Report No. 34 of 1998 Date: 28 August 1998
This report includes: A) Sudan B) Democratic Republic of Congo C) East Africa: Tanzania and Uganda D) Angola E) Guinea Bissau F) Cambodia.
>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 Marius.deGaayFortman@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 6 6513 2004 or 6 6513 2250. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, Rome 00148.
This issue of the WFP Emergency Report prepared by Peter Erhardy and Deborah Hicks.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II)
A. SUDAN
1. Update - information of 30 August a) Out of August target of 15,000 tons, WFP delivers 14,261 tons of food to rebel and government held areas of southern Sudan between 1 and 30 August. b) Heavy rains continue to cause severe logistics problems, especially in Bahr el-Ghazal. c) Increased air capacity results in doubling of food deliveries to Ajiep in Bahr el-Ghazal compared to previous month. Malnutrition and death rates in Ajiep still extremely high but situation seems to have stabilized in immediate area of Ajiep. Cases of extremely malnourished people continue to arrive from other areas. d) Heavy rains prevent people from moving towards Wau. Increase in number of deaths caused by bloody diarrhoea and hypothermia reported in Wau. Some 1,330 people have died in and around the town since 1 August. Current number receiving food in Wau is 72,000, with 5,000 people receiving two meals per day in nine WFP/CARE wet feeding centres and another 5,000 people receiving food in NGO therapeutic and supplementary feeding centres. e) In Kassala region, joint UN, Sudanese Government and NGO mission estimates that 55,880 people have been displaced since fighting began in January. WFP to provide food to 20,000 beneficiaries pending verification of total caseload numbers. f) Egyptian Government donation received for WFP operations in southern Sudan; to 31 August, total contributions to WFP are USD 120 million against requirement of USD 154 million.
B. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
1. Update - information as of 31 August a) Situation in Kinshasa returns to normal after a week of fighting and clashes in the outskirts of the city. b) Food situation in Kinshasa precarious because of blocked supply lines. WFP builds up emergency food stocks in Congo-Brazzaville.
C. EASTERN AFRICA: TANZANIA AND UGANDA
1. Update a) Small numbers of Congolese and Burundian refugees continue to arrive in Tanzania; Congolese refugees are coming from the Uvira and Fizi areas. Some 20,000 Burundians refugees in DR Congo reported to have dispersed in South Kivu. b) New emergency operation approved for drought-affected persons in north-eastern Uganda (EMOP 6029). WFP to provide 3,402 tons of cereals, 567 tons of pulses and 108 tons of corn-soya blend to 126,000 beneficiaries for three months.
D. ANGOLA
1. Update - information as of 25 August a) Situation continues to deteriorate. Dialogue between Government and UNITA resumes but parties fail to reach agreement on the demilitarization of UNITA required for the normalization of state administration in the four sensitive localities. b) On-going increase in number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) requiring emergency food assistance. All parts of the country except for provinces of Luanda, Namibe and Kunene considered highly insecure. Province of Malange especially tense. c) Road between Malange, Saurimo and Luena unsafe; airlift of food to Saurimo required. d) New IDPs registered in Huambo (since January 1998) reaches 40,780.
E. GUINEA BISSAU
1. Update - information as of 28 August a) Senegalese border at Wassadou partially opened for humanitarian assistance on 10 August, for food and medicines; fuel block still in effect. b) Agreement reached on a cease-fire between the Government and the military junta, under the auspices of ECOWAS and CPLP, on 26 August in Cape Verde. Major points included opening of the Oswaldo Vieira airport for humanitarian assistance, logistic support to cease-fire observation mission; opening humanitarian corridors; and return of refugees and reinstallation of displaced persons. c) Six-month emergency operation for Guinea Bissau (EMOP 6033) approved by FAO and WFP for USD 22 million, 37,000 tons of relief food, for 350,000 internally displaced persons, mainly around Bafata.
F. CAMBODIA
1. Update a) WFP vulnerability analysis and mapping (VAM) unit in Cambodia organizes field assessment in response to poor rice production in some areas of the country, in consultation with FAO, the International Rice Research Institute and other agencies. b) WFP data collection related to potential floods under way, through joint mapping exercise with Canada's Radar Sat.
