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Haiti

Haiti Weekly Emergency Situation Report No. 40

Country:
Haiti
Name of operation:
PRRO 10382.0
No of beneficiaries:
550,000
Duration:
May 2005 -- April 2007
Total cost:
US$ 40 million
Reporting period:
12 - 25 July 2005
Food distributed during reporting period:
624 MT

Highlights:

The passage of hurricanes Dennis and Emily caused non negligible damage in the southern peninsula of Haiti. According to the latest update from the Haitian Department of Civil Protection, MINUSTAH and UNDP, some 30 persons have died, 23 persons are still missing and some 1,500 houses have been destroyed or damaged. Agricultural fields in the coastal areas have been destroyed and livestock has been killed; however existing coping mechanisms supported by resources from local governments, NGOs and the international community will be able to cover the humanitarian needs without external assistance.

A two day workshop in preparation for the upcoming elections, organized by MINUSTAH/UNDP and the Haitian government, was attended by some 60 political parties. WFP was also represented at the workshop, where issues such as protection of the environment, natural disaster prevention and Millennium Development Goals were presented and discussed.

Prominent representatives from Famni Lavalas, the party of Haiti’s ousted leader Aristide, have declared that they will participate in the fall elections. Lavalas has previously claimed that they would not run for elections, unless Aristide was allowed to return to Haiti from his exile in South Africa. Other members of Lavalas have however denied that the party will participate in the elections, which could be a sign of a split in the country’s largest political faction.

The kidnapping and killing of the prominent journalist Jacques Roche, a well-known poet and editor of the cultural section at the Haitian daily Le Matin, has been widely condemned. Jacques Roche was found dead on a street in Port-au-Prince, handcuffed and mutilated, four days after being kidnapped. His funeral on July 21st drove hundreds to the streets in protest.

On July 22, the Roman Catholic priest Gerard Jean-Juste, a prominent member of Aristide’s Lavalas party and a possible candidate for the presidential election, was questioned by an examining judge, accused of being involved in the kidnapping and murder of Jacques Roche.

During the reporting period, nine Haitian citizens were reported killed in the capital. Reports of kidnappings and kidnapping-linked torture and rape continue to be recorded. In the reporting period, 18 cases of kidnappings were reported; no cases involving international staff.

UN troops were involved in skirmishes against alleged gang members in Bois Neuf (Cite Soleil), in the area of Cite Militaire, in Bel Air and in front of SHODECOSA, where the WFP Port-au-Prince warehouses are situated. Numerous arrests were made by MINUSTAH and Haitian National Police forces (HNP); however no casualties were reported.

A slight improvement in the security situation can be noted since the killing of the alleged gang leader Dread Wilme in Cite Soleil on July 6th and the numerous arrests of alleged gang members in the past two weeks. The situation seems less tense, especially in the area of Port-au-Prince. However, the question remains whether this will continue and the level of criminality and kidnappings does remain high and the entire country remains in UN security phase III.

Implementation and operations update

During the reporting period, a total of 624 MT of food were delivered to health centres and schools (PRRO and CP) in the West, North and North-East departments and Port-au-Prince and to the various implementing partners of PRRO activities in the North-West and Central Plateau.

Training for Western and Northern Departments implementing partners in the health sector for the new PRRO 10382.0 ended. More than 280 health workers (130 health centers) from NGOs and Ministry of Health were trained in supplementary food assistance programme implementation, including monitoring and evaluation (M&E), reporting and resource based management (RBM).

Food For Work projects in the Northern, North-Eastern and Artibonite departments, approved by the Selection Committee, are under finalization and training sessions are being planned.

The implementing of school gardens in different schools in the North-Eastern Department is being assessed. FFW will be used in support for this activity. Cooperation with FAO is under consideration for this project.

In spite of the improvements, the current security situation continues to have a non-negligible impact on WFP office and sub office operations. Administrative/monitoring/logistic activities were running escorted as required due to the tense situation in some areas of Port-au-Prince such as Cite Militaire and the area around SHODECOSA.

Resourcing update

The total food stocks in the country are estimated at 2,696 MT all of which are in WFP warehouses and available for distribution.


In country food stocks, (July 25 2005):
COMMODITIES
PAP
CAP
TOTAL in WFP warehouses
Stocks at PAP port
Total in-country Stocks
WSB/CSB/PWB
126
20
146
146
RICE
440
56
496
496
BISCUITS
MML
17
17
17
PULSES
701
14
715
715
HUILE
949
16
965
965
CAN FISH
62
27
89
89
CAN BEEF
9
9
9
SUGAR
135
75
210
210
SALT
38
11
49
49
TOTAL
2,468
228
2,696
2,696