This report includes: A) Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire and Tanzania
B) Uganda C) Sierra Leone D) Angola E) Albania.
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).
Note: because of the holiday on 1 May in Rome and in many of the
WFP offices reporting on countries below, most information in
this issue of the Emergency Report is as of 28/29 April.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS
(Details below in Part II)
A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE
AND TANZANIA
1. Zaire - information as of 29 April
a) Air and road survey missions to locate Rwandan refugees south
of Kisangani continue. Some 10,000 refugees located near Biaro
camp.
b) On 29 April, a limited number of trucks are allowed to
deliver supplies and return with refugees from Biaro. A train
loaded with 115 metric tons of WFP food commodities is delayed
awaiting clearance, but as of 1 May had reached Biaro.
c) Rebels move several hundred refugees from Biaro to Kisangani
by train.
d) Alliance authorities set deadline of sixty days for UN to
repatriate Rwandan refugees, but deadline may be flexible.
Authorities agree to open up roads and airports for the
repatriation. First airlift of refugees directly to Kigali takes
place on 27 April. Both WFP and UNHCR planes are involved in the
repatriation operation.
2. Rwanda
a) Plans for a Food Assessment Unit under discussion between
WFP, USAID, FAO and the National Food Committee. Ongoing
discussions with SCF-UK concerning a Food Assessment Monitoring
and Household Food Security Survey Unit.
3. Burundi
a) Short-term assistance required in Gatara commune, Kayanza
province, as a result of recent crop damage caused by a violent
storm.
b) Clearance sought from AFDL to move food to Uvira via Burundi,
to prepare for return of Zairian refugees now in Tanzania.
4. Tanzania
a) Some 7,000 refugees from Burundi cross into Kasulu district
through the Biharu and Kitanga border points between 21 and 27
April. The most vulnerable refugees are moved by truck by UNHCR
to transit centres in Kasulu.
b) Repatriation of Zairean refugees in Kigoma to Uvira to start
once clearance for operation obtained in Uvira. Of the estimated
80,000 Zaireans in Kigoma, 5,000 have registered for
repatriation.
c) Deteriorating road conditions in Kigoma hamper food
deliveries.
B. UGANDA
1. Update
a) Attacks on refugee settlements reported in several parts of
northern Uganda. Clashes between government and rebels and
deteriorating security situation constrain work of aid agencies
in Gulu.
C. SIERRA LEONE
1. Update
a) Three-month resettlement rations distributed by WFP to
220,000 resettled internally displaced persons in early April;
operations now to concentrate on rehabilitation and development.
b) Spontaneous demobilisation of small groups of RUF rebels
continues, but power struggle within RUF is threatening the peace
process.
D. ANGOLA
1. Update
a) FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Mission begins.
b) Demobilisation process gains momentum with the establishment
of the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation.
E. ALBANIA
1. Update
a) A WFP country office opens in Tirana.
PART II - DETAILS
A. EAST AFRICA: REGIONAL OPERATION FOR BURUNDI, RWANDA, ZAIRE,
TANZANIA
1. ZAIRE - most information as of 29 April
1.1 Aid agencies continue to carry out air and road survey
missions, trying to locate Rwandan refugees scattered in forests
south of Kisangani. As reported last week, over 85,000 refugees
left their camps at Kasese and Biaro, following attacks by local
villagers and rebels. On 28 April, a group of some 10,000
refugees was found between km 30 - 41, in the vicinity of Biaro
camp. Hungry and exhausted refugees continue to emerge from the
forest and the number of refugees at Biaro is now estimated to be
between 10,000 and 15,000. Arrangements have been made to provide
food and medicines to the refugees at this site, which is
expected to become a temporary centre and transit point until the
refugees are repatriated to Rwanda.
1.2 Despite guarantees given by rebel authorities, access and
safe passage for staff and vehicles carrying relief assistance
for Rwandan refugees is still problematic. On 29 April, an
eleven-truck convoy loaded with food and medicine left Kisangani,
towards the south. It was planned that the trucks would deliver
food and medicines to the refugees concentrating at Biaro, and
then return to Kisangani carrying refugees for repatriation to
Rwanda. Only three trucks were allowed to pass by rebel
authorities and only a small number of refugees could return to
Kisangani. A train loaded with 115 metric tons of WFP food
commodities and some non-food items also waited several days for
authorisation to leave Kisangani for Biaro. Update: as of 1 May,
the train had reached Biaro.
1.3 Alliance authorities have given the UN sixty days to track
down and repatriate Rwandan refugees, but in more recent
discussions with the American envoy to the UN, Ambassador
Richardson, they have indicated that this deadline may not be
strictly applied. Authorities have agreed to open up roads and
airports for the repatriation. The plan is to move the refugees
who are between Kisangani and Biaro to Kisangani and from there
by air to Rwanda. The refugees who are concentrated between Biaro
and Ubundu will be moved to the airstrip at km 95 from where they
will be flown to Rwanda. The first airlift of refugees directly
to Kigali took place on 27 April. On 30 April, several hundred
refugees were moved from Biaro to Kisangani by train, a trip
organised by rebel authorities. These and other refugees arriving
in Kisangani are being flown to Kigali in WFP and UNHCR planes.
1.4 The international airport at Kisangani is now open for aid
flights. WFP planes airlifting food from Entebbe in Uganda and
Mwanza in Tanzania started landing there on 30 April, instead of
at the Municipal airport used so far. From 21 and 27 April, WFP
delivered over 550 metric tons of commodities to Kisangani. WFP
stocks as of 29 April total 1,040 metric tons of various food,
representing a 22 days supply for cereals, 14 days supply for
pulses, 37 days for oil, 31 days for salt and a 3 days supply of
corn soya blend, for a caseload of 100,000 beneficiaries.
1.5 ICRC has airlifted some 3,000 displaced Zaireans from
Kisangani to Goma, since the beginning of this operation on 15
April. It is estimated that the total number of internally
displaced persons still remaining in Kisangani is around 6,000 to
7,000 persons, a much lower figure than previously estimated. A
new registration exercise is under process, to determine the new
caseload for purposes of food distributions.
2. RWANDA
2.1 From January to end April, WFP delivered 53,455 metric tons
of food to projects and distribution centres in Rwanda. Of this
total, 36, 510 metric tons were provided for distribution to
returnees and displaced persons, amounting to 2.9 million rations
of mixed food commodities. WFP plans to move some 14,000 metric
tons of food commodities to Rwanda during the month of May.
2.2 WFP has released the first instalment of funds to support
relief food distributions by the National Food Committee (NFC).
WFP is presently procuring vehicles and bicycles for delivery to
the NFC. The procurement process is due to be completed by mid
May. In total, WFP will provide up to USD 293,000 to the NFC.
2.3 WFP is discussing with USAID, FAO and the National Food
Committee the establishment of a Food Assessment Unit.
Discussions have also been maintained with SCF-UK related to a
Food Assessment Monitoring and Household Food Security Survey
Unit. It is expected that this unit will identify pockets of
poverty and areas considered to be vulnerable, helping WFP to
target programme activities more accurately and assisting in
building the capacity of the Government in the management and use
of food aid.
3. BURUNDI
3.1 WFP has conducted a road transport assessment of the route
to Uvira, in anticipation of planned road convoys through Burundi
to Uvira. This is in view of the expected pre-positioning of food
in Uvira for the returning refugees from Kigoma camps in
Tanzania. All clearances have been received from the Burundian
Government and clearances from AFDL authorities are now awaited.
3.2 WFP is considering the provision of short-term assistance in
Gatara commune, Kayanza province, after a storm devastated crops
in the area.
3.3 Current food stocks in Burundi stand at 2,586 metric tons.
This is sufficient to cover requirements for the next month,
except for pulses which are sufficient to cover requirements for
two weeks. From 21 to 27 April WFP distributed 527 metric tons of
food to 173,336 beneficiaries.
4. TANZANIA
4.1 Close to 7,000 Burundian refugees crossed the Biharu and
Kitanga border points and entered Kasulu district in Tanzania,
between 21 and 27 April. UNHCR is trucking the most vulnerable
refugees while the others are walking to transit centres in
Kasulu.
4.2 The repatriation of Zairean refugees in Kigoma has not yet
started, pending clearance from UNHCR in Uvira, Zaire. There are
an estimated 80,000 Zaireans in Kigoma and 5,000 have already
registered for repatriation. It is considered likely that if a
first group repatriates successfully, most of the others would
follow. Food to Uvira will be transported either by barge from
Kigoma or by truck through Burundi, as described above.
4.3 Deteriorating road conditions in Kigoma continue to hamper
food deliveries. Trucks are stuck 75 km away from Kasulu, heading
towards Lugufu camp. This is affecting the stock position of food
commodities in the camp. Very poor road conditions are also
affecting the supply of water to the camp.
