Report No. 32 of 1998 Date: 7 August 1998
This report includes: A) East and Central Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya/Tanzania - bomb explosions of 7 August 1998 B) Cuba C) Guinea Bissau D) Sudan E) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and region: Kosovo crisis F) Afghanistan
>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). This issue has been prepared by Peter Erhardy (e-mail: peter.erhardy@wfp.org). 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. EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, RWANDA, BURUNDI AND KENYA/TANZANIA -BOMB EXPLOSIONS OF 7 AUGUST 1998
1. Democratic Republic of Congo a) Situation worsens. In Kinshasa, non-essential UN international staff were relocated on 6 August. On 4 August, UN decided to relocate all UN international staff in Goma, Bukavu and Uvira.
2. Rwanda a) Some15,000 civilians flee towards Ruhengeri as a result of a military operations in north-west Rwanda.
3. Burundi a) UN Security Cell recommends that humanitarian operations in Kayanza, Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza, Bururi, Makamba and Muramvya provinces are limited to essential missions. Incidents are reported in the north. b) Security regulations and systems in place for the whole UN system in Burundi are reviewed by a UNSECOORD mission to follow-up on the investigation related to the murder of WFP staff member, Mr. Renato Ricciardi, on 23 July.
4. Kenya/Tanzania - Bomb Explosions of 7 August 1998 a) A WFP consultant is superficially injured. b) The UN Secretary-General is outraged to hear of the bomb explosions. c) On 10 August 1998, death toll in Nairobi bombing reached 197 and in the Dar-es-Salaam bombing, 10.
B. CUBA
1. WFP response to drought situation a) WFP prepares a nine months EMOP for more than 820,000 beneficiaries in the five eastern provinces of Cuba based on a WFP/inter-agency evaluation mission. b) Compared to 1997, food production has dropped by 42 percent in 1998.
C. GUINEA BISSAU
1. Update a) Formal ceasefire talks between the Government and the rebels started on 7 August. UN presses for incorporation of humanitarian principles. WFP country director negotiates with the Government to reallocate WFP food stocks in Bissau. b) There is extensive damage in Bissau.
D. SUDAN
1. Update a) Heavy rains has disrupted WFP food airdrops into South Sudan over the past week. b) WFP operates a total of 15 aircraft into southern Sudan from bases in Kenya and Sudan. The Juba barge convoy's first discharge took place at Wathbol on 9 August. c) Some 70 WFP food aid monitors are in place for the Southern Sector and 10 for the Northern Sector as of 10 August 1998. d) WFP emergency operation is resourced up to 83 percent in regard to cash contributions and 71 percent in regard to food contributions as of 4 August.
E. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AND REGION: KOSOVO CRISIS
1. Update a) Kosovo: WFP made the first food deliveries to more than 55,000 ethnic Albanians on 8 August in Dakovica, at the border between Kosovo province and Albania. b) Albania: Many refugees and NGOs have left Tropoje because of insecurity. c) Food delivered in relation to the Kosovo crisis is still borrowed from the operation in former Yugoslavia. A regional Kosovo emergency operation for six months is being prepared covering all IDPs and refugees from the Kosovo crisis.
F. AFGHANISTAN
1. Update a) Media reports the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif on 8 August. 2. Field Report a) Fighting intensifies in the north of Afghanistan with movements of population into or out of Mazar towards the south. Civilian food supplies to Mazar are at risk.
PART II - DETAILS
A. EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, RWANDA, BURUNDI AND KENYA/TANZANIA - BOMB EXPLOSIONS OF 7 AUGUST 1998
1. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - Information updated on 7 August
1.1 Fighting between Banyamulenge rebels and the DR Congo Government has spread and the situation is rapidly worsening. In Kinshasa, 85 UN international staff, including WFP non-essential international staff, were evacuated with a WFP aircraft on 6 August. Some 23 UN International staff remain in Kinshasa.
