Report No. 30 of 1998 Date: 24 July 1998
This report includes: A) Burundi B) Sudan C) Guinea Bissau D) Sierra Leone E) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Kosovo.
>From Manuel Aranda da Silva, Chief, Technical Support Service. Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/ or by electronic mail from Deborah.Hicks@wfp.org (fax 39 6 6513 2837). For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org or Claudia.VonRoehl@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 6 6513 2004 or 6 6513 2504. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, Rome 00148.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II)
A. BURUNDI
1. Update a) WFP staff member robbed and shot to death by unknown assailant in Bujumbura on 23 July. This is the sixth killing this year of a WFP staff member and the third this month. b) Security incidents increase in western provinces of Burundi. c) WFP airlift to Bujumbura from Mombasa completed on 20 July.
B. SUDAN - HIGHLIGHTS FROM RECENT WFP SUDAN DAILY BULLETINS
1. Update - most information as of 22 July, with some updates as of 27 July a) Budget revision to WFP Emergency Operation for Sudan approved by FAO and WFP on 22 July. Revised total requirements are USD 154 million, an increase of USD 89 million over the original total, to cover food needs of more than 2.6 million beneficiaries through April 1999. Additional 45,000 metric tons of food required. b) Air operations expanded with addition of two Ilyushin 76s operating out of Khartoum; another Ilyushin 76 began operations from Nairobi on 27 July. c) Cumulative July delivery figures as of 19 July: northern sector 3,165 tons; southern sector 3,370 tons. d) Juba barge convoy departed from Kosti on 23 July.
C. GUINEA BISSAU
1. Update - information as of 27 July a) Ceasefire agreement reached by Government and rebels on 26 July. b) On 24 July, just before arrival of mediators, rebels seize town of Mansoa. c) WFP is working with local committees for humanitarian coordination in Bafata and Gabu; committees made up of local government officials and humanitarian agencies. d) Weekly WFP convoys continue from Conakry; tonnage delivered per convoy to be doubled to 250 tons. Senegalese corridor also to be used by by WFP. e) Caseload agreed by local committees totals 288,000 (156,000 urban and 134,000 in rural areas).
D. SIERRA LEONE
1. Update - information as of 14 July a) WFP mission travels to Mano River bridge/Liberian border area from Kenema. b) Returnees arriving in the area at rate of 185 a day; both returnees and local population in Sorogbema chiefdom, Pujehum district, in very poor condition. c) People continue to flee to Vahun area in Liberia from Kailahun district, due to continuing conflict. d) Government/UN/NGO coordinating body, the CFA, agrees to extend food-for-agriculture ration (support to farmers during the planting season) for a third month. e) Rebel attack displaces people from Massingbe, the location of 25,000 IDPs from Kono; otherwise, fewer rebel attacks reported over recent weeks.
E. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AND REGION: KOSOVO CRISIS
1. Update - information as of 23 July a) WFP and other UN agencies anticipate increased relief needs in Kosovo during coming winter. b) Influx of internally displaced persons from Kosovo into Montenegro continues, at rate of 300 a day; current IDPs in Montenegro estimated to be over 23,000. c) In Albania, WFP and IFRC distribute 84 tons of food in Tropoje. UNHCR and Albanian Government plan to relocate the Kosovar refugees to safer areas in the country.
PART II - DETAILS
A. BURUNDI
1. UPDATE - information as of 24 July
1.1 WFP staff member Renato Ricciardi, an Italian national, was robbed and shot to death by an unknown assailant in Bujumbura on 23 July. The incident took place as Mr Ricciardi arrived at his home during the evening. Mr. Ricciardi had worked with the UN for 27 years, 17 of which were with WFP. In January, he was sent to Bujumbura in order to manage administration and finance for WFP's Burundi programme. Mr. Ricciardi worked extensively in the Great Lakes region, spending time in Sudan, Rwanda, the former Zaire, Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda. His death is the sixth killing this year of a WFP staff member and the third this month.
1.2 Security incidents are on the increase in the western provinces of Burundi. Because of insecurity, planned food distributions for therapeutic and special feeding centres in Bururi province remain suspended. Several non-governmental organizations have suspended their operations in Cibitoke province.
1.3 The UN Security Cell has halted all UN missions to Bubanza and Makamba. However, in view of current food needs in Makamba province, food distributions will be allowed at two sites in this province; deliveries and movement of personnel must be made with military escorts. The distributions had already been postponed for over a month.
1.4 After a pause of two weeks for regular aircraft maintenance, the WFP airlift to Bujumbura from Mombasa resumed operations on 15 July and was completed on 20 July. WFP brought a total of 3,236 tons of food commodities to Burundi via this airlift, which began on 20 May and was funded in part by ECHO and by USAID/OFDA.
B. SUDAN - HIGHLIGHTS FROM RECENT WFP SUDAN DAILY BULLETINS
1. UPDATE - most information as of 22 July, with some updates as of 27 July
1.1 In response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in southern Sudan and increasing food aid needs, a major budget revision to the WFP Emergency Operation for Sudan (EMOP 5826.01) was approved by FAO and WFP on 22 July. The revised EMOP puts total requirements at USD 154 million, an increase of USD 89 million over the original EMOP. The increase will cover food needs of more than 2.6 million beneficiaries through April 1999. The revision foresees a food tonnage increase of some 45,000 metric tons of food.
