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WFP Emergency Report No. 4 of 2005


Highlights

The number of people in need of food assistance due to the Indian Ocean Tsunami is estimated at 2 million and WFP is seeking USD 256 million from donors to feed them.

Fatalities in Indonesia from the Tsunami are now estimated at more than 160,000 as government authorities add figures for missing people to the total.

In Southern Africa during the hungry season, WFP is monitoring the impact of both drought and floods on food security and vulnerability to food security.

In 2005, an estimated two thirds of the population in Eritrea will require food assistance.

A cholera outbreak was reported in the suburbs of Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.

In the DRC the security situation continues to deteriorate in rural areas of Ituri district,where violent confrontations between various armed groups were reported.

Efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the northern Uganda conflict are continuing.

Hopes for a cease-fire in internal hostilities in Columbia also bring fears of retaliation among some populations.

Authorities in Nicaragua brace for a new El Niño whose effects in the past have caused serious drought, flooding and harvest losses.

ODK East & Central Africa:

Burundi

Abduction of civilians suspected of collaborating with either the Front for National Liberation (FNL), the National Forces, or Force pour la Defense de la Democratie (FDD) were reported in Bujumbura Rural province and alleged to be perpetuated by each of the parties. One "chef de zone" in the same province was abducted and seriously injured.

A cholera outbreak was reported in different suburbs of the capital, Bujumbura. A total of 66 cases have already been recorded in hospitals. Medicines are available and the government has started a wide sensitization campaign of the urban community on good hygiene practices as preventive measures.

The joint FAO/WFP/UNICEF/Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission started last week. Eight out of seventeen provinces have already been assessed and the preliminary data indicates serious food shortages and reduced crop production. Field visits are expected to be completed this week.

Between 10 and 16 January WFP distributed some 1,500 tons of food to over 316,000 beneficiaries through different programme activities. WFP provided 50 tons of food aid which was distributed as a three-month return package to some 940 returnees from Tanzania. Moreover, 271 returnees benefited from wet feeding while staying in transit camps.

Distributions can still cover one week's requirement, however, stocks in the country remain in short supply.

D.R. Congo

The security situation continued to deteriorate in rural areas of Ituri district where violent confrontations between various armed groups were reported. Sporadic confrontations between the new regular DRC troops - Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) and the Rebel Rwandan movement operating from their positions in eastern DRC - Forces Démocratique pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) fuelled the insecurity in Bukavu suburban areas. Some areas were closed to humanitarian interventions because of security concerns.

In the town of Bukavu, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) and government troops have re-established checkpoints. On 15 January, a Goma-based WFP staff member and his wife were assaulted by armed men. The incident occurred in the staff members' house at 19:30 P.M. The staff member's wife was badly beaten by the assailants who took money and cellular phones. The torrential rains during the first week of January resulted in an increase in the number of vulnerable people in Uvira, South Kivu province. The UN/NGO Needs Assessment Mission fielded in the affected area indicated that over 13,000 people were left unsheltered. As a consequence of the harsh rains, a 20 to 30 percent decrease in the coming harvests has been foreseen for Uvira and Fizi.

Feedback from Fondation Femmes Plus, WFP's cooperating partner in the struggle against HIV/AIDS, indicated that the awareness campaign conducted in Kisangani (Oriental Province) led to a wide acceptance of voluntary counselling and testing by the population.

In Kisangani, over 30 tons of food was distributed to some 10,200 people, mainly malnourished children and their families. WFP in Goma released nearly 300 tons of food to feed over 82,200 targeted beneficiaries for two weeks. Main areas targeted were Masisi and Beni.

The resettlement of Congolese returnees from Equateur province, who had fled to neighbouring Republic of Congo since the 1998-2003 civil war, has been under preparation since 12 January. The team consists of WFP, UNHCR, WHO, UNDP and FAO.

Resourcing levels for the two year project, PRRO 10288.0 (2004-2005), remain largely inadequate, representing only 43 percent of the total program needs. Out of the total USD 157 million required initially, only USD 67.5 million has been resourced.

Eritrea

According to the latest available figures from the UN peacekeeping mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) have killed 114 people since the ceasefire agreement, while 293 people have been injured. Some 61,000 landmines and UXOs have been destroyed.

The Joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission to Eritrea the cereal production forecast for 2004 was about 85,000 tons, representing less than 50 percent of the average production for 2003. A further 262,000 tons of food are required to cover the total estimated requirements.

Also according to the FAO/WFP report, 2.3 million people, about two thirds of the entire population (including urban and peri-urban areas), are estimated to require food assistance at varying levels throughout 2005.

Due to the forecast for 2005 and the foreseen pipeline breaks, WFP has taken the decision to adjust food rations. Only internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps will receive a food ration covering their full daily caloric requirement of 2,100 kcal. The beneficiaries in drought-affected areas with a Global Acute Malnutrition Rate (GAM) above 15 percent will receive a ration of 1,900 kcal. In the remaining areas WFP will provide a ration of 1,400 kcal per day.

Resourcing level for the EMOP 10261.01 remains unchanged. Commitment coverage stands at USD 29.45 million or approximately 85,000 tons of food commodities. This amount covers about 80 percent of the total resource requirements. WFP in-country food stocks will last until March 2005.

Rwanda

On 18 January the United Nations officially launched the Millennium Project Report in Rwanda through its Office of the Resident Representative at Akagera Park. Participants included H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the Prime Minister, Government Ministers, high-ranking officials, donor representatives, Heads of Cooperations and Representatives of UN Agencies. Presented to the Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan on 17 January, the report outlines a set of core recommendations and actions on how the world could achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As at 18 January, the total number of Congolese refugees in Rwanda stood at about 43,490 - an increase of some 370 refugees compared to the previous week. The total number of Burundian refugees in Rwanda, as at 12 January, stood at 3,488, an increase of 16 refugees from a week before.

Some 20 tons of food aid was distributed to the refugees last week. On 14 January a total of 35 tons of various food commodities was distributed to 3,749 refugees hosted at Nyagatare refugee camp.

A total of 22 tons of food commodities consisting of 15-day rations was distributed to 1,609 Burundian refugees hosted at Nyamure. The current caseload in Nyamure stands at 2,807 as a result of transfer of refugees from Kigeme and Gikonko camps. The additional caseload of refugees continues to strain the already under-resourced PRRO at the expense of the food-for-work (FFW) and Mother and Child Health and Nutrition (MCH) components of the operation.

Sudan

The first round of the polio eradication vaccination campaign started in the Darfurs during the week, targeting children under five. The relocation working group visited three locations in Nyala for the relocation of IDPs in Kalma camp proposed by the authorities. In a meeting led by OCHA it was agreed that some IDPs would be relocated to these areas under the agreed Management Coordination Mechanism (MCM). However, IDPs specified that the security situation and their protection must be guaranteed before they move.

There has been an escalation of violence in some locations in South and West Darfur with attacks on humanitarian vehicles. At least two vehicles belonging to international NGOs were shot at along Nertitie road and at a checkpoint near Zalingie. Staff from International NGOs (INGOs) also reported harassment by mobile patrols. Roads from Nyala to Kass, Zalingie, Manwashi and El Fasher remain closed for the UN due to insecurity. WFP postponed despatches to Samaritan Purse (SP) in Kidneer, South Darfur when two trucks belonging to SP were stopped and personal belongings of drivers stolen.

As of 17 January, some 18,000 tons of food commodities have been despatched by road from hubs in Khartoum and El Obeid to the Darfur state capitals, a shortfall representing approximately 42 percent of planned monthly targets of 43,000 tons. Despatches from the three state capitals to Cooperating Partners (CPs) between 1 and 17 January totalled 12,194 tons of food to an estimated 697,000 beneficiaries (based on despatches). Beneficiaries in South Darfur and West Darfur in particular received less pulses and salt respectively due to the slight shortages in the downstream pipeline of these commodities during the month. WFP has taken corrective measures to address these shortfalls for January.

WFP continues to review and approve 2005 agreements with Cooperating Partners for general food distributions, supplementary and therapeutic feeding programmes.

