SUMMARY
·
7,697 IDPs in camps in Debub region have returned to
their home villages in Tsorona sub-zone.
·
ICRC has repatriated 524
civilian Ethiopians from Eritrea to Ethiopia during the month of September
2001.
·
UNMEE is facilitating ways to return 43,995 IDPs
living in camps to their home villages.
·
Information campaign has started in Port Sudan and other refugee
camps in Sudan on 23 September 2001 to restart repatriation of 41,000 Eritrean
refugees until the end of the year.
·
The
focus of the water and sanitation activities is slowly shifting towards
ensuring the sustainability of the already implemented projects.
PEACE PROCESS
The Security Council
extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
(UNMEE), at unchanged troop and military observer levels, until 15 March 2002.
By unanimously
adopting resolution 1369 (2001), the Council also called on the parties to
cooperate fully and promptly with UNMEE in the implementation of its mandate,
and to abide thoroughly by the letter and spirit of their agreements. The Council emphasized that the Algiers
Agreements linked the termination of UNMEE with the completion of the work of
the independent Boundary Commission, which is charged with delimitation and
demarcation of the border between the two countries, and that the interim
Temporary Security Zone must be completely demilitarised. The Council called on
the parties to urgently resolve outstanding issues from that agreement, and to
fulfil their obligations to provide freedom of movement for UNMEE personnel,
facilitate the establishment of an air corridor between Addis Ababa and Asmara,
provide information on the local militia and police inside the Zone, release detainees,
and meet their financial responsibilities to the Boundary Commission.
The
resolution also called on Ethiopia to provide information on minefields and on
Eritrea to conclude a status-of-forces agreement. It further called on both
parties to pursue confidence-building measures.
The
Council urged the parties to ensure that their efforts were redirected from
weapons procurement and other military activities towards the reconstruction
and development of their economies, and encouraged the international community
to support the peace process.
POPULATION MOVEMENT
Exchange
of Nationals
ICRC has repatriated 524 civilian Ethiopians from
Eritrea to Ethiopia during the month of September. The repatriation was made at
different time during the month i.e. 205 Ethiopians were repatriated on 21
September 2001 and another group of 319 Ethiopians on 5 September 2001. This has increased the number of civilian
Ethiopians repatriated to Ethiopia to 21,596, since the peace agreement signed
on 12 December 2000. There has been no reported release of POWs during the
month. The UN Security Council in its recent meeting has urged both countries
to recommence the release of POWs as per the agreement of cessation of
hostilities signed in 18 June 2000 by both parties.
IDPs
7,697 IDPs who were residing in the newly
established camps in Tsorona subzone have returned to their home villages of
Sarda, Maichena, Gobele, Dibi and Indaba-estifanos. UNMEE
is working to find ways to return the 43,995 IDPs who still living in camps in
Debub and Gash Barka zones.
The break down of IDPs and expellees as of September are tabulated
below:-
According to UNMEE briefing in the General Humanitarian Coordination
meeting held on 14 September 2001 the remaining IDPs in camps are not able to
return due to:-
·
Contamination by mines and UXOs; UNMACC is prioritizing these places to
facilitate the quick return of the IDPs
·
Insecurity caused by the close proximity of villages to the Ethiopian
positions; UNMEE continues to patrol these areas to facilitate return.
·
Destruction of basic social services in some of the villages
ICC, in collaboration with
ERREC and local administration, has identified 23,000 IDPs living with host
families in the country.
Repatriation
from Sudan
Agreement was
reached on 22 September 2001 between the Governments of Sudan and Eritrea and
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to resume the voluntary
repatriation operation for Eritrean refugees. The return movements were
discontinued in mid-July due to seasonal rains, resulting in impassable roads
and flooding in eastern Sudan along with extremely high temperatures in the
Port Sudan area.
The Tripartite Repatriation Commission which met in Nairobi on 14 – 15
September also agreed that the operation will target those refugees still in
exile who fled the hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia in May – June 2000,
concurrently with refugees who fled Eritrea during the war for independence
since the late 1960’s. The meeting
further affirmed that movements will be completed for those refugees who fled
in 2000 on 31 December 2001, and will continue through 2002 for the longer-term
exiles, to reach the goal of 160,000 returnees by the end of 2002.