1.2 Air operations to southern Sudan have expanded with the addition of two Ilyushin 76s operating out of Khartoum, delivering food to both Government and rebel held locations. Airdrops to Wau using the IL 76 began on 20 July. Another two IL 76s are based Nairobi, one of which began operations on 27 July; the second will be operational after mandatory inspection and clearance by the Kenyan authorities is completed. Currently five Hercules are flying, four based in Lokichokkio, one in El Obeid. A sixth Hercules will be used out of Lokichokkio beginning 29 July, until clearance is obtained for it to be based in El Obeid, at which point four Hercules will operate out of Lokichokkio and two out of El Obeid. Three Buffalo aircraft are also in operation, all of them based in Lokichokkio. Commercial aircraft are also being used to airlift food from El Obeid to Wau.
Aircraft currently in operation, as of 27 July:
Ilyushin 76s: 3 (of which 2 operate from Khartoum, 1 from Nairobi) Hercules: 5 (of which 4 operate from Lokichokkio, 1 from El Obeid) Buffaloes: 3 (all 3 based Lokichokkio)
Further aircraft expected:
Ilyushin 76: 1 additional to be based Nairobi Hercules: 1 additional to be based El Obeid
1.3 Cumulative July delivery figure for the northern sector, as at 15 July, was 2,798 tons (a further 367 tons was delivered by 19 July, according to daily reports, bringing the total as at 19 July to 3,165 tons); for the southern sector, the total as at 19 July was 3,370 tons.
1.4 The latest Juba Barge convoy departed from Kosti on 23 July. The convoy will deliver 2,135 tons of food to 33 drop-off points along the river.
1.5 As a result of the recent ceasefire, additional food will be moved into southern Sudan by road. Supplies are being moved to Uganda for delivery to southern Sudan from Koboko. It is planned to double the amount of food being delivered from Koboko each month, from 500 tons to 1,000 tons.
1.6 Wau: As mentioned above, food continues to be airlifted into Wau from El Obeid using commercial aircraft. Cumulative deliveries to 21 July amount to 971 tons. WFP will deliver an additional 1,354 tons of food into Wau by the airlift, which will result in a total of 2,325 tons being delivered to cover the food needs of 60,000 beneficiaries for a period of 2.5 months. Wau is also being served by airdrops using the IL 76 based in Khartoum.
1.7 General updates on deliveries, distributions and other operational details can be found in WFP Sudan Daily Bulletins, which are available via the WFP Home Page on the Web at http://www.wfp.org - click on Field Operations or What's New - or through contacting <Leslie.Elliott@wfp.org>.
1.8 OLS staff from Lokichokkio met with local authorities in Bor county, Jonglei province on 20 July following reports of flooding in the area. The local population compares current floods to those of 1960, when there were major losses of livestock, crops and houses in the area. The water level is increasing on a daily basis and families are being forced to move to higher ground.
C. GUINEA BISSAU
1. UPDATE - information as of 27 July
1.1 Ceasefire agreement
a) On 26 July, army rebels and the Government of Guinea Bissau agreed to a ceasefire, after fifty days of civil war, and promised to open formal peace negotiations within eight days. As reported by the media, Ministers and officials from six other Portuguese-speaking countries mediated the deal, which was signed on the Portuguese naval frigate Corte-Real, anchored off Bissau. The truce calls for an international force, preferably from the same Portuguese-speaking states, to be sent to act as a buffer between the two sides during the negotiations. The two sides have promised to respect military positions held on July 24, when the peace mission arrived. They have agreed to open corridors through their lines to allow aid distribution to civilians who fled to the interior to avoid the fighting around the capital.
b) The military situation was reported to have recently reached a stalemate, but on 24 July, just before the mediators arrived, the rebels seized the town of Mansoa, 60 km north of Bissau.
1.2 Relief operations
a) The WFP emergency officer based in Bafata is working with local committees for humanitarian coordination in both Bafata and Gabu. Local government officials and humanitarian agencies (mainly WFP, ICRC, Caritas/Guinea Bissau, the Guinea Bissau Red Cross Society, Evangelic Church and ADPP) are taking part in these committees.
b) Distribution agreements have been made by WFP with ICRC for the distribution of WFP food in Bafata city to 1,054 families (around 7,300 beneficiaries) for one month - distributions to be through Caritas and the local Red Cross; and with ADPP (a Norwegian NGO) for distribution in Oio (controlled by rebels) and Gabu regions, to 34,000 beneficiaries for one month. These distributions, in total, amount to 206 tons of maize, 124 tons of CSB and 33 tons of vegetable oil.
c) Weekly WFP convoys continue to be organized from Conakry. Starting this week, food commodity quantities by convoy will be doubled to 250 tons. The Senegalese corridor is now being used by humanitarian organizations. WFP will also be using this corridor, to complement ex-Conakry food deliveries.
d) The local committees have agreed that given the limited availability of resources, immediate food needs will be covered by "half" food rations, which will be used by all humanitarian organizations: 6 kg cereals, 1 kg pulses, 1 lt vegetable oil and 2 kg CSB per beneficiary per month.
e) Caseload agreed by the local committees (by region):
Gabu 32,000 Bafata 42,000 Oio 50,000 Cacheu 58,000 Biombo 8,000 Quinara 5,000 Tombali 33,000 Bissau 20,000 Prabis 30,000 Bijagos 10,000
Total 288,000 (156,000 urban and 134,000 in rural areas).
