DRC/ASF PROGRAM OF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO THE VICTIMS OF THE ARMED CONFLICT IN CHECHNYA
Latest developments
On June 6, the Chechen government adopted an interim provision on the stay of international non-governmental organizations (INGO) and their representatives in Chechnya. According to the provision, INGO representatives (beside passports and visas) should have copies of documents confirming the corresponding international agreements and registration with the Russian Ministry of Justice, and also a permit, granted by the Chechen government, giving the right to implement humanitarian activities on the republic's territory. Those INGOs opening their offices inside Chechnya must inform the Chechen government not later than five days before the date of the arrival, in written form. No limitations have been imposed as for choosing the place of stay, but the registration is compulsory.
On June 7, the European Commission has approved granting of humanitarian assistance worth of 14.5 million Euros to be delivered to the victims of war in Chechnya. The aid package includes emergency food assistance, health care and clothing, principally aimed at provision of the relief aid to the displaced persons in Chechnya and Ingushetia. With this latest decision, the Commission has granted, since October 1999, a total of 41.5 million Euro in aid, administered by the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), making it the leading donor of humanitarian aid to the region.
On June 15, the OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya resumed its activities in the republic. The acting chairman of the OSCE, Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mircea Geoana, visited Chechnya at the same day to take part in the ceremony of opening the Group's representative office in the settlement of Znamenskoye. The Group is headed by Mr. Alexandru Cornea. The Assistance Group to Chechnya left the republic in December 1998 in view of the aggravation of the security situation, and has been located in Moscow. According to Mr. Geoana, OSCE representatives are to face many tasks in Chechnya, but the most difficult of them is "to return the displaced home."
On June 16, in the castle of Brdo Pri Kranju, near the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, took place a meeting between the President of the USA George W. Bush and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, the Presidents discussed a range of issues. The question of the Russian military forces' actions in Chechnya was also discussed. Mr. Putin offered his conclusion of the meeting: "Differences in approaches do exist, and naturally, in one short moment, it is impossible to overcome all of them," he said. "But I am convinced, we have a constructive dialogue in front of us and the will to talk about all these topics." The two leaders will meet again next month in Genoa, Italy, on the sidelines of a summit of major industrialized nations and Russia.
On June 16, the Special Representative of the RF President for settlement of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, Mr. Kulakovskiy and the President of the Republic of Ingushetia, Mr. Aushev discussed the problems of the Ingush IDPs' return to the North Ossetia. The main questions, deliberated during the two-days meeting, were restoration of the infrastructure and construction of the houses for the returnees, as well as providing security in the settlements of their residence. According to the spokesmen of the both parties, the IDPs are to return to 13 settlements of Prigorodniy District of the North Ossetia. Up to the moment, as many as 19,000 Ingush IDPs have already arrived at the places of their previous residence. According to Mr. Kulakovskiy, questions of inter-action of the State power bodies of the two republics were determined as of the main importance.
On June 20, the regional representative of the UNHCR in Moscow, Mr. John McCallin, stated that at present approximately one fifth of all the refugees of the world, which number 21,126,000 persons in total, live on the territory of the Russian Federation. According to the official data, about 8 million persons immigrated to Russia and about 4 million emigrated from Russia for the last 10 years. Besides, Mr. McCallin informed that Russia shelters about 8,000 refugees from Afghanistan, Angola, Algeria, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Pakistan and Iraq.
According to a statement made by the Ingush Presedent, Mr. Aushev, on June 26, the Chechen problem cannot be solved by force. He pointed out the dire situation in which the Chechen displaced found themselves in Ingushetia and confirmed reports that 37 IDPs were on hunger strike in protest against the "antiterrorist operation" in their republic. Aushev said no-one could force the IDPs to return to Chechnya against their will. He did not rule out that Chechen rebels could launch a large-scale offensive against federal troops.
Other News
On June 6, a group of Chechen IDPs and representatives of the Chechen diaspora have sent an appeal of the OSCE calling on the international community and international organization to push for a political solution to the conflict in the republic. The appeal, which was signed by 10,000 Chechen displaced persons located in neighboring Ingushetia, charges that Russian forces in Chechnya have carried out mass shootings of civilians, engaged in marauding and tortured detainees. The letter's authors demanded that independent journalists and observers are allowed into Chechnya.
