WFP Bi-Weekly Report for the period 16-30 June 2001
| No. of Beneficiaries |
335,000 |
Commodities |
Gross Requirement |
| Duration |
1 January - 31 December 2001 |
Wheat flour |
54,270 |
|
Total Cost to WFP |
US$ 23,949,762 |
Sugar |
7,236 |
| Total Food Requirements |
Gross Requirement - 65,727 MT
Net Requirement - 62,915 MT |
Oil |
3,618 |
| Iodised Salt |
603 |
Humanitarian Situation in the northern Caucasus
Many security incidents were reported in Chechnya during the fortnight. The continued instability has discouraged internally displaced persons in Ingushetia to go back to Chechnya in the near future. The humanitarian situation, particularly in Grozny is deteriorating as the number of most vulnerable groups is increasing, the unemployment rate has gone up as high as 92%, and most of them have no purchasing power. The Grozny Households Survey conducted by DRC, funded by WFP and UNHCR, covering 17,831 household families revealed that with poor employment opportunities most households survive through casual labour, assistance from humanitarian agencies, relatives and by selling out their assets. The provision of current humanitarian assistance is not enough to meet minimum requirements of about 15% of the Grozny population.
In Ingushetia, 37 Chechen IDPs, including 17 women and 5 children, went on hunger strike near Sputnik and Satsita camps on 14 June demanding for an end to the Chechen conflict and asking for political negotiation with Aslan Maskhadov. Of them, 12 IDPs have been hospitalised due to dehydration and emaciation while the remaining 25 IDPs (14 men and 11 women) are still continuing their hunger strike. Islamic Relief and Republic’s Health Ministry are providing regular medical services to them.
A WFP mission comprising of Mr. John Powell, Regional Director for Asia, Pacific and Eastern Europe Bureau, and Mr. Saeed Malik, new Regional Director for Eastern Europe Bureau visited Russia from 23-29 June to review the current WFP operations in the northern Caucasus and to assess whether there is a need for its extension beyond December 2001. The mission established that emergency food assistance would be required during next year since the instability in Chechnya is continuing and IDPs in Ingushetia are reluctant to go back mainly, due to security reason.
Implementation of WFP Operations
WFP distributed a total of 3,405 tons of basic food commodities to 245,000 beneficiaries both in Ingushetia and Chechnya during the month of June 2001.
Ingushetia - According to DRC, there are 149,507 registered IDPs living in Ingushetia as of 1 July 2001. Of them, 20,571 live in tented camps, 30,483 in spontaneous settlements and 98,453 IDPs live with Ingush host families.
A total of 2,022 tons of WFP supplied food commodities (wheat flour, sugar and salt) were distributed to 147,084 beneficiaries during the month through Implementing partners, namely, Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Islamic Relief (IR) and Saudi Red Crescent Society (SRCS). While IR distributed three commodities to about 30,000 beneficiaries DRC and SRCS distributed only wheat flour and salt to remaining 117,000 IDPs due to shortage of sugar in stocks.
This is the fourth consecutive month that no vegetable oil was distributed due to unavailability in stocks.
ICRC and IR distributed complimentary food parcels (rice, macaroni, buckwheat, sugar, etc) to about 60,000 and 14,310 beneficiaries respectively. DRC distributed 10 kgs of rice, donated by EC, to about 143,000 IDPs and host families during this month. SRCS distributed food parcels to 4,150 beneficiaries living in Satsita camp.
In addition, Hilfswerk (Austria) and HCC served hot meals to about 10,000 and 3,500 school children respectively.
Chechnya - WFP supplied a total of 1,383 tons of food commodities (wheat flour, sugar and salt) for about 98,000 beneficiaries this month for IDPs and vulnerable groups in Grozny city (four districts), Grozny region and Achkoy-Martan district, neighbouring to Ingushetia. Food was distributed by three Implementing partners, namely, DRC, People in Need Foundation (PINF) and Centre for Peace-making and Community Development (CPCD).
ICRC has decided to lift travel restrictions for its staff and resumed its operations inside Chechnya. ICRC distributes bread and food parcels to about 15,200 beneficiaries in Gudermes, Achkoy-Martan, Urus-Martan and Grozny region through the Chechen Red Cross.
DRC distributed about 1,700 tons of basic food rations to about 155,000 beneficiaries, funded by ECHO, in Salinski, Nadterechny, Gudermes, Argun, Nozhay-Yurt and Urus-Martan. Similarly, ACF distributed 288 tons of food commodities to about 20,000 beneficiaries in Itum-Kali and Shatoy in southern/mountainous districts of Chechnya.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Aid Group reopened its office in Znamenskoye of Nadterechnaya district after two years.
Resourcing
Donors have so far confirmed pledges of about US$ 7.5 million, out of the total requirements of US$ 23.9 million for this year. The figure of total requirements is, however, being revised since WFP could not distribute food to the planned number of beneficiares from January to June 2001.
Monitoring
Food distribution organised by DRC and IR were monitored by WFP Food Monitors. They also carried out end-use monitoring by visiting 63 IDP households in Ingushetia. They stated that the quality of wheat flour was exceptionally good and many wheat flour bags contained excess weight of up to half kg- the fact never seen before. The IDP households requested to continue the provision of veg oil and increase the sugar ration.
Starting from this month, WFP and UNHCR have contracted with Vesta, a local NGO, to jointly monitor the situation in Grozny. According to the agreement, Vesta will employ four monitors, who will monitor, inter alia, food distribution, protection issues. They will fill up a common monitoring form designed by WFP and UNHCR.
WFP Commodity Status as of 30 June 2001
|
(Figures in metric tons) |
Wheat flour |
Veg. Oil |
Sugar |
Salt |
Total |
|
Regional stocks on 01 June |
1,450 |
0 |
141 |
38 |
1,629 |
|
Quantity delivered in June |
4,592 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4,591 |
|
Total available |
6,042
|
0 |
141
|
38
|
6,220
|
|
Distribution in Ingushetia |
1,992 |
0 |
15 |
16 |
2,022 |
|
Distribution in Chechnya |
1,329 |
0 |
37 |
3 |
1,369 |
| Total Distribution |
3,321 |
0 |
63 |
22 |
3,405 |
| Balance in the region on 30 of June |
2,721 |
0 |
78 |
16 |
2,815 |
|
|
