of flights following incident in Amisi on 14 January. Outside of this break, WFP supplies an estimated 80 percent of the food needs of the refugee population at the two locations (160,000), moving food both by air and overland. d) A UNHCR/WFP/UNICEF mission visits Shabunda on 14 and 15 January. Estimated refugee at three spontaneous settlements outside of Shabunda is 30,000. 2. RWANDA a) WFP discusses guidelines with the Government to ensure efficient handling and distribution of WFP commodities, monitoring and reporting, following decision that that local authorities will carry out distributions. b) Increase in repatriation from South Kivu as 8,642 returnees arrive in Rwanda via Cyangugu in one week. 3. Tanzania a) Clashes between Hutu extremist factions in the Burundian refugees in Kitali Hills camps in Ngara continue. 4. Burundi a) Embargo continues to restrict ability of international humanitarian organisations to provide aid to vulnerable populations in Burundi. Fuel stocks being depleted.. b) Permission to transport food relief via Lake Tanganyika from Kigoma confirmed. c) Burundi army arrests seven soldiers after 122 Burundians expelled by Tanzania were killed at the Kobero border crossing (Muyinga province). d) Insecurity and mine incidents continue. B. SUDAN 1. Update on food supply situation a) Because of good harvest reported in most of Sudan, WFP to provide emergency food assistance only to Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) areas where continuing conflict affects 2.6 million. Total needs are 48,900 metric tons; with carry-over and pipeline stocks covering 24,780 metric tons, the shortfall is 24,125 metric tons. Total assistance required for WFP's Sudan emergency operations in 1997, to cover food, transport and support costs, is estimated at USD 43,123,000. b) A UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Sudan for 1997 is to be presented to the donors in Geneva on 11 February. c) Scale of conflict may increase in intensity during 1997 and hostilities are expected to extend beyond the southern states to areas bordering Ethiopia and Eritrea. C. KENYA 1. Impact of drought in the north-east a) Prolonged drought in the north-eastern have been compounded by a failure of the long-rains (March-May) of 1996 and very late and insufficient precipitation during the 1996 short-rains season just ended. b) These conditions in the north-eastern regions have led to increases in wholesale maize prices, a spread in the incidence of malnutrition, further loss of livestock, and a rise in population movement in search of water, pasture and relief aid. c) WFP has been requested by the Government of Kenya to provide relief food for six months for 275,000 pre-primary and primary school children and for 225,000 other drought victims in the affected areas. The total number of people affected in the north-eastern and eastern regions is 1.6 million. D. FORMER YUGOSLAVIA 1. Update a) Severe funding crisis in WFP operation in former Yugoslavia may lead to major food aid shortages. Donors are urged to pledge food towards current operations. PART II - DETAILS A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE AND TANZANIA 1. ZAIRE - most information as of 16 January 1997 1.1 General a) UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) continue to assist Rwandan and Burundian refugees in makeshift settlements in eastern Zaire. Refugees are located in Tingi Tingi and Amisi (located near Lubutu, south-east of Kisangani, in the direction of Goma and Bukavu), and in Shabunda (west of Bukavu). These refugees are mostly from the Bukavu and Uvira camps; unlike their North Kivu counterparts these refugees were not able to return to Rwanda immediately following the ADFL offensive. Uvira and Bukavu refugees were instead pursued by ADFL rebels westward, deeper into the Zaire. 1.2 Kisangani, Amisi and Tingi Tingi a) During the week of 6 to 12 January, the security situation in Kisangani improved relative to the previous week. A curfew continues in place. b) Reports from Kisangani as of 16 January indicated that Tingi Tingi and Lubutu were calm however rumours of fighting east of Tingi Tingi have caused tension among refugees. c) The WFP-chartered Boeing 707 continues to fly to Kisangani. A total of 451 metric tons of foodstuff were airlifted to Kisangani from 6 to 12 January. During the same period, 72 metric tons were airlifted to Tingi Tingi. d) WFP suspended all relief flights to Amisi and Tingi Tingi from Kisangani between 14 and 16 January following an incident on 14 January in which armed men and refugees in Amisi tried to hijack an aircraft carrying WFP food commodities. The plane was later able to return to Kisangani. Flights resumed on 17 January. e) With the exception of the days on which flights were suspended, WFP is providing an estimated 80 percent of the food needs of the refugee population, is estimated at 160,000, through deliveries by air and overland. f) In Tingi Tingi, WFP is delivering maize meal and high-protein biscuits to therapeutic and supplementary feeding programmes run by MSF and UNICEF. 1.3 Shabunda a) UNHCR/WFP/UNICEF mission visited Shabunda on 14 and 15 January. The security situation was reported as calm. The mission located three spontaneous settlements between 3 and 13 km outside of Shabunda: Makese 1, with an estimated population of 6,000 to 7,000 Rwandan refugees; Makese 2, with an estimated population of 3,000 Burundian refugees; and Kabakita, with an estimated population of 20,000 Rwandan refugees. b) The mission brought with them to Shabunda one metric ton of UNIMIX for distribution to unaccompanied children. On 15 January, a UN DC-3 aircraft landed in Shabunda with another 500 kg of UNIMIX and one metric ton of WFP maize flour. The commodities are being kept at a warehouse. Distribution of the food aid will be carried out by the NGO called E Doctors, with the assistance of two WFP local staff currently at Shabunda. c) WFP is working with other UN agencies, ICRC and local authorities to ensure necessary security before initiating further food assistance. 1.4 Goma: On 7 January, North Kivu authorities opened the Bunagana entry point to public access, following the lifting of Uganda's border restrictions. The Ishasha border crossing remains closed. Barge services between Goma and Bukavu resumed during the week of 6 to 12 January and local port authorities (SFE) indicated their willingness to cooperate with WFP regarding the transport of commodities between the two ports. 2. RWANDA 2.1 The provision of food-aid to returnees continues throughout the country, with some 17,037 metric tons supplied and distributed with NGO partners since the beginning of the operation, in mid-November 1996. This quantity represents 1,134,270 individuals assisted with a monthly ration. Most distributions are carried out at the commune level, to heads of households (occasionally at the sector level). 2.2 Following the decision to provide six months of returnee packages instead of two and the decision by the Government that local authorities will carry out the distributions, WFP is discussing with the Government guidelines for local authorities to ensure efficient handling and distribution of WFP commodities and appropriate monitoring and reporting. 2.3 A noticeable increase in repatriation was observed last week from South Kivu (Zaire) when 8,642 returnees came to Rwanda via Cyangugu. WFP has pre-positioned 50 metric tons of biscuits in Cyangugu in case of increased repatriation in the coming week. Repatriation of Rwandan refugees via Goma also continues, with 1,362 persons arriving last week. 2.4 Mudende camp for Zairean refugees (Gisenyi) has been closed, with all 5,200 refugees repatriating. Kigeme camp (Gikongoro) which is hosting 1,600 Burundian refugees is also expected to close soon. 277 new refugees arrived from Burundi in Cyangugu last week. 2.5 The WFP Country Office received an additional 15 trucks (6 metric tons capacity) to be used within the Rwanda operation. The trucks arrived from the SCF/Oxfam Joint Transport Operation in Ethiopia, following an agreement with the Government of Ethiopia. 3. TANZANIA 3.1 Violent clashes between Hutu extremist faction among the Burundian refugees in Kitali Hills camps in Ngara, resulted in loss of life and severe injuries to some refugees. All efforts are being made to contain the situation. 3.2 From 9 to 14 January, 6,265 refugees crossed the Kigoma region border from Zaire. 3.3 Refugees are also arriving from Burundi, mostly from Ngozi province. About 210,000 Burundian refugees are presently in Tanzania. The Tanzanian authorities have stated that Burundian refugees who are registered by aid agencies will be allowed to stay. Burundian refugees who were in Benaco camps were relocated and registered in Lukoli camp during the week. More refugees are waiting for the screening exercise. 4. BURUNDI 4.1 UN agencies in Burundi issued a statement through the UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator saying that the embargo on the country "continues to impose severe restrictions on the ability of international humanitarian organisations to provide aid to the country's most vulnerable populations". Aid agencies are frustrated with continued difficulties in obtaining permission to import goods necessary for their humanitarian operations, despite their exemption from the sanctions by the Regional Sanctions Coordinating Committee in September and October 1996. In particular, only a one-month supply of fuel has been imported since an exemption was granted at the beginning of September, resulting in the depletion of fuel stocks. 4.2 The UN statement indicates that if permission to import more fuel is not given soon, emergency relief operations will be further reduced. The Regional Sanctions Committee is not expected to meet before the beginning of February, which is too late to address the serious situation faced by humanitarian agencies. 4.3 Permission to transport food relief via Lake Tanganyika from Kigoma was confirmed this week, although there is still some uncertainty as to the attitude of local authorities in Kigoma regarding the use of Burundian-registered barges. WFP intends to ship approximately 1,500 metric tons per month to Bujumbura from Kigoma by barge and to continue to truck 1,000 metric tons per month to Ngozi from Isaka. 4.4 The Burundi army arrested seven of its soldiers after 122 Burundians expelled by Tanzania were killed at the Kobero border crossing (Muyinga province) last week. 4.5 Insecurity continued in Bujumbura Rural and Bubanza province. In Bujumbura city, a grenade wounded 36 people in a bar. The main road south of Bujumbura (Route Nationale 3) continues to be extremely dangerous. Mines continue to threaten passengers of vehicles on dirt roads in several areas. 4.6 The WFP Burundi caseload totaled 135,237 from 6 to 12 January, of which 60,538 were beneficiaries of emergency relief distributions. The bulk of the emergency assistance went to displaced people in Gitega and Karuzi. B. KENYA 1. IMPACT OF DROUGHT IN THE NORTH-EAST 1.1 The north-eastern regions of Kenya have been experiencing severe drought conditions of a prolonged period since the 1992/94 drought. While poor rains were received in the short-rains season (October-December) of 1995, the seasonal long-rains (March-May) of 1996 failed completely. These adverse conditions were followed by very late and totally insufficient precipitation during the 1996 short-rains season just ended. 1.2 These conditions in the north-eastern regions have led to: (a) Wholesale maize prices increasing (b) Incidence of malnutrition spreading rapidly (c) Loss of livestock continuing due to decreased grazing capacity, and (d) Population movement in search of water, pasture and relief aid being on the rise. 1.3 The Government of Kenya this month requested WFP to provide relief food to cover about 275,000 pre-primary and primary school children in nine districts and in two divisions of a tenth district. Relief food aid was also requested for a further 225,000 drought victims in the same districts. Duration of assistance requested by the government is for six months. 