1.2 In Kivu province, the UN decided on 4 August to evacuate all international staff in Goma, Bukavu and Uvira, due to the heavy fighting and closure of the border between DR Congo and respectively Rwanda and Burundi. It has been reported as of 7 August that some 150 Banyamulenge (ethnic Tutsis from DR Congo) have already crossed into Cyangugu to escape heavy fighting.
2. RWANDA
2.1 Military operations in north-west Rwanda have reportedly resulted in approximately 15,000 civilians fleeing towards Ruhengeri prefecture and staying in Nyamutera commune.
2.2 Food distributions in the north-west prefectures of Gisenyi and Ruhengeri has continued with the cooperation and coordination among UN agencies and local administrative and military authorities. Since the beginning of the operation in late May over 2,900 tons of food commodities have been delivered by 121 convoys, each requiring armed military escorts.
3. BURUNDI
3.1 As insecurity is escalating all over the country, the UN Security Cell recommended that for the time being humanitarian operations in Kayanza, Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza, Bururi, Makamba and Muramvya provinces be limited to essential missions. Many security incidents have been reported in the north. Following an attack, more than 10,000 people have been displaced in Kayanza province. These people have been temporarily gathered at the border of Ngozi and Kayanza provinces.
3.2 A UNSECOORD mission came to Burundi to follow-up on the investigation related to the murder on 23 July of WFP staff member, Mr. Renato Ricciardi. The mission also reviewed security regulations and systems in place for the whole UN system in Burundi. The WFP consultant stress counsellor came to meet WFP staff and discuss the tragic killing of Mr. Ricciardi. The counsellor held group and individual sessions with both national and international staff.
4. KENYA/TANZANIA - BOMB EXPLOSIONS OF 7 AUGUST 1998
4.1 A WFP consultant assigned to the Kenya Railways Corporation was superficially injured by flying glass in Nairobi.
4.2 On 7 August 1998, the following statement was issued by the Spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan: "The Secretary-General was outraged and appalled to hear of today's bomb explosions in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, which have resulted in a heavy toll of dead and wounded. He condemns utterly this heartless and indiscriminate terrorism against innocent civilians, and extends his deep condolences to the families and Governments concerned. The Secretary-General was concerned to learn that several United Nations staff members were injured in the two explosions. He hopes that they will make a rapid and full recovery from their injuries. The Secretary-General reiterates his adamant condemnation of terrorist acts, whatever their objective."
4.3 According to the media, the death toll in the Nairobi bombing has reached 197 on 10 August 1998 and in the Dar-es-Salaam bombing, 10, with 70 people hospitalized.
B. CUBA
1. WFP RESPONSE TO DROUGHT SITUATION
1.1 As a response to the worst drought in the past 40 years currently affecting Cuba, WFP is preparing an emergency operation for nine months to provide food rations to more than 820,000 beneficiaries in the five eastern provinces of Las Tunas, Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo.
1.2 This programme is based on a WFP/inter-agency evaluation mission organized at the request of the Ministry for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation of Cuba to evaluate the emergency food aid needs for the affected people. The mission which took place from 16 to 25 July also included representatives of UNDP, FAO and UNICEF.
1.3 The mission concluded that the volume of food production has dropped by 42 percent compared to last year. Out of the 609,650 tons of food crops which had been expected to be produced in 1998, some 259,000 tons were lost. If drought conditions persist until September of this year, the assessment mission estimated a potential loss up to 598,000 tons of food crops, with a value of USD145 million. The production of food crops in Cuba has been seriously affected by the erratic weather patterns associated with the El Nino Southern Oscillation phenomeon (ENSO) during the planting and growing seasons of 1997 and 1998. The mission also reported that the five eastern provinces of Cuba also are suffering from a severe reduction in the water supply. The situation in Holguin province, where inhabitants receive water piped from reservoirs only twice a week, is typical of all the provinces.
1.4 The proposed WFP emergency operation (EMOP) includes programmes directed to pregnant women, elderly people, infants and children in the education sectors and in support of small independent food producers. Initial estimates put the cost of the EMOP at about USD 15 million (food value).
C. GUINEA BISSAU
1. UPDATE - information as of 8 August
1.1 Ceasefire negotiations between the Government and the rebels began on 31 July. Negotiations are chaired by the ex-Prime Minister of Angola and Secretary for the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries. Since the end of fighting on 26 July, no major violations of the ceasefire have been reported. There is free circulation between the two zones, Government and rebel controlled areas, for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and transport of fuel. Since 29 July, some private cars have been allowed access to and from Bissau.
1.2 The formal talks started on 7 August on a Portuguese frigate off Bissau and will continue later on the island of Sal. During the negotiations, the UN is pressing for the incorporation of humanitarian principles into the definitive ceasefire agreement. This includes equal access for all areas to humanitarian food and non-food relief supplies and reopening of the port of Bissau to the international community and humanitarian agencies on the condition that food and non-food items could be sent to all areas of the country. The WFP country director is negotiating with the Government to work out an agreement whereby the remaining WFP food stocks in Bissau can be reallocated to other areas, irrespective of whether controlled by rebels or government forces. Of the original 2,700 tons of WFP food stored in warehouses in Bissau, only 1,500 tons is remaining (400 tons were distributed under an arrangement with ICRC).
1.3 As rains continue, cross-border roads from Guinea Bissau into Senegal will be difficult. Some 175 tons coming from Senegal were held up one week by rain. In contrast, main roads from the port to up-country locations are paved. In addition to the total amount of WFP food delivered to Guinea Bissau reported in the last Emergency Report (650 tons from Guinea to Bafata to 2 August), another 240 tons is on the way from Conakry. It has been agreed with WFP Conakry that henceforth there will be two convoys of 250 tons each week into Guinea Bissau.
1.4 The UN inter-agency missions to Bissau of 2-3 August 1998 report that there is extensive damage in the city. There is no water or electricity in most parts. Although some residential areas have not been damaged, the downtown market area and all embassies except the Portuguese embassy were destroyed. FAO and UNICEF offices were totally looted. Other UN offices, including WFP office, remain intact. New UN common premises, which had not yet been occupied, took a bomb on the roof.
1.5 The inter-agency missions also report that the displaced population which went up-country has not returned yet. Some displaced former city residents are coming back to check their houses and then are going back out up-country.
1.6 WFP reports that there are 227,000 internally displaced beneficiaries in the following region of Guinea Bissau: Cacheu, Bafata, Oio, Gabu, Biombo, Quinara and Tombali. In addition, WFP plans to cover the following population in the Bissau area: Bissau city (20,000), Prabis (30,000) and Bijagos (10,000). Including refugees in neighbouring countries (approximately 10,000), the total number of beneficiaries is 297,000.
D. SUDAN
1. UPDATE - Information as of 7 August with some addition information as of 10 August
1.1 Over the past week, heavy rains have been disrupting WFP food airdrops into South Sudan, delaying the positioning of teams on the ground and reducing airdrops because of poor visibility. In particular, air operations in parts of Northern Bahr el-Ghazal province (Mayen, Abun and Alek) are affected.
1.2 WFP is currently operating a total of 15 aircraft into southern Sudan from bases in Kenya and Sudan. The WFP capacity has increased threefold in the past three weeks.
1.3 The Juba barge convoy's first discharge took place at Wathbol on 9 August. A total of 78 tons of mixed food commodities have been off-loaded for distribution to 30,000 beneficiaries in Jikany (Upper Nile State).
1.4 The cumulative beneficiaries in Wau (Northern Sector) town stand at 70,459 persons as of 10 August. An airlift of 200 tons of corn-soya blend (CSB) and 100 tons of high energy biscuits to Wau from Lokichokio commenced on 6 August: 84 tons were delivered over the period 6-9 August. On 9 August, WFP delivered 5 tons of food to CARE for the on-going kitchen feeding programme . This food (sorghum flour, pulses, vegetable oil, high energy biscuits and CSB) will be used to supply two cooked meals daily for 600 beneficiaries over a two-week period. CARE will open a second feeding centre in the northern part of Wau town shortly. It is reported that the death rate has substantially decreased over recent days.
1.5 An NGO nutritional survey of under-five children living within a 5 km radius of Ajiep (Southern Sector) found 55 percent global malnutrition and 36 percent severe malnutrition. Children in feeding centres were not included in the survey.
1.6 The WFP team in Ajiep reports that the 26,890 residents there have been joined by 18,630 displaced persons from Adet and 35,480 displaced persons from Kaujok. After consulting with local authorities, relief committees, and international NGOs, the team recommended that 46,600 vulnerable people be targeted.
1.6 As of 10 August 1998, WFP has 70 food aid monitors in place for the Southern Sector (50 in southern Sudan, 20 in Lokichokio) and 10 in place for the Northern Sector. Recruitment of monitors continues.
1.7 As of 4 August, the WFP emergency operation is resourced up to 83 percent in regard to cash contributions and 71 percent in regard to food contributions.
1.8 Updates on deliveries, distributions, other general operational details and the current resourcing situation 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>.
E. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AND REGION
1. UPDATE - Information as of 7 August with some additional information as of 10 August
1.1 Kosovo: On 8 August, WFP made the first food deliveries to more than 55,000 ethnic Albanians (25,000 displaced persons and 30,000 residents) trapped for almost two months in forests near the border between Kosovo province and Albania. A convoy of two trucks and representatives of WFP, UNHCR and NGOs has set out from Pristina to Dakovica carrying WFP high energy biscuits and other food provided by NGOs for the most needy.
1.2 Albania: Refugees in small numbers are coming across from Kosovo to Tropoje on a daily basis. The security situation in Tropoje is deteriorating. Many refugees have left (UNHCR is looking at alternatives to accommodate those remaining) and all NGOs except Islamic Relief Services (IRS) have relocated back to Tirana. Other agencies remaining are UNHCR, WFP, IFRC and the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM). IFRC stopped distributing food parcels to refugees in Tropoje. Hence, WFP will provide 30 tons of wheat flour and 2,500 litres of oil. IFRC will provide additional food from the bulk stocks to ensure the ration is the same as food parcel.
1.4 To date all food delivered in relation to the Kosovo crisis has been borrowed from the operation in former Yugoslavia. Donations for the Albania operation are being received and are partially used to repay the Bosnian operation. A regional Kosovo emergency operation is currently being prepared which will cover all internally displaced persons and refugees from the Kosovo conflict, in Albania, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo and Montenegro) and Macedonia, for six months (September 1998 - February 1999).
F. AFGHANISTAN
1. UPDATE - 10 August
1.1 Information: The media has reported that Mazar-i-Sharif fell to the Taliban on 8 August.
2. FIELD REPORT - situation as reported previous to the fall of Mazar (Information updated on 6 August)
2.1 Fighting has recently intensified in the north of Afghanistan in Kunduz, Takhar, Faryab, Jawzjan, Balkh and Samangan provinces around both east and west of Mazar. Routes north and northwest out of Mazar are not passable due to the fighting.
2.2 Some people are moving into or out of Mazar towards the south, into Herat from Faryab, and from other areas as well. Displaced persons from Badghis and Faryab have in the past travelled as far south as Kandahar. Therefore, this area may also be affected by the current insecurity in the north.
2.3 Mazar: WFP has received reports from WFP Mazar that some civilians were unsuccessfully attempting to flee south towards Bamyan. Staff of NGOs operating in Mazar were evacuated by ICRC this week. With extreme insecurity on the roads, increased vigilance at the Uzbek border, access to Turkmenistan blocked, and fighting reportedly both east and west of Mazar, civilian food supplies to Mazar were at risk.
2.4 Bamyan and the Hazarajat: Given the extreme insecurity on the roads, the attempt to supply Bamyan and the Hazarajat from the north, which was ongoing with great difficulties previous to this, is not possible. All other means of access to Bamyan and the Hazarajat are blockaded.
Note: all tonnage figures above refer to metric tons
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 32 of 1998 - August 7, 1998)
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