Report No. 47 of 1998 Date: 27 November 1998
This report includes: A) Angola B) Bangladesh C) Afghanistan D) Central America: Hurricane Mitch E) East and Central Africa: Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, DR Congo and Congo/Brazzaville F) WFP memorial to colleagues killed in the line of duty.
>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 06 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 06 6513 2004 or 06 6513 2250. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II)
A. ANGOLA
1. Update - information as of 27 November a) Two transport workers killed in attack on WFP convoy in south-western Angola on 27 November. b) Another WFP convoy of 38 trucks is detained in Huambo because of insecurity on the road, and cannot return to Lobito. Increased airlift operations may be needed to supply food to Huambo, Kuito and Menongue.
B. BANGLADESH
1. Update - information as of 27 November a) Confirmed pledges received for 222,055 tons of wheat towards WFP flood relief operation requirement of 352,400 tons. Until further WFP emergency food aid arrives, Government stocks are being used for relief operations, to be replenished by WFP. b) Large quantities of food aid arriving at the ports in next few months will require careful coordination; WFP increases numbers of logistics officers. c) Some 20 million reached during October through the Government's Vulnerable Group Feeding system, with some 63,980 tons of wheat. WFP has proposed an increase in current food ration to 32 kg/family/month. d) FAO/WFP Special Report on Bangladesh issued on 13 November.
C. AFGHANISTAN
1. Update - information as of 27 November 1998 a) International UN mission (first since UN evacuation in August 1998) assesses situation in Bamyan, and confirms that security has improved, roads are open, transport is moving and food is available in the bazaar in Bamyan city. WFP learns of death of a WFP warehouse guard during fighting in Bamyan in August. b) National staff mission to Bamyan and Yakawalang finds most of wheat still in place in WFP Yakawalang warehouse. As displaced are returning to Panjao and in Waras, total number of IDPs may be less than estimated. c) Local Taliban authorities have returned to WFP the premises and nine UN vehicles taken in August.
D. CENTRAL AMERICA: RELIEF OPERATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MITCH IN HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, EL SALVADOR AND GUATEMALA
1. Resourcing update - information as of 30 November a) WFP Hurricane Mitch emergency operation (EMOP 6079) more than half funded.
E. EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: RWANDA, BURUNDI, TANZANIA, DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE
1. Update - information as of 22 November a) Government of Rwanda to gradually resettle displaced persons in Ruhengeri and Gisenyi. b) Provincial Focal Points system established in Burundi under leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, replacing the former Lead Agency arrangement. c) UN visit made to Kasulu district to assess needs of host populations in refugee-affected areas in north-western Tanzania. Preventive measures in place following cholera outbreak in Mtendeli camps. d) In DR Congo, food aid stocks in Kinshasa almost depleted, bringing food distributions to a halt. Two hundred tons of food commodities airlifted into Brazzaville for distributions to Rwandan refugees and to malnourished children in the city. WFP will ferry some food from Brazzaville to Kinshasa. e) General food situation in Kinshasa remains unstable; food deliveries from the port of Matadi and from food production areas limited due to military activities. Fuel imports suspended as no agreement to revise prices reached.
F. WFP MEMORIAL TO COLLEAGUES KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
1. Memorial ceremony in Rome a) WFP dedicates a memorial to colleagues who have died in the line of duty, at a ceremony in Rome on 25 November.
PART II - DETAILS
A. ANGOLA
1. UPDATE - information as of 27 November
1.1 A WFP convoy was attacked in south-western Angola on 27 November, leaving two dead and one wounded. The 30-vehicle convoy, carrying 400 tons of food under MONUA escort, was on its way north from Lubango, in Huila province, when it was ambushed about 14 kilometres outside of the town of Cacula. In the attack, a truck owned by a commercial transport firm under contract to WFP was hit and the operator and the driver were killed, while one of the two driver's assistants was injured. None of the WFP escort staff, who were riding with the convoy, were injured.
