Humanitarian Action in the Northern Caucasus: 1 - 31 January 2001
Humanitarian Action in the Northern Caucasus
Information Bulletin: 1 - 31 January 2001
HIGHLIGHTS
Aid Agencies Discuss Operation Modalities in Chechnya
During January the United Nations and almost all NGOs suspended programmes in Chechnya for the time being in order to evaluate the situation following the abduction of a staff member of Médecins sans Frontiéres (MSF) - Holland in Chechnya on 9 January 2001, as well as to express solidarity with the NGO. However the UN and other organisations continued programmes in all other areas of the northern Caucasus. The humanitarian community held constant talks to discuss operational modalities in Chechnya and the resumption of programmes there taking into consideration the fact that without the external assistance the humanitarian situation in Chechnya would further deteriorate.
Government Approved 2001 Programme of Rehabilitation For Chechnya
On 25 January, the Russian Government approved a programme for the rehabilitation of social and economic life in Chechnya in 2001. 14 billion rubles (approximately US$ 500 million) are to be allocated for the implementation of the programme. Among the priority tasks are the reconstruction of residential houses so that IDPs are able to return to Chechnya, payment of pensions, provision of education, as well as job opportunities.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Food Aid
In January, the World Food Programme (WFP) provided 2,255 MTs of food to 147,927 IDPs in Ingushetia. The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) distributed 1,809 MTs of WFP food to 118,309 beneficiaries in Karabulak, Nazran city, and Malgobek and Sunzha districts. 29,618 IDPs staying in the camps A and Sputnik, and in seven villages of Nazran district received 446 MTs of WFP food from Islamic Relief (IR). WFP's food stocks and planned arrivals only cover requirements until the end of February. Cash donations are urgently needed to allow for local procurement of wheat flour, vegetable oil, and sugar.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) together with the Russian Red Cross (RRC) distributed food to more than 12,000 vulnerable people in Chechnya, namely in the areas around Grozny, Shali, Gudermes, and Kurchaloy. 15,000-20,000 people continued to benefit from the ICRC/RRC bread programme implemented in Chechnya and Ingushetia.
Shelter & Non-food Items
In January, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sent three convoys of relief items to Ingushetia, and one to Dagestan. As of 30 January, UNHCR has sent to the region 130 convoys. At the beginning of January, all 245 winterised tents, with the capacity of 20 IDPs in each, that were installed in the UNHCR camp A were connected to electricity and gas lines, provided floors, and supplied with gas stoves. 4,500 IDPs are now accommodated at the camp. The construction of another camp is proceeding well and will accommodate another 4,000 people. In addition, UNHCR continues providing shelter materials to spontaneous settlements in Ingushetia. During the first two weeks of January, 8,215 IDPs in 36 spontaneous settlements benefited from this shelter assistance.
The ICRC and the RRC provided 74 stoves to schools and maternity wards, and 800 square metres of plastic sheeting to camps for the displaced persons in Chechnya.
In Ingushetia, DRC conducted winterisation activities in IDP spontaneous settlements and camps. So far, more than 40 IDP settlements in the towns of Nazran and Karabulak, and in the villages of Troitskaya, Sleptsovskaya, Nesterovskaya, Galashki, and Yuzhny have received assistance from the NGO. To date, DRC has rehabilitated 1,000 partially destroyed houses in Achkhoy-Martan, Shali, and Urus-Martan districts of Chechnya. In addition, the NGO's shelter teams are constantly updating the database containing information about the number of destroyed houses in Chechnya and levels of destruction. The implementation of the DRC shelter programme is accompanied by an information campaign with distribution of leaflets explaining the main components of the activities, and working procedures.
Health & Nutrition
From 22-27 January in Kislovodsk, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a nutrition-training course for 40 paediatricians, obstetricians, general practitioners, and hygienists from Chechnya and Ingushetia, as well as for NGOs operating in the food sector. The second course is to take place from 29 January - 3 February. To facilitate coordination of activities of medical NGOs in Ingushetia, WHO prepared a field coordination map and a handbook on NGOs' programmes. The map also indicates zones of IDP residence not covered by medical assistance, which will help NGOs while planning their programmes. During the month of December and January, WHO provided binocular microscopes to the health facilities in Ingushetia. Hammer Forum, which treats children suffering from burns and shrapnel injuries, received 6,000 patients' registration cards from WHO.
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is currently involved in the activities related to the expanded programme for immunisation (EPI) and mother and child health care (MCH) in the IDP camps in Ingushetia. UNICEF is planning to expand its activities in the field of nutrition. Consultations are held with WHO on the need of fortifying bread-dough with iron, in order to tackle anaemia problems among the IDP population.
Education
UNICEF in consultations with partner NGOs started shaping the future strategy for education with the main focus to be on increasing the school enrolment of all IDP children in Ingushetia, instalment of tented or wooden schools in the IDP locations, and rehabilitation of some kindergartens currently occupied by IDPs. The UNICEF-partner organisation People in Need Foundation (PINF) opened a wooden school in Aki-Yurt, Ingushetia. 430 IDP children are to be enrolled when full capacity is reached. UNICEF is looking to work with the Centre for Peacemaking and Community Development (CPCD) and possibly other NGOs on the construction of schools and rehabilitation of kindergartens in Ingushetia.
Mine Action*
UNICEF, in collaboration with its partners, continues implementing a mine action programme in the region. The agency, together with the Vladikavkaz Children's Theatre 'Sabe', developed a puppet interactive show with mine awareness messages for children living in the IDP camps in Ingushetia. Several performances took place during the first week of January. UNICEF continues producing mine awareness posters, notebooks, and billboards to be disseminated in Chechnya by the ICRC, DRC, PHO, and Voice of the Mountains (VoM), and the local administrations. UNICEF held discussions with UNHCR to start vocational training for young handicapped IDPs and widows, and with WHO and UNHCR on the transport of mine victims from Grozny to the Vladikavkaz prosthetic and rehabilitation workshop.
* Mine action in this report refers to one or a combination of the following activities: mine awareness, victim assistance, and vocational training.
Produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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