ICC Humanitarian Update

SUMMARY

· Ten UN agencies launched an appeal for US$ 120,463,547 on 27 November 2001 to provide emergency assistance for Eritrea for the year 2002;

· The Eritrea-Ethiopia border commission is expected to give its final verdict on the demarcation of the disputed border in February 2002; UNMEE says the situation in the TSZ is calm and stable;

· The Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with UNICEF and the Dutch Inter-Church Aid (DIA) has conducted nutrition surveys in Anseba and Maekel zones and reported global malnutrition rates ranging from 9% to 21% with a 15% average rate;

· UNHCR has repatriated 6,197 Eritrean refugees since the resumption of the second phase in October 2001;

· The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) assisted the repatriation of 314 civil Eritreans and 430 Ethiopians to Eritrea and Ethiopia respectively between 16 November and 14 December 2001;

· On 21 November 2001, the Commissioner for Coordination with the Peace Keeping Mission (CCPM) told the UN General Assembly that Eritrea is infested with about two million landmines and UXO;

CONSOLIDATED APPEAL PROCESS (CAP-2002)

The UN Inter-Agency Consolidated Appeal (CA), which aims to assist Eritrea in the year 2002 was launched under the global theme of “Reaching the Vulnerable” on 27 November 2001 at Asmara Intercontinental Hotel. This second Appeal reflects the need to continue providing significant levels of emergency assistance, mainly focussing on food aid for vulnerable war and drought-affected groups, and on return, reintegration, rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in non-food sectors. Ten UN agencies are appealing for US$ 120,463,547 for 23 projects in 11 sectors. This appeal covers a significant part, but not all, of humanitarian needs in Eritrea in 2002. Many vital programmes undertaken by the government, bilateral or the NGO community are funded outside the framework of the CAP. (The CA document is available at www.reliefweb.int)

PEACE PROCESS

The Eritrea-Ethiopia border commission is expected to give its final verdict on demarcation of the disputed border in February 2002. The verdict would grant no right of appeal and would therefore be binding.

The border commission held meetings in The Hague, Netherlands, from 10 to 22 December 2001. The body is charged with achieving a resolution of the demarcation of the contested border.

In a statement issued on 21 November 2001, UNMEE said that in response to Ethiopian allegations of an Eritrean military build up in the TSZ it undertook “immediate investigations, including ground and air reconnaissance patrols in all three sectors of the TSZ and has found no indication of an Eritrean military build up”. The TSZ remain calm and stable, the statement from UNMEE added.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) met on 16 November 2001 with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea and Ethiopia respectively, regarding the peace process.

The Council called on the parties:

· To exercise a greater degree of flexibility in their approach to the peace process and to improve the relations between them.

· To resolve all outstanding issues, noting UNMEE’s intention to continue monitoring the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and adjacent areas to ensure the parties’ compliance with the Algiers Agreements.

· To contribute to the implementation of the Algiers Agreements in a practical and constructive manner and exercise restraint in their public statements.

In a press briefing held on 16 November 2001, UNMEE Public Information stated that the peace process is on track. Both parties are collaborating with UNMEE in the management of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) and the implementation of agreements they have signed.

POPULATION MOVEMENT

Repatriation of Nationals

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) assisted the repatriation of 314 Eritrean civilians from Ethiopia to Eritrea and 432 Ethiopian civilians to Ethiopia between 16 November and 14 December 2001. Since the comprehensive peace agreement was signed between both countries in December 2000, ICRC has assisted the repatriation of 3,073 Eritrean civilians, including the recent operation and 22,488 Ethiopian civilians to their respective countries of origin. ICRC has also organised the repatriation of 879 Eritrean and 653 Ethiopian Prisoners of War.

Repatriation from Sudan

UNHCR has repatriated 6,197 Eritrea refugees from Sudan as of 13 December 2001, since the resumption of the second phase of voluntary repatriation on 20 October 2001. Including refugees repatriated during the first phase some 27,104 Eritrean refugees have taken advantage of the voluntary repatriation organised by UNHCR and ERREC. UNHCR repatriations to Tessenei via Kassala in Sudan included a sea route to Massawa from Port Sudan. ERREC and UNHCR had set a goal to repatriate 62,000 by the end of 2001 and 90,000 during the course of 2002.

IDPs

There has been no reported IDP movement recently. Nevertheless, the ICC field unit in a recent field mission has reported three IDP camps which were not included in the previous ICC issues. These are: Gem’e (993 IDPs) and Endabastifanos (1,972 IDPs) in Debub zone, and Adi-Nefas (1,300 IDPs) in Northern Red Sea zone. This brings the total number of IDP in camps to 48,877.

MINE ACTION

On 21 November 2001, the Commissioner for Coordination with the Peace Keeping Mission (CCPM) told the UN General Assembly that since the period of struggle for liberation there are about two million landmines and UXO planted all over Eritrea. He noted that the government of Eritrea is working to build up local mine action capacity through training and material provided by international partners such as the UN and INGOs. He further stated that recent demining activities have been concentrated on the TSZ to ensure the safe return of IDPs.