B. UGANDA
1. UPDATE
1.1 Security remains uncertain in many parts of northern Uganda.
Rhino Camp, a Sudanese refugee settlement in Arua was attacked on
the night of 21 April. An NGO compound in Arua was also attacked.
In Palorinya, another settlement for Sudanese refugees located in
east Moyo, refugees and local populations have reported
harassment and looting. In Gulu, the deteriorating security
situation is limiting movements of aid agency personnel and the
road between Gulu and Pakelle is described as unsafe, with
clashes between Government soldiers and rebels reported in the
Atiak area.
1.2 The Government of Uganda wants all Rwandan refugees who
arrived from Tanzania during December and January, and who are
presently in camps in south-western Uganda, to repatriate by 15
May. Government officials visiting the camps have been passing
this message to the refugees and advising that no food or other
form of assistance will be provided after this date. Some 7,000
Rwandan refugees came to Uganda from Tanzania but many have since
left the camps. Presently there are only 3,000 such refugees in
camps in Uganda.
C. SIERRA LEONE
1. UPDATE
1.1 WFP completed distribution of three-month resettlement
rations to more than 220,000 resettled internally displaced
persons in early April and is now concentrating assistance to
rehabilitation and development-oriented programmes. Some 50,000
families are currently involved in food-for-work and
food-for-agriculture activities nation-wide. Food-for-agriculture
activities include the rehabilitation of thousands of acres of
coffee, cocoa, oil palm, citrus fruit, banana and pineapple
plantations to jump start the local economy. Food-for-work
activities include the construction of housing and shelter in
areas of resettlement and the rehabilitation of roads leading to
villages.
1.2 The National Technical Committee is implementing a combined
food basket monitoring and food security survey to gauge the
effectiveness of targeted feeding programmes and ensure that they
are meeting the needs of people during this transition period.
WFP continues to provide emergency rations to displaced
populations where and when necessary as a result of isolated
security incidents.
1.3 A total of 57 rebels have surrendered to local authorities
and spontaneous demobilisation continues. Although this kind of
demobilisation is seen as a positive sign, the peace process is
at a standstill as the power struggle among the rebels continues
since the ousting of RUF founder Foday Sankoh in March. On 29
March, three members of the Commission for the Consolidation of
Peace were abducted by RUF fighters loyal to Sankoh. The
Government of Sierra Leone has urged the international community
to put pressure on the RUF to release the hostages and move
forward with the peace process.
D. ANGOLA
1. UPDATE
1.1 A two-week FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Mission began on 28
April in Luanda. The mission will visit the provinces of Bie,
Bengo, Benguela, Cunene, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Huambo, Huila
and Moxico to assess national food production levels and review
overall relief requirements for the next year.
1.2 The demobilisation process has gained momentum since the
establishment of the Government of National Unity and
Reconciliation. A total of 2,567 soldiers have been successfully
demobilised from Central Region quartering areas of Vila Nova
(1,009), Londuimbali (203) and Quibala (897) and from the special
war disabled centre of Bonga (458). The exercise is currently
continuing at the N'Gove and Chicuma quartering areas in the
Southern Region. Overall, 3,505 soldiers have been demobilised
since the exercise first began with under-age soldiers in
September 1996.
1.3 A large-scale government resettlement plan is scheduled to
begin in June in Huila province as the impact of the overall
peace process extends further. WFP Lubango staff will assess food
and other conditions at proposed resettlement sites for some
14,700 families residing in displacement camps in Huila and
Namibe provinces, in early May. WFP also plans to assist in the
transportation of families to their areas of origin. Food and
seed protection packages along with non-food items such as
building materials and agricultural tools will be distributed to
returnees.
1.4 Under a WFP-assisted food-for-work project supporting both
internally displaced persons and local villagers, work was
completed on the 185 km-long Luanda-Dondo (Cuanza Norte province)
railway on 26 April. This is the first time since 1991 that the
railway has been operational.
E. ALBANIA
1. UPDATE
1.1 As of 1 May, WFP has established a country office in
Albania. The address is Musa Karapici Street 4, Tirana. Phone/fax
3554241019, mobile phone 355382023314. The office will oversee
WFP's ongoing food distribution operations to impoverished
families in Albania.
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 18 of 1997 - May 2, 1997)
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