The
meeting also focused on initial reintegration assistance, and on engaging
development agencies in mid- and longer-term assistance to returnees. To this end, representatives from the UN
Development Programme, the UN Children’s agency (UNICEF), and the World Food
Programme also participated in the Commission’s Meeting. Central
to UNHCR's reintegration strategy is the creation of the Zonal Reintegration
Committee (ZRC), chaired by the Governor of Gash Barka and with permanent
members from ERREC, UNHCR, and concerned line ministries at the zonal
level. The ZRC is supported by a technical reintegration team, composed
of Local Administration, ERREC and UNHCR experts, that will assess critical
sectors in returnee sites, appraise technical aspects of potential projects,
and monitor and ensure the appropriate implementation of approved projects. The
ZRC will review, approve and oversee projects presented by sub-zonal
administrators, line ministries, and local and international NGO's in a range
of critical sectors: water, health, education, sanitation, agricultural
support, community development, and forestry. Further information on the ZRC and how to get involved in the process
can be obtained from UNHCR, ERREC and / or the Governor of Gash Barka.
SECTORAL UPDATE
WatSan
The Water and Sanitation Emergency Sector Group has
received no reports on critical shortages of water and sanitation. The
accessibility of the villages and camps has improved after the stop of the
rain.
In September rehabilitation of boreholes, wells and
pumps as well as protection of water sources have been undertaken mainly by ICRC,
OXFAM and COSV. Additionally six boreholes have been drilled by UNICEF (3),
Manitese (2) and CESVI (1) to ensure safe water supplies for IDPs and
returnees. In the drought-affected areas UNICEF is finalising six water supply
systems in Anseba.
Water trucking still on-going in both Gash Barka and
Debub zones, and MSF-H donated truck to the local administration in Tsorona.
Latrine construction and sanitation and hygiene
promotion is still on-going in camps and villages of return, primarily
undertaken by OXFAM.
Based on an
assessment of where land is available and other factors UNHCR has distributed a
list of places where it is likely that the returnees from Sudan will go. Based
on the list the actors in the water and sanitation sector can start the interventions
prior to the return. The registration of the returnees has been initiated and
it is hoped that a more clear picture of where the returnees want to go will be
available soon. In order to finalise the financial budget allocations related
to ensuring water supply facilities for the returnees UNHCR is seeking
commitments from interested NGOs. A coordination committee has been established
in Gash Barka. The committee will approve and coordinate proposals for
interventions.
The focus of the water and sanitation
activities is slowly shifting towards ensuring the sustainability of the
already implemented projects, e.g. establishment of proper management and
operation & maintenance procedures. For that reason a series of meetings has been held to
review the existing technical and community training manuals. It is expected
that the outcome will include updated comprehensive training manuals and
training of trainers as well as an institutionalisation of the training set-up.
More
details on the watsan activities can be obtained from the minutes from the
weekly water and sanitation meetings held at WRD. The minutes can be obtained
from Erik Toft, UNICEF, Tel: 15 11 99, e-mail: etoft@unicef.org.
Health and Nutrition
No major development has been reported in the health
sector. The three mobile clinics in Golij, Shambiko and Tesseney sub-zones were
reported to be functioning well. It was also reported that IMC are receiving
sufficient drugs from the MoH for their medical duties.
Shelter and Non-food Item
UN Development Programme (UNDP) informed the General
Humanitarian Coordination meeting held on 14 September 2001 that rehabilitation
of 3000 shelter is underway in Debub zone. So far 1800 out of planned 2000 houses in
Tsorona and 250 out of planned 1000 houses in Senafe have been completed. The project is
funded by the Dutch Government under the UNDP/PoWER programme. Similar shelter rehabilitation programme is
planned for 2400 houses in Gash Barka zone.
MINE ACTION
The
UNMEE Force Engineers were able to clear 189,790 square metres of suspected
area contaminated with landmine. 29.25 kilometres of road were verified by
rollers resulting in the destruction of five UXO and a further 34,640 square
metres of contaminated landmine area were marked in the last week. DCA manual
clearance teams were able to destroy six PMD 6 Anti personnel mines in 2,634
square metres. A twelve day course for Team leaders & their deputies, and
section leaders of three EDA teams commenced on Friday 21 September 2001 at
Asha Golgol. The course will cover map
reading, leadership, task management, reporting and other skills necessary for
a team leader to manage a 60 man team. The course is being conducted by the
Dutch Training Team and managed by UNMEE MACC.
SCHEDULE
FOR NEXT SWG MEETINGS
|
SWG |
Date |
Time |
Venue |
|
Shelter&
NIF |
Will be
communicated |
||
|
Health |
Will be
communicated |
||
|
WatSan |
19.10.2001 |
08:30 |
WRD |
|
Food security |
Will be
communicated |
||
|
Education |
Will be
communicated |
||
NB: NGOs and Aid agencies are
encouraged to share pictures of their recent activities with ICC.