From: Emergency Information Administrator
X-To: newinfo
Sender: sitreps@vita.org
Subject: Russian Federation: Chechnya DHA (Aug-95)
X-listprocessor-version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
X-comment: Disaster/Emergency Reports for International Situations
Originator: sitreps@vita.org
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 95 09:54:56 EDT
X-Status:
UNITED NATIONS INTER-AGENCY HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMME
FOR PERSONS DISPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE
EMERGENCY SITUATION IN CHECHNYA,
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
SITUATION REPORT OF THE DHA COORDINATOR
BASED ON FIELD REPORTS AND COVERING THE PERIOD
28 JULY-31 AUGUST 1995
GENERAL
A MILITARY AGREEMENT SIGNED ON 30 JULY 1995 IS GENERALLY BEING
RESPECTED, ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THE
AGREEMENT PROVIDED FOR DISARMAMENT OF THE CHECHEN FIGHTERS AND
WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN FEDERAL FORCES. CHECHEN FIGHTERS HAVE HANDED
IN A QUANTITY OF LIGHT WEAPONS AND THE FIRST WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN
FORCES, FROM THE VILLAGE OF ASSINOVSKAYA, HAS COMMENCED. EXCHANGE
OF PRISONERS HAS NOT YET STARTED.
THE POLITICAL AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF CHECHNYA, WHICH WAS
SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE MILITARY AGREEMENT, HAS NOT YET BEEN
REACHED. PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAS APPOINTED THE SECRETARY OF THE
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, MR. OLEG LOBOV, AS SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL
ENVOY TO CHECHNYA WITH THE TASK OF OVERSEEING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE MILITARY AGREEMENT AND STABILISING THE SITUATION. HE WILL HAVE
FULL POWERS OVER ALL OTHER FEDERAL AUTHORITIES IN THE AREA.
PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAS ALSO EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE
PERSONALLY IN NEGOTIATIONS, AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
IN SPITE OF THE CEASE-FIRE CALLED FOR BY THE MILITARY AGREEMENT,
REPEATED SHELLING WAS HEARD BY UN STAFF IN SLEPTSOVSKAYA,
INGUSHETIA WHILE SHELLING AND FIRING WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE
DIRECTION OF BAMUT, IN SOUTHWEST CHECHNYA, NEAR THE INGUSH BORDER.
IN DAGHESTAN, FOUR BORDER GUARDS AND EIGHT DAGHESTANI SPECIAL
POLICE ("OMON") WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED BY CHECHEN FIGHTERS
ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE BORDER INTO BOTLIKH.
TWO CHILDREN WERE INJURED AND ONE KILLED BY MINE EXPLOSIONS NEAR
THE VILLAGE OF SHUSHA, IN THE BORDER AREA.
THE QUESTION OF HANDING IN ARMS IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE
UNITED NATIONS IN THE SERNOVODSKAYA AREA OF INGUSHETIA, WHERE UN
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF IS BEING PROVIDED. THE AREA IS MARKED ON MAPS
AS BEING PART OF INGUSHETIA; ITS POPULATION IS LARGELY CHECHEN, AND
APPARENTLY BOTH THE INGUSH GOVERNMENT AND THE TEMPORARY
ADMINISTRATION IN CHECHNYA HAVE AGREED THAT THE AREA SHOULD REVERT
TO CHECHNYA. THE CHECHEN FLAG WAS RECENTLY RAISED IN ASSINOVSKAYA,
AND CHECHEN FIGHTERS, WHO HAVE FREQUENTLY SOUGHT REFUGE IN THE
AREA, STILL HAVE THEIR WEAPONS.
INSIDE CHECHNYA, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT 244 LIGHT WEAPONS, BUT
NO HEAVY WEAPONS, HAVE BEEN HANDED IN BY CHECHEN FIGHTERS. IT WAS
ALSO REPORTED THAT THE CITY OF GROZNY IS NOW FULL OF ACTIVITY.
ARMED MEN BROKE INTO THE ICRC OFFICE IN KHASAVYURT (DAGHESTAN)
DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD AND STOLE EVERYTHING, INCLUDING MEDICAL
SUPPLIES AND SATELLITE RADIO EQUIPMENT. UNKNOWN PERSONS FIRED AN
ANTI-TANK GRENADE AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF
DAGHESTAN; NO CASUALTIES WERE REPORTED.