1.2 The MONUA escort, consisting of three armoured vehicles from the UN's Namibian contingent, returned fire and repelled the attack. There was no information on who the assailants were. Following the attack, the MONUA commander ordered the convoy back to Lubango
1.3 Another WFP convoy, which had been heading to Lobito, has been detained in Huambo for over 10 days (as of 27 November) after authorities closed the road because of grave insecurity conditions. The convoy of 38 trucks was returning from delivering 800 tons of food to Huambo and Kuito under MONUA escort. According to reports, there is intense fighting between government forces and UNITA in the area, which has blocked passage between Alto Hama and Londuimbale. In addition, the bridge over the river Hama is reported to have been damaged. Up to now, the Londuimbale road, running from the port of Lobito to Huambo, has been the only relatively safe passage for trucks supplying food to Huambo, Kuito and Menongue. Over 200,000 people depend on WFP for survival in these areas. An alternative southern road from Benguela, which is normally considered extremely unsafe, has now become totally impassable in sections because of heavy rains. If the situation north of Huambo does not improve, WFP will need to drastically expand the current airlift program to include those areas.
1.4 WFP is already airlifting 20 percent of its food aid in Angola, mostly to the north-east region. If the supply corridor to the south remains cut off, WFP will be forced to increase its airlifting programme to at least 50 percent of total deliveries. WFP is currently providing food aid to nearly 600,000 people in Angola. Two-thirds of the food aid consists of survival rations to 387,000 internally displaced persons.
1.5 Security in the country has been steadily deteriorating during the last few months. The number of new IDPs moving to safer urban areas continues to increase. Among other incidents, there have been several robberies at food and seed distribution points around Matala in Huila province, where WFP and distribution partners have requested Government intervention to allow for the safe distribution of food.
B. BANGLADESH
1. UPDATE - information as of 27 November
1.1 Pledges of 222,055 tons of wheat have been confirmed by donors out of total requirement of 352,400 tons for the WFP emergency operation for those affected by the floods in Bangladesh. WFP is currently awaiting confirmation from donors to have the balance resourced.
1.2 A shipment of food aid arrived on 23 November bringing some 50,000 tons out of the total of 207,407 tons which is scheduled to arrive between November 1998 and February 1999. About 60 percent of these shipments will arrive by mid-December 1998. Over and above the total emergency shipments, 62,075 tons of wheat for WFP development projects will be arriving during the same period. In addition to WFP shipments, about 350,000 tons of Government of Bangladesh and NGO food consignments are arriving in the country between now and January 1999. The large quantity of food arriving is expected to require careful coordination to ensure that the food is distributed in a timely and equitable manner. A third WFP logistics officer is joining the two WFP logistics officers currently overseeing port operations for relief aid, helping to coordinate the arrivals of aid shipments, discharging and dispatching, to avoid bottlenecks.
1.3 WFP has appointed 10 food monitors in flood-affected area. Until further WFP shipments of emergency food aid are in place, the Government of Bangladesh is using stocks from its national reserve to cover the emergency operation requirements, stocks which will later be replenished by WFP.
1.4 During the month of October food assistance was provided to about 20 million people through the issuance of 4 million family cards by the Government's Vulnerable Group Feeding system. Some 63,980 tons of wheat were allocated. The Government has distributed an additional 200,000 cards for November. More rations are needed in the worst affected areas. Since the current ration of 16 kg/family/month is considered inadequate, WFP has proposed to the Government to increase the current food ration to 32 kg/family/month.
1.5 An FAO/WFP Special Report on Bangladesh, issued on 13 November, gives the results of the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission to Bangladesh in October. The full text of the report can be found on the WFP Web site at http://www.wfp.org (click on Field Operations and then Bangladesh) or on the FAO Web site at http://www.fao.org - click on Economics, GIEWS, Special Reports.
C. AFGHANISTAN
1. Update - information as of 27 November 1998
1.1 The first international UN mission since the UN evacuation in August 1998 returned from a two-day visit to Bamyan on 24 November. The mission, composed of international staff from WFP and UNOCHA, follows the WFP, UN and NGO national staff mission which has been in the area for the past ten days.
1.2 The international mission to Bamyan assessed the situation of displaced people who had escaped from urban centres and were living in caves, the general food availability in local markets and the status of UN premises and equipment. The initial findings are that security has vastly improved since August 1998, roads are open, transport is moving and the bazaar in Bamyan City is very active. Almost 85 percent of the shops are open, and a wide array of goods are available, including wheat, rice and other basic commodities. While some large quantity of potatoes is available, the price is dropping due to local Hazara truckers resisting transport of goods to remote areas; as the potatoes are an important cash crop, this will have a negative impact on the local economy. The mission also reports that the local Taliban authorities have recently returned to WFP the premises and nine UN vehicles which were taken in August.
