United Nations Nations Unies
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA]
CALM RETURNS TO LIBERIA’S WAR-WEARYSHELLING IN BURUNDI TAKES TOLL AMONG CIVILIANS
(BujumburaMonroviaMONROVIA, : 1110SeptemberJuly 2003(Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsOCHA) -- The deployment yesterday of Economic Community of West African States mission in Liberia (ECOMILECOMIL)Lforces forces beyond the troubled towns of Kakata and Salala, extending into Totota (115 kilometres northeast of Monrovia), has brought renewed calm, said the United Nations Special Humanitarian Coordinator in Liberia, Mr Ross Mountain.
Fighting in Kakata town broke-out on Tuesday morning between gGovernment militia and the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD). iInternally displaced personsIDPs, civilians and humanitarian aid workers came under a barrage of mortar and machine-gun fire during the attack.
United Nations agencies, together with their implementing non-governmental organizsation partners (NGOs) are now re-assessing humanitarian needs and planning appropriate assistance measures.
“Joint-assessments conducted by the United Nations and NGOs since the attack indicate humanitarian efforts must now be re-doubled to meet the urgent food, shelter, water and sanitation, and health needs of these traumatizsed people,”,said the Special Humanitarian Coordinator.
In a disturbing development, 20-armed gGovernment-militia this week marched into Phebe Hospital in Salala, held the staff at gunpoint, and ransacked the premises. Medical supplies and communications equipment were stolen. Although accurate information on the status of the patients is scarce, two have reportedly died. The whereabouts of the remaining 50 patients is unknown.
“In response to this cowardly attack, today I have spoken with theNational Defence Minister of Liberia and sought his assurance that efforts will now be made to recover the goods and equipmentbelonging to Phebe Hospital, and including equipment stolen from the international NGOs-- World Vision and Lutheran World Service(LWS), working with internally displaced personsIDPs in the Salala camps,”, said Mr. Mountain.
“I have also urged the Minister to ensure that those responsible for these acts of aggression, in direct contravention of the Agreement on Humanitarian Assistance, signed by all Parties to the conflict on 17 August 2003,must be identified and held accountable,”,added Mr Mountain.
The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF,United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organizsation pledged their assistance in re-stocking Phebe Hospital. MSF-France (Doctors Without Borders), World Vision, Concern and Lutheran World Service LWSScontinue to operate and deliver vital assistance to the people living in the Salala internally displaced personsIDP camps.
Fighting between rebels and government forces in Burundi's capital, Bujumbura,has killed up to twenty civilians, injured as many as 100 and displaced some 5,000 more since Monday.
Clashes between the Palipehutu-FNL (Agathon Rwasa) and the Armed Forces of Burundi (FAB) erupted in the southern neighborhoodsof Bujumbura on Monday morning. Mortar rounds that exploded in densely populated locations within Bujumbura, including the main Market Place, the Central Bank of Burundi and Prince Louis Rwagasore Hospital, have killed at least two civilians. According to the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Burundi, Mr.Sunil Saigal, no accurate figure exists for the total number of civilian injuries or deaths. “As many as 200 people have been admitted to the numerous hospitals and clinics run by national authorities and international non-governmental organizations”, said Mr.Saigal.
Civilians in Bujumbura report that both the rebels and military have actively encouraged civilians to flee the conflict areas. An estimated 2,000 displaced people, mostly women and children have been temporarily located in the grounds of the Burundi Life Museum (Musée Vivant).
They have received high-protein biscuits from UNICEF, water from the International Committee for the Red Cross, and medical support from the NGO Medecins Sans Frontiers. Another group of roughly 3,000 IDPs have reportedly sought shelter at a secondary school run by Catholic priests in Bujumbura's Kanyosha neighborhood. The condition of the group in Kanyosha, however, is unknown because security conditions do not permit humanitarian workers to reach those areas. The plight of unaccompanied children and separated families remains a core concern.
The spread of fighting into Bujumbura punctuates a marked deterioration of security in Burundi. Now, 16 of Burundi's 17 provinces are subjected to sporadic fighting, looting and armed banditry. At this time last year, only six of the country's 17 provinces were subject to frequent conflict, while the other 11 were open to and in need of rehabilitation and development.
