Highlights
- WFP deploys a team to conduct rapid needs assessments in eastern Jebel Marra.
- ACF releases preliminary results of its anthropometric nutritional survey in Abu Shouk camp which shows Global Acute Malnutrition at 25.9%
- Widespread and significant rainfall in late May extending even into North Darfur had no continuation in June and dry conditions followed.
HUMANITARIAN AND SECURITY ISSUES
South Darfur
The security situation in South Darfur continues to be volatile with reports of livestock raiding in Gasa by armed bandits and fighting in Menawashei between the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Government of Sudan (GoS). In Kalma camp, between 300 and 500 IDPs looted 58 MT of food on 19 June. The 58 MT of commodities represented a surplus from June distributions that was to be stored for the next general food distribution in the camp, pending a registration exercise. An international NGO working in Golo, West Jebel Marra temporarily suspended operations for a week due to security concerns as clashes between the SLA and the Government of Sudan (GoS) continued in the area. Residents in Menawashei area remain confined to their homes following heavy fighting between the SLA and the GoS reported on 19 June.
North Darfur
On 22 June, seven armed men attacked a convoy of seven WFP-contracted trucks en route from El Fasher to Kutum. One truck was abducted and taken to the outskirts of Lumbati village where 240 bags of wheat were looted. The truck and driver were eventually released after the armed men signed the waybill for receipt of the food. WFP has requested the representative for the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to conduct further investigations.
In Um Kadada, fighting was reported between the Kababish and Berti tribes in the area of Um Citra on 22 June. The GoS deployed soldiers in an attempt to halt the fighting. Subsequently, an influx of some 4,000 Berti IDPs was reported in Um Citra and Burush.
West Darfur
On 24 June, a food distribution point established by WFP's Cooperating Partner SC-US in Masteri was burnt down one day after WFP food distributions were completed in this location. This investigation is still ongoing.
The security situation along the Chadian border remained tense during the week following a heavy exchange of fire between Sudanese and Chadian nomads on 25 June between Masteri and Kongo Haraza as well as in locations around Tarbeba. Sudanese nomads allegedly looted cattle and camels from across the Chadian border, prompting Chadian nomads to retaliate. The area has been temporarily declared NO GO to UN movement. The AU is investigating futher.
ACCESS AND FOOD DELIVERY
On 23 June, food was distributed peacefully in Masteri, West Darfur to IDPs who participated in the registration exercise conducted during the previous week (30 percent of the community). As previously reported, a small group of sheikhs discouraged the IDPs from registration. For the first time in West Darfur, African Union (AU) troops were present to protect humanitarian workers at the distribution point in Masteri following a prior incident when WFP food distributions in the area were temporarily disrupted.
Deliveries to Zallingie have been temporarily suspended for over a week due to continued insecurity and ongoing reluctance of transporters to travel along the main road from Nyala to the area. The two principal camps, Al Hisahisa and Al Hamidia (total of 48,600 beneficiaries), have not yet received food as a result.
In July, WFP is targeting more than 2.6 million beneficiaries with some 53,277 MT in Darfur.
Dispatches from the three Darfur state capitals to CPs between 1 and 26 June total 35,517 MT to some 1.8 million beneficiaries (estimate is based on dispatch report).
SURFACE TRANSPORT
Primary Transport:
WFP continues to struggle with increasing transport demands out of Port Sudan, making it difficult to meet dispatch requirements from the Port to the logistical hubs in El Obeid and Khartoum. While dispatches improved slightly during the reporting week, low stocks in the hubs are in turn affecting the availability of food in Darfur. WFP may be forced to penalize transporters for non-provision of trucks and WFP is in the process of issuing letters to all transporters reminding them of their respective contractual agreements.
Forty new trucks will become operational in the coming days. This means that a total of 150 trucks will be operational for primary transport in July.
Secondary Transport:
New trucks continue to arrive in the country, gradually increasing WFP's capacity to deliver required amounts of food into Darfur. Currently, 450 out of 700 trucks are operational and an additional 77 trucks are expected to arrive in El Obeid by 7 July.
Transporters continue to experience inconsistent and unreliable supply of diesel which has impacted deliveries. Transporters have had to install their own tanks and preposition fuel brought in from Port Sudan.
Between 1 and 26 June, WFP dispatched a total of 37,642 MT by road from logistical hubs in El Obeid, Khartoum and Kosti to the Darfur states in June, representing 81 percent of the monthly target for road deliveries in June.
Tertiary Transport:
WFP expects fifty new trucks to arrive in Port Sudan during the first week of July which will become operational by August. Plans to procure an additional 50 trucks are currently on hold until funding becomes available.
During the reporting period, WFP's fleet of 120 6x6 trucks delivered 4,042 MT to various locations in the three Darfur states (2,415 MT in South Darfur, 1,199 MT in West Darfur and 428 MT in North Darfur).
AIR OPERATIONS
Between 1 and 26 June, WFP airlifted and airdropped a total of 6,675 MT of food into Darfur, representing 74 percent of the monthly target for June. This includes 2,736 MT of food airlifted in from Al Khufra.