On June 9, the Head of the Ministry for Federal Affairs, Ethnic and Migration Policies, Mr. Pavlenko, stated that at present approximately 309,000 citizens of Chechnya might be considered as internally displaced persons. This number includes those IDPs who have left their domicile and got registered with the territorial bodies of the Ministry for Federal Affairs.
According to different Russian official sources, approximately 140-170 thousand of the IDPs are living in Ingushetia, 6,000 - in Stavropol krai, 4,500 - in Daghestan; Chechnya itself shelters near 200,000 IDPs.
On June 21, at night the unknown persons fired at the house of the former mayor of Grozny Bislan Gantamirov, who has recently been appointed the Federal Inspector in the RF Southern Federal District. At the time of the attack, Mr. Gantamirov was out of the republic. No member of Gantamirov's family was injured.
On June 22, the RF Presidential Plenipotentiary in Chechnya, Mr. Adlan Magomadov, stated that by autumn 2001, the authorities are planning to return to Chechnya up to 150,000 Chechnya IDPs staying in Ingushetia and North Ossetia. At present the total number of the Chechen citizens living outside the republic is estimated as 600,000 persons. According to the Chechen officials, the city of Grozny may accept approximately 50,000 returnees, Argun - up to 30,000. In addition, according to Mr. Magomadov, the Kremlin has directed 127 prefabricated houses to the republic, out of them 13 houses - to Grozny.
IDP Movements
Source: Ingush Territorial Representative Office of the RF Ministry for Federal Affairs, Migration and Ethnic Policies.
| Date |
Chechnya IDPs coming to Ingushetia from Chechnya
|
Chechnya IDPs leaving Ingushetia for Chechnya
|
| 26/06/2001 |
1987
|
1860
|
All mentioned IDP movements have been recorded at two main checkpoints between Chechnya and Ingushetia: Kavkaz-1 and Adler-20.
According to the Ingush Branch of the Ministry for Federal Affairs, Migration and Ethnic Policies, presently there are approximately 180,000 IDPs from Chechnya living in Ingushetia. Out of them, as many as 148,939 persons are officially registered by the local authorities and considered to be entitled to receive humanitarian assistance coming through EMERCOM and other state sources. The majority of IDPs is concentrated in neighbouring-to-Chechnya Sunzhenskiy District of Ingushetia.
DRC/ASF Registration
Ingushetia
According to the latest registration data as of June 26, the number of Chechnya IDPs living on the territory of the republic of Ingushetia constitutes 149,864 persons. The majority of the IDPs live in Sunzhenskiy District of Ingushetia, neighbouring to Chechnya (53,156 persons). (Annex 1, Tables 1, 2).
Chechnya
As of 26.06.2001, the number of the local population of the republic of Chechnya constitutes 789,687 persons, having as many as 132,323 inner IDPs in the region. Comparing with the previous registration data as of 23.05.2001, the number of the inner IDPs in Chechnya increased, parallel with its decrease in Ingushetia. This factor reflects the tendency of gradual IDPs return to the places of their residence in the republic. (Annex 1, Tables 3, 4, 5).
Distribution
Ingushetia
WFP/DRC/ASF Joint Program of Emergency Assistance
For the period from 17 June up to 22 June 2001, DRC/ASF conducted distribution of flour and salt for Chechnya IDPs in Ingushetia. As a result, as many as 1,420.63 MT of w/flour have been distributed, along with 10.63 MT of salt among approximately 105,000 IDPs, staying in Karabulak, Malgobekskiy, and Sunzhenskiy districts as well as in Nazranovskiy Municipal District of Ingushetia. From the beginning of the joint WFP/DRC/ASF program of food distribution on 18 February 2000 and up to 22 June 2001, DRC/ASF distributed in total more than 23,678.37 MT of food to Chechnya IDPs, living in the territory of Ingushetia. (Annex 2, Table 1).
Distribution of EU food commodities
Besides, during June 2001 DRC/ASF carried out the distribution of rice and canned beef provided by the EU. The distribution took place in Karabulakskiy and Sunzhenskiy districts of the republic. There have been distributed 64,625 MT of rice and 3701 tins of canned beef. (Annex 2, Table 2).
DRC/ASF permanent distribution points in Ingushetia:
In Ingushetia, DRC/ASF distributes food commodities through 23 distribution points (DP):
NAZRAN (7 DPs): Plievo, Nazran City, Altievo, Gamuzi, Barsuki, Nasyr-Kort.