PART II - DETAILS
A. SUDAN
1. UPDATE - information as of 30 August
1.1 General - WFP delivered 14,261 tons of food to southern Sudan between 1 and 30 August, out of an August target of 15,000 tons. Since January 1998, WFP has delivered a total of 44,200 tons of food to southern Sudan to feed 2.6 million people in both the rebel and government held areas of the country.
1.2 Logistics - Heavy rains continue to cause severe problems for the aid operation in many areas of southern Sudan, especially in Bahr el-Ghazal. Currently the air operation is composed of fifteen planes: seven C-130 Hercules and four Ilyushin 76s airdropping food supplies, and four Buffalo planes airlifting food and non-food cargo. The aircraft deliver food to more than 100 locations in southern Sudan. WFP also hires space to move food supplies on two commercial Antonovs which fly regularly to Wau from El Obeid in central Sudan, and uses three Caravan planes to position staff in the field.
1.3 Operations in Ajiep (Bahr el-Ghazal ) - With increased air capacity, WFP has been able to more than double the amount of food it can provide to Ajiep compared to last month. Malnutrition and death rates are still extremely high although the WFP team in Ajiep reports that the situation seems to have stabilized in the immediate area of Ajiep. Cases of extremely malnourished people continue to arrive from other areas. MSF-Belgium reports the deaths of 103 adults and 32 under-five children during the week ending 23 August, which translate into mortality rates of approximately 14/10,000/day (according to MSF guidelines over 5/10,000/day defines a major catastrophe). The WFP team reports that the water and sanitation situation in Ajiep remains a concern.
1.4 Operations in Wau (Bahr el-Ghazal)
a) Heavy rains are preventing people from moving towards Wau. An increase in the number of deaths caused by bloody diarrhoea and hypothermia has been reported in recent days. WFP reported that over a period of three days (25 to 27 August), 238 people died due to lack of sanitation, safe drinking water and cold weather. To improve the situation UNICEF is rehabilitating hand-dug wells and has dug 24 new pit latrines at the registration sites. Other NGOs are providing plastic sheeting to some 10,000 households.
b) In total, some 1,330 people have died in and around Wau town since 1 August.
c) There are currently 72,000 people receiving food aid in Wau, among them 22,000 children under the age of five years. Of this, 5,000 people are receiving two meals per day in nine WFP/CARE wet feeding centres. In addition, WFP is feeding a further 5,000 people in NGO therapeutic and supplementary feeding centres.
1.5 Operations in Kassala region - As reported in IRIN Central and Eastern Africa Weekly Round-up no. 35, dated 27 August, a recent joint UN, Sudanese Government and NGO mission to the Kassala region estimated that a total of 55,876 people have been displaced since fighting began in January. Recent attacks along the Sudan-Eritrea border have resulted in the displacement of 19,432 persons. WFP is organizing an immediate food intervention targeting 20,000 beneficiaries pending verification of the total caseload numbers, while the government has agreed to settle the newly displaced in five locations. Meanwhile some 1,700 people in Kassala town have been rendered homeless as a result of flooding from the Gash river. The flood-affected families are currently seeking shelter in schools.
1.6 Resourcing situation update - On 27 August, the Egyptian Government donated aid valued at USD 400,000 to the southern Sudan operation (80 tons of lentils, beans, vegetable oil, and dried milk powder, plus various medical supplies). To 31 August, WFP has received confirmed contributions valued at USD 120 million against its requirement of USD 154 million.
1.7 The information above is an update of details included in a WFP news update dated 28 August 1998 and extracts from the WFP Sudan Daily Bulletins. WFP news releases and WFP Sudan Daily Bulletins are available via the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/ (for Daily Bulletins readers can also go direct to http://www.wfp.org/OP/Countries/sudan.html). The Daily Bulletins are also available by electronic mail from <Leslie.Elliott@wfp.org>, WFP Rome (telephone 39 06 6513 2871, fax 39 06 6513 2839).
B. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
1. UPDATE - information as of 31 August
1.1 The situation in Kinshasa, which deteriorated last week with fighting and clashes in the outskirts of the city, is returning to normal. Road blocks have been set up inside the town and searches are being carried out of vehicles and pedestrians. No influx of refugees has been reported into Brazzaville, and the border between DR Congo and the Republic of Congo remains closed. The significant population movements, reported at the end of the week from the south and the east towards Kinshasa, stopped at the end of the battle for the control of the airport. People are now returning to their homes. The block of the supply lines to Kinshasa makes the food situation extremely precarious. WFP is building up emergency food stocks in neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville.