UNHCR MOVED ITS OFFICE TO MORE SECURE PREMISES IN MAKHACHKALA,
WHICH WILL ALSO ACCOMMODATE WFP AND A UNICEF EXPERT IN TRAUMA
RELIEF. EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE CONTINUING ACTIVITY, UNICEF HAS NOW
COMPLETED ITS PROGRAMME IN DAGHESTAN.
AN AUDIT OF THE UNHCR OFFICE IN MAKHACHKALA WAS CARRIED OUT BY
UNITED NATIONS EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
TARGET POPULATION
A DHA/UNHCR MISSION WHICH VISITED INGUSHETIA, NORTH OSSETIA AND
DAGHESTAN FROM 12 TO 20 AUGUST CONCLUDED THAT THE PRESENT NUMBER OF
IDPS IN INGUSHETIA WAS 67,000; IN NORTH OSSETIA THERE WERE 5,000
WHILE IN DAGHESTAN THERE WERE 50,000. IT WAS THUS ESTIMATED THAT
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS WAS 122,000. IT WAS NOTED THAT, IN
ADDITION TO THIS, THERE WERE 32,000 IDPS IN INGUSHETIA FROM THE
PRIGORODNY DISTRICT OF NORTH OSSETIA, AND 35,000 REFUGEES FROM
GEORGIA IN NORTH OSSETIA.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A SURVEY OF BENEFICIARIES IN INGUSHETIA BY
UNHCR FIELD STAFF IS STILL UNDER WAY.
THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RETURNS IN RECENT WEEKS; IN
THE UPDATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS CONSOLIDATED INTER-AGENCY APPEAL
FOR PERSONS DISPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION IN
CHECHNYA, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS IN
INGUSHETIA, NORTH OSSETIA AND DAGHESTAN WAS 175,000.
IN INGUSHETIA, NEW CRITERIA HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE LOCAL
MIGRATION SERVICE FOR RECOGNITION AS AN IDP; THESE CONDITIONS
INCLUDE PROOF OF PROPERTY DESTRUCTION IN CHECHNYA.
THE DAGHESTAN MIGRATION SERVICE HAS RECEIVED AN INSTRUCTION FROM
THE FEDERAL MIGRATION SERVICE TO CONSIDER GRANTING THE STATUS OF
"FORCED MIGRANT" TO SELECTED IDPS, WHO REPORTEDLY MUST BE OF
DAGHESTANI BACKGROUND TO QUALITY.
INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION
AS MENTIONED ABOVE, A DHA/UNHCR MISSION VISITED INGUSHETIA, NORTH
OSSETIA AND DAGHESTAN FROM 12 TO 20 AUGUST 1995 AND CONDUCTED A
REVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME ON THE BASIS OF INTER-AGENCY DISCUSSIONS.
THE RESULTS OF THIS REVIEW WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE INTER-AGENCY
NIS TASK FORCE AND TO A DONORS MEETING WHICH WILL BE HELD ON 4
OCTOBER IN GENEVA.
UNICEF CLOSED ITS OFFICE IN MAKHACHKALA AT THE END OF AUGUST, AFTER
COMPLETING ITS DISTRIBUTION OF UNICEF RELIEF SUPPLIES. (THE
DISTRIBUTION OF CHILDREN'S FOOTWEAR WILL BE HANDLED BY UNHCR.) THE
UNICEF EXPERT IN TRAUMA RELIEF REMAINS IN PLACE.
IOM ALSO CLOSED ITS OFFICE IN DAGHESTAN AT THE END OF AUGUST, AND
WILL NOW CONCENTRATE ITS EFFORTS INSIDE CHECHNYA.
ICRC ANNOUNCED THE ARRIVAL OF SCHOOL MATERIALS WHICH ADDRESS THE
TOPIC OF WAR AND PEACE TO ENHANCE RESPECT FOR HUMANITARIAN LAW AND
HUMAN RIGHTS.
PROGRAMME DELIVERY
SHELTER
UNHCR HAS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH RELIEF INTERNATIONAL FOR THE
PROCUREMENT OF 120 PREFABRICATED UNITS AND RELATED SANITARY AND
UTILITY WORK AT SIX SITES.
WAR AND SANITATION
PROCUREMENT OF SIX SEWAGE TRUCKS IS UNDER WAY, FOR USE IN
INGUSHETIA AND DAGHESTAN. IN THE LATTER REPUBLIC, TWO NEW
CONTRACTS FOR SEWAGE SYSTEMS AND WATER SUPPLY HAVE BEEN SIGNED.
