SUMMARY
Repatriation of IDPs and
refugees continues. So far 165,096 IDPs have been transported to their home
villages in the TSZ and its adjacent areas in an organized manner by ERREC, and
20,324 Eritrean refugees repatriated to Eritrea by UNHCR. The Seventh Military
Coordination Commission (MCC) was held in Nairobi, Kenya on 27 June 2001.
PEACE PROCESS
MCC meeting was held in
Nairobi, Kenya on 27 June 2001 as part of the ongoing process of solidifying
peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia. During the meeting UNMEE said it would
formally open the bridge over the Mereb River, which connects the towns of
Adi-Quala in Eritrea and Rama in Ethiopia. The bridge was destroyed during the two and half year conflict but
recently repaired through a donation from the government of the Netherlands and
the efforts of UNMEE peacekeepers. The
MCC continued its discussion on holding sector military coordination meetings
in each of the three sectors of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ). According to
UNMEE these sector MCCs are necessary to address specific military and security
concerns, open channels of communication and build confidence between the
parties at the local level. In addition
UNMEE presented the two parties with a revised TSZ map in which no response was
received from either party. UNMEE circulated draft guidelines for handling
unburied mortal remains in areas controlled by either party. The draft was
prepared by UNMEE after the sixth MCC meeting, where the parties agreed to
cooperate on the identification and return of the remains of the bodies to
their respective countries. UNMEE will revise and refine the draft presented
and discussed. Special Representative of the UN Secretary General Mr. Legwaila
had last week met with the Eritrean Patriarch and other Eritrean religious
leaders, and called on them to cooperate to strengthen peace and
reconciliation.
UN SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)
The Council members noted
the secretary general's observations that situation in the TSZ has remained
generally calm and commended the parties and UNMEE for progress achieved so
far. They viewed that establishment of TSZ and functioning of Boundary
Commission and Claims Commission and commitment of both countries to the peace
process as promising and moving forward. Members of the Security Council
reiterated their call on the countries to early establish a direct air corridor
between Asmara and Addis Ababa. Council members also urged both governments to
fulfill their financial obligations to the Boundary Commission's work. Noting
the progress made in demining, the council members called upon both Eritrea and
Ethiopia and the international community to contribute more-financially and/or
otherwise to ensure full demining of the TSZ and its adjacent areas for safety
of returning IDPs and peacekeepers. In view of the deteriorating humanitarian
situation in Eritrea and Ethiopia, the Security Council members urged the
international community to respond generously to the United Nations Country
Team Appeals for the humanitarian assistance. The council members encouraged
the parties to cooperate with UNMEE, to explore and pursue a range of
confidence building measures and to approach the peace process in a
constructive manner.
POPULATION MOVEMENTS
Exchange of Nationals
ICRC has managed to repatriate
between 01 June and 05 July 2001, 4,835 Ethiopian civilians to Ethiopia and 922
Eritrean civilians to Eritrea. Since the peace agreement signed between the two
countries on 12 December 2000, ICRC repatriated a total of 2,658Eritrean
civilians and 20,029 Ethiopian civilians to their respective countries. No
exchange of POWs has been made recently.
IDPs
ERREC has repatriated
106,446 IDPs from 10 IDPs camps in Debub zone to their home villages. Some
13,000 IDPs which are not able to return to their homes moved to six newly
established temporary IDP camps around Tsorona town and three camps around
Senafe town. The number of those
staying in temporary camps can be reduced to half if immediate action is taken
to clear landmines, rehabilitation of the water facilities and
shelter. The process of IDPs repatriation in Gash Barka is continuing organized
by ERREC. Out of 88,770 IDPs, some 45,150 have been transported to their
villages and around 5,000 IDPs are expected to leave Mekete camp to their homes
in Tokombia and Shambiko next week. This will close Mekete and Jejah IDPs
camps. IDPs who are not able to return to their home areas will be relocated to
Korokon and Adi-Keshi camps. IDPs in Jejah camp will move back to Dembe-Doran.
Shelab expellees will remain in their present camp until the local authorities
allocate them land for resettlement. IDPs living in host families in Goluj sub
zone will remain in the present location until their home areas are declared
safe by local authorities. The relocation of IDPs is being done to make best
use of existing resources and bring the IDPs closer to their villages. This
will enable easy return of IDPs once the obstacles to their return are
solved. About 500 IDPs in Gindae camp
have already been repatriated to Assab. Detail information on IDPs movement
by sub zone, camp, village are available at the ICC.
Repatriation from Sudan
UNHCR indicate that efforts
to increase the pace of the repatriation, in the face of the oncoming rainy
season are underway, as nearly 27,000 refugees have signed up to return.
Between 12 may 2001 and 03 July 2001, 20324 refugees have returned to Eritrea
with the assistance of UNHCR. It was reported that difficulties with water
supply and health services are still encountered in some of the returnee villages.
Activities have started addressing water supply shortages in the most needy
areas since last week with financial and technical support from UNHCR.
MINE ACTION
The UNMEE Mine Action Coordination Center (UNMACC) is
assisting Eritrea and Ethiopia in fulfilling their mine action obligations
under the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities and coordinate mine action
activities in the TSZ and adjacent areas. In a complementary effort, UNDP is
providing assistance to the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia in developing
their own national mine action programmes. Eritrea has formally requested UN
assistance for socio -economic impact survey of its mine-affected areas. An
advance UNMAS/SAC survey mission is currently underway. The Mission report will
provide background and historical overview of the landmine in Eritrea, as well
as mine action programmes. Similarly, Ethiopia has requested UN assistance for
socio-economic impact survey. UNICEF
Mine Awareness Coordinator has initiated an emergency mine awareness project,
with the assistance from DCA, which provides training to NGOs and
EDA staff to enable them to coordinate mine awareness education to the IDPs and
refugee transit camps. The landmine and unexploded ordinance situation in the
TSZ is slowly but steadily becoming clearer as on-sight surveying progresses.