Confirmed contributions received to date against the new EMOP amount to USD 233 million, representing 53 percent of total requirements. Due to shortfalls in almost all commodities except cereals, and in absence of cash contributions, WFP has requested new Immediate Response Account (IRA) loans amounting to USD 20 million to procure non-cereals on time. The timely procurement of non-cereals will allow WFP to start prepositioning food before the rainy season and will avoid pipeline breaks in non-cereals.

Southern Sudan: The second leg of the nationwide polio vaccination campaign started during this period in Upper Nile and Bahr el-Ghazal states, which are controlled by the southern-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). The campaign, which was scheduled to end on 20 January, targeted almost a million children under the age of five. It follows an emergency campaign in December that targeted 500,000 children in the north where polio cases had been confirmed. WFP provided logistics support for the campaign within the Northern Sector.

A total of 31 tons of food commodities was dispatched to benefit close to 6,000 school children in eleven WFP-supported IDP schools in the state of White Nile. WFP dispatched 3 tons of oil to Save the Children Fund - United States (SCF-US) in Dilling area, Nuba Mountains, for food for education activities. This quantity is expected to cover the needs of the students in 20 schools over a period of 61 days. Confirmed contributions received to date against the newly approved phase of the EMOP, 10048.03, amount to USD 10.8 million, which represents 10,750 tons of commodities. Operational requirements are 270,899 tons of food or USD 301 million.

Tanzania

WFP continued to support activities of Tanzanian communities which live in western Tanzania close to the refugee camps. The first phase of the School Feeding Program implemented in Rulenge for orphans from ten schools and the Food-for-Training Program carried out at the Kayanga Vocational Training Institute in Ngara has been completed. Meanwhile USD 1,075 collected in Kasulu through a fundraising operation will allow the construction of a secondary school which WFP intends to support with a Food-For-Work Program.

A review of the PRRO operational figures for 2004 has shown that while WFP had planned to feed throughout the year about 311,000 refugees every month, food was actually provided for some 446,000 refugees (monthly average); due to the unexpected slow repatriation of Burundians.

In western Tanzania the District Commissioner of Ngara met refugees in Lukole camps. Refugees have been informed that they are not permitted to engage in agricultural or business activities outside the camps. The Commissioner also instructed police and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials to strictly enforce restrictions on movement and on the sale of firewood and food.

Uganda

Despite the ongoing efforts for a peaceful resolution of the northern Uganda conflict, the security situation in Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lira districts remains fluid. Military operations against the rebels continued and small groups of LRA rebels continue to commit atrocities against civilians.

During the week the chief mediator between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, met with representatives of the LRA leadership to discuss details of the proposed ceasefire agreement. If the LRA accept the proposal, a cease-fire would pave the way for further dialogue.

Following the influx of refugees fleeing from the civil strife in eastern DRC into western Uganda, UNHCR has transferred some 470 new arrivals from Ishasha (Kanungu district) to Kyaka II refugee settlement (Kyenjojo district). Another 115 refugees have been transferred to the same camp from Nkondo (Hoima district). WFP is providing the new arrivals with HEB. Local health authorities in Ishasha and Hoima have reported poor sanitation conditions and there is an urgent need for medical supplies.

Food distribution continues to reach some 1.4 million of displaced persons, 154,000 refugees and other vulnerable people. During the holiday period from 10 to 15 January, almost 1,600 tons of food was distributed to some 115,925 beneficiaries including IDPs sheltering in camps in Gulu; victims of a fire outbreak in Parabongo IDP camp in late December; children in nutrition centres and other disposable persons.

WFP is preparing to commence in January a large-scale drought relief operation targeting 500,000 drought-affected agro-pastoralists in the Karamoja region bordering Turkana (Kenya).

WFP faces a shortfall of 87,000 tons of food commodities. USD 49 million is urgently required to maintain the food pipeline through to August 2005.

ODD West Africa:

Liberia

Since October 2004, 4,879 Liberian refugees have been repatriated by UNHCR. In support of the repatriation process, WFP provided over 13 Mt of various food commodities as a resettlement package to some 396 Liberian returnees who arrived in the country from Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire.