DOMESTIC ITEMS
DELIVERIES OF BLANKETS, MATTRESSES, PLASTIC CANS, SUMMER SHOES AND
PLASTIC SHEETS TO IDPS IN INGUSHETIA ARE CONTINUING. PROCUREMENT OF
WINTER JACKETS AND SHOES IS UNDER WAY.
FOOD
IN INGUSHETIA AND NORTH OSSETIA THE FIRST ROUND OF WHEAT FLOUR HAS
BEEN COMPLETED, WITH 473 MTS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH 34 DISTRIBUTION
POINTS. THE SECOND ROUND IS NOW UNDERWAY; THE TOTAL QUANTITY WILL
BE 1,800 MTS.
75 MTS OF SUGAR HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN VLADIKAVKAZ AND DISTRIBUTION
WILL COMMENCE SHORTLY.
THE FIRST THREE OUT OF FIVE RAILWAY WAGONS CARRYING VEGETABLE OIL
HAVE REACHED VLADIKAVKAZ; THE ARRIVAL OF THE REMAINING TWO WILL
MEAN THAT ALL SUPPLIES FOR THE PRESENT PHASE OF THE OPERATION --
THAT IS, NOT COUNTING THE WINTER PROGRAMME -- WILL HAVE BEEN
RECEIVED.
IN DAGHESTAN, 40 MTS OF SUGAR ARRIVED AFTER TWO WEEKS OF CUSTOMS
DELAY ON THE UKRAINIAN-RUSSIAN BORDER. THE FIRST DISTRIBUTION OUT
OF 1,200 MTS OF WHEAT FLOUR HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND THE SECOND
COMMENCED WITH SIMULTANEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF SUGAR.
95 MTS OF VEGETABLE OIL REACHED DAGHESTAN ON 4 SEPTEMBER AFTER THE
WFP REPRESENTATIVE HAD TRAVELLED TO NOVOROSSIISK PORT WITH A CONVOY
TO DEAL WITH CUSTOMS PROBLEMS. 5 MTS WERE DAMAGED AT SEA AS A
RESULT OF INCORRECT LOADING.
THERE IS STILL AN URGENT NEED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR WINTER FOOD.
HEALTH
UNICEF MEDICAL SUPPLIES RECEIVED BY AIR ON 11 AUGUST HAVE BEEN
DELIVERED TO NAZRAN HOSPITAL IN INGUSHETIA.
COMMUNITY SERVICES
A PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN DAGHESTAN WHEN
THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, WITH NGO EQUILIBRE AS THE IMPLEMENTING
PARTNER. IDP CHILDREN NOT ATTENDING LOCAL SCHOOLS WILL BE
SUPERVISED BY IDP EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND TAUGHT BY 20 IDP
TEACHERS. UNHCR WILL PROVIDE ONE VEHICLE, WHILE UNICEF IS
FINANCING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES. A UNICEF SURVEY
FOUND GREAT CONCERN AMONG PARENTS FOR THE EDUCATION OF THEIR
CHILDREN. IN INGUSHETIA, SCHOOL TEACHING HAS STARTED IN FIVE
COLLECTIVE CENTRES. IN AUGUST, 700 IDP CHILDREN TOOK PART IN
SUMMER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN 40 COLLECTIVE CENTRES.
IN AKI-YURT (INGUSHETIA) THE IDP WOMEN'S GROUP HAS COMMENCED
MANUFACTURE OF CLOTHES FOR 52 CHILDREN, UNDER AN AGREEMENT WITH
UNHCR.
THE UNICEF TRAUMA RELIEF EXPERT GAVE A SEMINAR IN SERNOVODSKAYA
(INGUSHETIA) TO TRAIN LOCAL PEOPLE. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE
TRAINED PERSONS IN TURN WILL REACH 4,000 IDPS.
=====================================
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE IN THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION - MOSCOW
MR. CHRISTOPHER CARPENTER
TEL.: (7 095) 284.3220/973.1893
FAX: (7 095) 973.1960
COMPLEX EMERGENCY DIVISION
(CED) - NEW YORK
MR. GERHARD PUTMAN-CRAMER
TEL.: (1 212) 963.2406
FAX: (1 212) 963.1312
COMPLEX EMERGENCY SUPPORT UNIT
(CESU)- Geneva
MR. PAUL HEBERT / MS. KATARINA TOLL
TEL.: (41 22) 788.6381 / 788.7021
FAX: (41 22) 788.6386 / 788.6387
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. MOULIN-ACEVEDO
TEL.: (41 22) 917.2856
FAX: (41 22) 917.0023
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
INTERNET E-MAIL:DHAGVA AT UN.ORG
===========================================
= DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS +