Week 45
Security:
The security situation in East Timor continues to improve. During the past week there has only been a reported sighting of three unarmed militia members in Covalima district. PKF is currently investigating to ascertain if the militia presence is to visit family or gather information.
PKF operations in East Timor continue to produce positive results in that general population is reassured of their security, This is particularly evident in Manufahi and Ainaro Districts where some internal displacement had taken place in August and September. Those persons have, with the exception of approximately fifty persons who have resettled near Ainaro town, returned to their homes.
In West Timor reports indicate that the disarming of militia has slowed. However, there are also indications that the TNI is not fully supportive of militia members and in the Kupang area, TNI have been known to distance themselves from militia activities.
Recent rains have resulted in an expected deterioration in road conditions. UNTAET security advises travellers to drive carefully and to be aware of road and river crossing hazards.
Visit of the Security Council Mission:
The Security Council Mission to East Timor and Indonesia arrived in Dili on 11 November for a two-day visit and met with UNTAET and UN system officials, Cabinet members and NGO representatives. The Mission's objectives were the review of the implementation of SC resolution 1272 (1999) and progress made by UNTAET in preparation for East Timor independence and the review of SC resolution 1319 (2000), laying conditions to be met by Indonesia with regard to the security situation in the refugee camps in West Timor. The UN envoys noted the lack of resources available to UNTAET for the completion of its mandate, and in particular, a shortage of funds for the physical reconstruction of East Timor.
The Mission also visited different refugee sites in West Timor and encouraged refugees to return, emphasising the readiness of East Timorese to foster reconciliation.
Returns:
369 spontaneous returns were registered over the last week through Batugade and Junction Point Charlie, north of Memo, bringing the total of returns to 170,711 as of 15 November. The modest increase in numbers from the previous week seems to indicate that the Indonesian Task Force currently deployed in West Timor is obtaining positive results. In particular, returnees mentioned that the presence of Task Force representatives at the border facilitated the crossing. Nevertheless, it has also been reported from various sources in West Timor that refugees had to pay various intermediaries, including TNI, to be allowed to leave the camps.
Since September, only limited returns have taken place from the southern part of the Belu district, where the militia's grip over the refugee camps is said to the strongest.
The return by sea of 65 MILSAS (Militerisasi) members and their families is planned to take place from Kupang between 18 to 21 November. A limited number of international staff from UNHCR and IOM are being sent to facilitate the process. Local staff will carry out protection duties associated with the return movement. UNTAET and UNHCR have each dispatched a security officer to Kupang as a precursor to the planned return of the MILSAS.
Shelter:
UNHCR received 600MT of shelter material this week. 1,200 kits were distributed, bringing the rate of delivery in their shelter programme to 67%. The construction of houses is close to 15,000.
With the onset of the rainy season, the distribution of shelter materials is expected to experience delays as road conditions deteriorate. While ACF has completed distribution of materials in isolated areas of Laclubar in Manatuto, implementing partners in Covalima and Ainaro Districts are experiencing difficulties in transporting material in Covalima and Ainaro districts. Timor Aid has indicated that the flooding of the Zumalai and Cassa rivers has jeopardised the re-supply of Same and Ainaro from the warehouse in Suai. The situation is becoming equally critical in Viqueque. Furthermore, road stabilisation works in this district have been interrupted. With iron sheeting unavailable in some areas, temporary measures such as plastic tarpaulins could be considered.
While the World Bank is hoping to conduct a two-pronged assessment mission in the near future, one focusing on the housing needs at national level and the other focusing on urban planning in Dili, members of the humanitarian community engaged in shelter programmes have offered to provide. UNHCR implementing partners, who have experienced the difficulties of the housing reality in the districts, already have available much of the information the Bank is seeking. HAER will liaise with INHCR to assist in the compilation of this information.