WFP provided 1,420 tons of food to 130,000 beneficiaries of whom 111,999 were IDPs, 6,494 were returnees, and 12,167 were school children. The resettlement of over 971 IDP families continued during the week. As of 16 January 2005, a total of 19,056 IDPs have been resettled back to their areas of origin since the beginning of the exercise in November 2004. The Humanitarian community is planning to resettle over 140,000 refugees and IDPs by May 2005. Distribution of general rations to IDPs for the month of January continued in various Counties.

A total of 36 tons was delivered to various schools in Zwedru County to benefit some 8,068 school children. In Buchanan, 4,099 school children in 20 schools received a total of 19 Mt of assorted food commodities.

WFP presented findings of the Bomi County Food Security and Nutrition survey to various Partner Agencies and government departments. The survey recommends provision of farming tools and seeds, rehabilitation of basic social services, interventions targeting behavioural changes on child feeding and care practices as well as integration of supplementary feeding within the primary health care system. The next Food Security and Nutrition Survey will be carried out in Lofa Country.

To cover its needs up to June 2005, WFP Liberia requires additional pledges and resources estimated at USD 16 million to avert more than 10,300 tons in food shortfalls and also make repayments of 11,544 tons loans received.

WFP operations in Harper sub office (south-east) were temporarily interrupted due to movement restrictions that were imposed by UNMIL as a result of some riots in the area

Côte d'Ivoire

Despite the Government's reluctance to hold exams so that students can pass on to the following year, schools are organizing to reopen in Bouake and Man and have already opened in Korhogo.

The economic situation of the population living in Danane (Forces Nouvelles territory) is fragile as they are restricted in their movement as well as access to land. Opportunities to gain money doing daily labour have also become scarce as the cocoa and coffee plantation owners are no longer investing in their fields due to the low market prices. WFP is conducting a rapid needs assessment of this population to gather more information.

UNHCR plans to repatriate approximately 45,000 Liberian refugees from Cote d'Ivoire by the end of 2005.

Seventeen cases of cholera have been registered in Bouake and one in Sakasso from which there have been four deaths. MSF and ICRC are investigating the cause of the outbreak and how to prevent further infections. The number of IDPs in the Guiglo transit camp continues to rise, with a present total of 6,648 inhabitants (an increase of over a thousand since August 2004). If this influx continues, the situation could become serious as the facilities at the camp are already stretched to the maximum.

Distributions were made to ICRC projects in Bouake supporting patients in social institutions, people living with HIV/AIDS and orphans and vulnerable children and to Médecins sans Frontières therapeutic feeding centre in Guiglo. WFP's Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation for 2005, PRRO 10372.0, was approved at the October session of the Executive Board. However, to date only one contribution worth USD 0.8 million from Spain (2.8 per cent of the total requirements of the PRRO) has been confirmed.

A complete break in maize meal in April will severely handicap WFP preparedness as well as projects to support poor farmers during the planting season and people at risk in the lean season. Contributions are urgently needed, in order to allow adequate time for procurement and transport.

Funding patterns in 2003 and 2004 were such that, due to late contributions, pipeline breaks occurred during the lean season when populations are most at risk and WFP's requirements are highest. Pipeline breaks would be particularly serious considering the unstable political situation in the country and the possibility of population displacements within the country and the sub-region.

WFP provided 330 metric tons of various food commodities to over 23,700 beneficiaries in the past week.

ODJ Southern Africa:

Regional

From 13-19 January, the bulk of the southern Africa region received less than 30 mm of rainfall. According to Famine Early Warning Systems Network weather assessment, a dry spell continued across southern Mozambique, eastern Swaziland and southern Zimbabwe in the first weeks of January. Heavy rains that persisted in northern Mozambique, southern Malawi, eastern Zambia and western Madagascar are expected to continue and are likely to cause local flooding during the week. WFP is closely monitoring the impact of the drought and floods on food security and vulnerability of households during the hunger season.

WFP urgently needs contributions to the regional Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation PRRO 10310 - Assistance to Populations in Southern Africa Vulnerable to Food Insecurity and the Impact of AIDS. The flow of donations dried up as the donor community responded to the aftermath of the Tsunami that hit Southeast Asia on 26 December. No contributions have been received since the Tsunami. PRRO 10310 immediately requires about USD 74 million to provide food to 4.3 million vulnerable and food insecure families in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Angola

The PRRO 10054.2 - Support to Return and Resettlement - still needs USD50 million or 88,000 tons of food for distribution to returnees through to the end of 2005.