1.3 Since the Taliban take-over of Bamyan in August WFP had lost communication contacts with national staff in the area. WFP has just found out that a WFP warehouse guard in Bamyan City was killed during the fighting in August.
1.4 The national staff mission to Bamyan and Yakawalang has reported that approximately 600 tons of wheat out of the 800 tons reported as disappeared from WFP Yakawalang warehouse in August are still in place in the warehouse. Although the final report is not yet ready, the mission reported that a number of displaced persons in Panjao and in Waras have returned home. The beneficiary caseload of IDPs may therefore be considerably less than the initial number estimated (5,000 families). WFP has assessed storage capacity in Panjao and Waras for eventual food delivery in the area for the winter emergency. In preparation for beneficiary registration and distribution, WFP is deploying WFP national staff and vehicles from other locations in Afghanistan and is contracting NGOs (OXFAM, MADERA, SHUHADA) who are present in the affected areas.
1.5 In collaboration with UNHCR, WFP is monitoring the repatriation by Afghan refugees from Iran to Herat, Afghanistan. Currently no food assistance is needed for the approximately 1,500 people returning each week. However, their status is being assessed closely with UNHCR.
D. CENTRAL AMERICA: RELIEF OPERATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MITCH IN HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, EL SALVADOR AND GUATEMALA
1. RESOURCING UPDATE - information as of 30 November
1.1 Generous response from donors means that WFP has received commitments for more than half the funding needed for the regional Hurricane Mitch emergency operation (EMOP 6079), to assist more than one million storm victims for six months.
1.2 Total needs for the EMOP are USD 58,390,000 (food aid totals 116,238 metric tons). Confirmed donations (figures rounded off) have been made by Canada - USD 547,000; France - USD 7,430,120; Italy - USD 377,330 (includes airlifts of 54 MT of High energy biscuits - Italian donation, and 100 MT of canned fish - Canadian donation); USA - USD 24,837,800. The total so far received is USD 33,192,200 or 57 percent of the appeal, leaving a shortfall of some USD 25,200,000.
1.3 Further updates on Hurricane Mitch operations are found on the Web on the WFP Home page at http://www.wfp.org or through contacting <Wolfram.Herfurth@wfp.org>.
E. EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: RWANDA, BURUNDI, TANZANIA, DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE
1. RWANDA
1.1 The Government of Rwanda has announced plans for a gradual resettlement of the displaced persons in Ruhengeri and Gisenyi. It is planned that the displaced persons will be resettled in new villages, in close proximity to their traditional farmlands. There are currently about 569,000 displaced persons in these two north-western prefectures.
2. BURUNDI
2.1 A system of Provincial Focal Points has been established in the country under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, replacing the former Lead Agency arrangement. This new system emphasizes coordination and information sharing among all humanitarian partners as well as with government representatives. One non-governmental organization per province will serve as Focal Point.
3. TANZANIA
3.1 Representatives of UN agencies paid a visit to Kasulu district to assess assistance requirements for host populations in refugee-affected areas in north-western Tanzania and to explore mitigation programmes to alleviate the impact of refugee presence in the region. Areas identified for possible assistance include primary school education, hospital rehabilitation and services and vulnerable group assistance.
3.2 Preventive measures have been put in place following the recent cholera outbreak in the Mtendeli camps. The movement of refugees outside of the camps is being restricted and some activities such as brewing and slaughtering of animals have been suspended. Camp restaurants have also been closed. As a result of these measures, there was a sudden increase in the price of essential commodities in the camp markets.
3.3 The facilitated repatriation of Burundian refugees from camps in Kibondo has been put on hold, following the cholera outbreak.
4. DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE - information as of 22 November
4.1 Food aid distributions are coming to a halt in Kinshasa as food stocks are being depleted. During the week only 16 tons of food were distributed in Kinshasa. Two hundred tons of food commodities have been airlifted into Brazzaville and food distributions to Rwandan refugees and to malnourished children in the city have resumed. During the week, 4,424 refugees and 3,477 children received food rations.
4.2 Traffic across the river between Brazzaville and Kinshasa remains open and WFP plans to ferry some food from Brazzaville to replenish stocks in Kinshasa. In the coming weeks, WFP expects to receive a train from Pointe-Noire carrying up to 500 tons of food commodities.