SUNZHA (7 DPs): Sleptsovskaya, Alkhasty, Galashki, Troiskaya, Muzhichi, Nesterovskaya, Chemulga.
MALGOBEK (9 DPs): Psedakh, Sagopshi, Noviy Redant, Zyazikov-Yurt, Voznesenonskaya, Aki-Yurt, Verkhniye Achaluki, Sredniye Achaluki, Nizhniye Achaluki.
KARABULAK (1 DP): Karabulak Town and suburbs.
Food rations (WFP items):
Oil: 1 L per person (Malgobek)
Sugar: 0,5 kg per person
Salt: 0,15 kg per person
Flour: 13,5 kg
DRC/ASF warehouse facilities:
Malgobek (UNHCR non-food) 1,098 m2;
Nazran "Kamaz-Center" (DRC-UN Joint Warehouse) 3,960 m2;
Nazran-3 (DANIDA-ECHO food/non-food) - 1,302 m2;
Nazran-4 (DANIDA-ECHO non-food/building materials) - 470 m2;
Nazran-5 (DANIDA-ECHO building materials) - 2,547 m2;
Plievo (EU food) - 2,750m2.
Chechnya
Program of Emergency Assistance to the people of Chechnya
Joint DRC/ASF-WFP Assistance Program
During June 2001, DRC/ASF has distributed 214.3 MT of WFP food assistance in Chechnya: 206,517 MT of flour and 7,815 MT of sugar. From the beginning of WFP distribution in Chechnya on 11 May 2000 up to 22 June 2001, DRC/ASF have distributed more than 1,866 MT of food products. (Annex 2, Tables 3, 4).
Areas of DRC/ASF food distribution in Chechnya:
- ECHO-funded distribution: Urus-Martanovskiy, Shalinskiy, Kurchaloyskiy, Nozhay-Yurtovskiy, Vedenskiy Districts and 2 IDP camps in Nadterechniy District.
- WFP food: Groznenskiy Rural District, Staropromyslovskiy District of Grozny
DRC/ASF distribution of ECHO-funded commodities
During June 2001, DRC/ASF has been conducting the distribution of ECHO-funded food and non-food commodities. Thus, from 4 up to 18 June, there has been delivered 77 trucks to Chechnya loaded with 733.7 MT of food products (see Annex 2, Table 5). In addition, by 20 June, DRC/ASF has distributed 738 stoves together with 738 tents in Shatoiskiy, northern part of Shalinskiy, Groznenskiy, Itumkalinskiy, Vedendkiy and Urus-Martanovskiy Districts. In most of the cases, tents and stoves have been distributed along with one bed, 4 bed sheets and one mattress. While all stoves have been distributed in the above-mentioned districts, the remaining 262 tents will be distributed by the end of June - early July in Achkhoy-Martanovskiy district.
In the framework of the Shelter Program, DRC/ASF delivered 99 trucks with building materials to the republic of Chechnya, procured for ECHO and DANIDA funding. (Annex 2, Table 6).
DRC/ASF distribution of EU canned beef and kasha
From 7 to 24 June DRC/ASF delivered to Chechnya and distributed 1,206,786 tins of canned beef, provided by the EU. (Annex 2, Table 7). On 24 June another convoy delivered 851,325 tins of kasha provided by the European Union, which has been distributed up to the end of the month among the Chechnya IDPs in the war-suffered republic. The ration, in coordination with the EU, was determined as 15 tins of canned beef and kasha per person. Thus, 137,207 IDPs have already been served during the distribution cycle.
In June 2001, DRC/ASF has also directed 26 trucks with UNHCR non-food items to 6 districts of Chechnya (clothes, shoes, blankets, mattresses, plastic sheeting). ( Annex 2, Table 8).
Shelter Program
Chechnya
As a result of implementation of the Shelter Project in Chechnya, the DRC/ASF staff have registered 4,853 partially destroyed houses into the computerized database. Out of them, as many as 3,505 houses have been rebuilt.
The registration in the Staropromyslovskiy District of Grozny has been concluded. By 27 June 2001, as many as 1,555 houses of the 1st degree of destruction have been registered. The registration of destroyed houses in the settlement of Katar-Yurt (Achkhoy-Martanovskiy District) resulted in insertion of 517 houses of the 1st and the 2nd degree of destruction into the database.