“The impact of continued fighting on civilians and social infrastructure is devastating,”said Mr.Saigal. In addition to the 281,000 Burundians living in formal camps for the internally displaced, an estimated 100,000 Burundians are temporarily displaced each month, frequently forced to flee their homes as their neighborhoodserupt into fighting, leaving their livelihoodsbehind. Almost one in six Burundians continues to live away from their homes.
According to the UN's Human Development Index, Burundi is the third poorest country in the world. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Burundi in 1993, the hostilities have claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000 people, the vast majority of whom were civilians.
The President, Domitien Ndayizeye, is in Europe for meetings aimed at stirring up international support for this tiny war-stricken nation. To date, only $XX18.X2million, ---just XX26.X4per cent of the funds required under the United Nations 2003 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for LiberiaBurundi--have been pledged.
For further information, please call Nicholas McGowan, tel.:,+377 47 530 433257 951 681 (OCHA BujumburaLiberia); Stephanie Bunker, tel.:+212 963 1143 (OCHA NYNew York), Elizabeth Byrs, tel.:+41 22 917 2653 (OCHA Geneva)..
* *** *Bureau de la Coordination des Affaires Humanitaires
Regional Support Office for West Africa - Bureau Regional d’Appui pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest
PRESS RELEASE
US 15.9 million can avert a massive humanitarian crisis in Cote d’Ivoire and the sub-region
UN agencies and other humanitarian actors, estimate that about 3.9 million persons need assistance and support in terms of shelter, water and sanitation, food, health, education and protection IN Côte d'Ivoire AND THE SUB-REGION during the next three months.
On 21 November 2002, humanitarian agencies in Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire launched a Flash Appeal to mobilize US$ 15.9 million to cover from November 2002 to January 2003, the immediate pressing humanitarian needs and to avert a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Côte d’Ivoire and three priority (neighbouring?) countries, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
Within Côte d’ Ivoire, justabout US$ 7 million are being sought to provide humanitarian assistance to forover 3.4 million beneficiaries targeted for humanitarian assistanceout of a total population of 15.3 million people (about 20% of the totaloverallpopulation). In Burkina Faso US$ 1.1 million is needed for some 143,600 vulnerable people, being targeted, while in Ghana just over US$ 819,500 is needed for about 187,000 people. In addition, US$ 818,800 is being sought for about 95,000 evacuees, transiting populations, asylum seekers and host communities targeted for assistance in Mali. A total of US$ 6 million is needed for relevant regional response capacities. (This is confusing. How does it add up to the 15.9 million above?)
The working scenario for this flash appealassumesthat a remains a military stalemate will prevail, with the insurgents holding part of the north, while the Government controls the southern portion of the country. national territory.With an interposition force to be deployed shortly as part of within the context ofthe peace settlement process initiated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), humanitarian organizations are closely monitoring developments and the strain the current crisis is placing on the Ivorian society. This will enable relief organizations to ensure that their operations remain relevant and efficient for those made destitute, homeless or otherwise vulnerable. The number of status quo is expected to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and multiply the number of people requiring some sort of relief assistance during the next 90 daysis expected to increase. .
[Nature of problem: IDPs, economic disruption, etc. Then—what the aid community has done so far. “In the past weeks the aid community in CDI has”…done what to gear up? Set up new presence in Yamoussoukro, etc….]
The ability of the humanitarian community including national and international actors to address current emergency needs and more importantly to target relief aid so as to avert a massive humanitarian crisis depends on the swift and equitable allocation of resources for the interventions outlined in the appeal and for other initiatives undertaken to complement efforts included in this Inter-Agency Appeal. This sub-regional crisis, stemming from the situation in c
Cote d’iIvoire,represents a unique opportunity for for the implementation of the concept of cconflict prevention as part of an integral component ofan integrated response to a humanitarian emergency that has the potential to forbecome ing a regional humanitarian tragedy of unmanageable proportions.
For further information please contact:
Mrs. Besida Tonwe
Head of OCHA Regional Support Office for West Africa
Tel: (225) 22405170
Cell phone: (225) 07013663
Ms. Rosa Malango
Humanitarian Affairs Officer, OCHA Regional Support Office for West Africa
Tel: (225) 22405171
Cell phone: (225) 07013664
