Report No. 06 of 1999 Date: 12 February 1999
This report includes: A) Sierra Leone B) Guinea Bissau C) Angola D) Somalia E) Central Africa: DR Congo and Congo/Brazzaville F) Democratic People's Republic of Korea G) 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 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.
This issue of the Emergency Report was prepared by Natasha Nadazdin and Deborah Hicks.
PART I - HIGHLIGHTS (Details below in Part II)
A. SIERRA LEONE
1. Update - information as of 14 February a) Security in Freetown remains unpredictable. WFP warns that Freetown may face a large-scale food crisis in the coming weeks. b) Displaced population is returning to Kenema from surrounding villages after fleeing from rebel attacks last week. c) Inter-agency mission to Blama and Jembeh on the Bo-Kenema highway report 10,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Blama and 3,000 in Jembeh. d) Population around Kambia, including approximately 18,000 IDPs, move towards Guinean border at Gbalamuya following attack on Kambia town on 11 February.
B. GUINEA BISSAU
1. Update - most information as of 7 February a) Slow deployment of ECOMOG forces and withdrawal of foreign forces threaten a lasting peace. b) Some 250,000 people in Guinea Bissau in urgent need of food. During the week of 1 to 8 February, 180 tons of WFP food aid distributed to some 100,000 displaced in Bissau and near-by Prabis, Cumura and Safim, by various agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and religious groups. c) WFP-chartered ship with 445 tons of rice and 6,000 litres of fuel is on its way to Bissau. Food and fuel are also being brought in overland from Conakry; lack of fuel is currently a major food distribution constraint.
C. ANGOLA
1. Update - information as of 12 February a) Increasing numbers of displaced seek refuge outside the country. b) In Kuito, some recently displaced persons return and numbers of IDPs continue to decrease. WFP distributes 190 tons of food to 25,000 beneficiaries with the support of Minars and CARE. c) Malanje shelling continues and WFP unable to resume air operations to the city. d) No distributions carried out in Uige over the past week. e) All supplies to Luena still carried in by air. Save the Children/US due to return to Luena to carry out WFP food distributions to 40,000 IDPs in the city; work outside the city constrained by freshly laid mines.
D. SOMALIA
1. Update - information as of 10 February a) Seeds and water currently key factors in revitalizing local food production and preventing current food emergency from escalating. Unless there is a timely seed distribution effort, need for food aid may persist beyond July. b) Vulnerable population currently estimated to 75,000 households. c) Water for livestock and human consumption has become critical in many regions. d) Populations displacement from the Bay and Bakool regions towards Gedo and the Kenyan border continues.
E. CENTRAL AFRICA: DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE
1. Update a) Most refugees from Congo/Brazzaville who crossed into Bas-Congo province of DR Congo (estimated to total 20,000) have spontaneously settled in public buildings or are with relatives. WFP and UNHCR are discussing plans for food assistance. b) Food shortages continue in Kinshasa and Brazzaville due to insecurity on supply routes.
F. DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1. Update a) WFP-sponsored "Consultative Meeting on DPR Korea", held in Rome on 3 February, included participation by donor representatives, NGOs and UN agencies active in DPR Korea. Constraints, challenges and opportunities for food-assisted interventions in DPR Korea discussed.
G. AFGHANISTAN
1. Update a) UN technical security mission visits Afghanistan between 4 and 8 February to discuss the investigations of the murders of three UN staff since July 1998. Satisfactory progress in the investigations is one of the prerequisites for the return of UN international staff to Afghanistan.
PART II - DETAILS
A. SIERRA LEONE
1. UPDATE - information as of 14 February
1.1 According to information from WFP Sierra Leone on 14 February, security in Freetown remains unpredictable as rebels still appear to retain the capacity to inflict further attacks and damage on the city. The Special Representative of the Secretary General was in Freetown on the weekend to observe the situation. Security regulations for the UN agencies do not permit the UN staff to stay in the city, with the exception of the UN security team members, who will make their next visit on 16/17 February. The problem of transport of international staff back and forth from Conakry to Freetown is expected to be eased with the arrival of a WFP-chartered helicopter in the near future. WFP has warned that Freetown may face a large-scale food crisis in the coming weeks.
1.2 WFP staff in Kenema report that following the rebel incursion earlier in the week, ECOMOG is carrying out mopping-up operations on the airport side of the town and the town population is returning from surrounding villages, reassured by the increased presence of the security forces in Kenema. The WFP warehouse and office are undamaged and functional.
1.3 The inter-agency mission to Blama and Jembeh on the Bo-Kenema highway, where an estimated 60,000 IDPs had been reported, completed their work on 11 February and reported that there are about 10,000 IDPs in Blama and 3,000 in Jembeh. WFP and other agency staff are planning a registration of these IDPs for possible food assistance. The WFP staff who were relocated to Bo are expected to return to Kenema on Monday 15 February to begin assistance to IDPs in Blama. Shortage of fuel will be a major constraint and efforts will be made to identify commercial trucks to undertake transportation.
1.4 Bo town is reported quiet, with people carrying on regular activities. Shortages of essential commodities (primarily due to lack of fuel and the road to the west being cut) are increasingly a problem.
1.5 Kambia town was attacked late on 11 February. The communities around Kambia, including approximately 18,000 IDPs, are moving towards the border of Guinea at Gbalamuya. The Guinean ECOMOG are reported to have relocated defences on the Kambia bridge. WFP and the inter-agency team had planned to conduct a verification of IDPs in Kambia on 14 February for possible food assistance the coming week through a cross-border operation, but has been postponed pending developments on the security situation. WFP has no stocks in the Kambia warehouse.
B. GUINEA BISSAU
1. UPDATE - most information as of 7 February (with some additional information)
1.1 Progress in the deployment of ECOMOG forces and the withdrawal of foreign forces is slow, and the delay may be a threat to a lasting peace. Because of the resulting uncertainty, internal displacement of population continues. After the brief resumption of fighting last week, many displaced in Bissau took refuge in schools and churches, while people who moved inland live in makeshift shelters. Some are still leaving Bissau, fearing renewed violence.
1.2 Some 250,000 people in Guinea Bissau are currently in urgent need of food. The majority of IDPs are concentrated near the city, in and around Prabis, Cumura and Safim. After an assessment visit to Safim/Nyhoma on 8 February, WFP Food Aid Monitors report that numbers of displaced persons may be higher than originally estimated. IDP population may reach 60,000 in Safim and 8,000 in Nyhoma.
1.3 WFP/OCHA/UNICEF made food distributions under gun-fire in Bissau to the affected vulnerable people from 1 to 2 February, one day after the war broke out again. The WFP representative delegated UNICEF local staff to handle the distribution during his absence due to the security reasons since 3 February. WFP/OCHA returned to Bissau on 7 February.
1.4 After a joint WFP/Caritas/MSF assessment mission conducted on 4 February, Caritas began to distribute 70 tons of WFP food aid in Safim for the newly arrived IDPs, to some 12,000 beneficiaries. In addition, Caritas will distribute a total of approximately 85 tons of WFP food stocks from the warehouse in Bafata to over 30,000 beneficiaries in Cumura and Prabis and 4,000 in Nyhoma. In total, during the week of 1 to 8 February, different agencies, NGOs and religious groups distributed approximately 180 tons of WFP food aid to some 100,000 beneficiaries in Bissau, Cumura and Prabis. The commodities provided were rice, oil and CSB.
1.5 On 6 February a clearance was obtained from the Junta (who since the beginning of the hostilities have had their HQ at the airport in Bissau) to send a UN/WFP plane with medicines and vaccines from Dakar to Bafata. Vaccines were urgently required because of an epidemic of meningitis in Bafata and Oio.
1.6 WFP has chartered a ship with 445 tons of rice and 6,000 litres of fuel to sail to Bissau. Another food shipment is foreseen next week using the same vessel. Food and fuel are also being brought in overland from Conakry. A convoy with 128 tons of food left Conakry on 10 February, and another convoy is foreseen from Conakry in the middle of next week with 142 tons of food and 10,000 litres of petrol for WFP. Current lack of fuel is one of the main obstacles to providing relief in Guinea Bissau.
C. ANGOLA
1. GENERAL UPDATE - information as of 12 February
1.1 On 4 February, the President of the UN Security Council expressed concern over the worsening situation in Angola. He called Council members to renew and intensify diplomatic efforts to reverse the negative cycle into which the country is now sinking.
1.2 MONUA continues its withdrawal from provincial capitals and operations will close down in two weeks, on 26 February.
2. HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
2.1 UCAH figures now indicate a total of 550,000 IDPs, with larger concentration in the provinces of Malanje, Bie, Huambo and Huila. With the intensification of the conflict, a number of displaced are now seeking refuge outside the country. According to UNHCR, more than 16,000 Angolans have now taken refuge in DR Congo (6,000 in Songolo, 4,000 in Kimpese and 6,000 in Matadi). In addition, UNHCR reports that more than 1,200 people have fled to Zambia since June 1998.
2.2 Kuito: The general humanitarian situation in the past week has been stable. Some recently displaced persons were able to return to their homes and resume some agricultural activities in areas around the city, where the number of IDPs continues to decrease. With the support of Minars and CARE, WFP was able to distribute 190 tons of food to 25,000 beneficiaries during the last week.
2.3 Malanje: Shelling of the city has been going on during the past week. WFP has not yet resumed its air operations. More than 72,000 IDPs are now present in and around the city. WFP is still faced by implementing constraints, as very few NGOs are present on the ground. However, despite the sporadic shelling and consequent lack of security, WFP, with the support of Minars, World Vision and Oikos, was able to distribute 730 tons of food to 52,000 IDPs during the last ten days.
2.4 Uige: No distribution has been carried out in the past week. WFP, Minars, Caritas and the Danish Refugee Council are now verifying the list of registered IDPs to prepare for distribution later this month. It is planned to distribute to 17,000 IDPs for the rest of February and to 23,000 IDPs a month as of March. There is presently 83 tons in stock but more food has been flown in to Negage and is on its way to Uige.
2.5 Luena: All supplies are still carried in by air. Local market prices have increased dramatically. Freshly laid mines have been found on dirt roads just outside the city perimeter and humanitarian activities are therefore limited to the city. Save the Children/US is due to return to Luena to carry out WFP food distributions to 40,000 IDPs in the city.
D. SOMALIA
1. UPDATE - information as of 10 February
1.1 At a meeting held on 10 February WFP and other humanitarian agencies working in Somalia agreed that seeds and water were the key to revitalizing local food production and preventing the current food emergency from escalating and reaching even more alarming proportions.
1.2 Due to abnormal rains in 1998 both the Gu and Deyr harvest have been seriously affected. As anticipated, the main sorghum producing areas of Bay and Bakool have reported almost total crop failure. The Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) estimates that 1,600 tons of seeds is required in the next 4-6 weeks before the rains in order to prevent rainfed farmers' livelihoods being further jeopardized through the lack of inputs for the upcoming Gu season. Given the low household seeds stocks, the area planted and harvest levels are likely to be low. Unless there is a timely seed distribution effort, the need for food aid may persist beyond July. The current vulnerable population is estimated to 75,000 households.
1.3 Water situation: Water for livestock and human consumption has become critical in many regions, especially Bay, Bakool and Gedo, as well as extending into parts of central Somalia, Puntland and Somaliland. The combination of climatic conditions, insecurity and poorly maintained water sources has resulted in increasing pressure on boreholes and wells which are functional. In addition the cost of water has become prohibitively high in northeast and northwest Somalia, due in part to the continuing Saudi Arabian ban on livestock imports from Somalia. The reduced demand for livestock has resulted in higher than normal livestock levels creating increasing pressure on water and range resources. 1.4 Populations continue to move steadily from the Bay and Bakool regions towards Gedo and the Kenyan border. In Gedo, the condition of IDPs remains of concern. In Bay and Bakool an increasing number of cases of malnutrition due to food shortages is reported. An estimated 30,000 people have moved since the onset of the emergency in November/December 1998. High insecurity in Sakow district has resulted in large numbers of displaced to Jilib and Bu'ale.
1.5 In January, WFP distributed 1,513 tons of food in southern Somalia, to Bay, Bakool and Hiran regions. The total delivered since November is close to 4,500 tons. WFP plans to distribute a total of 2,590 tons during the month of February.
E. CENTRAL AFRICA: DR CONGO AND CONGO/BRAZZAVILLE
1. UPDATE
1.1 Most of the 20,000 Congolese from Congo/Brazzaville who crossed into Bas-Congo province of DR Congo have spontaneously settled in public buildings and some are living with relatives. WFP and UNHCR are discussing the modalities for eventual emergency food assistance and strategies to circumvent constraints related to frequent breakdown of ferryboats, poor road conditions and limited storage capacity.
1.2 The airlift of WFP food commodities continued from Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville. From September 1998 to 11 February 1999 WFP airlifted a total of 1,993 tons.
1.3 Due to the insecurity on the supply routes, Kinshasa and Brazzaville continue to experience food and non-food shortages. WFP periodic surveys in the markets in Kinshasa indicate that prices of basic items like bread, meat and fish have substantially increased. WFP is assisting 53,000 of the neediest persons in Kinshasa.
F. DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
1. UPDATE
1.1 The WFP-sponsored "Consultative Meeting on DPR Korea" was held on 3 February in the WFP headquarters in Rome, with the active participation of representatives from major donors to this operation, NGOs and UN agencies active in DPR Korea. The meeting provided a forum to hear three presentations by academics and analyses from specialists on DPR Korea and to hold discussions on all aspects of constraints, challenges and opportunities for food-assisted interventions. The mixture of points of view expressed at this meeting will help WFP in designing the future course of WFP operations in the country.
1.2 Observations made at the meeting include: a) With only 20 percent of its land arable, DPR Korea will need to supplement its domestic food production with food imports to become self-sufficient in its food needs; b) The long-term sustainable food security of the country is inextricably linked to economic recovery of the country, to enable the country to have foreign exchange reserves to meet food shortfalls through imports; c) As DPR Korea is primarily an industrial country, its economic recovery is linked to the recovery of its industrial sector; d) There is a need to continue relief assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population; e) There is scope for food-assisted recovery and rehabilitation activities to help the country realize its full agriculture potential.
G. AFGHANISTAN
1. UPDATE
1.1 As a result of the agreement reached on 25 January between the UN Humanitarian Coordinator and the Taliban authorities, a technical security mission visited Afghanistan between 4 and 8 February in connection with the murders of three UN staff since July 1998 - two national staff in Jalalabad and an international staff in Kabul. Satisfactory progress in the investigations is one of the prerequisites for the return of UN international staff to Afghanistan.
1.2 On-going fighting in Afghanistan is currently focusing on Bamyan province. There is no WFP staff in the towns of Bamyan and Yawkawlang at the present time due to nearby fighting.
1.3 The WFP Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Unit (VAM) survey in Kabul in late 1998 has confirmed that female, elderly and disabled headed households, a group which comprises 5-10 percent of the population of the city, are extremely food insecure. This group earns their income through child labour, women's domestic work and begging. The WFP bakeries (WFP provides around 20 percent of the cereal consumed in Kabul) supply families in this group with 50 percent of their food needs at highly subsidized prices. Even households with able-bodied men employed in daily casual labour or government employment are vulnerable to food insecurity, although a typical household in this group is currently able to meet minimum food needs. Over the past decade, the purchasing power of large sections of the population of Kabul has been eroded. WFP VAM in collaboration with Action Contre la Faim is currently determining the exact number of households who fall into the vulnerable group categories. WFP VAM field teams continue surveys in the cities of Jalalabad and Mazar-i-Sharif.
1.4 Uzbekistan has cut off electricity supply to Mazar-i-Sharif following disagreements with the Taliban over the terms of a previous electricity selling deal. Like most other areas in Afghanistan, Mazar-i-Sharif is now left with no electricity supply, increasing the difficulties of the civilian population during the winter.
Note: all tonnage figures above refer to metric tons
(End WFP Emergency Report No. 06 of 1999 - February 12, 1999)
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