Lesotho

The Minister of Industry and Trade announced that over 12,000 textile and clothing factory workers from more than 25 local textile and clothing factories have lost their jobs since June 2004. The impact of the closures on the Lesotho's economy, one of the least developed countries in the world, will be significant. The textile and clothing industry has been a mainstay of the economy. The country expects to lose more than USD 1.5 million in revenue every month as a result of the United States opening up its markets to worldwide free trade from 1 January 2005.

In the week ending 21 January, WFP and its partners provided 240 tons of food to 17,000 vulnerable people, including households affected by HIV/AIDS. WFP plans to assist 600,000 people through to the next harvest in March.

Malawi

A joint FAO, WFP, UNDP and UNICEF Floods Assessment Mission visited the flooded districts in southern Malawi and submitted its findings and recommendations to the United Nations Country Team. The UNCT is planning to make an adequate response within the week. Meanwhile, more flooding has been reported in the northern district of Caroga. An assessment of the damage to the maize and cassava fields is still to be done.

According to the WFP Food Aid Monitoring System, the food security situation in southern Malawi in Chichewa, Insane Thiele and Chiradzulu continued to worsen as low purchasing power meant people could not afford to purchase maize on the local market. Maize prices have increased in southern Malawi by an average of 52 percent since May 2004. The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee projects a need to provide food to up to 1.7 million people (mostly living in the southern region) through to March 2005.

Mozambique

The annual WFP Mozambique Country Strategic Programming and Planning Session, held in Maputo in the past week, outlined the country strategy for 2005. WFP plans to provide 36,000 tons of food to 1.2 million beneficiaries through to the end of the year.

Swaziland

According to a recent Agrometeorological Update release, a small percentage of the maize crop, planted earlier in the season, wilted due to the dry spells that occurred at the end of December and the beginning of January.

The dry conditions in Lowveld are expected to continue. WFP plans to provide food to 165,000 vulnerable people who require short-term emergency aid through to the next harvest in April.

Zimbabwe

A nationwide shortage of maize meal continued for the fourth consecutive week. Long queues of people wait to buy grain from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

However, in the provinces of Manicaland, Matabeleland and Masvingo GMB maize grain seems to be occasionally available.The price of other basic commodities continues to rise. Electricity charges were increased by 126 percent during January. The annual adjusted inflation rate for December stood at 132.7 percent, falling by 16.6 percent from 149.3 percent in November.

During January, WFP proposes to feed 1.07 million vulnerable people in Zimbabwe, distributing about 5,000 tons through school feeding, supplementary feeding for underfives, support for orphans and vulnerable children and home based care for HIV and AIDS affected households.

ODB Asia: (1) Regional: Asia Tsunami

Regional: Asia Tsunami

In the relief operation now underway in the area affected by the December 26, 2004, earthquake and subsequent tsunami, total WFP beneficiaries, as at January 21, stand at 1.43 million persons, who have received 14,800 tons of food. Number of people in need of food assistance due to the Tsunami is estimated at 2 million and WFP is seeking USD 256 million from donors to support its operation. WFP is currently conducting Emergency Needs Assessments (ENA) in Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh

The decision to enhance the diesel price taken by the Government of Bangladesh has caused an adverse effect on the agriculture sector: some farmers have reduced their area under paddy cultivation due to the increase in production cost.

Vulnerable Group Rehabilitation has been terminated as scheduled.

The food distribution under the EMOP's Supplementary Feeding Programme is ongoing in two districts and will be suspended during the EID (Eid-ul-Azha) holidays. Until now WFP has distributed High Energy Biscuits (HEB) to over 600,000 primary school students in flood-affected areas. As at 31 December 2004 a total of 2,990 tons HEB has been distributed. 230 tons of HEB are needed to be distributed throughout January. Due to the diversion of a ship carrying rice destined for Bangladesh to Indonesia in order to feed the Tsunami victims, Rural Livelihoods and Infrastructure Rehabilitation activities have been delayed. There is a strong need for resources to complete the activities, preferably before the arrival of the monsoon season.