The issue of shelter was also raised during the visit of the Security Council Mission. Highlighted were the facts and figures of the anticipated numbers of houses (45,000) to be rebuilt by mid-2001 under current shelter programmes and the number of houses that were estimated to have been destroyed in 1999 following the popular consultation (80,000 - 85,000). There has been no commitment on anyone's part (donor, implementer or organiser) to cover the gap, which includes urban areas such as Dili where for various reasons (urban attraction --- people have moved to the cities anyway), has not yet been addressed. Members of the UN who commented to the Security Council mission emphasised the need to look at alternative methods for housing rehabilitation as well as those currently utilised.
Health
Reports from the first NID (National Immunisation Day) round of 4 November are confirming the satisfactory outcome of the campaign with an overall coverage rate of more than 85%. In Manufahi for example, immunisation coverage over 2 days was of 96,2% of the target population.
The ICRC has completed one year of running all the services of the Dili General Hospital, during which period they have provided medical services, medicines, equipment, maintenance, salaries and training to the largest health facility in East Timor. 26 expatriate and 311 East Timorese staff are providing medical care in surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care and tuberculosis wards. Between January and October this year, more than 43,000 people were examined by the outpatient department while 4,500 patients were admitted for longer term interventions.
In June 2001, ICRC anticipates handing the General Hospital over to East Timor authorities. The Department of Health Services are currently searching for qualified Timorese medical staff to take over when international practicians leave. After June, the IRCR will focus on its traditional activities of protection, visits to detention centres, tracing and family reunification, prevention (dissemination of humanitarian law), support to the recently-created East Timorese Red Cross and cooperation with the Australian Red Cross in WATSAN projects mostly in rural areas.
Food and agriculture
Food distributions by WFP took place as normal this week Overland deliveries included Aileu (105 MT), Baucau (47 MT), Gleno (63 MT), Liquica (65 MT), Maliana (35 MT) and Suai (35 MT). In addition, on November 13, a helicopter operation was organised to deliver 24 MT of food to geographically vulnerable areas in the sub-district of Cailaco. A Japanese delegation participated in the helicopter food delivery to Cailaco as part of a visit to Maliana where the delegation was briefed on WFP programmes and where they visited a number of food-for-work projects.
The projected level of food distributions for the month of November is around 2,000 MT, which will reach some 140,000 beneficiaries mainly through Vulnerable Group Feeding and Food-for-Work programmes.
As part of the FAO maize seed distribution plan, WFP transported seeds to Baucau, Maliana, Same and Suai. The seed distribution campaign is proceeding well and could be finished by next week. The maize planting season is ongoing and will last until mid-December.
WFP's Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) officer will travel to East Timor on November 20 and give support to WFP Dili for a period of three weeks. The objectives of the visit include improving Vulnerable Group Feeding targeting and discussing the possibility of setting up a Food Security Surveillance System.
Education and school rehabilitation:
Under the UNICEF programme, 9 new schools (41 classrooms) were re-roofed over the last week in the districts of Aileu, Ainaro, Ermera, Lautem and Manatuto. 150MT of material have arrived in Oecussi and the repairs should start shortly. For the first semester of the school year, 600,000 textbooks have so far been distributed to the districts. WFP provided assistance for the delivery to Baucau, Liquica and Same.
The World Bank advises that bids for the supply, by local carpenters, of 30% of the school furniture have already been placed and that proposals are currently being examined. Furniture could be available some 3 months after the contracts are signed, although in some locations (Oecusse and Bobonaro, for example) some furniture construction has already been completed (German Agro Action and QIPs).
Structural problems continue to detract from the efforts of UNICEF, UNTAET and NGOs to give a boost to education in the country. There are reports of high enrolment figures for students but lower attendance numbers due to distances some children need to walk and family requirements that the children engage in economic or production activities at home or on the farm. Even with lower than expected attendance, the student to teacher ratio in many schools is 70 or 90 to 1.
The need for further emphasis on water and sanitation facilities in schools is also stressed. While UNICEF is tackling this serious problem and in some districts PKF is assisting in the rehabilitation and construction of latrines, the task will also require significant contributions from communities to improve conditions in the schools.
UNTAET
Humanitarian Assistance & Emergency Rehabilitation Pillar
Ext. 5631
Fax: + 872 762 135 013
Tel: + 872 762 124 278
Email:Ocha@East-Timor.org