4.3 The general food situation remains unstable in Kinshasa and traders are facing difficulties in supplying the city. Traders estimate that food stocks in the market will be exhausted at the end of January and are requesting government subsidies to stabilize food and fuel prices. Food deliveries from the port of Matadi and from food production areas are limited due to military activities. Fuel imports have been suspended as no agreement to revise the prices was reached. A curfew remains in place from 24.00 to 06.00 hours but transporters have been advised not to enter the city later than 18.00 hours.
F. WFP MEMORIAL TO COLLEAGUES KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
1. MEMORIAL CEREMONY IN ROME
1.1 WFP dedicated a memorial to colleagues who have died in the line of duty, at a ceremony on 25 November at WFP Headquarters in Rome.
1.2 In 1998 alone, nine WFP staff members have been murdered. Most recently, WFP staff member Elias Segala was shot and killed on 14 November while on duty at a WFP warehouse in Kuito, Angola. As described above, WFP learned last week of the death of Sayed Essa, a WFP warehouse guard in Afghanistan who was killed in August when the Taliban Islamic militia captured the city of Bamyan. Over the past decade, WFP has lost 45 colleagues to murder, genocide, and work-related accidents and illnesses.
1.3 In response to the increase in violence against its staff members, WFP has created a special task force to enhance security measures and to train all 4,000 members of the organization in aspects of security and field safety.
1.4 In addition to the loss of its own staff, WFP is concerned about the increasing number of loss of lives of its contractors, mainly transporters, working in very dangerous areas.
1.5 The WFP staff who have died in the line of duty over the past ten years are here listed, by country, with date of death and cause of death:
In Afghanistan: Mohammed Hashim Basharyar, 18.07.98, murdered; Sayed Essa, August 98, murdered
Angola: Silva Chicambi, 11.04.93, murdered; Joaquim Sacramento, 25.10.94, murdered; Jorge Leitao, 11.12.96, murdered; Antonio Martinho, 15.09.98, work-related accident; Elias Segala, 14.11.98, murdered
Burundi: Renato Ricciardi, 23.07.98, murdered
Ethiopia: Farah Mohammed Omar, Feb. 95, murdered; Abraham Michael Amasias, 19.09.97, murdered; Kidane Teckle Giorgis, 19.09.97, murdered
Germany: Martin Mock, 02.03.88, service-incurred illness
Italy: Michel Wagner, 24.08.92, work-related illness
Kenya: Michael De Wild, 05.03.93, work-related car accident
Liberia: Himmi Stemn, 28.05.98, work-related accident
Namibia: Loredana Fraternali-Donati, 23.05.90, car accident while on temporary duty
Pakistan: Kimo Kasashima, 14.06.92, murdered
Rwanda: Antoine Buwahaya, 1994, genocide; Andre Kayumba, 1994, genocide; Hassan Mazimpaka, 1994, genocide; Zaidi Mugenzi, 1994, genocide; Joseph Nshogozabahizi, 1994, genocide; Augustin Ntashamaje, 1994, genocide; Emmanuel Turatsinze, 1994, genocide; Etienne Ugirasekuru, 1994, genocide; Primien Urwinyambo, 1994, genocide; Sylvere Kaneza, 15.01.97, work-related car accident; Innocent Mujawayezu, 31.01.97, work-related car accident; Roland Pougoue, 06.04.97, work-related car accident; Jean de Dieu Murwanashyaka, Jun. 97, murdered; Didace Nkezabera, 14.06.97, murdered
Somalia: Maxamed Cali Beesa, 01.01.94, murdered; Abdullah Hussein Bile, 13.06.94, murdered
Sudan: Fraser Sebit Aryamba, 21.12.89, work-related plane crash; Ali Hammad El Hag, 09.06.98, murdered; Sampson Ohiri Sumain, 09.06.98, murdered
Tanzania: Frument Bakulelhi, 20.05.96, service-incurred drowning
Uganda: Anjelo Arikwang, 16.03.90, murdered; Sisay M. Nure, 23.06.94, murdered; Kassahun W. Aregay, 23.06.94, murdered; Mekonen W. Gebreil, 23.06.94, murdered; Getahun Yeras, 23.04.96, service-incurred illness; Ben Acellam, 06.03.98, murdered; William Asiku, 08.07.98, murdered; Abby Kawuki, 18.07.98, work-related truck accident
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 47 of 1998 - November 27, 1998)
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