In line with this, UNMEE Public Information said that since February 2001, over 1,100 Eritrean mine action personnel have been trained at the National Traning Center and deployed to the TSZ. Since March 2001, 47 personnel from national and international NGOs have been trained as mine risk education facilitators, and over 30,000 persons attended mine awareness sessions throughout the TSZ.

UNMEE force engineers cleared 103,120 square meters of minefield areas and 22.88 kilometres of road. In addition, they marked 38,620 square metres of contaminated ground.

SECTORAL WORKING GROUP (SWG) REPORTS

Education

The education SWG held its meeting on 5 December 2001. One of the major issues highlighted at the meeting was co-ordination (for example school feeding projects, psychosocial training, girl’s education, mine awareness etc...). All participants of the meeting agreed:

· To prepare and submit an annual plan of action as per the design of the Project Management Division (MoE) for the year 2002.

· To identify their area of emergency intervention in the reconstruction of war-damaged schools in the TSZ and announce their commitment in the forth coming meeting which shall be held in January next year.

· To furnish monthly, quarterly and annual reports to the MoE as per its designed format and submit a copy officially to ERREC.

The SWG indicated that there are 36 schools in the TSZ where no funds are secured for rehabilitation.

Food Security

A report from the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) indicates that Food security in Eritrea is not attainable without increasing agricultural productivity. The most significant variable influencing national food insecurity and malnutrition in the country is the big food deficit of between 40% and 80% depending on rainfall. The agricultural production system is mainly subsistence farming, highly vulnerable to drought with a dangerous variability in annual food supply availability.

Due to a low crop yield this year, food-aid remains the main source of food for beneficiaries in large areas of the country.

WFP, together with the Ministry of Education and ERREC, finalized a pilot Emergency School Feeding programme, which will target about 50,000 students in 134 schools. WFP is currently assisting the selected schools in sensitizing communities in Debub, Gash Barka and Northern Red Sea zones. WFP will also assist in de-worming activities for children along with the School Feeding Project

In December 2001, WFP increased the ration size from 60 to 100 percent in Gash Barka and Anseba Regions to overcome a reported increase in malnutrition rates amongst children. Post distribution monitoring surveys were carried out in parts of the drought-affected regions of Anseba and Northern Red Sea. Most beneficiaries knew their entitlements and confirmed the receipt of a full ration size. Relief food is the only source of food for most households in Anseba region since the people have not been able to cultivate, or crops have failed due to insufficient rain.

Health and Nutrition

Recently, the Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with UNICEF and the Dutch Inter-Church Aid (DIA) conducted nutrition surveys in drought affected areas of Anseba, Maekel and the Southern Red Sea zone. The assessment was undertaken in both rural and urban areas to desegregate the nutritional status in urban and rural populations and will later be extended to the Northern Red Sea zone. The purpose of this round of the assessment is to determine malnutrition rates among drought-affected children and to assess the need for supplementary food assistance for the drought-affected population generally.

Using weight-for-height measurements, of 1800 children, preliminary survey data indicate global malnutrition rates for children in Anseba and Maekel range from 9% to 21% with a 15% average rate. Global malnutrition rates are noted to be very high in rural areas, especially in Anseba where 23% of children were found to be wasted as compared to 12% in rural Maekel. The rate of malnutrition in urban children in Anseba is also high (14%) compared to urban children in Maekel zone where the malnutrition rate was 8%. Based on preliminary nutrition survey data, food assistance in terms of supplementary food distribution for children and pregnant and lactating women in the drought affected areas is urgent. ERREC has already been prompted by the MoH, UNICEF and DIA to urgently distribute UNIMIX and DMK in these areas while further assistance is sought through the 2002 Consolidated Appeal.

The Immunisation Unit of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with health affiliated UN and other agencies, conducted a second round anti-polio vaccination campaign for children aged under five on 22 and 23 December 2001. According to the department, vaccinations were conducted in 1200 permanent and temporary stations established all over the country. Some 4,500 volunteer and health professionals took part in vaccinating 374,634 children under five and providing vitamin-A to 340,833 children aged between 6 months and 5 years. In addition to the vaccination campaign, 8500 women within two months postnatal period given vitamin-A. The second round was reported as 88% success.

In the first round polio campaign conducted on 10 and 11 November 2001, 355,000 children under five years of age were vaccinated and 86% of the campaign was succeeded.

Shelter and Non Food Items

The SWG in its recent report stated that the need for shelter is far from what has been made available so far. Although many donors and agencies have made money available for shelter to support housing and shelter programmes, the scale of the need has been too vast to respond in a timely manner to all cases of beneficiaries or areas of the country. However family dwellings such as those in Tsorona, Senafe and Omhajer areas, which were looted during the occupation, having suffered major damage only to the roof, doors and the windows, have been offered the opportunity of rehabilitation with a cost effective plan per household, finding an easier agreement amongst beneficiaries, the local authorities, technicians and donors. Only 10% of the reconstruction needs of an estimated 54,000 housing units which were destroyed, has been so far accomplished.

