Report No. 45 of 1997 Date: 7 November 1997This report includes: A) Afghanistan B) Thailand C) Central Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) D) East Africa: Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda E) Recently approved EMOPs and PROs.
>From J.-M. Boucher, Chief, Programming Service. Available on the Internet at WFP Home Page http://www.wfp.org/ or by e-mail from Deborah.Hicks@wfp.org (fax 39 6 6513 2837). For information regarding resources, donors are requested to contact Francesco.Strippoli@wfp.org or Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 6 6513 2504 or 6513 2004.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II)
A. AFGHANISTAN
1. Update a) WFP to join inter-agency gender mission led by UN Assistant Secretary-General in charge of women's rights. b) Head of the Shura confirms that hospitals in Kabul can cater to both men and women. c) Despite appeals to all parties, systematic looting of WFP's warehouse at Hairatan by soldiers continues. d) Intensive negotiations to move food aid into Bamyan province (the Hazarajat region) continue.
B. THAILAND
1. WFP EMOP for Cambodian refugees a) WFP emergency operation approved for assistance to recently arrived Cambodian refugees in Thailand, to feed 70,000 people between November 1997 and June 1998. Food requirements are 8,000 metric tons. b) Some voluntary repatriation possible, but refugees continue to arrive in the south-east; more people reported waiting to cross into Thailand.
C. CENTRAL AFRICA: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND REPUBLIC OF CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE)
1. Update a) Some movement of refugees in Kinshasa back to Congo/Brazzaville with reopening of border, but majority remain in DR Congo. b) To cover new needs in Congo/Brazzaville, WFP food assistance will be within the framework of the on-going 1997 Great Lakes Regional emergency operation. Additional funds required for the WFP operation will be included in the up-coming UN Flash Appeal for the Republic of Congo, to be launched on 10 November. c) In eastern DR Congo, many displaced Congolese reported to be returning to Masisi area.
D. EAST AFRICA: RWANDA, BURUNDI, TANZANIA AND UGANDA
1. Rwanda a) Expelled Rwandans (some 1,270) return home from Tanzania. b) Under new safety procedures, UN convoys to be escorted by a convoy commander and mobile communications unit.
2. Burundi a) Distributions to regrouped persons in camps in Karuzi temporarily suspended, pending clarification on beneficiary numbers; distributions of return packages to formerly regrouped populations continue.
3. Tanzania a) WFP emergency operation to assist 1.4 million victims of drought in Tanzania jointly approved by FAO and WFP on 6 November; total food requirements are 76,000 metric tons.
4. Uganda a) WFP takes over distributions in Kitgum district, following departure of implementing partner. b) Assistance continues to displaced in Gulu, where military escorts accompany distribution teams.
E. RECENTLY APPROVED WFP EMERGENCY AND PROTRACTED RELIEF OPERATIONS
1. Operations approved between 15 October and 6 November 1997 a) Approved: Madagascar EMOP 5945; Angola PRO 5602.02; Thailand EMOP 5946; Tanzania EMOP 5889.
PART II - DETAILS
A. AFGHANISTAN
1. UPDATE
1.1 WFP will participate in an inter-agency gender mission led by the UN Assistant Secretary-General in charge of Women's Rights, which will begin its work in Islamabad on 12 November 1997. The mission is a follow-up to the Strategic Framework mission recently completed and will look at ways the edicts issued by the Secretary-General on 26 June 1997 are to be applied to operations. The edicts are intended to address human rights and gender concerns in UN-assisted programmes in Afghanistan. The mission is expected to undertake field visits within Afghanistan and to meet with donor, NGO and other representatives.
1.2 A commission consisting of UN, ICRC and NGO representatives had been negotiating the issue of women's equal access to health care in hospitals in Kabul. The head of the (Taliban) Shura in Kabul, Mr. Rabani, has this week confirmed in writing that hospitals in Kabul can cater to both men and women, but in separate wards.
1.3 As previously reported, the health sector in Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, is heavily dependent on UN/ICRC/NGO assistance. WFP continues to assist this sector through feeding programs in clinics and hospitals and the provision of food for health sector rehabilitation.
1.4 In northern Afghanistan, looting of WFP's warehouse at Hairatan on the border with Uzbekistan continues, this time by forces of the Northern Alliance in control of the area. Initial thefts of 500 metric tons occurred during the Taliban's occupation of the strategic city, and have continued since that time. Before the looting began, WFP stocks were 2,290 metric tons of wheat and wheat flour and 63 metric tons of vegetable oil. The Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Afghanistan and WFP have appealed to all parties, including General Dostrum and his representatives in Islamabad, Termez and Hairatan, to protect food aid stocks in Hairatan. Despite these urgent requests, only 190 metric tons of wheat now remain in the warehouse.