Resourcing levels of the operation remain largely inadequate, representing only about 38 percent of total needs. Repayment of the rice for a total of 2500 tons, loaned to the Tsunami relief operation, as well as 700 tons of HEBs should be returned as soon as possible.

Indonesia

The global death toll from the Asian tsunami rose above 226,000 after Indonesia's Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of tens of thousands of people previously listed as missing, raising the country's death toll to 166,320.

WFP now has 133 staff on location - 70 in Jakarta 70; 35 in Banda Aceh; 18 in Medan and 4 in Meulabo.

WFP received exemption from the rice import ban for several shipments towards the Regional EMOP. WFP carried out the first dispatch from Medan to Lhok Seumawe, which included 155 tons of rice and 14 tons of HEB.

WFP Medan, in consultation with Jakarta, has allocated fish and oil stocks arriving according to the following plan: Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, Lhokseumawe, Medan and Singkil will each receive approximately 80% of fish requirements and 65% of oil requirements, based on needs for one month. The first consignments of canned fish were dispatched from Medan to Meulaboh (23 tons) and Singkil (21 tons) on January 20.

The final movement of WFP commodities to Simeulue Island in cooperation with AusAid was carried out January 20. From 21 January, CARE will take over the shipment of food to Simeulue as WFP's cooperating partner and will be responsible for food distributions to an estimated 22,000 beneficiaries. To date, WFP has provided a total of approximately 56 tons to AusAid for Simeulue since the beginning of the EMOP.

WFP has not received any confirmed reports of a possible terrorist attack against its staff or humanitarian operations in Aceh Province, Indonesia. WFP and the UN system are looking into the source of information to this effect obtained by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UN Security Team in Banda Aceh instructed all UN staff to observe a heightened awareness and take all security precautions necessary. WFP has advised its staff accordingly.

Korea (DPR)

The Public Distribution System-ration has gone down to 250 grams of cereals/person/day in January, the lowest level since January 2001. The population has been informed that the ration will remain this low until June. Most county officials report that the decrease in rations is caused by limited food resources.

With unusually little snow in many parts of the country there is a risk that this could lead to a lack of water in the reservoirs for irrigation purposes. This may have a negative impact on the agriculture in the spring.

Seventeen out of 19 Local Food Production factories operated during the week. Pyongyang Biscuit factory no.2 stopped due to lack of wheat flour and the Huichon Cereal Milk Blend factory in Chagang Province is still not accessible due to suspended operations (see below). Production for the second week of January was 1,314 ton or 80 percent of EMOP weekly requirement. To sustain the production of biscuits and blended foods, new donations of milk powder are urgently needed. The current stock of Dried Skimmed Milk will be depleted by March 2005.

Under EMOP 10141.03, WFP this month is again able to feed all 6.5 million targeted beneficiaries with planned rations. Substantive new pledges will allow WFP to uphold this support through to May 2005, with the exception of oil that, due to delayed arrivals, has run out this month for beneficiaries on the west coast. The delayed arrival of rice has created a gap in cereals distribution to all west coast beneficiaries for about 15 days.

Because of three consecutive cancellations of monitoring visits, operations have been suspended in Chagang Province, Sinchon County (South Hwanghae Province) and in one district in Pyongyang. This affects 8 counties and one district where WFP previously had access, reducing current access to 152 out of a total 203 counties/districts.

Maldives

Maldives Field Mission Report to Meemu Atoll was circulated on January 18. The VAM/Programme summary findings of the islands visited found the most vulnerable persons within the atoll to be IDPs that normally practice agriculture and subsistence fishing and some of the fishing communities. Housing and overcrowding are overarching issues among the displaced. Many have been provided with tents but, the hot climatic conditions make them largely unusable during the day. The report recommends that WFP to work closely with the government to ensure proper targeting, provide technical support in distribution and monitoring and ensure there are no shortages in the food assistance pipeline in the coming months. The duration of food assistance to IDPs should be approximately three months. This period was identified by the communities and is dependent on the timeliness of other support relief interventions. Data analysis of WFP's Vulnerability Assessment is on-going. A draft report will be circulated for internal review, comments and feedback over the next week.