Such agreement has been more difficult to reach where beneficiaries had their dwelling completely destroyed by the fighting, as they left behind traditional structures made of wood and thatch which cannot be easily repaired. As wood in most parts of the country is a very scarce resource, post-war reconstruction as well as the provision of shelter to returnees from Sudan is causing great difficulties.

The humanitarian response has therefore differentiated the approach according to the conditions in the areas of return and the scale of damage suffered by houses.

For new settlements, as real houses proved to be too expensive to be charged against an emergency operation, agencies have provided either classic tents or a locally produced iron dome structure, also called agudo, covered with either plastic sheets or local mats. On the other hand, for those dwellings partially destroyed, over 6,800 have received support to rehabilitate their houses, comprising wooden rafters/perlins and corrugated iron sheets.

Water and Sanitation

The water and sanitation working group has increasingly become engaged in discussions about the sustainability of water supply facilities, i.e. ensuring that proper management procedures are in place. Initiated by UNICEF and the Water Resource Department (WRD), the working group has had meetings on training of water committees and pump operators. During these meetings the SWG noted that during the transition period the communities need financial help to run established programmes.

The Zonal Reintegration Committee in Gash Barka is looking for water and sanitation proposals for activities that will benefit returnees. So far 17 boreholes are being drilled to accommodate returnees in Goluj and Haikota areas. In addition, the NGO Movimondo will be constructing an additional 232 latrines in Gerset for the same purpose.

Even though a lot has been done, the situation is still fragile and the population in the drought-affected areas especially is likely to again face serious water shortages due to drying up of existing water sources.

This combined with the lack of access to, or limited use of, latrines as well as poor water supply and handling at household-level and poor personal and domestic hygiene among all population groups may contribute to increased diarrhoea, especially among children.

Training units will be established in each zoba to undertake training of villagers in required management and operation and maintenance tasks.

All actors in this field are advised to contact Dr. Tekeste Araya, Head of the unit at the MoH tel. 120297.

EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

Focus on Bada

On 19 November 2001, the ICC paid a short visit to Bada in the Ghelae’lo sub zone in the Northern Red Sea zone and found out that the people of Bada are in dire need of food, health, clean water, sanitation, education, protection and household supplies. Bada region is made up of nine villages and has a population of 70,000. The coping mechanism of the people includes small-scale farming, livestock and free food distribution (which is irregular). Apart from WFP, which goes in periodically to conduct food monitoring, there are no UN agencies or INGOs operating in Bada. It is an area that has not received sufficient humanitarian attention.

One local dispensary, which opened recently, serves the area. The Indian Battalion continues to provide medical services in the INDBATT camp to the community although their supplies are limited. Polio vaccination has also been conducted. Wells are the only source of water and these are shared jointly with animals rendering the water unclean and unsafe. There are plans to dig two wells in the area. NGOs are encouraged to implement water projects in Bada. Education consists of only one school with insufficient classrooms for about 95 children up to the fifth grade. Separation of families, in the aftermath of the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict, is a major problem in the area. There is currently no programme ongoing regarding their reunification.

ICC Mission to Debub Zone IDP Camps

Debub

Text Box: The ICC wishes a Happy New Year to all its readers ICC staff conducted a field mission to IDP camps in Senafe and Tsorona areas in Debub zone from 21 to 25 November 2001. The team discovered that Gema’e and Endabastifanos villages have acute water problems, which require urgent attention and intervention. Easy access to clean and safe water should be provided to IDPs in these villages before the situation deteriorates. The Auli’e La Haila IDP camp needs basic hygiene requirements such as latrines, bathrooms, garbage pits and cleaning tools. The health station of Genzebo, which serves the Mai Wurai camp, lacks electricity and this is a major setback for the IDPs. Shelter is also a problem as IDPs in Mai Wurai and Tsorona need to replace their old worn-out tents.

Denden Camp

ICC staff made a one day field trip to Denden camp located in Ghinda’e sub-zone in the Northern Red Sea zone. The purpose of the trip was to assess the humanitarian situation in the camp, gather information on humanitarian activities there. The present camp population is 446 IDPs of which 20% are children under five years. The IDPs are not able to return to their home villages near the Ethiopian-Eritrean border for security reasons. The IDPs, who are totally dependant on relief food assistance, complain of delays in receiving their rations. Current humanitarian needs include latrines, shelter, kerosene, household items, school supplies and facilities. With the exception of ICRC, no NGO is intervening in the area.

For further information relating to the ICC Update please contact

ICC Information Officer Sirak Gebrehiwot, tel: 182923, 185154 or email icc@gemel.com.er

SCHEDULE FOR NEXT SWG MEETINGS

SWG	Date	Time	Venue
WatSan	11.01.02	8:30	WRD
Food & Nutrition	11.01.02	16.00	WFP
Shelter & NFI	18.01.02	15.00	UNDP
Education	30.01.02	15:00	MoE
Health	31.01.02	15:00	MoH
GHCM*	01.02.02	15:00	CoEW**

*General Humanitarian Coordination Meeting

** Confederation of Eritrean Workers