D. SIERRA LEONE
1. UPDATE - information as of 14 July
1.1 For the first time in over seven years, international humanitarian staff were able to reach the Mano River bridge/Liberian border area by road from the Sierra Leone side of the river, when a WFP mission recently travelled to the area from Kenema to visit agricultural projects and assess the influx of returnees.
1.2 An estimated 185 returnees a day are arriving in the area. All of the returnees whom the mission saw were in extremely poor condition, having travelled on average 8-10 days on foot in order to reach Sierra Leone from Vahun, in Lofa county, Liberia. The returnees are in urgent need of medical assistance and food.
1.3 The mission reports that the worst humanitarian situation presently in Sierra Leone is in Sorogbema chiefdom, Pujehum district, in the far south-western corner of the country, where over 5,000 host and returnee population are in need of assistance. The mission was concerned that in this area there are no food supplies, no medical facilities, no shelter, and the worst roads in Sierra Leone, which make access difficult. Unlike other areas visited by WFP in recent months, there are no root crops available for the local population to eat.
1.4 The host population as well as the returnees are in poor condition in this chiefdom. WFP food is being used in food-for-agriculture distributions (support to farmers during the planting season) to more than 30,000 beneficiaries in Makpele and Sorogbema chiefdoms. WFP will be monitoring the situation to see if additional food for vulnerable group feeding or therapeutic feeding is needed.
1.5 Due to continuing conflict in Kailahun district, people are still fleeing into the Vahun area of Liberia. They are reported to be eventually finding their way back into Sierra Leone through various border crossing points.
1.6 A recent rebel attack displaced people from Massingbe, where earlier in the month a rapid assessment concluded that the majority of the 25,000 internally displaced persons from Kono who are now in the town are suffering from malnutrition, malaria, acute respiratory infections diarrhoea, amputations and gunshot wounds. CARE staff, who have been assisting this group, were evacuated. Otherwise, rebel attacks have lessened in recent weeks, as the rainy season makes rebel movements up-country difficult.
1.7 In early July it was agreed in the Government/UN/NGO coordinating body, the Committee on Food Aid (CFA), that the food-for-agriculture ration should be extended for a third month, as farmers are receiving agricultural in-puts late, thus planting late.
1.8 The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution to establish a UN observer mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) for the deployment of 70 military observers as well as a small medical unit for a period of six months.
E. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AND REGION: KOSOVO CRISIS
1. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA - information as of 23 July
1.1 Kosovo: WFP has delivered 11.5 tons of wheat flour to the village of Junik near the border with Albania, an area that has seen intense fighting and has for a long time been inaccessible to aid agencies. The food met the immediate needs of some 1,600 people, mainly women and children, a number of whom are camped in the mountains near Junik village. The recent OSCE mission to Kosovo has warned of a humanitarian crisis during the winter months. Although needs are currently being met by a variety of agencies, WFP and other UN agencies foresee wider relief distributions in Kosovo and the need for sustained food deliveries to meet the upcoming autumn and winter needs.
1.2 Montenegro: The influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into Montenegro continues unabated. There are now more than 23,000 IDPs, with daily arrivals averaging 300 individuals. Distribution of 135 tons of WFP food (125 tons wheat flour and 10 tons vegetable oil) will begin next week to 20,000 people in three areas of concentrated IDP settlement, Ulcinje, Plav and Rozaje. In addition to the general distribution, WFP will begin a supplementary feeding programme to displaced children under seven years of age. A delivery of 16.5 tons of high protein biscuits (BP5s) is scheduled to arrive in Montenegro by 31 July, for distribution to up to 5,500 children for one month.
2. ALBANIA
2.1 WFP, in coordination with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has concluded distribution of 84 tons of food aid to some 7,500 refugees from Kosovo in Tropoje, in northern Albania. WFP is currently assessing the impact of the food distribution in Tropoje, jointly with UNHCR and IFRC. The assessment will not only help in the planning of the August distribution, but also in accurately calculating the refugee caseload in Tropoje. In response to the intensifying insecurity in the Tropoje region, UNHCR and the Albanian government are making efforts to relocate refugees to other areas within the country.
3. FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
3.1 WFP continues to monitor the situation in Macedonia closely. Many families from Pristina and other southern Kosovar towns have sent women, children and the elderly to stay with relatives in Macedonia.
Note: all tonnage figures above refer to metric tons
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 30 of 1998 - July 24, 1998)
distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: listproc@vita.org sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org appeal fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Food Program Reports: http://www.vita.org/disaster/wfp