However, additional minefield information is still being sought.
SECTORAL WORKING GROUPS (SWG)
Food Security
It was observed that the
food security SWG is not yet established in its entirety. The term of reference
and general modalities of work for the three sub-groups has yet to be worked
out. These assignments should be completed as soon as possible in order not to
diminish consistency of the sub-groups work as well as lower enthusiasm of members.
MoA in collaboration with
various partners distributed the following commodities and made available
services in Gash Barka and Debub zones.
·
Seed 5,875 Quintals (1 Quintal=100 kgs)
·
Fertilizers 5,844 Quintals
·
Oxen 350 unit
·
Tractor service 12,500 ha
·
66,040 Farm tools are on the process of distribution
MoA will also provide cash
to farmers in Senafe sub-zone to enable them to buy seeds. Both MoA and private
sector are providing tractor services. 79 new tractors was purchased and come
on time to render services. There are about 249 tractors at the moment. ERREC
distributed 21,102.723 MT of food to 1,490,136 beneficiaries during the month
of June. Copies of food movement and stock balance
prepared by ERREC, and " greater Horn of Africa Food Security Update
" dated 15 May 2001 prepared by FEWS-NET is also available at ICC.
Food receipts in response to the current year's ERREC appeal is
tabulated as under: -
Some 26,000
MT of wheat are on pipeline. ERREC has appealed on February 2001, $128,696,100 for
food for the year 2001 to the Donors and humanitarian community.
Health
MoH team has conducted a
survey of the health services in the TSZ in Gash Barka and Debub zones to
assess the progress of the projects that are underway by different NGOs,
to observe the
conditions of the war
affected population as they
return to their home
villages and to evaluate the condition of the health facilities. The sub-zones
visited in Gash Barka are Molki, Goluj, Teseney, Barentu and Agordat, and
Senafe, Tsorona and Mai-Aini sub-zones of Debub zone. It was reported in the
meeting that MoH and other NGOs assigned to intervene in the present situation
are actively involved in addressing the challenge facing the war-affected
population. Detailed information is available at ICC.
Mine Incident
A person lost one finger and
sustained several injuries by hand grenade explosion on 18 June 2001 in shilalo
area in Gash Barka zone. Four days latter a mine incident was also reported on
the road south of Tokombia close to the northern boundary. An Eritrean water
tanker detonated landmine but no injury was reported. It is not yet clear
whether the landmine was planted a day before or some of the old mines
displaced by the recent rains in the area. On 25 June a woman detonated
antipersonnel mine while looking after her cattle along previous trench line in
the area of Golo near Embasoira, Senafe sub zone. Landmines and UXOs continue to be a major concern in the return
of IDPs.
Shelter and Non-food Item
The SWG noted that the need
for shelter is still enormous. With the current rain season shelter needs is
acute in areas where the homes have been destroyed during the war and houses
have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. Various NGOs and agencies are
engaged on assessing practical solutions to the problem. Pilot project is
conducted to build Agudo (traditional mud huts) and study is being conducted to rehabilitate
around 3,000 houses in Tsorona and eight other surrounding villages. Similar
studies will be conducted in Gash Barka as well. 17,300 Corrugated iron sheets
for rehabilitating damaged houses have been donated. Timber and Nails are still
needed to launch the rehabilitation work. In Adi-Quala sub zone more than 1000
houses have been rehabilitated out of which 350 were constructed
and about 650 of the households received construction materials.
Despite these activities shelter continues to be a problem. It was strongly
recommended that rehabilitation and reconstruction of dwellings should move
very fast as delays are doubtless to cause more suffering.
WatSan
A workshop on
Standardization of Water Lifting services in Eritrea was held on 27 June 2001
at Asmara Intercontinental Hotel. The workshop noted Eritrea has a large
variety of different pumping system in rural water supply. This condition can
partly be attributed to the continued conflict situation which required
emergency supplies rather than planned development activities. Under the
present government policy for decentralized implementation of development of
water projects in which the government departments role changed from a provider
of services to a facilitator, capacity building at all levels is most
important. Standardization of equipment can help to speed up the capacity
building process by reducing the training needs. It also has a vital effect on
the sustainability of the repair and maintenance services. The workshop offered
an opportunity to discuss in a participatory manner the outcome of the study.
So that standardization might help Eritrea to successfully strive towards
sustainable water supplies. Until the
end of June at least six NGOs have been participating in general water
activities in Gash Barka and Debub zones.
The Water Resource
Department (WRD) carried out an intensive feasibility study on "
Integrated Water Supply for Rural Settlements on the Southern Red Sea zone
during May 2001. Copies of the report are available at ICC
NGO NEWS
Please note that Cosv, Italian NGO has
changed address to Knowledge st. (located between DHL office and Traffic Police
Station), P O Box 4903, Tel 200312, E-mail cosveri@gemel.com.er
SCHEDULE FOR NEXT SWG
MEETINGS
|
Date |
SWG |
Time |
Venue |
|
13. 07.2001 |
Shelter& NIF |
10:00 |
ERREC |
|
12.07.2001 |
Health |
15:00 |
MoH |
|
13. 07.2001 |
WatSan |
08:30 |
WRD |
|
07.08.2001 |
Food security |
15:00 |
MoA |
|
Education |
Will be communicated |
||
NB: NGOs and Aid agencies are encouraged to
share pictures of their recent activities with ICC.