C. EASTERN AFRICA: TANZANIA AND UGANDA
1. TANZANIA
1.1 Congolese and Burundian refugees continue to arrive in Tanzania, though not in large numbers. Between 6 and 27 August a total of 2,944 refugees (1,372 Congolese and 1,572 Burundians) arrived in Kigoma and other lakeshore villages. The Congolese refugees are arriving from the Uvira and Fizi areas and the rate of arrival appears to be on the increase.
1.2 The Burundian refugees arriving in Tanzania are coming directly from insecure areas in Burundi and the influx rate has remained stable. An estimated 20,000 Burundians who had previously sought refuge in DR Congo are reported to have dispersed in South Kivu.
1.3 Caritas is operating a boat, shuttling the refugees who are arriving at small Tanzanian villages along the lake to Kigoma. The journey across the lake takes twelve hours, after which the refugees are placed in the Kigoma transit centre for two/three days, awaiting transportation to the camps. At the centre, WFP provides the refugees with a daily ration of 300 gr. of high-energy biscuits.
2. UGANDA
2.1 On 13 August, WFP approved a new emergency operation (EMOP 6029) for assistance to drought-affected persons in north-eastern Uganda. WFP will provide 3,402 tons of cereals, 567 tons of pulses and 108 tons of corn-soya blend to 126,000 beneficiaries in Kotido, Moroto and Kitgum, over a period of three months. This assistance aims at protecting and maintaining the health and nutritional situation of the most affected persons, preventing migration of the population to other districts in search of food and labour possibilities, and encouraging self-reliance through food-for-work rehabilitation activities. Total cost of the EMOP is USD 1.6 million.
2.2 A WFP team has visited the districts of Kamuli, Apac and Lira, on the shores of Lake Kyoka, to assess the situation of the persons affected by flooding, caused by floating islands. An estimated 20,000 persons are in need of food assistance, having lost their homes and crops. Fishing activities have also been negatively affected, and WFP will provide emergency food assistance to this population.
D. ANGOLA
1. UPDATE - information as of 25 August
1.1 The situation in Angola continues to deteriorate. Although dialogue between the Government and UNITA has resumed, the parties have failed to reach agreement on the demilitarization of UNITA required for the normalization of state administration in the four sensitive localities. In the midst of military action and growing insecurity, there is a continuing increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) requiring emergency food assistance. Except for the provinces of Luanda, Namibe and Kunene, the rest of the country is highly insecure. The province of Malange is especially tense, with UN agency and non-governmental organization (NGO) staff movements restricted to the city and immediate perimeter.
1.2 Since the UN Observer Mission in Angola has banned circulation of UN personnel on the road between Malange, Saurimo and Luena, which has been declared unsafe, relief food commodities will have to be airlifted to Saurimo.
1.3 During the month of July, UN agencies and NGOs based in Huambo undertook several assessments in the province. The number of registered new IDPs in the province (since January 1998) has now reached 40,778, not including those still to be registered in Longonjo and unconfirmed reports of new IDPs in Ekunha, Katchiungo and Huambo.
1.4 The majority of the new IDPs, all of whom have taken refuge in municipal seats, are families who suffered the same experience as a result of the 1992 war and who had spontaneously resettled in their villages two to two and a half years ago. The majority of the IDPs are finding shelter in their old homes, which they had abandoned upon resettlement, or with family members. Some of them managed to flee with food stocks and/or animals; a large number of the IDPs are employed in the fields of the resident population and are being paid in kind. WFP/Huambo is thus proposing a targeted intervention in order to avoid dependency and to encourage the consolidation of coping mechanisms to the extent possible, while at the same time ensuring that immediate food needs are met.
E. GUINEA BISSAU
1. UPDATE - information as of 28 August
1.1 After several intervention from the UN in Dakar, the Senegalese border in Wassadou was partially opened for humanitarian assistance on 10 August. Only food and medicines were allowed across the border. A fuel block is still in effect, even for humanitarian assistance. Lack of fuel is severely affecting all activities in the country.
1.2 On 26 August, an agreement was reached on a cease-fire between the Government and the military junta, under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking countries (CPLP) in Praia, Cape Verde, following up on the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 26 July. The major points agreed upon included the opening of the Oswaldo Vieira airport, in view of making viable humanitarian assistance, logistic support to the cease-fire observation mission and the return of the refugees and the displaced persons; strengthening of the process of opening humanitarian corridors; and creating conditions to facilitate a return of refugees and reinstallation of the displaced persons. The Second Round negotiation is now scheduled in Abidjan on 12 September.
1.3 WFP Emergency Operation for Guinea Bissau
a) On 24 August, FAO and WFP approved a six-month WFP emergency operation for Guinea Bissau (EMOP 6033) for USD 22 million (with a total of 37,000 tons of relief food) to address the humanitarian needs of 350,000 internally displaced persons who are located mainly around Bafata in central Guinea Bissau. This EMOP is the primary component of the UN Interim Appeal launched on 10 July 1998 in response to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict which broke out in Bissau on 7 June 1998. The UN agencies, which were evacuated on 16 June to Dakar, resumed humanitarian operations in some rural areas on 24 June. (The latest update of donors response to the UN Appeal, dated 14 August, can be found on OCHA-Online financial tracking database on the internet, at http://www.reliefweb.int/fts/fin98gbi.html).
b) Although the host population has been providing food and shelter to the displaced population from Bissau, the prolongation and extension of the conflict have put pressure on the food assets of the local communities in which the displaced from the capital have temporarily settled. In addition, the fighting disrupted the production and trade of grains, rice and cashew nuts. Since the next harvest is expected only in November/December, the hungry season of July-September may be prolonged.
c) Using 3,000 tons of WFP country stocks in Bissau, the distribution of WFP food started around the capital on 20 June and in Bafata on 5 July, in cooperation with ICRC and Caritas. The new EMOP aims at ensuring that conflict-affected people have access to sufficient food, preventing deterioration of the nutritional status of vulnerable people, and preventing mass refugee population movement out of Guinea Bissau to the neighbouring countries of Senegal, Gambia and Guinea/Conakry. Based on the estimated needs and nutritional status of beneficiaries, WFP will provide a standard general dry food ration for all beneficiaries and a supplementary ration for vulnerable groups made up of rice/maize meals, beans, vegetable oil and corn-soya blend (CSB).
F. CAMBODIA
1. CURRENT SITUATION
1.1 A mixed rice harvest in 1997 and reduced income opportunities after the political turmoil in July 1997 have resulted in declines in rural livelihoods in many parts of Cambodia. The Ministry of Agriculture issued an appeal on 14 August for 250,000 tons of rice to address immediate needs arising from food shortages. In response to earlier reports of poor rice production, the WFP country office vulnerability analysis and mapping (VAM) unit, in consultation with FAO, the International Rice Research Institute and other agencies, undertook a rapid field assessment of areas where food shortages were reported. While four sub-districts were added to WFP's target areas for food for work, increasing WFP coverage by six percent to 900,000 beneficiaries nationally, the remaining areas were found not to be in immediate need. The rains have now started in lowland rice growing areas, enabling the transplanting of rice seedlings. Close monitoring of rain patterns and the current wet season rice crop will continue to identify areas where two years of moderate losses may cause further strains on rice-dependent sub-districts.
1.2 With the beginning of the monsoon season, WFP is collecting data related to potential floods through a joint mapping exercise with Canada's Radar Sat, to improve the rapid assessment of flood-affected areas. The baseline work was completed in early 1998 by locally-based international consultants. Results will be presented in October.
1.3 WFP is engaged in a survey of protracted emergency target populations, made up of internally displaced persons, landless returnees and families living in former Khmer Rouge zones. The survey instrument is designed for comparison with the baseline survey of June 1998, jointly undertaken by WFP and UNICEF to measure the nutritional status of women and children and a broad range of socio-economic factors related to vulnerability to food insecurity. The reestablishment of these populations on de-mined lands will be a central activity of the new protracted relief and recovery operation for Cambodia, which will be submitted to the WFP Executive Board in October 1998.
Note: all tonnage figures above refer to metric tons
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 34 of 1998 - August 28, 1998)
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