1.5 Efforts to move the remaining 190 metric tons of wheat from Hairatan to Bamyan province (part of the Hazarajat region) in the north central part of the country continue. Intensive negotiations are on-going with the Northern Alliance, to deliver food to Bamyan from the north via Termez in Turkmenistan accompanied by military escort, and with the Taliban for deliveries from the south via Ghazni. Due to the prolonged blockade from the south, WFP stocks in the area are virtually nil. Between the almost complete economic blockade and a poor 1997 harvest due to flooding and frost, food prospects in the province are poor, with the exception of an unexportable surplus potato crop. A recent WFP/Oxfam mission to the area recommended that food assistance be provided to 20,000-30,000 vulnerable persons whose household food reserves are expected to be depleted by early December. As an immediate response, WFP has locally purchased 25 metric tons of potatoes for distribution to this group.
B. THAILAND
1. WFP EMERGENCY OPERATION FOR CAMBODIAN REFUGEES
1.1 In response to the recent influx of Cambodian refugees into Thailand, WFP has approved Emergency Operation THA 5946, Assistance to Cambodian Refugees in Thailand, which will feed up to 70,000 people between November 1997 and June 1998. The food requirement is 8,000 metric tons. This assistance is valued at USD 3.2 million.
1.2 Since July, internal fighting in Cambodia has resulted in an increased number of displaced people in Cambodia, particularly in the north-west and south-west areas of the country. By early August 1997, pockets of refugees began forming in two areas of Thailand. One group is in the north-eastern Thai border area, in Kap Cherng district of Surin province, while other groups formed in the south-eastern Thai border area of Trat province. The Royal Thai Government has granted temporary shelter to these Cambodians, but has made it clear that it expects an early resolution of the problem and early repatriation. For this reason, the camps are rudimentary, with people living under simple thatch and plastic shelters. Large-scale assistance is being discouraged but a limited number of NGOs, under the auspices of the Thai Red Cross, are providing essential medical and other basic assistance.
1.3 Of the current refugee population of about 64,000 persons, twenty-three percent are adult females and thirty-two percent are girls. The refugees are mostly living in family groups, though there have been reports of some unaccompanied minors. There appears to be a high percentage of handicapped people, particularly land-mine victims. Many of the refugees were able to bring some of their personal belongings and household goods with them, including livestock in some instances. Basic food and essential services are required so that the population does not become increasingly destitute as a result of selling off limited possessions to cover needed expenditures.
1.4 Some of the people in the north-eastern camp have expressed an interest in early voluntary repatriation to Cambodia, security conditions permitting, and UNHCR has started the repatriation process. So far, more than 2,200 people have voluntarily returned to Cambodia under the UNHCR programme. WFP provides a basic ration package to all returnees upon their arrival in Cambodia. However people continue to arrive in the south-eastern camps to avoid the fighting in Cambodia and there are reports of more people waiting to cross into Thailand.
1.5 A sum of USD 1.2 million for this operation has been advanced by WFP from Immediate Response Account funds.
C. CENTRAL AFRICA: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND REPUBLIC OF CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE)
1.1 Kinshasa and Congo/Brazzaville
a) The border between DR Congo and Congo/Brazzaville re-opened on 31 October and ferry-boats are shuttling daily across the river. A few Congolese refugees who had been staying with host families in Kinshasa have returned to Brazzaville. However, the majority of the refugees is still awaiting improvements in the situation before returning. A few newcomers have also been registered and the total refugee population in Kinkole and Kinshasa is estimated at 40,000 persons.
b) To respond to new needs in Congo/Brazzaville, additional food requirements will be covered, for WFP internal accounting purposes, within the framework of the on-going 1997 Great Lakes Regional emergency operation. WFP will appeal only for funds under the up-coming UN Flash Appeal for the Republic of Congo, but these funds will be accounted for in the framework of the Great Lakes Regional emergency operation, for which a UN consolidated appeal for 1998 is under preparation. The Flash Appeal is due to be launched on 10 November.
c) WFP Kinshasa continues to distribute food commodities to refugees at Kinkole and to health centres in Brazzaville.
1.2 Eastern DR Congo
a) In Goma, WFP food continues to be distributed to displaced Congolese, participants in food-for-work projects, hospital in-patients, unaccompanied children and participants of supplementary and therapeutic feeding programmes. It has been reported that many displaced Congolese are returning to their places of origin in the Masisi area. Pockets of insecurity still do not permit travel to the area to assess the food requirements of the returning populations.
b) On 30 October three boats carrying 887 Congolese expelled from Tanzania arrived in Uvira. Many of these Congolese, apprehended during the ongoing round-up of illegal immigrant by the Tanzanian government, had lived in Kigoma for more than 20 years. Local authorities in Uvira have organized their reception and humanitarian agencies are providing them with food, non-food items and medical assistance, as well as transportation.
D. EAST AFRICA: RWANDA, BURUNDI, TANZANIA AND UGANDA
1. RWANDA
1.1 During October, 1,270 Rwandans returned home after being expelled from Tanzania. The majority of these people fled Rwanda in the late fifties and early sixties and had since established themselves in Tanzania. The majority of those returning are women and children.
1.2 The distribution of seed protection packages has been completed in all prefectures, except for Kibuye, where insecurity hampered deliveries. A food-for-work mission that visited Kibuye noticed that despite insufficient food deliveries, food-for-work activities were progressing as per schedule.
1.3 WFP has completed the delivery of the required food commodities to Mubende camp in Gisenyi which hosts an estimated 15,000 refugees from DR Congo. UNHCR plans to carry out a registration exercise during the next food distribution in order to obtain updated and reliable caseload figures. The management of this refugee camp, previously under the responsibility of COOPI, has now been handed over to the Rwandan Red Cross.
1.4 New convoy procedures have been put in place by the UN, following the killing of a driver of a WFP truck on 20 October. All convoys will from now on be escorted by a convoy commander and will be equipped with a mobile communications unit. The number of escort vehicles is being increased, along with the provision of communications equipment to truck drivers.
2. BURUNDI
2.1 Between 27 October and 2 November 303,000 beneficiaries received WFP food in Burundi: 140,000 beneficiaries received emergency rations; 105,000 returnees and displaced persons returning home received return packages; 13,000 participants in food-for-work programmes were provided with family rations and 46,000 vulnerable persons received therapeutic and supplementary feeding.
2.2 The distribution of emergency rations to regrouped persons in camps in Karuzi has been temporarily suspended, pending clarification on beneficiary numbers from local authorities. However return packages continued to be distributed to formerly regrouped populations. During the week, these distributions, carried out by CARE, benefited 12,419 persons in Muramvya and 7,886 persons in Kayanza province.
2.3 WFP has been requested by Equilibre, a non-governmental organization, to provide emergency food assistance to 14,000 people in the conflict-affected Rumonge commune in Bururi province. This area has long been off-limits to UN personnel but WFP hopes to be able to field a mission to evaluate this request. Concern, another non-governmental organization that visited the area, has also reported that malnutrition is evident in several sites for displaced populations.
3. TANZANIA
3.1 The exercise to apprehend illegal immigrants continues in Tanzania, covering the districts of Kigoma, Kasulu and Kibondo. Over 3,000 refugees, mostly Burundians, were sent back to their camps. As a result of these movements, UNHCR is updating the caseload figures collected during the recent verification exercise.
3.2 Updated information as of 7 November: The emergency operation to assist victims of drought in Tanzania, EMOP 5889, was jointly approved by FAO and WFP on 6 November. The EMOP, which is for 270 days, will benefit 1.4 million people. Total food requirements are 76,000 metric tons. Total WFP cost is USD 33 million.
4. UGANDA
4.1 A total of 205 metric tons of food were distributed by WFP to 33,190 displaced Ugandans in Kitgum district over the past week. WFP has taken over the distribution in this area, following the departure of AVSI (an Italian NGO), the previous WFP implementing partner. WFP will provide additional tools to complement the FAO-donated agricultural kits allocated to this district.
4.2 In Gulu, 15,360 female heads of households were provided with 470 metric tons of WFP food between 27 October and 2 November. This represents a total of 75,550 displaced persons. WFP commodities continue also to be distributed to children and mothers in hospitals and health units and to the World Vision Trauma Centre, catering for traumatized children waiting to be reunited with their families.
4.3 Insecurity in Gulu district is causing disturbances to food distribution schedules and military escorts are accompanying distribution teams. On the night of 31 October, a rebel group carried out an attack near Pabbo camp, Gulu district, and looted some of the food just distributed by WFP. An unspecified number of persons were abducted, some to serve as porters for the looted commodities.
E. RECENTLY APPROVED WFP EMERGENCY AND PROTRACTED RELIEF OPERATIONS
1. UPDATE
1.1 Emergency operations (EMOPs) and protracted relief operations (PROs) approved between 15 October and 6 November 1997 (figures rounded off):
Madagascar EMOP 5945 - Mitigation of locust invasion and drought damage Duration: 90 days; 500 metric tons (mt); Beneficiaries: 142,000; Total WFP cost: $160,000. Approved by the Country Directory (delegated authority) on 15 October.
Angola PRO 5602.02 (expansion) - Food assistance to displaced and war-affected Duration: 365 days; 79,350 mt; Beneficiaries: 539,500; Total WFP cost: $52,000,000. Cleared for recommendation to Executive Board 1/1998 on 27 October.
Thailand EMOP 5946 - Assistance to Cambodian Refugees Duration: 240 days; 8,000 mt; Beneficiaries: 70,000; Total WFP cost: $3,000,000. Approved 4 November.
Tanzania EMOP 5889 - Drought victims Duration: 270 days; 76,000 mt; Beneficiaries: 1.4 million; Total WFP cost: $33,000,000. Jointly approved by FAO and WFP on 6 November.
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 45 of 1997 - November 7, 1997)
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