DRC/ASF staff have also delivered building materials for 69 houses in the settlement of Michurina of Grozny.
DDG/DCA
Ingushetia: In June DDG/DCA Mine Awareness instructors continued performing Mine Awareness in Ingushetia. The target group is children and youngsters between 7-25 years currently living in Ingushetia in IDP camps and host families. 4 instructors have carried out 39 MA sessions for 1029 IDPs of 7-25 years living in a newly- established tent-camp "Satsita". Before commencing Mine Awareness DDG/DCA instructors made a survey to establish the level of Mine Awareness amongst the inhabitants of the camp. The survey was carried out by way of individual interviews. Special interview forms have been developed and 120 representatives of the target group have been interviewed during June 2001. The analysis of the interviews highlighted the need for MA education as most of interviewed people showed a very limited knowledge on the matter of MA education. Two MA instructors carried out sessions for newcomers in the tent-camp "Sputnik". 324 young people between 15-25 years received Mine Awareness education within one week in June.
To cover the large remaining part of the target group DDG/DCA has established 4 Information Centers at 3 DRC Distribution Points (Malgobek, Sleptsovskaya and Karabulak) and at the DRC IC in Nazran to give general Mine Awareness information to the people coming to get food-aid. Thus, 1963 people received Mine Awareness information through DDG/DCA Information Centers throughout June.
Chechnya: Due to Summer Vacation at schools, DDG/DCA instructors had to stop Mine Awareness training at Chechen schools for summer period. Presently 1 team of 4 instructors is working in Nadterechny district of Chechnya in two tent-camps. According to the DRC database, there are 1886 people of the target-group in both camps. DDG/DCA instructors have covered 600 children and young people within one week in June. Before commencing Mine Awareness education the instructors carried out a survey to establish the level of Mine Awareness.
Chechen Teachers Course: 24 teachers from Vedenskiy and Nozhay-Yurtovsky districts, the most remote regions of Chechnya, have attended the Course within 3 weeks in June. The Course contains sessions in Basic Mine Awareness skills such as different types of mines, UXOs and booby-traps, danger areas, risky behaviour, warning signs, socio-economic consequences of mines and UXOs, educational principles and field practice sessions. Besides, the teachers receive education in basic first aid. All teachers having received the DDG/DCA Mine Awareness course will perform sessions at their schools within 4 weeks after finishing the course. Visual training material has been produced for the course: an interactive game of "Right behaviour", a "Class Room Cross Word", photos, posters, demo-mines and "Right Behaviour Messages".
Mine Awareness Materials: DDG/DCA instructors are working hard to develop effective methods and materials for MA sessions. 1000 leaflets and 200 posters with the safety recommendations for drivers have been produced in June. The posters and leaflets contain important information every driver entering or passing the territory of Chechnya should know. The leaflets are being disseminated at the bus-stations amongst taxi-drivers and individuals going to Chechnya. DDG/DCA instructors have put the posters at the bus- and taxi-stations.
A First Aid booklet has been designed by the DDG/DCA Local Mine Awareness Coordinator, doctor by occupation. The booklet is to be print by the end of the month. 3000 booklets will be distributed amongst the Chechen teachers attending DDG/DCA Teachers Course.
2 new games and role-playing with Mine Awareness messages designed by the MA instructors attract a great attention of the trainee children. The instructors act as the facilitators to correct and guide, while the children practice the brief scenes and act them out. Role-playing actively involves children in the learning process because it relies on their own words and their own way if viewing .The children feel a greater sense of ownership of the content of the messages because it has come from them directly. This allows the information to be internalized so that learning can take place.
Stavropol, 30 June 2001.
For further information, please contact:
Representative, Tom Trier
Tel: + 7 8652 - 35 69 18, (Stavropol), + 7 87322 2 82 70, + 7 901 497 94 71 (Nazran)
mobile + 7 8652 - 919 047; E-mail: trier@drc.ru
Special Advisor, Zelim Yandarov
Tel/fax: + 7 8652 - 35 69 15, mobile + 7 8652 - 913 789; E-mail: yandarov@drc.ru
DRC North Caucasus
Ul. Lenina 458, 3-d floor
355 029 Stavropol
Russian Federation
Tel. +7 8652 94 39 97
Fax +7 8652 35 69 17
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