Sri Lanka

WFP Executive-Director James Morris paid a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on 19-20 January to assess damage, meet with donors and local officials, and review WFP's operation in the country. He made field trips to Killinochchi in the north and Galle in southern Sri Lanka. The north includes some of the poorest areas of Sri Lanka, where WFP has focused its assistance in the past because of high rates of child malnutrition. Morris said that the tsunami crisis in Sri Lanka has clearly made a "bad situation worse" for vulnerable families and children, noting that there are more than 1.1 million children under five in the tsunami-affected areas of the country, out of which 35 percent are thought to be undernourished. During his visit to Killinochchi Mr Morris had a meeting with S.P. Thamilcevam, the leader of the Tamil Tigers' political wing.

As well as its regular food ration of lentils, sugar, rice and vegetable oil, WFP will be distributing corn-soya blend to malnourished children, pregnant women and lactating mothers in the areas of highest vulnerability to food insecurity.

WFP is to take over all of the transport of its commodities as of 1 February, following agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka. While commodities will continue to be stored in Government warehouses, WFP will now be responsible for the transport of its commodities from the port of Colombo to the Extended Distribution Points and the Final Distribution Points.

A GS (Grama Sevaka - village head) in Ninthavur division, Ampara district, was assaulted by an unruly individual seeking to be registered as a food beneficiary. As a result of this assault, 25 other GS's in the division, responsible for overseeing food distribution, have gone on strike. Local authorities are urgently resolving the matter, as WFP is providing food to about 7,100 beneficiaries in that division. WFP works with GSs all around the country and they play the crucial role of implementing food distributions.

In Trincomalee, heavy rains over the last few days have caused people to move out of temporary (inadequate) camps. There are also potable water and sanitation concerns in 12 of 14 the camps. WFP continues to receive data from Government officials at the district level on the number of beneficiaries assisted and the tons of food distributed through the first two-week ration, during which some 713,000 beneficiaries have received a daily dispatch of 260 tons of food, for more than 8,280 tons during the period.

ODPC Latin America and Caribbean:

Bolivia

WFP resumed food distributions after the ending of a transportation strike in the area of intervention. A WFP sub-office has been installed in Camiri, the most important town in the intervention region.

Authorities in the southern area of El Chaco, Department of Tarija, have requested assistance for drought relief. WFP will assess the needs of the affected communities.

Heavy rains flooded more than 20 hectares in Vinto near Cochabamba's outskirts. Overflowing rivers caused floods which destroyed houses and fields of maize, onion, barley, lettuce and other products. The Prefecture is evaluating the damage in the affected area, estimating the extent of lost crops and assessing how many families are in need of support.

In political developments, despite the victory obtained with the cancellation of the contract with the French water company Aguas del Illimani, protesters marched from El Alto city to the city of La Paz Their demands included the nationalization of the hydrocarbon industry without compensation and the cancellation of the decree that authorizes the increase in fuel prices.

The Civic Committee of Santa Cruz announced a hunger strike with the participation of workers and neighbourhood councils and the blockade of the Viru Viru International Airport. Likewise, peasants and coca growers announced road blockades and a massive hunger strike. In the Yungas area, coca producers already started road blockades condemning the construction of a military base for the control of coca plantations.

Colombia

On 18 January, a group of at least 800 paramilitaries laid down their weapons as a gesture of peace with the Colombian government. This gesture provoked an indeterminate number of people from rural areas of the municipality of Santa Fe de Ralito to leave their homes. They fear retaliation from different illegal armed groups arising from the forthcoming demobilization process and peace dialogues.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez suspended all commercial relations with Colombia (including the closure of a gas-pipeline to supply fuel to the northern part of Colombia) conditional on an apology from the Colombian Government for the abduction of a Colombian rebel leader in Venezuela. The Colombian Government replied that the rebel leader was captured in the Colombian city of Cucuta on the border with Venezuela. The WFP Office in Cucuta reports no security incidents.