KEY ACTIVITIES
JIM Mission:
The Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary General and Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/HC), Mr. Manuel Aranda Da Silva, participated in a Joint Implementation Mechanism (JIM) mission to North Darfur between 21 to 23 June. The mission objectives were to review the progress achieved over the last year in respect to commitments made regarding human rights, security, humanitarian and political issues as well as to identify and evaluate any other pertinent issues that were not included in the Joint Communique of 3 July 2004. In North Darfur, the JIM mission, led by the DSRSG/HC, visited Abu Shouk and Al-Salaam camps and met with the Wali, the AU Deputy Force Commander and representatives of the humanitarian community. The mission also visited Kebkabiya and Kutum. In South Darfur, a team led by the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Gemmo Lodasani, visited Kalma, Saniadeliba, Kass and El Salaam camps and held various meetings with the sheikhs, representatives of the GoS, humanitarian agencies and the Wali.
Assessments:
WFP deployed a Security Assessment team on 21 June to resume assessments of three villages (Dereibat, Fuguli and Suni) in the SLA-controlled area of Eastern Jebel Marra. WFP and CP Samaritan's Purse (SP) will proceed to the same villages on Tuesday, 28 June, to conduct rapid needs assessments there. WFP and CP World Vision (WV) also conducted a rapid needs assessment in Ed Al Fursan on 27 June 2005.
Nutrition:
Preliminary results for the nutrition survey that was carried out by UNICEF in conjunction with the State Ministry of Health in Geneina camps, namely Ardamata, Dorti, Riyad and Abuzar, show a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 16.9 %, a Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) rate of 1.5 %, and under-five and crude mortality rates of 0.23/10 000/day and 0.53/10 000/day respectively. Although the mortality rates are below the emergency threshold, the nutritional status remains critical. Despite general food distribution and selective feeding programmes in all the above camps, these results raise some concerns on the nutritional status of the affected population. Increases in admissions have also been registered in these locations from February to date. The final report from UNICEF is expected to identify the underlying causes of the deteriorating situation. However, it should be noted that an increase in malnutrition during the lean periods in Darfur is not uncommon.
Preliminary results of the June 2005 anthropometric nutrition survey of Abu Shouk camp in North Darfur, conducted by Action Contre La Faim (ACF), indicate that the GAM rate remains high at 25.9 percent. Crude mortality rate is 0.6/10 000/day, which is below the emergency threshold while the Under Five mortality rate is high at 1.95/10,000/day. The GAM result indicates a significant improvement compared to the June 2004 result of 39 percent and a stable nutritional situation when compared to the October 2004 result of 27 percent.
CP World Vision was unable to begin implementing the blanket supplementary feeding programme for 34,000 children under five in Kalma camp. This was mainly due to concerns over hostility from IDPs following ongoing attempts to conduct IDP headcounts in the face of fierce resistance from the sheikhs.
WHO completed its mortality survey during the reporting week and is in the process of finalizing its data analysis.
Registration:
In North Darfur, CP German Agro Action (GAA) plans to undertake headcounts in Dar Zaghawa, Damrats, Hamrats and Mellit in July. CP African Humanitarian Action (AHA) will conduct headcounts in rural El Fasher, while Sudan Red Crescent Society (SRC) has proposed the Kebkabiyah headcount to take place on 1 July.
Rainfall Analysis and Forecast:
Widespread and significant rainfall registered in late May, extending even into North Darfur, did not continue in June. Satellite-derived vegetation maps show significant vegetation development in the southern half of South Darfur and a small area in West Darfur in agreement with an evaluation of conditions suitable for planting and early crop development. However, planting conditions were not detected in other regions of Darfur due to the dry conditions noted in early June. Rainfall forecasts for the week point to important rainfall amounts in West Darfur, but these are likely to be overestimates. Elsewhere, there are indications that the dry conditions throughout North Darfur and upper South Darfur will continue. No major changes in the extent of suitable growing season conditions are presently expected. Long-range forecasts from a variety of sources present a consensus of an average or drier than average June-September rainfall for Greater Darfur. Within such a wide area, large variations in seasonal rainfall conditions can be expected, but no confident indications of its distribution can be provided at this stage.
WEST DARFUR
A total of 500 MT of cereals were airdropped in Foro Buranga, West Darfur during the reporting period.
WFP conducted distribution monitoring in Masteri. A total of 4,003 individuals were registered and the majority of recipients were females.
The airdrop operation of 700 MT of assorted commodities in Mukjar was completed during the week.
It was reported that strong winds and rains on 24 June damaged one wiikhall in Foro Buranga. WFP is arranging for the immediate repair of the wiikhall and re-stacking of food.
Food dispatches by road continued to Um Dokhon, Garsila, Deleij and Bendisi, all in West Darfur. WFP plans to pre-position food rations sufficient for three months in Mukjar and Wadi Salih, West Darfur before the peak of the rainy season.
NORTH DARFUR
Vegetable oil has been temporarily removed from the food basket in North Darfur due to ongoing shortages in deliveries from the logistic hubs.
Food distribution was completed in Malha, Mellit town, Abou Shouk and Zam Zam camp during the reporting period while distribution is ongoing in Dar Zaghawa, Hashaba, rural Mellit, Tawila, and Kabkabiya town.
General food distribution was completed in Kutum town as well as all centers in the Hashaba area.
Preparation is underway to start WFP food assistance to Um Kadada with a new assessment of the area by El Fasher Field Office team for the selection of new distribution sites and the setting up of distribution committees.
Following the assessment conducted by ACF in Korma, WFP expects food assistance to commence in July.
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