1.4 Various organizations have suggested to the government that it give consideration to the lifting of the ban on commercial cereals imports in order to cover the gap between what is available in-country and what is required to cover the basic needs of the estimated 1.6 million drought-affected people in the north-eastern and eastern regions. C. SUDAN 1. UPDATE ON FOOD SUPPLY SITUATION 1.1 Following Food Availability and Crop Assessment Missions in conjunction with UNICEF and FAO in both the Southern Sector (September 1996) and Northern Sector (November-December 1996), WFP foresees a 1996-97 cereal harvest 50 percent greater than last year and even slightly higher than the excellent 1994-95 crop. The only negative note concerns millet-producing areas which will produce only half of the production of the 1994-95 exceptional year. 1.2 As a result WFP plans to provide emergency food assistance only to the Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) areas where continuing conflict prevents 2.6 million from access to food or a livelihood that would enable them to purchase. At the same time, WFP will monitor several areas of Darfur, Kordofan and especially Eastern provinces to ensure that adequate amounts of affordable food will be transferred from surplus-producing areas. 1.3 The 1997 UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Sudan is currently in preparation and is expected to be presented to the donors in Geneva on 11 February. WFP expects to request food and support costs that will enable the Programme to meet the needs of 2.6 million beneficiaries in displaced camps and in the conflict-affected areas of the transitional zone and the states of Bahr El Ghazel, Upper Nile, Jonglei and Equatoria: an estimated total of 48,905 metric tons almost equally divided between Northern and Southern sector operations. 1.4 Carry-over and pipeline stocks will already provide 24,780 metric tons, leaving a shortfall of 24,125 metric tons. Total assistance (food, transport and support costs) required for WFP's Sudan emergency operations in 1997 is estimated at USD 43,123,000. 1.5 It is generally recognized that the scale of conflict may increase in intensity during 1997 and hostilities may be extended beyond the southern states to areas bordering Ethiopia and Eritrea. The result for WFP and OLS would generally be a simultaneous increase in needy populations and limitations on access. However, given the vast geographical extent of Sudan, large-scale operations by WFP/OLS are expected to continue. WFP has in place the capacity and the planning to continually monitor the situation as events require. D. FORMER YUGOSLAVIA 1. UPDATE 1.1 The WFP operation in former Yugoslavia is facing a severe funding crisis. Unless donors come forward immediately, there will soon be major food aid shortages throughout former Yugoslavia and hundreds of thousands of people will be without bread in the coming months. In November 1996, the UN issued the 1997 consolidated appeal for former Yugoslavia in which WFP requested 204,500 metric tons of food aid to meet the needs of refugees, internally displaced persons and, in the case of Bosnia, other vulnerable war-affected people. This requirement, for over 2.2 million beneficiaries, represented a 40 percent decrease compared to 1996. However, there is grave concern about meeting these minimum needs, as few major pledges of food aid have so far been made. 1.2 Wheat flour for relief distributions will run out as early as March in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, April in Eastern Slavonia and May in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The large majority of these people are refugees and internally displaced persons, who are dependent on humanitarian food aid and would go without their staple ration of bread. From donor confirmation to food receipt by beneficiaries takes three months or more, so unless donors respond immediately over two million people will go hungry in the spring. 1.3 Despite progress in the consolidation of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the lifting of sanctions in FRY and plans for re-integration in Eastern Slavonia, the returnee/resettlement programme of some two million refugees and internally displaced is almost at a standstill and there is considerable economic hardship in all of these countries. In Bosnia and Herzegovina over 50 percent of the population is unemployed. Assets have been used up during four years of war and the benefits of international emergency rehabilitation support to the country over the past year have not yet trickled down to the household level. 1.4 WFP has re-assessed and re-targeted its programme in the whole region. Beneficiary numbers have been reduced from approximately 2.4 million in August 1996 to 1.8 million for February 1997 and further reductions are planned. But even with this reduced caseload the current pipeline will not meet the needs of the most vulnerable after May. If these 1.8 million people do not receive a basic food aid ration in June, the social stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be undermined during the crucial stabilisation period of the peace process. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of refugees in Serbia, Montenegro and Eastern Slavonia would add severe hunger to their current distress. WFP urges donors to help avert this crisis. (End WFP Emergency Report No. 3 of 1997 - January 17, 1997)
distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: listproc@vita.org sitreps nat-dsr appeal fireline web: www.vita.org rwanda - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Food Program Reports: http://www.vita.org/disaster/wfp