The National Liberation Army (ELN) and Colombia's second biggest leftist rebel group, wants to participate in elections for the first time in its 40-year history by backing a presidential candidate in 2006.

An indigenous leader was murdered by members of an illegal armed group in the rural areas of the municipality of Arica, province of Amazonas. The Ombudsman condemned the murder and demanded that illegal armed groups in Colombia respect the rights of the indigenous communities and International Humanitarian Law.

WFP delivered a total of 36.7 tons of food in the context of the PRRO 10158 - Assistance to People Displaced by Violence. The food was distributed in the provinces of Antioquia reaching 2,585 people. These commodities were distributed in 'Food for Work'/'Food for Training' Activities.

Guatemala

Vegetable and flower crops in the northwest region were damaged by frost. A recent assessment from the Ministry of Agriculture indicated that 200 hectares were affected in San Marcos: estimated losses are US$ 100,000.

The Government of Guatemala and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights signed an agreement to establish a UN Human Rights Office. The agreement will come into effect upon ratification from Congress. The OHCHR will follow up the work of the UN Mission for Guatemala.

Volcanic activity of weak to moderate intensity continues to be reported in Fuego, Pacaya, and Santiaguito volcanoes. All three volcanoes have been emitting ash and lava for the past three weeks. According to the National Coordinating Committee for Disaster Reduction, the situation does not call yet for evacuations of nearby residents.

A strike of air traffic controllers shut down the Guatemala City airport. Several flights were forced to land at other airports while others were grounded in the Guatemala City airport for over 20 hours.

A total of 210 tons of maize, beans, vegetable oil, and CSB were dispatched during this reporting period to community distribution and therapeutic feeding centres run by the Ministry of Health to contribute to the nutritional recovery of children, pregnant and lactating women, and their families suffering from recurring shocks. The food aid will benefit some 2,500 families over a two-month period.

Haiti

The entire country continues in UN security phase III. The security environment remains uncertain and volatile. Insecurity continues to hamper humanitarian activities. On 16 January, Raymond Lafontant, the interim prime minister's chief adviser, was shot in Port-au-Prince by a small group of men trying to steal his car.

During the past week, 872 MT of food were delivered to health centres (under both EMOP and CP funding) in the West, North and Northeast departments and to the various implementing partners of PRRO activities in the Northwest and Port-au-Prince.

A total of 161 MT of WFP food commodities were distributed by the implementing partner CARE to 2,806 beneficiaries in localities that had been heavily affected in the aftermath of hurricane Jeanne in the commune of Gonaïves. Distributions were held at a rate of 1-2 distribution sites per day.

The total food distributed in this city and its outskirts since the onset of the crisis is 3,905 tons while the total food distributed in other affected areas (Port de Paix, Chansolme, etc.) is 211 tons.

WFP continued to move the food containers that arrived at the seaport of Port-au-Prince. The lack of trailers at the terminals to haul the containers is seriously delaying the process. Some 317 food containers are still at the port. The total food stocks in the country are estimated at 10,167 MT of which 3,533 MT are in WFP warehouses and available for distribution while over 6,633 MT remain at the port.

Nicaragua

According to local authorities, heavy rains have caused widespread material damage and harvest losses in the Northern Atlantic Autonomous Region. Heavy rains this time of the year are considered a climatic anomaly. The National Institute for Territorial Studies (INETER) advised the national authorities to be prepared for El Niño phenomena which have caused serious drought, flooding and harvest losses in the past. WFP is monitoring the situation.

Primary and secondary school teachers have announced a national strike called "arms down". The teachers are demanding a minimum salary in accordance with the cost of the basic commodity basket. The strike could delay the start of the school year.

WFP will resume food distributions to vulnerable women and children in February and Food for Work activities in March.

WFP Nicaragua will face a shortfall for its PRRO 10212.0 through June 2005, of rice (470 MT), beans (238 MT) and vegetable oil (112 MT). If no commodities are announced in the coming months or those that are announced arrive late, this PRRO will face serious pipeline breaks during the second quarter of 2005.

Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons

Also available by e-mail from Carlo.Scaramella@wfp.org

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Emergency Report 2005-4